asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on her talks with Chancellor Schmidt about arms.

At our meeting in London on 11 and 12 May, I had frank and useful discussions with Chancellor Schmidt on a wide range of subjects of mutual interest, including defence issues.

asked the Prime Minister which Minister or Ministers is or are responsible for announcing the next increase in child benefit.

While my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services is responsible for reviewing the rate of child benefit, any decision is for the Government as a whole. The circumstances at the time of the announcement determine which Minister announces increases in child benefit.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will visit Newcastle upon Tyne.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her engagements for Tuesday 10 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her public engagements for 10 July.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 10 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 July.

I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd).

asked the Prime Minister when last she met the Trades Union Congress.

asked the Prime Minister when last she met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when last she met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when last she met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when last she met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when last she met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when last she met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when last she met representatives of the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when last she met the TUC.

I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Cartwright).

asked the Prime Minister if she will visit the Northern region.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Dormand) on 3 July.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will pay an official visit to Amble.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister what invitations she has received to visit rural areas in England.

I receive a large number of invitations to visit both urban and rural areas.

asked the Prime Minister what criteria she applies in the appointment of Cabinet Ministers.

Ability to do the job well.

asked the Prime Minister when next she will visit Caernarvon.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will visit Burton on Trent.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will visit Suffolk.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when she proposes to make an official visit to North-East Wales.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many early-day motions were tabled on each sitting day of Parliament in 1979 (a) when the notices of motions were printed and (b) when the notices of motions were duplicated because of industrial disputes.

Following is the information:

asked the Prime Minister whether she will establish a Ministry of Justice.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Lewisham, West (Mr. Price) on Tuesday 19 June.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to review the structure of student grants for all forms of education from 16 to 21 years.

My Department has already begun work on the review of higher education awards. No other major structural review of the awards system is envisaged. So far as mandatory awards for 16–18 year olds are concerned, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Howell) on 19 June.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in order to prevent the possible closure of schools due to oil shortage, he will advise local authorities to convert their schools to gas central heating.

Local education authorities are already aware of the need to reduce their dependence on oil products, and it should be possible to avoid disruption if all consumers are prepared to economise. Officials will shortly be holding discussions with local authority representatives about the best way to achieve further savings but the conversion of oil-fired heating systems is unlikely to be cost effective except where they are nearing the end of their useful life.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will consider guaranteed funding for voluntary/local authority projects for after-school care and school holiday play-schemes.

The demand for such provision inevitably has to compete with other claims on public funds, but quite a number of voluntary and local authority projects of this nature, often involving the use of school buildings, are already grant-aided by central government under the urban programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will consider guaranteed funding for voluntary/local authority joint ventures for day care for the under-fives and nursery education planned to suit the needs of working mothers.

No. Provision for day care for under-fives and nursery education by authorities locally must first concentrate on meeting the needs of the children. Applications from local authorities for loan sanction and for urban aid for joint education/social service projects and from voluntary agencies for grants for similar projects are considered jointly by the central Government Departments concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the impact of increased VAT on the Open University, particularly in respect of the costs of broadcasts; and what response he has given.

The matter has been raised by the Open University with my Department. The university has been told that in line with the Government's policy on cash limits no increase will be made in its grant to cover price increases higher than those underlying the original calculations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the activities of the Youth Services Forum; how much has it cost public funds to date since its inception; and what plans he has for its future.

The Youth Service Forum was set up by the Labour Government in December 1976 with the remit to adive on national policy for the youth service in England and Wales. To date it has cost about £11,000, but that does not include secretariat staff costs, and other claims on the time of officials, which cannot be accurately costed. My right hon. and learned Friend and I are currently assessing the work of this body.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many sufferers from dyslexia are known to be living in Staffordshire; how many are children; and what provision is being made for the treatment of dyslexia.

Neither my Department nor the Department of Health and Social Security collects information about the number of persons suffering from dyslexia. Provision for treatment is made throughout the country in different ways, for example in clinics in certain universities and hospitals, in reading centres run by local education authorities and by voluntary bodies and in special classes in schools. Help is also provided for adults with reading difficulties in adult literacy schemes run by local authorities and voluntary bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take action to end the experiments taking place at the research laboratory at Babraham, Cambridge.

No. I accept the view of the Agricultural Research Council that the work of the institute is essential for the advancement of physiological knowledge in farm animals which is of beiefit in agroculture and medicine. Authority for experiments likely to cause pain is required under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876, administered by the Home Department, and such experiments are subject to inspection by the cruelty to animals inspectorate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what purpose mescaline has been administered to prisoners in the experimental medical containment unit F2 at Parkhurst Prison.

