Written Answers

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Written Answersto Questions

Tuesday 12th February 1980

Home Department

Civil Defence

45.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with current levels of civil defence, with particular reference to emergency planning.

I am in the process of reviewing the present home defence arrangements.

			1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79
Department of Health and Social Security	…	…	1·0	0·9	0·8	0·9	0·7
cottish Home and Health Department	…	…	1·0	1·1	0·9	0·9	1·0
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food			12·2	13·4	8·6	3·4	3·3
Department of the Environment		…	0·1	—	—	0·1	0·1
Property Services Agency	…	…	0·2	0·9	1·4	0·6	0·4
Department of Transport	…	…	0·4	0·5	0·3	0·1	0·2
Department of Industry	…	…	—	—	—	—	0·1
Home Office	…	…	12·3	10·3	10·0	8·8	8·8
Total			27·2	27·1	22·0	14·8	14·6

The figure are £1 million at 1979 survey prices. Actual figure cannot be produced in the time available.The main items on which the money has been spent are the United Kingdom warning and monitoring organisation, war emergency communications and associated accommodation, strategic reserves of food and medical supplies, and grants to local authorities and the police for home defence planning and training.

Prisoners (Terrorists)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total of men and women at present held in prisons in England and Wales who have been convicted of terrorist offences in the United Kingdom.

Of the 28 persons who had been convicted up to 31 December 1979 of an offence under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976 and sentenced to imprisonment, none was on that date in a prison department establishment in England and Wales. Information on those in custody for other criminal offences associated with terrorism is not readily available because prisoners are clasified in terms of the legal category of

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the actual sums of money spent on civil defence for each of the last five years, and how those sums have been expended.

Home Defence expenditure in Great Britain incurred by Government Department during the last five years was as follows:the offence not the circumstances in which the offence was committed.

Press And Public Relations Officers

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many press and public relations officers are currently employed in his Department; what is the total cost; and what are the comparable figures for June 1970, October 1974 and May 1979.

The number and cost of information officer group staff in my department's press office on the dates below were as follows:

Staff in post
July 1970	10
October 1974	11
May 1979	13
February 1980	14

Estimated annual salary cost
	£000
July 1970	31
October 1974	54
May 1979	125
February 1980	146

Police (Complaints)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in each of the police forces in England and Wales, how many police officers are engaged full-time in investigating allegations under the police complaints procedure; and at what cost;(2) how many police officers of the Metropolitan Police are engaged full-time in investigating allegations under the police complaints procedure; and at what cost.

There are 91 full-time posts on the Metropolitan Police establishment and 156 on establishments of other forces in England and Wales—listed below—for complaints and internal discipline investigation work. In addition, the Metropolitan Police is forming district complaints units in which 83 officers are at present serving full-time. The cost assuming maximum rent allowance, but excluding overtime and overheads is estimated to be:

	£
Metropolitan Police—established posts	1,100,000
—district staff	900,000
Other forces	1,750,000
	3,750,000

Force	Established Posts
Avon and Somerset	4
Bedfordshire	2
Cambridgeshire	1
Cheshire	1
Cleveland	3
Cumbria	3
Derbyshire	3
Devon and Cornwall	3
Dorset	1
Durham	2
Dyfed Powys	1
Essex	5
Gloucestershire	1
Greater Manchester	8
Gwent	1
Hampshire	3
Hertfordshire	2
Humberside	5
Kent	4
Lancashire	4
Leicestershire	3
Lincolnshire	2
Merseyside	6
Norfolk	2
Northamptonshire	1
Northumbria	5
North Wales	1
North Yorkshire	2
Nottinghamshire	5
South Wales	2
South Yorkshire	15
Staffordshire	2
Suffolk	2
Sussex	3
Surrey	3
Thames Valley	3
Warwickshire	—

Force	Established Posts
West Mercia	4
West Midlands	19
West Yorkshire	17
Wiltshire	1
City of London	1
Total	156

Police (Assaults)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were assaulted in the execution of their duties in 1979; and on how many respective occasions officers were detained in hospital, suffered permanent injury, and were retired on pension as unfit for further police duty; and if he will make a statement.

Comprehensive information is not held centrally, but I am asking chief officers to let me have the figures available for their forces.

Borstal Detention

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those sentenced to borstals in 1979 were awaiting trial for other offences (a) when their training began, (b) within six months of their release, (c) within three months of their release and (d)on the day of their release.

The information requested is not recorded centrally. However, the hon. Member may be interested in the reconviction rates of borstal trainees within two years of discharge which are published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (Tables 8.4 and 8.6 of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7626).

Air Weapons

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of indictable offences connected with firearms in each of the last 10 years and the number and percentage of them that involved air weapons.

The numbers of indictable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used and the numbers in which the firearm reported was an air weapon were published in table 3.3 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 1978", (Cmnd. 7670). The percentages requested are given in the following table. Air weapons are the firearms most used in offences of criminal damage and the increases in the proportion of offences in which air weapons were used are partly attributable to inflation resulting in smaller amounts of damage being valued at over £20.

Indictable offences^* recorded by the police in which an air weapon was reported to have been used, expressed as a percentage of all indictable offences^* recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used
England and Wales	Percentage of total
1969	45
1970	49
1971	51
1972	62
1973	66
1974	66
1975	65
1976	68
1977	69
1978	75
^* For 1969–71 offences of criminal damage are included when the damage was estimated at over £100; for 1972–77 they are included when the damage was estimated at over £20.

Diplomatic Immunity (Vehicles)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Paddington on 30 January, if he will provide, for the most convenient and recent 12-month period, the amount of money lost to the public, in relation to the claim of diplomatic immunity in regard to vehicles attracting a fixed penalty or excess charge notice within the Metropolitan Police district.

In the 12-month period 2 December 1978 to 3 December 1979, 54,766 fixed penalty notices were cancelled on grounds of diplomatic immunity in the Metropolitan Police district. The amount of the fixed penalty specified in each notice was £6.Corresponding information about excess charge notices is not available.

Squatting

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received asking him to introduce legislation to make squatting of any kind illegal.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to make squatting of any kind illegal.

Squatting usually amounts to trespassing, in respect of which civil proceedings can be taken, and under the Criminal Law Act 1977 it is an offence for a trespasser to fail to leave residential premises when asked to do so by an occupier. I have no present plans to change the law.

Mr A Mady

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much public money is being expended upon investigating the complaint against PC Hibben made by Mr. A. Mady, currently in Pentonville prison.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that to date the cost of the investigation in terms of the time spent by his officers is about £1,200.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of keeping Mr. A. Mady in Pentonville prison.

The cost of keeping a particular prisoner in custody is not separately recorded. During the financial year 1978–79 the average weekly cost of keeping a prisoner in a local prison or remand centre was £104.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in investigating Mr. A. Mady's complaint against PC Hibben under section 49 (1) of the Police Act 1964, Mr. Mady is being considered a member of the public within the meaning of the Act for the purposes of the consideration of the Act.

Yes.

Elections (Voting Rights)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those countries whose nationals are allowed to vote in United Kingdom elections and which extend the same privilege to British nationals.

Citizens of the Irish Republic and British subjects who are citizens of Commonwealth countries other than the United Kingdom are entitled to vote in United Kingdom elections if they are resident here. United Kingdom nationals resident in the Irish Republic may vote in local and European Parliament elections in that country. Information about the voting rights of United Kingdom nationals resident in other countries is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

								1976–77	1977–78	1978–79
								£	£	£
Brixton	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	180,000	80,000	75,000
Pentonville	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	130,000	94,000	163,000
Wandsworth		…	…	…	…	…	…	92,000	84,000	136,000
Wormwood Scrubs			…	…	…	…	…	124,000	137,000	142,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the present works programmes which have been approved for each

£
Brixton:	Gate alteration	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	432,000
	Gander Device	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	400,000
	Replacement of Boilers		…	…	…	…	…	…	342,000
	Provision of dormitory accommodation					…	…	…	416,000
Holloway:	Completion of rebuilding			…	…	…	…	…	6,653,000
Pentonville:	Renewal of cell block heating			…	…	…	…	…	23,000
	Sanitation improvements			…	…	…	…	…	89,000
	Fire Mains	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	53,000
	Kitchen and Store	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	30,000
	New Showers	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	30,000
Wandsworth:	Security Measures		…	…	…	…	…	…	538,000
	Redevelopment of F wing			…	…	…	…	…	862,000
	Officers Mess	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	99,000
	New Mains distribution		…	…	…	…	…	…	700,000
	Gander Device	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	456,000
Wormwood Scrubs:	Fuel storage	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	144,000
	Laundry modifications		…	…	…	…	…	…	250,000
	Security Measures		…	…	…	…	…	…	485,000
	Gander Device and Lighting			…	…	…	…	…	1,711,000
	Hospital Improvements		…	…	…	…	…	…	188,000
	New Kitchen	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	896,000
	New Visits block	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	460,000

Murder (Life Sentences)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently serving life sentences for murder.

1,115, including persons detained during Her Majesty's pleasure under section 53(1) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 but excluding persons who had previously been released on licence and subsequently recalled to prison.

London Prisons

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the financial expenditure for each of the London prisons on its prison quarters contract, for each of the last three years.

Maintenance on the Holloway staff quarters is not the subject of an outside contract. The figures in respect of the other London prisons for the last three financial years are as follows:

; and if he will list the projects and their cost.

The approved programme of major works up to 1984–85, with the current cost estimate, is as follows:

Young Offenders

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that it now costs £11,000 a year to keep a young offender in a community home school, whether the Government are considering making alternative cheaper provision for the care of young offenders; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are already expanding the system of attendance centres and are encouraging the development of intermediate treatment, not primarily on financial grounds but because we believe it is right that as many young offenders as possible should be dealt with in the community.

Prison Officers

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost of training a prison officer.

If, as I assume, the hon. Member has in mind the eight-week residential phase of a prison officers' initial training, the current estimated cost of this is about £1,100 per officer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the grades of the 1,322 prison officers who have resigned from the prison service during the last three years.

The information is as follows:

Officers	1,276
Senior Officers	23
Principal Officers	13
Chief Officer II	1
Engineers II	4
Engineers I	4
Foreman of Works	1
Total:	1,322

Detention Centre Training (Medical Reports)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on what medical criteria doctors making court reports judge boys fit for detention centre training; and if they invariably include an assessment of the boy's mental stability;(2) in what percentage of cases sentencing courts had a medical report before them when committing boys to Send detention centre in 1978 and 1979.

Prison medical officers making reports to court consider whether there is any aspect of a young offender's physical or mental health which makes it undesirable that he should go to a detention centre, and report accordingly, taking into account the nature of regimes operated at the centres. Home Office circular 179/1972, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House, offers guidance to other medical practitioners who are invited by a court to report on medical fitness for detention centre training, and indicates that they may seek advice from prison medical officers. Information about the proportion of cases in which medical reports or certificates of fitness were prepared could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Television Licences

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the system of notification of purchasers of television sets bought for their personal use by members of the public in cash and carry or discount stores is operating adequately, compared to the system operated by ordinary retailers; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Cash and carry and discount stores which trade in television sets are legally required to notify all transactions to the National Television Licence Records Office in exactly the same way as other television dealers.

Bomb Shelters

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines his Department issues to local authorities regarding bomb shelters.

The principal guidance is to be found in Home Office circular No. ES 1/1976 a copy of which is in the Library of the House. However, the current review of home defence arrangements covers all aspects of public protection, including shelter. I will make an announcement on the conclusions of the review as soon as possible.

Prisoners (Psychiatric Treatment)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men or women at each prison in England and Wales have been certified under the Mental Health Acts and are waiting for accommodation in a psychiatric hospital.

On 31 January 1980 there was a total of 43 prisoners in respect of whom the reports specified in section 72 of the Mental Health Act 1959 had been received who were still waiting for admission to a hospital. The following table identifies the sex of those prisoners and the prison in which they were held; it also distinguishes those cases in which there has been an agreement in principle

PRISONERS AWAITING HOSPITAL VACANCIES AT 31 JANUARY 1980
Prison						Vacancy still being sought		Admission agreed in principle by hospitals managers
(1)						(2)		(3)
						Males	Females	Males	Females
Birmingham		…	…	…	…	4	—	—	—
Cardiff	…	…	…	…	…	1	—	—	—
Dartmoor		…	…	…	…	2	—	1	—
Gartree	…	…	…	…	…	2	—	—	—
Holloway		…	…	…	…	—	2	—	—
Leicester	…	…	…	…	…	—	—	1	—
Lincoln	…	…	…	…	…	1	—	—	—
Liverpool		…	…	…	…	1	—	1	—
Norwich	…	…	…	…	…	1	—	—	—
Parkhurst		…	…	…	…	3	—	3	—
Wakefield		…	…	…	…	3	—	—	—
Wandsworth		…	…	…	…	2	—	—	—
Winchester		…	…	…	…	—	—	1	—
Wormwood Scrubs			…	…	…	9	—	5	—
Total	…	…	…	…	…	29	2	12^*	—
Grand Total		…	…	…	…	43
^* 10 of these are awaiting admission to Broadmoor and 2 to local psychiatric hospitals.

