asked the Lord Privy Seal what are his intentions regarding the development divisions of the former Ministry of Overseas Development.

This is currently under review.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he is continuing the programme of assistance to the people of Chile, channelled through voluntary agencies.

No. It will end at the end of this financial year.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what development assistance he proposes to provide to the new Government of Nicaragua.

We are helping to finance significant emergency and reconstruction aid, mainly through multilateral institutions.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he is continuing the work of the special task force within the Department to work on alternative sources of energy appropriate to developing countries.

Research and development work on renewable energy sources for developing countries is continuing under the aid programme, based on the advice of the overseas development administration's professional advisers and experts from outside Government.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what progress has been made in respect of the survey of Ocean Isles (Banaba) and in identifying specific requests for development there and on Rabi Isles in Fiji.

The Rabi Council of Leaders proposed changes in the composition of the appraisal team. We are seeking the agreement of the Government of Kiribati to these. No specific requests have yet reached us for assistance for development on Banaba or Rabi.

asked the Lord Privy Seal which tea estates in Bangladesh owned by British companies will benefit, and by how much, from the £22 million aid project announced in June.

Of the 149 tea estates in Bangladesh which will be eligible to benefit from the United Kingdom contribution to the tea rehabilitation programme announced earlier this year, 29 are owned by three British companies.The estates will be required to submit their investment plans to the Bangladesh Government's programme co-ordinating committee. British consultants, appointed to assist with the planning and supervision of the programme, will be represented on this committee. Approved plans specifically endorsed by the British consultants may be financed from United Kingdom aid funds. It is impossible to quantify at present the extent to which any potential recipient is likely to benefit.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he proposes increases in the bilateral aid programme to Turkey, or in a United Kingdom contribution to multilateral assistance to Turkey.

We agreed recently to provide £15 million in the form of a bilateral aid loan as our contribution to the OECD programme of emergency assistance to Turkey. We have also agreed to refinance Turkey's official aid debts falling due between 1 July 1979 and 30 June 1980 at a cost to the aid programme of £3·5 million.In addition, a further tranche of aid to Turkey through the European Community budget is currently under discussion with the Turks, and the United Kingdom would meet its appropriate share of this.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the cuts in education expenditure by Nottinghamshire county council; and if he will make a statement.

None. I understand that the Nottinghamshire education authority has made proposals for reducing its planned current expenditure in the present financial year and in 1980–81.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average cost to public funds of educating a child of less than 11 years of age in the maintained schools of England and Wales for the last year for which the figure is available.

In the financial year 1977–78 the average net institutional recurrent cost per child at maintained primary—including middle deemed primary—schools in England and Wales was £324 at 1978 survey prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now answer questions about university admissions and the number of applications for particular courses at individual universities.

Such information is not generally available to my Department. The uinversities central council on admissions—UCCA—collects the information about university applications and admissions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the age, length of sentence and prison of three women imposed in 1978 in default of payment of a fine for begging and sleeping out.

The three women received into prison department establishments in England and Wales in 1978 in default of payment of a fine for begging and sleeping out were aged 43, 52 and 57; each was received on sentence of seven days into Holloway.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the age, length of sentence and prison of the three women, aged 60 years and over sentenced to immediate imprisonment in 1978 for begging and sleeping out.

In 1978 there were four receptions of women aged 60 and over into prison department establishments in England and Wales on sentence of immediate imprisonment for begging and sleeping out. Two women, aged 61 and 63 on first reception, were received twice on sentence of 14 days into Holloway.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the age, length of sentence and prison of the 24 men aged 60 years and over subject to immediate imprisonment in 1978 for begging and sleeping out.

The 24 receptions were of 13 men; four, aged on first reception 64, 64, 65 and 68, were received three times; three, aged 60, 63 and 66, were received twice and six, aged 60, 60, 60, 63, 69 and 74 were received once. Six of the sentences were of 14 days, four of 28 days, two of 30 days, one of 44 days, seven of 60 days and four of 90 days. One man was received on sentence into Lincoln, one into Liverpool and one into Oxford; the remaining 21 receptions were into Pentonville.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the age, length of sentence and prison in which held of the two men imprisoned in 1978 for default of payment of a fine for drunkenness and who were held for up to six months.

In 1978 two men were received into prison department establishments in England and Wales with a sentence of more than three months and up to and including six months in default of payment of a fine for drunkenness. One, aged 29, was sentenced to 140 days and received into Liverpool prison on sentence. The other, aged 31, was sentenced to 108 days and received into Lincoln prison on sentence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the age, length of sentence and prison in which held of the 13 men imprisoned in 1978 in default of payment of a fine for drunkenness and who were held for two or three months.

In 1978 13 men were received into prison department establishments in England and Wales with a sentence of more than two months and up to and including three months in default of payment of a fine for drunkenness. Two of these men were aged 20, the others were aged 22, 24, 31, 32, 36, 37, 38, 39, 44, 46 and 52. Four were sentenced to 90 days, two each to 70 days and 63 days and one each to 72, 79, 84, 86 and 88 days. They were received on sentence into the following prisons: three into Pentonville, two into Leeds and Manchester and one each into Bedford, Durham, Lincoln, Liverpool, Winchester and Wormwood Scrubs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the age, length of sentence and prison in which held of the two women imprisoned in 1978 in default of payment of a fine for drunkenness and held for two or three months.

