asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received since taking office which criticise the conduct of the police.

I regret that records are not maintained in a way that enables this information to be provided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to implement the recommendation of Mr. Speaker's Conference that multiple electoral registration be ended.

No. As the working party on the electoral register pointed out, there are a number of practical difficulties in this proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet decided upon a screening process for those boys to be subjected to the short, sharp shock regime; and if he will give the reasons for his decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what screening processes he will put into operation to decide which young offenders will receive the short, sharp shock treatment.

Medical officers at New Hall and Send detention centres will consider whether persons received from the courts are physically or mentally unfit for the regime and if so arrangements will be made for transfer elsewhere. The catchment areas of the detention centres will be revised so that persons initially sentenced to more than three months who would have gone to New Hall or Send will be sent to other detention centres.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the refusal by immigration officers to allow black Commonwealth citizens and Cypriots to visit Great Britain for holidays; and if he will make arrangements to inform all passengers travelling to Great Britain of the difficulties they will encounter on reaching a United Kingdom port of entry.

A glance at the published "Control of Immigration Statistics" for 1978 would show that many thousands of citizens of the New Commonwealth are admitted annually as visitors. The vast majority do so without any difficulty and the total numbers refused are small.The published immigration rules already advise would-be visitors about the availability of entry clearances; the grounds for refusal of entry; and rights of appeal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will improve the administration in his Department to provide for speedier conclusions to cases submitted by hon. Members relating to entry certificates from the Indian Sub-continent for fiancés and dependants of British subjects.

The time taken to deal with entry clearance applications may vary for a number of reasons. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind in which the delay seems to have been unreasonable perhaps he would let me know.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be in a position through the use of statistics to estimate the level of illegal immigration through overstaying.

An earlier attempt to make a comprehensive estimate of the extent of evasion through overstaying proved unsuccessful for the reasons which my right hon. Friend gave to the House on 4 December. We are continuing to study ways of tackling overstaying.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained under Immigration Act powers at the Harmondsworth and Gatwick detention centres administered by Securicor Limited in the year ended 31 December 1979; and how many such persons were children under 18 years.

In the year 1979, 6,391 persons were detained at the immigration service detention centre at Harmondsworth, of whom 304 were believed to be under 17. The number under 18 is not available. In the same period 2,204 persons were detained at the centre at Gatwick; 82 were believed to be under 18.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the numbers and nationalities of persons detained under the Immigration Act 1971 at the Harmondsworth detention centreduring the second six months of 1979 pending further examination by immigration officers or pending removal after being refused entry.

Information on the numbers and nationalities of those detained at Harmondsworth is set out in the following table. The great majority of these people will have been detained pending further examination or pending removal after being refused entry, but a precise breakdown of the grounds for detention could be made only at disproportionate cost.

PERSONS DETAINED UNDER THE IMMIGRATION ACT 1971 AT HARMONDSWORTH
Nationals of	Period 1 July 1979 to 31 December 1979
Afghanistan	5
Algeria	35
Argentina	6
Australia	6
Bahrain	1
Bangladesh	158
Barbados	1
Benin	1
Bermuda	6
Brazil	3
Cameroons	1
Canada	7
Chile	5
Colombia	28
Cyprus	14
Czechoslovakia	3
Dominica	1
Egypt	89
Ethiopia	14
Finland	3
France	3

Nationals of	Period 1 July 1979 to 31 December 1979
The Gambia	1
Ghana	168
Greece	25
Guyana	4
Haiti	5
Holland	1
Hong Kong	78
Hungary	4
India	628
Indonesia	1
Iran	905
Iraq	22
Israel	33
Italy	9
Ivory Coast	1
Jamaica	7
Japan	9
Jordan	25
Kenya	16
Kuwait	13
Lebanon	22
Libya	13
Malawi	3
Malaysia	17
Malta	5
Mauritius	2
Mexico	2
Morocco	17
Nepal	1
New Zealand	3
Nigeria	212
Norway	2
Oman	1
Pakistan	541
Philippines	24
Poland	18
Portugal	26
Rhodesia	8
Saudi Arabia	20
Seychelles	2
Sierra Leone	1
Singapore	8
Somalia	2
South Africa	14
Spain	54
Sri Lanka	19
Sudan	39
Sweden	4
Switzerland	1
Syria	11
Tanzania	25
Thailand	4
Trinidad and Tobago	2
Tunisia	4
Turkey	128
Uganda	2
United Arab Emirates	1
United Kingdom Passport holders	7
USA	50
USSR	1
Venezuela	9
West Germany	2
Yemen	8
Yugoslavia	23
Zaire	2
Zambia	5
Nationality doubtful	9
Total	3,719