Mescaline has not been administered to prisoners at Parkhurst prison. F2 is not, as described, an experimental medical containment unit, but simply an area in the prison hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if prisoners in British prisons are invited to participate in tests on experimental drugs; and if he will make a statement.

Prisoners are not invited to participate in tests on experimental drugs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals to remove from the duties of the prison service work connected with the treatment of mentally sick offenders; and what are his plans to replace the inadequate facilities for dealing with the sick offender at Brixton Prison.

No. It is plainly right for prison medical officers and other prison staff to provide such care and treatment as they are able for mentally disordered prisoners. The Mental Health Act 1959 provides for the placement in hospital and the transfer to hospital from prison of offenders suffering from mental disorder within the terms of sections 60 and 72 of the Act of a nature or degree which warrants detention in a hospital for medical treatment, subject to suitable hospital places being available. My Department and the Department of Health and Social Security are continuing to cooperate in efforts to reduce the number of cases in which such mentally disordered offenders are accommodated in prison for want of suitable hospital places. Several improvements to hospital facilities have been made in recent years at Brixton and more are proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider making arrangements for United Kingdom citizens convicted of criminal offences abroad to be able to serve their sentences in the United Kingdom and when he expects to be able to publish such information on this topic as is available to him.

This matter is currently being examined by an interdepartmental working party of officials. I hope to have the working party's views by the end of this year and will consider then whether the report should be published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the expenses arising out of the care and rehabilitation of the 400 Vietnamese refugees currently residing at Nelson Hall, Cotes Heath, near Stafford, will fall on the Exchequer; and whether arrangements are being made for the Staffordshire county council to be reimbursed for the expenses it is currently making in relation to their educational needs and medical care.

The Government are providing financial assistance to the Ockenden Venture which is responsible for the refugees at Nelson Hall. Requests have been received from local authorities for financial assistance towards services provided for refugees in reception centres in their areas and are being carefully con- sidered. No decision, however, has yet been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is expected that the Boundary Commissioners will be making an official report on the ward and parliamentaary boundaries in the Walsall borough.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England submitted in November 1978 its report on the future electoral arrangements for the borough of Walsall. I understand that the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England is likely to have completed its general review of constituencies, including those in Walsall, by mid 1982

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, discounting the 1979 road hauliers' strike, how many complaints were registered with his Department about secondary picketing, in each year since March 1974 by (a) chief constables of police, (b) industrialists, (c) members of the public, and (d) other organisations.

Over the last five years the Home Office has received a considerable number of letters from members of the public, including industrialists, about the activities of pickets. But the term " secondary picketing " is not at present defined in law, and the information requested could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants were admitted for permanent settlements in each of the past five years; and how many in each year were refugees, and from where.

Information on the numbers of persons accepted for settlement on arrival in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years is given in tables 10, 13 and 14 of the annual Command Paper " Control of Immigration: Statistics 1978 " (Cmnd. 7565) which was published in May 1979; table 14 gives a breakdown by country. None of those so accepted was a refugee because refugees are normally granted leave to enter subject to a time limit or are recognised as refugees after having been admitted in some other capacity. Refugees may in time qualify for settlement and would then be included among those accepted for settlement on removal of time limit, but cannot be identified separately.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the dependency ratio—the number of people not of working age per 1,000 people of working age-for Dundee, Scotland and Great Britain, respectively in (a) 1960 and (b) 1970; and what are the respective figures—actual or projected-for (c) to operate in the Western Isles and will continue to take account of the special needs of the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (a) the total amount spent by education authorities in Scotland on school books in each of the past three years for which figures are available, (b) the total amount spent by each education authority on school books in each of the past three years and (c) the total amount spent per pupil by each education authority on school books in each of the past three years and the corresponding total figure.

Expenditure recorded by education authorities on text books and library books for schools and colleges is as follows:the latest available date,

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report a table which illustrates the absolute and percentage employment change in each industrial order for male, female and total employment in Dundee (a) between 1960 and the latest available date and (b) between 1970 and the latest available date.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report a table of the total number of employees in employment in Dundee in 1960 and each of the years since 1970, showing (a) the total number and percentage employed in primary, manufacturing, construction and services sectors and (b) the total number and percentage employed in each sector per standard industrial classification order.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number and percentage of those unemployed in Dundee who were (a) aged between 50 and 64 years and (b) aged between 60 and 64 years, at the latest available date.

