Written Answers

                    The text on this page has been created from Hansard archive content, it may contain typographical errors.
                

Written Answers To Questions

Wednesday 27 June 1979

Home Department

Charity Commissioners

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in view of the fact that the Expenditure Committee report on Charity Commissioners and their accountability was published in September 1975, if he will ensure that the Government's observations are published by September.

Although this report was published nearly four years ago, I have had very little time yet to consider the recommendations it contains. I therefore cannot yet give a date by which we shall be able to publish our observations, but I have in mind the need for an early response.

Postal Voting

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to extend postal vote facilities for parish council elections.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Wainwright) on 25 June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the number and percentage of votes cast by absent voters in each constituency in the United Kingdom on 3 May and on 7 June.

Information about postal votes in these elections is not yet available centrally. Information on the number of postal votes in the general election on 3 May will be published for each constituency in "Election Expenses" in due course. Information on the number of postal votes in the European election will be published in due course but not in terms of parliamentary constituencies.

Woolworth's, Manchester (Fire)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to establish a public inquiry to consider all implications of the circumstances that led to a loss of life in the tragic fire at Woolworth's store, Piccadilly, Manchester; if so, when; and if not why not.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to a question by the hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Mr. Marks) on 25 June.

Metropolitan District Councils (Boundaries)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made by the Local Government Boundary Commission in submitting proposals for the metropolitan district councils; and if he will make a statement about the 1980 metropolitan district council election.

Orders have been made providing new electoral arrangements for the metropolitan districts of Barnsley, Bury, Oldham, Sandwell, Sefton and Solihull. Reports have been received from the Local Government Boundary Commission for England on the future electoral arrangements for Bolton, Bradford, Calderdale, Coventry, Doncaster, Dudley. Liverpool, Manchester, Rochdale, Rotherham, St. Helens, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Walsall, Wigan and Wirral and orders implementing these arrangements should be made in time for the 1980 elections. The Commission has not yet submitted reports on Birmingham, Gateshead, Kirklees, Knowsley, Leeds, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North Tyneside. Salford, Sheffield, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Wakefield and Wolverhampton.

Police And Probation Officers (Pay)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the salary scales, respectively, of police constables and probation officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report tables showing the pay scales of the police force together with their emoluments and the pay scales at present for probation officers.

With effect from 1 May 1979, the annual salaries of police officers

										Annual pay
Rank							Service in Rank			London	Provinces
										£	£
Assistant chief constable/Commander					…	…	—			12,725	12,500
Chief superintendent			…	…	…	…	Less than 1 year		…	11,030	10,800
							After 1 year	…	…	11,270	11,050
							After 2 years	…	…	11,525	11,300
							After 3 years	…	…	11,775	11,550
Superintendent		…	…	…	…	…	Less than 1 year		…	10,460	9,800
							After 1 year	…	…	10,550	10,050
							After 2 years	…	…	10,630	10,300
							After 3 years	…	…	10,710	10,550
Chief inspector		…	…	…	…	…	Less than 1 year		…	7,440	7,100
							After 1 year	…	…	7,625	7,300
							After 2 years	…	…	7,820	7,500
							After 3 years	…	…	8,030	7,700
							After 4 years	…	…	8,235	7,900
Inspector	…	…	…	…	…	…	Less than 1 year		…	6,590	6,250
							After 1 year	…	…	6,775	6,450
							After 2 years	…	…	7,015	6,700
							After 3 years	…	…	7,230	6,900
							After 4 years	…	…	7,440	7,100
Station sergeant or first class sergeant (CID)						…	Any service	…	…	6,590	—

										£
Sergeant	…	…	…	…	…	…	Less than 1 year		…	5,450
							After 1 year	…	…	5,700
							After 2 years	…	…	5,900
							After 3 years	…	…	6,100
							After 4 years	…	…	6,250
Constable	…	…	…	…	…	…	Less than 1 year		…	3,600
							After 1 year	…	…	3,850
							After 2 years	…	…	4,300
							After 3 years	…	…	4,400
							After 4 years	…	…	4,550
							After 5 years	…	…	4,700
							After 6 years	…	…	4,850
							After 7 years	…	…	5,000
							After 8 years	…	…	5,150
							After 12 years		…	5,450
							After 15 years		…	5,700

Salaries for chief constables and deputy chief constables are related to the population of the area served by the force. Outside London, the salaries of chief constables range from £16,600 to £20,500; deputy chief constables' salaries are 80 per cent. of the chief constable's salary.The principal emoluments, other than salaries, which police officers receive are:

(1) Rent allowance—The maximum allowances, which are effectively tax free, vary from one force to another and currently range from £12·37 to £28·81 a week for officers below the rank of superintendent. Superintendents and more senior ranks receive higher allowances.

Grade				Service in Grade			Annual pay
							£
Assistant Chief Probation Officer	…	…	…	On appointment		…	6,297
				After 1 year	…	…	6,465
				After 2 years	…	…	6,654
				After 3 years	…	…	6,810

of the rank of assistant chief constable and below are as follows:

(2) Overtime and rest day and public holiday working—The hourly rate, which is payable only to officers below the rank of superintendent, is time and a third, time and a half and double time respectively.

(3) London weighting and London allowance—All officers in the Metropolitan and City of London police forces receive a special London allowance of £650 a year and £319 a year for London weighting.

The annual salaries for probation officers, which are due to be increased with effect from 1 July 1979, are currently as follows for the grades of assistant chief probation officer and below:

Grade					Service in Grade			Annual pay
								£
Senior Probation Officer	…	…	…	…	On appointment		…	5,193
					After 1 year	…	…	5,364
					After 2 years	…	…	5,526
					After 3 years	…	…	5,685
					After 4 years	…	…	5,850

				£	£
Probation Officer [Salaries for London officers in brackets]	On appointment		…	3,624	[3,822
	After 1 year	…	…	3,822	4,017
	After 2 years	…	…	4,017	4,212
	After 3 years	…	…	4,212	4,338
	After 4 years	…	…	4,338	4,467
	After 5 years	…	…	4,467	4,599
	After 6 years	…	…	4,599	4,740
	After 7 years	…	…	4,740	4,884
	After 8 years	…	…	4,884	5,034
	After 9 years	…	…	5,034	5,169
	After 10 years		…		5,313]

Salaries for chief probation officers are at present related to staff size and the population of the area. The salary scales for chief probation officers range from £6,342 to £11,586 a year: the scales for deputy chief probation officers are approximately 75 per cent. of the chief probation officer's scale.

Officers in the probation service receive no additional emoluments, other than inner London weighting of £501 a year and outer London weighting of £321 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the pay and recruitment of probation officers.

Provisional agreement has been reached by the joint negotiating committee on the outlines of this year's pay claim for increases from 1 July, but negotiations on the details are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has received the interim proposals of the joint negotiating committee on the pay of probation officers;(2) if he will make a statement about the negotiations between probation officers and employers;(3) when he proposes to meet both the employers and staff side of the probation service in a joint discussion on pay scales.

The joint negotiating committee has provisionally agreed the outlines of this year's pay settlement for increases from 1 July, but negotiations on the details are continuing. I have received no request for a joint discussion with the two sides on pay scales and do not have it in mind to propose one.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation officers left the service during 1978 in order to improve their income by joining social services departments.

No specific information is available about the reasons for moving of those probation officers who left the service during 1978 to work in local authority social services departments. However, improvement of income is likely to have been a major consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the increased pay award to the police is to be implemented; and what are the reasons for the delay.

The Police (Amendment) Regulations 1979, which give effect to the award, are expected to be laid before Parliament on 27 June. Drafting of the regulations was complicated by problems arising from the phasing of the pay award and the restructuring of police pay scales. The delay will not affect the operative date of 1 May.

Constituency Boundaries

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what minimum period of time needs to elapse, for practical reasons, between the approval of an order following submission of reports by the Parliamentary Boundary Commissions on a general review of constituency boundaries and the holding of the next following general election.

An Order in Council defining new parliamentary constituencies takes effect 14 days after it has been made. A general election could be held on the basis of the new constituencies at any time after that date.

Murder And Manslaughter

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the total number of persons convicted for murder, manslaughter and attempted murder, respectively, in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures for each of the previous 20 years.

Information on the number of persons found guilty of murder, attempted murder and manslaughter is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—table 10(a) of the volume for 1977, Cmnd. 7289. Information for 1978 is not yet available. Further information about offences of homicide, which includes infanticide and excludes attempted murder, is given in chapter 9 of the same publication.

Work-Permit Employment

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were admitted to the United Kingdom in 1977 and 1978 for each of the various varieties of work-permit employment listed in paragraph 25 of the immigration rules for control on entry.

Numbers of work permit holders admitted to this country in each of the years 1973 to 1978 were published in table 7 of "Control of Immigration: Statistics 1978" (Cmnd. 7565). The numbers admitted in the categories of permit-free employment listed in paragraph 25 are not available; they are included in "Others given leave to enter for twelve months" in tables 1(a) and 1(b) of the same publication.

Applications For Settlement (Indian Sub-Continent)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will bring up to date the details of applications for settlement for wives and children from the Indian sub-continent which the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave in a parliamentary answer in January 1978.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

Charities (Political Involvement)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why his Department issued a press statement about the Charity Commissioners' annual report which singled out the alleged political activities of three British charities, namely, War on Want, Oxfam, and Christian Aid, and whether this has been the practice in the past.

My Department has made publicity facilities available to the Charity Commissioners since 1960. A press notice summarising the main points of interest in the Commissioners' annual report is prepared on each occasion by the Charity Commission and, as the notice itself makes clear, is issued by the Home Office on the Commission's behalf.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he considers that British charity law operates in a more destructive way in relation to political involvement by charities than elsewhere in the EEC; and what steps he will take towards harmonisation;(2) if he will seek to amend the law to clarify what political involvement by charities is permissible.

Because of fundamental differences in the way in which the various legal systems within the Community treat what we regard as charitable activities, I do not think that any comparison can usefully be made, or that harmonisation is practicable or desirable.The question of political activity by charitable bodies is among those dealt with in the report of the Expenditure Committee on the Charity Commissioners (HC 495-I of 1974–75) and I ask the hon. Gentleman to await the Government's observations on that report.

Ethnic Groups (Arrest Rates)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Home Office research unit's study of arrest rates of various ethnic groups will be published.

Publication is expected before the end of the year.

Police (Attacks)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many attacks have been made by members of the public upon police officers during the past three years for which information was available; and how many officers were forced to leave the police service as a result of such attacks.

The information is not held centrally and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Equal Opportunities Commission (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much public money has been channelled by the Equal Opportunities Commission in each of the past five years to the National Council for Civil Liberties, Spare Rib, the Virago Press, and Rights of Women, respectively.

I refer my hon. Friend to appendix 8 of the EOC's annual report for 1978, published earlier this month, which gives details of the grants awarded since the Commission was estabilshed in December 1975.

Crime (Brigg And Scunthorpe)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many cases of suspected rape committed in the Brigg and Scunthorpe constituency are currently unresolved;(2) how many cases of suspected assault committed in the Brigg and Scunthorpe constituency are currently unresolved;(3) how many cases of suspected murder committed in the Brigg and Scunthorpe constituency are currently unresolved.

The information requested is not available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the total number of murders committed in Brigg and Scunthorpe in each of the last 15 years for which figures are available;

(2) if he will list the total number of cases of rape committed in the Brigg and Scunthorpe constituency during the last 15 years for which figures are available;

(3) if he will list the total number of assaults committed in the Brigg and Scunthorpe constituency for each of the last 15 years for which figures are available.

The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information by police force area is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—table 28 of the volume for 1977.

Orpington (Police Station)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to authorise the establishment of a police station in Orpington.

In present circumstances of restraint on capital allocations it is not possible to say when a start on this scheme will be made.

Indictable Offences

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the detection rates for recorded indictable offences in England and Wales, for principal categories, for 1978 and the first quarter of the current year.

Information on offences cleared up in 1978 was published in Home Office statistical bulletin 1/79, a copy of which is in the Libary of the House; such information is not collected centrally for individual quarters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many indictable offences were recorded by the police in England and Wales (a) in 1978 and (b) in the first quarter of 1979, divided into principal categories.

This information was published in Home Office statistical bulletin 4/79, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Police

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police officers left the service in England and Wales during the first quarter of the current year;

(2) how many police officers were recruited in the first quarter of the current year in England and Wales;

(3) what was the total number of police officers employed in England and Wales at 3 May, or the nearest convenient date.

3,187 joined and 1,119 left. On 30 April 1979 the total strength was 111,493.

Extradition (European Community)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the proposed scheme for common extradition arrangements between members of the European Community.

Work is currently proceeding on the preparation of a draft extradition convention among the member States of the EEC. As at present envisaged, the convention would establish uniform extradition procedures among the Nine, though our present arrangements with the Republic of Ireland would probably not be disturbed, and would oblige a State which refused, in certain circumstances, to surrender a person to another EEC country to ensure that its own prosecuting authorities considered whether the person should be prosecuted. In October 1978 Ministers of Justice of the Nine decided that priority should be given to this work, in recognition of the special need for co-operation within the EEC in criminal law to ensure that criminals do not profit from the ease of movement across the national frontiers of the Community.

Newham (Policing)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the considerable disparity between the level of vandalism, assaults, sexual attacks and other crimes of violence as between the London borough of Newham and the Cities of London and Westminster and the steps which the Commissioner is taking, for example by strengthening policing in the area, to improve the situation in Newham.

Decision on the operational use of the resources of the Metropolitan Police are a matter for the Commissioner, but I know that he is anxious to make the best possible use of these resources in fighting crime throughout the whole of the Metropolitan Police district. K district, which contains the London borough of Newham, may expect to benefit from the substantial increase in the strength of the force since the implementation of the recommendations of the Edmund-Davies committee on police pay and has already done so to some extent.

Overseas Development

Crown Agents

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether the accounts of the Crown Agents have yet been published.

