asked the Minister for Civil Service how many areas which were to secure Civil Service jobs under the dispersal programme have yet to secure any of these jobs apart from Glasgow.

Merseyside, Teesside and West Cumbria have yet to receive posts in the programme announced on 30 July 1974.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) what is the estimated reduction in Civil Service jobs; and what effect this will have on the dispersal programme;(2) whether he is now able to announce the results of the reappraisal of the dispersal programme.

Ministers are conducting a review of their activities and until this is complete the size of Civil Service staff savings will not be known. The possible effects of reductions in staff numbers are being taken into account during the reappraisal of the dispersal programme. As I advised my hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Mr. Patten), on 11 June, the Government hope to make an announcement about the reappraisal of the dispersal programme before the end of July.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how much public expenditure has been committed so far to the dispersal programme envisaged for Scotland.

Expenditure committed so far has mainly been confined to the purchase of sites at a cost of £3·45 million at Anderston and St. Enoch in Glasgow.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when he expects to receive the results of the review of the Government's dispersal programme announced on 11 June.

The Government hope to make an announcement before the end of July.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will conduct an inquiry into the strike record of Her Majesty's Stationery Office to avoid the disruption caused and the additional expense involved and consider whether printing in premises other than St. Stephen's Parliamentary Press should be considered in the national interest.

I am at present reviewing with the Controller the printing arrangements of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. There are complex issues involved and I am not yet in a position to reach conclusions.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many separate strikes, work to rule, overtime bans and so on have occurred in the several branches of Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1978 and to date in 1979; and what is the total number of working days involved in each year.

The number of strikes, works to rule and overtime bans which Her Majesty's Stationery Office has suffered are 20 in 1978 and 15 in 1979 to mid-July. The recorded man/days lost in these periods are 7,603 and 5,937 respectively.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what has been the total extra cost to date incurred by his Department as a result of the present industrial action of Her Majesty's Stationery Office affecting the House.

No extra cost to date has been incurred by Her Majesty's Stationery Office as a result of the present industrial action as it affects the House of Commons.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total staff in Her Majesty's Stationery Office, the total weekly salary bill of those involved in the current dispute and an estimate of the cost of overtime required to complete the printing of the material deferred.

The total staff m Her Majesty's Stationery Office as at 1 July 1979 was 6,698. The total weekly salary bill of those staff involved in the current dispute with the Institution of Professional Civil Servants is about £30,000. When normal working is resumed, priority requirements will be assessed in relation to production capacity available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how British mini-tanks used by General Somoza reached Nicaragua; and if he will prevent further British arms from getting there.

We have no firm proof whether, and if so how, any British armoured vehicles have reached Nicaragua. The United Kingdom has not supplied armoured vehicles or any other defence equipment to Nicaragua for some time and we have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many acres on Dart-moor are currently under military use; and of these how many acres are in the national park.

35,725 acres are currently used by the military, of which 35,075 acres are in the national park.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the extension of military training on Dartmoor, and hold a public inquiry into the proposed plans to extend military training on Cramber tor.

There are no plans to extend military training on Dartmoor. In paragraph 305 of her report on the public inquiry on the continued use of Dartmoor for military training, Lady Sharp recommended that there should be a reduction in the use of National Trust land for training and that the resulting deficiency should be made good elsewhere in the national park. Our current proposal is that training should be transferred to an area round Cramber tor. If this proves satisfactory we should cease to use National Trust land completely. We have given formal notifica- tion of our proposal to the local planning authorities and we hope that they will find it acceptable in the light of Lady Sharp's recommendation. If they object, and it proves impossible to reach agreement on an alternative to the National Trust land, it would be for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to decide whether a public inquiry is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the recent accident to a lorry carrying radioactive pellets to the rocket range on South Uist.

On 20 June a vehicle which regularly transports low-energy radioactive source material to the Royal Artillery range, Hebrides, had a wheel temporarily bogged down at Loch Maddy, North Uist. There was no accident. These deliveries are in specially equipped vehicles, packed so as to comply fully with national safety regulations. The movement of such materials is normal practice in both the public and private sectors and the temporary delay on 20 June created no safety risks.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each member State of NATO for each year since 1973 in terms of both current and constant prices (a) total defence expenditure, (b) defence expenditure per head of population, (c) defence spending as a percentage of total Government spending and (d) defence spending as a percentage of gross national product.

