asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek powers to reclaim from the demonstrators the cost of policing at demonstrations.

Questions relating to the cost of demonstrations are among those being considered in the current review of the law on public order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are estimated to have relatives dependent on them for financial support.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for the years 1978, 1977, 1976 and 1975 how many custodial sentences passed by Peterborough magistrates were (a) increased, (b) left unchanged, (c) decreased and (d) removed entirely, on appeal.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if there is any information from his Department's research unit studies concerning the number of offenders who are unemployed prior to reception into prison.

Home Office research bulletin no. 5, published in 1978, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, reported the results of a survey providing limited information on this topic.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the work of the Metropolitan Police burglar alarm inspectorate, specifying whether he is satisfied with its endeavours to reduce false calls.

This is a matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. I understand from the Commissioner that he is satisfied that the burglar alarm inspectorate is serving a useful function in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the last year his officials have met representatives of (a) the Howard League for Penal Reform, (b) NACRO, (c) RAP, and (d) PROP; and if he will indicate his policy towards each of these organisations.

Officials have met representatives of all these organisations during the past year, although it is not possible to say, without disproportionately costly inquiries, on how many occasions. Apart from contributing to the costs of projects directed towards the rehabilitation of offenders in which all of these organisations are interested, the Home Office contributes towards the administrative costs of NACRO. The Home Office is always prepared to consider views put to it by any organisation or individual.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of recent strident criticisms of Government policies by the Commission for Racial Equality, if he will take powers to prevent the Commission putting forward such criticisms in the future.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide statistics to show how the Bail Act is working having regard to the frequency with which a hard core of professional criminals who have committed a serious criminal offence fulfil the criteria for the police to oppose bail, yet have succeeded in obtaining bail.

The Bail Act 1976 requires a court considering a bail application to have regard to the character and antecedents of the defendant and the nature and seriousness of the offence charged, if these matters appear to be relevant. The Home Office has in hand a national analysis of courts' bail decisions during the first year of the Act's operation. That analysis will cover the incidence of re-offending on bail, but the data on which the analysis is being based do not identify cases where bail was opposed by the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the objectives of the new regimes he proposes to introduce at the two detention centres; when the regimes will be introduced; how the subjects will be selected, and if there will be any physical or psychiatric screening; what aftercare is proposed; and if research into the effectiveness of the regimes is envisaged.

The purpose of the pilot project is to assess the deterrent and other effects on offenders; it will start in the spring of 1980. All offenders sentenced to the selected detention centres will undergo the more rigorous regimes, but there will be screening to exclude the physically and mentally unfit and those initially sentenced to more than 3 months. The services concerned are being consulted about arrangements for after-care supervision. There will be research into the effectiveness of the pilot project.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that a motorist, driving alone, who is stopped and charged with exceeding the speed limit, as determined by a device which could be faulty, has adequate redress.

Yes. It is for the courts to decide whether evidence based on speed detection devices is acceptable, and all the normal avenues of redress are open.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the statutory provisions, and provisions in subordinate legislation, which require Her Majesty's Government to consult the Equal Opportunities Commission.

Sections 58(2), 58(4) and 80(2) of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of grants made by the Equal Opportunities Commission to the National Council of Civil Liberties, Spare Rib and Virago Press under section 54 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, he will seek to amend that Act so as to curtail the grant-making powers of the Commission.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to introduce legislation to prevent the Equal Opportunities Commission from referring to matters outside the scope of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and its other specific statutory powers.

We have no such plans at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the number of fires started by malicious or intentional ignition; and if he will make a statement.

My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State is awaiting the report of a working party representative of police, fire and insurance interests, on fires caused by vandalism: its recommendations for preventive or remedial action should be relevant to the general problem of fires started by malicious or intentional ignition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the figures for the past five years, by category, of how many criminal cases were reviewed resulting in an annulment of the conviction, giving the cost of ex gratia payments made during this period.

In the years 1974–78 inclusive, nine persons who had received custodial sentences were granted free pardons and 29 had their convictions quashed after their cases had been referred to the Court of Appeal under section 17(1)(a) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968. Of these 38, 14 received ex gratia payments totalling £97,428. For persons who had received non-custodial penalties, the corresponding figures are 1,176; nil; 12; and £1,196.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the established strength of the Cambridgeshire police; what is its current strength; and how many of that number come into regular contact with the public.