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will institute an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the grant of home leave to Steven Wilkins, a patient at Eastdale special hospital, in June 1979.

I have already looked into the circumstances of this tragic case and I have written twice to the hon. Member about it. I am not persuaded that an inquiry would serve a useful purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the health of Joseph Patrick Conlan, senior, a prisoner in Wormwood Scrubs.

Mr. Conlan died in hospital on 23 January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will initiate measures to increase the public accountability of the police.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet decided to institute a public inquiry into the death of Jimmy Kelly while in police custody.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will establish an independent inquiry into the death of Mr. James Kelly in police custody in Liverpool.

I have already made it clear that I have decided to defer consideration of what further action, if any, may be appropriate until the inquest proceedings are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he anticipates he will be able to announce some further decisions on the recommendations of the May committee.

Good progress is being made on all aspects of the report. I am giving special attention to the committee's recommendations about Home Office organisation, on which I hope to make an announcement in the spring.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the conduct of the governor and prison staff in the disturbance at Wormwood Scrubs last August.

My right hon. Friend has asked the regional director of the South-East region of the prison department to produce a comprehensive report on the incident in D wing of Wormwood Scrubs prison on 31 August. Until we have received that report it would not be appropriate to comment on any individual aspects of the incident.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the operation of the gambling laws in so far as they affect the income of charities.

I am concerned that the gambling laws should provide effective controls, but we shall certainly bear in mind that various forms of gambling, and in particular lotteries, can raise considerable sums for charities and other good causes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which non-departmental public bodies concerned with experiments on live animals he has decided to disband.

The Advisory Committee on the Administration of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 is being reconstituted with wider terms of reference and renamed the Advisory Committee on Animal Experiments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to make shops which sell television sets pay the full £34 licence fee instead of the current 25p licence which lasts for seven years.

No. The 25p demonstration licence only authorises television dealers to demonstrate, test or repair sets in the course of their business and does not licence their own private use of sets.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisional Government finance is now envisaged to set up the fourth TV channel; and if he will make a statement.

No Government finance will be made available for the setting up or operation of the fourth television channel.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what way he envisages the United Kingdom taking advantage of the 10 television channels which will be facilitated in the mid-1980s by the launching of European communication satellites.

The regulatory arrangements for direct television broadcasting by satellite were established at an international conference held in 1977. The United Kingdom, in common with other European nations, has been allocated frequencies for five television channels.The Government are well aware of the possibilities offered by direct broadcasting satellites, but have no plans for additional television channels beyond the fourth channel for which arrangements are now being made. The situation will, however, be kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations have been made to him with respect to the need to take additional measures in connection with crimes against the elderly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations have been made to him with respect to the need to take additional measures in connection with crimes against the elderly.

I have received a number of representations on this topic. I believe that the public, the police and voluntary bodies all have a part to play in helping to provide protection for the elderly. I have recently expressed my support for the "Action against crime" campaign being undertaken by Age Concern.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends taking any initiatives regarding the position of those patiens in mental hospitals who are not allowed to use the hospital address for electoral registration and are thus disenfranchised.

We have no present plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to give more powers to chief fire officers to ensure that the recommendations are enforced in the field of fire prevention, particularly in markets and public shopping precincts.

In the case of existing premises designated under the Fire Precautions Act 1971, requirements of the fire authority relating to the issue of a fire certificate are already mandatory, subject to appeal to a magistrates court. In the case of requirements relating to public health and safety in the design and construction of new buildings, including markets and public shopping precincts, any variation in the procedure currently required to be followed in the enforcement of building regulations is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce measures which will afford additional protection to police officers when carrying out their duties.