Immigration

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the annual cost to the taxpayer of seeking to detect illegal immigrants and overstayers.

The detection of illegal entrants and overstayers is part of the general functions of the immigration and nationality department of the Home Office, and of the police, and it is not possible to distinguish expenditure so incurred.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of people detained as a result of overstaying for each of the last five years.

Detention as an overstayer may occur pending charge and trial; pending consideration of a court recommendation for deportation; and pending the making and execution of a deportation order. Information about the numbers so detained is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Humberside residents have been detained or removed from the United Kingdom as illegal immigrants or overstayers in each of the last five years.

by the hospitals managers that the prisoners will be admitted form those in which a vacancy is still being sought.

:I regret that this Immigration information is not available.

Taxi And Car Hire Businesses

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to relax the licensing restrictions on the operation of taxi and car hire businesses.

We have no present plans to do so.

Equal Opportunities Commission

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the light of the investigation by the Equal Opportunities Commission into the "Harold Hare" case, he will introduce legislation to close down the commission.

We have no plans to do so.

Steel Dispute (Picketing)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pickets have been arrested to date in England and Wales in the steel strike.

136 up to 9 February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pickets have been arrested since the steel strike commenced; how many charges have been made and of what kind; and what sentences have been awarded.

136 arrests have been made up to 9 February. The rest of the information requested is not available centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate expense.

				1975	1976	1977	1978	1979
For naturalisation		…	…	4,388	3,945	3,889	6,216	5,812
For registration	…	…	…	34,754	30,970	28,502	31,794	42,766

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average waiting period for dealing with applications for (a) registration and (b) naturalisation over the past five years to the latest available date; and if he will make a statement.

The average times taken to deal with applications for naturalisation were:

1975	16 months
1976	18 months
1977	19 months
1978	21 months
1979	25 months

Applications for registration are of different types, some needing more inquiries and consideration than others. Some can be completed within three or four months but others require considerably longer. The current average time taken to deal with all types of applications for registration is approximately 12 months. Comparable figures for previous years are not available.The staff of the nationality division is being increased in view of the delays in dealing with applications for naturalisation and registration but the need to contain public expenditure limits what can be done.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of applications for (a) registration and (b) naturalisation outstanding at the latest available date.

At the end of December 1979 there were 9,835 applications for

Nationalisation And Registration

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications he has received for (a) naturalisation and (b) registration, over the past five years to the latest available date.

Applications were received as follows:naturalisation and 36,126 applications for registration outstanding.

Telephone Tapping

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the methods used in electronic surveillance are covered by the procedures authorising telephone tapping.

I have already made clear that the procedures for the interception of communications are conducted on the basis of the recommendations contained in the report of the Birkett committee (Cmnd. 283).

Prevention Of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the organisations which have written to him objecting to the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act to the latest available date.

In the past year the following organisations have written either objecting to the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1976 or objecting in general to the way in which it operates:Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers,North West Divisional Conference,Communist Party of Great Britain.Council of Irish County Associations,Ealing Community Relations Council,Keele University Students Union,National Union of Journalists Athlone Branch,Oxford Student Liberal Society,Stalybridge and Hyde Constituency Labour Party,Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

Suspected Persons (Metropolitan Police District)

asked the Secretary of state for the Home Department what is the number of persons arrested and proceeded against for being suspected of frequenting

Metropolitan Police District: Fourth Quarter 1979							Number of offences
						Ethnic Appearance
District			White Skinned European	Dark Skinned European	Black Skinned (including West Indian/ African)	Indian/ Pakistani	Chinese/ Japanese	Arabian/ Egyptian	Not known	Total
PERSONS ARRESTED^* FOR BEING SUSPECTED OF FREQUENTING A PUBLIC PLACE WITH INTENT TO COMMIT AN ARRESTABLE OFFENCE BY DISTRCT AND ETHNIC APPEARANCE
A	…	…	7	2	6	1	0	0	0	16
B	…	…	12	1	23	0	0	1	0	37
C	…	…	23	7	8	3	1	1	0	43
D	…	…	12	2	24	1	0	0	0	39
E	…	…	21	0	19	0	0	0	0	40
F	…	…	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	5
G	…	…	6	2	5	0	0	0	0	13
H	…	…	7	0	3	0	0	0	0	10
I	…	…	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1
J	…	…	14	0	7	0	0	0	0	21
K	…	…	11	0	0	0	0	0	0	11
L	…	…	13	0	32	1	0	0	0	46
M	…	…	15	0	5	0	0	0	0	20
N	…	…	3	1	5	0	0	0	0	9
P	…	…	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	5
Q	…	…	5	0	8	0	0	0	0	13
R	…	…	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	3
S	…	…	2	0	4	0	0	0	0	6
T	…	…	5	0	2	0	0	0	0	7
V	…	…	4	0	4	0	0	0	0	8
W	…	…	8	1	20	0	0	0	0	29
X	…	…	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	12
Y	…	…	6	1	2	0	0	0	0	9
Z	…	…	4	0	5	0	0	0	0	9
TA		…	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
MPD		…	201	17	184	6	1	3	0	412
^* Persons proceeded against by means of a charge, referral to a juvenile bureau, a caution or in some other way; arrests not followed by any action are not included.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 48 persons detained on Merseyside under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act and subsequently convicted of criminal offences, were capable of being charged under other existing legislation.

Mr. Whitelaw: Of the 48 persons detained in Merseyside under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976 between 29 November 1974 and 31 December 1976 and subsequently convicted of criminal offences, four persons were charged and convicted of offences under Prevention of a public place with intent to commit an arrestable offence, by Metropolitan Police district and ethnic appearance, for the last quarter of 1979.

The information relating to the fourth quarter of 1979 is given in the following table:Terrorism legislation only; the remaining 44 persons were convicted of offences under other legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been convicted under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act on Merseyside at entry or exit to the port to the latest available date.

Of the four persons who were detained and convicted in Merseyside under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976 between 29 November 1974 and 31 December 1979, three had been detained on entry or exit at the port of Liverpool.

Isle Of Ely

Q5.

asked the Prime Minister when next she intends to visit the Isle of Ely.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Olympic Games

Q6.

asked the Prime Minister if she has made any estimate of the increase in the public sector borrowing requirement which would be necessary to meet the cost of locating the Olympic Games or certain events of the Olympic Games in the United Kingdom.

No. But we have sought to identify the Olympic events for which we have facilities of the required standards.

Prime Minister (Engagements)

Q7.

asked the Prime Minister if she will give her public engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

Q8.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

Q10.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q11.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her engagements for 12 February.

Q13.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

Q14.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

Q17.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q18.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q21.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her engagements for 12 February.

Q22.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

Q24.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

Q25.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

Q27.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q28.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

Q29.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q31.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q32.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q33.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q34.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q35.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

Q36.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q37.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q38.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

Q39.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

Q40.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official engagements for 12 February.

Q41.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q44.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q45.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 12 February.

Q46.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

Q47.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her engagements for 12 February.

Q49.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 February.

I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby).

President Carter

Q9.

asked the Prime Minister when next she intends to meet the President of the United States of America.

I expect to meet President Carter at the Venice economic summit on 22 and 23 June.

Prime Minister (Official Visits)

Q12.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the official visits she has made to engineering research and development establishments.

I have visited a number of firms engaged in research and development in engineering and technology. I have also visited Dounreay and the Tricastin centre in France.

Rugby

Q15.

asked the Prime Minister when she next intends to visit Rugby.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Secretary Of State For Industry

Q16.

asked the Prime Minister if she will dismiss the Secretary of State for Industry.

No.

Nato

Q19.

asked the Prime Minister when she expects next to visit the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Ussr

Q20.

asked the Prime Minister whether she has any plans to meet the President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

No.

Ussr (Learned Society Contacts)

Q23.

asked the Prime Minister what advice she has given to the Royal Society about contacts with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics scientists and engineers following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

The Government's policy is to curtail high-level and ministerial contacts with the Soviet Union for the time being. Other contacts may proceed if they are in the British interest, I am sure that the Royal Society, which is an independent and responsible body, is well aware of the Government's views and will take them into account in making its own decisions about its contacts with Soviet scientists and engineers.

Dundee

Q26.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to visit Dundee.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Civil Aviation Authority

Q30.

asked the Prime Minister when she expects next to meet the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Tuc

Q42.

asked the Prime Minister when she expects next to meet the general council of the Trades Union Congress.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Q48.

asked the Prime Minister when she last met the Trades Union Congress.

At the NEDC meeting on 9 January.

Steel Industry

Q43.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the current situation in the steel industry.

I deplore the continuation of the present dispute in the steel industry. I welcome the progress made with some of the unions over the weekend, and hope that negotiations may soon be resumed with the other unions so that an early settlement to the dispute may be reached on terms BSC can afford.

Postal Services

Q50.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will designate a Minister with specific responsibility for postal services.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry has the sponsorship responsibility for the Post Office Corporation including the postal business. By virtue of the Post Office Act 1969 operational matters affecting postal services are for the Corporation itself.

Members Of Parliament (Secretarial And Research Assistance)

Q137.

asked the Minister when she now expects to receive the report of the Boyle committee on secretarial and research assistance for Members of Parliament.

As the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said in the House on 7 February, I received the Review Body on Top Salaries'13th report on 15 January.

Dog Licence

asked the Prime Minister why the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland does not have powers, corresponding to those of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Her Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales, to alter the level of the dog licence fee.

Fees for dog licences in Northern Ireland comprise a licence duty and a registration fee. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has powers to prescribe the amount of the latter but at present possesses none in respect of the licence duty, which is fixed by statute—currently by the Dogs Regulation (Ireland) Act 1919. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland intends to introduce legislation in due course which will, inter ailia, enable him to alter the level of the licence fee.

Ellon

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Ellon and district in the East Aberdeenshire constituency.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Raw Materials (Supply)

asked the Prime Minister if she will secure raw material flows to industry by opening Her Majesty's dockyards to steel imports and by calling in the Armed Forces to assist in the internal movement of supplies.

No.

Arms Exports

asked the Prime Minister whether she has received a letter dated 14 January from the chairman of the British section of Amnesty International, relating to control of the export to repressive regimes of equipment capable of being used for regressive purposes; and what answer she has sent.

Yes. In my letter of 24 January to the chairman of the British section of Amnesty International, I explained that the introduction of legislation to widen the scope of existing export licensing controls would present the Government with considerable practical difficulties.

Education And Science

School Meals

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what he envisages as the lowest standard that a local authority will consider requisite for feeding children in its schools whose parents are on supplementary benefit, as set out in clause 22(2) of the Education (No. 2) Bill.

			Polytechnic of Central London	City of London Polytechnic	North-East London Polytechnic
Part-time lecturers in full-time equivalents		…	106	86	35
Full-time lecturers engaged in teaching	…	…	526	431	744
Other academic and research (including sponsored research) staff	…	…	30	38	47

School Population

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the school population in England for each of the next five years, divided between infant, primary and secondary schools; and if he will publish comparable figures for Bury metropolitan district education authority.

I envisage that in the majority of cases authorities will provide an appropriate midday meal for pupils from families in receipt of supplementary benefit or family income supplement. However, an authority would have fulfilled its duty under clause 22(2) if it had assessed the needs of a pupil and had provided what was necessary to meet those needs—whatever that involved.

Press And Public Relations Officers

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many Press and public relations officers are currently employed in his Department; what is the total cost; and what are the comparable figures for June 1970, October 1974 and May 1979.

The number and cost of information officer group staff in my Department's press office on these dates was as follows:

	Number	Cost (£)
1 June 1970	8	33,000
1 October 1974	8	40,000
1 May 1979	8	79,000
1 February 1980	8	86,000

Universities And Polytechnics

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many part-time and full-time lecturers, respectively, are employed at (a) the Central London polytechnic, (b) the City of London polytechnic and (c) the North-East London polytechnic.

Numbers of part-time staff are not collected but it is possible to derive approximate figures for these staff expressed in full-time equivalents. The figures for spring 1979 were:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Mr. Price) on 5 February 1980.

Teachers

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his most recent estimate of the number of teaching vacancies in mathematics, physical sciences, craft design and technology; and how this compares with the situation a year previously.