In 1978 two women were received into prison department establishments in England and Wales with a sentence of more than two months and up to and including three months in default of payment of a fine for drunkenness. One, aged 29, was sentenced to 75 days. The other, aged 33, was sentenced to 90 days. Both were received into Risley remand centre on sentence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the age, length of sentence and prison of the three men aged 60 years and subject to immediate imprisonment for drunkenness in 1978.

The three men aged 60 or over who were received into prison department establishments in England and Wales in 1978 sentenced to immediate imprisonment for drunkenness were aged 68, 69 and 76. They were each sentenced to one month and were received on sentence into Birmingham, Lincoln and Gloucester.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of each of the meetings between Mr. and Mrs. Maguire, both serving sentences in Her Majesty's prisons; how far apart their prisons are situated; when visits over this distance started; why they are not kept nearer to each other; and what plans he has to reduce the cost to the taxpayer of their visits.

The prisons in question are 212 miles apart and visits between Mr. and Mrs. Maguire over this distance started in March this year. The present locations of Mr. and Mrs. Maguire were decided taking security and other considerations into account, including the cost of visits. I shall write to my hon. Friend about the costs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons contain prisoners of both sexes; how many married couples are currently in prison; what arrangements exist for them to meet; and, in deciding where to place such prisoners, what consideration is given to any consequent saving of money by avoiding the need for lengthy journeys.

One prison and three remand centres hold both men and women prisoners. No figure is available of married couples imprisoned, but some 37 couples currently have inter-prison visits. These are not an entitlement, but are usually allowed at three-monthly intervals, arrangements being made by the two governors. The cost of visits can only be one factor taken into account in the location of these prisoners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to institute a procedure whereby magistrates license self-service stores in respect of their theft-preventive measures similar to the system used to issue licences for the sale of alcoholic beverages.

This proposal is one of several contained in the report on shoplifting which my hon. Friend sent to me earlier in the year. We shall be writing to him about this shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, when preparing his new legislation on nationality, he plans to consider the right of Irish citizens to vote in United Kingdom general elections.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Knutsford (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) on 26 October.—[Vol. 965, c. 327.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what number of special representations he has received from Members of Parliament on behalf of people trying to enter Great Britain but disallowed by the immigration officials; how many of these cases proved to have reasonable grounds for such representations; and what was the cost to the public purse on average of each intervention by Members of Parliament.

I regret that this information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate expense.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate a simpler and more effective method whereby bona fide temporary visitors to Great Britain from the Asian subcontinent can obtain clearance in their country of origin.

The immigration rules provide that a Commonwealth citizen who wishes to ascertain in advance whether he is eligible for admission to the United Kingdom can apply to the appropriate British representative overseas for entry clearance. Similar provision exists for citizens of Pakistan. The arrangements for dealing with such applications at posts overseas are a matter for the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. If my hon. Friend has any proposals for change in the existing arrangements perhaps he would write about them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Vietnamese refugees have so far arrived in the United Kingdom; how many are currently in reception centres; of these, how many have been there for more than three months; and if he is satisfied that the arrangements for processing and housing these refugees are satisfactory.

Since 1975 over 4,000 refugees from Vietnam have arrived or been allowed to remain here. There are currently about 2,200 refugees in reception centres, of whom approximately 1,200 have been there for longer than three months. Arrangements for the reception and resettlement of these refugees by the voluntary organisations are now being co-ordinated by the joint committee for refugees from Vietnam, of which I have just appointed Sir Arthur Peterson, KCB, MVO, to be chairman.I am satisfied that these arrangements should enable us to fulfil our programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now answer questions on grants given by the Equal Opportunities Commission.

While my right hon. Friend has never declined to answer any question about such grants where the question related to matters which were within his responsibility or concerned the scope of that responsibility, substantive decisions about the making of grants by the Equal Opportunities Commission under section 54 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 are entirely the responsibility of the Commission and he has no standing in such matters.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give further details about the sale of part of the Government's shareholding in British Petroleum.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget Statement that the Government intended to sell part of their shareholding in British Petroleum.—[Vol. 968, c. 249.] Arrangements have therefore been made for the sale of 80 million ordinary shares of 25p each in the company. The sale of 80 million shares represents 5·17 per cent. of BP shares and will reduce the total of the Government and Bank of England holdings, taken together, to some 46 per cent.The invitation to underwrite the sale of these shares at £3·63 a share was issued this morning and this has been successfully completed. A press notice is being issued by the Bank of England giving more particulars of the sale and detailed terms of the offer will be advertised in the press on 4 and 5 November. Copies of the prospectus and application forms will be available from 5 November from the Bank of England and its branches, main United Kingdom branches of many banks, main branches of the trustee savings banks, main post offices, the banks underwriting the offer and from the brokers to the offer. Application lists will open at 10 am on 9 November and close some time later that day. Applications from employees of BP and its United Kingdom subsidiaries for shares not exceeding £500 in value at the offer price as well as applications from the trustees of the BP group employee participating share scheme will be allocated in full. My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer made clear in his Budget Statement that the Government's sales of State-owned assets would, besides serving the immediate purpose of helping reduce the borrowing requirement, be an essential part of the Government's long-term programme for promoting the widest possible participation by the people in the ownership of British industry. So far as possible, this intention will be taken into account when making allocations in the event of over-subscription. In addition, the minimum size of application on this occasion will be 75 shares as compared with the equivalent of 100 shares in the 1977 sale.The prospectus will record that the Government do not intend to sell any more of their present holding in the company, nor is there any intention to sell, other than to the Government, any of the shares in the company representing the holding acquired by the Bank of England from the Burmah Oil Company Limited and one of its subsidiaries, for the foreseeable future. It will also record the Government's reaffirmation of their intention to maintain their relationship with BP in a way which does not breach the traditional practice of non-intervention in the administration of BP as a commercial concern.A token Estimate will be presented to the House in due course to provide for the expenses of the sale, including any arising from indemnities given in connection with the sale. A minute will be laid before Parliament today regarding those indemnities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in securing a fairer contribution by the United Kingdom to the European Economic Community budget.