Such measures are for the judgment of chief officers of police and police authorities. The Home Office has, however, assisted, and will continue to assist, with research and with the development of protective equipment and clothing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the Expenditure Committee report on charities published in the Session of 1974–75.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend gave on 24 January to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Drake (Miss Fookes).—[Vol. 977, c. 315–17.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the joint negotiating committee which negotiates the salaries of the Association of Magisterial Officers is representative of the interests of those bodies which have a direct involvement in the work of those officers; and if he will make a statement.

The constitution of the Joint Negotiating Committee for Justices' Clerks' Assistants is a matter for the component bodies, and we have received no representations from them about it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the present policy for civil defence.

I shall make an announcement when my study of the present arrangements is completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report details of correspondence with the hon. Member for Ealing, Southall concerning the methods of the Academy of Computer Traning, Oxford Street, London, in enrolling students from India.

I have no plans to do so, but if the hon. Member wishes to publish the correspondence I have no objection.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have occurred as a result of picketing by steel strikers in Wales.

I understand that during the present steel dispute there have been 53 arrests and one person has been reported for summons up to and including 29 January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why a Lebanese, Hussan Elias Boder, using a false passport in the name of Mohammed Soltani, was allowed to enter Great Britain and cause damage in the Mount Royal hotel; and what action is taken to control the entry and stay in the United Kingdom of Arabs in general, and potential terrorists in particular.

All passengers seeking entry to the United Kingdom are examined in the light of the information available; port staff give full weight to any available indication that a passenger may be a terrorist.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his policy that ability should be the criterion for the allocation of police duties, he will bring forward proposals to provide for a system of special allowances for duties, such as riot control, which require physical prowess; and if he will introduce regulations to enable chief constables to recruit a more balanced intake in order to undertake physically arduous duties.

I do not believe that such an allowance would be appropriate. It is for chief officers of police to decide whether candidates who satisfy the statutory qualifications for appointment should be accepted, and I see no need to introduce further restrictions on the use of their discretion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will request the police to send to him the result of their investigation into doping at Crayford and Hackney dog tracks.

I see no reason to do so at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Depatment if he will list the number of deportation orders signed during the calendar year 1979 by country of nationality of the person named in the order.

The information is as follows:

Afghanistan	1
Algeria	27
Antigua	1
Argentina	2
Australia	10
Austria	1
Bahrain	1
Bangladesh	15
Barbados	2
Belgium	2
Bolivia	1
Brazil	3
Cameroons	2
Canada	3
Chile	19
Colombia	23
Cyprus	67
Denmark	1
Egypt	68
France	11
Germany	13
Ghana	160
Greece	1
Guatemala	1
Guyana	2
Hone Kong	14
India	62
Indonesia	1
Iran	46
Iraq	3
Irish Republic	39
Israel	11
Italy	28
Jamaica	6
Jordan	3
Kenya	14
Lebanon	3
Libya	12
Liechtenstein	1
Malaysia	19
Malta	2
Mauritius	21
Morocco	13
Netherlands	2
New Zealand	9
Nigeria	123
Norway	3
Oman	1
Pakistan	207
Peru	5
Philippines	2
Poland	5
Portugal	5
Saudi Arabia	2
Sierra Leone	9

Singapore	2
South Africa	10
Spain	10
Sri Lanka	15
Sudan	6
Sweden	1
Switzerland	1
Syria	1
Tanzania	10
Thailand	8
Trinidad and Tobago	3
Tunisia	4
Turkey	42
Uganda	1
U.S.A..	27
Venezuela	2
West Indies Ass. States	2
Yemen	1
Yugoslavia	6
Zaire	1
Zambia	1
Stateless	5
TOTAL	1,267

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the police have placed on their black record and the police computer unspecified undeclared matters connected with the jurors in the recent trial, Regina v. Bennett and Others; why people who have no criminal record and without charges are treated in this manner; and under what legislative authority such action is taken.