In January 1979, local education authorities reported vacancies as follows:Mathematics: 463.Physical sciences: 431.Craft, design and technology: 294.Information about vacancies in January 1980 is being collected and will be available in about a month.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his most recent estimate of the number of teachers without appropriate qualifications currently teaching mathematics, physical sciences, craft design and technology.

The most recent information comes from the secondary school staffing survey, carried out in the autumn of 1977. That showed that there were some 12,500 teachers of mathematics, 6,600 teachers of the physical sciences and 5,200 teachers of craft, design and technology whose initial or in-service training did not include these subjects. They were responsible for only a minor proportion of all tuition in them: 16 per cent. of mathematics, 10 per cent. of chemistry, 22 per cent. of physics and 15 per cent. of craft design and technology.

Overseas Students

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has reached a conclusion about the effect of the non-discrimination provisions in the new Lomé convention on the fees chargeable to sandwich course students from African, Caribbean and Pacific countries in British institutions of further and higher education.

The provisions of the convention have no relevance in this context. The definition of an overseas student for fee purposes is based on residence criteria not nationality.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the regulations by which children of United Kingdom parents employed overseas are classified as overseas students when attending United Kingdom universities and other higher education establishments; what criteria are followed in defining these categories; and if he will make a statement.

The classification of students as home or overseas, whether or not they are the children of United Kingdom parents, is based on residence status. I will write to my hon. Friend giving details of this rather complex matter.

Depo Provera

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will initiate research into the reproductive cycle of children whose mothers received Depo Provera during the nursing period when these children reach reproductive age; and if he will make a statement.

Owing to the limited scale on which Depo Provera is used in this country, the Medical Research Council is of the opinion that it would not be feasible at present to undertake a properly controlled investigation of the reproductive cycle of children whose mothers received Depo Provera during the nursing period. The council will, however, continue to keep this matter under review.

Civil Service

Public Service Pensions

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list public service pensions which are (a) self-financing and (b) not self-financing; and how much those which are not self-financing have received from public funds in 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively.

Because of the wide diversity in the financial arrangements of of the various public service pension schemes, it is not possible to answer the question as it has been put. I shall be glad to give my hon. Friend information about particular schemes if he will write to me.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the number of index-linked pensions to retired civil servants, including local government, health service, police and prison service, which exceed (a) £15,000 per annum (b) £10,000 per annum and (c) £5,000 per annum; and in how many cases the pension exceeds the present pay for the post to which the pension relates.

I regret that information in the form requested is not held centrally for all public service pension schemes. However, the numbers of Civil Service pensioners in receipt of pensions in the range specified are approximately as follows:

Pension £ per annum	Number of Civil Service Pensioners
less than 5,000	337,000
above 5,000	10,800
above 10,000	630
above 15,000	67

I know of no case in which the pension exceeds the present pay for the post to which the pension relates.

Manpower

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many of the 63,000 non-industrial Civil Service jobs vacated in the 12 months ended 30 September 1979 have been filled.

At 1 October 1979 there were 552,000 non-industrial civil servants in post compared with 564,000 at 1 October 1978, a reduction of 12,000. Information is not available centrally on the filling of vacant posts.

Parliamentary Papers

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when he anticipates the general production in machine readable form of Hansard, the Vote and other parliamentary papers; and if he will make a statement.

Plans are well advanced for the production of the Official Report of the proceedings of the House of Commons using modern techniques. I hope that a machine-readable form will begin during the 1980–81 Session. It is hoped that the Vote and other parliamentary papers will become available in this form approximately three years later.At present the only parliamentary publication available from HMSO in this form is Statutes in Force, the new edition of which will be completed in 1981–82.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Zambia

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish in the Official Report Her Majesty's Government's response to United Nations Security Council resolution 455 (1979).

Her Majesty's Government's response to United Nations Security Council resolution 455 (1979) is contained in paragraph 50(j) of the report of the Ad Hoc Committee (513774) of 31 January 1980, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

Rhodesia

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the surveillance techniques currently being used by the Rhodesia security forces.

No.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what special arrangements are being made to monitor those fire force units of the Rhodesian forces which are made up entirely of South Africans.

The Rhodesian forces are monitored throughout their command structure down to company level.The composition of individual units has no bearing on the monitoring arrangements.

Overseas Development

Overseas Development Administration

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on his policy concerning the number of development divisions in the Overseas Development Administration.

The future of the development divisions is currently under review.

Dominica

asked the Lord Privy Seal what reconstruction aid he proposes to provide to the new Government of Dominica.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 18 January to the hon. Member for Belfast, South (Mr. Bradford). [Vol. 976, c. 867.] The second phase of the Royal Engineers operation is now in progress.

Uganda

asked the Lord Privy Seal what aid is planned for Uganda in 1979–80 and 1980–81 for reconstruction purposes.

£2 million in capital grants has been provided to Uganda in 1979–80 in addition to the training

AGRICULTURE

Capital Aid

Tubewell linings.

Sind Land Levelling Programme: supply of earthmoving equipment.

Salinity Control and Reclamation.

SCARP Programme: supply of earthmoving equipment for canal rehabilitation.

Punjab Tubewell Drilling.

Technical Co-operation

Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan: consultancy in accounting, training and organisation.

Left Bank Outfall Drain feasibility studies.

INDUSTRY

Capital Aid

Kamalia Sugar Mill: equipment and installation.

Pakistan Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation: equipment for industrial development projects.

EDUCATION

Technical Co-operation

Allama Iqbal Open University: experts and equipment.

United Kingdom programme (various subjects).

COMMUNICATIONS

Capital Aid

Baluchistan Road Construction.

North-West Frontier Province Road Construction.

Pakistan Railways Development Plan.

PORTS AND SHIPPING

Capital Aid

Port Qasim Development.

Three Cargo Ships for Pakistan National Shipping Corporation.

Technical Co-operation

Port Qasim Authority:

Management Study.

Cargo Handling Training School.

Port Operations Adviser.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if increased aid to Pakistan is being provided from the reduced aid programme or from contingency funds.

The reduced aid programme.

European Development Fund

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the estimated contribution from the aid budget to the European development fund in 1980–81.

of police instructors in the United Kingdom and the continuing refugee student awards scheme. Levels of aid for 1980–81 are still under consideration but a further £4 million of capital aid has already been pledged.

Pakistan

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will indicate the sectors and projects to be assisted under the increased aid programme to Pakistan.

At present the major projects of the increased 1980–81 programme are expected to be:

On the basis of estimates for calendar year 1980 provided by the EEC Commission, the United Kingdom contribution to the fourth European development fund in the financial year 1980–81 is likely to be about £64 million. The exact amount will depend on the actual pattern of expenditure, and on the exchange rate. At present it is not possible to estimate at all accurately how much we shall contribute to the fifth European development fund, which will be established when the second Lomé convention comes into force, probably during the second half of 1980; but expenditure in 1980–81 will be limited.

Indonesia

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he proposes increases in aid to Indonesia.

It is not the practice to announce detailed planning figures for individual countries. But in any case no decision has yet been taken about the future levels of aid to Indonesia.

Chilean Refugees (Education Grants)

asked the Lord Privy Seal what decisions have been taken with regard to education grants for Chilean refugees following his Department's recent discussions with the World University Service.

We have informed the World University Service that we can provide no new awards for Chilean refugees after the end of this financial year. Earlier undertakings to provide up to 100 awards in 1979–80 have been honoured; and, subject to parliamentary approval, we expect to provide funds to enable the existing award holders to complete their courses of study.

Employment

"Employment News"

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the purpose of Employment News produced by his Department; how many people it employs; to whom it is distributed; and what is the total cost to public funds per annum.

Employment News provides information about current employment matters and is produced by two staff who also have other duties occupying half of their time. 108,000 copies are distributed on request only, to companies, unions, employers associations and others at a total cost, currently of £89,154 per annum.

One-Parent Families

asked the Secretary of State for Employment which index provides an adequate guide to the impact of inflation on one parent families; and which will reflect school transport charges.

The general index of retail prices provides a good guide to the impact of price changes on most households, including one-parent families. The index relates to practically all household expenditure including transport.

Tate And Lyle, Liverpool

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the employment situation at Tate and Lyle, Liverpool.

I know there have been, and still are, problems in the cane sugar refining industry and that these have been particularly felt at the Tate and Lyle refinery in Liverpool. The current renegotiation of the EEC sugar regime is adding to the uncertainties. The current proposals do, however, recognise the continuing commitment to import raw cane sugar from the third world.My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is well aware of these problems and will have the possible effects on employment at Tate and Lyle in mind during the negotiations.

Urban Development Corporations (Merseyside And London)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he plans to seek to exempt the Merseyside and London urban development corporations from the provisions of the Equal Pay Act.

No, there are no plans to exempt these organisations from the provisions of the Equal Pay Act 1970, as amended.

Job Release Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Employment in what form it is intended to continue to receive applications for the job release scheme after 31 March; and when he expects to make an announcement.

My right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement about the job release scheme very shortly.

Skillcentres

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the last major campaign for the recruitment of skillcentre instructors was carried out by the Manpower Services Commission; what was the overall cost of the campaign including all items of promotional material; and how many instructors were recruited as a result.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the last major campaign for the recruitment of skillcentre instructors took place in the period September to December 1978. The total cost of the campaign including promotional material used was £434,718. There were 3,085 applicants, and from these 59 instructors were recruited.

Redundancies (Manchester)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been declared since 4 May 1979, and how many more are in prospect in the Manchester travel-to-work area; and if, where possible, he will break these figures down into sex, age, below 21 years and below 18 years, trade and ethnic origin.

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

Apprenticeships

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many apprenticeships were made available in the Manchester travel-to-work area for the latest available month, broken down into trades and where possible sex and ethnic origin, and the corresponding month back to and including 1979.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1980]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information requested is not available.

Unemployed Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1967 (a) the number of unfilled vacancies in each region, (b) the numbers of wholly unemployed and (c) the number of vacancies as a percentage of those wholly unemployed.

The following tables give the numbers of vacancies remaining unfilled and the numbers of people registered as unemployed in each standard region at January each year from 1967. The vacancy figures relate only to those notified to employment offices and careers offices; vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole.Because of this, and of possible duplication between the separate figures for employment offices and careers offices, the two series should not be added together and cannot be used to provide the proportions requested.

NOTIFIED UNFILLED VACANCIES SOUTH EAST
	At employment offices	At careers offices
January 1967	68,122	22,471
January 1968	66,176	24,075
January 1969	74,957	27,172
January 1970	75,856	26,781
January 1971	64,801	20,931
January 1972	46,247	13,801
January 1973	86,760	20,409
January 1974	134,349	35,989
January 1975^*	..	..
January 1976	33,775	7,130
January 1977^*	..	..
January 1978	66,206	9,027
January 1979	98,443	14,890
January 1980	85,489	11,568

East Anglia
	At employment offices	At careers offices
January 1967	3,695	1,272
January 1968	4,363	1,649
January 1969	5,210	1,738
January 1970	4,944	1,553
January 1971	3,491	338
January 1972	3,148	929
January 1973	6,622	1,743
January 1974	9,692	3,535
January 1975^*	..	..
January 1976	2,462	564
January 1977^*	..	..
January 1978	4,690	522
January 1979	6,217	801
January 1980	6,263	584

SOUTH WEST
	At employment offices	At careers offices
January1967	8,688	2,815
January 1968	8,773	3,419
January 1969	10,031	3,904
January 1970	9,618	3,441
January 1971	8,967	2,798
January 1972	7,892	2,395
January 1973	14,265	3,186
January 1974	20,643	5,466
January 1975^*	..	..
January 1976	5,117	1,019
January 1977^*	..	..
January 1978	8,494	706
January 1979	12,981	1,291
January 1980	11,942	866

WEST MIDLANDS
	At employment offices	At careers offices
January 1967	15,741	6,555
January 1968	13,828	6,122
January 1969	16,766	8,260
January 1970	15,302	6,651
January 1971	11,537	4,522
January 1972	7,182	2,603
January 1973	14,113	4,760
January 1974	23,572	10,345
January 1975^*	..	..
January 1976	4,518	1,471
January 1977^*	..	..
January 1978	11,395	1,612
January 1979	13,588	2,027
January 1980	11,849	1,200

EAST MIDLANDS
January 1967	11,361	4,837
January 1968	11,393	4,270
January 1969	12,221	5,340
January 1970	10,928	4,118
January 1971	9,086	2,807
January 1972	7,272	1,832
January 1973	12,597	2,987
January 1974	18,245	6,847
January 1975^*	..	..
January 1976	5,710	1,295
January 1977^*	..	..
January 1978	10,359	1,070
January 1979	15,424	1,370
January 1980	11,298	1,154