Her Majesty's Government have continued to build on the progress made by the Prime Minister at the June European Council. The European Commission has produced a reference paper which demonstrates the serious inequity of the United Kingdom's prospective net contribution, and will shortly be submitting to member States its proposals for a solution. The Government hope that these proposals will provide the basis for agreement, at next month's European Council, on a solution which will remedy the present inequity, and ensure that it does not arise again.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the level of tax evasion in the building and construction industry in each of the past four financial years.

By the very nature of evasion it is not possible to put a firm figure on the amount of tax which is lost in this way, but the amounts could well be very substantial indeed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total cost to the Inland Revenue of running the tax exemption certificates scheme for the building and construction industry.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the arrangements which came into force in April 1977.The cost is about £4·7 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the figures for capital repatriation to Great Britain by British companies owning tea estates in India, Bangladesh, Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania, in each of the last five years.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, with reference to his written answers to the hon. Member for Warley, East, Official Report, 6 July, column 773, and Official Report, 25 July column 287, the Commissioners of Inland Revenue have, under their general responsibility, in recent years exercised their discretion to waive interest charges in respect of the value of works of art and museum objects accepted in satisfaction of estate duty and capital transfer tax.

In a small number of cases in which property has been offered and subsequently accepted in satisfaction of a liability to estate duty or capital transfer tax the Inland Revenue has waived interest on that liability for a period following the receipt of the offer.As I said in reply to the hon. Gentleman on 6 July, one of the recommendations made in the third report of the Expenditure Committee—Environment Sub-Committee—of Session 1977–78 relates to this point; the Government are still considering this recommendation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many merchant banks have given training facilities to civil servants at Her Majesty's Treasury in the last year; which merchant banks have given such facilities; and how many civil servants have benefited from such training.

As part of a continuing programme of secondments three merchant banks—Kleinwort Benson Limited, S. G. Warburg and Co. Limited, and Finance for Industry Limited—have each had one Treasury official serving with them during the last year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now consider the introduction of tax relief on commuters' rail fares.

No, I do not think it would be right to give tax relief for this particular type of personal expenditure.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the percentage increase in domestic credit expansion in each of the last three months for which figures are available.

Domestic credit expansion in each month as a percentage of the sterling M3 stock is as follows:

Seasonally adjusted per cent.:

DCE^*

Banking July—0·8

Banking August—2·0

Banking September—1·7

^* There are no stock figures available for DCE. The figures have been calculated by taking seasonally adjusted DCE during the month as a percentage of the seasonally adjusted sterling M3 stock at the beginning of the month.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will estimate the contractionary effect on sterling M3 over the last six months caused by the balance of payments deficit.

The external adjustments between DCE and £M3, which broadly reflect the private sector's external balance on both current and capital account, amounted to minus £1,115 million—seasonally adjusted—in the six months to mid-September. However, the overall impact of external transactions on £M3 is not simply equal to this statistical effect but will also depend on the impact of external developments on, for example, bank lending and the demand for gilts. These indirect effects cannot be measured with any precision, but it is likely that they have served to reduce although not eliminate the contractionary effect on £M3.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the abolition of exchange controls, how the Government propose to monitor capital movements in order to arrive at the balance for official financing.

The abolition of exchange controls will make no difference to the information available on the balance for official financing itself, as that is derived by adding the data on official financing transactions, all of which are known to Her Majesty's Government. These are the transactions shown "below the line" in the balance of payments accounts. However, there will be less information available that hitherto about certain types of current and capital account transactions which contribute to the balance for official financing—transactions shown "above the line". Discussions are being undertaken to consider how the loss of statistical information from exchange control sources can be made good.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that overseas banks report directly to the Inland Revenue on interest paid to depositors who are resident in the United Kingdom.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action the Government propose to take, in view of the abandonment of exchange controls, to strengthen control over the money supply, in view of the opportunities for avoiding the present controls by the use of offshore banking facilities.

The main means of achieving monetary control remain the control of the PSBR and adjustments in the level of interest rates. The effects of the abolition of exchange control will be clearly one of the factors which need to be taken into account when the Government consider whether to roll forward the SSD scheme, which currently extends to mid-December. Consideration of other techniques of monetary control will also take account of this factor.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he plans to prevent the inflationary consequences of the current high level of wage settlements.