The establishment was increased from 1,090 to 1,140 on 5 October. The strength on 30 Steptember was 1,086. Of these, 969 work in divisions, in the CID or in the traffic department. Most of these officers have fairly regular contact with members of the public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that such experiments to animals not directly related to human benefit are restricted: and if he will make a statement.

The Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 requires that every potentially painful animal experiment must be performed with a view to the advancement by new discovrey of physiological knowledge or of knowledge which will be useful in saving or prolonging life or alleviating suffering. My right hon. Friend has no power under the Act to restrict further the purposes for which such experiments may be performed. In fulfilling our pledge to introduce new legislation to update the 1876 Act we shall have regard both to the legitimate requirements of research and to the need to protect animals against avoidable suffering.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will cease the practice of conducting X-ray examinations for a non-medical purpose at the direction of British immigration officials;(2) if he will stop the practice of children being interviewed alone by immigration officials.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to a question by the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) on 25 October.—[Vol. 972, c. 248.]

asked the Attorney-General if, in view of the growing number of decisions made by various tribunals, he will seek to extend legal aid provisions to include tribunal cases.

For those who are eligible on financial grounds, legal advice and assistance are already available in respect of all tribunal proceedings, and legal aid in respect of proceedings before the Lands Tribunal and the Employment Appeal Tribunal. My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor is studying the recommendation of the Royal Commission on legal services, whose report was published last month, that legal aid should be available in certain circumstances at all tribunals.

asked the Secretary of Stale for Energy when he intends to lay before Parliament a Bill to introduce energy labelling on a range of electrical household goods.

A Bill which I intend to lay before Parliament later this Session will provide enabling powers to introduce energy consumption labelling on household appliances.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the quantity of coking coal imported into the United Kingdom during each of the past six years and the trend of overseas purchases.

Information on the imports of coking coal into the United Kingdom are published monthly in the "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom", copies of which are available in the Library of the House. For convenience, the figures, including the latest information available for 1979 and a comparable figure for 1978, are as follows:

IMPORTS OF COKING COAL(a) IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
	million tonnes
1973	1·2
1974	0·9
1975	0·8
1976	1·2
1977	1·2
1978	1·4
January—August 1978	0·9
January—August 1979	1·3
(a) From January 1978, item 2701 1600 in sub-group 322.2 (S1TC R2). The British Steel Corporation is considering with the National Coal Board the future pattern of coking coal supplies.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what terms and conditions he proposes to lay down for the grant of licences under the seventh round.

These matters are under consideration, but I hope soon to be able to say more about my proposals for the round.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy to what extent his estimates of total energy demand in the United Kingdom in the year 2000 differ from the calculations published in the Green Paper, Cmnd. 7101, in February 1978; and what significant variations, if any, are envisaged in the composition of the sources of supply to satisfy that demand.

Total primary fuel demand, inclusive of non-energy and bunkers, in the year 2000 has been estimated in the Department's recently published paper "Energy Projections 1979" to lie in the range 445–510 million tonnes of coal equivalent, which compares with the range of 450–560 mtce given in the Green Paper—Cmnd. 7101. Compared with the reference case in the Green Paper, new supply projections for the year 2000 show indigenous coal productions some 15–35 mtce lower, United Kingdom oil production about 50 mtce lower, and natural gas production about 10–15 mtce higher. Net imports in 2000 are now projected to be in the range 35–120mtce compared with up to 95 mtce in the Green Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in the Official Report the names of all companies currently surveying for uranium in the United Kingdom and, where such companies are of non-United Kingdom origin, indicate the location of their head

Organisation			Area of the United Kingdom			Commission Support (in EEC units of account)
South of Scotland Electricity Board	…	…	Orkney	…	…	162,900*
Minorex Ltd (Ireland)	…	…	Northern Ireland	…	…	99,000
Minatome (France)	…	…	Cornwall	…	…	547,052
Ulster Base Metals	…	…	Armagh and Down	…	…	98,008
Urangesellschaft (West Germany)	…	…	Scotland	…	…	192,057
* Planning permission to carry out a drilling programme was refused by the Orkney Islands Council

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the purchasing contracts issued by his Department in 1978–79 was by means of (a) selective tender, (b) open tender and (c) single tender.