On 5 April 1979 there were 1,310 people registered as unemployed in Dundee aged between 50 and 64, representing 15·7 per cent. of the total unemployment register and 360 aged between 60 and 64, representing 4·3 per cent. of the total register.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report a table of the total number of males and total employees in employment in Dundee in each year since 1959.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the years since 1945 when the number of vacancies for employment exceeded the number of those unemployed in Dundee—taking the June figures for each year to represent the annual figures.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, using projections of future population, he will estimate the number of jobs that will need to he created in Dundee by 1985 and 1990, respectively to (a) maintain the unemployment rate at its present level, (b) prevent the unemployment rate rising to 10 per cent. (c) to reduce the unemployment rate to 3 per cent.

Estimates of this kind requite a number of detailed assumptions additional to those already contained in the population projections, and need to be set in the context of a detailed assessment of the local economy. Some indication of the nature of the issues involved in the Dundee context is provided by the Tayside structure plan report of survey, prepared by the Tayside regional council.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number and percentage of those unemployed in Dundee in each of the years in the period 1946 to 1979, taking the June figure for each year to represent the yearly average.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many registered disabled people were unemployed in Dundee at the latest available date.

On 14 June 1979 there were 367 registered disabled people registered as unemployed in Dundee.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to re-equip the Queen's Flight with more modern aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make arrangements to replace the aircraft of the Queen's Flight.

Although there are no immediate plans for new aircraft for the Queen's Flight, this is one of several matters that I am currently examining.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied as to the safety, suitability and comfort of the aircraft of the Queen's Flight.

I am completely satisfied as to the safety of the aircraft. They are well appointed and suitable for the tasks the Flight undertakes. As in any aircraft, passenger comfort is influenced by the performance characteristics of the aircraft and by the weather.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how old are the aircraft of the Queen's Flight in which Her Majesty the Queen regularly travels.

Fifteen years.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied with arrangements to assist personnel who leave the Services with their housing and other social problems of settlement.

Resettlement assistance for members of the Armed Forces covers a wide range of activities and agencies. In general, we aim to give advice on all aspects of resettlement before a man leaves the Service and to help him find appropriate civilian employment. In addition, the Services have assisted house purchase schemes which provide advances of pay near the end of a man's service and local authorities are already recommended by a Department of Environment circular to consider sympathetically applications to rent council houses. Resettlement procedures are under continuous scrutiny to improve the assistance given. In recent years, second career training has increased and the links between the various agencies involved have been improved.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement about the Tornado (MRCA) crash in the Irish Sea.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement about the loss of a Tornado aircraft in the Irish Sea on 12 June.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the loss of the Tornado prototype in the light of the information now available to him.

The recovery of aircraft wreckage, which is widely dispersed over the seabed, is continuing as quickly as possible, despite adverse weather conditions and limited underwater visibility. It is clear from the wreckage that the crew were killed in the crash. The aircraft's accident data recorder has been successfully retrieved intact, and its evidence made available to the tri-national accident investigation committee which is continuing its inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he proposes to have with the United States of America and other NATO Governments following the signing of the SALT II agreement with a view to ensuring the rapid introduction of a counter to the new SS20 missiles in Western Russia which are aimed at Western Europe and are excluded from the SALT II limitations.

The Alliance has already been considering urgently what steps it needs to take to modernise and strengthen its long-range theatre nuclear forces. These discussions are continuing with the aim of reaching early agreement on a collective alliance programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future of the Sovereign base areas in Cyprus.

There are no plans for any change in the status of the SBAs.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the increase in public expenditure on military purposes over the next three years.

The Government will decide defence budget levels for 1980–81 and subsequent years in the context of this year's review of public expenditure generally.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of replacing the Polaris fleet.

The cost of replacing Polaris would depend upon the system chosen and, as I said in the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Keighley (Mr. Cryer), we have not yet reached the right stage to make such a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will initiate the development of cruise missiles for the British Armed Forces.

It would be premature to take any such decision before NATO has reached a collective view on how to modernise its theatre nuclear forces. This is still under discussion.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the review being carried out into the dispersal of his staff to the West of Scotland to be completed; and if he will publish the findings and the submissions on which they were based.

The review has been subsumed within the overall reappraisal of the Government's dispersal programme which my hon. Friend the Minister for the Civil Service announced on 11 June 1979. I understand he is still hopeful that it will be possible to announce the Government's decisions and the considerations which were taken into account in reaching them before the Summer Recess.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on the dispersal of quality assurance posts from Greater London; and if he will make a statement.