The information requested, in terms of current prices, is set out in the tables below; figures at constant prices are not available since NATO does not publish them in that form. The NATO definition of defence expenditure—which is broader than the United Kingdom national definition—has been used throughout. The figures for 1978 are provisional. Information about the defence expenditure of Turkey and Greece has not been available since 1975 and 1976 respectively. Iceland, although a member of NATO, has no defence expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what would be the estimated cost to central Government of financing union ballots as proposed by the Government.

We are now consulting on the types of ballot and expenditure which will qualify for support from public funds. The estimated cost to public funds of financing ballots will depend on how these issues are resolved.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to be able to announce his decision on the dispersal of the Manpower Services Commission to Sheffield.

The Government hope to announce their conclusions on the reappraisal of the dispersal programme, including the proposed dispersal of the Manpower Services Commission to Sheffield, before the Summer Recess.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) pursuant to his reply of 15 June, on what occasions in the past a committee, such as the advisory committee on asbestos, has submitted its final report to Ministers who have been unable to provide a date of publication of the final report; if he is now in a position to state the date of publication of the final report; and what procedure he intends to follow to ensure the final report receives parliamentary consideration and to implement any recommendations contained in the final report;(2) if he will ensure that the final report of the advisory committee on asbestos is published in such a way as to receive proper parliamentary consideration.

It is not yet possible to give a date of publication. I am advised that due to the uncertainties of printing and distribution for a report of this magnitude, it is not usually possible to give a firm publication date until printing is much nearer completion. It is envisaged that arrangements for publication will be similar to those made for the two previous reports of the advisory committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present level of overall unemployment and of male unemployment in every employment exchange area and travel-to-work area in the county of South Yorkshire.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions have been brought by his Department for offences against employment agency legislation; what is the total of fines which have been secured; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the latest unemployment figures for each of the travel-to-work areas and employment office areas in North-West England.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will indicate how long he thinks it will take to complete the investigations into the explosion at the Witton factory of IMI (Kynoch) Ltd.; if he is aware of the anxiety amongst local residents from this explosion; and if he will make the report public when received.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any intention of relaxing health and safety regulations at places of work as a means of encouraging investment in industry.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide the best available estimate of the net cost per person per week employed under the special temporary employment programme, after taking into account savings in unemployment and other benefits and the payment of taxes and national insurance.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 19 July 1979; Vol. 970, c. 801], gave the following answer:I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the net cost per person per week of the special temporary employment programme during 1978–79 was estimated to be about £30.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of 19 to 24-year-olds who have been continuously unemployed for more than six months and over 25-year-olds who have been continuously unemployed for more than 12 months live outside the areas to which the special temporary employment programme is now confined.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 19 July 1979; Vol. 970, c. 800], gave the following answer:I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that about one-third of the unemployed in these groups live

(i) DOCUMENTS DISCUSSED BY THE COUNCIL WITHOUT ADOPTION
No.	Date	Subject	Government department responsible
5725/79	22/3/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) on investment aid at the market processing stage of milk production.	MAFF
5877/79	27/3/79	Amendment to the amended proposal for a Council Regulation on technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources.	MAFF
5886/79	27/3/79	Alteration of the proposal for a Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning the protection of employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer.	Employment
7348/79	7/6/79	Modified proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) on conservation of fishery resources.	MAFF
7490/79	12/6/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) on the opening, allocation and administration of the Community tariff quota of 38,000 head of heifers and cows, not intended for slaughter, of certain mountain breeds falling within sub-heading ex. 01.02AIIb) of the common customs tariff.	Trade
		Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) on the opening, allocation and administration of the Community tariff quota of 5,000 heads of bulls, cows and heifers, not intended for slaughter, of certain alpine breeds falling within sub-heading ex. 01.02AIIb) of the common customs tariff.

in parts of Great Britain outside the areas now covered by the special temporary employment programme.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many meetings held under the auspices of the Council of Ministers during each six-month presidency since 1 January 1973 have been attended by British civil servants.

