asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the strength of the special patrol group in each of the last five years; and how many officers have left in each quarter, broken down as between resignation, dismissal and dismissal after disciplinary proceedings respectively.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the established strength of the special patrol group has remained at 204 throughout the last five years. The following table shows the number of officers leaving the group following resignation from the force. The single case of dismissal from the force followed conviction for a motoring offence committed while off duty. Officers also leave the group on transfer to other parts of the force.

	(a) Resignation	(b) Dismissal from force
1975—
1st Quarter	2	—
2nd Quarter	—	—
3rd Quarter	—	—
4th Quarter	2	—
1976—
1st Quarter	2	—
2nd Quarter	2	1
3rd Quarter	2	—
4th Quarter	—	—
1977—
1st Quarter	2	—
2nd Quarter	1	—
3rd Quarter	1	—
4th Quarter	2	—
1978—
1st Quarter	2	—
2nd Quarter	—	—
3rd Quarter	2	—
4th Quarter	—	—
1979—
1st Quarter	1	—
2nd Quarter	—	—
3rd Quarter	2	—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the situation at Gartree prison, Leicestershire, relating to the renovation of the wings which were damaged in the last riot; and when he expects that the prison will once again be fully operational.

The repair of the two wings still out of action includes improvements to security and control and is expected to be completed by mid-1980. Similar improvements will then be made in the two wings currently in use and should be completed by the end of 1981. The build-up of the population will be kept under review in the light of experience.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sexual offenders have been given chemical treatment since November 1978 broken down by those treated by (a) synthetic oestrogen, (b) cyproterone acetate &c.,(c) beneperidol; and how many were given surgery for enlarged breasts.

The information for the period in question is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Corresponding information for the three-year period ended November 1978 was obtained as a result of a special inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the requirement in the prison rules that prisoners should be assisted to keep in touch with their relatives, he will consider introducing a policy by which long-term prisoners are imprisoned in prisons accessible to their homes and confine the use of the remote rural establishments for those whose separation from their families will be shorter.

Every effort is made to keep prisoners as near as possible to their homes but it would not be practicable to adopt the policy proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will relax censorship restrictions in cases where they are not necessary in the interests of security.

Censorships of prisoners' mail is directed primarily towards security and good order, but also towards the prevention of crime and the protection of others' rights. We intend to keep censorship to the minimum necessary for these purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the report of the inquiry under Mr. Justice May into the prison service.

Shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy in respect of jury vetting; and if he will make a statement.

The guidelines laid down by the then Attorney-General last year sought to restrict this practice to certain exceptional cases. My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General and I are, however, considering whether any changes are required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of persons arrested and proceeded

PERSONS ARRESTED* FOR BEING SUSPECTED OF FREQUENTING A PUBLIC PLACE WITH INTENT TO COMMIT AN ARRESTABLE OFFENCE BY DISTRICT AND ETHNIC APPEARANCE
Metropolitan Police District: Second Quarter 1979							Number of offences
	Ethnic appearance
District	White skinned European	Dark skinned European	Black skinned (including West Indian/African)	Indian/Pakistani	Chinese/Japanese	Arabian/Egyptian	Not known	Total
A	36	3	8	1	0	1	0	49
B	23	1	20	0	0	0	0	44
C	19	5	31	0	1	3	0	59
D	32	1	17	4	0	0	0	54
E	24	1	3	0	0	0	0	28
F	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	4
G	7	0	5	1	0	0	0	13
H	7	0	3	0	0	0	0	10
I	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	3
J	12	0	7	2	0	0	0	21
K	16	0	1	0	0	0	0	17
L	14	1	25	0	0	0	0	40
M	10	0	1	1	0	0	0	12
N	14	0	2	0	0	0	0	16
P	10	0	2	0	0	0	0	12
Q	13	0	10	0	0	0	0	23
R	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	4
S	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	4
T	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	3
V	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
W	6	0	9	0	0	0	0	15
X	1	0	2	3	0	0	0	6
Y	8	0	5	1	0	0	0	14
Z	23	0	1	0	0	0	0	24
TA	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MPD	292	12	155	13	1	4	0	477
* Persons proceeded against by means of a charge, referral to a juvenile bureau, a caution or in some other way; arrests not followed by any action are not included.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cars owned by embassies and covered by diplomatic immunity have been towed away by the police because of illegal parking; to which embassies they belonged; and what fines were paid.

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

The information relating to the second quarter of 1979 is given in the following table; that for the third quarter of 1979 is not yet available and I will publish it in the Official Report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has held discussions with other EEC countries concerning citizens band radio.

The question of the introduction of citizens band radio is essentially a matter for national decision. We have not therefore taken this matter up formally with other countries. However, a good deal of information about the use of citizens band radio in other countries, including our partners in the EEC, is available through contacts at official level; and regular liaison on radio matters is maintained with Western European countries through the forum of La Conference Europeene des Administrations des Posts et Telecommunications (CEPT).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement concerning citizens band radio in the United Kingdom.

This matter is still under review. It is too soon to say what the outcome of our review will be or when we will be in a position to make an announcement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds Mr. David Bingham, a convicted spy, was released.

