asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report for each year since 1973 (a) the total budget administered by his Department and (b) the proportion of that budget spent on capital projects, both measured in terms of constant prices.

The figures are:England and Wales on secondary education.

My Department does not prepare figures of expenditure for each local education authority. Certain analyses of their estimates and expenditure are contained in the education statistics published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, copies of which are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will issue a circular advising local education authorities to maintain and extend nursery provision.

No: such advice would be inconsistent with the present need to reduce public expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he proposes to take in respect of proposals for a single system of examining at 16 years-plus to replace the present GCE O-level and CSE examinations; and if he will make a statement.

I recognise that the present dual system of examining at 16-plus is unsatisfactory in a number of respects, for reasons such as those set out in chapter I of the report of Sir James Waddell's steering committee (Cmnd 7281). The Government believe it to be right to seek to remedy these deficiencies, provided this can be done without putting educational standards, particularly those represented by GCE O-levels, and public confidence in those standards, at risk. I am not satisfied that the previous Government's proposals, set out in the White Paper "Secondary Schools Examinations: A Single System at 16 Plus" (Cmnd. 7368) would necessarily accomplish this. Together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales I shall therefore initiate further consultations with the major interested parties before the Government reach decisions on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the school meals service will remain as a statutory service under the relevant legislation.

The present statutory requirements in respect of the provision of school meals are under consideration in the context of the review of public expenditure.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he can now announce where the cuts in the overseas aid programme will occur; and if he will give details.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Queen's Park (Mr. McElhone) on 16 July.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what response he will now make to the request from the Government of Tanzania for special aid to help offset the consequences of the conflict with Uganda.

Development aid cannot be used directly or indirectly for military purposes. What we can do is to assist Tanzania with her general development requirements, and this is already being done on a substantial scale. The Tanzanian special request has been received, and will require co-ordinated consideration by the international community. Our own response must to some extent be dependent on the outcome of the public expenditure review.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what was the final hotel bill at the Chewton Glen Hotel, New Milton, Hants., for the conference organised last year by the right hon. Member for Lanark (Mrs. Hart).

£12,781, which includes VAT of £946.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he intends to review the provision of aid to Indonesia in the light of the record of the Indonesian Government in East Timor where a significant percentage of the population has been killed as the result of the Indonesian invasion.

Indonesia is still one of the poorest developing countries and we have a continuing programme there. Human rights will be among the many factors taken into account in considering our future aid programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what measures he is taking to create a climate conducive to a higher level of output in manufacturing industry.

The measures we have taken and those which we are now considering seek to reduce Government intervention and cut public expenditure as part of our broad economic strategy to reduce inflation, to release resources for productive use and to stimulate enterprise.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what measures he is taking to create a climate conducive to a higher level of output in manufacturing industry.

The measures we have taken and those which we are now considering seek to reduce Government intervention and cut public expenditure as part of our broad economic strategy to reduce inflation, to release resources for productive use and to stimulate enterprise.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his policy towards the sector working parties of the National Economic Development Office.

The effectiveness of sector working parties is now being reviewed by the director general of the National Economic Development Office. He will present his recommendations to the National Economic Development Council in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total value of grants towards projects in England received from the European regional development fund since 1975.

£130·2 million. This includes £55·8 million in respect of industrial projects and £74·4 million in respect of infrastructure projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to make a statement on regional assistance.

Details of the Government's approach to regional assistance were given in the announcement which my right hon. Friend made on 17 July.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what studies he has made of the effectiveness of previous policies towards regional aid.

I refer to the answer given earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Mr. Hill).

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on which regions will lose their intermediate status.

My right hon. Friend announced on 17 July the results of the Government's review of regional industrial policy including the future pattern of intermediate areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement outlining prospects for manufacturing industry in the West Midlands for the rest of the current year.

Prospects for manufacturing industry in the West Midlands will be enhanced by the measures which we are currently taking to improve the general economic climate. Industry in the West Midlands should also benefit from the increase in exemption limit for industrial development certificates which my right hon. Friend announced on 17 July.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he intends to meet the chairman of the British Steel Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he intends to meet Sir Charles Villiers, chairman of the British Steel Corporation.

My right hon. Friend has frequent contact with the chairman on a wide range of matters affecting the corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how he intends to create a climate in which small businesses can prosper.