I regret that the information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

There is no statutory requirement on companies to inform my Department of uranium exploration activities they may undertake in the United Kingdom. Where such exploration for minerals involves development, as defined in section 22 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, prior planning permission is required to be obtained from the local planning authority. Planning permission applications need not be specific to a particuar mineral, so it would not necessarily be clear from applications whether uranium was among the minerals being sought.No financial assistance is being provided directly by the United Kingdom Government in support of uranium exploration in the United Kingdom. The EEC Commission is providing support, from the Community budget, for uranium exploration in community countries under the powers provided in article 70 of the Euratom treaty. Under this scheme the following organisations have been selected to receive support for exploration in the United Kingdom:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what percentage of children of nursery school age was in receipt of nursery schooling in the area served by the Kirklees education authority for the years 1976, 1977 and 1978;(2) what is the average percentage of children of nursery school age in England and Wales who were in receipt of a nursery school education provided by their local education authority in the years 1976, 1977 and 1978.

Full-time and part-time pupils under 5 years of age in maintained nursery schools and nursery classes in maintained primary schools in January of each year as percentages of the estimated population aged 3 and 4 years are given below. Statistical information about schools in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

	1976	1977	1978
	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
Kirklees*	13	16	22
England	12	15	17
* Percentages based on half the estimated population aged 1 to 4 years in previous June

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was his reason for omitting Wisbech grammar school from the list of British grammar schools published in the Official Report in July; and how many other grammar schools were missed from that list.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the list of grammar schools published on 25 June. Wisbech grammar school admits pupils aged 13 to 18 only, not on the basis of an 11-plus examination but of guided parental choice. It is not therefore categorised by the Department for statistical purposes as a grammar school and was not included in the list, nor were other schools in a similar category.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the purchasing contracts issued by his Department in 1978–79 was by means of (a) selective tender, (b) open tender and (c) single tender.

None. For my Department most purchases are made either by HMSO or by the Department of Environment—Property Services Agency.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total number of GCE A-level passes at A, B and C grades in 1979; and if he will give comparative figures for the three preceding years.

Figures for 1979 are not yet available. The total number of A-level passes at grades A, B and C for all candidates for the GCE summer examinations in the previous three years were as follows:

1976	182,796
1977	186,837
1978	192,442

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schoolchildren within the areas served by the Kirklees education authority and the Oldham education authority take school meals; and how many of them receive free meals.

On a day in October 1978, the numbers of day pupils in primary, secondary and special schools taking school meals were as follows:

	All pupils taking meals	Pupils receiving free meals
Kirklees	50,861	9,892
Oldham	27,257	6,526

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current pupil-teacher ratio in the areas served by the Kirklees education authority and the Oldham education authority; and how these ratios compare with those of the other local education authorities in England and Wales.

In January 1979, the latest date for which information is available, the average ratios of pupils per qualified teacher within maintained primary and secondary schools for Kirklees, Oldham and England are given below. Exact comparisons of pupil-teacher ratios between one authority and another are difficult to make because of local differences in the organisation of schools and in the distribution of pupils by age. Statistical information for schools in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

				Nursery	Primary	Secondary	Total
Kirklees	…	…	…	22·8	23·6	17·7	20·5
Oldham	…	…	…	20·2	25·2	17·6	21·3
England	…	…	…	20·2	23·1	16·7	19·6

The above pupil-teacher ratios relate to qualified teachers actually in the schools at the time of survey. There are other teachers not included above being paid by the authority—for example, seconded for other duties lasting a term or more, student teachers, instructors and those employed to cover short absences of regular teachers. The overall ratio of pupils in nursery, primary and secondary schools to all the teaching staff paid by local authorities in January 1979 were Kirklees 19·9, Oldham 20·7, England 18·9.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what increase in unemployment he expects to result in 1980, 1981 and 1982 from the Government's present proposals for public expenditure cuts.

The Government have so far announced their public expenditure plans only for 1980–81. Plans for later years will be presented in the New Year.The stabilising of public expenditure in 1980–81 will assist the control of public borrowing and monetary growth without excessive pressure on interest rates and higher taxes. Such financial control is an essential pre-condition for lower inflation and a resumed growth of output and employment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why, on 28 September 1979, a tax demand was delivered to the home of Group Captain H. Hanmer of Westorpe Hall, Southwell, Nottinghamshire by a lady who came in a taxi; how many visits by taxi to deliver tax demands have been made by Her Majesty's inspectors or collectors of taxes in (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) the rest of the United Kingdom in the last financial year; and what was the total cost of (a) and (b).

