asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the community projects foundation is grant-aided by the Manpower Services Commission; and what is the amount and duration of the grant or grants provided and the purpose for which the grants were given.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the commumnity projects foundation is not grant-aided by the Commission.Financial support is, however, provided under the youth opportunities programme for a training workshop providing work experience for 30 unemployed young people and for a resource unit set up and administered by the foundation to provide expertise for other sponsors in devising, planning and operating workshop schemes.Annual funding of the training workshop is based upon the level of running costs and number of occupied trainee places within an agreed limit—£87,000 for 1979–80. Setting up costs have also been reimbursed within a limit of £18,000. Running cost support may be renewed annually subject to the satisfactory operation of the scheme.The staff and administrative costs of the resource unit will be funded initially for a two-year period from 2 July 1979 within a limit of £50,000 per year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the figures for 1948, 1958, 1968 and 1978, or nearest years for the ratio of total workers in productive employment in manufacturing industry to the total economically active population excluding agriculture, forestries and fishing in the nine countries of the European Community.

Comparable international data are not obtainable in the precise form requested. The available figures for the United Kingdom are given below:Production and maintenance workers in manufacturing as a percentage of the working

EMPLOYEES IN MANUFACTURING AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE ECONOMICALLY ACTIVE POPULATION EXCLUDING EMPLOYMENT IN AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHING
	Nearest year to 1948	1958	1968	1977
Belgium	37 (1947)	31	30	25
Denmark	··	··	··	20
France	26 (1946)	31	29 (1969)	26
Germany (Federal Republic)	*35 (1950)	37	38	34
Irish Republic	15 (1946)	23	24	22
Netherlands	25 (1947)	29	26	21
United Kingdom	38 (1950)	39	34	29
Notes:
* Employees in manufacturing including some quarrying activities.
· · Not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many registered unemployed persons were not in receipt of either unemployment or supplementary benefit at the latest convenient date; and how this compares with the number one and two years ago.

In September 1979, 91,000 of the registered unemployed in Great Britain were not claiming unemployment benefit, supplementary allowance or national insurance credits. This compares with 90,000 in September 1978 and 91,000 in September 1977. My Department does not have information on how many of those who were claiming were not in receipt of unemployment benefit or supplementary allowance, which is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the

These statistics are not compiled for parts of a month. It is provisionally estimated that in the four months May to August 1979 the number of working days lost in all industrial stoppages in progress in the United Kingdom was 5,915,000, over half being accounted for by the national one-day engineering strikes in August. In the same months of 1978 the corresponding figure was 1,830,000 and in the period May to October 1978 the total was 2,708,000. The figures for September and October 1979 are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many youngsters in the East Flint constituency have been helped by the youth opportunities programme.

Information is not available on a constituency basis. In the county of Clwyd, 4,860 young people have so far participated in the programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on progress on making compensation payments under the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977, including details of compensation payments made or agreed since 4 May 1979.

I refer the right hon. Member to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, North-West (Mr. Colvin) on 5 July. Since then, a third case has been referred to arbitration.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on progress in the negotiations with the European Commission for renewal of the shipbuilding intervention fund.

I have reached agreement with the Commission under the fourth directive on the Government's proposals for a £120 million intervention fund over two years. The amount of the first annual tranche from 16 July 1979 will be £65 million. The period from 16 July 1980 to 31 December 1980, when the fourth directive expires, will be at an annual rate of £55 million. The remainder of the £55 million to be used from 1 January 1981 to 15 July 1981 will fall to be considered under the successor to the fourth directive. The maximum level of aid, including shipbuilders' relief, will be 25 per cent. of contract price. Cases not involving competition with member States will not need to be submitted to the Commission for approval. Aid in excess of this level may be given in exceptional cases with the prior agreement of the Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether or not charges are made to the subscriber when a dialled telephone call results in a crossed or misrouted line.

This is a matter for the Post Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what steps are being taken by the Government by means of stockpiling or other measures to ensure a continuous supply to United Kingdom civil industry of platinum group metals, chromite ore, vanadium, manganese and cobalt;(2) if he will hold discussions with the steel industry about safeguarding supplies of essential alloy metals such as chrome, manganese, cobalt, vanadium, titanium and molybdenum, in the event of disruption caused by civil disturbance or international conflict in the principal countries of supply;(3) what discussions are being held with other EEC States about maintaining strategic reserves of essential minerals for civil industry such as platinum group metals, ferro-chrome, vanadium, manganese and cobalt.

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

asked the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on what action was taken by the Director of Public Prosecutions about the reference to Castrol Limited in the preface to the Bingham report between 7 November 1978 and 12 June 1979.

Between 7 November 1978 and 12 June 1979 the Director of Public Prosecutions was concentrating his investigations on the detailed allegations made in the main body of the Bingham report.

asked the Attorney-General if he will list the law centres currently operating in England and Wales, indicating in each case the year they started operations, the number of clients they dealt with in the last full year, the size of their budget, and the size of the current Government subsidy; and if he will give comparable data concerning law centres which have closed down.