YORKSHIRRE/HUMBERSIDE
January 1967	14,095	7,385
January 1968	12,356	6,635
January 1969	14,128	6,703
January 1970	15,346	5,383
January 1971	11,391	4,351
January 1972	8,490	2,452
January 1973	13,691	4,419
January 1974	20,665	9,213
January 1975^*	..	..
January 1976	5,929	1,457
January 1977^*	..	..
January 1978	12,106	1,202
January 1979	14,939	1,455
January 1980	11,033	967

NORTH WEST
January 1967	19,402	6,662
January 1968	21,302	6,110
January 1969	23,961	7,648
January 1970	22,709	6,085
January 1971	16,149	4,819
January 1972	9,412	2,989
January 1973	14,233	3,927
January 1974	23,370	8,187
January 1975^*	..	..
January 1976	8,030	1,741
January 1977^*	..	..
January 1978	13,174	1,050
January 1979	16,941	1,458
January 1980	14,621	1,324

NORTH
	At employment offices	At careers offices
January 1967	6,418	1,636
January 1968	6,538	2,009
January 1969	7,109	2,712
January 1970	7,869	2,298
January 1971	6,495	2,068
January 1972	4,508	1,215
January 1973	7,982	1,574
January 1974	11,298	3,792
January 1975^*	..	..
January 1976	5,762	854
January 1977^*	..	..
January 1978	8,775	531
January 1979	9,604	480
January 1980	7,984	306

WALES
January 1967	5,864	1,362
January 1968	4,620	1,635
January 1969	5,077	2,113
January 1970	5,663	1,851
January 1971	5,374	1,733
January 1972	3,814	1,204
January 1973	5,317	1,735
January 1974	7,821	2,508
January 1975^*	..	..
January 1976	3,845	552
January 1977^*	..	..
January 1978	6,279	341
January 1979	7,344	434
January 1980	7,323	391

SCOTLAND
January 1967	10,695	4,772
January 1968	9,844	4,835
January 1969	11,474	5,741
January 1970	11,141	4,704
January 1971	7,197	3,326
January 1972	4,758	1,814
January 1973	9,371	2,017
January 1974	15,702	6,419
January 1975^*	..	..
January 1976	11,636	1,817
January 1977^*	..	..
January 1978	15,686	824
January 1979	18,108	961
January 1980	16,824	787

GREAT BRITAIN
January 1967	164,081	59,767
January 1968	159,193	60,759
January 1969	180,934	71,331
January 1970	179,376	62,866
January 1971	144,488	48,693
January 1972	102,723	31,234
January 1973	184,951	46,757
January 1974	285,357	92,301
January 1975^*	..	..
January 1976	86,784	17,900
January 1977^*	..	..
January 1978	157,164	16,885
January 1979	213,589	25,167
January 1980	184,626	19,147
^* Not available.
Note: There were minor changes in the boundaries of some regions in April 1974 and for this reason the figures for January 1974 and earlier dates ate not strictly comparable with those for later dates

Registered Unemployed
					South East	East Anglia	South West	West Midlands	East Midlands	Yorkshire and Humberside	North West	North	Wales	Scotland	Great Britain
January 1967		…	…	…	133,151	14,102	3',752	38,664	23,676	37,066	66,361	50,421	40,854	84,303	527,350
January 1968		…	…	…	146,366	13,633	38,449	48,922	27,524	51,933	77,563	61,069	42,069	92,123	600,387
January 1969		…	…	…	135,880	13,591	38,004	42,705	28,996	55,601	73,848	67,546	41,406	86,436	584,013
January 1971		…	…	…	144,729	18, 05£	44,793	52,894	35,713	64,901	91,760	66,833	42,104	113,037	647,815
January 1972		…	…	…	186,905	23,270	56,307	87,198	48,004	90,967	140,371	89,552	55,296	149,750	926,615
January 1973		…	…	…	150,652	16,588	44,946	66,946	129,700	72,721	129,700	76,445	45,772	127,523	769,429
January 1974		…	…	…	11',793	12,891	41,904	47,960	32,893	55,516	95,232	59,330	38,056	95,116	597,691
January^*	…	…	…	…	154,400	19,000	60,000	61,300	41,'00	65,900	118,400	67,900	47,400	102,300	738,000
January 1976		…	…	…	296,342	33,446	100,899	129,599	71,553	109,314	189,319	94,083	77,199	150,072	1,251,826
January 1977		…	…	…	342,764	36,916	113,119	129,130	76,270	115,126	202,963	107,140	83,273	183,418	1,390,218
January 1978		…	…	…	348,917	38,312	119,161	130,844	82,224	127,646	217,317	123,525	93,112	203,629	1,484,687
January 1979		…	…	…	305,373	36,235	106,336	126,001	78,521	125,478	208,842	121,647	92,300	190,300	1,391,220
January 1980		…	…	…	294,309	34,056	99,869	133,287	79,713	127,733	215,530	125,796	90,864	203,232	1,404,389
^* Estimated

Job Vacancies

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the number of job vacancies notified to jobcentres in the parliamentary constituency of Macclesfield in January; and how this figure compares with January 1978 and 1979.

The following table gives the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at the dates specified in the area covered by the Macclesfield and Congleton employment offices, which closely corresponds to the Macclesfield parliamentary constituency. Vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication the figures for employment offices and careers offices should not be added together.

JANUARY 1978
At Employment Offices	At Careers Offices
155	47

						January 1979		January 1980
Region						At Employment Offices	At Careers Offices	At Employment Offices	At Careers Offices
South East		…	…	…	…	98,443	14,890	85,489	11,568
East Anglia		…	…	…	…	6,217	801	6,263	584
South West		…	…	…	…	12,981	1,291	11,942	866
West Midlands		…	…	…	…	13,588	2,027	11,849	1,200
East Midlands		…	…	…	…	15,424	1,370	11,298	1,154
Yorkshire and Humberside				…	…	14,939	1,455	11,033	967
North West		…	…	…	…	16,941	1,458	14,621	1,324
North	…	…	…	…	…	9,604	480	7,984	306
South East		…	…	…	…	98,443	14,890	85,489	11,568
East Anglia		…	…	…	…	6,217	801	6,263	584
South West		…	…	…	…	12,981	1,291	11,942	866
West Midlands		…	…	…	…	13,588	2,027	11,849	1,200
East Midlands		…	…	…	…	15,424	1,370	11,298	1,154
Yorkshire and Humberside				…	…	14,939	1,455	11,033	967
North West		…	…	…	…	16,941	1,458	14,621	1,324
North	…	…	…	…	…	9,604	480	7,984	306
Wales	…	…	…	…	…	7,344	434	7,323	391
Scotland	…	…	…	…	…	18,108	961	16,824	787
Great Britain		…	…	…	…	213,589	25,167	184,626	19,147

Kirklees And Oldham

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons in the Kirklees area and the Oldham area (a) have been given temporary employment subsidy since its

			Temporary Employment Subsidy: TES	Temporary Short-Time Working Compensation Scheme: TSTWC Numbers currently supported		Job Release Scheme: JRS
			Numbers supported since its inception	Potentially redundant jobs	Workers on Short time	Numbers supported since its inception
Kirklees	…	…	7,597	2,442	6,345	1,319
Oldham	…	…	7,968	659	1,429	1,193

JANUARY 1979
At Employment Offices	At Careers Offices
260	91
JANUARY 1980
At Employment Offices	At Careers Offices
188	56

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the number of job vacancies notified to jobcentres in each region in January compared with the figures for January 1979.

The following table gives the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at employment offices and careers offices in each region at the dates specified. Vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication the figures for employment offices and careers offices should not be added together.inception, (

b) are receiving support from the temporary short-time working scheme and ( c) are taking advantage of the job retirement scheme since its inception.

The information requested is given in the following table:

Manpower Services Commission (Publication's)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many publications in the Network and Actions campaigns have been published to date by the Manpower Services Commission; what is the average number of each issue produced; and what is the total cost of their compilation, production and distribution;

(2) what evidence he has that the Network and Actions publications produced by the Manpower Services Commission have produced results which would not have been obtained without the expenditure of taxpayers' money involved;

(3) how many names and addresses are on the mailing list for the Network and Actions publications produced by the Manpower Services Commission; and how the list was compiled;

(4) how many business reply cards enclosed with the recent issues of Network and Actions have been returned to the Manpower Services Commission;

(5) what is the total cost of the current promotional campaign involving the

GROSS WEEKLY EARNINGS (£) OF FULL-TIME MALE EMPLOYEES AGED 21 AND OVER IN APRIL^*
					1975	1976	1977	1978	1979
Humberside (including Hull)
Mean	…	…	…	…	59·1	69·5	75·9	86·2	98·9
Standard deviation			…	…	24·9	25·7	28·1	31·6	36·3
Median		…	…	…	55·0	65·8	71·5	81·4	95·3
Staffordshire (including Stoke)
Mean	…	…	…	…	57·2	67·3	74·5	84·6	96·7
Standard deviation			…	…	19·1	22·6	26·3	30·9	35·0
Median		…	…	…	53·5	63·2	69·4	79·1	89·8
Great Britain
Mean	…	…	…	…	60·8	71·8	78·6	89·1	101·4
Standard deviation			…	…	26·6	30·6	31·8	38·3	40·8
Median		…	…	…	55·9	65·8	72·3	82·0	93·9
Source: New Earnings Survey.
^* Excluding employees whose earnings were affected by absence.
Differences in average and median earnings between areas may reflect differences in industrial and occupational structure and do not necessarily imply differences in earnings for comparable jobs.

Short-Time Working Compensation Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has now decided to renew the short-time working compensation scheme when it expires at the end of March.

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

"People at Work" series of booklets; how many of each booklet in the series has been produced; what was the total cost of their production; how many of the booklets have been sold; and what is the total income to date from sales;

(6) when the production and distribution of Network and Actions by the Manpower Services Commission commenced; and what is the target readership for these publications.

I shall reply to my right hon. Friend as soon as possible.

Personal Incomes

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the mean and median incomes of Hull, Stoke and their standard deviations and of the United Kingdom as a whole for the past five years.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 February 1980]: Information on incomes for the cities mentioned is not readily available. Details on gross weekly earnings available from the new earnings survey for the county areas in which Hull and Stoke are situated, and for Great Britain, are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what would be the estimated cost of operating the short-time working compensation scheme for a further year.

If the temporary short-term working scheme were open for applications for a further year after 31 March 1980, the gross cost, which depends on employers' use of the scheme in the light of developments in the economy, might be about £30 million in 1980–81 and a little over half this amount in 1981–82. The net cost would be lower because of savings in social security benefits.

Defence

Cruise And Pershing Missiles

15.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the European total of cruise and Pershing 2 missiles are to be placed in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) West Germany, (c) France, (d) Holland, (e) Belgium, (f) Italy and (g) Luxembourg.

160 United States ground-launched cruise missiles will be based in the United Kingdom, 96 in the Federal Republic of Germany, 112 in Italy and 48 in Belgium; in the latter case subject to confirmation in May. The Netherlands Government, whilst supporting the modernisation programme, will take a decision on the deployment of the missiles in their country by the end of 1981. All the 108 Pershing 2 missiles will be based in West Germany. None of the new systems are to be based in France or Luxembourg.

Territorial Army

16.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current level of recruitment into the Territorial Army.

Recruitment into the Territorial Army is buoyant and is reflected in a rise of 2,500 in total strength since last August when the increased bounties and other measures recommended in the Shapland report were announced.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are being taken to improve the Territorial Army's air defence capability.

Subject to the negotiation of acceptable contract terms, the Government expect shortly to place a contract worth well over £20 million with Short Brothers Ltd. of Belfast for the supply of more Blowpipe air defence missile systems of the Territorial Army. Shorts is already engaged in the manufacture of Blowpipe for the Regular Army, the Royal Marines and the Territorial Army, and the new order will help ensure continued work on the project for a number of years.

United States Defence Secretary

17.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he will next meet the United States Defence Secretary.

I expect to meet Dr. Brown at the NATO Eurogroup and Defence Planning Committee meetings of NATO Defence Ministers in May.

Army Reservists

18.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the numbers and categories of Army Reservists; how these figures compare for the past three years; and if he is satisfied with levels of recruitment.