They were published on 15 June and arrangements have been made for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Legal Aid

asked the Attorney-General what effect the Chancellor's Budget proposals are expected to have upon the legal aid programme.

The Budget proposals do not directly affect the legal aid programme as such, but the grant to the legal aid fund for administration will be subject to similar cost and manpower disciplines as other blocks of cash limited expenditure in 1979–80.

Defence

Baor

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, for each of the last 10 years what have been the numbers and allocated track mileage for armoured fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers with the British Army of the Rhine.

This information is classified.

Tornado Aircraft

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total cost to the United Kingdom of the Tornado programme up to the present time.

, pursuant to the reply [Official Report, 21 June 1979], gave the following answer:The figure of £568 million given as the total spent on Tornado aircraft production up to 31 March 1979 was incorrect and should read £368 million.

Industry

Shipbuilding ("Scrap And Build" Scheme)

55.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has yet reached a conclusion regarding the desirability, or otherwise, of a "scrap and build" scheme to provide artificial orders for United Kingdom shipyards.

No. We are urgently considering with other EEC countries whether a practicable and cost-effective scheme can be evolved.

Wool Scouring

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will state whether he has met the representations from the West Riding wool scouring industry for additional support to match that given to the French wool scouring industry.

The wool textile industry has had two schemes for modernisation and rationalisation under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972 and some wool scourers have taken advantage of these schemes. I have had no formal representation from the wool scouring sector requesting additional support to match French schemes for industrial modernisation.The hon. Member may have in mind a recommendation by the joint working party of the Yorkshire water authority and the wool textile delegation for a subsidy to equate charges for treating trade effluent in West Yorkshire with those in the Lille area. Such a subsidy would appear contrary to the competition provisions of the EEC Treaty and stimulate requests from other industries for comparable assistance. The matter has been the subject of correspondence between officials of this Department and the wool textile delegation.

Microprocessors

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what percentage share of the worldwide microprocessor market he estimates British manufacturers will capture by 1983.

It is not possible to separate the microprocessor market from the much larger market for other microelectronic integrated circuits, mainly memories. The manufacturing capability for microelectronics now developing in the United Kingdom could lead, by 1983, to a United Kingdom annual output of several hundred million pounds, representing over 15 per cent. of the expected world market. United Kingdom-owned companies could contribute over 30 per cent. of this.

Biotechnology

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what action he is taking to ensure that Great Britain has a major biotechnological industry able to export micro-bial technology especially in the fields of agriculture and energy.

Industry must form its own view of the significance of biotechnological developments. For their part, the Government are seeking to create conditions in which United Kingdom companies will be willing and able to seize major technological opportunities. Departmental support under existing schemes is already available for biotechnological developments. Those which relate specifically to agriculture and energy are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Energy.

National Enterprise Board

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the Official Report a full list of the shareholdings held by the National Enterprise Board on 27 June 1979, showing the number and type of shares held, the percentage of the equity this represents, the cost of each to the Board, and where approriate the market value of the shares on 24 June 1979.

At 27 June 1979 the following shareholdings had been announced by the NEB:

Company

Number and description of shares held by NEB

Percentage of nominal value of total equity

Cost

Stock Exchange Quotation (closing price 25 June) where availabe

£'000

Agemaspark Ltd.

…

3,700 £1 ordinary

…

30·0

100

50,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

Aqualisa Products Ltd.

…

4,000 £1 ordinary

…

40·0

65,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

Automation and Technical Services (Holdings) Ltd

…

45,000 £1 ordinary

…

30·0

100,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

100

Barrow Hepburn Group Ltd

…

1,000,000 25p ordinary

…

4·1

450

33p

BL Ltd.

…

1,144,554 026 50p ordinary

…

98·9

695,523

20p

British Tanners Products Ltd.

…

2,000,000 £1 ordinary

…

50·0

2,000

Brown Boveri Kent Ltd.

…

10,856,585 25p ordinary

…

20·0

3,293

47p

BTB (Engineering) Ltd.

…

30,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

50·0

Bull Motors Ltd.

…

1,220,000 £1 ordinary

…

100·0

1,220

Cambridge Instrument Co. Ltd.

…

712,684,255 1p ordinary

…

87·0

8,020

4,261,757 10p ordinary

…

50,000,000 1p ordinary

…

Not equity

500

R R. Chapman (Sub Sea Surveys) Ltd.

…

50,000 £1 ordinary

…

47·2

Computer Analysts and Programmers (Holdings) Ltd.

…

1,372,760 10p ordinary

…

29·9

549

Computer and Systems Engineering Ltd.

…

349,750 5p ordinary

…

49·9

882

15,200 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

Data Recording Instrument Co. Ltd.

…

3,970,337 £1 ordinary

…

63·1

3,977

1,000,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

1,000

The Energy Equipment Co. Ltd

…

75,000 £1 preference

…

42·9

200,000 £1 preference

…

Not equity

300

225,000 £1 preference

…

225

Fairey Holdings Ltd.

…

18,000,000 £1 ordinary

…

100·0

18,000

Ferranti Ltd.

…

10,666,666 50p ordinary

…

50·0

6,933

394p

Hemmings Plastics Ltd.

…

10,000,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

100

Herbert Ltd.

…

116,720,498 25p ordinary

…

100·0

44,468

Hird Brown Ltd.

…

250,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

250

Hydraroll Ltd.

…

4,500 £1 ordinary

…

48·9

60,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

ICL Ltd.

…

8,342,250 £1 ordinary

…

25·0

12,956

452p

Inmos Ltd

…

370,000 25p ordinary

…

67·3

65,000 £100 preference

…

Not equity

6,500

BL Ltd.

…

294,313,892 50p ordinary (partly paid)

…

13,578

Burndept Electronics Ltd

…

510,000 £1 'A' voting

…

51·0

510

Company

Number and description of shares held by NEB

Percentage of nominal value of total equity

Cost

Stock Exchange Quotation (closing price 25 June) where availabe

£'000

George P. Brown (Holdings) Ltd.

…

575,000 £1 ordinary

…

49·0

575

Duo Rubber and Engineering Company Ltd.

…

34,598 £1 ordinary

…

49·0

125,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

125

Ferranti Resin Ltd.

…

294,000 £1 ordinary

…

49·0

294

Innotion Ltd.

…

1,308 £1 ordinary

…

29·0

INSAC Data Systems Ltd.

…

3,150,000 £1 ordinary

…

100·0

3,150

J. & P. Engineering Ltd.

…

45,000 £1 ordinary

…

33·3

100

Keland Electrics Ltd.

…

100,000 £1 ordinary

…

100·3

100

Mayflower Packaging Ltd.

…

60,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

33·3

60,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

The Mollart Engineering Co. Ltd.

…

46,822 £1 ordinary

…

70·6

382

Monotype Holdings Ltd.

…

25,000 80p ordinary

…

37·5

250

Negretti and Zambra Ltd.

…

960,000 25p ordinary

…

29·8

710

460,622 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

461

Newtown Securities (Northern) Ltd.

…

125,000 £1 ordinary

…

50·0

125

North-East Audio Ltd.

…

54,450 £1 ordinary

…

49·8

340,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

340

Pakmet International Ltd.

…

23,300 £1 ordinary

…

34·4

200,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

200

Powerdrive PSR Ltd.

…

20,000 £1 ordinary

…

40·0

100,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

100

150,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

150

Rolls-Royce Ltd.

…

203,000,000 £1 ordinary

…

100·0

203,000

Sandiacre Electrics Ltd.

…

30,000 £1 ordinary

…

30·0

125,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

125

Francis Shaw and Co. Ltd.

…

1,400,000 20p ordinary

…

Not equity

546

Sinclair Radionics Ltd.

…

275,000 £1 ordinary

…

73·3

650

200,000 £1 preference

…

Not equity

4,200

4,000,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Systems Designers International Ltd.

…

3,060 £1 ordinary

…

26·0

184

Systems Programming Holdings Ltd.

…

300 £1 'v' voting

…

79·9

600

600,000 £1 'D' non-voting

…

LtitSysd. me

…

862 £1 ordinary

…

28·1

558

476 £1 preference

…

Company

Number and description of shares held by NEB

Percentage of nominal value of total equity

Cost

Stock Exchange Quotation (closing price 25 June) where availabe

£'000

Twinlock Ltd.

…

7,123,000 10p ordinary

…

33·3

997

United Medical Enterprises Ltd.

…

4,619,440 £1 ordinary

…

70·0

5,774

Vicort of London Ltd.

…

9,608 £1 ordinary

…

49·0

130,392 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

130

Legibus Twelve Ltd.

…

7,201 £1 ordinary

…

100·0

129,609 £1 preference

…

Not equity

130

Logica Holdings Ltd.

…

32,240 £1 ordinary

…

20·0

1,171

Logica Securities Ltd.

…

20,000 £1 ordinary

…

20·0

1,000

Logica VTS Ltd.

…

14,438 25p ordinary

…

43·0

1,800

Middle East Building Services Ltd.

…

18,750 £1 ordinary

…

29·6

Nexos Office Systems Ltd.

…

113,190 £1 ordinary

…

100·0

113

Microform Communications Ltd.

…

194,444 £1 ordinary

…

28·0

310

165,000 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

165

Rigby Electronics Ltd.

…

75,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

Sapling Enterprises Ltd.

…

500 £1 ordinary

…

50·0

Technical Resources (Equipment) Ltd.

…

36,750 £1 ordinary

…

24·5

200,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

200

Thermax Ltd.

…

350,000 £1 redeemable preference

…

Not equity

350

Wholesale Vehicle Finance Ltd.

…

6,471,250 £1 ordinary

…

77·5

6,471

Yates Duxbury Ltd.

…

350,000 £1 ordinary

…

50·0

875

Meriden Motor Cycle Co-Operative

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the due date for receipt of interest due from the Meriden motor cycle co-operative on moneys borrowed from Her Majesty's Government.

The next payment of interest is due on 30 June 1979.

British Shipbuilders (Polish Ships)

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much his Department has paid to British Shipbuilders under the Polish ships deal, confirmed in the Department's letter of 17 March 1978; what is his final offer based on detailed cost estimates from British Shipbuilders subsidiaries; and what is British Shipbuilders' forecast of the outturn on this order.

A payment of £14 million has been paid to British Shipbuilders. A final offer has not yet been made but will not, in any case, exceed £28 million. British Shipbuilders are forecasting a loss on this order but it is not possible to quantify this until the contract has been completed.

National Finance

European Community (National Intervention Agencies)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he intends to take at the EEC Council concerning the recommendations and observations of the EEC Audit Court concerning operations of national intervention agencies.

The report of the European Court of Auditors on the implementation of the 1977 budget of the European Communities is at present before the European Parliament which under the provisions of article 85 of the financial regulation of 21 December 1977 has the task, acting on a recommendation from the Council dated 8 May 1979, of granting a discharge to the Commission. In the meantime detailed points arising out of the Court's report fall to be considered in the first instance by the relevant institution—in the majority of cases, the Commission. Her Majesty's Government will co-operate fully to ensure that any action necessary is taken to improve the technical operation of the common agricultural policy.

Value Added Tax

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will exempt commercial coin-operated launderettes from value added tax, in view of the fact that the use of such establishments is largely by those sectors of the community least able to afford the tax.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is intending to mitigrate the effect of the increase in VAT upon the church by zero rating repairs to churches and places of worship.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

Income Tax

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers will be taken out of liability to pay income tax by the new allowances announced in his Budget Statement; and how many will fall back within liability to income tax over the current financial year assuming average pay settlements in the next pay round of (a) 10 per cent., (b) 15 per cent. and (c) 20 per cent.

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

Stamp Duty

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated revenue from stamp duty on home purchases during the current financial year as compared to 1978 –79.

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

European Monetary Co-Operation Fund

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the United Kingdom gold and dollar reserve he proposes to deposit with the European monetary co-operation fund; and what parliamentary authority he has for so doing.

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

House Of Commons

Members 'Salaries '

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what would be the salary of Members of Parliament at 13 June 1979, if it were to reflect the value in real terms of the salary level of £3,250 per annum when it was first fixed in 1964; and what other broad categories of working people have undergone a similar decline in the real value of their remuneration in the intervening period.

The October 1964 salary level of £3,250 would have stood at £12,463 in May 1979—the latest available figure—if updated by the rise in the retail price index in the intervening period. I regret that the information sought in the second part of the question could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Education And Science

School Meals

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he plans to increase the income eligibility limits for free school meals to take account of the 25p a week price increase.

Yes. My right hon. and learned Friend has arranged for the appropriate amending regulations to be laid before Parliament today.

Language Teaching (Yorkshire And Humberside)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what facilities exist in the Yorkshire and Humberside region for teaching Portuguese, Arabic, and Chinese to the staff of firms which have or wish to develop export trade with Brazil, the Middle East and China.

My Department does not collect details of the many part-time and short courses provided by educational institutions in response to the expressed needs of employers and students. I understand, however, that facilities in some or all of these languages are offered by the Leeds, Sheffield and Huddersfield polytechnics, Bradford college and the Kirkby college of further education. The hon. Member may wish to address further inquiries to those institutions.

Social Services

Community Nursing Staff

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services at what level community nursing staff become liable to have their allowances taxed as agreed car profit.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer advises that NHS regular user car allowances, which combine a lump sum payment with additional payments per mile travelled on official business, are at present subject to tax only where 3,000 miles or less is travelled on health authority business in any one income tax year. The precise amount assessable for tax for business mileage below that level will depend on a number of different factors but will usually be only a small proportion of allowances actually received.

Child Benefits And Allowances

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the combined value to standard rate taxpayers of child tax allowances, after claw back, and family allowances child benefits at April 1979 prices for each year since 1946 for a couple with one, two, three and four children aged under 11 years, one, two, three and four children aged 11 to 15 years and one, two, three and four children aged 16 years or over.

