asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether, in the light of his answer to the hon. Member for West Lothian, Official Report, 7 November, column 404, on the potential political activity of civil servants, he will make a further statement on his discussions with the staff side, in relation to the Armitage committee proposals.

No. I have nothing to add at this stage to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 7 November.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what changes he plans in the present system of use of his Department's computer services by other Government Departments.

I have at present no plan to change the existing system whereby the Chessington computer centre provides a payroll and central personnel information service, and the Central Computer Agency computer centre a bureau service for a number of Departments. These services are reviewed as necessary from time to time and a review is currently under way of the central PRISM system of personnel management information provided at Chessington. I cannot at this stage anticipate its outcome.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what capital investment has been committed to the CAPITAL and CAMELOT computer systems by the Central Computer Agency.

The Central Computer Agency has committed no capital expenditure on the purchase of computers for either project. The CAPITAL project, which is still at the pilot stage, is being run on a computer bureau owned by a commercial organisation. The computers for the pilot phase of the CAMELOT project are being hired; the decision to buy equipment will not be taken until the pilot phase has been completed and evaluated.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he is satisfied with the level of pension payments to civil servants.

Eighty per cent. of Civil Service pensioners this year received pensions of less than £1,500 a year and the average has been just over £1,100. I announced to the House on 7 November that the Government believe that the valuation of Civil Service pensions should be subject to independent scrutiny and we have opened discussions with the National Staff Side on how this can best be done.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on the pay dispute with the professional and technical civil servants.

I have recently had several meetings with representatives of the Institution of Professional Civil Servants. I hope that we shall soon have agreed terms of reference to the Civil Service arbitration tribunal.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what representations he has received regarding reductions in the number of civil servants.

I have received a number of representations and the Government are taking into account the views that have been expressed.

asked the Prime Minister if that part of the recent speech of the Minister of Transport to the Chartered Institute of Transport relating to sea-going inland craft represents the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Yes. We hope that the private sector will now come forward with its ideas about how trade between our estuarial waters and the continental inland waterways might be developed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of offences against the person and the number of offences of vandalism involving aerosols and the cost involved during 1979 to the most recent practicable date.

Information is not available centrally on the number of offences involving aerosols. There is no legally defined offence of vandalism; such acts are likely to be classified as offences of criminal damage. The total numbers of offences of violence against the person and of criminal damage recorded by the police in England and Wales in the first three quarters of 1979 will be published on 6 December in Home Office "Statistical Bulletin 11/79", a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation making it an offence to carry aerosol containers in a public place without sealed packaging.

No. I have no evidence to suggest that the provisions of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 and section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968 are inadequate to deal with the use of aerosols as offensive weapons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that Mr. R. Morgan is allowed to perform his statutory duties as a member of the board of visitors at Puckle-church remand centre and is not prevented from visiting the centre by the Prison Officers' Association; and if he will reappoint him as a visitor on 31 December.

Under the prison rules 1964 Mr. Morgan, as a member of the board of visitors, has access at all times to Pucklechurch remand centre. Prison officers are refusing to escort Mr. Morgan—but not other members of the board— around the centre; so long as this action continues other arrangements are being made to escort him when he visits the centre.The appointments of all members of the Pucklechurch board of visitors expire on 31 December. The question of their reappointment will shortly be considered and board members will be informed of the outcome as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what, if any, listening devices are used in investigations into alleged fraud.

The use of a listening device is an operational matter for decision by the chief officer of police concerned. The Home Office has asked chief officers to satisfy themselves that, when equipment is used to help the police to confirm or dispel a suspicion of serious crime, such use is justified in all the circumstances and is authorised at an appropriately senior level in the force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for the illegal use of citizens band radio have taken place in each of the past three years; and how many are pending.

The information is as follows:

1977	4
1978	3
1979 (to date)	78
Pending	56

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what response there has been to his appeal for private and industrial sponsorship of the arts.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Wolver Hampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 26 November.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a separate grant-in-aid to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in view of its present financial situation.

I think it is right to retain the present arrangement whereby financial support for the Royal Opera House is provided by the Arts Council from its grant-in-aid.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what developments there have been in the setting up of the Theatre Museum; and when he expects formally to open it.

:This project has been held up by different circumstances from time to time. I hope that the remaining uncertainties can now be removed. I will not attempt to predict the opening date, but I expect it to be within the lifetime of the present Parliament.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he has any correction to make to his answer of 28 November on aid for political parties, written answer, Official Report, c. 659–60, to the hon. Member for Belfast, East (Mr. Robinson).

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what are the qualifications and experience of each of the members of the Pilotage Commission that he has appointed; and whether any of them has particular knowledge of small ports.

