asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is his latest estimate of the cost to public funds of subsidised meals for members of the Civil Service.

The estimated cost of the cash subsidies for meals for the current financial year is £1,439,000. This represents approximately 2p per day for each civil servant who has access to a staff restaurant.Additional payments, amounting in 1979–80 to some £2,370,000, are made to meet excess staff costs incurred in providing meals for certain establishments, for example in Royal ordnance factories where staff work abnormal hours. Premises, equipment, and services are also provided but estimates of the cost of these are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if there have been any changes to his Department's housing cash limit W0/LA1 for the financial year 1979–80.

The cash limit for Welsh housing (WO/LA1) has been reduced from £155·0 million to £153·3 million for this year. The decrease takes account of the £1·5 million overspend on the cash limit in 1978–79, which was noted in Cmnd. 7681. The balance of the decrease is to offset additional expenditure outside the housing programme on works to remedy the effects of subsidence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received for improving insulation standards in (a) private housing and (b) industrial buildings; and whether he has any proposals for requiring such an improvement.

I have received a number of representations and am at present seeking views about higher insulation standards for new housing. Standards for other buildings were increased last June. I have placed a copy of the consultation document in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his discussions with the governing bodies of rugby on the proposed tour of South Africa.

I have had no such discussions since my reply to the hon. Member of 12 December on the same matter. I did, however, write to the chairman of the rugby union's tours committee on 3 January emphasising the Government view about the proposed tour of South Africa by the British Lions.—[Vol. 975, c. 1277.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the present system of listing buildings with regard to (a) the rights of the owners and (b) the motives of those applying to have buildings listed.

It is open to anyone to apply for a building to be listed. In the listing decision, only the special architectural or historic interests of the building are relevant factors. Owners' rights are safeguarded by the subsequent listed building consent procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if it is his policy that local authorities shall be allowed only to spend moneys raised on the disposal of assets in the same key sectors as those in which the disposals take place from 1981–82 onwards; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which such a policy will inhibit disposals.

The revised proposals for the control of local authority capital which my right hon. Friend announced on 22 January will permit disposal receipts to be used for any service.

F. Bennett asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of access agreements

						Agreements completed since national park was set up	Agreements completed during the last five years	Agreements currently under negotiation
Dartmoor	…	…	…	…	…	2	0	3
Exmoor	…	…	…	…	…	0	0	0
Lake District		…	…	…	…	9	5	2
Northumberland		…	…	…	…	2	1	2
North Yorkshire Moors			…	…	…	0	0	1
Peak District		…	…	…	…	18	1	4
Yorkshire Dales		…	…	…	…	2	1	0

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in determining the Rate Support Increase Order 1980–81, what criteria he will apply in respect of local authorities which are overspending; and whether he will base his decision on a division into large units, such as Greater London, metropolitan or shire councils, or smaller units such as local authority districts.

The general criteria are set out in paragraphs 42 to 46 of the report on the Rate Support Grant Order 1979 which my right hon. Friend laid before the House on 28 November last. They will apply at the level of the rating authority—that is districts and London boroughs—but will take into account precepts issued by higher tier authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources Her Majesty's Government have earmarked through the Sports Council, or in any other way, in support of the British Olympic Committee in respect of the 1980 Olympics; how much has already been paid; and if he will make further payments conditional on the Olympics being moved from Moscow.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) on 17 January.—[Vol. 976, c. 835.]

I am informed by the national park authorities that the figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the English house condition survey 1976, part two.

The report contains findings about the attitudes and intentions of people living in poor housing conditions and we are considering its relevance to renovation policy. The changes in the grant system which are included in the Housing Bill will enable more effective use to be made of resources available for improvement and repair.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the future of agrément in the United Kingdom.

The Government have now completed their review with the advice of the Central Policy Review Staff and the executive board of the British Standards Institution has been formally consulted. In the light of these consultations we have concluded that the Agrément Board should remain independent. We shall be considering ways in which the financial position of the board and the marketability of agrément certificates could both be improved in the context of the review of the present system of building control which we are undertaking.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the numbers of houses estimated to be in need of major repairs for each year from 1970 to 1979; and, in each case, what proportion were in private or public ownership.

There is no single definition of major repair, and information is

DWELLINGS* IN NEED OF REPAIRS COSTING MORE THAN £1,000 (1976 PRICES): ENGLAND: 1971 AND 1976
				Local Authority/New Towns		Other Tenures‡		All Dwellings
				Thousands of dwellings	Percent.	Thousands of dwellings	Percent.	Thousands of dwellings	Percent.
1971	…	…	…	130	(7)	1,750	(93)	1,880	(100)
1976	…	…	…	260	(12)	1,970	(88)	2,240	(100)
Source: English House Condition Surveys, 1971 and 1976
* The estimates are based on samples of dwellings and are therefore subject to sampling error.
† Repair costs of £1,000 at 1976 prices are broadly equivalent to costs of £1,500 at 1979 prices.
‡"Other" tenures include housing association owned, owner-occupied, privately rented and vacant dwellings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that adequate resources are made available to private owners and local authorities to carry out major repairs to their houses; and if he will make changes to the improvement grant system to try to reduce the numbers of properties in need of major renovation.