As I stated in my reply to a question by the hon. Member on 25 January, I understand that the Metropolitan Police have no record of the names of the jurors—[Vol. 977, c. 399.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many chemical fires there were in 1978 and 1979; what contribution the Hazfile computer system made towards dealing with them; why he has decided not to continue funding the Hazfile computer system; what representations he has had against his Department stopping such funding, and from whom; and whether he will reconsider this decision.

I regret that figures for the number of chemical fires in 1978 and 1979 are not available.As part of a wider research exercise on the provision of information to firemen attending incidents, the Home Office has funded a research project known as the Hazfile scheme. Its objectives are to establish the features required of a hazardous substances databank specifically for fire brigades' use and to test the practicability of brigades making direct contact, through their own terminals, with the computer in which the information is stored. The trial began on 1 March 1979 with 15 brigades taking part and will end on 29 February 1980. An extension of the trial cannot be justified for research purposes.The Association of County Councils, one fire authority and one fire brigade who have made representations have been told that the research project cannot be continued, financed by the Home Office, after the defined purpose of the research has been met, to meet the operational needs of brigades which is a matter for individual fire authorities; but that it is open to fire authorities, if they wish, to arrange for the continued use of the Hazfile databank for these purposes.The trial has not yet been completed and the results to date are still being studied. I understand from the latest information available that from 1 June to 31 December 1979 there were some 447 reported chemical incidents of all types in the 15 brigades which are participating. Hazfile was used for 139 of those which occurred between 1 June and 31 December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the latest figures available of the number of patients in mental hospitals who are prevented from being on the electoral register because they are not able to use the hospital address and have no other address.

Information is not available on the number of patients of voting age who are resident in mental hospitals as defined in section 4(3) of the Representation of the People Act 1949 and who have no other address. It could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's report "Previous Convictions, Sentence and Reconviction", and what steps he intends to take to try to reduce the high rate of reconvictions, especially amongst those receiving custodial sentences.

The patterns of reconviction shown in the report, which are largely consistent with previous studies, are part of the background against which the Government have decided to give priority to measures to improve law and order. These measures are and will be designed to strengthen the police, to support and improve the prison system and to provide an appropriate range of custodial and non-custodial penalties devised with this end in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Broadcasting Bill will be published.

I hope in the very near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of crimes reported to the police remains unsolved.

As my hon. Friend may see from the information given in table 2.7 of the publication "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1978", for 1978 the proportion of indictable offences recorded by the police and not cleared up was 58 per cent. Information for 1979 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why a constituent of the hon. Member for Hackney, North and Stoke Newington, who is a prisoner at Her Majesty's prison, Wandsworth, has been refused access to his legal adviser; and what account he is taking of the decision of the European Court in the Golder case in 1975 to allow prisoners who want to take legal advice or to issue civil proceedings against the Home Office to see their legal advisers.

As my hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State explained in reply to a question by the hon. Member on 24 January—[Vol. 977, c. 313–14]—where a prisoner wishes to consult a solicitor about a complaint against the Home Office or any of its staff in connection with his imprisonment, he is precluded from doing so until the complaint has been ventilated through the normal internal channels and he has received a definitive reply to it. The hon. Member's constituent has made such a complaint and this is currently under investigation. He will in due course be permitted to consult a solicitor about it. This policy takes account of the decision of the European Court of Human Rights in the Golder case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend the prison rules to give full implementation to the decision of the European Court by conceding the right of prisoners to access to legal advisers and the right of correspondence.

One effect of the Prison (Amendment) Rules 1976 (SI 1976 No. 603) was to amend the Prison Rules (SI 1964 No. 388) in accordance with the decision of the European Court of Human Rights in the Golder case, which is the case I believe the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the procedures for announcing to the press and public that named prisoners are being released from goal.

My Department does not announce the release of named prisoners except in some instances of the exercise of the Royal Prerogative—and then never in advance of release. This policy is based on the need to protect the privacy of the individual concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for 1978, by police area (a) the number of deaths in police custody, (b) the total population, (c) the number of arrests, and (d) the ratio of deaths in custody to population and to number of arrests.

The information is not readily available. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available to the public all reports of Her Majesty's inspectors of constabularies.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iranians have been arrested for heroin smuggling in the last available 12-month period; what percentage of the total heroin seized has come from Iranian sources in the same period; and how these figures compare with previous years.