The qualifications and experience of each of the members of the Pilotage Commission are as follows:

Dr. Denis Rebbeck, CBE, MA, MSc, DL, FICE etc. Special consultant to the Swan Hunter Group Limited, director of the Royal Bank of Scotland, chairman of the Iron Trades Employers Insurance Association Limited, a member of the General Committee of Lloyd's Register of Shipping, a Belfast Harbour commissioner and a Warden of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights. His previous appointments include chairman and managing director of Harland and Wolff Limited, president of the Shipbuilding Employers Federation, chairman of John Kelly Limited, coal importers and ship owners of Belfast, and chairman of the Advisory Committee on Pilotage.

Mr. G. W. Brimyard, formerly Port Services Director, Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, chairman of the Mersey Pilotage Committee, and a member of the Advisory Committee on Pilotage.

Mr. G. S. C. Clarabut, DSO, DSC, shipowner involved in the coasting and short sea trades. Appointments include chairman and managing director of London and Rochester Trading Co. Limited (Crescent Shipping) and chairman of Bowker and King Limited.

Mr. K. Cooper, chief executive of the Medway Port Authority.

Mr. J. P. Davidson, deputy chairman of the British Ports Association and deputy chairman and managing director of the Clyde Port Authority. Formerly member of the Clyde Pilotage Authority.

Captain A. F. Dickson, formerly a director of Shell International Marine Limited and Shell Marine (UK) Limited, and chairman of the pilotage policy committee of the General Council of British Shipping and the London General Shipowners' Society.

Mr. B. I. Evans, licensed pilot, Milford Pilotage District. A vice-president of the United Kingdom Pilots' Association.

Mr. H. Frith, licensed pilot, Manchester pilotage district. Formerly, secretary of the marine pilotage branch of the TGWU, and a member of the steering and advisory committees on pilotage.

Captain P. F. Mason, Elder Brother, Trinity House, with special responsibility for pilotage. Chairman of pilotage committees for London and Ipswich pilotage districts. Formerly member of Advisory Committee on Pilotage.

Mr. N. C. Walker, licensed pilot, London pilotage district, based at Harwich. Member of the United Kingdom Pilots' Association Executive since 1976.

Most of the members have some knowledge of small ports as a result of their previous experience. In particular, Mr. Clara but has experience as a shipowner trading with many small ports including The Wash ports; in addition, the 40 pilotage districts with which Captain Mason has been concerned at Trinity House include many small ports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will monitor goods entering the United Kingdom from other countries of the EEC in order to ensure that none have originated from non-EEC countries in breach of restrictions imposed by bilateral agreements on levels of imports between such countries and the United Kingdom.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what plans he has for implementing regulations covering the manufacture of polyurethane furniture; and if he will make a statement;

:The draft Upholstered Furniture (Safety) Regulations 1979 have today been laid before Parliament. If approved, they will with one exception come into force on 1 June 1980 and, subject to certain exclusions, will require upholstered seating furniture, whether or not containing polyurethane foam, to be labelled with a prescribed warning if it is not capable of satisfying the tests for resistance to ignition by smokers' materials set out in British Standard 5852: Part 1: 1979. From 1 December 1981 upholstered furniture will be required to satisfy the test for resistance to ignition by cigarettes. Whether it should also be required to pass the test for match flame resistance will be reviewed 12 months after the regulations come into force.The initial regulations will not apply to loose covers, among other things, sold separately from the furniture.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if any discussions and negotiations on the renewal of the multi-fibre arrangement have begun within the EEC Commission.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 November 1979, c. 755]: Not yet, though we were informed some months ago that preliminary studies were about to begin. The multi-fibre arrangement has over two years still to run.

asked the Attorney-General if he is satisfied with the working of the Married Women's Property Act.

Provisions are in force of Married Women's Property Acts passed in 1882, 1893, 1907 and 1964. It is not clear to which of these my hon. Friend is referring, but I am not conscious of any general complaint regarding them.

asked the Attorney-General, in the light of the fact that the assessment of damages in respect of motor cycle accidents in Northern Ireland involves juries within the court system, whether he will consider bringing the practice in Northern Ireland into line with that in the rest of the United Kingdom.

Any question of changing the classes of action which are normally tried with a jury in Northern Ireland is now for the Lord Chancellor. The practice in Northern Ireland in this regard was confirmed by Parliament last year in section 62 of the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978; but the Lord Chancellor recognises that it differs from the practice in England and Wales and will keep it under review.

asked the Attorney-General how many certificates of disrepair have been enforced through the courts, under the provision of the Rent Order (Northern Ireland) 1978, from the inception of the order until the end of October 1979.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will discuss with British Shipbuilders the future role of the supply ship completed on the Tyne for the Iranian Navy, in view of its availability for use in any possible hostilities against the United States Navy.

:Work by British Shipbuilders is still in hand on this Fleet replenishment ship, so the question of its availability for use by the purchaser does not yet arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Rugby on 19 November, what signal units in the Territorial Army use the same equipment as Regular units.