It will in future be a matter for each local authority to decide how much of its housing capital expenditure allocation to use to repair its existing housing stock. As far as the private sector is concerned, the Housing Bill includes provisions extending the availability of repair grants for major repairs to older housing. The Bill also includes, in clauses 94–95 and schedule 9, a number of other changes to the grant system designed to make it more effective in tackling the problem to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what arrangements are being made for the payment of a British Government contribution of nearly £2 million in response to the joint United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund and International Committee of the Red Cross Appeal for their humanitarian work for the people of Cambodia.

Parliamentary approval to this new service will be sought in a supplementary estimate for the Overseas Aid Vote. Pending that approval the necessary expenditure will be met by a repayable advance from the Contingencies Fund, in response to a request for early payment from the executive director of UNICEF.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the accidents involving Service aircraft have resulted in courts martial or other disciplinary action against the personnel involved in each of the past five years.

I regret the information requested is not readily available. I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, prior to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Her Majesty's Government had plans for any military visits or exchanges between the United Kingdom and the USSR; if he will list the nature and proposed dates of such visits; and if, in the light of this most recent example of Soviet aggression, he will reconsider the desirability of such exchanges.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made on 24 January by my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal. We have withdrawn a proposal for an exchange of delegations from the air force staff colleges of our two countries starting with a visit to Moscow by the RAF Staff College, Bracknell, in May; and we have rejected a Soviet proposal for an exchange of naval ship visits in 1980. These were the only proposals current for military visits or exchanges with the USSR.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the Hawk aircraft is to be armed.

The Hawk is already armed with a gun. As I announced on 27 July last year, however, we have decided to modify a substantial number of these aircraft to carry air-to-air missiles. The design work for the modifications is already in hand but the first modified aircraft will not be available for at least two years.—[Vol. 971, c.509.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the programme of research and development into anti-armour ammunition using depleted uranium penetrators.

In addition to the use of the proof and experimental establishment site at Eskmeals which my predecessor announced on 8 March 1979, open range test firings will take place at the military vehicle and engineering establishment range at Kirkcudbright in Scotland, beginning in 1981. A memorandum describing the programme was placed in the Library of the House at the time of the announcement last March. The measures described in that memorandum will apply in full to those parts of the programme to be undertaken at Kirkcudbright.—[Vol. 963, c. 777–8.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has reviewed the arrangements under which quarters are provided for prison staff, as recommended by the committee of inquiry into the United Kingdom prison services, Cmnd 7673; and if he will make a statement.

This is one of a number of recommendations made by the committee which are currently receiving consideration. It raises some wide issues on which discussions with the unions concerned will be necessary before any conclusions can be reached.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of boys received into Send detention centre in 1978 and 1979 had (a) no previous convictions and (b) one or two previous convictions.

Information on previous convictions is available for only about two-thirds of those received into Send detention centre in 1978 and they may not be representative of all receptions. Of those received in 1978 for whom information is available, 14 per cent. had no previous convictions, 39 per cent. had one or two previous convictions, and 47 per cent. had three or more previous convictions. Figures for 1979 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of boys received into Send detention centre in 1978 and 1979 had (a) a previous supervision order imposed in criminal proceedings, (b) a previous care order imposed in criminal proceedings, (c) both a previous supervision order and a previous care order imposed in criminal proceedings.

Information on previous supervision orders imposed in criminal proceedings on boys received into Send detention centre is available only for the period 1 October to 31 December 1978, when 40 per cent. had a previous supervision order. No information on previous care orders is available for 1978. Figures for 1979 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, of the 800 police officers who have been dismissed or forced to resign during the past eight years, which of these were resignations and dismissals; and whether, in the case of the resignations, pensions were payable and are still being drawn.

In England and Wales during the seven years ended 31 December 1978—the latest period for which figures are available—543 police officers were dismissed or required to resign as an alternative to dismissal: a further 666 officers resigned voluntarily after being charged with criminal or disciplinary offences but before the relevant charges were heard, or while under suspension.Detailed information about the treatment of pensions in all these cases is not available. There can be no question of interfering with the pension entitlement of an officer who is not convicted of a criminal offence but resigns voluntarily, whether or not in anticipation of disciplinary proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to amend the Sex Discrimination Act to protect pregnant women from dismissal at work, where their dismissal is due to their pregnancy.

We have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the effects on the Leeds, East constituency of the proposed changes in the West Yorkshire fire service.

Statutory responsibility for the provision of fire cover in West Yorkshire rests with the county council, which is required under section 1 of the Fire Services Act 1947 to maintain a fire brigade for its area of sufficient strength to meet efficiently all normal requirements. Under section 19 of the Act, as amended by the Fire Services Act 1959, before varying the establishment of the brigade by reducing the number of whole-time operational firemen of any rank in the brigade, or of part-time members, or of fire appliances, or by closing a fire station, the fire authority has to obtain my approval.I have now received detailed proposals from the county council for varying the establishment scheme of the West Yorkshire fire brigade. These are being studied in relation to the whole of the fire authority's area, and I regret that I cannot at present assess the possible effects on the Leeds, East constituency of the changes proposed. The right hon. Member may be assured, however, that I am not prepared to approve proposals the effect of which would be to reduce fire cover below the minimum standards recommended by the Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what date he expects the fourth television channel to be transmitting.