Where a taxpayer has failed to respond to the normal sequence of demands and reminders issued by post, the collector of taxes may seek to make person contact with the taxpayer before initiating recovery action.A call made for this purpose would normally—as on this occasion—be included with other proposed calls in the same area.Collectors of taxes are under instructions to use the most efficient method of transport available having regard to the geographical spread of the calls and the nature of the area. In this instance a hired car was used and 17 calls were made over a country route of 89 miles.No analysed statistics are kept of the numbers and cost of calls for specific purposes in particular areas.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his estimate of the level of production in (a) the motor industry and (b) metal using industries generally, in each of the next four years;(2) what projections Her Majesty's Treasury has made as to the production of the United Kingdom's metal-using industries over the next four years.

It is not the practice to publish forecasts of this kind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the share of indirect taxes, direct taxes on corporations, direct tax on households, social security taxes and value added tax as a percentage of total taxation in 1977 and 1978 in the following countries: Sweden, Belgium, United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, France, Finland, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan and Norway.

Details for 1977 are given in the table below for all the countries specified except Denmark, for which data are not readily available. No corresponding figures for 1978 are yet available from international sources, but the United Kingdom figures derived from domestic sources are given in the table.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied as to the necessity for all the powers of search and inquiry currently available to the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise; if he has any proposals to curtail those powers; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson) on 31 October.—[Vol. 972, c. 528.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the proceeds of the British Petroleum sale will be transferred to the Consolidated Fund for general revenue purposes.

As indicated in the minute presented to Parliament on 31 October 1979—Cmnd. 7748—provision will be made in a Supply Estimate to be presented shortly for the expenses of the sale of shares in the British Petroleum Company Limited. Sufficient of the proceeds of the sale will be applied as appropriations in aid to reduce the Estimate to a token sum and the balance of the proceeds will be surrendered to the Consolidated Fund as extra receipts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he proposes to review the Exchequer and Audit Act and to make proposals to the House.

I refer the hon. Member to the announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House during the debate on the Procedure Committee's report on 25 June 1979.—[Vol. 969, c. 37.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from charitable organisations with regard to the impact upon their finances of value added tax at its current rate; and if he will make a statement about the position of charities in this regard.

We have received a number of representations about the effect of all the recent tax changes on the position of charities, which we are still considering.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to publish the latest Industry Act forecasts.

The Industry Act forecast will be published within the next few weeks.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to seek to repeal the Exchange Control Act 1947; and what factors would be taken into account in deciding whether or not to do so.

My right hon. and learned Friend is reviewing the future of the Exchange Control Act 1947 in the light of all the relevant factors, and expects to make a further statement in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement outlining the achievements of the Inland Revenue's special offices since they were set up.

The Inland Revenue opened three special offices in 1976, one in 1977 and one in August 1979. In the years ended 31 October 1977, 1978 and 1979 the offices recovered £6·5 million, £11·6 million and £13·6 million respectively, around 16 times their full cost. The special offices have also achieved substantial settlements with certain groups of taxpayers and employers. The tax arising from this work is collected through the local office network and is not included in the above figures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest estimated net receipts and contributions for each EEC country from or to the EEC budget for the last two full years; and what are the estimates for the next two full years.

[pursuant to his reply, 5 November 1979]: The net recorded budget transfers for 1977 and 1978, as calculated by the Commission, were given to the House in my reply to the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) on 11 June 1979. [Vol 968, c. 141–42.]The figures for 1979 and 1980 in the following table are based on the Commission's latest forecasts:

	1979*	(£ million)† 1980
Belgium/Luxembourg	+368·5	+542·1
Denmark	+279·1	+239·7
Germany	-737·0	-833·1
France	-119·7	-96·5
Ireland	+361·6	+342·3
Italy	+265·2	+447·6
Netherlands	+114·0	+249·8
United Kingdom	-844·7	-1,310·3
+ Net beneficiary; - net contributor.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total market value of the assets of the national land fund on 2 November.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, from the information available to him, he can state the average number of flights into and out of Stansted airport, compared with its theoretical capacity, the number of passengers using the airport compared with its theoretical capacity and the current profit or loss sustained by the British Airports Authority in operating that airport; and if he will take this information into account when considering the need for a third London airport.

Aircraft movements at Stansted interact with those at Luton and the capacity of each runway cannot therefore be assessed independently. Taken together, the two airports can handle about 120,000 air transport movements per year. Stansted has a terminal capacity of about 1 million passengers a year. In 1978, Stansted handled about 4,400 air transport movements and 317,000 terminal passengers. The airport made a trading loss of £1·4 million in 1978–79. I will take account of all relevant information in considering the need for a third London airport.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to lift the embargo imposed by the previous Government on the sale to South Africa of winches for fishing vessels.