Mr. Bingham was released on parole licence following my acceptance of a recommendation from the Parole Board. I agree with the Board that it is more appropriate that he serve the remainder of his sentence in the community than in prison; he will remain on licence until September 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of the South-East London by-election for the European Assembly; and if he will bring forward proposals to surcharge those who stand for election while holding a disqualifying office.

The information requested is not yet available. We have no plans to introduce legislation for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the recent disturbances at Wormwood Scrubs prison; and what were the injuries to prisoners and prison staff which took place.

I have asked the regional director of the south-east region of the prison department to inquire into an incident at the prison on 31 August, in which a concerted act of indiscipline by inmates in "D" wing was quickly brought under control by prison staff, and on the management of the wing in the days following the incident. The regional director will take into account allegations which have been made regarding the handling of the incident and of the subsequent management of the wing. When I have received and considered the regional director's report, I will report to the House.As regards injuries, prison medical records show that a total of 54 prisoners incurred injuries consisting of cuts, bruises and abrasions. 11 prison officers incurred similar injuries.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the review currently being carried out by the Special Investigation Branch into alleged misconduct by certain personnel at Whittington barracks, Whittington, near Lichfield, Staffordshire.

Special Investigation Branch reports are confidential and are not published. The investigation of alleged misconduct at Whittington barracks, Lichfield, has now been completed and the findings are receiving consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he has had with the French Government about co-operation in the production of nuclear warheads; and if he will make a statement.

I have not consulted the French Government about co-operation in the production of nuclear warheads.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he has had with Mr. Harold Brown, the American Defense Secretary, regarding the MX ballistic missile and the nuclear deterrent in general.

I visited Washington in July and had discussions with Dr. Brown on a wide range of subjects of mutual interest, including the need to maintain the effectiveness of the West's nuclear weapons. Since my hon. Friend tabled his question he will have heard that the United States Administration have announced their intention to deploy 200 MX missiles in the 1980s on a "race track" configuration. The Government welcome this decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in view of recent accidents involving RAF aircraft at Tintagel, Cornwall and Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, he is satisfied with standards of flying and safety in the RAF generally; whether, in view of widespread public concern over military aircraft taking part in low-flying exercises over built-up areas, he has any plans to amend training schedules to eliminate the possibility of such accidents recurring; and if he will make a statement.

I am still considering the various aspects of this problem. I will publish the information in the Official Report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints were received from the Government of the Republic of Ireland concerning overflying of their territory by British military planes and helicopters during the year ended 30 April; and what was the average depth of these incursions.

I have been asked to reply.During the year ending 30 April 1979 the Government of the Republic of Ireland notified Her Majesty's Government of 20 reported unauthorised overflights of their territory by British military aircraft. Each such notification was carefully investigated. In those cases where an overflight was confirmed—all of which were due to navigational error—the average depth of the incursion was 200 yards.

asked the Attorney-General whether any suspected cases of breaches of sanctions involving the supply of oil or any oil-based products to Rhodesia by British companies either directly, by swaps or through subsidiary companies other than those covered by the Bingham report, have been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

No such cases have been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

asked the Attorney-General in how many criminal trials jury vetting has been allowed.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has authorised checks on the jury panel in 29 cases under the guidelines controlling the practice of checking jury panels since they were issued in July 1975. In two of these cases the original jury was discharged by the judge and checks were also authorised on the panels from which the juries for the new trials were chosen.

asked the Attorney-General (1) whether he will list in the Official Report those cases over the past 10 years when serving police officers have appeared as defendants before which jury vetting of a formal or informal nature has occurred;(2) whether trials of police officers have now been added to those in which juries can be vetted.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has not authorised a check on the jury panel for a trial in which a police officer was a defendant since records on checks began to be kept after the introduction of the guidelines controlling the practice in July 1975. It is not and it has never been the practice of the Director to authorise a check because a police officer was a defendant.

asked the Attorney-General when he expects that the review by the Law Commission into certain aspects of the divorce laws, including time limits in divorce, nullity of proceedings and the grounds for divorce, will be published.

It is not possible to predict when the Law Commission will publish its final recommendations on these matters, at least until the Commission has considered responses to the consultative working papers which it may be expected to issue, in accordance with its usual practice. Work on the power of sale is well advanced and my noble Friend hopes that a report may be published later this year. The Law Commission hopes to publish working papers on the time limits and jurisdiction about Easter 1980. It is not possible to make any useful predictions on other matters.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what progress has been made with staff interests on consultations about the Tavistosk Institute report on the application of race relations policy in the Civil Service.

As the hon. Member will know, a joint working party has been established under the Civil Service Department's chairmanship, with representation from the national staff side and the trade union side of the joint coordinating committee, to consider the monitoring of race relations policy in the the Civil Service in the light of the Tavistock Institute's report. No conclusions have yet been reached.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to whom cheques in respect of public funds to the official Opposition are made payable.

To whomsoever the Leader of the Opposition designates to receive the cheque.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the terms and conditions regarding the payments of public funds to the official Opposition.