The equipment holdings of the Territorial Army signals units are not in all respects identical with those of Regular units since their roles are not fully comparable. But all major communications equipment on issue to the TA are also in use with the Regular Army.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in the light of his answer to the hon. Member for Anglesey that the under manning of Army cadet officers is serious, he will consider the levels of pay and conditions of service of Army Cadet Force officers so as to give an incentive to increase the numbers; and if he will make a statement.

Although these matters are kept under continual review there are no plans to increase the levels of pay or alter the conditions of service of Army Cadet Force officers.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what inquiries his Department has had from the National Enterprise Board about the disposal of the Board's holding in Ferranti Ltd.; and if he will make a statement.

This is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry, although the former chairman of the National Enterprise Board approached the Ministry of Defence informally about our interest in Ferranti Ltd. In the event of the disposal of the Board's holding in the firm, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence would wish for reassurance that the continuity of defence work currently in the firm's hands would be maintained.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many British Service men are currently stationed in Kenya.

Five.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the construction costs and the estimated annual running costs of the jobcentre recently opened in Lowfield Street, Dartford.

:I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission, which is responsible for the public employment services, that it plans to open a jobcentre in Lowfield Street, Dartford in January 1980. The cost, including professional fees, of adapting the building for use as a jobcentre is estimated at £63,000. The estimated annual operating costs, at current prices, of the jobcentre in Dartford are £94,000. The MSC expects that for this new jobcentre, as for jobcentres generally, the unit costs of placings will be reduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobcentres have been opened to date.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that up to 28 November 1979 a total of 615 jobcentres had been opened.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff are employed in all jobcentres; and how many of these had previously worked in Department of Health and Social Services offices serving in a similar area of work.

:On 1 November 1979 there were 11,191 staff in post in the local offices of the employment service division of the Manpower Services Commission. 7,494 of them were working in jobcentres as opposed to older style employment offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what have been the construction costs and the annual running costs of all jobcentres opened to date.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission, which is responsible for the public employment service, that information in the form requested is available only at disproportionate cost, but the following information may be helpful.Between 1 April 1975 and 31 September 1979, 523 jobcentres were opened. In the same period expenditure on construction and adaptation work, including professional fees, amounted to £17·5 million. The annual operating costs of an average jobcentre with between 11 and 19 staff in 1978–79 amounted to £85,375.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those Government schemes currently in force as job creation measures; how many are being employed under each scheme; and if he will announce his future plans for each scheme.

:The special temporary employment programme (STEP), operated by the Manpower Services Commission on behalf of the Government, provides temporary employment opportunities for long-term unemployed people. The Commission estimates that at the end of October 15,500 people were taking part in the programme.The Commission also operates the youth opportunities programme (YOP) which offers a range of work experience and work preparation to unemployed young people under 19. It estimates that about 110,000 people, including 5,000 adult supervisors, were participating in YOP at the end of October.My Department operates the small firms employment subsidy (SFES) scheme which offers small manufacturing firms in the private sector in special development areas and development areas a subsidy for each extra job provided over and above the number provided on a given base date. At 31 October 1979, it is estimated that 75,080 jobs were being supported under this scheme.These measures, along with all the other special employment programmes, are now being reviewed and our decisions on the schemes in 1980–81 will be announced in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total sum from public funds that has been paid in redundancy payments under the Redundancy Payments Act for each year since its inception; and whether he has any proposals to reduce this sum.

The sums paid from the redundancy fund in rebates to employers and direct payments to employees in each year are as follows:

Year					Cost to fund £000
6 December 1965–31 December
1966	…	…	…	…	19,986
1967	…	…	…	…	37,721
1968	…	…	…	…	46,377
1969	…	…	…	…	38,579
1970	…	…	…	…	38,956
1971	…	…	…	…	57,106
1972	…	…	…	…	50,775
1973	…	…	…	…	34,520
1974	…	…	…	…	38,555
1975	…	…	…	…	94,131
1976	…	…	…	…	101,269
1977	…	…	…	…	87,904
1978	…	…	…	…	82,887

I have no proposals in mind to reduce the level of payments from the fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with the level of publicity for the employment transfer scheme amongst those seeking work.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider giving financial assistance or recognition to firms which encourage and facilitate their female members of staff to seek early and regular antenatal care.

The Government hope that employers will allow employees to take full advantage of antenatal facilities available, but they do not consider it appropriate to provide financial assistance or recognition in such circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if comprehensive lists of suspected carcinogens, as published in the United States of America by the Public Health Service, are available for the use of Her Majesty's inspectors at area offices of the Health and Safety Executive; and if he will ensure that such lists are freely available for consultation by members of the public.