The Government are determined to master inflation by the resolute pursuit of firm monetary and fiscal policies: pay settlements which do not reflect improvements in productivity or efficiency will inevitably result in redundancies, or bankruptcies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the light of the general increase in house prices in the last 12 months, and in particular the level of increases in London and the home counties, he will increase the special advances limit currently £20,000 which applies to building sacieties.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to review the powers of Customs and Excise and Inland Revenue offices to enter business premises.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 October 1979]: As we said in our manifesto, we intend to undertake a thorough review of the enforcement procedures of the Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1979–80 and 1980–81.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 October 1979]: The Treasury lets contracts only rarely and does not have any special arrangements of this kind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the officials for whom he is responsible have the power to enter premises subject to statutory conditions; and if in each case he will indicate the statutory authority under which such power is exercised.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 October 1979, c. 291]: The information requested is as follows:CUSTOMS AND EXCISE

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the homeworking advisory committee will next meet; what its agenda will be; and whether it will be maintained.

The future of this committee is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he will take to safeguard the pay and conditions of homeworkers outside wages council trades.

Decisions in this area will depend on the outcome of my Department' current programme of research into the numbers, distribution, and characteristics of homeworkers both inside and outside the wages council trades.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if public expenditure cuts will affect the Wages Inspectorate; and, if so, to what extent;(2) when he envisages the cycle of inspection in wages council trades to be reduced to five years and four years, respectively;(3) if public expenditure cuts will affect the homeworking unit of the Wages Inspectorate; and, if so, to what extent.

The Government are currently considering to what extent proposals for a reduction in public expenditure would affect the planned programme of the Wages Inspectorate and its homeworking unit.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated cost of the proposed purchase by the Property Services Agency on behalf of his Department for use as jobcentres of shops with exclusive ground floor display fronting main shopping streets in the following neighbouring districts: Bayswater, Harrow Road N.9, Earls Court, Notting Hill Gate, Shepherds Bush, Harlesden, South Harrow, Hendon Central, Greenford, Cricklewood, Kingsbury, Ashford (Middlesex) and Southall.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission—MSC—that plans for establishing jobcentres in these districts have not yet reached a stage where the costs of acquiring premises can be estimated. The Property Services Agency, which acts on behalf of the MSC in such matters, is at present looking for suitable sites and until such sites have been identified it is impossible to assess the likely costs. If and when sites are found in these locations all projects will have stringent tests of cost effectiveness applied to them before any are authorised.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobcentres have been opened by the Manpower Services Commission since 3 May; at what total cost; and how many job placements have been made by such jobcentres.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that 40 jobcentres have been opened since 3 May 1979 at a total cost of £1,867,373. This figure includes the cost of purchase of buildings or of lease premiums where appropriate, and the cost of any necessary adaptations to the premises.The table below shows the number of new jobcentres opened and the placings achieved by them in the months May to October 1979.

Month	Number of jobcentre openings	Placings achieved by all jobcentres opened since 1 May 1979
May	1	27
June	8	728
July	7	1,129
August	7	2,131
September	10	3,103
October	7	—
Total	40	7,118

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobcentres the Manpower Services Commission expects to open between 31 October and 3 May 1980; and at what total estimated cost.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it expects to open 56 jobcentres between 31 October 1979 and 3 May 1980 at a total cost of about £3,043,000. This figure includes the cost of purchase of buildings or of lease premiums where appropriate, and the costs of any necessary adaptations to the premises.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many additional career officer posts, funded from central Government resources, have been authorised since 4 May.

None. Local authorities are still in process of filling the 640 posts—330 careers officers and 310 employment assistants—previously authorised for Great Britain. On 18 October 71 posts were still unfilled.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) on whose authority binoculars were issued to investigators in his Department; how many have been issued; what was their total cost; by whom are they used and for what purpose; and if there are any guidelines as to their use;(2) if he will prohibit the use of binoculars by members of his Department when used for observing claimants.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on what are acceptable levels of white asbestos dust to which workers should be exposed.

I am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that, as practical guidance in complying with the Asbestos Regulations 1969 and the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974, occupational exposure to dust from all forms of asbestos should be reduced to the minimum reasonably practicable. In addition, in the case of white—chrysotile—asbestos, occupational exposure should never exceed 2 fibres/ml when measurements are averaged over a four-hour sampling period. Short-term occupational exposures should not exceed 12 fibres/ml when measured over any ten minute period.In its final report the advisory committee on asbestos has recommended retention of the first criterion and a more stringent limit for the maximum occupational exposure to dust from white—chrysotile—asbestos of 1 fibre/ml—averaged over a four-hour sampling period—from 1 December 1980. The Health and Safety Commission has invited comments on this and other recommendations in the advisory committee's final report and, when these have been assessed, will advise on appropriate future action.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what approaches have been made by the Welsh Office to the European Investment Bank for loans to speed up construction of the A55 Euroroute in the counties of Gwynedd and Clwyd; and what has been the response of the EIB.

None. The availability of such loans would not in fact speed up the construction of the A55 project.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the state of the sheep industry; and if he will make a statement.

A number of factors are currently depressing market prices. Returns on fat sheep are being supported by substantial payments under the fat sheep guarantee scheme. Pressure is being maintained on the French Government to abide by the judgment of the European Court and to allow free access for imports of United Kingdom sheepmeat. The hill livestock compensatory allowances are currently under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will provide a table showing the bids made by each county of Wales in the revised finance forms of the 1980–81 transport policy programmes submissions, under the following headings; public transport capital, highways capital, traffic management, parking capital, other capital, total capital, maintenance, revenue support, other current spending, total current and total transport supplementary grant eligible expenditure;(2) if he will provide a table showing at November 1978 prices the total transport policy programme base programme bids for Welsh counties, the total expenditure accepted by Government, the proportion of the bid accepted and the transport supplementary grant paid for each year since 1975–76.