Our Budget measures to make risk-taking more worthwhile and measures to remove obstacles to growth relate to the start-up of small businesses and their subsequent development. We are consulting interested parties about the interim report of the Wilson committee, which examines the financial aspects of small firms, and these views will influence our future policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received from small business organisations on relieving them of time-consuming form filling imposed by Government Departments.

A number of representations have been received from small business organisations as well as from individual small firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he intends next to meet the chairman of the National Enterprise Board.

My right hon. Friend meets the chairman frequently.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he is satisfied that British Steel is making sufficient progress towards reducing overmanning and excess capacity.

The corporation will have to work hard to achieve its targets. We shall monitor progress and judge by results.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry which financial aids to the United Kingdom steel industry will be discontinued following the acceptance by the Government of the Common Market code governing national aids to steel industries.

The Government are still considering the decision but have no reason to believe that accepting it would lead to any particular form of aid being discontinued. Individual cases would be judged by the European Commission against Community criteria.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what plans he has for any restructuring of or mergers within the steel industry.

None. It is for the industry itself to plan for and manage its own future.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what plans he has to meet the officers of the London Boroughs Association to discuss future industrial development in London.

My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to meet representatives of the London Boroughs Association.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he is satisfied that the existing monopoly powers of the Post Office are in the public interest.

As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State stated in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Louth (Mr. Brotherton) on 4 July, we are looking into these matters with the aim of ensuring an efficient service at a reasonable cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he is satisfied that the existing monopoly powers of the Post Office are in the public interest.

As I stated in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Louth (Mr. Brotherton) on 4 July, we are looking into these matters with the aim of ensuring an efficient service at a reasonable cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to meet Sir William Barlow, chairman of the Post Office.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Mr. Neubert).

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what measures he is considering in order to increase productivity in the Post Office.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Mr. Hamilton).

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what role he will play as a result of his non-interventionist policies in industry.

My right hon. Friend's role is to help industry to help itself.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps he proposes to take to regenerate industry on Merseyside.

Since most of the present Merseyside special development area will remain a special development area, it should benefit from the changes in regional policy announced by my right hon. Friend on 17 July, as the incentives will now be focused on those places with the worst problems.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has yet reached a decision regarding the advisability or otherwise of a scrap and build scheme for the shipbuilding industry.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made earlier today.

asked the Secretary or State for Industry whether he will make a statement on the British Leyland corporate plan, a copy of which was placed in the Library on 2 April.

No. A parliamentary statement was made by the previous Administration on 2 April and no further comment was felt necessary by this Administration on entering office.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement for regenerating industry in docklands.

Our policies are designed to create a proper climate in which commerce and industry can flourish. This will help regenerate industry in docklands as elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what plans he has for a reorganisation of the iron foundry industry; and if he will make a statement.

None. It is for the industry itself to plan its own future. However, the existing scheme, under section 8 of the Industry Act, aimed at assisting foundries with their modernisation projects, will be allowed to run its course.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will consider visiting Corby, Northamptonshire, to discuss the proposed closure of the steelworks; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no present plans to visit Corby. It is for the management to make decisions about the future of the steelworks, consulting the trade unions as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the future of British Aerospace.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give the reasons why St. Helens, formerly a special development area, has been downgraded to development area status in the light of the fact that it has a growing unemployment problem with one major industry making every effort to reduce its labour force.

As with a number of other of the special development areas, we considered that St. Helens' position no longer justified indefinite continuation of this grading. That part of the St. Helens travel-to-work area—Haydock—which used to be an intermediate area, has, however, been made a development area.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is preventing the release for airline use of the remaining Concorde production aircraft.

Of the two unsold British assembled Concordes, one has been allocated to British Airways and is currently being modified to British Airways fleet standard. A decision on the other awaits the development by British Airways of financially acceptable proposals for its utilisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, in view of the fact that the chairman of the Post Office refuses to reply to the letters he receives from hon. Members who make complaints on behalf of their constituents of failings in the postal services, on the grounds that he has a large volume of correspondence from, among others, hon. Members, whether to relieve him of this, he will dismiss him forthwith.