Comprehensive lists of chemicals which are suspected of being carcinogenic, such as those compiled by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the United States of America, are not issued to Her Majesty's inspectors at area offices of the Health and Safety Executive. It is felt that this would serve no useful purpose since the Executive already publishes in Guidance Note EH 15/78, "Threshold Limit Values for 1978", a list of 40 chemicals that have been proven to be carcinogenic or are highly suspect of causing cancer in man and animals. This guidance note is issued personally to each inspector at area offices and is available on sale to the public through Her Majesty's Stationery Office.Certain substances are prohibited or strictly controlled by the Carcinogenic Substances Regulations 1967. Copies of these regulations are also issued to inspectors at area offices and are similarly available on sale through Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what new safety regulations and safety codes, respectively, he expects to publish in 1980.

The chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that a number of proposals for regulations and for approved codes of practice are being developed by the Commission for eventual submission to me for approval or, in the case of approved codes, for my consent. The eventual division between regulations and codes and their timing is dependent on decisions taken by the Commission in the light of the statutory consultation with interested bodies which the Commission is required to undertake. However, of the proposals for regulations and/or approved codes of practice now being developed, the Commission informs me that the following have reached or have completed the consultative stage and may be submitted for my consideration during 1980:

• Lead.
• Safety Signs and Colours.
• Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences.
• Dangerous Pathogens (Notification).
• Diving Operations.
• Hazardous Installations (Notification and Survey).
• First Aid.
• Celluloid and Cinematograph Film Act 1922 Exemptions.
• Asbestos Insulation and Sprayed Coatings.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to publish his proposals for the reform of the arrangements for the recognition of independent trade unions for the purposes of collective bargaining.

Following publication of a working paper on the statutory recognition provisions in September, we have been engaged in consultations with interested parties. The Government will be publishing their legislative proposals in this area shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a further statement on the extension of worker participation in industry.

I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Saffron Walden (Mr. Haselhurst) on 4 December.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will extend regulations covering the storage of polyurethane furniture at the manufacturing stage to the wholesale and retail sectors; and if he will make a statement.

There are no regulations covering the storage of polyurethane furniture at the manufacturing stage. The storage of polyurethane furniture in places of work is subject to sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which oblige employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of their employees in connection with the handling and storage of articles and to conduct their activities so as to ensure that other persons are not exposed to risk.Guidance on the storage of products incorporating polyurethane foam is contained in a booklet "Safe use and Storage of Flexible Polyurethane Foam in Industry" published by the Health and Safety Executive. This guidance was prepared with the assistance of a working party comprising members of Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate, together with representatives of both sides of industry and other bodies with an immediate interest in the subject. The Health and Safety Commission is currently considering how best to expand the advice given in the booklet to cover storage of polyurethane furniture.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the effect on the 1978 work permit figures, if the proposed changes in the work permit arrangements had been in operation at that time.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated number of unemployed in Liverpool, Scotland Exchange constituency to the latest date.

Unemployment statistics are available for employment office areas but not for constituencies. For the Liverpool employment office area, of which the Liverpool, Scotland Exchange constituency forms a significant part, the number registered as unemployed at 8 November 1979 was 18,209.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures on Merseyside.

On 8 November there were 86,356 people registered as unemployed in the Merseyside special develop- ment area—an unemployment rate of 11·4 per cent.We are very much aware of the serious problems which face areas of high unemployment, including Merseyside, and that is one of the reasons why the Government have recently concentrated help under regional financial assistance schemes in such areas where they will have the greatest impact on unemployment.In the longer term, however, the Government believe that on Merseyside as elsewhere in the country the paramount need is for the creation of a sound and expanding economy in which new real jobs will be created, and Government policies are directed towards this.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the unemployment figures for each month of 1979 for the first 11 months for Shipley and Bingley in Yorkshire.

Following is the information:

EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AREA
	Shipley	Bingley
January 1979	922	292
February 1979	994	281
March 1979	950	245
April 1979	921	238
May 1979	890	231
June 1979	862	244
July 1979	1,015	306
August 1979	961	310
September 1979	825	299
October 1979*	799	266
November 1979*	840	264
*Following the introduction of fortnightly attendance and payment of benefit the figures from October 1979 are likely to be slightly higher than they would have been under weekly attendance.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the failure of Airfix Limited to give its 900 employees at the Meccano factory Liverpool, the statutory 90 days' notice of redundancy.

On 3 December 1979 my Department was notified of the total closure of Meccano and the resulting redundancy of 931 employees on Friday 30 November. This appears to be a breach of the notification requirement under section 100 of the Employment Protection Act 1975, and my Department is seeking an urgent explanation from the company.I understand that consultations with the recognised trade unions were inconclusive. If the employer failed to comply with the requirement to consult the unions under section 99 of the Act, it is for the unions concerned to complain to an industrial tribunal under section 101 of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the cost of redundancy payments for the 900 employees at Meccano, Liverpool.

My Department has been advised by the employer that payments are likely to total approximately £600,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the cost to public funds of industrial tribunals in the current financial year; and what is the expected cost for 1980–81.