The Army's reserves comprise the Regular Reserves, consisting of the Regular Army Reserve of Officers, the Regular Reserve, the Long Term Reserve and Army Pensioners, and the volunteer reserves, consisting of the Territorial Army and the Ulster Defence Regiment. The strength of the Territorial Army at 31 December 1979 and the three previous years was:

31 December 1976	60,100
31 December 1977	60,700
31 December 1978	58,900
31 December 1979	61,900

Since the increased bounties and other charges arising out of the Shapland report were announced in August 1979 TA strengths have risen by about 2,500, reflecting improved levels of recruitment and retention. I am confident that satisfactory progress will continue to be made.The strength of the Ulster Defence Regiment—excluding Regular Army attachments—over the last four years has been:

31 December 1976	7,600
31 December 1977	7,800
31 December 1978	7,700
31 December 1979	7,400

Recruitment to the permanent cadre continues to be very satisfactory, but part-time recruitment, although it remains buoyant, has been insufficient to replace outflow.

The Army Regular Reserves comprise ex-Service men with a reserve liability in the following categories: Regular Army Reserve of Officers, the Regular Reserve, the Long Term Reserve and Army Pensioners. Total strengths for the last four years have been:

31 December 1976	110,000
31 December 1977	116,500
31 December 1978	125,000
31 December 1979	131,500

China (Minister Of Defence)

19.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met his counterpart in the Government of the People's Republic of China; and if he will make a statement.

I have not yet met Defence Minister Xu Xianqian, but I hope to have an opportunity to do so before too long.

Royal Yacht "Britannia"

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the estimated costs for the refit of the Royal Yacht "Britannia"; and how much of this sum is required for the replacement of work clone on the ship in 1976.

None of the work being done in the course of "Britannia's" current refit is required to replace work done on the ship in 1976—although it includes the kind of maintenance work that has to be done periodically. The total cost of the refit is estimated at £5 million.

Arms Embargo

21.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list countries against which Her Majesty's Government have an arms embargo.

South Africa, in accordance with United Nations Resolution 417(77), and Chile.

Expenditure

22.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the planned increase in defence spending over the next five years.

The Government have subscribed to the NATO aim of increases in defence spending in the region of 3 per cent a year in real terms. As regards the detailed figures for the period up to 1983–84, I must ask my hon. Friend to await the publication of the public expenditure White Paper and the Statement on the Defence Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the total amount spent on defence since 1945 by the United Kingdom and Japan respectively.

The cumulative total for United Kingdom defence expenditure in the period from 1946–47 to 1979–80 is £87,951 million. Information on Japanese defence expenditure is available only for the period from 1958–59, since which year about 15,550 billion yen have been spent on defence. In the corresponding period, the United Kingdom has spent £73,485 million.

39.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence within what time scale he expects the current increase in British defence spending to have a significant effect on Great Britain's capacity to defend herself in either a nuclear or a conventional war.

Major improvements in defence capability necessarily take a period of years to come to fruition. But the measures the Government have already taken, notably the restoration of Service pay comparability and the increase in bounties for volunteer reservists, which have led to improved recruitment and retention rates, have enhanced the nation's defences and our contribution to NATO. A full account of the Government's plans will appear in the Statement on the Defence Estimates.

Military Staff College, Camberley

23.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence is he satisfied with the administration and courses at the Military Staff College at Camberley Surrey.

Yes.

Naval Shipbuilding

24.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has for new naval shipbuilding

There is a substantial and continuing Naval shipbuilding programme, which includes nuclear-powered fleet submarines, Type 42 destroyers. Type 22 frigates and mine counter-measures vessels. Further details of the programme will be given in the Statement on the Defence Estimates which will be published shortly.

Mr T E Charlton

26.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make a statement on the refusal of the application to re-enlist in the Regular Army of Mr. T. E. Charlton, about which the hon. Member for Consett has corresponded with the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Army.

Mr. Charlton left the Army at his own request on 27 July 1979 after nine years' service with the Royal Corps of Signals, during which time he reached the rank of corporal and qualified as a combat radioman, class 1. He applied subsequently to re-enlist in his previous employment, but unfortunately could not be accepted because there was not then any suitable vacancy for him in his own trade.

Conscription

25.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on conscription for national service.

29.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's policy in regard to conscription.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 31 January—[Vol. 977, c. 766.]

32.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if in his manpower planning, he will undertake not to reintroduce conscription.

No. The Government see no requirement for conscription now or in the near future, but it would not, of course, be sensible to give the indefinite undertaking for which the hon. Member is asking.

38.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received for the restoration of conscription for national military service.

I have received a small number of letters on this from hon. Members, and from members of the public.

40.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the need for a register of all those likely to be called up for military service in the event of a national emergency.

As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Army explained to the House on 1 February, the Government have no intention of reintroducing conscription. The question of a register does not, therefore, arise.

Chemical Warfare

28.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that the United Kingdom is given a chemical offensive capability.

As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Navy explained to the House on 7 February, the whole subject of chemical warfare is kept under careful review.

Munitions (Rail Carriage)

30.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied with the present arrangements for the carrying of munitions by rail; and if he will make a statement.

The security of munitions carried by rail is the responsibility of British Rail. As a customer we are always looking for improvements in the security arrangements and are currently reviewing them with British Rail.

Soldiers (Radiation Poisoning)

33.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers suffered from radiation poisoning or diseases such as cancer related to equipment in performance of their duties in Her Majesty's Forces in the last 10 years.

I know of no such cases.

Low-Level Flying

31.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the conduct of low-level flying by military aircraft over the United Kingdom.

Yes. Low-level flying training is crucial to operational proficiency and therefore to the security of the United Kingdom. I am satisfied that in general it is properly conducted in accordance with the regulations which have been drawn with full regard for safety and the interests of the public.

Hydrographer To The Royal Navy

34.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what reductions he will make in the staff of the Hydrographer to the Royal Navy in pursuit of public expenditure cuts.

I have nothing to add to the answer given earlier today by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Dunfermline (Mr. Douglas) on the subject of reductions in Ministry of Defence staff numbers generally.

North Sea

36.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he has had with other countries on defence ararngements for the protection of oil and gas installations and interests in the North Sea.

My hon. Friend may be assured that such consultations are held as are necessary to ensure that our North Sea interests are protected, but it is not normal practice to give details.

New Aberpour (Missile Incident)

37.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made into the investigation into the incident when a missile fell from a low flying aircraft in the New Aberpour area of East Aberdeenshire.

I have written to the hon. Member with a full account of the outcome of the investigation.

Royal Naval Vessels (Repairs And Refits)

35.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy vessels were repaired or refitted in Liverpool during 1979.

During 1979 two Royal Navy ships and three Royal Fleet Auxil- iary vessels were refitted by Merseyside firms.

Spitzbergen

41.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will discuss with his Norwegian counterpart the Russian presence in Spitzbergen in the context of the United Kingdom's NATO responsibilities.

I propose to visit Norway at the invitation of the Norwegian Defence Minister later this year. The detailed arrangements have not been made, but we shall discuss matters of common concern to the defence of our two countries.Spitzbergen is demilitarised by the Treaty of Paris of 1920, which recognises Norwegian sovereignty and also allows the Soviet Union, in common with all the Treaty signatories, freedom of access to carry out commercial and economic activities. The Soviet Union currently operates two coalmines in Spitzbergen.

Jaguar Aircraft

42.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on progress to develop further the performance and capability of the Jaguar aircraft in service with the Royal Air Force.

The Jaguar force is currently undergoing an engine uprating programme which will give it increased thrust; and its navigation and weapon aiming sub-systems are to be improved. Other measures are under consideration.

Service Personnel (Hypnotism)

43.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards the hypnotism for entertainment purposes of Service personnel.

In this, as in many other off-duty activities, we depend on the good sense of individuals.

Fishing Fleet

44.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the recent communications which he has had with the fishing industry on the use to which its fleet might be put as part of the United Kingdom's naval defences.

It is not our usual practice to discuss contingency arrangements; we do, however, keep the possible employment of fishing vessels during a national emergency under review. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has recently received a letter from the director general of the British Fishing Federation on this subject to which a reply will be sent shortly.

Quality Assurance Directorate, Woolwich

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to limit overtime and the recruitment of new staff at the quality assurance directorate, Woolwich; and if he will make a statement.

The quality assurance directorate at Woolwich is subject to general limitation on overtime which was imposed throughout the Department on 18 January 1980. Overtime needed to meet essential safety and security requirements will continue.The recruitment of new staff has been postponed until 1 April 1980, except for professional engineers, whose recruitment may continue without restriction, and all potential recruits who were given firm offers of apointment in writing on or before 17 January 1980.

Air Cadet Council

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on the dissatisfaction arising from the proposed merging of the work of the Scottish Air Cadet Council with that of the Air Cadet Council; and whether he will consider the decision.

I refer to the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 February to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. Wilson).

Queen's Flight

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the estimated cost of replacing all existing aircraft of the Queen's Flight; and whether, having regard to the need for reductions in public expenditure, he will suspend all action in this field.

The cost of replacing aircraft of the Queen's Flight would, of course, depend upon the number and type or types chosen as the replacements. There are no firm plans to replace any of the Queen's Flight aircraft, and I have nothing as yet to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Thanet, East (Mr. Aitken) on 10 July 1979.—[Vol. 970, c. 123.]

Polaris

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the present position regarding a replacement for Polaris.

I have nothing to add to the full statement I made during the debate on nuclear weapons on 24 January.

Army Recruitment

asked the Secretary of Stale for Defence how much money has been expended in (a) Wales, (b) the regions of England, and (c) Scotland on information concerning Army recruitment in (i) television and radio commercials and (ii) newspaper advertisements for 1974 and 1979; and what are the projected figures for the four quarters of 1980.

[pursuant to his reply, 28 January 1980, c. 548]: I regret that there was an omission in the figures provided. These should read:

1974–75
	£
Television/Radio	690,400 (note 1)
Press	1,077,500
1979–80
	£
Television/Radio	1,039,900
Press	1,798,600
(Note 1) £59,400 was also expended on TA advertising throughout Great Britain.

Energy

Electricity Prices

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his directive to the public electricity supply industry concerning charges; whether this takes account of the actual costs of generating electricity; and if so, how the two are related.

As I told the House on 16 January, the Government have set the financial target for the electricity supply industry in England and Wales for the three years 1980–81 to 1982–83 as an average return of 1·8 per cent. on net assets valued at current cost. In meeting this target the industry will have to take account of all costs involved in generating and distributing electricity. The largest element of these costs is fuel. However, the detailed tariff changes necessary to meet the target are a matter for the industry, although I have asked the industry that this year's increases be phased in two stages.

Conservation Policy

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he proposes to defer the relinquishment of acreage rules in the event of his either implementing the depletion proposals of the previous Government or cutting back production to aid the conservation of North Sea resources.

I have no present plans to do so.

Power Station, Grain

asked the Secretary of State for Energy to what extent the completion of the Central Electricity Generating Board power station at Grain, Rochester to full capacity would create electricity capacity beyond national planned requirements.

Grain power station is expected on present programme to come to full power in 1983 when current CEGB estimates suggest that there could be a plant margin of some 35 per cent. This figure is subject to a range of uncertainties, including changes in forecast demand as a result of economic trends and variations in the rates of plant commissioning and retirements. The actual plant margin in 1983 is expected to decline gradually thereafter to reach the current planning margin of 28 per cent. by the mid and late 1980s.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much the total building works have cost at the Central Electricity Generating Board power station at Grain, Rochester, to date.

I am advised by the CEGB that the total costs for construc- tion at Grain power station up to the end of December 1979 were £433 million.

Electricity Generation

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what estimates exist of future growth needs in electricity generation to satisfy the requirements of the United Kingdom.

Estimates of capacity requirements for England and Wales up to 1986 may be found in the Electricity Council's medium term development plan 1979–86.My Department has published projections of possible future requirements in the United Kingdom in "Energy Projections 1979".

asked the Secretary of State for Energy to what extent the present capacity of United Kingdom power stations satisfy present national needs; and what is the surplus of capacity.

In order to meet the demand for electricity, sufficient generating capacity has to be provided to allow for plant breakdowns and the effects of abnormally severe weather. The current declared net capability of the CEGB is 56·8 GW. Accordingly, the winter's maximum demand so far of 44·2 GW—14 January 1980—was met with a plant margin of approximately 28 per cent. The margin currently used in planning future generating capacity seven or eight years ahead is also 28 per cent.Generating capacities in Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Home Insulation

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much he estimates partially insulated houses cost per annum in oil equivalent as opposed to fully insulated houses.

Taking the case of a typical post-war semi-detached house in London, full heating would require about 2·0 toe a year with partial insulation of 25 mm loft insulation only. If insulated to the standards taken in the Department's booklet "Compare Your Home Heating Costs"—80 mm loft insulation—the consumption would reduce to about 1·9 toe. The addition of cavity wall insulation, if possible, would reduce consumption by a further 0·3 toe. In practice fuel consumption depends on many factors and the extent to which it is possible to insulate dwellings varies widely.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much he estimates failure to insulate houses costs per annum in oil and oil equivalent.