No. It is a matter for the chairman of the Post Office to decide how to deal with correspondence addressed to him. I understand that where correspondence from Members of Parliament concerns matters specifically relating to one of the constituent businesses, the chairman decides whether it is likely to be of most help if the reply comes directly from the business concerned, and, if he feels this is the case, he makes the appropriate arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what are the activities of the corrosion committee; how many people it employs; and what is its cost to public funds in the latest year for which figures are available;(2) what are the activities of the committee for materials handling; how many people it employs; and what is its cost to public funds in the latest year for which figures are available.

The committee for materials handling and the committee on corrosion were operating committees of the Committee for Industrial Technology—CFIT—with volunteer members drawn from the industrial and academic worlds. CFIT and its operating committees were disbanded at the end of its promotional campaign in November 1978. There were no people employed by the committees other than the secretariat provided by the Department. It is not practicable to give the expenditure of individual CFIT committees except at disproportionate cost, but the budgeted figure for CFIT for the financial year 1978–79 was £265,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received from the Trades Union Congress for a microelectronic training programme; and whether he will make a statement.

The Department of Industry has agreed to support a TUC microelectronic education and training programme covering some 65,000 union officers and representatives.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received from the West Midlands economic planning council following his statement on changes in regional industrial policy on 17 July.

I have received no representations from the council.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for the future of the shipbuilding industry; and if he will place in the Library a copy of British Shipbuilders' latest corporate plan.

My hon. Friend the Minister of State has made a statement today. He has concluded that British Shipbuilders' corporate plan should not be published, but will be placing a copy of its report and accounts for 1978–79 in the Library later this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the companies in Dundee in which the National Enterprise Board has a financial interest; and if he will list the number of people currently employed in these companies in Dundee.

This is a matter for the Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will publish the criteria used in deciding the changes in the boundaries and gradings of assisted areas announced on 17 July.

The criteria which we used are those statutorily prescribed in the Industry Act 1972:

"all the circumstances actual and expected including the state of employment and unemployment, population changes, migration and the objectives of regional policies."

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) whether his Department has received a copy of the statement issued by the tent manufacturing industry of the EEC which met in London on 17 January for the purpose of considering the serious crisis in the West European tent making industry; and, if so, if he will state his policy on the proposals;(2) what representations have been made to his Department by the United Kingdom tent manufacturing industry; what assistance has been granted to the industry; and if he will make a statement.

There is close and regular contact between the Department of Industry and the Made Up Textiles Association, the trade association which includes tent-making among the industries it represents. We are fully aware of the difficulties facing this sector.According to our records, in the last 18 months the industry has been offered some £35,000 in selective financial assistance and is likely to have benefited from regional development grants, although details are not readily available.A copy of the statement issued by the EEC tent makers after their meeting on 17 January was sent to the Department. Several issues are raised.As far as imports from low-cost sources are concerned, tents are dealt with under the regime applied by the Community to textiles and clothing generally under the multi-fibre arrangement—MFA—and associated measures.We are concerned to ensure that these arrangements are applied by the Community as effectively as possible for tents as for other textile and clothing products. However, there is no prospect of any special treatment for tents outside these arrangements, and it would not be practicable to renegotiate the bilateral agreements which have been reached with supplying countries. We shall, however, bear in mind the proposals in the statement when we come to consider the arrangements which will succeed the current multi-fibre arrangement when it expires at the end of 1981.On enlargement of the Community, the Greek accession treaty has now been signed. Spain and Portugal are not expected to join the Community until after the present multi-fibre arrangement runs out.The statement also refers to origin labelling for tents. While there is no universal origin marketing requirement under existing legislation, imported goods sold here under a United Kingdom mark or anything likely to be taken as such are already required to be accompanied by a conspicuous indication of their origin. However, the points made by the industry in the statement have been noted.On the question of Community rules of origin for tents, following detailed discussions with the industry new EEC non-preferential origin rules for sails and tents have been agreed in Brussels and it is expected that the new regulation will be published in the Official Journal shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many factories or works in the Penistone constituency area have received, or are currently receiving, regional aid; what will be the effects of the recent policy direction of the Government to take this area out of intermediate status; and how many persons are having to lose their jobs because of this decision.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many regional development grants were made in Wales in the last four years on individual items of machinery or plant costing less than £500 and on individual buildings, extensions of buildings, adaptations or works costing less than £5,000; and what was their total value.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will make a statement on the future of the Waste Management Advisory Council.