I am not aware of any such embargo.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he has had any discussions with the Governments of developing countries about the promotion and sale of powdered baby milk in those countries; and, if none have so far been held, if he will initiate such discussions;(2) whether his representatives in developing countries have had any communications with the manufacturers of powdered baby milk about the promotion and sale of their products in those countries.

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what support his Department is giving to the Stop Polio Campaign; if his Department is in contact with the Save the Children Fund and the World Health Organisation regarding the campaign; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Lord Privy Seal what steps were taken at the recent Commonwealth conference to establish a new initiative aimed at reaching a solution to the situation in Cyprus.

The Heads of Government reviewed the Cyprus problem, on which the final communiqué contained a detailed passage, In particular, they expressed the hope that the intercommunal talks under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General could be resumed at the earliest possible date.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what action he is taking to improve awareness in the United States of America of the true state of affairs and issues involved in Northern Ireland.

Together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland we are giving increasing priority to this objective; we are taking every suitable opportunity to explain the true position and the complexity of the issues involved to American leaders and media both here, and through our posts, in the United States.

asked the Lord Privy Seal to what extent Her Majesty's Government have contributed to the special fund established by the United Nations to assist the victims of repression in Chile.

The question of a contribution by the Government to this fund is under consideration. No final decision has yet been taken.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether Her Majesty's Government subscribe to the policy agreed by the European Economic Community aimed at increasing pressure on the Chilean Government to reveal the where-abouts of the prisoners who have disappeared.

The member States of the European Community acting in the framework of political co-operation have on a number of occasions made known to the Chilean authorities their concern about respect for human rights in Chile, and have urged them to provide any information they may have available on the fate of missing persons in Chile. We have participated fully in these discussions and have acted in concert with our partners; we shall continue to do so as the occasion requires.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if Her Majesty's Government will instruct their representatives in the United Nations to support a condemnation by the General Assembly of the violation of human rights in Chile.

The United Kingdom delegation to the United Nations General Assembly has been instructed to play a full and active role in encouraging the Chilean Government to improve their human rights performance.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on his proposals to reform the law on picketing.

My right hon. Friend is currently consulting on the basis of the proposals in the working paper which was published on 9 July, with a view to introducing a Bill before Christmas.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he proposes to take to create new jobs in the Preston travel-to-work area.

The Government's policy is to create a long-term economic climate in which industry and commerce can flourish. This, we believe, is the best way to create new real jobs in Preston and elsewhere. Clearly this will take time and the gloomy short-term outlook emphasises the need for positive responses to the Government's policies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when is his next meeting with the leaders of the Trades Union Congress.

I keep in regular contact with members of the TUC and am ready to meet them at any time.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current unemployment rate in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

At 11 October the unemployment rates for Birmingham and the West Midlands were 6·3 per cent. and 5·6 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he is taking to encourage the Manpower Services Commission to train young people in old skills such as stone-masonry, dry stone-dyke wall building, cobbling stone work, lead-roof repair, thatching and other skills relevant to the preservation of Great Britain's heritage.

Determining training needs and taking the action required to meet them are the responsibilities of the appropriate industry which may, however, seek advice and assistance from the Manpower Services Commission. I understand that the Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas operates new entrant training schemes in some crafts to help master-craftsmen with the cost of employing a trainee. Thatching is one of these crafts.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current rate of unemployment.

At 11 October, the unemployment rate in Great Britain was 5·5 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were out of work at the most recent count.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for unemployment in the United Kingdom.

At 11 October the number of people registered as unemployed in Great Britain was 1,302,827 and in the United Kingdom 1,367,639.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers of registered unemployed, male and female, and boys and girls in the Mexborough and Wombwell employment exchanges, respectively, at the latest available date.

At 11 October, 1,121 males and 601 females were registered as unemployed at the Mexborough employment office. The corresponding figures for Wombwell were 532 and 247. Most unemployed young people under age 18, in these areas register at the Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley careers offices and are not included in these figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he intends to legislate for postal ballots for all shareholders and workers in respect of all boards of management decisions; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been notified in the metropolitan district of Stockport in the past four weeks; and which were the major firms involved.