Officials of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office frequently attend meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers and of other groups set up under the auspices of the Council. The detailed information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate expense.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will state numbers and titles of any EEC draft directives or regulations which have been discussed by the EEC Council of Ministers in May and June and are to be discussed in any meeting in July which were not considered by the EEC Scrutiny Committee in the last Parliament.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 3 July 1979] gave the following information requested about Council discussion of proposals in May and June:

(ii) DOCUMENTS ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL
No.	Date	Subject	Government department responsible
5419/79	9/3/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC)No. 2133/78 imposing an anti-dumping duty on kraft lining paper from the USA.	Trade
5554/79	14/3/79	Proposal for a Council Decision (EEC) setting up a programme of exchanges of young workers in the Community.	MAFF
5574/79	5/4/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Council (EEC) No. 3059/78 on common rules for imports of certain textile products originating in third countries.	Trade
5620/79	29/3/79	Relations with the ACP States - proposal for a Council Regulation concerning the import arrangements for ACP rum (1979–80).	DOT
5678/79	20/3/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) on the conservation and management of fishery resources applicable to a vessel flying the flag of Spain.	MAFF
5715/79	22/3/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation opening, allocating and providing for the administration of Communtiy tariff quotas for certain wines originating in Algeria (1979–80).	Trade
5763/79	22/3/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) fixing a carryover payment for common wheat, rye and maize remaining in stock at the end of the 1978–79 marketing year.	MAFF
5838/79	18/4/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) temporarily and and partially suspending the autonomous common customs tariff duties on certain types of fish.	Trade
5869/79	5/4/79	Proposal for Council Regulations (EEC) - extending the 1978–79 marketing year for beef and veal;	MAFF
		Fixing the basic price and the buying price for cauliflowers for May 1979;	MAFF
		Extending the 1978–79 milk year and amending Regulations (EEC) Nos. 880/77 and 1078/77.	MAFF
5881/79	27/3/79	Proposals for Council Regulations amending Regulations (EEC) Nos. 1418/76, 2742/75 and 2727/75.	MAFF
5957/79	29/3/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) opening, allocating and providing for the administration of a Community tariff quota for apricot pulp from Turkey.	Trade
5959/79	29/3/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation authorising the extension or tacit renewal of certain trade agreements concluded between Member States and third countries.	Trade
5966/79	29/3/79	Relations with the OCT - proposal for a Council Regulation concerning the import arrangements for OCT rum (1979–80).	Trade
5967/79	30/3/79	Proposal for a Council Directive prolonging, in respect of brucellosis, tuberculosis and swine fever, certain derogations granted to Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom.	MAFF
6236/79	11/4/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) suspending ceilings on the imports of certain products from Norway, Portugal and Sweden.	Trade
6271/79	19/4/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation on a tariff quota for aubergines from Cyprus.	Trade
6284/79	23/4/79	Proposals for Council Decisions - amending fifth Decision 76/538/EEC on the equivalence of field inspection carried out in third countries on seed-producing crops. Amending fifth Decision 76/539/EEC on the equivalence of seed produced in third countries.	MAFF
6335/79	24/4/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) on Community quota of wine from Algeria.	Trade
6403/79	25/4/79	Proposal for a Council Regulation laying down the amount of aid to hop producers.	MAFF
6407/79	26/4/79	Draft Council Regulation (EEC) increasing the Community tariff quota by Regulation (EEC) No. 964/78 for certain eels falling within sub-heading ex 03.01AII of the Common Customs Tariff.	Trade
6421/79	26/4/79	Proposal for a Council Decision amending the quotas for imports into Italy and France of certain products originating in Romania.	Trade

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will initiate collective international action against terrorist organisations from the Middle East sponsored and armed by the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

We are already co-operating actively in a number of international organisations in efforts to contain and reduce the terrorist threat, whatever its origin.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether his review into the desirability and practicality of ceasing the authentication of negative certificates of origin has been completed; what is the result; and whether he will make a statement.

This review is still in progress. The Government are consulting the Association of British Chambers of Commerce and other interested bodies. We shall announce our conclusions as soon as possible.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if, bearing in mind that Her Majesty's Government have never recognised the illegal occupation by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics of the Baltic States under the terms of the Nazi-Soviet pact, Her Majesty's Government will turn down the Soviet Government's invitation to participate as an accessory to the fortieth anniversary celebrations of their aggression by accepting an invitation to observe Warsaw Pact manoeuvres shortly to take place in occupied Lithuania.