In accordance with the resolution of the House of 20 March 1975, as amended by the resolution of the House of 13 February 1978, the formula for determining the annual maxima of financial assistance to any Opposition party in the House of Commons to assist that party in carrying out its parliamentary business is as follows:

"£550 for each seat won by the party concerned plus £1·10 for every 200 votes cast for it at the preceding general election provided that the maximum payable to any party shall not exceed £165,000."

The former resolution also provides (a) that it shall be a condition of qualification for such assistance that a party must either have at least two Members elected to the House as members of that party at the preceding general election or that it has one such member and received at least 150,000 votes at that election; (b) that any party wishing to claim such assistance shall make to the Accounting Officer of the House a statement of the facts on which this claim is based; (c) that the cost of this provision shall be borne on the House of Commons Vote; and (d) that parties making claims shall be required to certify to the Accounting Officer of the House that the expenses in respect of which assistance is claimed have been incurred exclusively in relation to that party's parliamentary business.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total number of meals served in the Members' Dining Room in the months of (a) May, (b) June and (c) July; and what was the ratio of waiting staff to meals served.

The information is as follows:

MEMBERS' DINING ROOM ONLY
Month and number of trading days	Number of meals served	Daily number of waiting staff	Average ratio of meals served per member of waiting staff (allowing for absence through sickness)
May (11)	1,373	25	5
June (12)	1,299	25
July (29)	3,588	25

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the total cost of providing fresh flowers for his room since 3 May 1979; how often these are provided; and how this compares with such expenditure in the past.

The cost to public funds of flowers and plants which have been delivered on 21 occasions over the past six months to the rooms of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the arts has been £46. Under the previous Administration the office of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster was not amongst those Government offices which purchased plants or flowers.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to announce a date for the introduction of the operation of the Public Lending Right Act 1979.

As the hon. Member will know, a good deal of preliminary work is needed. This is going ahead and I hope soon to start on the consultations required by the Act.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) whether he intends the advisory committee on purchase of art works, responsibility for which has been passed to him by the Secretary of State for the Environment, to continue.(2) whether he intends the advisory committee on art works in the Commons, responsibility for which has been passed to him by the Secretary of State for the Environment, to continue.(3) whether he intends the advisory committee on Royal Parks sculpture, responsibility for which has been passed to him by the Secretary of State for the Environment, to continue.

I am looking at the future of these committees in the context of the general consideration of fringe bodies connected with my office. An announcement will be made in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will seek to arrange for the effective date of the increase in the parliamentary pension to be 1 April 1979 and not 15 November 1979.

The next increase in the parliamentary pension will be on 12 November 1979 when pensions under the new State pension scheme are up-rated. These arrangements apply to all retired public servants and I can see no grounds for treating the parliamentary pension differently.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in view of the proposals by Her Majesty's Government to list central Government restrictions on local authorities, including the controls in the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964, whether he proposes to take steps to maintain the continuation of the free library service provided by local authorities.

The two amendments to the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 proposed in "Central Government Controls over Local Authorities", Cmnd. 7634, do not affect the existing right to borrow books free of charge.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, in order to assist the House in the debate on EEC document 4627/79 on State aids to the steel industry, he will on or before 23 October lay before the House a statement of the legal position with regard to this matter.

The decision as originally drafted was objectionable on legal grounds, firstly because it could have had the effect of altering the existing balance of power between the institutions of the Community and the member States. EEC document 4627/79 as amended now provides that any action by the Commission to enforce the decision must be taken through article 88 of the ECSC treaty and this, combined with the deletion of the provision which previously gave the Commission power to require repayment of any aid of which it did not approve, means that the existing balance of power is not effectively altered.Secondly, earlier drafts of the decision purported to authorise as lawful those aids which, by virtue of article 4 of the ECSC treaty, are recognised as incompatible with the Common Market for coal and steel and accordingly are prohibited within the Common Market. EEC document 4627/79 is so drafted that it authorises only what it calls "Community aids". The Commission's lawyers have argued strongly that such Community aids are not covered by the prohibition imposed by article 4, and this argument has been accepted by the majority of the member States. I am advised that, although this argument could rightly be challenged, there is no authority to prove it is wrong; it is acceptable as a basis for our consent to the decision but only on a strictly temporary basis and I have made it clear to the Council that any renewal or extension of the decision would necessitate proceeding by way of treaty amendment.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many wholly new companies have been set up in the West Midlands region since he assumed office; and how this compares with the number set up in the period May to October 1978.

New company registrations required under the Compaines Act 1948 are maintained at the Companies Registration Office in Cardiff for England and Wales as a whole, and not on a regional basis. It is therefore not possible to identify the number of wholly new companies set up in the West Midlands since the general election or for the period May to October 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what support he is giving to microbe mining research; and what steps he is taking to ensure the British mining industry is at the forefront of this technology.