The following table sets out the information for each year from 1971. I regret the table does not show the value of either child support for children aged over 11 for the years prior to 1971 or for children under 11 for each year prior to 1971 because (a) child tax allowances were not age related until 1958 and (b) calculations for each year between 1946 and 1970 cannot be obtained without disproportionate expense.

COMBINED VALUE TO STANDARD RATE TAX

Combined value to standard rate tax payer of child tax allowances, after clawback, and family allowances/child benefit per child expressed at April 1979 prices

Married Couple with:

August 1946

April 1950

April 1955

April 1960

April 1964

April 1965

April 1966

April 1967

April 1968

April 1969

April 1970

1 child under 11

…

3·15

3·38

4·14

3·28

3·33

3·34

3·22

3·13

3·00

2·84

2·69

2 child under 11

…

3·74

3·90

4·79

3·87

3·85

3·72

3·61

3·54

3·28

3·10

3 child under 11

…

3·91

4·07

5·03

4·17

4·13

4·10

3·95

3·84

3·80

3·49

3·31

4 child under 11

…

4·01

4·16

5·13

4·33

4·27

4·22

4·07

4·10

3·92

3·60

3·41

Married Couple with:

April 1971

April 1972

April 1973

April 1974

April 1975

April 1976

April 1977

April 1978

April 1979

1 child under 11

…

3·18

2·95

2·67

3·07

2·69

2·82

2·71

3·23

4·00

2 children under 11

…

3·55

3·34

3·01

3·35

3·20

3·25

2·90

3·23

4·00

3 children under 11

…

3·75

3·53

3·18

3·49

3·37

3·40

2·97

3·23

4·00

4 children under 11

…

3·85

3·62

3·26

3·56

3·46

3·47

3·01

3·23

4·00

1 children 11–15

…

3·62

3·40

3·16

3·53

3·07

3·14

2·98

3·48

4·00

2 children 11–15

…

4·05

3·81

3·49

3·80

3·59

3·58

3·18

3·47

4·00

3 children 11–15

…

4·26

4·00

3·65

3·94

3·76

3·73

3·24

3·50

4·00

4 children 11–15

…

4·35

4·09

3·73

4·00

3·85

3·80

3·28

3·48

4·00

1 children 16+

…

4·13

3·88

3·56

3·92

3·40

3·43

3·22

3·69

4·00

2 children 16+

…

4·55

4·28

3·88

4·18

3·92

3·87

3·41

3·68

4·00

3 children 16+

…

4·75

4·47

4·05

4·32

4·10

4·01

3·48

3·68

4·00

4 children 16+

…

4·97

4·61

4·13

4·39

4·19

4·08

3·51

3·68

4·00

^*Based on the movement in the General index of Retail Prices as published by the Department of Employment.

Deaf And Blind Young Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the progress of special provision for young people who are both deaf and blind.

I understand that satisfactory progress is being made with the conversion of premises at Market Deeping near Peterborough by the National Deaf Blind Helpers' League to accommodate up to 14 young adults, towards the cost of which a grant is being given by my Department. Approval has also been given for a grant to the Royal National Institute for the Deaf towards the development of a unit for 12 deafhlind young adults at Poolemead, near Bath.

Community Nurses

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will bring within the ambit of the Whitley Council negotiations the terms on which community nurses are remunerated for using their cars on duty.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the mileage allowance of community nursing staff covers their costs; and if he will raise it to the level of those working in nationalised industries or the Civil Service.

Mileage allowances for community nurses are negotiated by the appropriate NHS Whitley Council. Regular user rates were increased by between 15 and 30 per cent. with effect from 1 April 1979 and the Whitley Council is currently considering a further increase on account of petrol price rises since 1 April. NHS mileage allowances are not less favourable than those applicable to the Civil Service.

Homeless Single Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate how many homeless single people currently using the reception and resettlement centres administered by the Supplementary Benefits Commission would fall within priority need as defined in section 2 of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977.

It is estimated that of the 1,610 people in reception centres on the night of 21 June 1979, about 600 would, if discharged from these centres, fall within priority need as defined in section 2 of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many homeless single people have been rehoused from reception and resettlement centres under the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 during the year ended 31 December 1978.

During the year ended 31 December 1978, 27 men and seven women staying in reception centres or reception centre resettlement units were rehoused by local housing authorities.

Agoraphobia

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that social services departments are coping adequately with the problems of agoraphobics; and if he will make a statement.

Local authority social services departments are responsible under the National Health Service Acts for providing care and after-care facilities for people suffering from mental illness, including people suffering from phobic states. In addition, the powers which local authorities have under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, to assist different classes of disabled persons, apply to people suffering from agoraphobia as to other mentally ill people. We have no information centrally as to how particular local authorities are using their powers under these two Acts specifically to provide for the problems of agoraphobics.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research is being undertaken into agoraphobia.

The Medical Research Council has primary responsibility for research into the cause and cure of a condition. I understand from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science that although the MRC has no research grants specific to agoraphobia, two of its programme grants, with a total value of £97,000 in 1977 –78, the last year for which firm figures are available, include studies of phobia. These are:

Institute of Psychiatry (Dr. I. Mark and Dr. S. Rachman) Therapeutic Studies of resistant neuroses.

University of Oxford (Professor M. Gelder) Psychological treatment of psychoneuroses.

In my right hon. Friend's Department, the medical illness research liaison group authorised £55,000 funding in 1978 for evaluation of a service likely to assist agoraphobics amongst others.Other relevant work is being carried out at universities and hospital medical schools, but details are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of people in the United Kingdom severely handicapped by agoraphobia.

Evidence on which to base an estimate of the number of people in the United Kingdom severely handicapped by agoraphobia is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what assistance is provided by his Department to self-help organisations for agoraphobics.

We do not currently fund any self-help organisations for agoraphobics, but we are always prepared to consider the applications under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, to voluntary bodies working in the health and personal social services field. Assistance is usually limited to organisations which are national in scope, since local authorities and health authorities have similar powers to make grants to voluntary organisations working in particular localities.

Mobility Allowance

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the age limits for mobility allowance; and why they exist.

By the end of this year people between age 5 and 65 who are unable or virtually unable to walk will be eligible for the mobility allowance. Those who establish entitlement to the allowance before 65 will be able to retain it until 75.These limits were set by the previous Government in order to give priority to those considered most in need of assistance with mobility. We shall bear the age restrictions in mind in our overall review of benefits for disabled people.

National Nursery Examination Board

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the structure, policies and functions of the National Nursery Examination Board.

The National Nursery Examination Board is an independent, self-supporting body and my right hon. Friend has no responsibilities for its structure, policies or functions. I understand that the board is proposing to set up an independent inquiry into the current training needs of nursery nurses which will be asked to consider, and make recommendations about, the future role of the board.

Back Pain

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what support his Department has given to Atlas in order that it may give information and advice to back pain sufferers.

Atlas has not sought any support from the Department. It is open to Atlas as a voluntary organisation to seek assistance from the Department under the provisions of section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what steps he is taking to promote self-care of acute back pain;(2) if he has taken measures to encourage patients with acute back pain to take responsibility for self-care.

It is primarily the clinical responsibility of their doctors to advise patients on self-care of back pain if they seek National Health Service treatment. Helpful advice is however given by the Health Education Council and by interested voluntary organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he accepts the statement of the Department of Health and Social Security working group on back pain that action to improve the present situation should command high priority;(2) what action he proposes to take to ensure there is increased and sustained support for research into the nature, causes and treatment of back pain and for comparative trials of available forms of therapy including heterodox treatment;(3) what action he has taken and proposes to take on the recommendation of the working group on back pain;(4) what action he has taken on recommendations in paragraph 10.10 of the report of the working group on back pain.

Research into the causes of and treatments for back pain is already given high priority by the Department. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that adequate resources are available to the Department and to the Medical Research Council for support to be given to any soundly based research proposals in this field, including comparative studies involving heterodox therapies. Most of the working party's recommendations are suggestions for further study and he hopes that the report will stimulate research proposals. Other recommendations are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to improve the training of and dissemination to doctors and others involved with the treatment and management of patients with back pain.

The content of postgraduate medical education and of the training of other professions concerned with the treatment of back pain is the responsibility of the professions themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the level of provision for back pain sufferers.

No, but until research has revealed more precisely what are the causes of back pain and what are the most effective treatments for it, it is difficult for health authorities to plan confidently for improvements in services.

Smoking

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to discourage smoking; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State remains committed to pursuing policies to reduce the toll of death and illness caused by smoking. Over the next few months we shall examine all aspects of policy on smoking and health and consider the measures we should wish to adopt when the three-year voluntary agreements which the previous Government made with the industry expire in March 1980.

Pregnant Women (Screening)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of health districts are now able to offer pregnant women screening by amniocentesis and ultrasound; and if he will make a statement.

This specific information is not maintained centrally, but we would expect all districts to have access to amniocentesis and ultrasound facilities.

Handicapped Persons (Dental Care)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what domiciliary dental care is available to handicapped people; what action he is taking to improve the service; and if he will make a statement.

General dental practitioners are obliged by their terms of service to visit and treat a patient whose condition so requires, and for whom they have agreed to provide dental treatment, at an address within five miles of their surgeries. They are paid a fee for such a visit and although they are not required to travel more than five miles, higher fees are paid to encourage them to do so.During 1978, about 18,000 domiciliary visits for treatment were undertaken in England and the number is increasing every year. A handicapped person whose dental treatment cannot be provided at home may be transported by ambulance to his general dental practitioner.I am not aware of any difficulty in obtaining domiciliary care where this is required or that the fees, which are reviewed annually with the profession, fail to encourage the provision of domiciliary care.

Invalidity Pensioners (Earnings Bar)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what study has been undertaken by his Department of the effects of the earnings bar on invalidity pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the arrangements permitting invalidity pensioners to undertake limited work which is therapeutic in nature. My right hon. Friend's Department has commissioned a research study of the working of these arrangements and

			Qualifying level
			Number of children in family^*	Amount†	As percentage of gross average earnings‡	As percentage of net average earnings‡
				£	per cent.	per cent.
November 1970	…	…	1	14·35	45·0	58·4
			2	16·19	50·8	65·1
			4	22·64	71·0	87·2
November 1971	…	…	1	15·89	45·8	59·2
			2	17·94	51·7	65·5
			4	24·82	71·5	85·5
November 1972	…	…	1	17·62	43·9	56·4
			2	19·98	49·8	62·8
			4	27·56	68·1	82·3
November 1973	…	…	1	19·61	43·1	56·3
			2	22·22	48·8	62·8
			4	30·51	67·1	82·5
November 1974	…	…	1	22·65	40·2	54·7
			2	25·67	45·5	60·6
			4	35·34	62·7	79·1
November 1975	…	…	1	28·25	41·7	58·4
			2	32·26	47·6	65·7
			4	44·42	65·5	86·6
November 1976	…	…	1	33·76	44·5	62·2
			2	38·39	50·6	69·2
			4	52·48	69·1	89·9
November 1977	…	…	1	38·36	46·3	63·2
			2	43·71	52·8	70·7
			4	59·71	72·1	92·3
November 1978	…	…	1	41·35	43·3	59·7
			2	47·05	49·3	67·3
			4	64·40	67·4	89·6
Notes
^*The children's ages are assumed to be: 3 in the 1-child family; 3 and 8 in the 2-child family; 3, 8 11 and 16 in the 4-child family.
†The amount included for rent in the qualifying level is the average rent for each size of family as estimated by the Department of the Environment.
‡The gross average earnings figures used are the new earnings survey estimates of the average weekly earnings of full-time adult male employees in all occupations at November each year. The net average earnings figures used are gross average earnings less income tax and national insurance contributions.

Unemployment Benefit

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Security if he intends to accept the priority recommendation of the Supplementary Benefits Commission

expects to receive a report within the next few months.

Free Welfare Food

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the qualifying levels of free welfare food for a one, two and a four child family as a percentage of (a) gross and (b) not average earnings for each year since 1970.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21 June 1979; Vol. 968, c. 657], gave the following answer:The information is as follows:that the unemployed should receive a higher rate after two years on benefit: if he accepts the estimated cost of £33 million; how many (

a) claimants ( b) dependants would benefit, and how many of them would be children under 16 years.

At November 1979 benefit rates, it is now estimated that extending the long-term rate of supplementary benefit to those unemployed for over two years would cost £42 million a year. This cost is based on the November 1978 figure of 120,000 claimants. These claimants would have at least the same number of dependants, but the sample does not allow accuracy about the number of children they would have. My right hon. Friend is not yet ready to make any statement about the Government's response to the review of the supplementary benefits scheme.

Employment

Job Creation

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all the job creation measures currently employed in Kirkby and Ormskirk; and if all of them are to continue in existence.

The job creation measures under which people in Kirkby and Ormskirk are currently benefiting are the special temporary employment programme, the small firms employment subsidy and the job introduction scheme for disabled people.New applications under the special temporary employment programme will be limited to development, special development, and inner city areas. Kirkby will therefore continue to benefit but no new applications will be approved for projects in Ormskirk.From 1 July 1979 to 31 March 1980 the small firms employment subsidy will be restricted to small manufacturing firms in Kirkby. It will no longer be available in Ormskirk.The job introduction scheme for disabled people, due to run until January 1980, will continue to be available in both areas.

Disabled Workers Quota (Birmingham)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many firms in Birmingham have been granted a permit not to employ the 3 per cent. quota of disabled workers; and what were the reasons given.

I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that on 1 June 1979 535 or 37·4 per cent. of employers subject to quota in the employment office areas approximating to the city of Birmingham had been issued with permits to engage workers not registered as disabled. Permits are issued to employers, not satisfying their quota obligation, who wish to engage staff when there are no suitable registered disabled people available. The issue of a permit does not exempt an employer from the requirement to employ his quota of registered disabled people.

Bothwell

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many firms in the Bothwell employment area are receiving small firms employment subsidies; how many are receiving support from the temporary short-time working scheme; how many workers are affected; and what is the number of outstanding applications.