The information available relates to persons arrested and dealt with. In 1978, nine Iranian nationals were dealt with by the courts in the United Kingdom for offences of smuggling heroin; the corresponding numbers for earlier years were three in 1977, four in 1976 and nil in the three previous years. It is not possible to identify the proportion of herion seized that comes from Iranian sources.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make it obligatory for the organisers of all public marches and processions to pay for the cost of policing and to place with the local authority concerned a substantial deposit to meet the cost of any damage caused.

This matter is among those being considered in the current review of the law on public order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the West Midlands Constabulary on the cost of policing, and the cost of damage occasioned during the march by Sinn Fein in Birmingham on Sunday 27 January.

I am making inquiries and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for changes in administration of capital grant schemes in the light of Sir Derek Rayner's review.

A study of the administration of the capital grant schemes has been undertaken in consultation with Sir Derek Rayner with the aim of identifying ways in which staffing and costs of administration could be reduced.I am grateful to Sir Derek Rayner for his advice and my right hon. Friends and I have accepted in principle the recommendation that the existing grant schemes should be radically simplified and rationalised.We are immediately initiating consultations on the details of the procedural

								Percentage of eligible cost under:
								EEC scheme		National schemes
Type of investment								Normal rate	LFA rate where different	Normal rate
Dairy and cattle buildings				…	…	…	…	32½ (40)	37½ (40)	22½ (30)
Horticultural buildings and works					…	…	…	32½ (30)		22½ (25)
Sheep housing and other buildings and works except as below	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	32½ (25)	37½ (30)	22½ (20)
Certain land improvements (e.g. fencing, water supply, grassland regeneration etc.)				…	…	…	…	32½ (25)	50 (50)	22½* (20)*
Field drainage		…	…	…	…	…	…	50 (60)	70 (70)	37½* (50)*
Horticultural equipment			…	…	…	…	…	20 (20)		15 (15)
Dairy equipment		…	…	…	…	…	…	5 (20)	10 (25)	nil (20)
Other equipment and miscellaneous items						…	…	5 (10)	10 (15)	nil (nil)
* In the Less Favoured Areas (LFAs) agricultural businesses with an income per labour unit less than the comparable (non-agricultural) income receive the rates of grant appropriate to the EEC Scheme for these items.

In revising these rates we have taken into consideration current trends in farming and horticulture and the likely pattern of demand over the next few years.It will be seen that we have eliminated the previous discrimination against sheep housing. This results in a 7½ per cent. increase in the grant for sheep housing under the European scheme and a 2½ per cent. increase under national schemes.In recognition of the fact that horiticulture receives much less benefit from price support arrangements than agriculture generally, we have retained at their present levels the grants on horticultural equipment whilst ending or reducing the

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many prosecutions were taken out during 1979 against persons for failing to have a dog licence.

So far as England and Wales are concerned, I am advised by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department that the information requested for 1979 is not yet available. Information for 1978 is published in table 1(a) of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1978"—Cmnd. 7670.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effects the current steel strike has had upon the food processing industry to date; and what are the likely repercussions upon the consumer if it continues through February.

It has had no marked effects on production. Generally, the industry's supply of cans is sufficient for its current requirements. Since there are ample stocks of canned foods, the continuation of the dispute through February should not cause immediate shortages.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when application was made to him by the Anglian water authority for approval of the extended sea wall defences between Manor House and the Town Hall, Felixstowe; and when his approval is to be expected.