The Warren Spring Laboratory—WSL—of the Department of Industry has a team working on the use of microbes in the mining industry. Work is carried out for the Department, for the Department of the Environment, the EEC, and industry on a repayment basis. The cost of the work funded by the Department is estimated to be £20,000 in the current year.The British mining industry has access to all the expertise in this field which is available at WSL, and which is being continually strengthened by on-going work. Several companies have already taken advantage of this. For its part WSL is making known to a wider audience the resources it has available by publicising its activities in the technical press and participating in symposia.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will carry out a study of the usage of sperm whale oil in industry, with the aim of reducing this usage; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has for some time taken a close interest in the industrial usage of sperm whale oil and is now satisfied that substitutes are or can be made available for all present uses of sperm whale oil. In reply to a question on 9 July from the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Griffiths) the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food announced that the Government will be seeking to obtain within the EEC a Community-wide ban on imports of sperm whale oil and other derivatives. In doing so we shall continue to maintain contact with the United Kingdom interests about the introduction of the ban.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what direct cost and contingent liabilities to public funds have been incurred as a result of the allocation of one unsold Concorde to British Airways.

The latest estimate of the direct cost to public funds resulting from the allocation of one unsold Concorde to British Airways with a spare engine is £595,000; this relates almost entirely to the two manufacturers' expenditures on modifying the aircraft and five engines to British Airways fleet standard. The contingent liabilities consist largely of potential warranty costs, and cannot therefore be quantified at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many industrial concerns employing under 20 employees have been established since he assumed office; and what is the total number of such businesses today and what it was in April.

I regret that this information is not available. The Department is investigating the use of information derived from the administration of VAT to provide broad indications of "birth and deaths" of small firms in various sectors. But even if this data emerges it will not be possible to supply the sort of specific information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will take steps to ensure that British film and camera manufacturers have a sizeable presence in the new 3D photography market.

It is for British film and camera manufacturers to take necessary steps to secure a share of the new 3D photography market.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what financial saving will be made from the ending of regional development grants in intermediate areas.

By 1982–83, when savings are expected to be fully effective, it is estimated that the ending of regional development grants for intermediate areas will reduce expenditure by £92 million annually, at 1979 survey prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the number of jobs created and jobs saved, respectively, through the payment of each component of regional selective assistance, including regional development grant, and aid provided under section 7 of the Industry Act, in the Oldham-Chadderton travel-to-work area for each year since 1960.

The following assistance has been offered under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 to projects in the Oldham-Chadderton travel-to-work area since the introduction of the Act:

	Number of projects	Assistance offered £'000
1972	—	—
1973	6	711
1974	5	201
1975	7	8,774
1976	6	2,204
1977	5	47
1978	13	774
1979*	8	385
* To 30 August 1979.

Whilst information is available on the estimated employment associated with projects supported under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972, the proportion of these projects which would have gone ahead without assistance is not known. Eligibility for regional development grants does not depend on the creation or safeguarding of employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement about his intentions for the future financing of British Shipbuilders.

The Government have decided, subject to approval of a Supplementary Estimate to be presented to Parliament shortly, that the corporation will be financed by public dividend capital and that advances will be made to enable the corporation to repay the loans it has drawn from the national loans fund on an interim basis. The corporation will not pay dividends on its capital until it is profitable and, for the time being, it will not be able to meet the general criterion for dividends set out in paragraph 86 of the White Paper on nationalised industries (Cmnd. 7131).

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement about the progress and future of the industrial democracy experiment in the Post Office.

The two-year experimental period is due for completion on 31 December 1979. I understand that the parties to the agreement are currently evaluating the results. I am awaiting their formal reports.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether, following the relaxation of industrial development certificates, consideration is to be given to allowing firms wishing to expand in situ and foreign firms wishing to establish themselves in Great Britain being free of any industrial development certificate limitation.

The recent changes in industrial development certificate policy which were announced by my right hon. Friend on 17 July give much greater freedom to build factories or extensions without the need for a certificate, and I see no need for a further review at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what study he has made on the rate of changes in the cost of car repairs; what steps he is taking to contain these costs; and if he will make a statement.

Private vehicle maintenance costs, as a component in the retail price index, are published in the Department of Employment Gazette. The pressure of competition amongst the thousands of workshops undertaking car repairs keeps down the charges for such work, and if it does not do so effectively that is an added reason for creating a business climate in which many more firms will be encouraged to start.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what estimates he has made of the number of firms in the wool textile industry likely to close during the forthcoming year; and if he will make a statement about his proposals for dealing with the situation.

While my right hon. Friend is aware of the measure of the industry's concern regarding its future prospects, he has made no independent assessment of the size of the industry during the forthcoming year. He will continue, in consultation with the industry, to take such steps as are open to him, including the implementation of the multi-fibre arrangement, to secure a framework within which individual companies may through their own endeavours operate profitably.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many copies of the report "Financial Support of Strikers" published by the Engineering Employers Federation have been obtained for circulation within his Department.

Individual complimentary copies were received by some Ministers, and there is one copy available for consultation in the Department's library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the number of children in nursery classes of schools at the present time and in 12 months' time.