The Department's dispersal plans are in abeyance pending the outcome of the re-appraisal of the Government's dispersal programme which my hon. Friend the Minister for the Civil Service announced on 11 June 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if the intended sale of Harrier Jump Jets to China has yet been completed.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has finalised his conclusions on the Shapland report; and if he will make a statement.

The recommendations of the Shapland report are under urgent consideration and I hope to announce the Government's decisions later this summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what action he intends to take in increasing the annual bounty payable to members of the reserve forces of the Crown.

The rates of bounty payable to members of the reserve forces are under urgent review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many crashes have occurred in the last 12 months in connection with Royal Air Force pilots undergoing training in Jet Provost aircraft; and how many resulted in loss of life.

During the last 12 months there have been two crashes involving RAF Jet Provost aircraft with pilots undergoing training, which have resulted in the loss of the life of one pilot.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in the light of six Jet Provost crashes, he is satified about the reliability of these planes; and if he will make a statement.

The two most recent accidents of Jet Provost aircraft—on 28 March and 3 July 1979—are under investigation and I cannot at this stage comment on the possible causes. As for the earlier accidents—one in 1977 and three in 1978—the House was informed on 3 April 1979—[Vol. 965, c. 634]—that no evidence has come to light to suggest any common factor; and that the Jet Provost is planned to remain in service for many years. Of the four accidents which have now been investigated, only one was attributed to a technical defect—an engine failure. There is no evidence therefore of any inherent defect in the aircraft or indeed of any deterioration in its safety record during its Service life; or that it is in any way unsuited to its role as a training aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the Government's plans for the updating of Great Britain's nuclear deterrent.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Keighley (Mr. Cryer).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will report on the progress made at the recent meeting of the Ministers of Great Britain, France and West Germany to discuss implementation of the previous agreement in principle to proceed with the development of a new West European fighter aircraft.

The meeting with my French and German colleagues, planned for earlier this month, was postponed; but I am in touch with them about the action now needed to make progress in collaborating on a future tactical combat aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the industrial action being taken by the Institute of Professional Civil Servants is having an adverse effect on the Royal Air Force's radar stations and air defence.

I can assure my hon. Friend that we have been able to maintain our air defence capability both during the one day strike by IPCS members on 22 June and subsequently.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will specify the variety of methods adopted by his Department for keeping members of the press and media informed on defence matters.

The methods adopted include press conferences by Ministers and senior officials, background briefings and the provision of information by the Defence press office in response to questions from the press and media. The particular method adopted on an individual occasion depends on the nature of the inquiry received and the subject under discussion.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will define the interests of the Services and his Department as a whole in respect of the requirements of the press and media for information and briefing by his Department.

The principal interests of the Services and the MOD as a whole lie in providing full and accurate information on defence matters to the press and media on a day-to-day basis; and in arranging for members of the press and media to receive in-depth briefing and well-informed comment at the appropriate time on major defence issues of importance.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use of volunteers in experiments on mind control carried out with funds provided by his Department; and what checks are made subsequently to identify any permanent damage to mental or physical health.

The Ministry of Defence does not engage in, or fund, such experiments.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on British participation in experiments into mind control and the techniques of sensory deprivation carried out at the Allan Memorial institute of psychiatry, Montreal, in the past; and if any research into these areas is taking place at the present time jointly with other Governments or on any other basis;(2) if British scientists under the sponsorship of his Department are currently working on mind control programmes partially funded by the United States of America Central Intelligence Agency; and when the last programme was completed.

No evidence has been found of any Ministry of Defence involvement in the alleged Canadian experiments. Nor is the Department currently participating in any " mind control " research.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress achieved to date on the project on which Mr. Charles A. Senseney, an employee at the United States special operations division, Fort Detrick, and an expert in toxic dart launchers, collaborated during his secondment to the United Kingdom, mentioned in hearings before the United States Senate Select Committee to study governmental operations with respect to intelligence activities.