In accordance with the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act the Soviet Government notified the military manoeuvre "NEMAN ", which will be held in Lithuania from 23 to 27 July. Under a further voluntary provision, the Soviet Government invited the United Kingdom and others to send observers. The United Kingdom has accepted, in common with a number of other Western countries and in accordance with our wish to take full advantage of the Final Act. This has no implications for our position on the recognition of the incorporation of the Baltic States into the Soviet Union in 1940; we recognise this incorporation de facto but withhold full recognition. There has been no suggestion that the manoeuvre is in celebration of any event ascociated with the Nazi-Soviet pact of August 1939.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dependants—including wives and children—resulting from polygamous marriages are currently seeking entry to the United Kingdom.

The information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the instructions issued to immigration officers.

These instructions provide information and guidance on the procedure to be followed by immigration officers in the exercise of their duties under the Immigration Act 1971 and the immigration rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Commonwealth citizens were registered as United Kingdom citizens in 1977 and 1978; how many of these had entitlement to register under the Immigration Act 1971; and how many of those without entitlement were refused.

Following is the information:

	1977 Number of Commonwealth citizens registered*				1978 Number of Commonwealth citizens registered*
	In the United Kingdom	Overseas	Total	Number refused in the United Kingdom†	In the United Kingdom	Overseas	Total	Number refused in the United Kingdom†
Section 6(1) of the British Nationality Act 1948 by virtue of para. 2 of Sch. 1 to the Immigration Act 1971 (on grounds of ordinary residence)§	8,178			817	9,584			793
Section 5A(1) of the British Nationality Act 1948 (on grounds of patriality and ordinary residence§	12	114	9,327	13	19	96	10,377	15
Section 5A(2) of the British Nationality Act 1948 (on grounds of ordinary residence)║	1,023			622	678			371
Section 6(2) of the British Nationality Act 1948 (wives of citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies)§	1,957	822	2.779	652	2 527	752	3,279	744
Section 7 of the British Nationality Act 1948 (minor children)║	2,638	54	2,692	643‡	2,758	43	2,801	619‡
Section 1 of the British Nationality Act 1964 (resumption of citizenship)§║	11	14	25	2	16	30	46	2
	13,819	1,004	14,823	2,749	15,582	921	16,503	2,544
* Includes citizens of Pakistan registered under the transitional provisions of the Pakistan Act 1973.
† The number refused overseas is not known.
‡ Includes alien minors.
§ Indicates an entitlement provision.
║ Indicates a discretionary provision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Mr. Gias Uddin was detained by Merseyside police and immigration officials; what contact has been made with his parents who live in Manchester; how long he will be detained at Risley remand centre; and what circumstances have changed since the authorities last made contact with Mr. Uddin in August 1978.

The hon. Member wrote to me on 10 July about this case, and I hope to reply to him soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the recent events concerning casinos run by the Ladbroke group, he is satisfied with arrangements to ensure that information held on the police national computer is not misused; and if he will make a statement.

Safeguards to protect information kept in the computer are kept under constant review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is planning to reduce fire inspections as part of his public expenditure cuts.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is planning to delay enforcing standards of fire protection in homes for the elderly as part of his public sector cuts.

I have received recommendations from the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council regarding the future designation under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 of homes for the elderly, but have not yet decided on the timing and scope of any order for that purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made with his Department's research on socially inadequate offenders.

An interim report on this research was presented on 26 June to a seminar on the petty persistent offender organised by the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders. A copy of that report has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. Additional copies are available from the Home Office research unit, Waterloo Bridge House, London, SE1.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what assessment he has made of the economic consequences for Dominica resulting from the political turmoil in that State; and whether he intends to increase United Kingdom aid to Dominica.

Her Majesty's Government have not yet made an assessment of the economic situation following the recent political changes in Dominica. A joint review of our special financial assistance to Dominica was due in June but has been rearranged for August. There will be no increase in the £10 million development aid promised to Dominica following its independence last year.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking or proposing to take to shorten the waiting times for driving tests at the test centres in Birmingham.

We are recruiting more examiners, with particular emphasis on the needs of London, Birmingham and other large cities. We are also reviewing all possible measures to reduce waiting times generally.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will seek to amend the Road Traffic Acts so that the amount of deposit required from those who elect not to insure be increased from the £15,000 laid down in the 1930 Act.

As my hon. Friend will know, the Pearson committee on civil liability and compensation for personal injury recommended that the deposit arrangements should be abolished. The Government are considering whether to act on this recommendation or to legislate to increase the level of deposit.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much money is being spent by the Government in furtherance of research into nuclear and alternative sources of energy (a) directly and (b) through grants to third parties.