The hon. Member will be glad to know that the number of pupils attending nursery schools, or nursery classes in primary schools, in England is currently projected to rise from a provisional total of 210,000 in January 1979 to approximately 220,000 in 1980 and 226,000 in 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will review his policy of reducing Government expenditure on education in the light of representations he has received regarding the possible closure of rural schools, in Teesdale in particular.

No. Proposals to close rural schools can be traced to falling pupil rolls and the desirability on educational as well as economic grounds to make efficient use of staffing and other resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will review his policy of reducing Government expenditure on education in the light of representations he has received about the possible closures of sixth forms in comprehensive schools, in County Durham in particular.

No. My right hon. and learned Friend has not had put to him any proposals to close sixth forms in comprehensive schools in Durham, and has not received any representations on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the present ratio of administrators to teachers in the education service in Staffordshire.

Regrettably these data are not identified in the annual returns made by local authorities to central departments. I therefore suggest that my hon. Friend seeks the information from the Staffordshire local education authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how much unemployment has risen since he assumed office.

Unemployment, excluding school leavers and adjusted for normal seasonal variations, fell by 42,500 between May and September 1979 in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently employed in small businesses of 20 employees or under; and how many were employed in such businesses in April.

The precise information requested is not available.Some indication of the number of people employed in small businesses can be obtained from the annual censuses of employment which provide information relating to "census units", described below. These units represent individual work places rather than complete businesses. The latest information on this basis is for 1976 when some 2,833,000 employees in Great Britain were working at units with one to 10 employees and 2,377,000 at units with 11 to 24 employees. The figures cover all industries and services except agriculture and horticulture and private domestic service.The census unit—the basic unit for which information is reported—is normally a complete individual address, such as a shop, office or factory. Separate branches of both large and small businesses thus constitute separate units. Also, in some cases there can be more than one census unit for a single address. This happens where a business supplies information for different groups of people—for example, the monthly and weekly paid—on separate returns. Thus the numbers of employees working at small census units exceeds the numbers working for small businesses.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will review his policy of reducing the Manpower Services Commission budget in the light of representations he has received regarding the discontinuation of OUTSET's surveys of the disabled, especially in the North of England.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, having regard to the extra charges being levied on engineering employers in South-West Durham and the possibility that training grants will be reduced, if he will take steps to maintain the present level of training.

The Manpower Services Commission has extended charges for its direct training services to include the assisted areas where they were formerly provided free, as part of its contribution to public expenditure savings.Some of these fees are still below full cost recovery, though the intention is to reach full cost recovery in two years. I am also informed by the MSC that the Engineering Industry Training Board has no intention of reducing its grants for apprentice training.The reintroduction of fees may initially affect the take-up of MSC services and may cause some of the present clients to consider the use of other providers—for example, group training associations. However, the MSC expects that industry's own training efforts supplemented by the combined operation of MSC training policies should ensure that the levels of training within the engineering industry will be compatible with its needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what extent the furniture industry and catering trades depend upon labour from overseas.

According to the most recent available information, the furniture industry employs over 100,000 and the hotel and catering industry over 400,000 full-time workers. It is not known how many of these workers are of overseas origin but in 1978 only six work permits were issued for employment of overseas workers in the furniture industry. The corresponding figure for hotel and catering was 1,666.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current unemployment levels in the employment offices covering the inner city partnership area of Lambeth, and what were the levels 12 months ago and six months ago.

The following table gives information for the employment office areas most closely associated with the inner city partnership area of Lambeth:

Numbers registered as unemployed
Employment office area	September 1979	March 1979	September 1978
Borough	2,568	2,800	2,625
Brixton	6,496	6,408	6,942
Streatham	1,140	1,257	1,270

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of disabled people registered with his Department are employed in firms which employ 20 or fewer people.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 16 July.—[Vol. 970, c. 412–13.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he will begin monitoring the policies and practices designed to eliminate racial discrimination in employment by Government contractors; and if he will make a statement on his consultations on this issue with the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress.

My right hon. Friend has no present plans to do so. The question is under consideration by the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether all the nationalised industries and other public bodies, who were asked by his predecessor to provide information on their racial equality policies, have now replied; and if he will publish those replies and make a statement.

All the bodies asked to respond have done so. It would not be appropriate to publish individual replies, but where these have indicated a need for guidance my Department's race relations advisory services will offer their assistance in the further development and implementation of racial equality policies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether it is the practice of his Department to consult the British Boxing Board of Control about applications made for the admission to the United Kingdom of boxers for fights being sponsored by persons not affiliated to that body: and, if so, why.

Yes. One of the principal aims of the work permit scheme is to protect employment opportunities for British and long-resident overseas workers. In general only highly skilled overseas workers are given permits and then only if my Department is satisfied that no suitable resident labour is available. The scheme is administered somewhat differently for professional sportsmen but the general principles remain the same. To assist my Department in deciding whether or not applications to engage overseas sportsmen or women meet the criteria my officials seek the views of the principal responsible bodies in the sport concerned.The British Boxing Board of Control is consulted on applications for work permits to enable overseas boxers to fight here and permits are issued only for such boxers to participate in bouts licensed by the board.At the request of another boxing organisation this policy is being reviewed.