FUNDED BY THE LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT 1978–79
Law Centre	Year started	Approximate number of clients per annum	Expenditure	Government subsidy
			£	£
Adamsdown Community and Advice Centre (Cardiff).	1973	8,400	47,927	41,720
Cambridge House and Talbot Legal Advice Centre (Southwark).	1975*	2,400	31,883	15,260
Harehills and Chapeltown Law Centre (Leeds)…	1978	1,500	11,449	—†
			(six months only)
Newham Rights Centre	1973	2,500	65,243	55,730
North Kensington Law Centre	1970	9,000	115,640	82,760
Saltley Action Centre (Birmingham)	1977	4,500	53,013	39,930
Tower Hamlets Law Centre	1976	4,500	97,224	63,360

FUNDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH THE URBAN PROGRAMME 1977–78
Law Centre	Year started	Government subsidy
		£
Benwell Community Law Project (Newcastle)	1975	32,240
Brent Community Law Centre	1973	35,856
Coventry Legal and Income Rights Centre	1975	26,239
Garratt Lane Law Centre (Wandsworth)	1977	66,701
Hammersmith and Fulham Law Centre	1979	—
Handsworth Law Centre (Birmingham)	1976	41,605
Manchester Law Centre	1976	47,921
North Lewisham Law Centre	1978	9,135
		(part year only)
Plumstead Law Centre	1978	—
Small Heath Law Centre (Birmingham)	1977	36,339
Southwark Law Project	1976	39,900
Tottenham Neighbourhood Law Project	1976	56,500
Vauxhall Law Centre (Liverpool)	1973	15,684

CENTRES FUNDED BY OTHER SOURCES
Law Centre	Year started
Balham Neighbourhood Law Centre	1974
Battersea Law Centre	1978
Bristol Resource Centre	1977‡
Camden Law Centre	1973
Hackney Law Centre	1976
Lambeth Law Centre	1974
North Islington Law Centre	1973
North Wales Employment Resource and Advice Centre	1979
Paddington Law Centre	1973
South Wales Anti Poverty Action Centre (Merthyr Tydfil)	1976
West Hampstead Law Centre	1975

CENTRES WHICH HAVE CLOSED DOWN
Law Centre	Year started
Hillingdon Law Centre (closed 1979)	1975
* In 1975 the Lord Chancellor's Department made its first grant to Cambridge House. It had been operating as a legal advice centre for many years previously.
† The first grant to Harehills and Chapeltown Law Centre was made in July 1979.
‡ In 1978–79 this centre received a grant of £3,800 from the Lord Chancellor's Department

The information requested is as follows. Total expenditure, and client numbers, are available only in respect of those centres funded by the Lord Chancellor's Department:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the management review of his Department.

I have commissioned a management review of my Department in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council. The purpose of the review is to improve the effectiveness of the Ministry's organisation, the management of its resources and the way it carries out its major tasks. It will not re-examine Government policies. The review will be directed by a steering committee of senior officers of the Ministry, the Civil Service Department and the Treasury, chaired by my permanent secretary, with the aid of a small management review team drawn from the Ministry and the Civil Service Department. Comments have been received from a wide range of interested organisations. I hope that the review will be completed in nine months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has completed his study of the events concerning race relations leading to violence during the last general election; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make a statement on the prospect of amending the Public Order Act 1936 in the light of events during the last general election period;(3) if he has considered the working of the Representation of the People Act in the light of the events in Southall during the last general election period.

In my statement on 27 June I announced various steps that were being undertaken following the events in Southall on 22 and 23 April. The review of the Public Order Act 1936 and related legislation, which includes relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Act 1949, is still in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now set up a public inquiry, not undertaken by the police, into the death of Blair Peach.

In my statement of 27 June on the events which occurred in Southall on 22–23 April I said that the proper way to proceed was for the police report into the circumstances of Mr. Peach's death to be considered by the Director of Public Prosecutions and the coroner. Commander Cass has completed his report after what the Director has himself described as "very thorough inquiries". The coroner's inquest, now temporarily adjourned, is not yet complete. Although the Director has now decided that the available evidence is insufficient to justify any criminal proceedings, he has said that he would reconsider his decision in the light of any further material evidence.The hon. Member will, therefore, appreciate that until any decisions have been made, arising out of current proceedings, about further statutory or judicial action, it would not be appropriate for me to comment or intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will now amend the police regulations to allow men to enter the police forces at the same height as women, or alternatively abolish all height regulations; and if he will make a statement;(2) what reasons exist for height regulations limiting entry into police forces; and if he will carry out a study into the effect of such regulations on recruitment and manpower.

We see no reason to review or amend the police regulations relating to the present minimum height standards. Their basis is that police officers who are of less than the average height for their sex lack the presence and authority which the public expect; but they permit recruitment of applicants whose exceptional qualities or experience outweigh the fact that they do not meet the prescribed height standards.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes there have been in the rate of recruitment of the Metropolitan Police in the current year.

In the first nine months of this year the total recruited was 1,504 compared with 920 in the first nine months of 1978. The strength of the Metropolitan Police on 30 September 1979 was 22,463, an increase of 502 since the beginning of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the light of the fact that the report of the committee under the chairmanship of Lord Goodman, set up by the National Council of Social Service, to study the effect of charity law and practice on voluntary organisations was published three years ago, he will now make a statement indicating the action which the Government intend to take on the report.

I hope shortly to be able to publish a reply to the Expenditure Committee's report on the Charity Commissioners, which will take account of the valuable work done by the Goodman committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide television licence concessions or free television licences to pensioners and pensioner couples not living with non-pensioner families; and if he will make a statement.

I have no such plans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is his policy that the protection against snaring now afforded to domestic animals should be extended to wild animals in the United Kingdom.

In accordance with the convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitat and the European Economic Community directive on the conservation of wild birds, the Government are including provision in their Wildlife and the Countryside Bill banning the use of snares except for pest control and special circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the figures prepared by his Department on the long-term financial effects of the sale of council houses under different rates of inflation.

I am intending to publish an appraisal of the financial effects of the sale of council houses for the parliamentary consideration of the forthcoming Housing Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for an exhibition relating to the Cleveland fourth international drawing biennial 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 Monday 5 November to Friday 16 November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when loans to the Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas for the development of rural businesses, which ceased at the end of 1978, will be recommenced.