The Government expect to spend £140 million on nuclear power research and development in 1979–80 through a grant to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. This includes £12 million on design and development contracts with industry placed on behalf of the Department of Energy.The Department has so far also allocated £16 million to specific programmes of research and development into alternative sources of energy in 1979–80, as follows:

	£million
Wave power	5·4
Solar energy	6·0
Geothermal	1·77
Wind power	0·97
Tidal power	1·59

This work is being carried out either by contract or in Government laboratories.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Lewes of 3 July, what specific amount of energy would be saved by the introduction of double summer time during the summer and by the extension of summer time throughout the year.

It has been estimated that double summer time during the period April-October would reduce electricity consumpion, mainly for lighting, by an amount equivalent to about 0·5 per cent. of total electricity usage in the period. I am advised that there would be little if any saving from extending summer time throughout the year, as the total number of units consumed in a typical 24- hour period in winter is substantially the same irrespective of the time system in operation. Demand for energy for space heating, water heating and power is unlikely to be affected by altering the clocks.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will identify and quantify the penalties of introducing double summer time in the summer and extending summer time throughout the year to which he referred in his answer to the hon. Member for Lewes on 3 July.

Energy penalties could arise from an increase in other energy-using activities induced by an extra hour of daylight in summer evenings. These penalties cannot readily be quantified, but it is likely that they would largely offset the small saving in electricity consumption. For example, it has been calculated that if a consumer used only one extra gallon of petrol, this would be equivalent to the lighting he would save in 200 days. There would in addition be the social penalties, affecting particularly the more northerly parts of the British Isles, which led Parliament in 1970 to reject permanent adoption of British standard time.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is yet in a position to announce the placing of the design phase contracts for the advanced gas-cooled reactor turbine generators at Torness and Heysham.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the nature of the settlement reached between the Federal Government of Australia and the Atomic Energy Authority over the supply of uranium to the United Kingdom; and what concession, if any, the United Kingdom have had to make to secure the assent of the Commission.

The United Kingdom and Australian Governments initialled a nuclear safeguards agreement last year. The European Commission then raised certain legal issues; these have now been clarified in an " agreed minute " to be annexed to the agreement, which itself remains unchanged. The two Governments have also agreed to reconsider the agreement before the end of 1982 if there is no Euratom safeguards agreement with Australia by then.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current cost of the "Plan for Coal" compared with original estimates; and what increase is (a) attributable to inflation and (b) to modification of the original programme.

The original estimate of investment under " Plan for Coal " was £1,400 million at March 1974 prices. The revised estimate at July 1979 prices is £5,170 million. After allowing for the increase due to inflation, this represents a real increase of 43 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy under what statutory authority the owner of gas who has been given permission to flare it off under section 12 of the Energy Act 1976 cannot dispose of the gas to a third party instead of flaring it.

There is no such statutory authority. The Government's aim is always to encourage use rather than flaring.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, since the fiscal regime has been made more onerous for marginal fields, if he will indicate the steps he has taken to date to encourage North Sea exploration and the development of marginal fields.

While not accepting the premise in my hon. Friend's question, I refer him to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to him on 14 June—[Vol. 968, c. 305]—on policy assignments of offshore petroleum licence rights, which is designed to encourage further exploration, and the answer given by my hon. Friend to him of 21 June on the review of marginal fields, which the Government have recently set up.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy under what statutory provision is the British Gas Corporation obliged not to increase domestic gas prices until April 1980.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many meetings under the direction of the Energy Council of Ministers have been attended by civil servants from his Department during each six month presidency since 1 January 1973; and how many civil servants were involved.

Department of Energy officials frequently attend meetings of the Council of EEC Energy Ministers, and of other groups reporting to the Council. The detailed information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will give the relative costs of electricity from nuclear and other power stations, calculated on a basis suitable for guiding policy on the choice of future power stations.

An analysis of coal and nuclear power station costs prepared by the Department of Energy was published in 1978 as Energy Commission paper No. 6. A copy is available in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the chairman of the National Coal Board over the implications to the British mining industry of imports into the United Kingdom of coal from Australia.