On the basis of the Independent Broadcasting Authority's present engineering programme, I hope that it will be possible for the fourth channel service to begin in autumn 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has received representations about the delay in the determination of care proceedings as a result of delays in adult courts; and if he will make a statement;(2) what advice he has given or intends to give to those responsible for juvenile court proceedings as to how to avoid delays in care proceedings which occur as a result of proceedings against an adult accused of an offence against a child who is the subject of the care proceedings.

Clerks to the justices have been advised—in Home Office circular No. 88/1972—that the Crown Court should be notified if it is decided that care proceedings should be adjourned pending the outcome of the criminal trial of a parent, so that any delays may be minimised.The legal group working party of the Association of British Adoption and Fostering Agencies has recommended in its publication "Care Proceedings" that guidance should be given to courts and social services departments on the circumstances in which care proceedings should continue to be heard without awaiting the outcome of proceedings against a parent. We are considering this recommenadtion in consultation with my 1972 when he was married, or, if at the point of retirement he was a widower, divorced or judicially separated, it is reduced for such part of the period before 1972 when he was a married man. The magic of 1972 is that apparently thereafter GLC employees were not compelled to contribute to any pension for their wives or widows.The rationale for the first reduction in the case of a married man upon retirement is that should he have a widow surviving him on his death there would be a pension for her. I concede that that did not cover Mr. Denby's case because, regrettably, by the time he came to retire he had—in December 1976—become divorced. He did not retire until March 1977.Under the second leg, however, there was a case for reduction in his lump sum because at any rate up to the point when he was divorced there was a contingent liability on the Inner London Education Authority to pay Mrs. Denby a pension. The GLC was indifferent to the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Denby were separated. So far as the council was concerned, no divorce had taken place and so there was a contingent liability. It was on that basis that a deduction was made when Mr. Denby retired in March 1977.Mr. Denby may claim that this was a harsh, disadvantageous provision and that the deduction was too big for the contingent liability which in Mr. Denby's case never matured. I do not think that it is proper for me to debate the merits or demerits of that proposition. I am not charged with any particular responsibilities. I am here, to put it crudely, to defend the position of the Inland Revenue. That charge could more properly be put to the Department of the Environment. I can only tell my hon. Friend that this is a point in the rules that has never yet been raised by the staff associations. I am not necessarily encouraging them to do so. It does not seem to be a matter of general concern for those who, like Mr. Denby, are subject to these rules.In drawing the threads together, the first question I ask is: should the pension regulations for GLC employees follow the tax code? Should there be a precise correlation between the rules of the pension fund and the conditions set out in section 8 of the Act? That is a matter for the Department of the Environment and for the employers and employees. It is not necessarily a matter on which I should care to express an opinion, although I do not see any particular reason why there should be. These matters can be adjusted by negotiation, and Mr. Denby can perhaps argue that he has not been well treated.Let us turn the proposition round another way. Should the tax code follow the pension regulations? I am sure that my hon. Friend would hardly argue that the tax code, which is designed for the generality of taxpayers, not just for GLC employees, should be made to fit the circumstances of the pension regulations.I say, not with smugness, because I understand the feeling of deprivation, that this matter cannot be laid at the Inland Revenue's door. The Revenue is operating within the statute. If it is not, it is open to Mr. Denby to take the matter to the appeal commissioners. He has not chosen to do that. I do not quarrel with that as I know that the law delays and is expensive.The Inland Revenue has properly administered the code. I am sorry that Mr. Denby should have a sense of grievance. His case has been most ably put by my hon. Friend. I hope that, in turn. I have put the problem in perspective and that my hon. Friend will explain to Mr. Denby.

I do not dispute that what was done was within the statute. However, two statutes are involved in the case. The statutes define married and separated persons differently. Mr. Denby falls foul of both. It is clear that the statutes are wrong, not Mr. Denby. The simple position is that Mr. Denby found that he was making a substantial contribution unwittingly, in the potential event of there being a liability for his widow if he had died before her. Under the Revenue rules there should be a deduction from earnings before tax so that there is an allowance for the steep payments from which Mr. Denby has suffered. I hope that, on reflection, my hon. and learned Friend will be able to look at that with more care when he has had more time.

I can assure my hon. Friend that I have given deep thought to the problem. I have examined it from every possible angle.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has had objecting to the closure of the special programme for Latin American refugees and from whom.

376, of which 132 were from hon. Members and their constituents and the remainder from members of the public, including trades councils and local Latin American refugees support groups.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been received from people in Latin American countries asking for permission to enter the United Kingdom as refugees since his announcement of the closure of the special programme for refugees from Latin America; how many of these have been admitted; and how many are still under consideration.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce his decision about the level of financial support for the joint working group for refugees from Latin America.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now in a position to make a statement on the future of grant aid to the joint working group of refugees from Latin America.

The joint working group has been informed that the total Home Office grant for 1979–80 will be £126,000 and that, in view of the termination of the special programme for refugees from Latin America, any future grant in respect of its remaining activities will be phased out as soon as possible in 1980–81. A decision on the amount of the group's 1980–81 grant will be reached very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will publish the correspondence his Department has had with Oxfordshire county council regarding the provision of nursery education in the county.

I give below the text of a letter sent by my Department to Oxfordshire county council on 23 November and of the reply by the county secretary on 30 November The county secretary wrote again on 21 January about the meeting proposed in his earlier letter and arrangements for this are now in hand.P. J. Floyd Esq., M.A.County Secretary,County Hall,Oxford,OX1 1ND.23 November 1979

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of the work of the Institute of Hearing Research.