Loans to small businesses in rural areas are made by COSIRA with funds provided through the Department.Because demand exceeds the funds available, COSIRA has had to restrict loans to small firms in the Development Commission's special investment areas. There is little prospect of an early resumption of lending to small businesses elsewhere. Nevertheless, COSIRA is helping applicants for loans to find alternative sources of borrowing.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the actual basic price in Common Market countries of a gallon of petrol excluding all tax.

Provisional EEC country retail—at pump—prices of petrol, excluding taxation, as at 8 October 1979 are shown below. In the United Kingdom the grades are four star—premium—and two star—regular.

Pence per gallon
	Grade
Country	Premium	Regular
Belgium	61	58·5
Denmark	55	53
France	57·5	53
Germany	60	55
Ireland	65·5	63·5
Italy	48·5	46
Luxembourg	Not available	Not available
Netherlands	61	58
United Kingdom	65	63·5

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what proposals for the development of solar energy were discussed at the meeting of the Energy Council in Luxembourg on 9 October;(2) what proposals for the future development of wind power were discussed in the Energy Council meeting in Luxembourg on 9 October;(3) what proposals for the development of wave power were discussed at the Energy Council meeting in Luxembourg on 9 October.

None of the three topics, wind power, wave power and solar energy, was discussed at the meeting of the Energy Council in Luxembourg on 9 October 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether joint projects for research and development in tidal power schemes have been discussed recently with the French Government.

No formal discussions have taken place recently between my Department and the French Government regarding joint projects for research and development on tidal energy schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress is being made with the evaluation of the Severn barrage tidal power scheme; and how much money will be spent on the study in 1979–80 and 1980–81.

The Severn barrage committee under the chairmanship of Professor Sir Hermann Bondi was set up in August last year with the terms of reference described in the White Paper on the development of alternative sources of energy—Cmnd. 7236. The committee is proceeding with its evaluation and has recommended a comprehensive set of studies, which my Department is setting in hand. The committee has been allocated a provisional budget of £1½ million, of which about £1 million will be committed in 1979–80 and about £300,000 spent in that year. I shall await the committee's recommendations before deciding on expenditures in later years.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what new proposals were agreed at the Energy Council meeting in Luxembourg on 9 October in the field of conservation.

The Council had a preliminary exchange of views on the Commission's third report on energy saving programmes and its proposed new lines of action in this area. Officials were requested to undertake further detailed examination of the proposals in preparation for discussion at a future Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the discussions in the Energy Council in Luxembourg on 9 October covered the problems and costs of decommissioning nuclear power stations; and if he will make a statement.

There was no discussion of this subject at the Energy Council meeting on 9 October 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what agreement was reached in the Energy Council discussions in Luxembourg on 9 October concerning future exploration and investment in the hydrocarbon sector; and how far such agreement will affect North Sea oil and gas in the United Kingdom exclusive economic zone.

There was no agreement in the Council on 9 October to proposals to provide Community support for hydrocarbon exploration projects. The Council approved the allocation of funds totalling 22·5 meua^* for phase 1 of round five of the scheme to support projects for technological development. This includes support of 5·3 meua^* for seven United Kingdom projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what the total EEC contribution to the JET fusion project will be in 1979–80 and 1980–81: and what will be the British contribution in cash and as a percentage, all figures expressed in £ sterling.

80 per cent. of the cost of the JET fusion project is borne on the Community budget. 10 per cent. is borne by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority—AEA—as the host organisation. The remaining 10 per cent. comes from the participating organisations—including the AEA—in proportion to the size of their fusion programmes. In total the AEA bears about 11·5 per cent. of the cost. Since the JET project is budgeted in calendar years, the following figures are also in calendar rather than financial years. In 1979 expenditure is expected to be £26·1 million, of which £20·9 million is borne on the Community budget and £3·0 million by the AEA. Corresponding figures for 1980 are estimated as £36·5 million, £28·9 million and £4·1 million, and in 1981 as £34·6 million, £27·7 million and £4·0 million respectively. In addition, the AEA is providing some buildings and site services, on which the JET project will pay rent.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the amount of public expenditure on research and development into nuclear power thermal reactors, nuclear power fast breeder reactors, wave power, tidal power, solar energy, wind power, biomass energy projects, and photovoltaic cells, respectively, during 1979–80 and the projected figures for 1980–81.

In 1979–80 the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority expects to spend around £150 million—net—on nuclear energy research and development. Of this about £15 million is for research and development directly related to thermal reactors and their safety, and some £60 million is expected for fast reactors and their safety, though other parts of the research and development programme are also relevant to both thermal and fast reactor development.For 1980–81 expenditure on both systems is expected to remain at about the same level in real terms.In 1979–80 the Department of Energy expects to spend the following sums on research and development programmes on energy sources as listed;

£
Wave power	…	…	3,150,000
Tidal power	…	…	298,000
Solar energy	…	…	898,000
Wind power	…	…	451,000
Biomass energy		…	119,000

Expenditure allocations in respect of the above energy sources for 1980–81 have yet to be settled.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the international meetings of Energy Ministers which he has attended since the House rose in July.