I am in regular discussion with the chairman of the NCB on this as well as many other matters and will make a statement when appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the latest estimate of coal stocks held by the National Coal Board, each area electricity board, the Central Electricity Generating Board and others, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

Coal stock statistics are published in the Department's monthly statistical bulletin Energy Trends.Distributed and undistributed stocks of coal in Great Britain on 7 July were as follows:

	Million tonnes
Distributed—
Power Stations	13·44
Coke Ovens	1·89
Miscellaneous	0·18
Total*		15·51
Undistributed (NCB)		12·26
		27·77
*Excluding stocks held by merchants and industrial and domestic consumers.

The overall prospect is that there should be sufficient coal to meet demand this winter.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions have taken place between his Department and interested parties, including the National Coal Board, the Electricity Council, the Central Electricity Generating Board, and others, over imports of coal, including imports from China; whether he has approved such imports; and what action he is taking to ensure that United Kingdom interests do not become increasingly dependent on imported coal.

Some import contracts were made under the previous Administration, and the NCB accepts that in present circumstances there is a need for some additional imports of steam coal temporarily for supply reasons. For the longer term the Government support the NCB's intention of meeting home requirements, so far as possible, with efficient modern capacity, but will continue to keep imports under observation in the normal way.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will take steps to increase investment in the indigenous coal industry, in view of the orders for coal from other countries by the electricity boards.

The National Coal Board is continuing with substantial investment under "Plan for Coal". The level of production of coal depends on other factors as well as investment. Imports by the electricity boards in 1979–80 will represent only a very small proportion of the National Coal Board's planned deliveries to power stations in Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what action has been taken by his Department and the National Coal Board to secure contracts from the Electricity Supply Board of the Republic of Ireland to supply coal-fired power stations, including the new station at Moneypoint, Co. Clare; and if he will make a statement;(2) how much coal from Great Britain was exported to the Republic of Ireland in each of the last five years to date; what discussions have taken place between representatives of his Department and representatives of the Republic of Ireland, including representatives of its Electricity Supply Board, over the supply of British coal to the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Following are details of United Kingdom coal exported to the Irish Republic over the last five years:

	(000 tonnes)
1974	113
1975	179
1976	95
1977	165
1978	202

The National Coal Board is in close contact with the Electricity Supply Board of the Republic of Ireland about possible future supplies for power stations, which could include Moneypoint, Co. Clare.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the countries from which coal has been imported into the United Kingdom during the last five years to date, the total amounts imported annually from each country and the main importers; and what consultations have taken place with these importers to secure alternative United Kingdom supplies.

The information is as follows:

(000 tonnes)
	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978
European Economic Community—
Belgium	2	6	75	9	17
Federa1 Republic of Germany	70	41	168	204	260
France	2	—	2	10	1
Irish Republic	9	42	7	38	53
Netherlands	22	36	125	14	2
Total	105	125	377	275	333
Australia	1,003	2,629	1,471	1,344	1,025
Canada	47	365	—	—	—
German Democratic Republic	—	—	—	1	—
North Vietnam	—	34	30	—	—
Poland	686	96	129	179	416
Republic of South Africa	10	34	17	11	26
Soviet Union	—	2	40	165	422
United States of America	1,675	1,797	757	443	24
Total imports	3,541	5,083	2,837	2,439	2,352

Source: HM Customs and Excise and Department of Energy Digest of Statistics.The main importers at present are the CEGB and the BSC, which entered into contracts some time ago. Additional supplies of steam coal are currently being imported by the electricity authorities in consultation with the NCB to meet temporary shortages.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what agreements have been made between his Department and the Chinese Government concerning imports of Chinese coal into the United Kingdom; what consultations have taken place between his Department and interested United Kingdom parties over such imports; and if he will make a statement.

There are no agreements on coal between my Department and the Chinese Government None of the imports planned by the Central Electricity Generating Board is from China. Questions on Scottish electricity boards are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the cumulative total of electricity fed into the grid from each of the advanced gas-cooled reactor power stations now built or being built.

The only advanced gas-cooled reactor power station so far operated by the CEGB in England and Wales is Hinkley Point B, whose output from February 1976 to the end of May 1979 totalled 8,243·2 GWh.Power stations in Scotland are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the cumulative cost incurred by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board on developing, constructing, and operating the advanced gas-gooled reactor power stations now built and being built.

Up to 31 March 1979 the cumulative total cost incurred by the UKAEA and CEGB on developing, constructing and operating the advanced gas-cooled reactor power stations now built and being built was about £1,300 million.