	Year ended 31 March 1978	Year ended 31 March 1979
	£	£
Income from all sources	8,261,351	9,282,656
Grants to employers (including levy exemption and levy rebate grant offset against employers' levy liability and not received by Board)	5,741,514	6,264,262

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will bring forward legislation to repeal the Baking Industry (Hours of Work) Act 1954;(2) what discussions he has had with the National Association of Master Bakers, Confectioners and Caterers regarding the Baking Industry (Hours of Work) Act 1954.

My right hon. Friend met the representatives of the National Association of Master Bakers, Confectioners and Caterers on 4 June 1979 when it asked that the Baking Industry (Hours of Work) Act 1954 be repealed.It is one of the "relevant statutory provisions" of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974. I have informed the chairman of the Commission of my view that the operation of the Act is anomalous and unsatisfactory, and I have asked the Commission to give urgent consideration to whether night work in baking needs regulation any longer, on health and safety grounds, and if so how it should be done; and to advise me. It is consulting on the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will review the operation of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 with

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total amount received by the Hotel and Catering Industry Training Board from all sources during each of the two last financial years of that Board and the sums of money paid out in grants to employers in each of those years.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the position is as follows:a view to seeing whether its underlying principles can be achieved in a form less burdensome to industry.

I am confident that the Health and Safety Commission, on which three representatives of the CBI and three of the TUC sit, is aware of the need to have fully in mind the implications for industry when developing its policies. It has developed a very extensive system of public consultation about its proposals and has consistently demonstrated its willingness to take very careful account of the views expressed by industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has held any discussions with employers and representatives of the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress about the effectiveness of the Ceramics, Glass and Minerals Products Industry Training Board; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has had no discussions with employers, the CBI or the TUC for this purpose. Oversight of the day-to-day operation of industry training boards—ITBs—is the responsibility of the Manpower Services Commission—MSC—which is currently carrying out a fundamental review of the Employment and Training Act 1973 as it affects industrial training. In the course of the review the MSC will be looking at the work of all the ITBs, among other relevant matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the Manpower Services Commission to publish its review of the effectiveness of the training provisions of the Employment and Training Act 1973, including in particular a review of the work of industrial training boards.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the review body is expected to report in the first instance to the Commission by July 1980. Its report will subsequently be referred to Ministers for consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has held with employers and representatives of the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress about the effectiveness of the Construction Industry Training Board; and if he will make a statement.

I have had no discussions with employers, the CBI or the TUC for this purpose. Oversight of the day-to-day operation of the industry training boards—ITBs—is the responsibility of the Manpower Services Commission which is currently carrying out a fundamental review of the Employment and Training Act 1973 as it affects industrial training. In the course of the review the MSC will be looking at the work of all the ITBs, among other relevant matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many copies of the report "Financial Support of Strikers" published by the Engineering Employers Federation have been obtained for circulation within his Department.

We were sent a number of copies of this publication by the Engineering Employers Federation and these have been considered carefully within my Department.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if Mr. Joshua Nkomo holds a British passport.

Although Mr. Nkomo has no claim to normal United Kingdom passport facilities, he has been granted a short-term concessionary passport under the special arrangements announced in the House on 17 June 1968 by the then Attorney-General for citizens of Rhodesia.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the present average waiting time between an application being made and being dealt with, for admission to the United Kingdom by persons applying for entry at the Islamabad embassy, Pakistan; and how many staff are employed now, and were employed in June 1977 and June 1979, to deal with such applications in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Applicants for entry clearance in Islamabad wait from two months to two years for interview, according to the priority category of their application. The United Kingdom-based staff in the immigration section of the embassy in Islamabad number 28, of whom 18 are entry clearance officers. The section had the same complement in June 1977 and June 1979.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will arrange for an exhibition relating to the 250th anniversary of the Parliament of the Bahamas Islands to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 22 October for one week.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the results of the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Nine on political co-operation held on 11 September.

asked The United Kingdom was represented at the meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Nine on political co-operation on 11 September by my hon. Friend the Minister of State Foreign and Commonwealth Office—the hon. Member for Mid-Oxon (Mr. Hurd).The Foreign Ministers discussed current problems in Southern Africa, the Middle East, Indo-China and South America. My hon. Friend briefed his colleagues on Rhodesia in the light of the Lusaka conference. Ministers of the Nine made the following statement on Rhodesia:

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will report on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council on 18 September

asked The United Kingdom was represented at the Foreign Affairs Council on 18 September by my hon. Friend the Minister of State—the hon. Member for Mid-Oxon (Mr. Hurd)—and my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Industry.The Council approved the opening of exploratory discussions with the United States about the possibility of advance implementation of the agreement on trade in civil aircraft negotiated in the GATT multilateral trade negotiiations. My hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Oxon reminded the Council of the United Kingdom's continuing concern over the effect of artificially low United States oil prices on the competitive export position of the United States synthetic textile industry. The Commission undertook to report on this before the October Council. The Council also approved the opening of discussions between the Community and manioc suppliers about the present tariff concession.On the draft decision on steel aids, my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Industry informed the Council that we could lift our reserve, subject to parliamentary debate.In a review of the work of the specialised councils, the Council took note of the Finance Council's decision to hold a further discussion of the Commission reference paper on budgetary questions on 15 October. It also discussed the preparations for the meeting of Energy Ministers to be held in Paris on 26 September as a follow-up to the Tokio summit. There was a brief exchange of views on the cuts made by the Budget Council when it established the 1980 draft budget.Further consideration was given to the draft mandate for negotiations with Portugal on a revision of the 1972 free trade agreement. The main issue concerned the Portuguese request to continue quota restrictions on vehicle imports.There was agreement that the holding of the review negotiations on the EEC—Israel Treaty of 1975 should be conditional on the prior removal of the tariff discrimination which Israel practises towards exports from the three newer members of the Community. In the light of Israel's response, the Community

£'000
	1975	1976	1977	1978
Nigeria	5,814 (713)	5,519 (421)	5,997 (384)	9,811 (288)
Botswana	4,757 (138)	6,567 (195)	5,736 (190)	5,639 (176)
Tanzania	4,054 (240)	4,440 (460)	6,685 (599)	10,363 (782)
Zambia	9,900 (274)	11,373 (344)	12,584 (464)	33,316 (563)
Mozambique	25 (—)	19 (—)	2,899 (25)	5,831 (12)

These figures include investment expenditure by the Commonwealth Development Corporation—particularly significant for Nigeria in 1978. Certain other aid to Nigeria was supplied on the basis of would consider again Israeli requests for a tariff concession on oranges and a prolongation of her tariff dismantlement programme.The Council took note of papers by France and the Commission on the reform of the supply provisions of the Euratom Treaty and had a general discussion of the issues. It agreed that the papers should be studied further by the Commission assisted by representatives of the member States.The Council also agreed mandates for the Commission to negotiate a nuclear safeguards agreement between Euratom and Australia, and for Community participation in negotiation of a draft IAEA convention on physical protection of nuclear materials.The first negotiating meeting at ministerial level in the Spanish accession negotiations took place following the Council. Statements were exchanged on the principles of Spain's integration into the Customs Union.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the cost to the overseas aid programme, including that of overseas students in the United Kingdom, which Her Majesty's Government have incurred over each of the last four years in respect of Nigeria, Zambia, Tanzania, Botswana, Mozambique and Angola, respectively; and what is the expenditure proposed for the current year.

Gross expenditure by Her Majesty's Government for the countries concerned, with figures in brackets for the cost to the overeas aid programme of training in this country, was as follows:repayments which were not fully reflected in the figures for the calendar year.Expenditure for the current financial year is expected to be somewhat greater.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will place in the Library a report of the conclusions reached at the United Nations conference on science and technology.

The official report of the conference is being prepared by the United Nations secretariat and we expect it to be ready soon. A copy will be placed in the Library as soon as it is available and I shall inform the right hon. Member when this is done.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for the support and presentation of concert and opera performances on the shop floor in factories throughout Scotland.

A concert was held at Rolls-Royce's East Kilbride factory on 25 June, and I am considering possible future arrangements with the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Opera.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland where John R. McKay, Douglas Murphy, Jene A. I. Palmer, Thomas W. Woods and Ronald Martin each served his sentence after conviction on 4 February 1977 at Belfast city commission; on what date each was released from prison; and how many days parole each received between date of conviction and date of release.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he will take to increase the number of intensive care cots available in hospitals in Scotland, so as to minimise the number of avoidable deaths among new born babies due to lack of adequate intensive care facilities.

The national medical consultative committee sent to my Department on 9 July 1979 the report of the joint working party on standards of perinatal care in Scotland which makes recommendations about the future distribution of special care and intensive care baby units in Scotland; the report is being studied.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many students graduated from colleges of education in Scotland at the latest graduation date; and how many he expects to obtain teaching appointments before 21 August.

At the end of session 1978–79 the numbers of students in colleges of education successfully completing primary and secondary teacher training courses were 1,081 and 1,519 respectively. Returns from education authorities show that 824 vacancies in primary schools and 1,248 in secondary schools were filled at the beginning of session 1979–80 with teachers who were taking up their first appointments.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, further to the statement made by the Under-Secretary of State in the debate in the Scottish Grand Committee on Thursday 19 July that pupil-teacher ratios are higher than the agreed standards and savings can be made, how many teachers in Scottish schools he estimates are surplus to requirements.

The pupil-teacher ratios for which provision was made in "relevant expenditure" for 1979–80 by the previous Administration implied the employment of 25,080 primary teachers and 27,450 secondary teachers. The actual number of teachers employed by education authorities at September 1979 is not yet available centrally but at September 1978 they were employing 26,630 primary and 28,200 secondary teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the present pupil-teacher ratio in grant-aided schools in Scotland; and how this compares with the ratios in primary and secondary schools in the State system.