It is estimated that savings of between3 per cent. and 4 per cent. of national primary energy consumption could be gained by a combination of loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and double glazing. This is equivalent to 6 million to 8 million toe a year. But these measures may not all be cost-effective in any particular house. The potential savings due to thermal insulation are examined in greater detail in a report by the Building Research Establishment, CP56/75.

Oil And Gas Prices

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing in terms of the volume of United Kingdom consumption the division of a barrel of oil between the principal petroleum products in 1972 and 1978, including refinery fuel and other waste, and (a) the price of crude oil in 1972 and in the third and fourth quarters of 1979 and (b) the wholesale price of the finished barrel in 1972 and currently, excluding all taxes and weighted as far as possible by the pattern of consumption in 1972 and 1978, respectively.

Table 1 gives the percentage division of a barrel of oil in terms of the volume of United Kingdom consumption. As the net selling value of the individual products—exclusive of taxes—is available on a consistent basis only since 1973 from the Business Monitor series of statistics issued by the Business Statistics Office I have incorporated data for 1973 in the tabulation.Table 2 gives the overall average price paid for crude oil in the United Kingdom. Table 3 shows the estimated wholesale price per barrel of petroleum products weighted according to the pattern of con- sumption in the United Kingdom; information for 1972 is not available.

TABLE 1
PERCENTAGE DIVISION OF A OIL IN TERMS OF UNITED KINGDOM VOLUME CONSUMPTION
Per cent.
Principal product	1972	1973	1978
Avtur	3·5	3·7	4·8
Burning Oil	2·6	2·8	2·8
Derv	4·7	5·0	6·3
Fuel Oil	37·1	34·7	30·0
Gas Oil	13·6	13·3	14·5
Marine Bunker	4·7	4·8	2·8
Motor Spirit	14·3	14·9	19·5
Naphtha	6·6	7·4	5·2
Refinery Fuel	5·8	6·2	6·8
Miscellaneous	7·1	7·2	7·3
TOTAL	100·0	100·0	100·0

TABLE 2
PRICE OF CRUDE OIL
period	£/tonne
1972	8·76
1973	11·44
1978	53·53
3rd Quarter 1979	72·54
4th Quarter 1979	78·80 (estimate)

TABLE 3
WHOLESALE PRICE PER BARREL OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS WEIGHTED ACCORDING TO UNITED KINGDOM CONSUMPTION PATTERNS
Year	Wholesale price
	£
1973	1·82
1978	7·95

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the percentage increase in the cost of gas in real terms since 1970; and what has been the percentage increase in the cost of oil over the same period.

In the domestic sector the prices in real terms of gas and heating oil decreased by 32 per cent. and increased by 77 per cent. respectively between 1970 and December 1979.The latest available information on gas and heavy fuel oil purchases by manufacturing industry relates to the third quarter of 1979, at which time the prices of these two fuels in real terms had decreased by 16 per cent. and increased by 136 per cent. respectively compared with 1970.

Energy

Departmental Newspapers

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what newspapers are produced by his Department, what is their function; how many people they employ; to whom they are distributed; and what is the total cost to public funds per annum.

The Department produces one newspaper, Energy Management. The newspaper is printed monthly and seeks to spread good energy management practice and provide up-to-date information about new energy saving methods and technologies. Energy Management has a circulation of 34,000 copies and is sent to energy managers in industry, commerce, local authorities and major public sector energy users. Two members of information division are engaged on its production. The cost to public funds of Energy Management, including printing, production, postage and staff, is £79,600.

Press And Public Relations Officers

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many press and public relations officers are currently employed in his Department; what is the total cost; and what are the comparable figures for June 1970, October 1974 and May 1979.

As my Department was not created until January 1974, no figures are available for June 1970. For the other dates the number and cost of information officer group staff in my Department's press office were as follows:

	Number	Cost £
October 1974	11	77,000
May 1979	11	105,000
February 1980	10	107,000

Gas Refinery (Peter Head And St Fergus)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will set up a working party to examine the possibility of sitting a gas refinery in the Peter head or St. Fergus areas, in view of the availability of land and labour there.

No. Mobil North Sea Ltd. and the British Gas Corporation are conducting a feasibility and design study of a new gas gathering pipeline in the northern North Sea. As part of this study they are examining the requirements for additional onshore facilities to handle the dry gas and natural gas liquids which would be landed by such a pipeline, and possible sites for such facilities.

Industry

Press And Public Relations Officers

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many press and public relations officers are currently employed in his Department; what is the total cost; and what are the comparable figures for June 1970, October 1974, and May 1979.

The number and cost of information officer group staff in my Department's press office on those dates was as follows:

	Number	Cost
		£'000
I October 1974	7	31
1 May 1979	7	63
1 February 1980	7	68

The Department did not exist in June 1970.

Company Assets And Liabilities

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for (a) manufacturing and (b) non-manufacturing companies the ratio of current assets to current liabilities for each year since 1970 and for 1979 to the latest date.

Figures of current assets and liabilities for manufacturing and non-manufacturing companies separately are available only from my Department's quarterly survey of company liquidity. In this survey information is collected directly from about 220 large companies on assets and liabilities in the United Kingdom which can be realised or are due to be paid within 12 months. The results for survey companies may not be representative of companies in general. The figures are given in the following table.Figures for the fourth quarter of 1979 will be published in "British Business" 7 March 1980. To enable comparisons over the whole period, the figures have been adjusted to form a continuous series and may not therefore agree exactly with those in published articles. The definition of current assets used excludes stocks.

LIQUIDITY RATIOS
(total current assets as percentage of total current liabilities)
		(Seasonally adjusted)
End of period	Manufacturing companies	Non-manufacturing companies
1970	30	116
1971	58	110
1972	99	113
1973	84	101
1974	30	85
1975	69	97
1976	87	83
1977	109	123
1978	110	146
1979
First quarter	88	114
Second quarter	96	123
Third quarter	87	101
Source: Department of Industry's quarterly Survey of Company Liquidity.
Total current assets=deposits with banks' finance houses and building societies, negotiable certificates of deposit, British Government securities, local authority bills, temporary money, mortgages and loans, tax instruments, Treasury bills, notes and coins.
Total current liabilities=advances and loans from banks and other financial institutions with an initial loan term of not more than 12 months.

Spinks Report

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether, following the recommendations of the Spinks report, he will direct the National Enterprise Board and the National Research Development Corporation to investigate the use of public funds to set up research-oriented biotechnology companies similar to Biogen and Cetus.

The National Enterprise Board and the National Research Development Corporation have statutory powers to invest in industry but it is for the bodies themselves to make individual investment decisions. In respect of NRDC the Secretary of State may give directions only of a general character.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will encourage the National Research Development Corporation to expand its operations in the field of biotechnology.

The National Research Development Corporation has been active in supporting biotechnology for some years, and currently has funds available for high-risk but potentially viable projects.

Arfon And Dwyfor

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether, in view of recent trends in employment prospects in the Arfon and Dwyfor districts, he will now announce their redesignation as special development areas.

We are studying the representations which have been submitted about the assisted area gradings of Arfon and Dwyfor.

Industrial Policy (Assessment)

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what criteria the Government have for assessing their industrial policies.

Their contribution to conditions in which enterprise is encouraged to flourish.

Postal Union (Ballots)

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has any proposals to allow private firms to collect, sort and deliver the postal union ballots that will be supported from public funds after the Employment Bill becomes law.

Detailed regulations have yet to be framed and will he subject to consultation. It is not currently envisaged that these regulations will specify the Post Office as the sole body able to implement the ballots.

Manufacturing And Service Businesses (Loans And Grants)

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1)if he will make a statement as to what loan guarantees are available for those who either work in, or intend to set up manufacturing or service businesses in (a) the inner city partnership areas, (b) the inner city of programme areas, (c) other urban areas, (d) special development areas and (e) intermediate areas;(2) what Government loans or grants are available for (

a) starting a small business, ( b) extending business premises and ( c) the purchase of capital equipment in a small business.

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

Aluminium Foundry And Casting Plants

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the number of aluminium foundry and casting plants in the United Kingdom; and what is the percentage of output relative to the United Kingdom demand for aluminium castings.

It is estimated that there are about 500 companies in the United Kingdom producing aluminium castings, and that they have the capacity to meet domestic demand which was probably about 100,000 tonnes in 1979. More precise information is not available.

Steel Industry (Pay Dispute)

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give an assurance that, whatever the final level of pay settlement in the steel dispute, no further public money will be available for the British Steel Corporation in the current and subsequent years over and above that already agreed.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Industry in the House yesterday.

Textile And Clothing Industries

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what assessments have been made concerning the impact of the accession of Greece, Spain and Portugal, to the European Community, on the United Kingdom's textiles and clothing industries; and if no such studies have been carried out, if he will institute them as a matter of urgency.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1980]: The Government's general assessment has led to the conclusion that they should seek to secure adequate transitional arrangements to ease the impact of these accessions on the United Kingdom market and on the United Kingdom's manufacturing industry. Detailed assessment of the implications of accession are a matter for the individual industrial sectors and companies to pursue in the light of their own commercial knowledge of the comparable competitive strengths and weaknesses of the respective sectors. The Government will take account of any such detailed assessments as are made available to them.

Steel Workers (Earnings)

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what are the average weekly earnings of a British steelworker compared with those in each European Economic Community country.

I have been asked to reply.International comparisons of earnings statistics are not meaningful unless account is taken of (i) differences in taxation and social benefits, (ii) differences in internal purchasing power of the currencies in each country, which are not necessarily reflected by market exchange rates, (iii) in the case of weekly earnings, differences in the average number of hours worked, (iv) differences in national definitions and methods of compilation of the data.The latest available information is given in the following table:

AVERAGE GROSS WEEKLY EARNINGS OF MANUAL WORKERS IN THE IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY^* IN OCTOBER 1978
	National currency		£ sterling†
United Kingdom	86	£	86
Belgium	9,480	BFR	163
France	812	FFR	96
Germany (Federal Republic)	526	DM	142
Italy	132‡(Thousand)	LIRA	81
Luxembourg	9,697	LFR	166
Source: Statistical Office of the European Communities.
^* Iron and steel industry as defined under the ECSC Treaty.
†Converted at average market exchange rates October 1978.
‡Estimate based on hours of work in October 1977
Corresponding figures for Denmark, Irish Republic and the Netherlands are not available.

Scotland

Speech Therapists

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many speech therapists are employed in the National Health Service in Scotland; and how this compares with 10 years ago.

In September 1979 there were, in terms of whole-time equivalent staff, 258·2 speech therapists employed in the National Health Service in Scotland. Direct comparison with 1969 is not possible since before reorganisation of the NHS in 1974 many speech therapists were employed by education authorities. However, in September 1969, 33 speech therapists were based in hospitals: there were 80·5 similarly based in September 1979.

Police

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what effect the recent pay increase has had on recruitment to the police in Scotland.

While it is not possible to identify precisely the effects of any particular pay increase on recruitment, it is noteworthy that in 1979 the number of recruits to police forces in Scotland was 1,528, giving a net increase in strength of 815. At 31 December 1979 total strength was 13,214, only 60 short of authorised establishment. All these figures are the best ever recorded.

Rent Allowance

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the basis of the calculation on which it appeared that £0·8 million might be needed to provide for increased demand from existing claimants of rent allowance as stated in his reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central on Friday 1 February.

There are currently about 19,000 claimants in Scotland and past experience has shown that 60p in any additional £1 in rent is met by rent allowances.The latest figure for the average increase in registered rents over previous registrations is £113 of which, under the present phasing system, about £38 would be paid during the first year of the three year period of registration. If phasing were abolished the balance of £75 would be payable and the overall additional demand would be in the region of £0·8 to £0·9 million. This would be reduced if a limit on rent increases was prescribed under clause 36 of the Tenants' Rights, Etc. (Scotland) Bill, but, for the reasons I have already given, there can be no precision about the figures.

Social Services (Dundee)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now release additional funds to the committee of inquiry into the structure of local government to enable it to carry out an opinion survey in Dundee, asking electors if they wish to see the running of the major social services in Dundee transferred from the Tayside region to Dundee district council and so assist the committee in its work.

It is for the committee to decide how it wishes to discharge its remit. However, I expect that the committee will wish to study the written evidence which has been invited from local authorities, other interested organisations and members of the public before considering whether further information is required.

Homes Insulation Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of proposed gas price increases, he will extend the homes insulation scheme to gas-heated buildings in the same way as provision is made for electrically heated homes under domestic energy note No. 3.