Estimated expenditure on salaries, fees and directly related expenses for 1979–80 is £6,758,000. The estimate for 1980–81 has not yet been finalised but is expected to be of the order of £5,500,000 at current prices. Superannuation, accommodation, printing and stationery, and so on, are provided without charge as an allied service; on average they would be likely to increase the direct expenditure by about 60 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many persons who have left the marine engineering industry since July 1977 have been retrained for other jobs;

[pursuant to his reply, 29 November 1979]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the only information available is for the shipbuilding industry as defined in the Central Statistical Office's Standard Industrial Classification index. This embraces shipbuilding, ship repairing and marine engineering. Information for each of the categories requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Between July 1977 and November 1979, the latest date for which the information is available, 1,145 people who had left the shipbuilding industry in Great Britain completed retraining for other jobs under the training opportunities scheme, of whom 303 were from the Tyneside and Sunderland area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when, and in what manner, he expects the agreement by the Council of Ministers in June on the EEC directive on packaging and labelling, VI amendment, to be implemented in the United Kingdom.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 November 1979, c. 808]: I am advised by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that it is proposed that the provisions of the directive in relation to the notification of new substances should be implemented by regulations to be made by the Health and Safety Executive and the Department of the Environment under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act and the European Communities Act. Member States are required to implement the notification provisions of the directive not later than 18 September 1981 and it is hoped that these regulations will be made by that date.It is proposed that the classification, packaging and labelling provisions of Directive 79/831/EEC should be implemented by regulations made to amend the Packaging and Labelling of Dangerous Substances Regulations 1978 (SI 1978, No. 209) which implemented the original Directive67/548/EEC as last amended. Member States are required to implement limited amendments made to the existing packaging and labelling rules applicable to certain listed substances and to implement provisions for the packaging and labelling of dangerous substances subject to the notification procedure not later than 18 September 1981 and then to implement provisions for the packaging and labelling of all other dangerous substances in scope not later than 18 September 1983. It is hoped to meet these requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications have been made by employers for grants towards the cost of

Percentages
					Electricity	Gas	Coal	Heating oils (including paraffin)	All items
January 1971	…	…	…	…	1·4	2·2	6·1	11·2	8·5
January 1972	…	…	…	…	12·7	8·4	10·1	2·2	8·2
January 1973	…	…	…	…	4·6	4·0	9·0	6·5	7·7
January 1974	…	…	…	…	7·0	1·6	2·8	33·1	12·0
January 1975	…	…	…	…	31·9	6·7	25·8	48·6	19·9
January 1976	…	…	…	…	41·1	35·2	27·0	24·0	23·4
January 1977	…	…	…	…	18·6	11·2	21·3	28·5	16·6
January 1978	…	…	…	…	10·9	9·7	15·1	3·3	9·9
January 1979	…	…	…	…	7·7	0·2	12·5	0·0	9·3
October 1979	…	…	…	…	12·7	8·0	21·5	46·4	17·2
Percentage increases from January 1970 to October 1979					285·6	122·6	258·9	477·1	233·7

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of his officials were sent to Brussels in 1978 to discuss EEC matters; what was the total man-days involved; and what was the cost to public funds of travel and subsistence, including sums reimbursed by the Commission.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 November 1979, c. 809]: The information asked for does, lf course, relate to the period of office of the previous Administration. I understand that in 1978 the position was as follows:For the Department of Employment group—including Manpower Services Commission and the Employment and Training Divisions adaptations to their premises or equipment to enable disabled people to obtain or retain employment since October 1978.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 December 1979, c. 25]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that 103 applications for grants have been received, of which 80 have been authorised since 1 October 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the rise in the retail price index for each year since 1970 and in total; and if he will compare this increase with the rise in prices of (a) electricity, (b) gas (c) coal (d) paraffin and (e) central heating oil.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 November 1979, c. 809]: Increases in the retail price index—RPI—on a year earlier are as follows:but excluding the Health and Safety Executive:

Visits	118
Man-days involved	182
Total Costs	£16,972

It is not possible without undue expenditure of time to provide figures for the amounts refunded from Community sources for the period covered by the question. Depending on the nature of particular visits, about 50 per cent. of costs are refunded by the Community.For the Health and Safety Executive:

Visits	188
Man-days involved	367

It is not possible to distinguish costs of EEC visits to Brussels from costs of other overseas visits without undue expenditure of time but it is thought that the costs would be approximately pro rata the same as for the remainder of the Department of Employment group.All the above figures relate to community business in Brussels—that is under the EEC, ECSC and Euratom treaties.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if the reduction in the employment protection element of employers' national insurance contribution is to be a substitute for an increase of redundancy rebates or if he intends to introduce an order to increase rebates during the current Session of Parliament.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 December 1979, c. 25]: The question of increasing the rate of redundancy rebate is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how the reduction in the employment protection element of employers' national insurance contribution is to be apportioned between the redundancy fund and the maternity pay fund; and what is the current surplus or deficit in the maternity pay fund.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 December 1979, c. 25]: The reduction in the employment protection allocation has been made with a view to reducing the rate of growth in the surplus in the redundancy fund, and will be wholly set against the redundancy portion of the allocation.The maternity pay fund is currently in surplus in the sum of £34,268,097.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of his declared intention to reduce the employment protection element of employers' national insurance contributions, he will now revise the forecasts of the levels of surplus in the redundancy fund given in his written reply of Monday 5 November.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 December 1979, c. 25]: If the level of rebate and the number of redundancies remain unchanged, the effect of the reduction in the employment protection allocation will be to reduce the estimated surplus in the redundancy fund at 31 March 1981 to £167 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers have registered as unemployed in the Bassetlaw constituency in the past 12 months; how many of these have accepted training or work experience courses; and how many are still unemployed.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 December 1979, c. 26]: The numbers of school leavers registered as unemployed at significant points during the last year at careers and employment offices in Worksop and Retford, which together correspond broadly to the Bassetlaw constituency, were as follows:

1979
January	70
April	42
September	257
November	116

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that about 150 school leavers from these offices have entered the work experience and work preparation elements of the youth opportunities programme since 1 January 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers have been housed as a result of approaches made by the Manpower Services Commission's regional directors to local authorities via the Department of the Environment since December 1977.

I have been asked to reply.The arrangements referred to were set up in 1977 by the Manpower Services Commission and the Department of the Environment with the object of encouraging local authorites to find accommodation for essential skilled workers in particular cases of difficulty. They are still available in such circumstances but statistics of persons securing accommodation by this means have not been kept.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if it is still the policy of his Department that local labour should be used so far as is practicable for the construction of the new district general hospital at Bangor, in view of the fact that KTA Construction Ltd. has brought on to the site six non-specialist labourers from Nottingham.

Yes: and the great bulk of the labour force has always been local. The decision in particular instances, however, rests with the contractor.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to resolve the unemployment situation in Lampeter and the Cardigan area during the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

:At the latest count in November 1,250 people were registered as unemployed in the two travel-to-work areas compared with 1,326 a year ago. These two travel-to-work areas will retain development area status, and support for the area within the responsibilities of the Development Board for Rural Wales and the Welsh Development Agency will continue.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what study his Department is carrying out into factors creating unemployment in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Employment remains a central feature in the Welsh Office's day-to-day concern with the Welsh economy.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how much ivory, both by volume and price, was imported into Hong Kong for the period during which figures are most recently available; and which were the countries of origin.

Between 23 January 1978, when controls on the importation of ivory were introduced, and 31 December 1978, 305,300 kilograms of unworked ivory worth approximately £10 million were imported into Hong Kong. All of the imports were covered by valid original export documents, as required by article IV of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, to which Hong Kong is a party. The countries of origin were Botswana, Burundi, Chad, Congo, Central African Republic, Gabon, Kenya, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire and Zambia.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the recognition of the Government of East Timor.

Her Majesty's Government do not recognise a Government of East Timor.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many civil servants in his Department have been charged with offences under the Official Secrets Act; how many have been dismissed but not charged for offences dealing with classified material; and how many have been removed from positions dealing with classified material but are still allowed to work on unclassified material since 1945.

Since 1945 two civil servants in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or its precursor departments have been charged with offences under the Official Secrets Act. Both were convicted. The appointments of two others were terminated but they were not charged for offences dealing with classified material. There are no records readily available, without incurring excessive expenditure, to indicate the number of officials who may have been removed from positions dealing with classified material, since 1945.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will circulate in the Official Reportthe effect, in terms of the real and the money economies, of bringing forward the payment of £700 million of petroleum revenue tax.

The bringing forward of PRT payments will have no immediate effect on output. It will directly reduce the PSBR in 1979–80. The resulting effects on the money supply depend on how the oil companies finance the payments. It is likely that they will reduce to some extent their holdings of liquid assets, including their bank deposits, and that the money supply will therefore be reduced. In the longer term, the reduction in the PSBR and rate of monetary growth will contribute to reducing the rate of inflation, which will be beneficial to private sector output.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the likely reduction in Government expenditure as a proportion of gross domestic product over the next five years.

That depends on decisions to be taken and the longer term performance of the economy. May I remind my hon. Friend that the State takes too much of the nation's income and it must be reduced.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he is satisfied that the quantitative and qualitative limitations on the use of the Treasury model by hon. Members are not excessive; and whether he proposes to make any improvements in these respects;(2) whether he will designate a suitably qualified official of the Treasury to provide on request technical help to hon. Members wishing to make effective use of the Treasury model under the existing arrangements.