The number of proposed redundancies notified to my Department for the metropolitan district of Stockport in the past four weeks involved 123 employees employed at three firms. To identify the major employers involved would be a breach of confidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration has been given to replacing the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service with the former system operated by departmental conciliation officers.

My right hon. Friend has considered the future of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service along with the other non-Departmental public bodies for which he is responsible but has no plans for a change of the kind suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with the present relationship between the Manpower Services Commission and the industrial training boards.

The relationship to which my hon. Friend refers is a complex one, not least because of the differing characteristics of the individual boards and the industries which they serve. I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that this question will be among those to be considered in the review which it has instituted of the industrial training aspects of the Employment and Training Act 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that skillcentres are working and being used to full capacity; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that while it is neither practicable nor desirable to achieve 100 per cent. occupancy at skillcentres, there is still scope to improve upon the current average occupancy of approximately 78 per cent. of operational places. The TOPS review published last year made a number of recommendations designed to do this which are being pursued. A review of skillcentre classes has identified a number of classes for closure because of poor occupancy; others more closely matched to local labour market needs are being opened in their place. Marketing and other efforts to improve recruitment of trainees, particularly for engineering classes, are being undertaken, and sponsored training of employees is being increased which should help to make maximum use of available capacity in skillcentres.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of young people currently unemployed in (a) Kirkby, (b) Ormskirk, (c) Merseyside, and (d) the North-West; and when he anticipates these will find employment.

At 11 October, the numbers of young people under 20 years of age registered as unemployed in the areas specified were as follows:

(a)Kirk by employment office area	1,313
(b)Ormskirk employment office area	161
(c) Merseyside special development area	20,676
(d)North-West region	43,029

It is not the Government's practice to forecast how long young people are likely to remain unemployed or when they are likely to find employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further steps he proposes to take to improve the conditions of homeworkers.

It has already been announced that the Health and Safety Commission expects to begin consultation on draft regulations for the health and safety of workers in domestic premises early next year. More generally, my Department is continuing research into the problems of homeworking, and we shall be reviewing the matter as more information comes to hand.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what measures, other than those with regard to secondary picketing, the closed shop and secret ballots, he intends to introduce in order to restore the balance of bargaining power between trades union and employer.

In addition to our proposals on picketing the closed shop and union ballots, we have published working papers on proposed amendments to employment protection legislation and on statutory protection against certain trade union recruitment activities. Our review of immunities is continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with the level of unemployment in the Northern region.

No. It is the Government's aim to provide the economic climate which will enable and encourage industry and commerce to expand and create the jobs which are so much needed both in the Northern region and in many other parts of the country.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he next expects to meet the presidents of the industrial tribunals.

I and my officials are in frequent contact with the presidents of the industrial tribunals for England and Wales and for Scotland. A new president for England and Wales, Mr. J. S. Rumbold QC, was appointed on 22 October and I have already had a meeting with him.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in view of the fact that the withdrawal of the special temporary employment programme schemes has meant the end of the Operation Decoration scheme run by the Disablement Income Group within the Rossendale constituency, if he will seek to introduce further means of support for such schemes.

I have no plans at present to introduce further special employment measures. The special temporary employment programme continues to operate in special development areas, development areas and designated inner city areas, where the need is greatest. The youth Opportunities programme continues throughout the country to offer training and work experience opportunities to unemployed young people, including disabled young people.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the existing provisions that enable a disabled person to acquire a skill: and if he will make a statement.

The Government support the Manpower Services Commission's programmes to encourage and assist the implementation of constructive policies towards the employment, training, career development and promotion of disabled people. That is why we fully support many of the schemes which were introduced, developed or planned under the previous Government. We are, for example, continuing to support the MSC's resettlement schemes, including the programme of special aids and grants to employers for the adaptation of premises or equipment to enable them to employ or retain specific disabled employees. The MSC also offers training in a wide range of skills through the training opportunities scheme: and financial assistance to enable disabled people to take courses leading to qualifications required for professional employment. I am assured that the Commission will continue to make a flexible response to individuals' needs within the resources available.It is also important to ensure that employers adopt positive attitudes towards the employment and training of disabled people, including employees who become disabled. Our support for the MSC's "Fit for Work" campaign and the awards scheme reflects our concern.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further action is proposed to increase employment opportunities for the disabled.