The Council of EEC Energy Ministers met on 20 September in Brussels, and again on 9 October in Luxembourg. I represented the United Kingdom at the first of these meetings, and my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Kingston upon Thames (Mr. Lamont), was our representative at the second. I also attended a meeting of Energy Ministers of summit countries in Paris on 26 September.The 20 September Energy Council held an exchange of views on recent developments in the energy situation and outlook. The Council discussed the distribution among member States of the common target for oil imports in 1985 in preparation for the meeting of summit Energy Ministers in Paris on 26 September. The Council also discussed detailed arrangements for registering imports of crude oil into the Community, and considered the role of the international energy technology group to be set up following the Tokyo summit in June.At the meeting of summit Energy Ministers in Paris on 26 September agreement in the Community was announced on the breakdown between member States of the EEC's 1985 net oil import target of 472 million tonnes. This included a figure of 5 million tonnes net exports by the United Kingdom. I made it clear that if exports were in the event higher than this, that would be a matter solely for the United Kingdom Government and would not affect the targets of other Community countries. There was agreement in principle that there should be a system of registration of crude oil transactions based on monthly reporting, and that the registers be held by the IEA and the EEC. The meeting also agreed arrangements to set up an international energy technology group, as envisaged at the Tokyo summit.The Energy Council on 9 October reaffirmed member States' individual export targets for 1985, took note of my statement on 26 September about the treatment of United Kingdom net exports in excess of 5 million tonnes in 1985, and made progress towards the disaggregation of the Community's global target of 472 million tonnes oil imports in 1980. Agreement was reached on many of the outstanding points of detail on the proposed regulation to establish a register of oil imports into the Community. The Council had before it the presidency's suggestion for future work on support for coal, and a letter from me to Commissioner Brunner and my EEC colleagues urging Community support totalling £160 million a year for investment in the Community. The Council instructed the permanent representatives to give urgent and positive consideration to existing schemes and new proposals in the coal sector. General discussions also took place on proposed Community energy objectives for 1980, on new lines of action in the field of energy savings, and on proposals to support hydrocarbon exploration projects. The Council approved the allocation of funds for phase 1 of round 5 of the scheme to support Community projects in the hydrocarbons sector.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will set out in the Official Report his reasons for postponing implementation of section 7 of the Road Traffic Act 1974 relating to powers of local authorities to ban the parking of cars on pavements.

I gave my reasons in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrogate (Mr. Banks) on 27 July. The implementation of the similar powers, which apply to London alone, contained in the GLC (General Powers) Act 1974, would of course be a matter for the GLC.—[Vol. 971, c. 631–32.]

asked the Minister of Transport what calculations have been made by his Department of lengthening car engine life by the use of lead-free petrol, which arises from omitting corrosive material now included in the lead additive, for example, ethylene dibromide.

No precise calculations have been made, but the report of the working party on lead in petrol, published by the Department in July of this year, concluded that use of lead-free petrol in vehicles currently on the roads in this country would in most cases create major problems of engine durability due to valve seat recession. Assuming design of new engines for use of lead-free petrol a slight reduction in corrosion could be expected due to the absence of alkyl halides, but some increase in cylinder and piston ring wear would also result.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish in the Official Report a statement of forthcoming business in the EEC Council of Ministers.

Heads of State and Government will meet in the European Council in Dublin on 29 and 30 November. At present five meetings of the Council of Ministers are proposed for November. The usual written forecast was deposited in the House on Monday 22 October.The Agriculture Council will meet on 12 and 13 November and is expected to discuss the common organisation of the markets for ethyl alcohol and possibly potatoes and mutton and lamb; proposals to restore the balance of the wine market; structural agricultural problems in the Community and the revision of the common organisation of the market for sugar.The Finance Council will meet on 19 November and is expected to discuss the Commission's proposals for correcting the present inequitable arrangements for financing the Community budget. Ministers will also consider the Commission's draft annual report on the economic situation in the Community for 1979–80 and its annual economic review for 1979–80.The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 20 November and will probably con- tinue its discussions on 26 and 27 November. It is expected to consider preparations for the European Council in Dublin on 29 and 30 November, including the budget and the report of the "Three Wise Men". The Council may also consider the next stage of the EEC/Cyprus association agreement; Portugal's requests for improvements in the present trade agreement; the Spanish accession negotiations; negotiation of the new EEC/Yugoslavia agreement; aspects of implementation by the Community of agreements negotiated in the GATT multilateral trade negotiations; procedure for handling the European Parliament's resolutions and questions to ensure that relations between the institutions are as smooth and harmonious as possible; internal and external aspects of the Community's anti-crisis measures for steel in 1980; aid to shipbuilding—scrap-and-build—and the draft directives on midwives' right of establishment and freedom to provide services.The Labour and Social Affairs Council will meet on 22 November and is expected to consider aspects of work-sharing including training "en alternance"—that is linking work and training. Ministers are also expected to discuss relations with the social partners; consultation between member States and the Community institutions on migration policies vis-à-vis third countries; the annual report of the social fund: the Commission's proposal to extend the scope of the EEC social regulations for migrant workers to include self-employed and insured non-employed persons and the finalisation of the directive on the protection of employees in the event of the insolvency of their employers. In addition the Council may consider the framework directive on the protection of workers from the harmful effects of chemical, physical and biological agents at work.The Budget Council is expected to meet on 23 November to consider the European Parliament's proposed modifications and amendments to the draft Community budget for 1980.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the meeting of the Budget Council in Brussels on 11 September.