Statistics on employment measures run by my Department are kept by employment office areas. The figures quoted below refer to Uddingston, Bellshill, Coatbridge, Airdrie and Park head employment office areas, which cover the Bothwell constituency and parts of Coatbridge, Airdrie and Parkhead which are outside the constituency.As at 31 May 1979, 119 applications for subsidy under the small firms employment subsidy scheme had been received from firms in the Bothwell employment area, of which 117 had been approved, one rejected and one is being considered. At the same date 449 extra jobs were being supported by the scheme.No applications for support under the temporary short time working compensation scheme have been received from firms in the Bothwell employment area

Unemployed Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Employment approximately what percentage of those unemployed for more than two years live in areas where the rate of unemployment is greater than (a) 5 per cent., (b) 10 per cent., (c) 15 per cent., (d) 20 per cent., and (e) 25 per cent.; and if he will give the numbers in each category.

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

Safety Exhibition, Horseferry Road

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many qualified factory inspectors are employed in guiding visitors round the safety exhibition in the Horseferry Road premises.

I am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that two qualified factory inspectors are employed in guiding visitors round the health and safety centre at Horseferry Road, each on loan to the centre from the area offices and working at the centre for a three-week period.

Fairgrounds

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many fairgrounds inspections were made by factory inspectors during 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978 and to the most recent practicable date; and how many improvement and prohibition notices were issued arising from such visits.

I am advised by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that statistics relating to the activities of Her Majesty's inspectors of factories are not kept in a form which enables fairgrounds to be readily distinguished.In the period 1975–77 some visits were paid to investigate accidents and complaints, and from 1978 onwards fairgrounds have been included in the planned programme of visits to be paid in each HSE area.Classification of improvement and prohibition notices is by the minimum list heading of the standard industrial classification: fun fairs are included within minimum list heading 882 (sport and other recreation), for which data so far analysed shows 11 notices to have been issued by Her Majesty's factory inspectors up to 31 December 1977. Of these seven were improvement notices, four were immediate prohibition notices and none was a deferred prohibition notice, but the classification does not show how many, if any, of these notices related specifically to fairgrounds.Statistics in the detail requested should become available progressively from 1981 as the Health and Safety Executive's computerisation programme comes into operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the code of practice for the safety of fairgrounds; and if he will make a statement; and if he has received any proposals for legislation from the Health and Safety Commission.

The code of practice for safety at fairgrounds referred to by the hon. Member is taken to be the "Guide to Safety at Fairs" produced by the Home Office and published in 1976.There is also the "Safety Code for the Operation of Travelling Fairground Equipment" which is issued by the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain in co-operation with the Institute of Municipal Safety Officers and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.The chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that data are currently being obtained and evaluated as a basis for determining the extent to which the guide may need to be revised. This consideration has to take into account developments in type and construction of fairground rides, the nature of the causes of failures which occur and the techniques presently available which are capable of being applied to the examination of fairground equipment.I have not received from the Health and Safety Commission any proposals for legislation specifically relating to fairgrounds but I would point out that the general duties of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 already require those operating fairgrounds to conduct their activities with regard for the safety of their employees and the public.

Health And Safety (Information Service)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the proposal to provide an information service at £50 per annum per customer by the Health and Safety Executive has been abandoned.

It is the intention of the Health and Safety Executive to begin publishing a news bulletin in July 1979 and a subscription list of 150 at £50 per annum has already been built up. This publication is intended to meet a demand mainly on the part of organisations wanting a more frequent and detailed service based on press notice material, than that provided by the Health and Safety Commission newsletter, which is published bimonthly at nominal cost and provides its very large number of recipients with an up-to-date account of developments in the work of the Commission.

Wool Textile Industry

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report his forecast of unemployment trends in the wool textile industry over the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has made no such forecast. The future number of unemployed wool textile workers depends primarily on the demand for wool textile products, and the success of the British industry in competing in domestic and foreign markets.

New Technology Agreements

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his policy towards new technology agreements between employers and unions; and if he will make a statement.

The Government believe that new technology agreements as advocated in the TUC's interim report "Employment and Technology" are best left to negotiation between employers and trade unions. If an employer is able to make such an agreement compatibly with the competitive application of new technology the Government would welcome this.

Handicapped School Leavers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many handicapped school leavers received assistance under the youth opportunities programme in its first year of operation; whether there were any eligible handicapped school leavers it was unable to help; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it is not possible to say how many handicapped school leavers entered the youth opportunities programme in the first year.

There are some very severely disabled young people whose needs cannot be met through existing opportunities in the youth opportunities programme, and who can be catered for only through sheltered employment. However, the MSC is not disposed to categorise anyone as unemployable and is currently working at ways of extending its range of provision.

Hazardous Installations (Canvey Island And Thurrock)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps have been taken since 1 January to improve the safety of the hazardous installations in the Canvey Island/Thurrock area covered by the Health and Safety Executive's report published in June 1978, giving specific details in the case of each installation.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 20 June 1979], gave the following answer:I am sending my hon. Friend a summary of progress to date. I understand from the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the area director for East Anglia is in correspondence with my hon. Friend and that he will write to him shortly with further details.

Mines Inspectorate

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that the problems over the recruitment to the mines inspectorate have not stemmed in any way from its incorporation into the HSE where it has been conglomerated with a number of other properties with different recruitment policies; and if he upholds the assurances given by the Government during the passing of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act that there will continue to be no interference with the standards or organisation of the mines inspectorate.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 26 June 1979]; gave the following answer:I am satisfied that the recent difficulties experienced in recruitment to the mines inspectorate do not stem from its incorporation into the Health and Safety Executive. The standards and organisation of the mines inspectorate are matters for which the Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive are responsible in the furtherance of their statutory functions and duties.

Plate Glass (Safety)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with the safety standards pertaining to plate glass.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report 25 June 1979], gave the following answer:I am aware that the British Standards Institution has recently issued for public comment a draft revision of its code of practice CP 152 "Glazing and fixing of glass for buildings", which applies to plate glass as to other types of glass, and includes relevant safety provisions. I am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the Health and Safety Executive is preparing comments on such of these safety provisions as fall within its field of responsibility.Questions concerning safety standards in domestic glazing are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

Construction Industry (Safety Regulations)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what proposals he has for improving existing regulations following his examination of "Fatal Accidents in Construction 1977";(2) whether he has received any proposals on legislation from the Health and Safety Commission following publication of "Fatal Accidents in Construction 1977"; and, if not, whether the Commission has indicated that it intends to make proposals.

, pursuant to the reply [Official Report, 25 June 1979], gave the following answer:Comprehensive regulations about safety on construction sites already exist. The Health and Safety Commission has not yet submitted to me any proposals for further legislation on construction sites, but should it consider it appropriate to do so I will be glad to consider its proposals.

Transport

Radioactive Materials (Transport By Rail)

52.

asked the Minister of Transport what discussions he has had about the environmental risks involved in connection with the transportation of radioactive materials by rail: and if he will make a statement.

Environmental risks are among the factors taken into account in setting the international standards for the safe transport of radioactive material by whatever means, including rail. These standards are operative in this country, and are subject to periodic review in which the United Kingdom participates fully.

Seat Belts

asked the Minister of Transport how many lives would have been saved and how many serious injuries averted per annum had the wearing of seat belts been made compulsory: and what proportion of drivers and front seat passengers actually wear seat belts under a voluntary regime.

The wearing of seat belts reduces deaths and injuries to both drivers and passengers. The number of lives and serious injuries saved by compulsion would depend on the difference between the wearing rate achieved and the present all hours wearing rate of about 25 per cent.—30 per cent. during daylight hours. An illustration of the potential savings from higher wearing rates is as follows:

	Potential savings
All hours seat belt wearing rate	Killed	Seriously injured
100 per cent	1,000	10,000
75 per cent	650	6,500
50 per cent	300	3,000

In addition, the hon. Member might be interested to know that the current wearing rate for drivers on motorways is now nearly 50 per cent.

M25

53.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects a decision to be made on the inquiry into the line of the M25—Swanley to Sevenoaks—motorway.

Until the inspector's report is received we cannot judge how long it will take my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister of Transport to consider all the objections and representations together with the report and reach a decision. I would not expect a decision to be made this year.

Concessionary Fares

asked the Minister of Transport if, in view of his decision not to proceed with the previous Government's proposed concessionary fares scheme for elderly and disabled people, he has any alternative proposals for giving them special help.

Although we are not proposing to introduce a nationwide concessionary fares scheme I hope that local authorities will themselves continue to work together to reduce anomalies in schemes wherever possible. The problems of elderly and disabled people generally are being considered by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

Nuclear Waste (Transport)

asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish the figures on which the claim was based that the chances of an accident occurring during the transfer of nuclear waste by rail were slight and what precautions are taken to avoid the occurrence of such accidents.

I do not know to what specific claim the hon. Member may be referring. The fact is that in a total of some 17 years' experience of moving nuclear fuel by rail in this country there has been no accident involving the release of radioactive material. The very high standards which are applied internationally in transporting these materials, and to which I have referred in my answers to previous questions on this subject, are designed with the aim of ensuring that there will be no release of radioactive matter from the flasks used even in the improbable event of an extremely serious accident.

Public Inquiry (Hornchurch)

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to issue his decision on the subject of the public inquiry held in Hornchurch between 24 October and 30 November 1978; why there has been the long delay; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister of Transport have to consider all objections and representations together with the inspector's report of the public inquiry. The issues were complex but I hope that a decision will be announced next month.

Seat Belts (Representation)

asked the Minister for Transport what representations he has received from the medical profession about the wearing of seat belts in the light of his policy not to proceed with legislation making the wearing of seat belts compulsory; if he will make an estimate of the medical costs of treating people injured in road accidents who were not wearing seat belts; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a small number of representations from individual members of the medical profession and one from the British neurological surgeons. The saving in medical costs if all drivers and front seat passengers of cars wore seat belts has been estimated at between £5 million and £7 million.

Trade

Toys And Games

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has received the report of the Price Commission on children's toys and games; and if he will publish it.

The Commission is required to present this report to my right hon. Friend before 17 July. When he has received it, he will arrange for its publication, as is required by law.

British Films (Quota)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he has decided the level of quota of British films to be shown by exhibitors during the year beginning 1 January 1980.

I am aware of doubts recently expressed about the effectiveness of the quota system but, pending the outcome of the review of films policy that I have put in hand, I have accepted a recommendation of the Cinematograph Films Council that there should be no change in the level of exhibitor's quota of 30 per cent. for first feature films and 25 per cent. for supporting programmes for the year beginning 1 January 1980.

Centrifuges (Exports)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps are being taken to prohibit the export of centrifuge components or centrifuges with uranium enrichment capacity to Pakistan; and whether he is satisfied with his existing Export of Goods (Control) Order 136 1979 on shipments abroad of high frequency electrical control equipment.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how much coal has been imported and exported in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable tonnage totals in each of the previous 10 years.

Following is the information:

Thousand tonnes
	Imports	Exports
1968	2	2,704
1969	2	3,442
1970	79	3,363
1971	4,230	2,695
1972	4,996	1,749
1973	1,668	2,693
1974	3,541	1,850
1975	5,070	2,182
1976	2,836	1,434
1977	2,439	1,941
1978	2,352	2,266
April 1978 to March 1979	2,166	2,086

Source: United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics (SITC (Rev 2) Sub-groups 322.1 and 2 and corresponding items in earlier years).

Note: Post-1970 figures reflect the relaxation of import controls.

Construction Industry (Assistance)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what specific recommendations have been made, or specific action taken, since 7 December 1978 by the overseas project board of the British overseas trade board to assist the construction industry; and what further action he envisages, following the disbanding of the construction exports advisory board on 14 February 1978.

The overseas projects board continues under this Administration to consider issues of concern to the project industry as a whole. Since the construction industry is an important part of the projects industry, many of these issues are also of specific interest to the construction industry. The members of OPB who act as linkmen to trade bodies representing the construction industry continue to ensure that that industry's concerns are kept well in mind.

Consumer Credit Act (Clearing Banks)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representation he has received about the working of the Consumer Credit Act in relation to the clearing banks; and if he will make a statement.

I have today met representatives of the committee of London clearing bankers to discuss implementation of the Act and will take their views into account.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what estimate he has made of the effects of the Consumer Credit Act on the day-to-day workings of the clearing banks; and if he will institute a review of the working of the Act.

The provisions of the Act now in operation are unlikely to have had more than a marginal effect on the day-to-day workings of the clearing banks. It would be premature to institute a formal review of the working of the Act, but the Director General of Fair Trading has a statutory duty to keep its working under review.

Civil Service

Pensions

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what are the average current pensions paid to public servants who retired in the first year of index linking and who were then on one, one-and-a-half, two, two-and-a-half, three, three-and-a-half and four times national earnings, respectively; what were the equivalent pensions at the time of retirement; and how these compare with the average pensions of those who retired at the same time on the same levels of income but who are not in receipt of public service pensions.

Information in the form requested is not held centrally for all the public service pension schemes. However, the figures are as follows for civil servants who retired at the time of the passing of the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 when the average national earnings of a full-time male employee were £33·30 per week:

Earnings at time of retirement	Pension at the time of retirement (1971)^*	Current pension
£ per week	£ per week	£ per week
33·30	9·57	24·55
49·95	14·36	36·82
66·60	19·15	49·09
83·25	23·93	61·37
99·90	28·72	73·64
116·55	33·51	85·91
133·20	38·30	98·18
^* This assumes the Civil Service pensioner had reckonable service of 23 years. This was the average reckonable service of civil servants who retired on age grounds in 1971.

I regret that no comparable information is available in relation to those retiring from outside occupations, whose current pensions will have been determined by their conditions of service and the practices of the pension scheme to which they belong.

Unified Grading Structure

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what progress is being made by his Department in extending the unified grading structure in the Civil Service.

Discussions are proceeding with the appropriate staff side interests about a possible extension of unified grading into the area below under secretary level.