A pilot study is being undertaken at the Glasgow and Southampton outstations of the institute of Hearing Research, and to a lesser extent at the Nottingham and Cardiff outstations, to explore the feasibility of the large epidemiological study of hearing impairment to which I referred in my answer to a question by the right hon. Member on 25 July 1979. In addition, clinical studies of tinnitus have now begun, and information about the prevalence of this condition in the population will be provided by the proposed epidemiological survey of hearing impairment.—[Vol. 971, c. 276.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what cash limits are being imposed on Remploy Limited; what estimate he has made of their effect on Remploy's pursuit of its primary objective of employing severely disabled people; what study has been made of the costs that will arise under other headings of public expenditure if severely disabled people become unemployed in consequence of these limits; and if he will make a statement.

Remploy's cash limit for 1979–80 is £31,049 million; the limit for 1980–81 has not yet been set. Full account is taken of the company's primary objective in fixing the cash limit, and the company's plans for the coming year reflect an increase in the numbers of severely disabled people to be employed. A summary of an analysis of the costs and benefits of sheltered employment and a small case study comparing the income of a sample of individuals in a sheltered workshop with the social security benefits they would receive if unemployed, were published in the September 1978 edition of the Department of Employment Gazette, a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library. In the circumstances, I see no need to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those skillcentres that are to be closed.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that no decision has yet been made to close any skillcentres or annexes. Although it may not be necessary to close all the skill-centres and annexes named, the following list of candidates for closure has been submitted to the commissioners for consideration:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the actual United Kingdom North Sea production of crude oil in 1979, the amounts allocated to export and the home market and estimates for 1980 and 1981.

Final figures for United Kingdom offshore oil disposals for the full year 1979 are not yet available. The most recent estimates available—which areprovisional—are for the 11 months January-November 1979, in which total United Kingdom offshore crude oil disposals amounted to 70 million tonnes, of which 35 million tonnes went to the United Kingdom and 35 million tonnes went overseas. Forecast ranges for possible United Kingdom oil production levels in 1980 and 1981 are given in the 1979 Brown Book: these are under review. The amounts used at home and overseas will depend upon a variety of factors and cannot be estimated reliably.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total availability of crude oil to the British National Oil Corporation under (a) equity holding and (b) participation agreements for 1980 and each of the next three years.

I have asked the chairman of the corporation to write to my hon. Friend with such information as is not commercially confidential

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much of the crude oil available to the British National Oil Corporation in 1980 is already covered by forward sales agreements, including Britoil; and what is the position for 1981.

I understand that the amounts so committed will be only a small part of BNOC's available oil in both years. Details of the agreements are commercially confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much crude oil imported into the United Kingdom is tied to the acceptance of petroleum products and how much of the oil imported is purchased on a Government-to-Government basis or between State corporations.

The Government are not involved in any Government-to-Government oil purchases. Details of the arrangements under which private sector companies and the British National Oil Corporation obtain oil are commercially confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what funds have been provided by the European Investment Bank to the National Coal Board to date; and whether he has been in negotiation with the bank for further funds for the board's "Plan For Coal".

The National Coal Board borrowed £7·2 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB) in 1975 to finance investment projects at five collieries. Since then, it has not sought further loans from the EIB; it has, however, borrowed £559 million from the European Coal and Steel Community to finance capital projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will intrduce legislation to prevent pump prices being increased for motor fuels immediately the OPEC price rises are announced, despite the existence of considerable stocks held at depots and filling stations.

No. I do not believe such controls are necessary. The recent product price increases reflected certain crude oil price increases, some of which were imposed on the oil companies retrospectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, inview of the fact that the Esso Petroleum Company has intimated to a number of rural garages in East Aberdeenshire and elsewhere in Scotland its intention to withdraw supplies of fuel to these garages at short notice, which will create problems to the inhabitants and the agriculture industry in rural areas where the present garage is the only local supplier, he will consult with the Esso Petroleum Company to implement its undertaking not to deny supplies to rural petrol stations where a local need and amenity can be proved.

I understand that the Esso Petroleum Company regrets that, through a management error, it failed to implement fully the assurances it has given in respect of owner-operated garages, previously reported to the House on 29 October1979, in a limited number of cases in North-East Scotland. The company has now rectified the position and has told me that it is fully implementing the assurances previously given.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will tabulate for each year from 1970 to 1979 the newly built tonnage of ships acquired by British owners from United Kingdom and over- seas shipbuilders, respectively, for each of the years 1970 to 1979.Mr. Michael Marshall: The information is as follows:

MERCHANT SHIPS (100 GROSS REGISTERED TONS AND OVER) COMPLETED FOR UNITED KINGDOM REGISTRATION
	'000 gross registered ton.
	Built in United Kingdom yards	Built in Overseas yards
1970	1,037	1,706
1971	903	2,259
1972	810	2,688
1973	742	3,134
1974	954	2,815
1975	838	2,251
1976	971	1,157
1977	596	1,186
1978	739	798
1979*	327	363
1979	464	Not available
* January-September.
† Total.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the latest situation at Meccano Ltd., Liverpool.