The Budget Council which I attended on 11 September established the European Communities draft general budget for 1980. This was preceded by a discussion of budgetary priorities with a delegation from the European Parliament headed by its President, Madame Veil.At the beginning of the Council I made a short statement on the Government's attitude towards the 1980 budget. I said that, although the Council had been convened to examine the detailed proposals in the budget, my attitude towards these proposals was heavily influenced by the overall economic impact of the budget on the United Kingdom. The cumulative budgetary effect of Community policies produces a totally inequitable distribution of net financing costs that could not be ignored. In this connection I referred to the European Council's request for the Commission to produce a "Reference Paper" analysing the impact of the budget on member States. I expressed my hope that, when this was discussed at the Finance Council on 17 September, our Community partners would accept that the present situation was grossly unfair and would subsequently co-operate with the Commission in finding a solution in time for the next European Council in Dublin on 29–30 November.I was later able to demonstrate to my colleagues the inadequacy in this respect of the existing financial mechanism when I informed them that, owing to the appreciation of sterling and revisions to the balance of payments figures for previous years, the United Kingdom would no longer satisfy the necessary conditions to qualify for a refund in 1980 in respect of 1979. As a result, the provision of 68 MEUA entered in the preliminary draft budget was replaced by a token entry.There was a prolonged discussion on provision for the regional development fund (RDF). With support from certain other member States, I argued initially for acceptance of the Commission's proposal for commitment appropriations of 1200 MEUA. I pointed out that the RDF made a useful, though very modest, contribution toward offsetting the perverse effects of the rest of the Budget and in particular its main policy, the common agricultural policy (CAP). However, some member States favoured a figure of only 650 MEUA, while others supported amounts only slightly above this. Agreement was eventually reached on an amount of 850 MEUA, which, although slightly below the 1979 figure of 945 MEUA, was a reasonably satisfactory outcome at this stage of the budget procedure, given the need to secure qualified majority approval.For the social fund, the Council agreed to commitment appropriations totalling 826 MEUA. An amount of 116 MEUA was agreed for aid to non-associates. Several of the Commission's proposals, particularly in the industrial and energy sectors, were removed by the Council because of the lack of an agreed Community policy. The proposed contribution of 100 MEUA to the ECSC budget was also rejected. Provisions for ACP sugar and food aid export refunds were returned to their rightful place in the agricultural title of the budget.The draft budget established by the Council provided for 15,981 MEUA in commitment appropriations and 14,907 MEUA in payment appropriations. The Council has subsequently approved, through a rectifying letter, an amendment to the draft budget providing for an additional 417·3 MEUA in commitment and payment appropriations largely due to later information on harvests, and so on, affecting the Communities' agricultural expenditure. If the budget were adopted in this amended form, the United Kingdom's gross contribution is estimated at 3,180 MEUA—approximately 2,147 million at the 1980 budget rate of 1·4813 EUA=£1.The draft budget, as amended, will now be considered by the European Parliament prior to further consideration by the Council, possibly on 23 November.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total of tax relief granted in each year since 1960, respectively, for life assurance premiums, mortgage interest tax relief, employers' and employees' contributions to occupational pension schemes, relief on funds' interest income, net of adjustment for tax on pensions paid, relevant annuity relief, age allowance and bank loan interest relief; and in each case for the latest year what was the value of the relief per capita for those with incomes less than £3,000, £3,000 to £5,000, £5,000 to £7,000, £7,000 to £10,000, £10,000 to £20,000, and over £20,000, respectively.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the Official Report the remuneration received by each commissioner of the Crown Estate together with any other benefits received by them arising from their office.

The present annual rates of remuneration of the commissioners are set out below. All commissioners are part-time, except the second Crown Estate commissioner, who is a full-time civil servant at deputy secretary level. The payments to Sir Oliver Chesterton and Mr. Caws include £2,000 a year for the special advice each is able to give because of his professional background.

	£
First Commissioner
The Rt. Hon. the Lord Thomson of Monifieth	5,590
Second Commissioner
Mr. J. M. Moore, C.B., D.S.C.	20,314
Commissioners
Lord Allen of Fallowfield	1,675
Mr. R. B. Caws, F.R.I.C.S.	3,675
Sir Oliver Chesterton, M.C., P.P.R.I.C.E.	3,675
Mr. o. H. Colburn	1,675
Captain I. M. Tennant	1,675
Mr. G. D. I. Innes Lillingston	1,675

The commissioners receive no other benefit as a result of their office, but travelling and subsistence allowances are paid on the Civil Service scale—class A (i)) in respect of any journeys undertaken on Crown Estate business.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to take further steps in removing exchange controls.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations have been received in reply to the announcement in his Budget speech that a review was being made of capital taxation with a view to legislation at an early date.

My statement in the Budget speech that we would proceed with a thorough study of capital taxation with a view to legislation at an early date has evoked a widespread response and to date representations have been received from 19 representative bodies and well over 100 individuals. I understand that others are contemplating making representations. It would be convenient if they did so as soon as possible to ensure that due consideration is given to their views in the context of our desire to legislate at an early date.

asked the Lord Privy Seal when the Government expect to ratify the UNESCO convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property 1970.

The Government support the intentions behind this convention and voted for its adoption in 1970. Ratification would present legal and technical problems and new legislation would be necessary to implement it. The appropriate Government Departments are being consulted on this question.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will give an assurance that public funds will not be used to contribute to a fund designed to assist white Rhodesia farmers; and if he will make a statement.

We have stated our readiness to help, within the limits of our resources, with technical assistance and capital aid towards a carefully prepared programme for agricultural development and land settlement in the future Zimbabwe. The details of any programme and of our contribution would be for discussion with the independent Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade by what percentage United Kingdom food prices have increased since 4 May.

Prices for the retail price index are collected in the middle of each month. I am therefore unable to provide the information in the form requested. However, between 15 May and 18 September, the latest date for which information is available, the food price index rose by 3·8 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the price of a pint of milk; what it was on 2 May; what is the price of a standard loaf; what it was on 2 May; what is the price of a dozen standard eggs; what it was on 2 May; what is the price of 1 lb. of best cheddar cheese; what it was on 2 May; what is the price of 1 lb. of best roasting beef; and what it was on 2 May.