Transport policies and programmes are not statutory documents and it is for individual counties to decide whether to publish their bids. Details of past settlements are:

TSG SETTLEMENTS—WALES
		Nov '78 Prices
Settlement year and Accepted Expenditure		£m Grant
1975–76	83·205	19·483
1976–77	87·078	28·924
1977–78	74·446	28·583
1978–79	82·026	32·524
1979–80	81·463	31·314

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what functions the Department of Health and Social Security in Northern Ireland discharges which in England and Wales are discharged by local authorities.

The Department of Health and Social Services is responsible for the provision of personal social services in Northern Ireland—a responsibility similar to that of local authorities in Great Britain.The Department's functions are exercised by the health and social services boards in Northern Ireland on behalf of the Department.

	Accounting year ending in
	1974	1975	1976
	£ million	£ million	£ million
Total amount held by all firms of solicitors in clients' accounts at year end	662	753	760
Interest retained in year net of amounts paid over to clients	21	21	19
	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
Proportion of average firm of solicitors' income derived from this source	4·3	3·6	2·8
Scotland: The Royal Commission on legal services in Scotland is examining the remuneration of solicitors. Its report is expected next year. No information is presently available.
Northern Ireland: No information is available.

asked the Attorney-General whether any companies or individuals in addition to those listed in his letter of 26 July to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South have been successfully prosecuted; and, if so, in each case how long the Director of Public Prosecution took to consider the evidence before recommending prosecution.

I have written to the hon. Member.

asked the Attorney-General what has been the average amount of money held by all solicitors in the United Kingdom in client accounts for each of the last three years; what has been the net income to solicitors throughout the United Kingdom against moneys deposited in client accounts for each of the last three years; and what proportion of solicitors' income has been derived from this source for each of the last three years for the average solicitor and for the 10 per cent. of solicitors who receive the highest proportion, respectively.

England and Wales: No information is available for 1977 or 1978, or in respect of that 10 per cent. of solicitors who derived the highest proportion of their income from interest on clients' accounts. The following estimates, for 1974, 1975 and 1976, were made in a survey conducted on behalf of the Royal Commission on legal services.

asked the Attorney-General if he will refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions with a view to prosecution under the Children Act 1978, the distributors of the film "Pretty Baby".

The Director has considered this matter and has decided not to institute any criminal proceedings.

asked the Attorney-General what is the average amount of additional costs incurred by defendants in legal aid cases due to vetting procedures of the jury panel.

I have been asked to reply.I regret that this information is not readily available.

asked the Attorney-General whether he has yet considered the Law Commissioners' report.

I have been asked to reply.As I said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Mr. Hamilton) on 18 July 1979, I am considering what action I should take in the light of the recommendations contained in the Law Commission report on implied terms in contracts for the supply of goods, HC 142, July 1979.—[Vol. 970, c. 706–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what submission has been made to the EEC on the import of jute manufactures into the Common Market from India and Bangladesh.

None. Officials are currently engaged in exploratory discussions within the Community about the future of the EEC's jute agreements with India and Bangladesh, which expire at the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps he considers might help to prevent the practice of glue sniffing among young people; whether he has reason to believe the problem is worsening; and if he will make a statement.

I fully share the hon. Member's concern about this dangerous practice but, taking the country as a whole, I have no reason to believe that the problem is worsening. The pattern seems to be one of scattered outbreaks among young people rather than a continuing or widespread habit.There is no easy solution. The only practical policy in my view is to rely on the activities of drug liaison committees, schoolteachers, doctors, social workers, police and youth organisers to educate young people on the dangers of "sniffing" in those localities where there is evidence that this is taking place.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what study he has made of the firework accident figures in recent years; if he now proposes to take additional steps aimed at reducing the number and severity of these accidents; and if he will make a statement.

My Department studies the firework accident figures each year. I am concerned that the downward trend in the number of accidents was reversed in 1977 and 1978, but I am hopeful that the present publicity on firework safety will reduce their numbers this year. In an attempt to reduce the number of accidents caused by street incidents, the manufacturers have voluntarily agreed to reduce the explosive content of bangers and, in order to prevent accidents with home-made fireworks, I am considering the feasibility of requiring sodium chlorate and products based on it to be available to the public only in such a form as to be ineffective for making explosive mixtures.I intend to keep the Department's policy on fireworks under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will give details in the Official Report of the arrangements which have been made by his Department prior to 5 November to publicise the dangers of firework accidents; and if he will make a statement.