The Homes Insulation Scheme 1978 makes no provision for electrically heated homes to be treated differently from homes with other forms of heating.

Prison Officers (Vacancies)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prison officer staff vacancies there are, by grade, in each prison in Scotland.

The information at 1 February 1980 is given in the following table:

VACANCIES AT 1 FEBRUARY 1980 FOR PRISON OFFICER GRADES
Establishments					Chief Officer Caterer	Principal Officer Discipline	Principal Officer Instructor	Principal Officer Nurse	Senior Officer Discipline	Senior Officer Instructor	Officer Discipline	Officer Instructor	Officer Nurse	Officer Works	Clerk Officer	Total
Aberdeen		…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	3	1	—	2	—	6
Barlinnie		…	…	…	1	1	—	—	3	2	6	6	1	7	1	28
Barlinnie SU			…	…	—	1	—	1	—	—	2	—	1	—	—	5
Castle Huntly			…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	1
Cornton Vale			…	…	—	5	—	—	7	—	15	1	6	4	—	38
Dumfries		…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	1	2
Dungavel		…	…	…	—	—	1	—	—	—	2	2	—	2	—	7
Edinburgh		…	…	…	—	—	3	—	—	4	—	7	—	4	—	18
Friarton		…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Glenochil		…	…	…	—	—	3	—	—	—	—	11	—	6	—	20
Greenock		…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	4	—	—	1	—	5
Inverness		…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	6	—	—	—	—	6
Longriggend			…	…	—	—	—	—	1	—	10	—	—	3	—	14
Low Moss		…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	7	—	—	2	—	9
Noranside		…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Penninghame			…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Perth	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	2	—	2	—	5
Peterhead		…	…	…	—	—	—	—	1	—	5	7	—	8	—	21
Polmont		…	…	…	—	—	1	—	—	—	1	3	—	3	1	9
Shotts		…	…	…	—	—	—	—	2	—	—	1	—	—	1	4
Total	…	…	…	…	1	7	8	1	14	7	62	41	8	45	4	198

Mentally-Ill Prisoners

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many men or women at each prison in Scotland have been certified under the Mental Health Act and are waiting for accommodation in a psychiatric hospital.

There are no male or female prisoners in Scotland awaiting transfer to a mental hospital under the Mental Health (Scotland) Act.

Scottish Cities

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the acreage of the land covered by each of the four Scottish cities.

These figures are published in "Rates and Rateable Values in Scotland" published by HMSO. The latest available figures are for 1977–78 and are:—

Aberdeen district council	18,447 hectares
Dundee district council	23,504hectares
Edinburgh district council	26,064 hectares
Glasgow district council	19,757 hectares

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the number of acres of derelict land in each of the four Scottish cities in each year since 1976; and if he will express the current acreage per head of population in each case.

The information requested is not available.

Unemployed Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the current unemployment rates in Dundee by age for the following age groups for men (a) 16 to 18 years, (b) 18 to 24 years, (c) 50 to 64 years and (d) all ages.

On 10 January 1980, the male unemployment rate in Dundee was 10·7 per cent. Unemployment rates by age groups are not available for individual local office areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report details showing the number of persons registered as unemployed in each of the sub-regions of Scotland at the most recent convenient date; and what these represent as a percentage of the insurable population.

The information is set out in the table below.

Region	Total number of persons registered as unemployed at 10 January 1980	Percentage of insured population
Borders	1,607	4·2
Central	8,956	7·9
Dumfries and Galloway	5,008	9·3
Fife	11,487	8·7
Grampian	9,326	5·2
Highland	8,088	10·9
Lothian	24,582	7·3
Strathclyde	117,755	10·8
Tayside	14,475	8·5
Western Isles	1,221	14·9
Orkney	496	7·9
Shetland	231	3·2

Public Expenditure (Education)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the Government's cutbacks in public expenditure on education in Scotland, if he will seek to amend section 1 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1962 so that the duty of an education authority to secure adequate and efficient provision of school education is defined in more precise terms.

No.

Murthly Hospital

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will carry out, a full study with Tayside health board in conjunction with Perth and Kinross district council on the possible effect which the decision to close Murthly hospital will have on health care facilities, local employment prospects and the economic and social needs of that part of Perthshire.

The proposal to close Murthly hospital and concentrate psychiatric in-patient services at Murray royal hospital, Perth, is at present being considered by my right hon. Friend in the light of all the relevant factors including those mentioned by the hon. Member.

Scottish Transport Group

asked the Secretary of state for Scotland what performance aims he has set for the Scottish Transport Group.

I have set performance aims for the two main parts of the group's business—bus and shipping operations. The aims will complement the financial targets which have already been given to the group and are designed to encourage greater efficiency in the provision of the group's services. I have set the group aims designed to reverse the long-term trend of increasing unit costs in real terms, to increase patronage on its bus operations and to improve the reliability of bus services.For bus services the three aims which have been set are:

(i) to hold constant or reduce in real terms over the next five years the unit costs per vehicle mile in service.

(ii) to increase over the next five years the number of passenger journeys per vehicle mile in service by 3 per cent.

(iii) to reduce in 1980 the percentage of lost mileage (ie scheduled mileage not run).

For the group's shipping operations the aim is:

(i) to hold constant or reduce in real terms the unit cost of providing carrying capacity, measured in ship capacity ton hours:

I have also asked the group to publish in future a figure of percentage of scheduled shipping services completed on time in summer and winter schedules.

WELSH DEVELOPMENT AGENCY FACTORY UNITS
Unit Size				Allocated	Unallocated	Total
5,000 square feet and under		…	…	165	20	185
5,000–10,000 square feet	…	…	…	60	4	64
10,000–20,000 square feet	…	…	…	61	1	62
20,000–50,000 square feet	…	…	…	146	4	150
Over 50,000 square feet	…	…	…	79	1	80

It would not be possible without disproportionate expenditure of time and resources to identify which of the allocated premises are not currently in production

Bernard Wardle Everflex Factory

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had regarding the impending loss of jobs at the Bernard Wardle Everflex factory at Caernarfon.

My industry department has discussed the matter with the company and will continue to keep in close touch with the situation. I discussed the problem with the hon. Member last week.

Wales

Area Health Authorities

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied that the policies outlined in "Patients First" for halving the numbers of elected representatives on the area health authorities will maintain the democratic accountability of the authorities rather than increase control from the Welsh Office.

I am satisfied that there should be consultations on whether the one-third local authority representation on health authorities is necessary.

Welsh Development Authority (Factories)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the number of factories owned by the Welsh Development Agency indicating the number between (a) 5,000 sq. ft. and under, (b) 5,000 to 10,000 sq. ft., (c) over 10,000 but not in excess of 20,000 sq. ft. (d) over 20,000 but not in excess of 50,000 sq. ft. and (e) over 50,000 sq. ft, showing how many of these are currently in productive use, allocated but not operational and unallocated, respectively.

The available information is as follows:

Depo Provera

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many women in Wales, giving details by age, have had the contraceptive drug Depo Provera prescribed for them; whether he will give this information as a breakdown for each of the area health authorities in Wales; and what advice his Department has issued on the use of the drug.

Information on the use of Depo Provera is not collected centrally. The Welsh Office has not issued advice on the use of the drug: advice on the prescribing of this product is given in the current data sheet issued to all doctors by the manufacturer in accordance with the terms of the product licence.

Second Homes

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek to ascertain the number of second homes in Wales by placing a question to that effect in the next household survey.

There are no plans at present for a further survey.

Education Expenditure

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what the effect of Government expenditure cuts on education expenditure in Clwyd in 1980–81 will be; whether these cuts will enable the quality and standard of education in Clwyd to be maintained; and if he will make a statement.

All local authorities have been requested to reduce their current expenditure in 1980–81 by 1 per cent. compared with 1979–80. It is for authorities to determine their expenditure priorities, but the measures proposed in the Education (No. 2) Bill will make possible substantial savings in the education sector without affecting basic educational standards.

School Meals

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has conducted a census of school meals in Wales; and if he will make that information available.

The meals census in Wales now forms part of a comprehensive schools statistical inquiry undertaken each September. Data for 1979 will be available in a few weeks' time. Figures for earlier years are shown in table 8.01 of "Statistics of Education in Wales", a copy of which is in the Library.

Housing Investment Programmes

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if the local authorities proposed housing investment programmes are confidential.

It is intended to place a copy of future housing investment programmes submitted by Welsh local authorities in the Library of the House, but it will be for each authority to decide what further publicity to give to its programme. I am encouraging all to make them available locally.

School Building

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what measure of relaxation he envisages in regard to his Department's control of local education authority building projects following the enactment of clause 14 of the Education (No. 2) Bill.

Local education authority building projects will continue to require the approval of the Secretary of State, but my right hon. Friend intends, subject to the passage of the Bill, that Departmental scrutiny of projects should be substantially lessened and area cost guidelines will not be established in Wales. Authorities will be asked to continue to provide plans and cost data to the Welsh Office in order that trends may be monitored.The local authority associations are being consulted immediately on the proposed new arrangements.

Environment

Local Authorities (Accounts)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in respect of the 1977–78, how many published accounts of local authorities were, as a result of audit, altered in a material respect.

Alterations to the 1977–78 accounts are referred to in the auditors' reports to seven district councils and five parish councils. The inclusion of such references indicates that the auditors considered the alterations to be material. Information is not available on alterations to abstracts of accounts.

Departmental Newspapers

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what newspapers are produced by his Department; what is their function; how many people they employ; to whom they distributed; and what is the total cost to public funds per annum.

My Department produces an in-house newspaper, Environment and Transport World, as a common service for the Departments of the Environment and Transport and the Property Services Agency. Its function is to foster a sense of corporate identity among staff, to convey staff information, and to stimulate interest in the work of the Departments. There is a staff of two, with part-time assistance from a third officer. One copy is distributed to every three members of staff.The total estimated cost for the financial year 1979–80 are made up as follows:

Staff salaries and overheads	£38,282
Distribution	600
Printing and paper	23,400
Total	£62,282
Less advertising revenue	7,000
Net Total	£55,282

Whale Products

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Government intend to introduce a ban on the importation of all material containing whale products.

No. As already announced, we have proposed that the European Community should operate a ban on the import of the primary products of all whales from 1 January 1982. This proposal has been favourably received and I understand that the Commission expects to publish shortly a draft regulation for early adoption. It would be difficult, unduly costly and of doubtful extra conservation benefit to extend the controls to cover all material containing whale products.

Vacant Properties

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dwellings in the private rented sector are standing empty in the city of Westminster; what advice he offers councils in such situations in order to rectify the matter; and what is the definition of "dwelling" used in this context.

The information is not available in the form requested. However, I refer my hon. Friend to the city of Westminster's local housing strategy and investment programme, a copy of which is in the Library, which gives the local authority's estimate of the number of vacant dwellings in the private sector as a whole, that is, owner-occupied and privately rented dwellings together.The notes for guidance on the completion of the HIP forms, also in the Library, give a definition of "dwelling" in this context.When I receive the report of the vacant property survey, I shall consider whether the guidance in DOE Circular 76/77 "Better Use of Vacant and Under Occupied Housing" should be modified.

Housing Investment Programmes

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when a decision will be made on the housing investment programme for Newcastle-under-Lyme; whether an urgent decision can be made in respect of the Silverdale area facing mining activity in September 1980, and whether he will make a statement.

Housing investment programme allocations for 1980–81 will be made as soon as this is possible. The local authority has already accepted a tender for its housing scheme at Silverdale and the Secretary of State has given the necessary borrowing approval for it.

Norfolk County Council (Manpower)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total number of persons employed by Norfolk county council in each quarter of 1979 and also show the numbers in each of the principal categories.

This information is not available to the Government. I suggest that my hon. Friend approaches the local authority concerned. For the future, however, I am glad to say that by agreement with the local authority associations the joint manpower watch figures, published quarterly, will from March 1980 onwards include totals for individual authorities.

Exchange Building, Cardiff

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost to public funds for the conversion of the Exchange Building in Cardiff for the proposed Welsh Assembly; what are the current running costs; and what he proposes to do with the building in the future.

The total cost to public funds of the scheme to convert the Exchange Building in Cardiff is estimated at £521,000. This includes the cost of preparatory work, consultants' fees, rent paid to date and maintenance and service charges paid to date. Current annual running costs are about £54,000. The Property Services Agency is at present seeking to dispose of its interest in the building.

Rates

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he is now able to make of the average increase in local rates for the forthcoming financial year.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Penhaligon) on 30 January 1980.—[Vol. 977, c. 690.]