This application was formally submitted on 5 November 1979 and approved on 16 January 1980.

asked the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food how much was paid out in deficiency payments during 1979 to foreign lamb producers; what were the corresponding figures for the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Nothing was paid out by the United Kingdom in deficiency payments to lamb producers outside the United Kingdom. However, payments were made to the Government of the Republic of Ireland under the Anglo-Irish free trade area agreement: but these arrangements were suspended in 1978 following the conclusion of the Franco-Irish agreement under which Irish exports of sheep meat have been admitted to France since 1 January 1978 without the restrictions applied to British exports.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what available figures he has for the extent of home brewing of alcohol in England and Wales;(2) what available figures he has for the extent of home brewing of alcohol in Scotland.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what are the methods used to combat Aujeszky's disease in the EEC;

The Government's policy in relation to the disease will be announced as soon as possible after the current consultations with interested organisations on the results of the surveys which have been undertaken have been completed.Thirty-four instances of infection were discovered in 1979, representing an increase over the previous decade when the number of known new cases varied between nil and 15 annually. Some of the increase in 1979 can be attributed to the fact that the disease is now notifiable. The main focus of infection continues to be on the Norfolk/Suffolk border where the disease has spread. Elsewhere infection is generally sporadic and at a consistently low level.Aujeszky's disease is not particularly infectious among pigs. There have been isolated instances of other animals contracting the disease, invariably when closely associated with infected pig farms. No Community or national measures are taken to eradicate the disease in the EEC although vaccination is widely practised in some member States.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will propose that Select Committees should be enabled to make available in the Library copies of unclassified papers submitted to them by Government Departments, pending the submission to the House of printed reports containing such papers.

It is already within the power of a Select Committee to place in the Library any evidence, including papers submitted to it, which has been reported to the House.

asked the right hon. Member for Middles rough (Mr. Bottomley), as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he has received any representations from press owners to continue the financial grants towards the House meals and other facilities; and if he still intends to phase out such grants at the end of the current financial year and rely solely on a subsidy from the taxpayer towards press meals, drinks and other facilities.

The Commission understands that the Press Gallery has not yet determined its own policy on this question, but it will consider the matter further if necessary, after the press has made known its views.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much money has been made available for the provision of teaching English to non-English-speaking children in the town of Luton in the last five financial years.

My Department does not collect information on this aspect of education which is the responsibility of local education authorities—in this case, of Bedfordshire county council.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to complete his discussion about parental access to school records.

Consideration of the issues relating to parental access to school records is taking place within a broad context of developments following the review of the school curriculum and consideration of the recommendations of reports such as the Warnock report on the education of the handicapped and the Lindop report on data protection. It is not possible to say when this will be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many persons profited from the Government grants paid to the Trades Union Congress for education and training in each of the last four years and the current year, respectively; how many were affiliated union officials; and how many were employees of the Trades Union Congress;(2) if he will give the reason for the increase of almost 50 per cent. in the grant payable to the Trades Union Congress in the current year compared with that paid in the financial year 1978–1979.

The levels of grant paid jointly by the Department of Employment and my Department to the Trades Union Congress and affiliated unions for 1979–80 and previously were decided by the last Government. I am sure that my hon. Friend would not expect me to offer reasons for their policy and decisions in the matter.The grant is a contribution towards trade union education and training and is paid in acordance with the provisions of a memorandum of arrangements agreed with the TUC. This memorandum excludes the application of grants towards the education and training of salaried employees of the TUC or of independent trade unions. Detailed information about the numbers of students attending trade union courses is not collected by my Department and I regret that the information sought by the hon. Member is not available in the form requested. Our partial information, however, shows that the TUC's total provision for day-release courses alone in 1978–79 covered about 43,000 students, compared with 27,000 in 1977–78.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what monitoring arrangements apply to the public funds paid to the Trades Union Congress for the education and training of union officials to ensure that the money is spent for the proper purpose.

The payment of grant is governed by a memorandum of arrangements agreed with the TUC. This lays down the eligible categories of expenditure: it expressly excludes education and training courses for salaried union officials and accordingly my Department has no monitoring arrangements covering such courses. The memorandum does, however, allow for grant-aid towards education and training courses for shop stewards and other work place representatives, and monitoring arrangements for those have been established in agreement with the TUC. Under those, the detailed procedures for the payment of grant are specified and the TUC is required to provide an audited receipts and payments account showing how the grant has been expended in each financial year. In addition, Her Majesty's inspectors monitor those courses in the public sector as part of their normal responsibilities and are invited to inspect indvidual union courses. They maintain regular contact with officials of the TUC education department and advise the working party of union education officers about the provision of appropriate courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress his Department has made in its research to find satisfactory relief for migraine sufferers.