The maximum retail price of a pint of milk is currently 15p. On 2 May, the maximum price was 13½p. There is no maximum price order for the remaining items and competition among producers and retailers will cause variations in prices from shop to shop.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many trainees have taken courses with Enterprise Ulster for 1977–78; what is the average length of an Enterprise Ulster course; how many of these trainees have subsequently found work in the private sector; and how many trainees have remained with Enterprise Ulster for more than a year.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 October 1979]:The purpose of Enterprise Ulster is to provide employment and through it to train long-term unemployed, unskilled manual workers in such a way as to give them better opportunities to obtain stable employment. The training element is specifically designed to make its workers more attractive to potential employers. As the objective is to place workers in conventional employment the word "trainee" is strictly a misnomer.In 1977–78 the numbers attending courses were as follows:

Enterprise Ulster 10 week induction course for new workers	1,371
General construction operatives' course at a Government Training Centre	401
External courses of varying duration	1,611

340 workers were subsequently employed in the private sector.At 12 October 1979, 1,112 workers had been employed by Enterprise Ulster for more than one year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in view of recent convictions in connection with the ill-treatment of private Service men, he will now permit trade union organisation for Service men and for union officials to have access to them.

I strongly deplore the incidents to which the hon. Member is referring. I am satisfied, however, that these cases were fully and properly dealt with under the existing Service disciplinary procedures. The question of unionisation raises much wider issues and I do not believe that it would prevent incidents of this sort. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence said on 10 July, we have no plans for authorising any form of collective representation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received on the impact of the cost of television licences on pensioners not living in sheltered accommodation; and if he will list these representations in the Official Report.

Representations have been received from the General and Municipal Workers Union, the Transport and General Workers Union and some 30 individuals, including eight cases which have been passed to me by hon. Members. In addition I have answered questions in the House on the subject. Most of the cases have been passed to my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, who has responsibility for setting the level of the television licence fee.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to ensure that all wards at Walton hospital, Liverpool, are properly manned and staffed.

Determination of the staffing levels necessary to provide an adequate service is a matter for the appropriate health authorities, in this case the Sefton area health authority and the Mersey regional health authority. Both authorities are aware of problems at Walton hospital and are giving them urgent attention. I understand that in the spring they became aware of difficulties in providing an appropriate level of nursing care in some wards. For example, although there is an overall shortage of nurses, the ratio of trained to untrained staff is low. Steps have been taken, with some success, to recruit permanent qualified staff and, as a temporary measure, a number of agency nurses have been employed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which area health authorities will be abolished.

We plan to publish later this year a consultative document setting out our proposals for simplifying the structure of the National Health Service and inviting comments. Until we have considered comments on our proposals, announced our policy and it has been implemented, it is impossible to say which area health authorities will be abolished.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the increased resources needed to meet the increased value added tax upon supplies and equipment in the National Health Service.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Battersea, South (Mr. Dubs) and the right hon. Member for Lewisham, East (Mr. Moyle) on 9 July.—[Vol. 970, c. 44–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many redundancies or loss of jobs would take place in the National Health Service in the event of cuts in resources of the order of 10 per cent., 15 per cent. and 20 per cent.; what is his estimate of the total sums involved; and if he will make a statement.

Since the Government have no intention of cutting back National Health Service resources in this way, the possible effects of the proposals put forward in the question are purely hypothetical.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received on the delay in the receipt of child benefit allowance books; and if he will make a statement.

Several, from many sources as well as from hon. Members. Following the unofficial strike at the child benefit centre, an overtime ban was imposed which coincided with an annual peak of work at the centre. The ban remains in force and delays continue to occur but the position is improving.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement regarding the Select Committee's recommendation that the Health Service Commissioner's jurisdiction be extended to enable him to investigate complaints involving clinical judgment and include in his statement the outcome of the discussions with the British Medical Association on this matter.

I doubt whether the recommendation carries with it the consent of the medical profession which the Select Committee considered would be necessary for it to be successfully implemented. The former Health Service Commissioner in his annual report for 1977–78 also acknowledged that;

"The wholehearted co-operation of the professions including the medical profession would be necessary."

I am, therefore, awaiting the outcome of a request made by the last Government to the joint consultants' committee to put forward alternative proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what would be the estimated cost to his Department of exempting sufferers from cystic fibrosis over the age of 16 years from liability to pay prescription charges;(2) how many sufferers from cystic fibrosis over the age of 16 years are known to his Department;(3) whether he is currently considering including sufferers from cystic fibrosis over the age of 16 years in the list of exemptions from the payment of prescription charges;(4) what are the criteria upon which a decision may be taken to exempt the sufferers from certain illnesses over the age of 16 years from the liability to pay prescription charges;(5) whether consideration has been given in the past to exempting sufferers from cystic fibrosis over the age of 16 years from the liability to pay prescription charges; and, if so, when the matter was last considered.

There are probably fewer than a thousand sufferers from cystic fibrosis over the age of 16 years and the cost of exempting these from prescription charges would be very small.The criteria for including a condition in the list of specified medical conditions which attract exemption from prescription charges have always been that it should be a permanent and clearly identifiable condition requiring continuous medication: most listed conditions require specific substitution therapy. The General Medical Services Committee, representing the medical profession, must be consulted and only if it agrees that a condition satisfies these criteria is it included in the list. The list is kept under review and was last discussed with representatives of the medical profession in 1976, when cystic fibrosis was one of the conditions considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many disabled people in the Burton constituency will benefit from his decision to extend to 64 years the age limit for mobility allowance.