I understand that the parent company, Airfix Industries Limited, has received a number of inquiries from interested parties about the possibility of selling the Mecca no factory and that a joint committee with the trades unions has been set up to consider these applications. This is not a matter for the Government to become involved in.On the question of the company's apparent non-compliance with the statutory 90 days' notice of closure required under the Employment Protection Act, I understand that the Department of Employment is still discussing this matter with the company.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will take into account the high level of unemployment in the Morpeth, Ashington, Bedlington and Blyth area and reconsider his proposal to downgrade the area from special development to development area status.

Careful consideration is being given to the representations made about the assisted-area status of the Morpeth travel-to-work area both by a deputation from Wansbeck and Blyth Valley and by the Northumberland county council.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) if he will list in the Official Reporteach local authority in England and Wales which will lose its assisted area status under the terms of clause 13 of the Industry Bill which has made representation to him about projects in its area that it feels might be affected through non-completion of the project by 1 August 1980; and if he will publish each threatened project affected and the amount of regional development grant for each project in each local government area;(2) if he will list in the

[pursuant to his reply, 24 January]: Although clause 13 does not make changes in the status of assisted areas, the changes in regional industrial policy announced on 17 July 1979 included changes in assisted areas and the availability and rates of regional development grant. Representations about these changes have been received from a number of sources including local authorities. The detailed information requested is not readily available and could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West on 14 January, what assumptions other than those concerning gross domestic product of steel imports he regards as necessary to provide a sufficient basis for making reliable estimates of crude steel production.

[pursuant to his reply, 24 January 1980]: In order to make a reliable estimate of steel production it is necessary to make assumptions about the course of steel exports, changes in steel stocks and the performance of the main steel-using industries, such as motor vehicles, mechanical and electrical engineering, construction and shipbuilding.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he considers the present level of unemployment to be equal to the natural or minimum sustainable rate; and, if not, what rate of unemployment he has adopted as the target rate for regulating the money supply.

Estimates of a natural or minimum sustainable rate of unemployment are extremely uncertain. The money supply is not regulated according to any target rate of unemployment, but it is true that within a given money supply target unrealistic wage settlements will tend to cause unemployment to rise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he still intends to go ahead with his plans for free enterprise zones; and, if so, when and where it is proposed to establish them.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to a similar question on 31 October 1979 by the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Allaun).—[Vol. 972, c. 575.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he is giving to the establishment of enterprise zones in the Northern region.

I have nothing to add to the answer given to a similar question on 31 October 1979 by the hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Allaun).—[Vol. 972, c. 575.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the size of Great Britain's net contribution to the EEC in 1980, less the refund offered at the European Council meeting on 29 and 30 November 1979, at July 1971 prices.

The United Kingdom's contribution to the Community budget in 1980, net of public sector receipts, is estimated to be somewhat over £350 million if expressed at July 1971 prices. The refund discussed at the European Council meeting on 29–30 November 1979 cannot be directly related to this. Receipts from the financial mechanism in respect of our budgetary contribution in 1980 fall in the year 1981 and therefore have no effect on the net contribution in 1980.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the needs assessment study.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave on 11 December 1979 to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam). If the hon. Member has a particular point in mind perhaps he would write to me about it.—[Vol. 975, c. 573–4.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress the Government have made in their review of the construction industry tax deduction scheme; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have completed a preliminary review of the scheme. With my authority, the Board of Inland Revenue will now be sending a consultative paper to the main representative bodies in the industry; and copies of this paper will be placed in the Library. In the light of these consultations the Government intend to bring forward amending legislation as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will issue an updated leaflet to bring to the attention of pensioners the existence of index-linked retirement certificates; and if he will publish in the Official Report the effect of his last leaflet on the sale of retirement certificates.

[pursuant to his reply, 24 January 1980]: The retirement issue national savings certificates promotional leaflet was last completely revised in August 1979. The leaflet has been reprinted to show the new maximum holding limit of 120 units costing £1,200 and this issue of the leaflet was available in post offices in December.It is not possible to quantify the effects of these leaflets on sales of retirement issue certificates. Following the increase in the maximum holding limit on 3 December 1979 sales increased from a rate of £5 million a week to £50 million a week.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make a statement on the abolition of the Personal Social Services Council, to include statements about the future location of the functions which are undertaken by the Personal Social Services Council;(2) if he has plans to continue the research functions of the Personal Social Services Council following its abolition.

I have nothing to add to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Waver tree (Mr. Steen) on 5 December 1979 and the reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 24 January 1980.—[Vol. 977, c. 334.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take concerning the allegations received by his Department by nurses from Broadmoor hospital concerning assaults on patients.

The allegations were referred to the police who decided, after consultation with the Director of Public Prosecutions, that further action was not appropriate. I have considered whether any form of management inquiry should be set up and have decided that this would not be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will ensure that the Advisory Council on Child Care, in whatever form it is to be constituted in the future, maintains its status as an independent body;(2) if he will make a statement on the future of the Advisory Council on Child Care Aid; and why he proposes to withdraw the statutory provision for this council.