Effective use of the Treasury model requires computing and other services. These are provided to hon. Members by arrangement between the House of Commons Library and a commercial organisation. The scale of expenditure involved is a matter for hon. Members. The Treasury provides technical help to the private organisations that supply the model to the House of Commons and to the public. The Treasury does not have the resources to provide direct assistance to individual users.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations he has had with the Civil Service unions about the future of the National Savings Bank at Cowglen, Glasgow.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer met the Staff Sides of the four main Departments in the Treasury area, including that of the Department for National Savings of which the National Savings Bank is a part, on 26 June 1979. At this meeting the options exercise was discussed in general terms. I met the DNS Staff Side on 24 July and my right hon. Friend again met the DNS Staff Side on 22 October at its request. At these latter two meetings the Staff Side was informed that no decisions had yet been reached about possible reductions of functions in the Department in connection with the Government's policy of reducing the size and cost of the public sector.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount of (a) subsidies, compensation and other payments and (b) capital debts and revenue deficits written off, in the nationalised industries since 1945.

Following is the information:

(a) £6933 million;

(b) £3834 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reduction in employment levels he expects in the nationalised industries (a) in the current year and (b) next year, consequent upon the recent White Paper on public expenditure.

Questions on levels of employment are for the industries themselves. The recent White Paper on public expenditure included estimates of the aggregate external financing needs of the industries in the current and next financial years, and limits on each industry's external financing in the next financial year were announced on 16 November. The effect of an industry's external financing limit on employment depends on a number of factors, including the level of pay increases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring up to date the table, relating to the money supply, which was circulated in the Official Report, 26 January 1978, columns 771–2.

Information on money supply definitions and their components is updated monthly in tables 7.1 and 7.2 of Financial Statistics.The latest data, relating to the October banking month, are published in the November issue.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many illegal citizens band radio sets operating on 27 mHz or other frequencies have been intercepted by Her Majesty's Government Customs in each of the past three years, together with the current year.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average rate of interest on the Government's funded debt, distinguishing between long, medium and short-term debt; what where the comparable figures for 1959 and 1969; and what is the nominal value and total interest payable each year on such debt issued since the general election.

Interest paid as a percentage of Government stocks outstanding for the years in question was as follows:

Per cent
Financial years	0–5 years	5–15 years	Over 15 years
1959–60	4·4	6·9	3·5
1969–70	5·6	3·9	4·7
1978–79	8·6	8·8	8·1

The nominal value of Government stocks issued since 4 May 1979 is £10,550 million and in a full year the interest payable is £1,277 million.

asked the Chanvcellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report information showing gross interest on the national debt as a proportion of gross national product in each year from 1952 to date.

Interest on the national debt as a proportion of gross national product is shown in the table below.

1952	4·0
1953	3·8
1954	3·7
1955	3·9
1956	4·0
1957	3·7
1958	3·7
1959	3·5
1960	3·6
1961	3·6
1962	3·3
1963	3·3
1964	3·1
1965	3·1
1966	3·1
1967	3·3
1968	3·0
1969	3·0
1970	2·8
1971	2·8
1972	2·9
1973	3·1
1974	3·3
1975	3·3
1976	3·6
1977	3·6
1978	3·9

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the information circulated in the Official Report on 27 July 1977 in column 271 concerning the change in competitiveness since 1974.

This information is now published in Economic Trends, for example, on page 46 of the November issue.Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1970

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he proposes to take to stop the loophole in section 478 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1970 arising as a result of the recent decision of the House of Lords in the Vestey case.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 December 1979]; The Inland Revenue is examining the full implications of the very recent decision of the House of Lords in the Vestey case. The subject will need careful study and it would be premature for me to put forward any proposals at this stage.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table bringing up to date, and including 1977 and 1978 as base years, the information supplied on 25 February 1977 in answer to the question in Volume 926, column 744, relating to certain import prices, wage rates and earnings.

				Food import prices	Fuel import prices	Basic materials import prices	Hourly wage rates	Earnings
1974	…	…	…	70	121	52	121	113
1975	…	…	…	46	92	47	70	69
1976	…	…	…	29	47	20	42	45
1977	…	…	…	9	30	1	35	31
1978	…	…	…	3	39	11	14	15

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value of payments and transactions subject to Treasury direction within section 40 of the Exchange Control Act 1947 (a) immediately before the Chancellor of the Exchequer's recent announcement of the abandonment of exchange controls and (b) at the latest available date.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 December 1979]: The value of assets restricted by Treasury directions under section 40 of the Exchange Control Act 1947 on 23 October 1979 is not known. No assets are so restricted now.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress was made in the renegotiation of the common fisheries policy during his discussions at Brussels on 3 and 4 December; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made to the House yesterday.

:The percentage increase in import prices, basic hourly wage rates in manufacturing industry and earnings in manufacturing to September 1979 from average 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978 values were as follows: introduce a prohibition order preventing the sale of IPSO drops as long as this product has the appearance and size of medicinal tablets.