I regret that there is no way of estimating how many disabled people in the Burton constituency are likely to receive mobility allowance as a result of the recent extension of the age limits, but the national total is expected to be about 30,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the fees and expenses, respectively, paid to each of the commissioners appointed to administer the Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham area health authority.

Up to 30 September 1979 the total paid amounted to £990 fees and £142·41 expenses. It would be invidious to publish amounts paid to individuals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the existing official duties presently being undertaken by the suspended members of the Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham area health authority; and which of the suspended members are carrying out these duties.

None of the members of the Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham AHA(T) has been suspended. I have appointed Miss Nuttall and Sir John Prideaux as commissioners. Several of the other members are undertaking duties normally performed by members of the AHA(T) such as membership of advisory and consultative committees. The members of the AHA(T) undertaking these duties are Mr. Hardy, Mr. Leworthy, Mr. Patrick, Mrs. Rhodes, Mr. Rowe, Miss Stewart, and Mr. Witcombe.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the present arrangements for the payment of an honorarium to the suspended honorary chairman of the Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham area health authority.

I have decided that the chairman of the Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham AHA(T) will be paid an honorarium up to 31 October 1979. Beyond that date continued payment would be improper since the duties and responsibilities which the honorarium is intended to recognise fall to the commissioners whom I have appointed to assume all the functions and powers of that area health authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now designate the period of the emergency under which the Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham area health area commissioners were appointed.

It is not yet possible to determine on what date the emergency will end. That cannot be until the risk to the continued provision of health services in the area arising from the imbalance between its resources and its expenditure has been ended. I shall continue to keep under review the progress of the commissioners in taking and implementing the decisions necessary to establish a sufficient control of expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set out in the Official Report the extent to which the Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Area Health area commissioners are subject to the monitoring jurisdiction of the South-East Thames regional health authority, and the extent to which they report directly to him.

The commissioners have the right of direct access to me. In the exercise of the functions and powers conferred upon them they stand in relationship to the South-East Thames regional health authority as would an accountable AHA(T).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received the report of the working party on the "Health Effects of Environmental Lead"; and if he will make a statement.

No; I understand that the working party expects to be in a position to make a final report before the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a league table of carbon monoxide levels in different brands of cigarettes, similar to the existing tar and nicotine statistics.

This is one of the matters which my right hon. and hon. Friends and I will consider in the general review policy on smoking and health which we are undertaking before deciding upon measures we would wish to adopt when the present three-year voluntary agreements with the tobacco industry expire in March 1980. We shall be receiving advice on the subject of carbon monoxide from the independent scientific committee on smoking and health.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the addition to National Health Service resources if he took over the general practitioner deputising service of Air Call, which now proposes to become a public company.

I understand that the deputising service is only one of the activities in which Air Call is engaged. I see no case, on resource or other grounds, for incorporating any part of the company into the National Health Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the increased cost to the North-West Thames regional health authority of the rise in value added tax from 8 per cent. to 15 per cent.; and if he proposes to issue advice on which services should be cut.

The increased cost to North-West Thames regional health authority of the rise in VAT from 8 per cent. to 15 per cent. for the year 1979–80 is estimated to be between £4 and £4½ million. As my right hon. Friend made clear during the debate on 17 July, it is up to health authorities to decide how best to use resources locally. [Vol. 970, c. 1435–36.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the increase of resources required by the North-West Thames regional health authority to meet the partial cost of pay awards in the current year; and if he will allow a supplementary allocation of funds to meet this contingency.

Appropriate Supplementary Estimates provision will shortly be sought to cover the increases in health authorities' cash limits to meet the additional costs of pay awards approved to date; the precise amount of the addition for North-West Thames regional health authority is not yet available. The additions will, however, reflect the full cost of the awards less the region's share of the agreed offset of £23·4 million detailed in my reply to the hon. Member for Wood Green (Mr. Race) on 24 July, and of the £3·4 million which health authorities are required to find in respect of the measures recommended by the Clegg commission to offset the gross costs of the awards to ancillary staff and ambulancemen. The North-West Thames regional health authority's total share of these two offsets is £2·117 million.—[Vol. 971, c. 205–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the effect on the finances of the Brent and Harrow Area health authority of the decision not to apply resource allocation in 1980–81;(2) if the cut of £98,000 from the current expenditure of the Brent and Harrow area health authority includes the amount needed to pay the increased costs arising from the increase of value added tax from 5 per cent. to 15 per cent.

My right hon. Friend is responsible for allocations to regional health authorities, but allocations to area health authorities are made by the regional health authority concerned. The hon. Member may, therefore, care to seek information from the North-West Thames regional health authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a policy statement on National Health Service dental services, in the light of the decision by the general dental services committee that selective acceptance or rejection on financial grounds of applicants for treatment under the National Health Service cannot be justified by reference to the terms of payment operative from 1 October.

I welcome the British Dental Association's decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many National Health Service chiropody treatments were provided to what number of people in (a) the Kirklees area health authority, (b) the Leeds area health authority, (c) the Yorkshire region and (d) England and Wales, in 1975, 1977 and 1978; and what were the corresponding numbers per 10,000 population.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 July 1979, c. 688]: The figures given in the table under "Number of people treated—England 1975", (118,889) and "Number of treatments—England 1977", (5,433,762) are incorrect. The correct figures are 1,181,889 and 5,433,782 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many (a) one-parent families and (b) two-parent families, had incomes which were (i) below, (ii) at, (iii) 110 per cent, of, (iv) 120 per cent. of and (v) 140 per cent. of supplementary benefit level at the latest available date; and in each case what was the total number of children involved.