When the Personal Social Services Council was established in 1974 it was thought unnecessary to maintain a separate role for the statutory Advisory Council on Child Care and the members of the Personal Social Services Council were appointed members of the advisory council as well. In 1979 a joint committee for children was established to advise more widely on children's services, including members appointed on nomination from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science, the Central Health Services Council and the Personal Social Services Council.This committee will continue its work after the Personal Social Services Council has come to an end. I do not consider it necessary in addition to appoint an Advisory Council on Child Care, and I shall be seeking Parliament's agreement in due course to the repeal of the relevant legislative provision.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his analysis of the reasons why fewer prescriptions have been dispensed since prescription charges have been raised.

From the table below, which sets out the monthly figures for dispensed prescriptions, it can be seen that there was a drop in numbers over the whole year. It is not feasible to analyse the many possible reasons for this downward trend, but, of course, it can be said that a contributory factor to a short-term drop in numbers might be attributed to an increase in the prescription charge.

England
	Thousands
Month/Year	Total number of prescriptions dispensed
1978—
January	26,296
February	25,853
March	26,897
April	24,724
May	26,381
June	26,025
July	24,544
August	23,851
September	24,377
October	26,234
November	26,031
December	25,884
1979—
January	26,985
February	24,941
March	27,968
April	24,566
May	25,776
June	25,799
July*	25,251
August	23,548
September	23,004
October	26,547
November	26,000†
December	24,300†
* Prescription charges increased from 20p to 45p on 16 July 1979.
† Advance estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of children in secure places on the latest available date; and what was the number of staff and the number of staff with professional social work qualiifications.

On 22 October 1979 there were about 50 children in the youth treatment centres, where all the staff are professionally qualified. On the same date there were 356 secure places in community homes in England, but it is neither possible to say how many of them were occupied because records are not kept centrally nor to give the information requested about staff, who are not separately identified because they may work both in the secure unit and in the open accommodation in the home.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the proportion of the annual budget that is spent on administration, as opposed to patient services, by each area health authority.

The information requested is given below.

1978–79—PROPORTION OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE SPENT ON HEADQUARTERS ADMINISTRATION BY AREA HEALTH AUTHORITY
Area Health Authority
Northern Region
	Percentage
Cleveland	3·31
Cumbria	3·55
Durham	3·28
Northumberland	3·32
Gateshead	4·32
Newcastle on Tyne (T)	2·81
North Tyneside	4·19
South Tyneside	4·54
Sunderland	2·82
Yorkshire Region
Humberside	3·51
North Yorkshire	3·32
Bradford	3·39
Calderdale	3·21
Kirklees	3·56
Leeds (T)	2·61
Wakefield	3·96
Trent Region
Derbyshire	3·48
Leicestershire (T)	3·41
Lincolnshire	3·46
Nottinghamshire (T)	3·34
Barnsley	3·50
Doncaster	3·47
Rotherham	3·79
Sheffield (T)	3·59
East Anglia Region
Cambridgeshire (T)	3·14
Norfolk	3·31
Suffolk	3·33
Bedfordshire	4·38
Hertfordshire	3·34
Barnet	4·86
Brent and Harrow	2·91
Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow (T)	4·23
Hillingdom	3·41
Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster	4·17
North East Thames Region
Essex	3·44
Barking and Havering	3·49
Camden and Islington	4·56
City and East London	4·04
Enfield and Haringey	4·33
Redbridge and Waltham Forest	3·99
South East Thames Region
East Sussex	3·88
Kent	3·60
Greenwich and Bexley	3·78

	Percentage
Bromley	3·31
Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham (T)	4·46
South West Thames Region
Surrey	3·56
West Sussex	3·48
Croydon	3·09
Kingston and Richmond	4·97
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth	3·81
Wessex Region
Dorset	3·34
Hampshire (T)	2·95
Wiltshire	3·85
Isle of Wight	4·09
AREA HEALTH AUTHORITY
Oxford Region
Berkshire	3·47
Buckinghamshire	3·82
Northamptonshire	4·42
Oxfordshire (T)	3·29
South Western Region
Avon (T)	2·90
Cornwall	3·26
Devon	3·48
Gloucester	3·31
Somerset	3·39
West Midlands Region
Heroford and Worcester	3·65
Salop	2·31
Staffordshire	2·64
Warwickshire	3·86
Birmingham (T)	2·58
Coventry	2·46
Dudley	2·97
Sandwell	4·38
Solihull	4·84
Walsall	3·75
Wolverhampton	3·05
Mersey Region
Cheshire	3·54
Liverpool (T)	3·07
St. Helens and Knowsley	3·41
Sefton	3·38
Wirral	3·34
North Western Region
Lancashire	3·08
Bolton	3·62
Bury	4·78
Manchester (T)	2·48
Oldham	3·93
Rochdale	4·52
Salford (T)	3·22
Stockport	3·11
Tameside	3·74
Trafford	4·44
Wigan	3·43

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make an official visit to hospitals in Leicester.

I have no plans at present for such a visit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospital beds are available in the National Health Service currently compared with 1974 and 1970.

The average daily number of beds available in National Health Service hospitals in England in 1978, the latest date for which figures are available, was 369,235 compared with 396,235 in 1974 and 423,621 in 1970.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest position following the suspension of kidney transplant operations at Dulwich hospital up to 1 April.