The latest figures available are for September 1978. At that date the pupil-teacher ratio was 20·9 in the primary departments of grant-aided schools and 21·4 in education authority primary schools; the secondary ratios were 13·6 in grant-aided schools and 14·6 in education authority schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Rayner project team members will be visiting the national curriculum development centres in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen and the primary education support services at Callendar Park college, Falkirk in the course of their study of the consultative committee on the curriculum.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek the views of the Scottish Trades Union Congress and the Scottish Confederation of British Industry for the purposes of the Rayner project with particular reference to the work of the committee on secondary education.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the purpose of the Rayner project announced by him on 16 July is to examine the possibility of cost savings in line with the Government's announced public expenditure cuts or to devise a more effective primary and secondary school curriculum.

The study is concerned with the efficiency of the arrangements for advising the Secretary of State on the school curriculum, having particular regard to the costs and resources involved, and not with the content of the curriculum.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if it is his intention to seek the views of parent-teacher organisations for the purposes of the Rayner project on the consultative committee on the curriculum.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Rayner project is to study the possibility of religious education becoming an examinable subject for O and H grade certificates.

No. The terms of reference of the project do not extend to considering whether any subject should be examinable.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children in Scottish schools take meals at school; and how many have free meals.

On the day of the census in January 1979, 429,979 pupils in education authority schools took a school meal, of which 142,986 were free of charge.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schoolchildren in Scotland receive free travel to school.

About 175,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what increase in the cost of a school meal he estimates would be required to meet the full economic cost in the present situation where free schools meals are granted in certain circumstances and where free school meals are abolished.

It is estimated that an increase of about 30p in the charge would be needed to meet the economic cost of the school meal at present. If free meals were abolished—and I must ask the hon. Member to await the legislation which will shortly be introduced before speculating about this—the uptake of meals would be substantially reduced and this would lead to an increase in the economic cost of the meal which cannot be quantified; no realistic estimate can therefore be made of the charge that would be needed to meet the economic cost in these circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by local authority areas the number of vacancies for primary and secondary school teachers in Scotland.

At the beginning of the present school session education authorities had vacancies for primary and secondary school teachers as follows:

	Primary	Secondary
Borders	2	14
Central	—	34
Dumfries and Galloway	—	23
Fife	—	24
Grampian	24*	45
Highland	4	21
Lothian	1	71
Strathclyde	—	133
Tayside	—	36
Orkney	—	2
Shetland	1	9
Western Isles	—	7
	32	419
* All subsequently filled.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teaching staff, full and part-time, including rectors and head teachers, were employed in primary and secondary schools in Scotland at the end of June 1979; and what are the figures for the same date in each of the past five years.

Information about teacher numbers in education authority primary and secondary schools is collected annually as part of the September school census. Information from the 1979 census is not yet available. The numbers employed—expressed in full-time equivalent terms and including promoted staff—at September in each of the preceding five years were as follows:

	Primary	Secondary
1974	26,830	25,090
1975	27,750	26,360
1976	27,320	27,430
1977	26,550	27,630
1978	26,630	28,200

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many companies in Scotland have requested the assistance of the Scottish Economic Planning Department in negotiating agency loans from the European Investment Bank in each year since the loans became available; and what is the total number of employees involved in the companies.

Since the European Investment Bank agency loan and exchange risk guarantee scheme came into operation in January 1978, 24 companies have requested the assistance of the Scottish Economic Planning Department in the negotiation of agency loans. Of this number, 11 requests were received in 1978. The number of employees in the companies at time of application totalled 3,720, and the number of jobs associated with the projects involved was estimated at 2,234.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many young people in Scotland were employed under the youth opportunities programme at the end of June.

At 30 June 1979, a total of 12,219 people were participating in the youth opportunities programme. This figure includes a small proportion—estimated to be about 500—of adult supervisors. The figure for the end of September was 13,451.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were employed in the special temporary employment programme in Scotland at the end of June.

The number of people participating in the special temporary employment programme at the end of June was estimated to be 1,831. The figure for the end of September was 2,839.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many trainees there were in Scotland under the training opportunities scheme at the end of June.

At the end of June 1979, 1,667 people were receiving training under the training opportunities scheme in Scotland. The figure for the end of September was 4,426.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the setting up of a silicon chip centre in Scotland.

Together with the Scottish Development Agency, we are urgently

	Scotland West			Scotland East and North
Year ended	Moves out of area	Moves into area	Moves within area	Moves out of area	Moves into area	Moves within area
March 1975	9	27	16	68	75	50
March 1976	38	11	12	18	38	11
March 1977*	7	13	42	8	70	7
March 1978	9	5	6	12	26	5
March 1979	3	5	11	11	39	9
* Figures for quarter ended December 1976 are not available and therefore cannot be included because of industrial action at the time

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the number of companies in the service industries, research and development or office development moving into Scotland which have received service industry grants under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 in each year since the Act was implemented; and how many new jobs were created.

The annual number of offers of service industry grant made under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 to such companies moving into Scotland, and the associated number of jobs expected to be created, has been as follows:

Year	Number of offers	Jobs
1972–73	—	—
1973–74	2	45
1974–75	4	101
1975–76	4	160
1976–77	2	60
1977–78	10	500
1978–79	4	245
1979 (April-August)	3	126