[pursuant to her reply, 24 July 1979, c. 210]:

ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF FAMILIES: HEAD UNDER PENSION: IN GREAT BRITAIN: DECEMBER 1977
Thousands
					Excluding supplementary benefit recipients
	Numbers below supplementary benefit level		Numbers receiving supplementary benefit		Numbers at or above supplementary benefit level but less than 10 per cent, above		Numbers at or above supplementary benefit level but less than 20 per cent, above		Numbers at or above supplementary benefit level but less than 40 per cent, above
	Families	Children	Families	Children	Families	Children	Families	Children	Families	Children
One-parent families	[40]	70	320	590	[20]	[50]	[50]	120	90	200
Two-parent families	160	350	150	400	120	260	360	810	880	1,940
Notes on the table:
1. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000.
2. The estimates for those not receiving supplementary benefit are based on the Department of Health and Social Security analysis of incomes and other information recorded by respondents to the family expenditure survey for 1977. The estimates are subject to statistical error; those figures in square brackets are subject to very considerable proportionate statistical error. Estimates of those receiving supplementary benefit are derived from the annual statistical inquiry of supplementary benefit claimants.
3. These estimates relate only to the population living in private households. Families and persons in institutions are not sampled in the family expenditure survey.
4. The supplementary benefit level is taken as being the supplementary benefit ordinary scale rate appropriate to the family. Income refers to net income—including all benefits—less housing costs, work expenses, income tax and national insurance contributions as appropriate.
5. The comparison is based on the family's normal income in the normal employment of the family head. For example, where the head of the family had been off work due to sickness or unemployment for less than three months at the time of the survey, the family's normal income when the head was at work was used in determining the level of income.
6. The estimates of numbers of families with income below the supplementary benefit level do not indicate unclaimed entitlement to supplementary benefit. For example, those who are in full-time work or undertaking full-time further education would not normally have entitlement to supplementary benefit. For others not precluded from claiming, no regard is had in these estimates to factors such as disregarded income, treatment of capital or exceptional circumstances additions, each of which can affect payment of supplementary benefit.
7. Separate estimates of families with apparent unclaimed entitlement to supplementary benefit are now made annually. Those for 1976 were published in the annual report of the Supplementary Benefits Commission for 1977—Cmnd. 7392. Estimates for 1977 will be published in the Commission's report for 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the speech made by the Under-Secretary of State at the fourth world conference on smoking and health still represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

I endorse the theme of the speech by my hon. Friend, the Under-Secretary of State at the fourth world conference where he singled out smoking as the major challenge for preventive medicine and confirmed that this Government remain committed to pursuing policies to reduce the toll of illness which smoking causes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many low-income families were subject to a marginal rate of (a) over 100 per cent., (b) 75 per cent. to 99 per cent. and (c) 50 per cent. to 74 per cent.; taking into account loss of means-tested benefits, in 1976, 1977 and 1978.

[pursuant to her reply, 24 May 1979, c. 214–5]: The table below sets out the estimates as at 1977 of the numbers of families who were then theoretically subject to marginal tax rates of 50 per cent. and above. As with the earlier figures, extreme caution should be exercised in any use of these estimates.

NUMBERS OF FAMILIES THEORETICALLY SUBJECT TO MARGINAL TAX RATES OF 50 PER CENT. OR MORE
Range of marginal tax rates (per cent.)	Number of families theoretically affected
50 but less than 75	250,000
75 but less than 100	60,000
100 and over	[50,000]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the arrangements under which war pensioners can obtain hospital treatment for their war disabilities.

Yes. Not only are war pensioners entitled to priority admission to National Health Service hospitals—subject only to emergency and other urgent cases—where treatment is needed for an accepted disability, but I have now reached an agreement with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence which, within the normal National Health Service intake, will give war pensioners greater access to Service hospitals than hitherto.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many dental treatments of children there have been annually in Birmingham since 1964.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 July 1979, c. 685]: Information cannot be given in the form requested since the details are not available before 1978 of dental treatment provided for children in Birmingham in the National Health Service general dental service. However, the following tables give the numbers of fillings and extractions and of general anaesthetics provided by the community dental services—formerly the school and priority dental services of local authorities—between 1965 and 1978 inclusive. Figures for dental treatments provided in the community dentae services in England are given for comparison.These figures show that during these years, compared with England, there have been among children treated in the Birmingham community dental services (a) substantial reductions in the numbers of deciduous and permanent teeth extracted and in the numbers of general anaesthetics—which are often associated with multiple extractions—and (b) a substantial increase in the number of natural teeth conserved.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the annual cost of extending the mobility allowance to include all registered blind persons.

If mobility allowance were to be provided for registered blind people under age 65, the additional annual cost would be of the order of £20 million a year. If it were to be provided for all registered blind people, regardless of age, the extra total cost would be about £65 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for the years 1976, 1977 and 1978 the number of man days lost in the United Kingdom due to (a) alcohol, (b) other sickness and (c) strikes.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 July 1979, c. 770–71]: For the year ending 3 June 1978 the total number of days of certified incapacity for work—including those attributable to alcohol—in the United Kingdom was 419.4 million.I regret that the totals given in col (2) of my reply of 6 July 1979 were incorrect. The table should be read as follows:

Year	Days of certified incapacity for work*	United Kingdom Working days lost because of industrial disputes in progress during the year*
(1)	(2)	(3)
	Millions	Millions
1975	340·7	6·0
1976	Not available	3·3
1977†	384·9	10·1
1978‡	419·4	9·3
* Figures in column (2) are for all days (including those attributable to alcohol) in the statistical year ending in June. In column (3) figures are for the calendar year.
† Includes 34·3 million days for non-contributory invalidity pension introduced in November 1975.
‡ Includes 36·5 million days for non-contributory invalidity pension.