I refer my hon. Friend to my replies to the right hon. Member

HOSPITAL MEDICAL AND DENTAL CONSULTANTS, AND SHMOs AND SHDOs WITH ALLOWANCE IN GREAT BRITAIN ANALYSIS BY REGION SHOWING WHOLE-TIME EQUIVALENTS (W.T.E.) AND W.T.E./100,000 POPULATION AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER 1979
							Medical w.t.e.	w.t.e./ 100,000 population	Dental w.t.e.	w.t.e./ 100,000 population
England and Wales			…	…	…	…	11,243·4	22·9	394·2	0·8
London Post-Graduate Teaching Hospitals						…	313.6	Not applicable	19.6	Not applicable
Northern		…	…	…	…	…	729·1	23·5	24·7	0·8
Yorkshire		…	…	…	…	…	749·3	21·0	29·6	0·8
Trent	…	…	…	…	…	…	823·3	18·2	28·6	0·6
East Anglia		…	…	…	…	…	428·8	23·3	10·5	0·6
North West Thames			…	…	…	…	909·8	26·5	18·3	0·5
North East Thames			…	…	…	…	959·1	26·0	33·8	0·9
South East Thames			…	…	…	…	889·9	25·1	35·1	1·0
South West Thames			…	…	…	…	650·8	22·8	22·3	0·8
Wessex	…	…	…	…	…	…	591·1	22·1	17·3	0·6
Oxford	…	…	…	…	…	…	472·5	21·0	13·9	0·6
South Western		…	…	…	…	…	615·7	19·3	25·5	0·8
West Midlands		…	…	…	…	…	1,056·4	20·5	42·8	0·8
Mersey		…	…	…	…	…	524·1	21·3	18·4	0·7
North Western		…	…	…	…	…	915·8	22·7	34·4	0·9
Wales	…	…	…	…	…	…	614·1	22·2	19·5	0·7
Scotland		…	…	…	…	…	1,708·8	33·2	56·2	1·0
Footnote:
* Figures include permanent paid whole time and part time honorary staff in post at 30 September.
† Population figures relate to mid 1978 estimates (later figures not yet available).
‡ Figures for Scotland are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Government propose to make good the shortfall in the November 1979 uprating of retirement pensions and the other long-

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a list giving the numbers of consultant medical and dental staff in each region of the United Kingdom, and the figures for each expressed in terms of consultants per 1,000 of population.

I have only these figures for Great Britain, and they are set out in the table attached. Numbers of consultants are expressed in whole-time equivalents as at 30 September 1919. More detailed figures for 1978 for England and Wales are in the regional tables in the Library, and I will be placing the 1979 tables there as soon as they are available.term benefits arising from the underestimate of the rise in earnings in the year to November 1979.

No. There is no legal obligation to make up this shortfall, which, it is estimated, would cost £195 million in a full year. We fully complied with the statutory requirements when up-rating retirement pensions and other long-term benefits in November 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many complaints he has received concerning the sale of potentially dangerous liquid petroleum gas cabinet heaters; how many accidents are known to have occurred due to the failure to supply certain of such heaters without a hose or a regulator; and how many of such accidents were fatal.

My Department has received less than a dozen complaints concerning the safety of liquefied petroleum gas heaters since the beginning of 1977. Where necessary, these complaints have been followed up with the manufacturers or importers. I regret that the information on accidents due to failure to supply hoses or regulators is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many accidents have been known to have occurred due to the use of liquid petroleum gas cabinet heaters during each of the last 10 years for which records are available; how many of such accidents have been fatal; and in how many of such cases the heaters were known to have been sold at one-day sales or otherwise than by established shops or dealers.

My Department is endeavouring to obtain as much of this information as may be available. When it is received, I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what investigations are being carried out by local trading standards officers concerning the sale of liquid petroleum gas heaters at one-day sales.

I am not aware of any such investigation. Two local trading standards departments have expressed some concern to my Department about the possibility that liquefied petroleum gas heaters sold at one-day sales in their locality may not be adequately safe. The Department is looking into this.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will set up an inquiry into the sale of potentially dangerous liquid petroleum gas cabinet heaters.

On the evidence at present available to me, I do not consider it necessary to set up an inquiry. However, should further evidence become available, appropriate action will be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what proportion of both gross national product and gross domestic product was constituted by exports in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979.

The available information in respect of exports of goods and services is as follows:

EXPORTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES As PROPORTION OF GNP AND GDP
	GNP	GDP
1975	29	29
1976	32	32
1977	35	35
1978	33	33
1979 January-September	34	34
Notes:
GNP and GDP measured at factor cost.
GNP=GDP plus net property income from abroad.
Net property income from abroad is small in relation to GDP.
Source: Central Statistical Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in view of the findings of a study carried out for this in 1976 which showed that if a charge of £13·50 were imposed on all international passengers using airports in the London area nearly half of such passengers could be expected to choose to use regional airports instead, he will estimate what would be the effects of imposing a charge of £6·75 at London airports and a subsidy of £6·75 at regional airports at 1976 prices; and whether he will give the equivalent figures at current prices.

The implications of imposing a surcharge on passengers using the London airports are set out in the report of the Advisory Committee on Airports Policy. As my right hon. Friend made clear in his statement on 17 December, it is the Government's intention that the demand for air transport should be met, and that the fullest possible use be made of regional airports. The Government believe that this should be achieved through the operation of market forces, and not by a policy of subsidisation of regional airports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many cars of Russian manufacture have been imported into the United Kingdom in each of the past five years.