:No. As I said on 22 November in reply to a question from the hon. Member—[Vol. 974, c. 278–9]—the only way of preventing children from taking any drugs or medicines they find is to make sure that all medicines and drugs are kept well away from them.

Clark asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the A and B quotas for beet sugar and the actual production, respectively, under each quota for each of the latest five years, together with the average annual production for such five years.

In relation to production in the United Kingdom, the information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he has for further offshore petroleum licensing.

The Government have previously declared their objective that exploration of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom Continental Shelf should go forward with increased momentum. This is necessary if we are to be able to develop new fields in the years ahead when production from existing fields starts to tail off. To this end, it is important for companies to push ahead with exploration and appraisal under existing licences; in addition, I intend to get a new round of offshore licensing under way as soon as possible.It is important that our offshore licensing system gives encouragement to the oil industry, which has to invest in exploration and development effort, and at the same time safeguards the nation's essential interests in our resources. We need a new direction and impetus to our offshore licensing policies. I now therefore propose that the seventh round should include the following principal features:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his Department's policy on gas supplies to new industrial estates; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that the British Gas Corporation is fulfilling its statutory obligations in respect of new demand for gas. Extension of the gas supply network outside the statutory limit is a matter for the Corporation and I have asked the chairman Sir Denis Rooke, to reply to the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) when he expects to receive the report of the Health and Safety Executive into the radiation leak at Wind-scale first discovered on 10 October 1976; and why this leak has not yet been stopped;

(2) what further reports into the operations at Windscale he expects to receive, and when, from the Health and Safety Executive;

(3) what discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive concerning British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. over a second radiation leak at Windscale; and what action he intends to take;

(4) what is his assessment of the danger to the public caused by the radiation leaks at Windscale; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what would be the effect on the coal market of cutting excess electricity generating capacity from about 35 per cent. to 17 per cent. by retiring the oldest and smallest coal-fired stations; and what would be the anticipated gain to the Central Electricity Generating Board.

Small, old coal-fired stations are low in the Central Electricity Generating Board's merit order, and so generate for only short periods at times of maximum demand and burn little coal. Exact amounts depend on weather and availability of other plant, but they are not sufficient to influence the coal market in any significant way.An adequate margin of capacity has to be maintained as a safeguard against the effects of cold weather and plant breakdown. An overall margin of only 17 per cent. would be insufficient to cover the contingencies involved and would result in interruption of supply through shortage of generating capacity.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the present membership of the Waste Management Advisory Committee, the subjects at present being examined and the number of meetings which have taken place during 1979.

TABLE 1
PRODUCTION OF WOOL, HAIR AND MAN-MADE FIBRE TOPS
'000 tonnes
					1952*	1960	1967	1972	1978
United Kingdom		…	…	…	104·8	161·8	120·0	121·0	91·8
German Federal Republic				…	21·1	53·2	30·7	80·0	54·3
France	…	…	…	…	56·9	102·9	105·6	169·0	126·9
Italy	…	…	…	…	32·4	66·2	115·9†	208·9	256·6
United States of America				…	87·4	75·0	108·2	71·4	43·8
Japan	…	…	…	…	40·1	98·7*	139·3*	147·3*	80·3*
* Excludes man-made fibre tops.
† Change in basis of figures from 1967.
1979 figures not yet available on a consistent basis.
Figures include production of carded sliver and man-made fibre tow converted to top without combing. Production of man-made fibre tops outside the wool industry are included for the United Kingdom and United States.
Source: Annual report on Wool Statistics by the Commonwealth Secretariat, International Wool Study Group and International Wool Textile Organisation.

TABLE 2
PRODUCTION OF WOOLLEN AND WORSTED YARNS BY THE WOOL TEXTILE INDUSTRY*
'000 tonnes
					1952	1960	1967	1972	1978
United Kingdom		…	…	…	206·4	247·9	225·7	230·7	183·4
German Federal Republic				…	90·0	118·1	102·4	139·9	125·8
France	…	…	…	…	110·1	142·9	126·6	155·1	136·4
Italy	…	…	…	…	104·0	194·6	265·3‡	380·6	503·7
United States of America				…	307·0	305·7	368·2	426·1	†
Japan	…	…	…	…	68·5	134·9	164·4	196·4	109·4
* Including yarns of other fibres and mixtures.
† Not available.
‡ Change in basis of figures from 1967.
1979 figures are not yet available on a consistent basis.
Source: Annual report on Wool Statistics by the Commonwealth Secretariat, International Wool Study Group and International Wool Textile Organisation.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proposals he has received from the British Steel Corporation concerning a reduction of its work force and plant capacity; and if he will give details of the proposals, plant by plant.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing the volume and value of wool textiles produced and exported by the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, the United States of America and Japan in 1952, 1960, 1967, 1972, 1978 and 1979 to date.

Figures showing the weight of the production and exports of the three main products of the industry are given in the following tatbles. Value figures are not readily available.