The Ministry of Defence is not involved in any project concerned with toxic darts. The secondment to which the hon. Member refers has been in connection with defence against biological warfare.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated effect on the defence budget of the increase in value added tax announced in the Budget; and what is the net increase in defence expenditure proposed for the current year?

pursuant to his reply—[Official Report, 28 June 1979; Vol. 969, c. 300]—gave the following answer:The cost to the defence budget of the increase in VAT is estimated at £175 million in 1979–80, plus a further £3 million for increased oil duties. On 26 June my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury announced increases in the defence cash limit for 1979–80 totalling £409 million (Cmnd. 7604). These increases were not specifically related to VAT or oil ditties. My Department will endeavour to contain expenditure within the revised cash limits, subject to such further changes as may be agreed, and will thereby contribute to the search for greater efficiency and economy throughout Government. The tax increases in the Budget will not lead to cuts in the defence programme. The cash limits will be adjusted as necessary to achieve this objective, subject to parliamentary approval for any additional funds required.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the net reduction in the public sector borowing requirement of reducing youth opportunities programme expenditure by £25·2 million in the current year.

It is difficult to assess the impact of particular policy changes on the PSBR since this is affected by interactions throughout the economy. However, I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it is estimated that the cost of the youth opportunities programme net of savings in social security benefits and increases in tax and national insurance contributions is about two-thirds of the gross cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the net reduction in the public sector borrowing requirement of reducing special temporary employment programme expenditure by £42·2 million in the current year.

It is difficult to assess the impact of particular policy changes on the PSBR since this is affected by interactions throughout the economy. However, I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it is estimated that the cost of the special temporary employment programme net of savings in social security benefits and increases in tax and national insurance contributions is less than half of the gross cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the net reduction in the public sector borrowing requirement of reducing training opportunities scheme expenditure by £22·3 million in the current year.

It is difficult to assess the impact of particular policy changes on the PSBR since this is affected by interaction throughout the economy. However I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it is estimated that the cost of the training opportunities scheme net of savings in social security benefits and increases in tax and national insurance contributions is about 85 per cent. of the gross cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how, in view of his decision to substantially reduce clerical and commercial training under the training opportunities scheme, he will ensure that women are not further disadvantaged in the labour market.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission, whose training services division is responsible for the operation of the training opportunities scheme—TOPS—that it remains its policy to welcome women to the whole range of training opportunities made available through the scheme.As a contribution to helping to deal with the special needs of women, the Manpower Services Commission will be expanding its wider opportunities for women courses. These TOPS courses are designed for women who are considering looking for work after a lengthy period away from employment outside the home, and help them to overcome the problems they are likely to face in returning to the labour market.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with the extent to which the 3 per cent. quota under the Disabled Persons Act is fulfilled by central and local government bodies.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the level of quota compliance does not reflect the true extent of the employment of disabled people. Quota applies only to registered disabled people and many disabled people choose not to register. Nevertheless, I believe that there is scope for some improvement in quota performance in both the public and private sectors of employment, though the 3 per cent. level overall is quite unattainable under the present system.The Manpower Services Commission is reviewing the quota scheme and issued a discussion document in May to seek the views of interested parties on the options available to protect the employment opportunities of disabled people. The document also seeks views on how best to define and identify those disabled people. The Manpower Services Commission's autumn promotional campaign, which was recently announced, will aim to bring home to employers in both public and private sectors of employment that disabled people are fit for work, and will encourage a positive approach to their employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to call a meeting of the advisory committee on Homeworking; and if he will extend the terms of reference of the committee to include trades not covered by wages councils.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 9 July 1979; Vol. 970, c. 75], gave the following answer:The Government are considering whether any special action is appropriate in regard to homeworking and the continuation and extent of the committee's work will be part of this consideration; in this connection I shall be replying to a recent letter from the general secretary of the TUC and I shall be seeing the hon. Member for Bury and Radcliffe (Mr. White) and others on 17 July.The terms of reference of the committee do not exclude homeworkers in non-wages council trades.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to reintroduce the Homeworkers (Protection) Bill 1978.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 9 July 1979; Vol. 970, c. 75], gave the following answer:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many home visits were made by wages inspectorate official to homeworkers during the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will take steps to give wages inspectors authority to inspect the conditions of work of homeworkers, other than by invitation.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 9 July 1979; Vol. 970, c. 75], gave the following answer:During 1978 wages inspectors checked the earnings of 2,146 homeworkers; many of these were visited but records of the precise numbers were not kept. Records kept since September 1978, however, show that in the six-month period ending 31 March 1979, 689 visits were made to homeworkers. My right hon. Friend has no intention of extending wages inspectors' right of entry into private homes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest official figures for unemployment in the employment offices in the area covered by the Macclesfield constituency; how these figures compare with the previous five years; and if he will give a breakdown of the unemployment figures by industrial classification.

The following tables gives the numbers registered as unemployed in the areas covered by the Macclesfield and Congleton employment offices at May each year from 1974 to 1979. The numbers are analysed according to the industry in which those unemployed last worked.