Salary Scales

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will list the numbers and grades of civil servants who were in June 1975 on a salary of £8,000 per annum; and on what salary scales they were being paid at the latest and most convenient stated date.

There were no civil servants on a scale point or flat rate of exactly £8,000 per annum in June 1975. The salary scale of about 150 grades—approximately 3,500 staff—spanned £8,000 at that date. An example in the administration group is the senior principal scale, which was £7,750–£9,350 in June 1975 and was revised from 1 April 1979 to £9,872–£11,782. There are about 700 staff in the senior principal grade.

Retirement Bonus

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is his estimate of the number of civil servants to benefit from the payment of a tax-free retirement bonus in the current financial year; of the average value of such individual bonuses, and the largest single payment to be made; and how these figures compare with the corresponding figures for 1978 –79.

It is estimated that 28,500 civil servants will retire in 1979–80 and that the average lump sum benefit payable to them will be about £3,850. In 1978–79, lump sums averaging £3,080 were paid to 28,195 retiring civil servants. It is customary not to give information about benefits paid to identifiable individuals. However, a permanent secretary retiring on 30th September 1979 after 35 years service would receive a lump sum of £35,766. The corresponding figure for a retirement on 30 September 1978 would be £30,218.

Mentally Ill Persons

asked the Ministry for the Civil Service what representations his Department has received from staff side representatives and others about the employment by the Civil Service of people who have suffered from mental illness; and what steps he will take to improve their employment prospects.

I have received no representations, but the Civil Service medical adviser is carrying out a detailed survey of staff—including those with a history of mental illness—given unestablished appointments because of initial doubts about their health. If the results of this survey indicate a need for changes in the present arrangements, the Civil Service Commissioners will take the appropriate steps.

Northern Ireland

Harland And Wolff

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his latest estimate of the aggregate cost to public funds of all forms of Exchequer support, whether direct or indirect, for the Harland and Wolff shipyards in the current financial year; and what is the cost per person employed in the yards.

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

Government Expenditure

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will now list the projects delayed, extended in completion date, and cancelled by the recently announced cuts in public expenditure in the district council areas of Londonderry, Coleraine and Limavady, and in Northern Ireland generally.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 25 June 1979], gave the following answer:In Northern Ireland generally, a number of road schemes will be deferred for varying periods and there may be a small effect arising from the £31 million reduction in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive capital and maintenance expenditure. In the three district council areas mentioned, the only project at present specifically affected is Strand Road—section III—in Londonderry, which is to be deferred for 10 months.

Security Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report a table for each year since 1969 showing the number of murders of Ulster civilians, Army, Royal Ulster Constabulary, Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve, Ulster Defence Regiment, the number of shooting incidents, the number of bombing incidents, the number of cases of arson, the estimated value of property destroyed and the number of persons in each category listed above injured and the sums paid in compensation for personal injuries and in compensation for deaths and the compensation paid in respect of property, and the number of murders and other unlawful killing, for example, manslaughter, not connected with the security situation and also list the number of and types of firearms recovered by the security forces and the amounts of commercial explosives and explosive mixtures seized by the security forces or recovered from unexploded bombs.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 25 June 1979], gave the following answer:I refer the hon. Member to the

Official Report of 15 June, Vol. 968, c. 282, for details of security incidents and security forces' activity since 1971. Further information is as follows:

(i) Unlawful killings (including murders) not connected with the scurity situation:

1969	4^*
1970	5^*
1971	23
1972	27
1973	13
1974	17
1975	23
1976	34
1977	27
1978	14
^* murders only

(ii) Compensation for criminal damage and injury:

	Property	Personal
	£	£
1968–69	12,036	2,356
1969–70	1,976,760	131,876
1970–71	2,780,604	443,474
1971–72	3,966,680	724,470
1972–73	26,592,312	2,173,524
1973–74	27,901,114	3,927,946
1974–75	40,209,285	6,022,556
1975–76	45,844,522	7,937,751
1976–77	49,975,314	6,307,724
1977–78	37,217,730	7,529,349
1978–79	39,150,499	10,621,229

Civil Service (Student Employment)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will, in the current year, employ students in the Civil Service in a temporary capacity; how many were so employed in each of 1977 and 1978; what was the cost of employment in each of those years, and what would have been the sums for unemployment or other benefits payable if all such students had taken benefit.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 25th June 1979], gave the following answer:

The present freeze on recruitment to the Civil Service applies equally to temporary recruitment; ministerial approval is required for any exceptions to this ban. Approval has been given for the temporary employment this summer of 44 students on work related to security matters, 100 to 150 on social security work and a small number on scientific and environmental tasks. 584 students were employed in 1977 and 756 in 1978. Because of considerable variations in their rates of pay and periods of employment, the research needed to establish the total wage cost could only be undertaken at disproportionate expense.

As with any other casual or temporary employees, students are recruited from persons registered for employment. Students do not normally satisfy the contribution conditions for entitlement to unemployment benefit. Since supplementary benefit is means-tested it is not possible to estimate what benefits would have been payable in the circumstances described.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Vietnamese Refugees

54.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he has any information as to the number of Vietnamese refugees accepted by the USSR.

Neither the Government nor the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees know of any Indo-Chinese refugees accepted for resettlement by the Soviet Union.

Salt Iii

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement outlining the Government's attitude to the SALT III negotiations.

The Government welcome the intention of the United States and the Soviet Union to continue the SALT process.

Wales

Mentally Handicapped Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the available residential acommodation for the mentally handicapped in Wales; and if he is satisfied that it is adequate, with its geographical distribution, that all age groups are catered for and that where age-mixing is felt to be detrimental, separate institutions are available.

Residential accommodation for the mentally handicapped was provided by local authorities at 31 March 1978, the latest date for which full information is available, in the following homes:

Clwyd
Cefndy Road, Rhyl	Adults
Greencroft, Larch Avenue, Aston Queensferry	Adults
Erskine House, 74 Conway Road, Colwyn Bay	Adults
45 Tapley Avenue, Acton Park Estate, Wrexham	Children
"Berwynfa", 81 Benjamin Road, Wrexham	Adults
New Hall Cottages, New Hall, Ruabon	Adults
Dyfed
Scarrowscant Lane, Haver-fordwest	Adults
"Maeslliedi", Maesgolau, Felinfoel, Llanelli	Adults
Gwent
28 Coleford Path, St. Dials, Cwmbran	Adults
96–98 Welland Crescent, Bettws, Newport	Adults
John Fielding House, Newport Road, Llantarnam, Cwmbran	Adults
"Green Acre", Nantybwch, Tredegar	Adults
31 Welland Circle, Bettws, Newport	Adults
1 Crouch Close, Bettws, Newport	Children
28 Minyrafon, Nantybwch, Tredegar	Adults
16 Shelley Green, Cwmbran	Adults
2 Princess Court, Newtown, Ebbw Vale	Adults
117 Manor Way, Risca	Adults
Gwynedd
"Frondeg", Maeshyfryd, Maesincla, Caernarvon	Adults and Children
Park Mount, Llangefni	Children
"lsallt", Abbey Road, Llandudno	Adults
Mid Glamorgan
Maesglas, 64 Mount Earl, Bridgend	Adults
"Ty Draw", The Avenue, Pontypridd	Adults
"Tair Erw", Nelson Road, Ystrad Mynach	Adults
18 Hengoed Hall Close, Cefn Hengoed	Adults
Heol Persondy, Aberkenfig, Bridgend	Children
"Bryn Dar", Laburnum Drive, Cwmdare, Aberdare	Children

Powys
"Danyderi", Camden Road, Brecon	Adults
"Robert Owen House", Park Lane, Trehafron, Newtown	Adults
South Glamorgan
10 Cornwall Road, Barry	Adults
35 Aneurin Road, Barry	Adults
Gladstone Road, Barry	Children
34 Claude Road, Cardiff	Adults
139 Splott Road, Cardiff	Adults
42 Meteor Street, Adamsdown, Cardiff	Adults
"Ty Gwyn", Penylan, Cardiff	Adults and Children
48 Shirley Road, Roath, Cardiff	Adults
"Avondale", 75 Cardiff Road, Llandaff	Adults
West Glamorgan
Maesglas House, Maesglas Road, Gendros, Swansea	Adults
Gwernaenon, Derwen Fawr, Blackpill, Swansea	Children

(Special schools which provide boarding places for mentally handicapped children and voluntary or privately owned residential homes are not included in the above list.)Provision of residential accommodation by local authorities continues to fall short of the target figures given in the White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped" (Cmnd 4683) published in 1971. However, the figures for places available in Wales both for adults and for children have been increasing steadily since 1971 and I am satisfied that the local authorities are seeking to meet the needs of all age groups in their areas as the availability of resources permits. Meanwhile the geographical distribution of places is not uniform and not every authority caters for all age groups. In each home which accommodates people from different age groups there is separation within the building.

Neath (Constituency Boundary)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he plans to lay the order before the House, implementing the local government changes recommended by the Boundary Commission in respect of the Neath parliamentary division.

If the hon. Member is referring to proposals made by the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales in relation to the special community review for the borough of Neath the position is that final proposals were submitted to my predecessor on 28 January 1979 and are still under consideration. The Local Government Act 1972 does not require the order implementing my eventual decision to be laid before the House.

Public Transport (Fuel Supplies)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will consult the oil companies to ensure adequate supplies of fuel for public transport operators in Mid-Glamorgan.

The supply of oil for transport undertakings is a matter for negotiation between the undertakings and their oil suppliers. Details of specific cases of hardship where the supplier has been unable to improve his allocation should be referred to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy, who may be able to offer help or advice.

Environment

Council Houses (Sale)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, before introducing legislation compelling local authorities to sell council houses to tenants who apply to purchase, he will arrange for his Department to prepare statistics of the numbers on local authority housing waiting lists so identifying those areas of the country where the pressure is greatest.

No. We shall, through the housing strategy and investment programmes submitted annually by authorities, be able to identify and direct resources towards where the need is greatest.

31.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the proposed sale of council houses.

The hon. Member will find a statement in my speech of 17 May during the debate on the Address.—[Vol. 967, c. 396.]

36.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the local authority representatives regarding the sale of council houses.

45.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will hold discussions with those local authorities which find it difficult to sell council houses to sitting tenants because of the small stock of council houses at their disposal and the pressure on that stock arising from the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act.

I am arranging to meet the housing consultative council on 4 July when there will be an opportunity for a wide range of discussion with local authority representatives on future housing policies.

46.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment under what statutory authority he intends to impose conditions which would empower local authorities to disregard their general duty only to sell their assets, particularly council houses, at the best price available.

The present powers are sections 26(4) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1959 and section 104(1) and (2) of the Housing Act 1957 which enable consent to be given to the disposal by local authorities of certain land for a consideration less than the best consideration which can reasonably be obtained.

Departmental Staff

23.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people within his Department will lose their jobs so as to enable him to achieve his expenditure cuts of £440 million.

Most of the staff who will be saved as a result of these reductions will be saved by local authorities. I am considering what staff reductions can be made in the Department in a separate exercise.

British Waterways Board

24.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to meet the chairman of the British Waterways Board.

I met Sir Frank Price yesterday. I have no doubt that there will be opportunity for further discussions as the need arises.

Housing Finance

26.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he plans to give to local authorities on increases in the level of council house rents, in the light of cuts to be made by his Department in the sphere of housing finance.

42.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of council house rent increases arising out of the reduction in the finance available for housing expenditure contained in the Budget; and if he will make a statement.

Council house rents are for local authorities themselves to determine.No change has been made in housing subsidy arrangements following the public expenditure decisions recently announced.

Gipsies (Caravan Sites)

27.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if it is his intention to pay grants to county councils for the development of caravan sites for gipsies pending the reintroduction of the Caravan Sites Bill [Lords].

We shall continue to pay grants for gipsy caravan sites during the present financial year, as provided for by Parliament, and we are considering the grant position beyond that date as part of our current examination of the need for further legislation about accommodation for gipsies.

Football Hooliganism

29.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultation he has had about the lack of co-ordination and control of football supporters and the need to protect the travelling public.

I share the hon. Member's concern about the need to protect the travelling public, and I am sure that this is something which those responsible for public order, and for transport matters, will be considering.

Local Government Finance

28.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for the reform of local government finance and of local government taxation.

34.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will initiate a long-term study to alter the present system of rating to one based not on rateable value but on an income tax system.

I refer my hon. Friends to the answer given by my right hon. Friend earlier today to the hon. Member for Leicester, South (Mr. Marshall).

Construction Industry

30.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the effect of the cash limits on employment in the construction industry; how many more unemployed there will be; and what is his estimate for the future.

No reliable estimates can be given at this stage.

Sand And Gravel Extraction

32.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set up another review of location policy for sand and gravel extraction in Great Britain.

Working parties have already been established on a regional basis to make an assessment of future supply and demand for sand and gravel and other aggregates. We intend to use this data for the development of guidelines to ensure that national demand for aggregates is met at acceptable economic, social and environmental cost.

Sport And Physical Recreation

35.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent discussions he has had with officers of the Sports Council and the Central Council for Physical Recreation concerning problems of organisation.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today in answer to the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Small Heath (Mr. Howell).

Sheffield And South Yorkshire Navigation Scheme

33.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated date for the completion of the Sheffield and South Yorkshire navigation scheme; and if he will ensure that all necessary efforts will take place for the scheme to be completed as early as possible.

Present plans are for full completion by mid-1982 with the canal open to the boats of up to 700 tonnes as far as Mexborough and up to 400 tonnes as far as Rotherham earlier in that year.

House Building (Metropolitan Districts)

37.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current council house building programme of the six largest metropolitan districts outside London.

Local authorities have flexibility to determine the balance of expenditure between different spending heads within block 1 of their HIP allocations, which includes new house building. I invite the hon. Member to approach the individual authorities for information about their new house building programmes.