Publicity material made available by my Department includes a new firework safety poster featuring a well-known television personality, a new leaflet on organised displays and a leaflet which has been distributed to all registered retailers of fireworks, drawing their attention to the legislation and voluntary agreements covering the sale of fireworks. Ten television filler films on the safe use of fireworks are possessed by the television networks and four new radio tapes have been recorded and distributed.A pack of publicity material, including a cartoon strip, has been issued to the media and has received a wide press coverage. In addition, other bodies such as ROSPA and the Firework Makers Guild have co-operated with the Department by producing and distributing material on firework safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade why Turkey has been allowed to exceed the import quota of yarn by importing 3,540 tonnes to the end of June when the agreed ceiling was 2,940 tonnes.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 October 1979, c. 396]: There is no quota on the import of cotton yarn from Turkey.

asked the Prime Minister if she will discuss with President Carter at their forthcoming meeting the anti-British campaign being organised by the Irish Republican Army in the United States, with a view to exposing the nature, financing and effect on relations between Great Britain and the United States of America, of this campaign.

In his statement of August 1977 President Carter called on all Americans to refrain from supporting, with financial or other aid, organisations directly or indirectly involved in violence. The agenda for my discussions with President Carter later this year has not yet been finalised. But I shall certainly be ready to explain the Government's policy on Northern Ireland to the President.

asked the Prime Minister if she has received representations from elected members of the Hong Kong urban council calling for more democratic reform of the urban council; and if she will make a statement.

I received a letter from representatives of the elected members of the council asking me to meet a delegation. My hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs saw the delegation yesterday on my behalf and discussed its proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the outcome of his review of price controls over premium paraffin.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 July 1979, c. 204–5]: Consequent on the vote in the House on 24 October, an Order in Council—SI 1979/1375—has been made which revokes the Paraffin (Maximum Retail Prices) (Revocation) Order 1979 (SI 1979/797) with effect from today, 31 October. However, in view of the importance of assuring paraffin supplies to those who need it I have today made an Order—SI 1979/1383—again revoking the Paraffin (Maximum Retail Prices) Order 1976 and the orders amending that order, also with effect from today. The House therefore has a further opportunity to consider whether paraffin retail prices should be controlled. In the meantime, paraffin retail prices remain uncontrolled.Copies of the Order in Council, SI 1979/1375, will be available to the House in due course. The further order, SI 1979/1383, is being laid before the House today.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will indicate the current policy of the Government on "Plan for Coal" and on the future level of investment in the coal industry.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 October 1979]: The Government believe that a competitive and efficient coal industry has an important part to play in meeting future energy demand; and that the substantial investment in the coal industry initiated by "Plan for Coal" should therefore continue. The Government have approved a level of investment in 1980–81 which, at outturn prices, will be over £700 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1979–80 and 1980–81.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 October 1979]: My Department's purchasing contracts are few in number and for relatively small amounts. Any special arrangements of the sort envisaged would not, therefore, be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the position of the draft EEC regulation covering ethyl alcohol; and whether he proposes to recommend deletion or amendments of article 8(3);(2) what is the cost of operating the scheme for the assistance of ethyl alcohol in £ sterling and the extent of benefit to British agriculture and the loss to the United Kingdom chemical industry.

I have been asked to reply.The EEC Commission's draft regulation for a common organisation of the market in agricultural alcohol is still under discussion at technical level in the Council of Agriculture Ministers. I have reservations about a number of the provisions, including article 8(3), but it would be premature to reach any conclusion about the possible costs and benefits to the United Kingdom of the proposal at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the volume of ethyl alcohol produced in the United Kingdom (a) from agricultural sources and (b) synthetically, together with the manufacturing cost of each and the energy required to produce a given quantity of the chemical.

I have been asked to reply.In 1978 United Kingdom manufacturers produced 519,885 h1 of agricultural ethyl alcohol and 2,963,006 h1 of synthetic ethyl alcohol—expressed as pure alcohol. Information on manufacturers' costs and energy inputs is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the wind tunnels already operating in the United Kingdom in public and private ownership, indicating the capacity of each and the energy intake.

There are about 150 aeronautical wind tunnels operating in the United Kingdom in Government establishments, industry and universities. I am placing in the Library of the House a copy of the list of Commonwealth wind tunnels—CC740—produced in January 1977 by the Commonwealth advisory aeronautical research council, which includes the United Kingdom tunnels.The major wind tunnels operated by the Ministry of Defence, and their energy intakes, are:

RAE Farnborough
24 ft. diameter, sub-sonic	1,500 Kilowatts
11½ ft. x 8½ ft., sub-sonic	3,600 Kilowatts
4 ft. x 3 ft., sub-sonic	150 Kilowatts
5 m. x 4·2 m., sub-sonic	19,700 Kilowatts
8 ft. x 6 ft., transonic	15,000 Kilawatts

RAE Bedford
13 ft. x 9 ft., sub-sonic	1,115 Kilowatts
3 ft. x 3 ft. transonic and supersonic	9,000 Kilowatts
8 ft. x 8 ft. subsonic and supersonic	60,000 Kilowatts
Ministry of Defence
Wednesday 31st October 1979

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects the new transonic wind tunnel will be built in the United Kingdom; what is the anticipated cost; and where it will be located;(2) whether he is contemplating a European facility for wind tunnel development funded on an international basis.

European requirements for additional transonic wind tunnel facilities have been under consideration in NATO and preliminary studies of technical feasibility and options are currently in hand. No firm decisions have been taken, although we expect things to be clearer by the middle of next year. The Ministry of Defence has no plans itself to construct a new transonic wind tunnel.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether there is any correlation between frequency of tours of duty in Northern Ireland and the rate at which Service men are leaving the Forces; and whether the present rate of recruitment is sufficient to compensate for the number leaving the Army.