The Government place great importance on assisting disabled people to obtain suitable employment opportunities. It remains our policy to support the Manpower Services Commission in encouraging and assisting firms to implement constructive policies towards the employment of disabled people. Our continued support for MSC's "Fit for Work" campaign, the awards scheme, and MSC's resettlement schemes to help disabled people to get work reflects our concern.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the numbers of firms (a) fulfilling their quota, (b) partially fulfilling their quota and (c) exempted from fulfilling their quota obligations in respect of registered disabled people; and if he will present these data for each of the last 10 years.

[pursuant to his reply, 2 November 1979, c. 687–88]: I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that the numbers of firms fulfilling their quota during each of the past 10 years are given in the table below. Also in the table are the numbers of firms which, although below quota, had received permits enabling them to recruit workers who were not registered as disabled.The issue of a permit does not exempt an employer from the requirement to employ his quota of registered disabled people.

Year	Number of firms fulfilling their quota	Number of firms below quota issued with permits
1970	27,168	22,150
1971	26,155	21,534
1972	25,385	25,875
1973	24,089	25,554
1974	22,107	23,030
1975	20,747	21,611
1976	19,632	21,358
1977	18,696	21,703
1978	17,744	21,785
1979	17,045	22,412

Information about the number of firms which partially fulfil their quota is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list the number of unemployed registered disabled people for each year since 1948, presenting the data also as a percentage of all unemployed people;(2) if he will list (

[pursuant to his reply, 2 November 1979, c. 687–88]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the number of unemployed registered disabled people in April of each year since 1948, and those numbers expressed as a percentage of all unemployed people for the same period, are in the attached table, but no precise information is available on the number of registered disabled people in work.

	(A)	(B)
	Numbers of unemployed registered disabled people	(A) as a percentage of all unemployed people Per cent.
1948	78,067	27·5
1949	70,778	21·7
1950	65,128	19·8
1951	52,774	20·8
1952	54,719	16·5
1953	58,475	16·6
1954	51,013	16·6
1955	41,249	17·9
1956	40,797	17·6
1957	48,955	15·1
1958	52,061	12·7
1959	59,671	12·2
1960	54,835	14·2
1961	47,860	14·7
1962	52,323	12·7
1963	62,415	10·8
1964	56,104	13·6
1965	48,318	14·5
1966	45,192	14·8
1967	58,048	10·9
1968	65,350	11·4
1969	68,536	12·3
1970	72,116	11·9
1971	80,172	11·1
1972	91,063	9·8
1973	77,360	11·7
1974	63,375	10·7
1975	65,369	8·0
1976	75,857	6·1
1977	75,205	5·6
1978	70,765	5·1
1979	63,600	4·9

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list the number of local authorities which employ their quota of 3 per cent. registered disabled workers and the number which fail to do so, classifying the data according to whether the authority is (a) county council, (b) district council, (c) Greater London area council, (d) Scottish district council (e) Scottish regional council and (f) Scottish Island council;(2) if if he will list the number of Government Departments employing 3 per cent. of registered disabled employees.

[pursuant to his reply, 2 November 1979, c. 688]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that information on the quota positions in 1979 of employers in the public sector, including Government Departments and local authorities, is being gathered and it is planned to publish this information, as has been the practice in recent years, in the November edition of the Department of Employment Gazette.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will update the answer given to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent South (Mr. Ashley), Official Report, 19 June 1978, columns 55 to 56, concerning the length of time

NUMBERS AND PERCENTAGES UNEMPLOYED FOR THE PERIODS SHOWN
	Registered disabled people		All unemployed
	Number (1,000s)	Per cent.	Number (1,000s)	Per cent.
Up to two weeks	2·2	3·6	164·3	11·8
Over two and up to four weeks	2·0	3·3	170·4	12·2
Over four and up to eight weeks	3·2	5·3	204·3	14·7
Over eight and up to 13 weeks	3·0	5·0	112·0	8·0
Over 13 and up to 26 weeks	6·0	9·9	188·9	13·6
Over 26 and up to 52 weeks	8·5	14·1	211·6	15·2
Over 52 weeks	35·5	58·8	340·5	24·5
	60·4		1,392·0

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications are waiting approval by the British Approval Service for electrical equipment in flammable atmospheres; what is the waiting time between application and final certification as opposed to the waiting time between a priority application and certification; and what plans he has for speeding up the approval system.

I have been informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the number of applications which were waiting for approval by BASEEFA on 12 October 1979 was 760. Of the applications received so far this year about one quarter were completed within six months, and 30 per cent. had been cleared by 12 October. 54 per cent. of those received in 1978 and 77 per cent. of those received in 1977 had been cleared by 12 October 1979. There are delays in completing work on applications because of variations in the complexity of the for which disabled persons are unemployed.