Fraf Maintenance Unit, Harelebury

38.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to sell by public auction that part of the former RAF maintenance unit at Hartlebury, Worcestershire still in the hands of the Property Services Agency; and whether a date has been fixed for the sale.

The property is to be offered for sale by auction but I regret a date has not yet been fixed.

Sheltered Housing

39.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking, in conjunction with the local authorities and voluntary agencies, to encourage the provision of a higher proportion of sheltered housing for the elderly.

Housing authorities and registered housing associations recognise the importance of suitable housing for elderly people.I am considering, with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Social Services and for Wales, what further steps might be taken.

Private Tenants (House Purchase)

40.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to introduce legislation to give tenants of private landlords and housing associations who have occupied their dwellings for two years or more the statutory right to buy their premises at market price discounted by up to 50 per cent.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Cannock (Mr. Roberts) on 11 June. I am still considering the position of housing association tenants.—[Vol. 968, c. 57.]

Concrete Pipes (Water Supply)

41.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect he anticipates that cuts in the water authority programmes will have on the concrete pipe industry; and whether he has any plans to mitigate the effect of these cuts on employment in this industry.

The reductions in this year's water authority construction programmes will reduce their expenditure to a level relatively little below that of 1978–79. The effect on the level of new orders to the concrete pipe industry should be small but detailed application of the cuts will be for the water authorities to decide. I cannot quantify the Budget effects on private sector activity that will mitigate the cuts.

Rate Support Grant

43.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any immediate plans to meet the local government associations to discuss the rate support grant.

I shall chair a meeting of the consultative council on local government finance on 9 July.

Inner City Policy

44.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on his policy for the inner cities.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Arnold).

England-Scotland Football Match (Crowd Control)

47.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the Scottish Football Association and the Football Association on crowd control and the behaviour of fans at the England versus Scotland match in the home international series at Wembley.

I have invited the chairman of the Football Association to let me have his comments, and I know that my colleagues at the Scottish Office are in touch with the Scottish Football Association. Other Ministers are receiving reports of events in their own areas of responsibility, and will also be considering what action needs to be taken.

Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977

48.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the working of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977.

The local authority associations are considering the operation of the Act, the code of guidance and the associations' own agreement on procedures for referrals under the Act. I look forward to receiving all their views shortly.

High-Rise Dwellings (Newham)

49.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of concern felt by the tenants of tower blocks in the London borough of Newham since the Ronan Point disaster and subsequent possibilities of damage arising from these buildings, whether he will assist the local authority in all ways possible for the destruction of these buildings and replacements of same by low-rise housing estates.

I sympathise with any anxiety felt by tenants of tower blocks in Newham as a result of recent events at Newtown Point and Stratford Point as well as the events at Ronan Point in 1968. The Department is ready to discuss with the London borough of Newham whatever proposals the council may consider appropriate, should it think this necessary.

Councillors (Remuneration)

50.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will implement the proposals of the Robinson committee on remuneration of councillors.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply of Thursday 21 June to the hon. Member for Bootle (Mr. Roberts).

Sprinkler Systems (Charges)

51.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will have consultations with the water authorities about the effect of high charges on the use of sprinkler systems.

We know there is a problem here, and we intend to take it up with the National Water Council and the North-West Water Authority.

Birds (Protection)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, and in what circumstances, the Government consider the shooting of chaffinches, corn buntings and ortolan buntings acceptable.

Chaffinches, corn buntings and ortolan buntings are not listed in the Protection of Birds Acts as pest species so shooting them is normally prohibited in the United Kingdom. Shooting of these species is still allowed in some other European countries. As this practice will not cease immediately, the Government are co-operating with other States, particularly within the Council of Europe, in establishing ways of progressively regulating such schooting with conservation in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will undertake that Her Majesty's Government will not support or sign the draft convention of the Council of Europe which allows the shooting of ortolan buntings and other small song birds which is unanimously opposed by British conservationists.

I share the right hon. Member's concern, but I cannot agree that Her Majesty's Government should stand aside from the much-needed establishment of a common standard of wildlife protection throughout Europe because the level of protection on which agreement can be achieved is in some respects less than we would wish.

British Waterways Board (Members' Remuneration)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the gross annual remuneraion of a member of the British Waterways Board.

All members of the British Waterways Board are part-timers. Apart from the chairman and vice-chairman, they will be receiving a salary of £1,800 as from 1 April 1979.

No 1 Carlton Gardens

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent No. 1 Carlton Gardens, St. James's Park, has had renovation and improvements made; over what period of time; at what costs; when it was last occupied and for how long; why, in view of these expenses further money is to be spent on redecorations; and whether in furtherance of the Government's policy of expenditure curbs he will cease further expenditure on this project.

The ministerial residence in 1 Carlton Gardens was last occupied from 1970 to March 1974. It was necessary to carry out overdue renovation and repairs to the residence and the state rooms required by the terms of the lease, and works services were carried out to the whole of the building between January 1975 and April 1976 at a final cost of £232,000. No further works are envisaged other than routine maintenance, and external repainting planned for next year under the terms of the lease.The state rooms returned to official use from 1976, but the flat remained empty until occupied by the Lord Privy Seal in May of this year.

Members Of Parliament (Accommodation)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that the office accommodation allocated to honourable Members is in compliance with the Offices, Shops, and Railway Premises Act 1963; and, if not, what action he intends to take to remedy the situation.

Allocation of office accommodation to right hon. and hon. Members is severely limited by the space available but as far as possible space standards as laid down by the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963 are met. Proposals for a new parliamentary building on the Bridge Street site to provide additional accommodation were abandoned due to financial constraints but a further study is at present in hand.

Housing Associations

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the housing associations in the Birmingham area; and what moneys were allocated to, and taken up by, them in each of the last five years.

The list of housing associations active in Birmingham is as follows:

Adullam Housing Association.
Anchor Housing Association.
Artree Housing Association.
Balsall Heath Co-operative.
Birmingham Civic Housing Association.
Birmingham Council for Old People.
Birmingham Friendship Housing Association.
Birmingham Royal Institute for the Blind.
Bournville Village Trust.
Bromford Housing Association.
Carinthia Housing Association.
Centre of England Housing Association.
Churchwell Housing Association.
Copec Housing Association.
Eros Housing Association.
Family Housing Association.
The Girls' Friendly Society.
Harambee Housing Association.
Harden Housing Association.
Holmwood Tenants Housing Association.
James Charities Housing Association.
Lench's Trust Housing Association.
Licensed Victuallers Housing Association.
Lotus Housing Association.
Marjorie Fry Housing Association.
Mercian Housing Association.
Midland Area Improvement Housing Association.
Moseley and District Churches Housing Association.
New Hestia Housing Association.
New Haven Housing Association.
Normid Housing Association.
Orbit Housing Association.
Parklands Housing Association.
Pavilion Housing Association.
Penns Second Housing Association.
Progressive Housing Association.
St. Chad's Housing Association.
Servite Housing Association.
Shape Housing Association.

Spiral Housing Association.
Teachers Benevolent Fund.
Templefield Housing Association.
Triangle Housing Co-operative.
Trident Housing Association.
Waterloo Housing Association.
Westland Homes Housing Association.
Victoria Tenants Housing Association.
Yardley Poors' Charity.

The total amounts allocated to and taken up by these housing associations in each of the last five years are as follows:

	£ million
1974–75	16·485
1975–76	19·132
1976–77	18·281
1977–78	26·512
1978–79	25·166

Homes (Insulation)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to bring into force section 1(5) appendix A of the Homes Insulation Act which provides a special scheme for the aged, disabled, chronically ill and those of low incomes; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Cartwright) on 22 June.

Nature Conservancy Council

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out his plans for the Nature Conservancy Council.

The council is currently engaged on a review of their activities and priorities with a view to making the most effective use of its resources, and intends to discuss its conclusions with my right hon. Friend. It would therefore be premature for us to make any statement at present.

Rate Support Grant

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what he proposes to do in order to protect Essex and other counties that under his predecessor's policy cut their spending below the national average from bearing an unfair impost arising from the recent cut in the needs element of the rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take into account the past imbalances of the previous Government's allocation of the rate support grant when the rate increase orders are calculated.

There is no discretion under the Local Government Act 1974 about the distribution of extra grant made available by an increase order. The needs element of rate support grant that individual authorities receive under a main order has to be increased in the same proportion as the total amount of needs element in the increase order bears to the total amount of needs element in the main order. Similarly the payments of additional resources element under an increase order have to be proportional to authorities' calculated entitlements. The Government are, of course, aware of the non-metropolitan counties' concern about their treatment in recent rate support grant settlements, and will bear this in mind when reaching decisions about future settlements.

Council Houses (Construction)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each of the metropolitan district councils in England the number of council houses or flats now under construction.

The information is published in Local Housing Statistics, copies of which can be found in the Library of the House. Figures for 1978 are published in the latest edition, No. 49.

Housing (South Shields)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, how many (a) privately rented dwellings, (b) council-owned dwellings and (c) owner-occupied dwellings there are within the South Shields parliamentary constituency.

I regret that this information is not available.

Ministerial Accommodation

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a detailed breakdown of the £16,245 incurred in refurbishing accommodation for the Secretary of State for Trade.

The expenditure was a consequence of the amalgamation of the former Department of Prices and Consumer Protection with the Department of Trade, which reduced the total number of Ministers from six to five, all of whom are accommodated in one building. As a result the Ministerial facilities in Mill bank Tower have been returned to normal use. Two additional ministerial offices were required in 1–19 Victoria Street. The costs were:

Repartitioning, rewiring etc.	£12,500
Carpets and curtains	£3,545

The total is £16,045, not £16,245, as stated in my answer of 20 June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state in detail the breakdown of the £1,939 to be incurred in refurbishing his own ministerial accommodation.

The expenditure amounted to £1,739 and not £1,939 as stated in my answer of 20 June, and related to a new door and routine maintenance on change of occupancy—£400—and furnishings, including reconditioning of existing stock—£1,299.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the detailed breakdown of the £2,685 to be spent on the official accommodation of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The expenditure consists of repair, replacement and cleaning of domestic items which would normally take place on a change of occupancy. The costs comprise carpeting, £224; furniture, £210; linen and curtains, £751. Repairs to plaster and consequent redecoration cost £1,500.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide details of the £1,730 to be spent on the refurbishing of the Prime Minister's official accommodation.

The expenditure on the Prime Minister's official accommodation consisted of the repair, replacement and cleaning of domestic items which would normally take place on a change of occupancy.

Water Service Charges

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the policy of the Government towards owner-occupiers who are in receipt of rent rebate and cannot afford to pay their water rates.

I take it that the hon. Member intended to refer to "rate" rather than "rent" rebate, and I refer him to my answer of 24 May 1979 to the hon. Member for Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk).—[Vol. 967, c. 251.]

Standing Committee On Exports

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what specific recommendations have been made, since 7 December 1978 by his standing committee on exports; what practical action has followed; and whether he will make a statement on the future programme of work of this body.

No meeting of the standing committee on exports has taken place under this administration. We are reviewing the committee's future programme of work.

Local Authorities (Energy Conservation Grants)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether grants to local authorities for energy conservation will include finance for wall cladding, cavity filling or double glazing of council dwellings; and, if not, whether he intends to extend grants made for those purposes.

No. We have no present plans to extend the range of works covered by the energy conservation programme in public sector housing.

Churches

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an assurance that no cuts are planned in the grants given by his Department for church repairs.

No cuts are planned in the amount allocated for grants under the state aid scheme for churches and other buildings in regular use for public worship.

Bricks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many bricks were produced in the United Kingdom in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what percentage of this total was produced by companies partly or wholly owned by the National Coal Board.

During the twelve months ended 31 May 1979, 4,839 million bricks were produced in Great Britain. The Statistics of Trade Act, under which this information is collected, does not permit publication of figures relating to individual companies or groups of companies.

Houses (Freehold Prices)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to repeal section 118(4) of the Housing Act 1974, so that the freehold price for all houses, to which the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 applies, would be calculated on the same basis.

I am considering this matter.

Shettleston Housing Association

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when Shettleston housing association was set up; how many members it has; how many full-time and part-time employees it has; what is its total budget; how many houses it owns; how many houses it has completed and re-let to tenants; how many houses it is presently working on; and what is the total number of houses it is intended to have under its control.

I have been asked to reply.I do not have this information. The Housing Corporation is responsible for monitoring the activities of individual housing associations and I have asked the Corporation's chief officer for Scotland to write to the hon. Member.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Fishing Industry (Fuel Supplies)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representation he has had from the fishing industry regarding recent fuel cost increases and future shortages.

Although I have not received many such representations, I am aware of the general concern in the industry; officials of my Department are keeping in touch with the situation.

East Anglia (Ministerial Visit)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to visit the farming areas of East Anglia.

I have not yet fixed any firm date for my first visit to farming areas in East Anglia but I am grateful for my hon. Friend's invitation to visit his constituency again.

Oil Supplies

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had from the National Farmers' Union regarding oil supplies for agricultural use during the harvest period later in the current year.

The NFU has written and spoken to me about this, and it has also met the Secretary of State for Energy. Both I and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy are fully aware of the importance of adequate supplies of oil to complete the harvest this year, and our officials will continue to do everything they can to help in cases of difficulty.

Meat And Meat Products (Hygiene)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in the light of the apprehensions entertained by environmental health officers in respect of the implementation of EEC directive 77/79 in the context of their participation in relation to meat and food production and hygiene, what action he proposes to take to overcome the problem.

As I said in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Thirsk and Malton (Mr. Spence) on 25 June, we shall aim to secure recognition in the Community that environmental health officers are qualified to carry out supervision and provide public health certification of meat products under this directive. My right hon. Friend will be seeing representatives of the environmental health officers shortly and will be discussing these matters with them.

Cereals (Intervention Prices)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the increase in intervention price paid for each of the main types of cereal occasioned by the last 5 per cent. devaluation and increase in common prices and his estimate of the effects of these prices on bread and milk.