It is not possible to establish a direct correlation or to consider separately those departures from the Forces which may be influenced by periods of service in Northern Ireland from those brought about by many other factors. Wastage has reduced and recruiting has improved in recent months. The trained strength of the Army at the end of September 1979 showed a net increase of 638 male personnel over the strength at the end of August 1979.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in negotiations on the common fisheries policy, he is maintaining his predecessor's stand of refusing to agree to any settlement in different sections, such as quotas, conservation, and so on, in advance of the total package.

The Government continue to seek agreement on a revised common fishery policy which meets the Government's stated requirements on all aspects. I am in close touch with the industry and am aware of the priority it attaches to effective conservation as part of a satisfactory overall settlement. The Government are accordingly determined to ensure that whilst negotiations continue towards an overall settlement developments within the Community do not result in a reduction in the protection given to fish stocks by current United Kingdom conservation measures.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he proposes to increase hill livestock compensatory allowances; and, if so, to what figure in the case of (a) breeding cows and (b) hardy breeding ewes.

I intend to announce the outcome of the current review of the hill livestock compensatory allowances before the end of November.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to announce any further assistance to the hill farmers.

The review of hill livestock compensatory allowances which I promised would be carried out this autumn is now in progress. I intend to announce the Government's decision before the end of November.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans his Department has to compensate the hill farming industry for the unusually heavy losses which that industry has sustained during the past year.

The review of hill livestock compensatory allowances is in progress and my right hon. Friend intends to announce the Government's decision before the end of November.

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is the Government's policy towards the proposal made by the secretariat of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the Food and Agriculture Organisation for an international tea agreement;

The Government are of the opinion that tea is a suitable commodity for an international commodity agreement. The UNCTAD secretariat is engaged on further necessary studies in preparation for the resumption of negotiations in Geneva early in December.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers meetings in Luxembourg on 29–30 October,

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what was the value of New Zealand lamb imports into the United Kingdom in 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978, and to the latest available date in the current year; and if he will make a statement;(2) what is his policy in relation to the import of lamb from New Zealand; and if he will make a statement.

The value of United Kingdom imports of New Zealand lamb in these years was as follows:

	£'000 (cif)
1975	114,896
1976	120,624
1977	150,483
1978	162,985
1979 (January-August)	125,240

Year	Income	Expenditure	Surplus/Deficit
	£	£	£
1975–76	6,468,771	9,571,588	-3,102,817
1976–77	8,502,475	10,752,104	-2,249,629
1977–78	12,262,915	10,686,108	+1,576,807
1978–79	11,576,175	10,972,504	+603,671
1979–80		Not yet available

Similar information relating to heavy goods vehicle driver testing is as follows:—

Year	Income	Expenditure	Surplus/Deficit
	£	£	£
1975–76	451,355	1,668,500	-1,217,145
1976–77	972,076	1,492,941	-520,865
1977–78	1,299,175	1,437,644	-138,469
1978–79	1,517,870	1,465,371	+52,499
1979–80		Not yet available

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce legislation to seek to make passenger transport executives fully accountable to their respective local authorities, and establish transport committees with powers similar to other local committees.

Metropolitan county councils, as passenger transport authorities, already have wide statutory powers of control over their passenger transport executives. I have no immediate plans to amend the legislation, but I am prepared to consider the arguments.

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the income from driving test fees and the expenditure relating to driving tests during 1976, 1977, 1978 and so far during the current year.

Income and expenditure to learner driving tests is as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made with the implementation of the regional highway traffic model; and if he will make a statement.

Much of the material collected and developed as part of the regional highway traffic model project is already being used extensively by the Department and has been made available to local authorities. The future role in scheme assessment of the mathematical models developed as part of the project is being considered by the Department, in conjunction with the standing advisory committee on trunk road assessment. I understand that the committee hopes to report on this by the end of the year.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will provide a table showing the bids made by each county in England in the revised finance forms of the 1980–81 transport policy programmes under the following headings: public transport capital, highways capital, traffic management, parking capital, other capital, total capital, maintenance, revenue support, other current spending, total current and total transport supplementary grant eligible expenditure.

I encourage counties to publish their transport policy programmes, but they are not statutory documents. It is for individual counties to decide whether to publish their bids.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will hold discussions with all the relevant interested parties on the prospects for discontinuing the end-of-numberplate year letter for motor vehicle registrations, once the current alphabet sequence terminates.

I am aware of the wide interest in registration marks. Before reaching decisions about their future format I shall consult interested organisations. If my hon. Friend wishes to make suggestions, I shall be glad to consider them.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much money by way of grants has been provided to fish processors in the Humberside development area since that area was so designated.

In common with other food processing industries, fish processors in the assisted areas can qualify for regional development grants and regional selective assistance under parts I and II of the Industry Act 1972. Assistance may also be given by the EEC—FEOGA aid—and the White Fish Authority. I regret, however, that the total assistance given to fish processors in Humberside from any of these sources could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proposals he has to reduce the number of industrial advisory and development bodies to which he appoints members; and what consideration he has given to transferring the patronage and cost of those that remain to the industries concerned.

I will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the financial duty of Rolls-Royce (1971) Ltd. for the coming financial year.