The Government's current planning envisages the continuation of the Waste Management Advisory Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what effect his statement of 17 July and the accompanying written answer will have on the areas of Yorkshire and Humberside in terms of financial resources and jobs, with special reference to the textile and clothing manufacturing industries.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will quantify the effects, in financial and job terms, of his statement and the accompanying written answer of Tuesday 17 July and their effect on the engineering and metal industries of Yorkshire and Humberside.

It is not practicable to relate future expenditure on regional incentives or changes in such expenditure to levels of employment and unemployment in particular industries in individual English regions.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what estimate he has made of the savings in public expenditure in Wales as a result of the changes in regional industrial policy announced on 17 July.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many firms were in receipt of (a) regional development grant and (b) selective assistance to individual industries, firms and undertakings, in 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78 and 1978–79; and how many jobs are estimated to have been saved or created in each of these years by (i) payment of regional development grant and (ii) payment of selective assistance to individual industries, firms and undertakings.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16 July], gave the following answer:Information on the number of firms obtaining regional development grant under part I of the Industry Act 1972 is not readily available. Such grants are not in any case linked to employment.The number of firms and undertakings receiving offers of assistance under part II of the Industry Act 1972 is as follows:

Year		Section 7	Section 8
1972–73	…	111	—
1973–74	…	795	13
1974–75	…	731	127
1975–76	…	766	169
1976–77	…	939	546
1977–78	…	1,038	836
1978–79	…	1,116	1,948

Information is available on the estimated employment associated with projects supported under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972, but the proportion of these projects which would have gone ahead without assistance is not known. Under the new criteria for section 7, we shall ensure that assistance is provided only for those projects where it can be clearly demonstrated that it is needed for the project to go ahead and will provide more efficient and secure jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his intentions with regard to the future of the criminal injuries compensation scheme; whether he has any plans for addditional help for the victims of crime; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have decided to publish a revised scheme based on the recommendations of the interdepartmental working party whose review of the criminal injuries compensation scheme was published last year. The revised scheme, which will come into effect on 1 October 1979, is set out below. The principal change to which I should call attention is the extension of the scheme to the victims of family violence. This will be on an experimental basis only in the first instance and the safeguards included to guard against the possibility of collusion or abuse will be reviewed in the light of experience. Other changes are mainly of a procedural nature and do not substantially alter the amount of compensation payable except that the limit on earnings which may be taken into account in assessing compensation has been raised.The Government accept the recommendation of the Royal Commission on civil liability and compensation for personal injury that the scheme should be made statutory but do not intend to introduce the relevant legislation until there has been sufficient experience of the revised scheme to enable any problems to be identified and solved. The Government also accept the Royal Commission's recommendation that compensation under the scheme should continue to be based on tort damages and will consider applying to the scheme any changes in tort damages which may be made as a result of the Royal Commission's other recommendations.The Government are determined to see that the victims of crime are not over- looked. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services and I have jointly agreed to give grant aid towards the administrative costs of the National Association of Victims' support schemes, which will set standards for and offer help and advice to the many local victims' support schemes at present being set up throughout the country. In addition, I am about to issue revised guidance to magistrates' courts in England and Wales on lines recommended by the Magistrates' Association replacing previous Home Office advice which was to the effect that in order to give the offender a fresh start, compensation orders outstanding against young offenders sentenced to borstal training or to detention in a detention centre should not normally be enforced. The revised guidance will place the emphasis on continued effort to secure the enforcement of the order in the interests of the victim.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new steps he plans to announce in services to divert chronic alcoholics from the penal system to community and treatment facilities.

The treatment of chronic alcoholic offenders in the penal system and outside is being kept under review in discussions between the Home Office and the Department of Health and Social Security. It would be premature to announce any new steps before we have a better understanding of the effect of existing facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to designate further police districts, in addition to those in Leeds and Manchester, as areas in which the police may divert habitual drunken offenders from the courts to treatment centres.

None at present: consideration will be given to the desirability of further designations in the light of research currently being undertaken in Leeds and Manchester.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of persons convicted of public drunkenness offences—excluding offences connected with driving—for the years 1958, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1973 and 1978.