The increase in the United Kingdom intervention price for common wheat, barley and maize, with effect from 1 August, which is attributable to the devaluation of the green pound and the increase in common prices agreed last week is £5·55 per tonne; the comparable figure for the breadmaking wheat reference price is £6·26 per tonne. That devaluation and the increase in common prices might eventually add ½p to the price of a standard loaf but for milk, where agreement was reached on a freeze in common prices, there will be no effects on the retail price.

European Community Budget (United Kingdom Contribution)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the adjustments in agricultural produce negotiated in Brussels last week will increase or decrease the net contribution of the United Kingdom to the EEC in the current financial year and in future years; and what estimate he has made of the likely sum involved.

The total cost of the 1½ per cent. increase in prices on commodities other than milk—where of course the price was frozen—the cost of the butter subsidy, the additional subsidy on skimmed milk powder for pig and poultry feed and the effects of the changes in MCAs come to £300 million. Britain's contribution to this at the marginal 1980 contribution rate of 16½ per cent. would be £49 million.Britain's receipt from the price settlement will be £65 million on the butter subsidy, £4 million on school milk and a saving of £14 million on the green pound devaluation, making a total benefit of £83 million.

Farm Gate Prices

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will tabulate in the Official Report the increase in farm gate price for typical main commodities where an EEC intervention regime operates occasioned by the 5 per cent. devaluation of the green pound and 1 ½ per cent. increase in common prices, respectively.

						APPROXIMATE PRICE INCREASES DUE TO:
						5 per cent. green pound devaluation	common price increases
Milk p.p.l.	…	…	…	…	…	0·5	Nil
Beef £ per 100 kg liveweight			…	…	…	4·50	1·25
Breadmaking wheat £ tonne			…	…	…	5·00	1·50
Feedgrain £ tonne		…	…	…	…	4·50	1·25
Sugar beet £ tonne		…	…	…	…	1·00	0·25

Scotland

A95

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for bringing forward improvements to the A95.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Banff (Mr. Myles) on 21 June 1979.

Milk

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will initiate an independent review of the milk prices system, and the effect which it is having on all aspects of the marketing of liquid milk.

There is a need to review milk pricing arrangements in the United Kingdom and the Government are considering the nature and scope of such a review.

Ferry Services

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has considered the Northern Ireland Economic Council's "Statement of Views on Ferry Services" and, in particular, its comments on the A75; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The importance of this route to Northern Ireland is one reason for the high priority given to its improvement by the Government. Some

Farm gate, or market prices are influenced by a number of factors, including supply, demand and stock levels, and for some products the support price changes will have no immediate effect. But on the assumption that the increases in support prices are fully reflected at the farm gate, the price changes for the main commodities due to the devaluation of the green pound and increases in common prices agreed last week would be as follows:of the schemes on it will be considered as possible candidates for aid from the European regional development fund at the appropriate time.

Social Workers

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish details of the total establishment for basic grade social workers in the Scottish local authorities, together with the number of posts presently occupied and the number of such posts held by social workers qualified in terms of the conditions laid down by the National Joint Council (Scottish Council) for Administrative, Professional, Technical and Clerical Staffs.

Comprehensive information is not available centrally on the staffing establishments of Scottish local authority social work departments but a census of staff in these departments, carried out on 7 October 1978, indicated that there were 1,274 full-time and 139 part-time main grade social workers then in post, of whom 1,227 held the certificate of qualification in social work or an equivalent qualification.

Grampian Fishing Committee

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will undertake to meet representatives of the Grampian Fishing Committee before he meets next with EEC representatives to discuss the renegotiation of the common fisheries policy.

My noble Friend the Minister of State for Agriculture and Fisheries is making arrangements to meet representatives of the committee at the earliest convenient date to discuss the Government's approach to the common fisheries policy.

Petrol Supplies

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the severe distribution problems affecting petrol supplies in rural areas of Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the major companies are supplying petrol to both rural and urban area outlets on the basis of between 90 per cent. and 100 per cent. of customers' usage in the corresponding period of 1978. Some smaller oil companies and independent distributors may, however, have to limit supplies more severely, and this could result in uneven distribution. The Government have asked the United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association to increase its efforts to achieve a more even and effective distribution of fuel.

Aberdeen And Grampian Region

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to visit Aberdeen and Grampian region.

I shall be visiting Grampian region during the summer Recess, and have been asked to open the "Offshore Europe" Exhibition on 4 September.

Doctors' Fees

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends making an order under section 22 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1972 to transfer the responsibility for the payment of those fees payable to doctors, already payable by health authorities in England and Wales, from Scottish local authorities to Scottish health boards.

Making the NHS responsible for the payment of general practitioners' fees for certain services, such as the provision of medical certificates, associated with local authority schemes raises a number of issues which I am considering carefully. I shall be consulting the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and shall write to the hon. Member when a decision has been reached.

St John's High School

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what special assistance he has given or proposes to give in the repair to the part of the building of St. John's high school, Dundee, damaged by fire; and if he will make a statement.

An application by Tayside regional council for capital expenses consent in respect of reinstatement of fire damage at this school was approved in November 1978 to the extent of £77,000, the amount estimated by the council to be required in 1978–79. It was asked to submit an application for the appropriate amounts in later years when a tender had been received: and it was reminded that any expenditure incurred in excess of the amount recovered from its insurers would require to be met from its normal programme unless it was unavoidable, for example, to comply with building standards.

Housing Associations

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when Reid-vale housing association, Glasgow, was set up: how many members it has: how many full-time and part-time employees it has; what is its total budget; how ninny houses it owns; how many houses it has completed and re-let to tenants; how many homes it is presently working on; and what is the total number of houses it is intended to have under its control;(2) when Parkhead housing association, Glasgow, was set up; how many members it has; how many full-time and part-time employees it has; what is its total budget; how many houses it owns; how many houses it has completed and re-let to tenants; how many houses it is presently working on; and what is the total number of houses it is intended to have under its control;(3) when Tollcross housing association, Glasgow, was set up; how many members it has; how many full-time and part-time employees it has; what is its total budget; how many houses it owns; how many houses it has completed and re-let to tenants; how many houses it is presently working on; and what is the total number of houses it is intended to have under its control.

I do not have this information. The Housing Corporation is responsible for monitoring the activities of individual housing associations and I have asked the corporation's chief officer for Scotland to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total budget of all the housing associations in Glasgow under the auspices of the Housing Corporation.

The allocation of the resources available is a matter for the Housing Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many housing associations under the auspices of the Housing Corporation there are in Scotland.

176.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many housing associations under the auspices of the Housing Corporation there are in Glasgow.

52.

South Of Scotland Electricity Board (Coal Imports)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he has given approval to the South of Scotland Electricity Board to import coal;(2) what discussions he has had with the South of Scotland Electricity Board on its negotiations to import coal; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he has been informed by the South of Scotland Electricity Board of the likely tonnage of coal it seeks to import; from what countries; and at what price per ton.

The South of Scotland Electricity Board notified my Department of its intention to import a limited quantity of coal from abroad during the current year in order to restore adequate stocks but does not require my right hon. Friend's approval for such imports. I am asking the chairman of the board to write to the hon. Member about the other information requested.

Housing Corporation (Budget)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total budget of the Housing Corporation in Scotland.

Expenditure by the Housing Corporation in Scotland permitted for the current financial year is £44·8 million at 1979 survey prices. The value of schemes which may be started in the year is £76·6 million.

Third Party Insurance

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of convictions for motorists in Scotland in each of the past five years for which figures are available, for driving without third party insurance.

The number of convictions or findings of guilt for failing to insure against third party risks are set out in the table below:

1973	11,567
1974	12,279
1975	11,963
1976	12,604
1977	11,906

Local Authoriy Bursaries

asked the Secrestary of State for Scotland what effect he anticipates the expenditure cuts will have on local authority bursaries.

It is for individual local authorities to decide where savings can be made. Bursaries are granted at the discretion of education authorities and I am unable to say what effect, if any, the financial restrictions will have on their policy in this matter.

Western General Hospital (Research)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department is aware of the study at the Western general hospital, Edinburgh on 14 boys with the XYY chromosome type; whether he will make a statement on the policy of the researchers in not disclosing the information about these boys to the parents concerned; and whether the Government propose legislation to make it compulsory for such information to be disclosed.

My Department is aware of this study, which is being carried out under the auspices of the Medical Research Council; any policy questions about the research are therefore the responsibility of the council. Given the high reputation of the council in ethical matters I have no reason to suppose that legislation is needed.

Elderly Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the publication of the report of the programme planning group on the care of the elderly.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 20 June to the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton).

Government Expenditure

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the effect on employment prospects of the proposed cut of £6·2 million in the budget of the Manpower Services Commission in Scotland.

The Government's policy is to concentrate support on areas where unemployment is highest and, in line with this, the Scottish share of expenditure savings amounts to only 5·6 per cent. of the total. These savings will be achieved largely by a rigorous scrutiny of the cost of projects under the youth opportunities programme and the withdrawal of some courses under the training opportunities scheme which are of doubtful value. No significant effect on employment prospects is expected.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations took place with the parties concerned before decisions were taken to reduce the capital expenditure of local authorities by £20·9 million, that of the Scottish Special Housing Association by £5 million, that of the housing corporations by £10 million, and that of the Scottish Development Agency by £17 million; and what will be the effects on jobs and house building.

None; but the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Scottish Special Housing Association and the Scottish Development Agency were forewarned of the Government's intention to reduce public expenditure. The effect on jobs and house building is not likely to be significant since planned expenditure is expected still to be above last year's outturn.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will indicate where the proposed cuts of £10 million on the electricity industry in Scotland are to be made; and what will be the likely effects in employment and on electricity prices.

It is for the Scottish electricity boards to decide what adjustments to their financial programmes may be necessary in the light of the reduction in their cash limits.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what part of the proposed reduction of expenditure of £1·1 million in the new towns is to be made in Glenrothes; and what consultations took place before the cut was decided.

The allocation of expenditure to Glenrothes will be related to the new town's stage of development and to its needs. It is not the practice to consult in advance about the detail of Budget proposals.

Health Visitors (Allowances)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many letters he has received concerning car and mileage allowances payable to health visitors in Fife; and what reply he has sent.

Five. I replied regretting the delay in settling the 1978 and 1979 rates, but added that, following agreement with the staff side, a circular authorising new rates had been issued on 15 June.

Energy

British Gas Corporation

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will place in the House Library a record of his discussions with the chairman of the British Gas Corporation regarding the future role and commercial operations of the Corporation; and if he will make a statement.

No. It is not the practice for a record of discussions between Ministers and the chairmen of nationalised industries to be made public.

Ministerial Committee On Energy Conservation

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will now announce the members of the Ministerial Committee on Energy Conservation.

This matter is still under review.

Quangos

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will give details of the quasi-autonomous nongovernmental organisations for which he is responsible, showing the membership of same, their salaries and expenses, the number of meetings held, their objects and purposes and to what extent he has reduced, or expects to reduce, the costs of these bodies.

There is no generally accepted definition of the term "quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization" but I appoint the members of eight advisory committees, all of whom serve unpaid and who may be reimbursed travelling and subsistence expenses incurred on committee business at the rates applicable to senior civil servants. The continuing need for these bodies is under review and I will retain only those which continue to serve a useful function. I will write to the hon. Member giving the details he seeks.

Crude Oil And Petroleum Products (Spot Markets)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will indicate the location of spot markets trading crude oil and petroleum products in and outside Europe and the volume of trading done by each.

The world's main spot markets for oil products have evolved around the major refining centres in North-West Europe—conventionally called the Rotterdam market—the Mediterranean, the Arabian Gulf, Singapore, the Caribbean and the east and Gulf coasts of the United States of America. In contrast, spot sales of crude oil are in most cases made with direct delivery from oil producing countries. There are no reliable assessments available of the volumes of crude oil and products sold internationally on a spot basis but they are known to represent only a few per cent. of total volumes traded.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the Government's attitude to an oil exchange for spot market transactions as suggested by the EEC; and how the proposals could be rendered internationally acceptable.

I am hopeful that the detailed examination of spot transactions in Europe which the EEC restarted at the beginning of June will indicate more clearly to Governments and industry what further improvements in transparency or the structure of the spot market are desirable and practicable. If a prima facie need for it were made out I would certainly be willing to study proposals for an oil exchange. I recognise that the European spot market is international in character and there would need to be wideranging discussions before changes of this sort were made.

Diesel Fuel

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he proposes to ensure that supplies of diesel fuel are available to hauliers carrying perishable soft fruits from East Anglia to canners and processors.

Adequate supplies of dery are available provided that operators take all practicable steps to economise in their use of fuel. Filling stations may, however, be working shorter hours in many places, and operators would be well advised to check in advance on the availability of supplies at specific times on particular routes.

Nuclear Waste (Transport)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what precautions are taken to protect nuclear waste from terrorist attack during its transport by rail.

The massive structure of the heavy steel flasks used to transport spent nuclear fuel to the reprocessing works makes them highly resistant to any attack, whether aimed at stealing a flask or dispersing its contents.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether any methods of disposal of nuclear waste were considered which did not involve transporting it by rail and, if so, on what grounds they were rejected.

Methods of transporting flasks of spent nuclear fuel for reprocessing have been appraised in the light of the need to move these abnormally heavy loads safely and efficiently; the availability of suitable handling facilities; and the need to keep journey times to a minimum.Various methods, including air, sea, canal and road, have been considered, but for long haul journeys rail is considered to be the most satisfactory.

Solar Energy

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to increase incentives to local councils to encourage the use of solar energy in public buildings in view of the achievements of the Wirral council's solar heated St. George's school.

No. Local authorities should decide priorities for themselves having due regard for each possible application of solar energy technology. The Government are, however, already providing funds under their research, development and demonstration programmes to encourage the development to the demonstration stage of alternative energy sources including solar heating systems.