The information is as follows:

Cars imported from the USSR
	Number
1975	6,694
1976	9,228
1977	14,965
1978	17,998
1979	23,544
Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many Russian merchant ships called at British ports in each of the past five years.

The information is as follows:

1975	497
1976	565
1977	521
1978	536
1979	573

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what progress is being made by the European Commission and the EEC Council of Ministers in the discussions with the United States about artificially priced imports from that country into the EEC market; and if he will make a statement.

The position remains as set out in my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal's written statement on 20 December 1979 on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 18 December. The Commission has undertaken to put forward proposals to the 5 February meeting of the Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many passengers were carried by (a) Aeroflot and (b) British Airways on scheduled services between the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in each of the past five years.

The information sought is given below:

Year ending in October—	British Airways	Aeroflot
1975	20,422	49,449
1976	19,633	52,661
1977	17,470	64,026
1978	18,317	71,978
1979	19,651	71,227
Source: CAA airport statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many workers employed by British companies in South Africa have been revealed by each company submitting reports in each of the last three years under the code of conduct to be receiving less than the mimimum wage recommended by the code; what percentage this is of all black workers employed by each of these companies in South Africa; and how many firms which fall within the code of conduct system have not submitted reports, both in the United Kingdom and in each European Economic Community country.

As the hon. Gentleman knows, the first 12 months reporting period under the code of conduct of the Nine for companies with interests in South Africa ended on 30 June 1978. The hon. Member will find the information he seeks for that year, in respect of United Kingdom companies which reported under the code, in the written answer given by his right hon. Friend the Member for Lanarkshire, North (Mr. Smith) on 15 February 1979 [Vol. 962, c. 647–58.] The same written answer mentions those companies known to have failed to report adequately for that period. Copies of all first round reports have been placed in the Library.Reports made under the code for the 12 months ended 30 June 1979, the second reporting period, are at present being analysed; I shall be making a statement about these in due course. I cannot say how many firms have failed to publish reports in other member States of the Community.

asked the Minister of Transport what evidence he has that heavy lorries of 40 tons gross weight using the Severn bridge constantly and well beyond the degree originally envisaged will prematurely damage the bridge and diminish its effectiveness as an essential road link decades ahead of its life expectancy.

As I have said, any decision on increased lorry weights must await the report of the independent inquiry I have set up. However, whatever the final decision is, regular inspection and maintenance of the bridge will ensure that it is effective for its full life.

asked the Minister of Transport if work is at present proceeding to estimate the possible need for a second road bridge crossing of the Severn estuary, in view of the increasing use of the present one.

I announced on 26 October in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham (Mr. Benyon) that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I were commissioning an initial study into the potential need for a second Severn crossing. A working party is now considering the capacity of the existing road and rail crossings and whether a full feasibility study should be done—[Vol. 972. c. 324.]

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the total remuneration of the directors of the National Freight Corporation during each of the last five years.

The total remuneration of the directors of the National Freight Corporation during each of the last five years has been as follows:

1975	£28,830
1976	£25,808
1977	£61,172
1978	£64,772
1979	£42,290

The figure for 1975 is in respect of a full-time chairman and eight part-time members. This and subsequent figures do not include superannuation and national insurance contributions paid by the board. The figures for subsequent years reflect fluctuations in board membership and time-input by chairman and members.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction to British Railways to allow the carriage of bicycles on all trains.

I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer which I gave the hon. Member for Lambeth, Central (Mr. Tilley) on 21 January.—[Vol. 977. c. 91–2.]

asked the Minister of Transport if he will undertake a study of the energy savings which would result from the use by commuters, both before and after railway journeys to central London, of bicycles rather than energy-consuming means of transport.

I am afraid it would not be possible at reasonable cost to mount a study that would give reliable information.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has yet reached a conclusion about the future of transport supplementary grants and in particular the merging thereof with the rate support grant; and if he will make a statement.

It is too early in the development of the block grant to judge how far it will meet the objectives of transport supplementary grant. The new system is therefore being framed so as to enable TSG to continue. However the Local Government, Planning and Land (No. 2) Bill, contains powers by order to discontinue payment of TSG, which could be used should it prove to be practicable and desirable to merge the two grants.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take on the report of the coypu strategy group; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend proposes to implement the report in the knowledge that the recommendations have enjoyed a very broad body of support among national organisations and local interests concerned. In particular, the Anglian water authority and the internal drainage boards concerned have agreed to subscribe their share towards the cost of following the group's recommended pathway towards eradicating copyu.

asked the Lord Privy Seal why Her Majesty's Government do not accord full diplomatic recognition to the Holy See; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom has accorded full diplomatic recognition to the Holy See for many years.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, pursuant to the reply of the Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for York on 21 January, if he will explain the reasons why he considers that it would not be useful to provide full details of alleged breaches of the ceasefire in Rhodesia; and if he will explain how a high proportion of the incidents have been attributable to ZANLA.

A large number of incidents are reported every day. Only those incidents which are relevant to the overall maintenance of the ceasefire are investigated by the Ceasefire Commission. It is therefore not possible to provide tabulated details of all the incidents reported.The Ceasefire Commission has formally decided the attribution of breaches of the ceasefire in only 35 cases. Of these, 13 were attributed to ZANLA. Of the remainder, 14 were committed in former ZANLA operational areas.