The information is published annually in the "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" (table 1(a) of the volume for 1977, Cmnd. 7289). Information for 1978 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of persons committed to prison in default of fines imposed by the courts for drunkenness offences during the year ended 31 December 1978.

The information requested will be published shortly in "Prison Statistics: England and Wales 1978".

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the last year for which figures are available letters to or from prisoners have been referred to headquarters for a decision on whether or not they can be allowed.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to introduce more detention centres for the short-term treatment of juvenile offenders.

We have no present plans to introduce additional detention centres, but we are considering introducing a more vigorous regime in certain of the existing centres.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what conclusions the Government have reached on the proposal to construct a natural gas pipeline from Great Britain to Northern Ireland; and whether he will make a statement.

The Government have reviewed the case for a natural gas pipeline from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. They have concluded that public expenditure in the region of £100 million at present-day prices to provide a pipeline and the ancillary works in Northern Ireland would not be justified in terms of additional security of energy supply, the price at which natural gas could be economically provided or the total number of consumers who might hope to benefit. This conclusion has been reached in the context of a wide-ranging review of energy policy for Northern Ireland. I have today placed in the Library a statement which sets out more fully the Government's approach to this problem and their proposals for action.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the Government's proposals for the future of Harland and Wolff Limited.

Plans for Harland and Wolff Limited have been formulated in parallel with those for British Shipbuilders announced in the House today by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Industry.Harland and Wolff faces the same severely depressed market prospects as the rest of the United Kingdom shipbuilding industry. While the present order book consists of eight ships, the last of which is due for delivery in the spring of 1981, some parts of the yard will run out of work well before this if no new orders are obtained. Consequently, the process of contraction at the yard may well have to continue further.New orders cannot be won, even at a subsidised price, unless delivery dates can be met. I am concerned to learn that production targets at Harland and Wolff have recently been missed and that, for a variety of reasons, productivity generally has been slipping. This has been reflected in heavy trading losses which the Government have met, but cannot continue to meet indefinitely.I feel confident that it should be possible, given an all-out effort by all concerned, to achieve improved efficiency and enable the yard to remain in operation. The Government have therefore decided to continue financial support of the company and to make proposals to the EEC Commission for an intervention fund for subsidies on new orders over the next two years if they can be won. Strict limits will, however, be imposed on the funding of losses and other expenditure by the company. The overall limit for the current financial year will be £22 million. The company must show early and marked improvements in performance if any new orders are to be won and if there is to be a chance of survival in the longer run.Some further decline in the shipbuilding work force is inevitable. As in Great Britain, the Government have extended the special redundancy payments scheme to the full period authorised under the Shipbuilding Redundancy Payments Act. It is, of course, open to the company to minimise the decline in overall employment by engaging in diversification wherever possible, and I have been glad to see that some initial progress has already been made in this direction.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the 1978 annual report of the Police Complaints Board for Northern Ireland will be published.

The report is being laid before Parliament and published today.

asked the Attorney-General whether he is satisfied with the establishment and staffing of the Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

No. The Director's staff is still under strength and has difficulty in maintaining the necessary standards of service and efficiency both in respect of his advisory and prosecution functions in the face of a continuing growth in the number of cases of both types submitted to him. However, the Director's department has been exempted from the temporary ban on recruitment and he is seeking to recruit more staff.

asked the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the failure of the Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute those responsible for the killing of Mr. James Taylor at Coagh on 30 September 1978.

Upon consideration of the evidence reported by the Chief Constable in relation to the fatal shooting of Noel Samuel James Taylor by a soldier on 30 September 1978 the Director concluded that the evidence did not warrant the institution of any criminal proceedings in respect of the fatal shooting of Mr. Taylor. Accordingly a direction of "no prosecution" was given on 18 April 1979.My predecessor agreed with this conclusion, and I have since read the papers and also agree with the Director's decision.Writs claiming damages have been issued against the Ministry of Defence by Margaret Taylor, the widow, and William Robert Devenny, William George Hamilton McCollum and Given Hamilton Shuter, who were involved in the incident. Pleadings have now been closed but notices of trial have not yet been served.I would like to add that the accounts of this incident put out by the press do not tell the whole story, but in view of the forthcoming inquest and High Court actions I do not feel it right to go into the details of the incident.

asked the Attorney-General when he expects to provide the information further to his answer to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras South on 3 July.