Electricity Generation

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current excess electricity generating capacity in the United Kingdom above simultaneous maximum demand—as experienced in the past 12 months—and what additional capacity will come on stream by 1986 as power stations under construction are completed and commissioned, assuming that no existing stations are phased out before that year.

In 1978–79, the highest simultaneous maximum demand for England and Wales was 44·1 GW and occurred on 19 December 1978. At that time 46·1 GW of plant was available for service, and the maximum demand represented 79 per cent. of the declared net capacity of 55·8 GW.In the period up to 1986 a further 14·8 GW of new capacity will come on stream from stations at present under construction. Within the same period the Central Electricity Generating Board expects to have decommissioned about 4·2 GW of plant whose serviceability can no longer be reasonably maintained.Power stations in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the balance of load as between oil-fired, coal-fired and nuclear power stations during February, on average.

I am advised that the balance of load between oil-fired, coal-fired and nuclear power stations supplied by the CEGB in England and Wales during February 1979 was as follows:

Type	Units supplied (Gwh)	Proportion (per cent.)
Coal	16,289·845	73·15
Oil	3,401·700	15·28
Nuclear	2,535·000	11·38
Other	42·455	0·19
TOTAL	22,269·000	100·00

Power stations in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many nuclear, oil-fired and coal-fired power stations were out of commission during February on account of malfunction, refuelling, overhaul or for other reasons.

I am advised by the CEGB that no major nuclear, coal-fired or oil-fired stations had units out of commission for the whole of February. The relatively small proportion of plant out of service for breakdown, etc., for some period during the month is reflected in the following figures which show the average daily proportion of total capacity that was available for service at times of national peak demand thtroughout the month of February.

Type	Percentage Availability
Coal	80·10
Oil	86·18
Nuclear	86·53

Power stations in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.

Nuclear Power Stations

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in the Official Report the advanced gas-cooled reactor nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom currently in service, the date on which each began to supply electricity to the grid, and the number of months since that date on which each has been out of action owing to malfunction, accident, refuelling, overhaul or for other reasons.

The CEGB has one AGR station, Hinckley Point B, currently in service. The first unit—Reactor 4 Set 8—was commissioned on 27 September 1976 and the second—Reactor 3 Set 7—on 2 October 1978. I am advised by the CEGB that since commissioning each unit has been out of operation for the following number of hours:

	Reactor 3	Reactor 4
Planned outage	1,147	4,905
Unplanned outage	226	6,823

Power stations in Scotland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what arrangements are being made for special communications or link line systems between each nuclear power station and the headquarters of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, and between each station and his own office, so that in the event of serious malfunction or breakdown any flood of calls on the normal telephone system will not hinder full information flowing freely between the station, his Department and the authority.

Conditions attached to nuclear site licences granted by the Health and Safety Executive have always required the licensees to maintain an effective communication system for use in any emergency. The communication system includes links which are independent of the normal public telephone system. Overloading of the normal telephone system would not interfere with the flow of essential information to and from my Department, the Health and Safety Executive and the other authorities and organisations which might be involved in an emergency. Similar arrangements exist for United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority sites.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the cause of the recent breakdown of the Dungeness nuclear reactor, and for how many months in the past three years this reactor has been out of service on account of malfunction, refuelling, overhaul, or for other reasons.

I am advised by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that Reactor 2 at Dungeness A nuclear power station was shut down on 19 June following the discovery of a leak of carbon dioxide coolant gas from a manhole cover joint on one of the gas circuits. These covers were removed for maintenance access during the recent biennial overhaul of the reactor and it is always a possibility that a remade joint may leak when a reactor is subsequently returned to service. The leakages did not involve any significant release of radioactivity and no one was harmed or placed at risk. Improvements to the manhole cover joint seals are now in hand to prevent a recurrence and the reactor will be returned to service when they are completed.I am advised by the CEGB that during the last three years Reactor 2 has been out of service for 872 hours for unplanned outage and 6,279 hours for planned outage. The latter period includes the extended outage to carry out the detailed scrutiny and repairs referred to in my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Costain) on 21 May.—[Vol. 967, c.

19–20.]

Uranium Enrichment Plant (Inverters)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether inverters for use in connection with uranium enrichment plant are still manufactured by Weargate Ltd. of Swansea, or Emmerson Electric Ltd. of Swindon.

Emerson Electric Industrial Controls Ltd. of Swindon manufactures a range of inverters for a number of different applications. Wear-gate Ltd. of Swansea is not a manufacturing company.

Coal

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the aggregate production of deep-mined coal from United Kingdom coalfields, and aggregate output per man-shift, in the latest period of 12 months for which details are available; what were the corresponding figures for the period of 12 months prior to introduction of the pit productivity scheme; and what has been the aggregate cost of that scheme to date.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what estimate he has made of the total output of coal by deep mining and opencast mining, respectively, in the current year; and what advice he has received on the likely trend in coal production between now and the end of the century;(2) what profit or loss was made by the National Coal Board from deep mining, opencast mining and other activities, respectively, in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous 10 years;(3) how much the National Coal Board intends to spend on investment over the next five years and if these plans are affected by the Chancellor's Budget Statement;(4) if he is satisfied with the level of coal stocks and with coal output levels; and if he will make a statement;(5) what plans the Coal Board has to increase or reduce its activities in industrial activities other than coal production; and if the policy of Her Majesty's Government to encourage the Coal Board to sell some of its investments in these areas of production;(6) what is his policy on private enterprise deep mining and opencast coal production; and if he will make a statement;(7) if he will make a statement on the working of the Coal Board productivity agreement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the output of coal per man in the most recent monthly period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in the same month of the previous 10 years.

Statistics of productivity in the coal industry are published in the Department's monthly statistical bulletin "Energy Trends" and in the annual "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics". Copies are available in the Library of the House.For convenience the figures requested are tabulated below:

Overall Output per manshift at NCB collieries (tonnes)
May 1969	2·23
May 1970	2·30
May 1971	2·32
May 1972	2·35
May 1973	2·42
May 1974	2·26
May 1975	2·36
May 1976	2·31
May 1977	2·28
May 1978	2·27
May 1979	2·28

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total output of coal from deep mining, and open cast mining, respectively, in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable totals for each of the previous 10 years.

Statistics of coal production are published in the Department's monthly statistical bulletin "Energy Trends" and in the annual "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics". Copies are available in the Library of the House.

For convenience the readily available figures are tabulated below.

COAL PRODUCTION IN GREAT BRITAIN
(million tonnes)
	Deep-mined	Opencast
Year ended—
March 1969	156·5	6·7
March 1970	143·1	6·7
March 1971	136·2	8·5
March 1972	111·7	10·5
March 1973	129·8	10·6
March 1974	99·3	9·6
March 1975	117·5	9·7
March 1976	115·1	10·7
March 1977	109·1	11·7
March 1978	106·9	14·0
March 1979	106·1	13·8
Year ended—
16 June 1979	105·7	13·7

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the level of coal stocks on the most recent date for which figures are available; and what were the comparable stocks on the same date in each of the previous 10 years.

Coal stock statistics are published in the Department's monthly statistical bulletin "Energy Trends" and in the annual "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics". Copies of both publications are available in the Library of the House.For convenience, the latest figure and those for comparable dates in the previous 10 years are tabulated below.

Total Coal Stocks^*in Great Britain (million tonnes)
14 June 1969	35·5
13 June 1970	23·8
19 June 1971	24·1
17 June 1972	25·6
16 June 1973	33·9
15 June 1974	20·4
14 June 1975	24·7
19 June 1976	32·8
18 June 1977	28·8
17 June 1978	31·5
16 June 1979	27·4
^* Excluding stocks held by merchants and by industrial and domestic consumers.

Urenco

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether any foreign subjects from countries who are not parties to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty are engaged in research at Urenco establishments at Capenhurst, Marlow or Almelo; and whether any bilateral agreements exist for the exchange of research information or research workers between Urenco and Pakistan;

(2) what funding is provided through Urenco by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. as agents of Her Majesty's Government to the Almelo Institute in Holland; whether responsibility for security surveillances at the Almelo Institute is shared with British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.; and whether he is satisfied that the existing security arrangements adequately protect the interests of the United Kingdom;

(3) what discussions he has had with the Dutch Government referring to the activities of Dr. A. Q. Khan, a Pakistan subject formerly working at Almelo Institute, Holland; whether a review of Dr. Khan's activities will take place at the next meeting of inter-governmental joint committee of Urenco; and whether, in view of public concern, he will make a statement;

(4) whether he is satisfied with the security surveillance Urenco possesses over work and research given by Urenco to outside laboratories; whether any confidential research worked was passed by Urenco to any laboratory or research centre employing or using the services of a Pakistan subject Dr. A. Q. Khan; and what communications he has had with the Dutch Government over the issue of the subcontracting of Urenco research work with outside laboratories.

The background to the allegations that a national of a fourth country had access to classified information about the centrifuge project through employment at Almelo were discussed by the centrifuge joint committee last week. The Netherlands Government are making a full investigation of the circumstances of this occurrence.In the light of the outcome of this, and of a review of detailed security arrangements by Urenco which will include sub-contracting arrangements, the three Governments will consider whether action is needed to strengthen the existing tripartite arrangements for protecting classified information.Under a mutual financing agreement between the commercial partners, BNFL contributes on its own account to the capital cost of the Almelo plant, and receives contributions from the corresponding Netherlands and German organisations to the cost of Capenhurst. Security practice is based on rules agreed by the three Governments and applied by each with its own territory. There are no bilateral agreements for the exchange of research information or research workers between Urenco and Pakistan or any other country.

Heysham Ii

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is able to give investment approval for Heysham II.

I have now given investment approval for the construction by the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) of the 1320 MW second stage of the advanced gas cooled reactor power station at Heysham. It is planned that construction on site will begin next year, and that the first unit will be commissioned in 1986.

Nuclear Installations (Accidents)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he intends to continue the practice of his predecessor in reporting to the House all incidents in nuclear installations which involve the escape of radioactive materials—solid, gas, or liquid—whether or not there is any damage to health of workers or the general public.

The Secretary of State for Scotland and I are continuing the existing arrangements for reporting of incidents of this kind, subject to any modification which we may think necessary to improve them.For the record, these arrangements are that we are notified of occurrences which licensees of nuclear installations are required to report to the Health and Safety Executive under the Nuclear Installations (Dangerous Occurrences) Regulations 1965 and licence conditions, and of certain other occurrences of lesser significance. This arrangement also applies to the reporting of occurrences at Atomic Energy Authority sites.The reports of such occurrences form the basis of statements of incidents published quarterly by the Health and Safety Executive.In additon, we will inform Parliament at once of any occurrence reportable under the dangerous occurrences regulations. Such occurrences are:

(a) any release of radioactivity or toxic substances causing or likely to cause death or serious injury;

(b) any uncontrolled criticality excursion;

(d) any occurrence during the transport of nuclear matter which is likely to cause death or injury from radioactivity, or the breaking open of a container of nuclear matter.

Cars (Petrol Consumption)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the outcome of the discussions which his officials have been having with the motor industry aimed at improving the petrol consumption of new cars sold in the United Kingdom.

The joint working group comprising representatives of Government, the motor industry, the oil industry has now submitted its report, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. It recommends the adoption of a voluntary scheme on fuel consumption targets aimed at achieving 10 per cent. improvement in the average petrol consumption of new cars by 1985. The Government welcome the announcement earlier today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders that it is adopting this scheme. It is an important first step towards the substantially greater vehicle fuel economy which is essential in helping to restrain our demands for oil.

Nuclear Power

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement upon the Government's approach to nuclear power.

The Government believe that nuclear power has a vital long-term role to play in energy policy.

Fuel Consultative Councils

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the future of the fuel consultative councils.

I have been asked to reply.I am reviewing the nationalised industries consultative councils as part of the overall exercise, requested by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, to consider all the public bodies within my Department's field of responsibility.

Volume 969: debated on Wednesday 27 June 1979

Written Answers To Questions

Home Department

Charity Commissioners

Postal Voting

Woolworth's, Manchester (Fire)

Metropolitan District Councils (Boundaries)

Police And Probation Officers (Pay)

Constituency Boundaries

Murder And Manslaughter

Work-Permit Employment

Applications For Settlement (Indian Sub-Continent)

Charities (Political Involvement)

Ethnic Groups (Arrest Rates)

Police (Attacks)

Equal Opportunities Commission (Expenditure)

Crime (Brigg And Scunthorpe)

Orpington (Police Station)

Indictable Offences

Police

Extradition (European Community)

Newham (Policing)

Overseas Development

Crown Agents

Legal Aid

Defence

Baor

Tornado Aircraft

Industry

Shipbuilding ("Scrap And Build" Scheme)

Wool Scouring

Microprocessors

Biotechnology

National Enterprise Board

Meriden Motor Cycle Co-Operative

British Shipbuilders (Polish Ships)

National Finance

European Community (National Intervention Agencies)

Value Added Tax

Income Tax

Stamp Duty

European Monetary Co-Operation Fund

House Of Commons

Members 'Salaries '

Education And Science

School Meals

Language Teaching (Yorkshire And Humberside)

Social Services

Community Nursing Staff

Child Benefits And Allowances

Deaf And Blind Young Persons

Community Nurses

Homeless Single Persons

Agoraphobia

Mobility Allowance

National Nursery Examination Board

Back Pain

Smoking

Pregnant Women (Screening)

Handicapped Persons (Dental Care)

Invalidity Pensioners (Earnings Bar)

Unemployment Benefit

Free Welfare Food

Employment

Job Creation

Disabled Workers Quota (Birmingham)

Bothwell

Unemployed Persons

Safety Exhibition, Horseferry Road

Fairgrounds

Health And Safety (Information Service)

Wool Textile Industry

New Technology Agreements

Handicapped School Leavers

Hazardous Installations (Canvey Island And Thurrock)

Mines Inspectorate

Plate Glass (Safety)

Construction Industry (Safety Regulations)

Transport