The NEB has been given the financial duty of conducting its activities in relation to Rolls-Royce Ltd. with the aim of securing by 1981 a rate of return of 10 per cent. on capital employed in Rolls-Royce Ltd., and a progressive increase thereafter. In the years prior to 1981 the board is to maintain progress towards the 10 per cent. objective.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the amount invested in the Cambridge Instrument Company by the National Enterprise Board, since 3 May, the number and type of shares now held, the percentage of the equity this represents and the cost to the National Enterprise Board of these shares.

The company is expected today to make a rights issue of £6·5 million. This issue is fully underwritten by the National Enterprise Board, but the Board's resultant holding will not be known for some time since it will depend upon the extent to which other shareholders take up their rights. Prior to this issue the Board had not invested in the company in the period since 3 May 1979, when its shareholding was as follows:

	Number	Cost	Equity
		£'000	Per cent
Ordinary £1	712,684,255	8,020	87·1
Ordinary 10p	4,261,757
Ordinary 1p	50,000,000	500	Non-equity

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what were the total borrowings of the National Enterprise Board, as at 31 October, as defined in section I of the Industry Act 1979.

I will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will name the second director to be nominated to the board of Talbot Ltd.

I have nominated Mr. R. T. Kingdon to serve on the board of Talbot UK—formerly Chrysler UK—in place of the late Mr. Claude Birch and I am informed that he has been duly elected a director.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether the interruption in telephone billing will necessitate any adjustment to the Post Office's cash limit in 1979–80.

The corporation currently estimates that delayed payments outstanding at 31 March 1980 as a result of the interruption in billing earlier this year will amount to around £400 million. It expects to recover these payments in the first few months of the new financial year. The amount involved is at present subject to some uncertainty. I have therefore agreed with the chairman that an appropriate adjustment will need to be made to this year's cash limit when the final figure is known. The cash limit for 1980–81 will also be correspondingly adjusted.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if it remains his intention to make statutory provision for the change in the minimum value requirements for assets on which regional development grants are payable.

In the debate on regional policy on 24 July I said that the increased minimum value requirements, which I announced on 17 July, would be brought into effect under my discretion and would be embodied in the Industry Bill. In fact, the requirements have been set by discretion since the commencement of the scheme in March 1972. The Industry Bill therefore does not include any provision in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the Government's attitude to the threat to health resulting from lead additives in petrol; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are concerned to obtain up-to-date expert advice on this matter. Accordingly, a working party was established at the end of 1978 to look into all aspects of the effect on human health of exposure to lead in the environment. Its report is awaited. In this respect I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 23 October and to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for Bedford (Mr. Skeet) on 29 October.—[Vol. 972, c. 162; Vol. 972, c. 390.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the minimum income of a man, his wife and two children, using the same assumptions in the reply given to the hon. Member for Norfolk North, Official Report, 25 July, columns 312–20 (a) when receiving unemployment benefit and (b) when entirely dependent on supplementary benefit; and if he will give details of the minimum income of a man in similar circumstances when at work earning £50, £70 and £90 per week, respectively.

The information requested is set out in the table below. It is based on current rates of benefit and relates to a married couple with two children aged 4 and 6. The assumptions made to arrive at the minimum net weekly spending power are as follows:

1. Housing costs—rent	£6·50
rates	£2·80
2. Work expenses	£2·45
3. Child benefit	£8·00
4. Means-tested benefits taken up in full but no family income supplement in payment when unemployed as payment period has run out.
5. Wife has no personal income (apart from child benefit) from earnings or social security benefits.
6. Entitlement to an earnings-related supplement, when unemployed, has ceased.
7. No tax allowances apart from personal allowances.
8. Income tax refunds not included.

The information relates only to the particular illustrative situations quoted and has no general applications and no validity if quoted out of context without stating the assumptions used.

Family Circumstances	Net Weekly Spending power
Unemployed and receiving:
(a) unemployment benefit	£37·40
(b)supplementary benefit	£37·15
Working and earning:
(a) £50	£44·76
(b) £70	£52·04
(c) £90	£64·59

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claimants in recepit of unemployment benefit also receive supplementary benefit.

About 86,000 in May 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update the table given in answer to the hon. Member for Eton and Slough (Miss Lestor) Official Report, 26 October 1977, columns 755–6.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 25 October which contains the information required.—[Vol. 972, c. 305–10].

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the population is now aged over 65 years; and what that proportion is expected to be in 1990.

The information is as follows:

Percentage of the population aged 65 and over
Mid-1978 estimate	15
Mid-1990 projection	15

The percentages apply to England and Wales, Great Britain and the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice is given to local offices regarding the payment of benefit during periods when casual seasonal work is available; whether it is the practice of local offices to direct calimants into potato harvesting under the threat of losing their benefit; and if he will make a statement.

In areas where it is established that regular seasonal work is readily available, special arrangements apply. Awards of supplementary benefit are made in the usual way, but suitable claimants are informed that they ought to be able to find work within a specified time—usually two to six weeks—and that, if they do not, they will be invited for interview at the local office. Benefit may then be withdrawn if it seems clear that no serious attempt has been made to find work.Where the available seasonal work is of very short duration—for example, potato harvesting—offices sometimes arrange special interviews with potentially suitable claimants as soon as work is known to be available locally. They are encouraged to take up this temporary employment, but not under the threat of automatically losing their benefit if they do not do so. Whether or not benefit is withdrawn would depend on the circumstances of each individual case.