I expect to be in a position to write to the hon. Member later this week.

asked the Attorney-General if he will bring forward proposals to remove the absolute privilege attaching to statements in either House for the purpose of the law of defamation, and to replace it with qualified privilege.

No.

asked the Attorney-General what further inquiries he is making into the apparently contradictory statement regarding what transpired in discussions between the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and a solicitor for Mr. Bessell, a witness in the case of Regina v. Deakin and others, concerning a proposed agreement between Mr. Bessell and the Sunday Telegraph concerning a book; and whether he will make a statement.

None. No. I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the written answer I gave to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Blackpool North (Mr. Miscampbell) on 18 July.

asked the Attorney-General whether, in the light of the judge's comments at the recent Thorpe trial, he will refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions with a view to prosecution for a charge of perjury the evidence of Mr Peter Bessell.

A transcript of the proceedings to which the hon. Member refers has not been prepared but I am not aware of any evidence that would justify my making such a reference nor has the learned judge himself made one, as he was entitled to do.

asked the Attorney-General if he will instruct the Director of Public Prosecutions not to represent foreign Governments in extradition proceedings in the United Kingdom when the issue involved is one which may ultimately have to be determined on political grounds by the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

A growing number of agreements on extradition between Her Majesty's Government and foreign Governments make provision, on a reciprocal basis, for the Director to represent the foreign Government on an application made to this country. The arrangements normally allow the Director to exercise his discretion whether to act himself for the applicant or pass the papers to others. It is not necessary for me to give any directions to the Director as the policy he pursues is that if he has any doubts about the propriety of his acting he will pass the papers to a private solicitor to act on behalf of the foreign Government.

asked the Attorney-General whether, in view of the recent non-observance of the Press Council's declaration of principle concerning the buying of witnesses' statements, he will now reconsider his view that the matter be left in the first instance to the Press Council for consideration; whether he will now introduce legislation; and if he adheres to his view that the Press Council should consider the matter, how much time he intends to allow it.

I do not know to what specific matter the right hon. and learned Member is making reference but I have not changed the views I have already expressed in the House on the most appropriate approach to the only such current matter of which I have knowledge. It is not the Government's intention, at the present time, to introduce legislation. I do not propose to set a time limit; I have been assured by the Press Council that it is pursuing its inquiries as a matter of urgency.

asked the Attorney-General what was the approximate cost to the public funds of the prosecution case brought against Mr. Richard Rastall and two others which was stopped and the accused acquitted after four days' trial at the Leeds county court sitting at Knaresborough in June.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 25 June 1979], gave the following answer:I have now ascertained that the total taxed costs of the proceedings against all three accused was £4,695. It is not possible to apportion these costs between them. Following the acquittal of Mr. Rastall by the direction of the judge, the proceedings continued against the other two accused and ended in convictions after a trial lasting more than two weeks.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether acceptance by professional and technical officers of salary awards below those granted to administrative and executive officers would involve the former groups in reductions of conditions of service with regard to annual leave, subsistence allowances, accommodation at sea and overtime payments in so far as those are established by comparability of grades between professional and technical officers and administrative and executive officers.

The level of leave entitlement for a civil servant has been calculated by reference to a grade's relationship with various "key" administration group grades. However, in a letter of 2 May 1979 to the national staff side the CSD pointed out that for the time being this "key grade" system was frozen pending review. Thus at present acceptance of the CSD's offer for the grades concerned would entail no change in any P and T officer's leave entitlement.As far as overtime conditions are concerned the CSD offer would not worsen the position of the P and T staff. Subsistence levels—and eligibility for first-class travel and other similar conditions of service—are also based on key grades. The CSD policy has been, and is, to assess whether any change is likely to be of an enduring nature before any change is made to the conditions of grades of staff who are apparently affected. In the past this has meant that least two pay policy-free years have elapsed before a change is made. The current CSD offer will therefore not affect any of these conditions of service this year.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how the pay research unit takes account of the fact that some civil servants receive overtime pay which is not available in comparable occupations in the private sector.

No account is taken by the pay research unit of overtime pay when collecting evidence on which the basic pay of civil servants is determined. The Civil Service grades which are eligible to receive overtime pay correspond broadly to salary levels at which overtime is generally paid outside the Service.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the units in the proposed Civil Service dispersal programme which are at present being reviewed by Department, the number of posts, the present location, the new location and the proposed date when the move would be completed.