[pursuant to his reply, 5 November 1979]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the figures requested, showing the numbers and percentages of unemployed registered disabled people by duration of unemployment compared to those for all unemployed persons, are given in the table attached. The information relates to 12 July 1979, the latest date for which figures for registered disabled people are available.equipment concerned, the need for modifications in the light of examination and tests at BASEEFA, and differences in the kind of certification required.No one has as yet submitted an application through the priority procedure. To speed up the approval system additional staff are being recruited and trained, and arrangements have been made for some help with the training to be provided by industry. I am also appointing a small group of industrialists to examine and make recommendations on the arrangements in BASEEFA and on ways industry can help in order to clear the backlog.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in view of the long delays in the workings of the British approval service for electrical equipment in flammable atmopsheres, what other test establishments are being used to provide certification for British products.

Testing work has been contracted by BASEEFA to the Electrical Research Association and to the Scientific Instrument Research Association, but BASEEFA remains responsible for the issue of any certificate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state all the qualifications required of certifying officers employed by the British approval service for electrical equipment in flammable atmospheres; how many specialist staff are employed at Buxton on the work of certifying hazardous area electrical equipment; and what additional staff are required to bring the service to full strength.

I am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the qualifications required at recruitment for the certifying officers employed at BASEEFA are as follows:Assistant certification/testing officers—PTO III: Candidates must possess an ONC in electrical or electronic engineering or equivalent electrical/electronic base qualification acceptable to the Civil Service Commissioners. They must also have served a recognised apprenticeship or have had equivalent training. A total of eight years' relevant experience is required, which may include up to three years' relevant full-time study.Certification/testing officers—PTO II: Candidates must have a degree in engineering, electrical or electronic engineering, have passed the council of engineering institution's part 2 examination in appropriate subjects or have an equivalent or higher qualification acceptable to the Civil Service Commissioners. They must also have had at least two years' relevant professional experience. In addition, they are required to have a good knowledge of drawing office, factory production and quality control methods and systems, and also to have the ability to express themselves—orally and in writing—in a clear and concise manner. Candidates with electrical engineering qualifications are also expected to have knowledge and experience of the requirements for the design, development and use of electrical equipment in flammable atmospheres. Candidates with electronic engineering qualifications are required to have recent practical engineering experience, preferably in the design and utilisation of instrumentation and process control equipment, and an up-to-date knowledge of electronic components. Some knowledge of the requirements for the use of electronic/electrical equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres is also advantageous.On 1 November 1979 there were 19 specialist staff employed at Buxton and three specialist staff based at Sheffield on the work of certifying hazardous area electrical equipment. This figure of 22 includes specialist staff drawn from other parts of the Health and Safety Executive who have been temporarily attached to BASEEFA to assist in the certification work. Ten additional staff are required to bring the certification service up to full strength.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received concerning proposed legislation to limit the impact of the closed shop.

I have received many and varied representations on our proposals to reform the closed shop and we are currently considering these.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage increase in the average gross weekly earnings of manual and non-manual workers in Great Britain would be necessary to raise them to the average gross weekly earnings of (a) the highest paid director amongst the United Kingdom's top 100 companies, (b) a field-marshal in the Army and (c) the members of the Commission of the Common Market.

Figures on the basis set out in the notes below are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the Manpower Services Commission's temporary employment programme in special development areas will be funded during the financial year 1980–81 and thereafter.

This programme, like all the special employment measures, is reviewed annually. The review for 1980–81 is now in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations he has had in respect of his proposed legislation on pre-strike secret balloting rights for workers; and if he will make a statement.

NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT 11 OCTOBER 1979
			Aged under 20		Aged 20–24
			Number	Percentage of total	Number	Percentage of total
Birkenhead employment office area	…	…	1,381	19·2	1,420	19·8
Birkenhead travel-to-work area	…	…	3,030	18·3	2,805	16·9
Great Britain	…	…	252,129	19·4	242,140	18·6

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the purchasing contracts issued by his Department in 1978–79 was by means of (a) selective tender, (b) open tender and (c) single tender.

Information on which to calculate these proportions is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the total number of working days lost as a result of the engineering strike.

The estimated number of working days lost in the recent one-day and two-day stoppages is about 16 million.