Department	Approx. No. of posts	Receiving location	Buildings ready for occupation
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	1,250	Merseyside	1983–84
Civil Service Department	500	Norwich	1982–83
Customs and Excise	500	Southend	1977–78 to 1984–85+
Ministry of Defence	4,250	Cardiff	1983–84
	5,000	Glasgow	1983–84 to 1987–88
Department of Education:
Agricultural Research Council	190	Merseyside	1983–84
Department of Employment:
Health and Safety Executive	1,000	Merseyside	Dates not yet determined
Manpower Services Commission	1,900	Sheffield	1979–80, 1981–82+
Department of the Environment:
Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas	140	Salisbury	1979–80+
Property Services Agency	3,000	Teesside	1983–84 to 1984–85
	1,000	Regional Offices	Various dates up to 1984–85
Exports Credits Guarantee Department	800	Cardiff	1976–77+ 1979–80
Foreign and Commonwealth Office	500	Merseyside	1983–84
Overseas Development Administration	650	East Kilbride	1980–81
Directorate of Overseas Surveys	350	Glasgow Area	Dates not yet determined
Department of Health and Social Security	500	Newcastle	1977–78+
	980	Blackpool	1978–79, 1982–83+
Home Office	1,000	Merseyside	1981–82 to 1983–84
Inland Revenue	1,260	Not identified	Dates not yet determined
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys	500	Southport	1981–82+
Stationery Office, HM	380	Norwich	1978–79+
Departments of Trade and Industry	600	Cardiff/Newport	1978–79 to 1981–82+
Laboratory of the Government Chemist	360	West Cumbria	1984–85

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he has any plans to hold an urgent meeting with the Society of Civil and Public Servants concerning the dispersal of 7,000 jobs to Scotland.

I met a deputation representing the Society of Civil and Public Servants at national level on 10 July to

The information is as follows:discuss the Government's review of me dispersal programme.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when a positive decision will be taken on the dispersal of the 7,000 Civil Service jobs from London to Glasgow and East Kilbride.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) when he expects to be able to make a statement on his plans for the Exchange station site in Liverpool, intended for the dispersal of civil servants to Merseyside;(2) when he expects to be able to make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government concerning the dispersal of Civil Service jobs to Merseyside.

I refer my hon. Friend and the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Park (Mr. Mulley) on 20 July that the Government hope to make an announcement before the end of July.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) when he expects to be able to announce the outcome of his review of the 10 per cent., 15 per cent. and 20 per cent. options for cuts in Civil Service expenditure;(2) if he will give an assurance that the review of 10 per cent., 15 per cent., and 20 per cent. options for cuts in Civil Service expenditure will not lead to redundancies.

As I indicated to the hon. Member on 18 July—[Vol. 970, c. 1775]—a statement will be made in the autumn.No undertakings can be given about redundancy in the context of this exercise. However, the aim will be to proceed by natural wastage as far as possible.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when he expects the review being carried out by Sir Derek Rayner into administrative efficiency and the elimination of waste to be completed; and if he will publish its findings and recommendations.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has asked Sir Derek Rayner to assist her and other Ministers in promoting efficiency and eliminating waste. No term has been set on his appointment. His assignment does not consist of a single review; he will however, make reports to Ministers from time to time and some of these may be published.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, pursuant to his reply on 9 July to the hon. Member for Poole (Mr. Ward), if he will publish the correspondence between his Department and the Institution of Professional Civil Servants relating to the pay of principal scientific officers and senior scientific officers.

The hon. Member will know that agreement has now been reached between my Department and the Institution of Professional Civil Servants on the pay of the scientific Civil Service. I have arranged for copies of the correspondence referred to in my reply of 9 July 1979, to my hon. Friend the Member for Poole (Mr. Ward) to be placed in the Library together with copies of the correspondence embodying the agreement.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what steps he is taking to ensure that, following the resumption of work at St. Stephen's Parliamentary Press, the members of the Institution of Professional Civil Servants who were involved in the recent dispute shall not be entitled to overtime payments in respect of the arrears of work now to be completed.

The Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office will be ensuring that the minimum amount of overtime will be worked at the St. Stephen's Parliamentary Press, consistent with the need to complete the outstanding work within a reasonable time.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if his Department has consulted the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service in order to resolve the current dispute with the Institution of Professional Civil Servants.

No.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what steps he intends to take to improve services given by Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the Government bookshop to those who wish to purchase official publications including Acts of Parliament.

The services given are as good as the present distribution arrangements allow. Her Majesty's Stationery Office is already implementing plans for the improvement of these arrangements; but the relocation of the London warehouse, the change in the operating procedures and the staff negotiations involved mean that there must inevitably be a considerable delay in achieving the improvement which I recognise as essential.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will arrange a reprint of "The Civil Service Year Book" immediately to reflect the change of Government and Ministers, or at least a corrective addendum thereto.

"The Civil Service Year Book", abridged and updated edition, mid-1979 is due to be published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office next month and will reflect the change of Government and Ministers.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service by how much the overall cash limit for the Civil Service for 1978–79 has been reduced by the 3 per cent. reduction in the pay component announced in May;(2) if he will give an assurance that the 3 per cent. reduction in the pay component of the Civil Service cash limit will not lead to redundancies.

The revised cash limits for 1979–80 published on 26 June 1979 included reductions of £105 million in the Civil Service pay component before adjustment was made to accommodate the costs of the non-industrial pay settlement.It is not envisaged that any redundancies will result from this exercise.

asked the Attorney-General whether the Director of Public Prosecutions has completed consideration of the Bingham report; and if he will make a statement.

The matter is still under consideration by the Director.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade in view of the fact that many limited companies are failing to file annual returns or supplying accounts, and that action against them by his Department only appears to follow complaints from consumers or third parties, if he will make a statement of his policy on this matter.

Enforcement action is not limited to cases in which there have been complaints. In the last 12 months, about 12,000 reminder letters were issued following complaints and about 200,000 because records indicated that returns or accounts were overdue. In the same period, 613 directors were convicted on charges involving default: fines and costs imposed exceeded £155,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what were the results of the inquiry into a national strategy for quality; and whether it is his intention to create a British quality board.

Some 360 organisations and individuals have replied to the consultation document—"A National Strategy for Quality". As the replies are still being analysed I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the present delay between the presentation of a new pattern for weights and measures equipment and its approval; and what effect on the delay will flow from the public expenditure reductions and the moratorium on recruitment of civil servants.

The delay before examination starts of new patterns of weighing or measuring equipment is currently averaging 16 months, within a range of from 12 to 19 months. Public expenditure reductions are unlikely to affect the delay period which arises mainly from a shortage of engineers. The moratorium on recruitment does not apply in this sector and we are continuing to seek to recruit staff to fill the vacancies. I hope that the new pay scales, when agreed, will assist.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether his Department has received a copy of the statement issued by the tent manufacturing industries of the EEC which met in London on 17 January 1978 for the purpose of considering the serious crisis in the West European tent making industry; and, if so, if he will state his policy on the proposals.

My Department has not received a copy of this statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the quantity and the value of tents wholly or predominantly of cotton or other than cotton imported into the United Kingdom during the latest 12 months for which figures are available.

Details of imports of cotton tents and of tents of other textile materials are published against tariff headings 6204 2300 under SITC(Rev 2) Item 658.21—and 6204 7300—under SITC(Rev 2) Item 658.29—respectively, in table IV of the monthly issues of the "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom", copies of which are in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations have been made to his Department by the tent manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom about the penetration of the home market by low-cost products from the Far East, especially South Korea.

My Department received representations from one manufacturer about tents from South Korea in July and September 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects the United States of America to ratify the package agreed in the recent general agreement on tariffs and trade regulations.

The Trade Agreements Bill 1979 to incorporate the results of the MTN agreements into United States law is currently before Congress. If it is approved, as we hope, we can expect the United States to be prepared to signify its acceptance of the MTN package, by signature towards the end of the year, in time for the main agreements to come into effect on 1 January 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) when the economic and environmental appraisals which will indicate where the third London airport is to be located will be available;(2) on what basis the economic and environmental appraisals of the siting of the proposed third London airport are to be made; and if he will make a statement.

On 18 May the study group on South-East airports issued a progress report on the selection of sites for a third London airport, which explained the way in which it is carrying out its work. I expect to receive the study group's final report in the autumn.