British Railways (Planning Permission)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why British Railways are exempted from planning permission regarding buildings connected with movements by rail.

Development of some BR buildings on their operational land does not require specific planning permission since it is permitted development under the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1977. The order grants planning permission for specified developments by many statutory undertakers which are necessary for the operation of those undertakings and which, generally, it would be impracticable or undesirable to subject to control. However, the order provides the means whereby any of these developments can be made subject to control, as circumstances warrant. Non-operational developments and major developments—for example the construction of railway lines or stations—require specific permission.

Crown And County Court Accommodation

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the names of contractors employed by counties, including the Greater London Council, acting as agents for the Government, who are currently engaged in the construction of Crown and county court accommodation on behalf of the Property Services Agency.

There is only one such case at present. This is at King's Lynn where the John Willmott Group Ltd. is employed by the Norfolk county council on the construction of the combined magistrates and Crown courts.

Centre For Environmental Studies

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why staff of the Centre for Environmental Studies have been offered redundancy terms less favourable than those offered to staff of other non-departmental public bodies; and if he will make a statement on the Department's current policy towards the centre.

Staff of the Centre for Environmental Studies are members of the local government superannuation scheme and the redundancy terms offered are those which have been offered to local government. My right hon. Friend's policy is to disengage, by means of a phased withdrawal, from the Department's current involvement in the affairs of the centre as quickly as practicable. The centre would still be eligible for contracts for specific research required by the Department for which it would be the appropriate contractor.

Stress Housing Areas

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make special provision for the exclusion of stress housing areas from further cuts in subsidies for council housing.

The existing subsidy system under the Housing Rents and Subsidies Act 1975 will continue until it is replaced in 1981–82 by that set out in the Housing Bill. The rate at which subsidy is payable under the system is not differentiated as between individual geographical areas, and we have no plans to introduce any such differentiation in the final year of the present system.

Home Ownership (Mortgage Finance)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the likely shortage of mortgage funds which will be available from building societies during 1980, he will arrange to meet the building societies and the banks to devise a scheme for making funds available for this purpose, in furtherance of Her Majesty's Government's policy on home ownership in the public and private sectors.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) on 8 November.—[Vol. 973, c. 284.]

Transport

Soviet Vessels (Port Facilities)

asked the Minister of Transport, as a protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, if he will consider taking steps to deny British port facilities to Soviet vessels.

I have no plans to do so.

Press And Public Relations Officers

asked the Minister of Transport how many press and public relations officers are currently employed in his Department; what is the total cost; and what are the comparable figures for June 1970, October 1974 and May 1979.

The number of staff currently employed on press work in my Department is six, at a total annual cost of £130,953. The comparable figure for May 1979 was seven, at a cost of £122,273. My Department did not exist in its current form in June 1970 and it formed part of the Department of the Environment in October 1974; figures for these years are not therefore available.

Walking Children (Protection)

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is satisfied that children, when walking at night, are adequately protected.

I cannot be satisfied while children continue to be injured on the roads, even though the numbers have fallen substantially over recent years. I strongly advocate the use of light-coloured clothing, and particularly of reflective materials, by those who walk at night.

London Transport (Expenditure)

asked the Minister of Transport if he will impose stricter cash limits on the operation of London Transport, through the mechanism of the transport supplementary grant, in order to compel the elimination of the waste of expenditure disclosed in the report by Mr. Leslie Chapman.

The statutory responsibility for the policy and financial control of the London Transport Executive rests with the Greater London Council. It has asked the executive to submit proposals for action in areas where economies can be made within two months.

M3—Winchester

asked the Minister of Transport when he is likely to reach a decision, as a result of the inspector's report presented to him, on the subject of the M3 Winchester connection.

The public inquiry into proposals for the Popham to Compton section of the M3 was long and complex and contentious issues were raised. A decision will be announced as soon as my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister of Transport have considered all objections and representations, together with the inspector's comments and recommendations.

National Finance

North Sea Oil And Gas (Licences)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will seek to mitigate the effect of capital gains tax on farm-ins and thus permit third parties without penalty to acquire an interest in North Sea licences following the drilling of oil or gas wells.

Any liability in respect of a capital gain from such a transaction would fall on the person disposing of the interest, not the person acquiring it. It follows that there is no capital gains penalty on a person who acquires an interest in a North Sea licence.

Money Supply

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing (a) advances in foreign currencies to United Kingdom residents by banks in the United Kingdom as a proportion of advances in sterling to such residents, (b)advances in sterling by banks in the United Kingdom to non-residents as a proportion of their advances in sterling to residents and (c) United Kingdom residents' borrowing in (i) sterling and (ii) foreign currencies from outside the United Kingdom for use inside the United Kingdom as a proportion of advances in sterling by banks resident in the United Kingdom to United Kingdom residents; and if he will explain which of these aggregates are included within the money supply as defined in sterling M3.

The proportions (a) and (b) can be derived from the following sources: outstanding advances by the banking sector are analysed by sector and between sterling and other currencies in table 6.1 of Financial Statistics; corresponding information on transactions is shown in table 6.2.Apart from notes and coin, sterling M3 consists of certain liabilities of the banking sector; advances are assets of the banking sector and therefore not included in the definition of sterling M3. The relationship of bank advances and other factors to sterling M3 is shown in

Financial Statistics table 7.3.

Financial transactions between residents and non-residents are presented in table 1.8 of Financial Statistics. Details of balance of payments transactions between United Kingdom and overseas residents are to be found in the following tables of United Kingdom Balance of Payments, 1979 edition. Net borrowing from banks, etc. overseas by private sector United Kingdom residents other than banks is in table 8·5; overseas currency borrowing or lending (net) by United Kingdom banks, etc., for purposes other than the financing of United Kingdom investment overseas is in table 8.9 and so are external deposits in sterling with United Kingdom banks, etc., overseas borrowing by the public sector is in tables 8.2, 8.4 and 11.2. The outstanding liabilities on such borrowing are shown in table 12.2.

Income Tax Threshold

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the income tax threshold in March if full indexation was applied; and what would be the cost to the Exchequer.

On the basis of the increase of 17·2 per cent. between the December 1978 and December 1979 retail prices index (the latest information avilable) the income tax thresholds would become:

Single person	£1,366
Married person	£2,128

The estimated cost of these changes, together with corresponding changes in the additional personal allowance, age allowances and age allowance income limit would be about £2,000 million in a full year at 1979–80 income levels.

Income Tax

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer of abolishing the 25 per cent. income tax rate; and what is the cost of reducing the standard rate by 1p.

At 1979–80 income levels the full year figures are estimated as follows:

	£ million
Abolition of the lower rate band	895(yield)
Reduction of basic rate by 1p	495(cost)

These are alternatives and cannot be taken in combination: abolishing the lower rate band would increase the cost of reducing the basic rate.

National Savings Stock Register

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the criteria for omitting Government stocks from the national stavings stock register.

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

Taxes And Duties

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the effect on revenue of the following charges (a) in a, full year and (b) in 1980–81 (i) raising the tax threshold in line with inflation, (ii) raising specific duties in line with inflation specifying the individual items, (iii) abolition of the 25p reduced rate band, (iv) abolition of the investment discount surcharges, (v) abolition of personal capital gains tax, (vi) abolition of capital transfer tax, (vii) abolitilon of stamp duty, (viii) a 10 per cent. increase in the yield from petroleum revenue tax and (ix) a 10 per cent. surcharge on advance corporation tax.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what was the amount of tax or duty in percentage terms in the normal retail price of whisky, beer and wine in each of the last 20 years immediately after the application of any alteration in the Budget for the appropriate year.

It is estimated that for typical off-licence prices for whisky and typical public bar prices for beer the duty and the contents were probably as below. I will write to my hon. Friend about wine.

Per cent.
	Whisky	Beer
1960	66	46
1961	66	46
1961	65^*	41^*
1962	65	41
1963	65	38
1964	67	40
1965	70	42
1966	71^*	44^*
1967	71	44
1968	85	44
1968	89^*	47^*
1969	89	43
1970	89	39
1971	92	39
1972	91	36
1973	88	33
1974	90†	32†
1975	86	35
1976	82	34
1977	80^*	32^*
1978	78	31
1979	78	32
^* In four of these years surcharges were imposed by means of the economic regulator.
†Includes VAT before the reduction of the rate to 8 per cent.

Public Sector Assets (Sales)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total value so far of the sales of public sector assets in the current financial year.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 February 1980]: Public sector assets to the value of £950 million have been sold so far in the current financial year, leaving £50 million to achieve the Government's £1 billion target for 1979–80. This will be covered by the disposals now in hand.

Taxes And Duties

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of tax or duty in percentage terms in the normal retail price on four star petrol, home heating oil and paraffin in each of the last 20 years immediately after the application of any alteration in the Budget for the appropriate year.

I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of tax or duty in percentage terms in the normal retail price on cigarettes in each of the last 20 years immediately after the application of any alteration in the Budget for the appropriate year.

It is estimated that for typical retail selling prices of standard tipped cigarettes, the duty and tax contents were probably of the order of:

	(per cent.)
1960	69
1961	67
1961	68^*
1962	68
1963	68
1964	68
1965	70
1966	70
1967	70
1968	71
1968	69^*
1969	69
1970	69
1971	69
1972	68
1973	64
1974	70†
1975	69
1976	70
1977	71^*
1977	70
1978	70
1979	70
^* In three of these years surcharges were imposed by means of the economic regulator.
†Includes VAT before the reduction of the rate to 8 per cent.

Estate Duty (Property In Lieu)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the availability of reasonable public access to a work of art while consideration is being given to its eligibility for acceptance in lieu of tax has been treated by the Inland Revenue as a factor justifying the waiving of interest charges arising during the period of such consideration; and, if so, whether the acceptance of this factor has been brought to the attention of taxpayers in any official publication.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 January 1980, c. 585]: I can confirm that, when remission of interest has been requested in cases where property has been accepted in lieu of capital transfer tax, the Inland Revenue has in the past in a very small number of cases been prepared to regard, as a factor justifying the waiving of interest, the fact that the item finally accepted was on public display throughout the period from the date of the offer to the date of its acceptance.This administrative practice, which has now ceased pending the Government's decision on the related recommendation in the third report (Session 1977–78) of the Environment Sub-Committee of the Expenditure Committee, has not been referred to in any official publication. The recommendation itself is under consideration in the context of the review of capital taxation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will clarify the statement by the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment in Standing Committee F on 22 January (Official Report, c. 259), that when property is accepted in lieu, there is no tax charged on the value of that property itself.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 January 1980, c. 585]: When property accepted in lieu of capital transfer tax is itself of heritage quality, so that it qualifies for conditional exemption from CTT (and this will almost always be the case) the law provides that its acceptance in lieu does not result in the loss of the exemption. The douceur arrangements apply in the usual way in dividing the benefit of the exemption between the offer or and the acquiring body.

Public Expenditure

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of public expenditure for 1978–79; and as a percentage figure how much of this was approved by Parliament authorising Supply and how much was incurred under statute.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1980]: Total public expendi- ture in 1978–79 on a White Paper basis is estimated at about £67·5 billion all of which was incurred under statute. About half was directly reflected in Supply. The hon. Member will be aware that about one third of Supply indirectly finances public expenditure, for example, the rate support grant to local authorities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether bodies other than local authorities and nationalised industries incur expenditure which is classified as public expenditure incurred under statute as opposed to that public expenditure approved directly by Parliament authorising supply.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1980]: Yes. The hon. Member may find it helpful to refer to the guide to public sector financial information a copy of which is available in the Library.

Benefits (Taxation)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those social security benefits which are taxable and those which are not.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1980]: The following benefits are taxable:Industrial Death BenefitInvalid Care AllowanceInvalidity Allowance when paid with retirement pensionMobility AllowanceOld Persons' PensionRetirement PensionWidowed Mothers' AllowanceWidows' AllowanceWidows' PensionThe following benefits are not taxable:

i. Short-term benefits
Maternity allowance Sickness benefit
Unemployment benefit

ii. Benefits in respect of children
Child benefit
Child dependency additions paid with widows' pension, widows' allowance, widowed mothers' allowance, retirement pension or invalid care allowance
Child Special Allowance
Guardian's Allowance

iii. Industrial injury benefits
Constant attendance allowance Disablement benefit
Exceptionally severe disablement allowance
Injury benefit
Special hardship allowance

Unemployability supplement
Workmen's compensation supplementation

iv. War disablement benefits
Age Allowance
Allowance for lower standard of occupation
Clothing allowance
Comforts allowance
Constant attendance allowance
Disablement pension
Exceptionally severe disablement allowance
Severe disablement occupational allowance.
Unemployability allowance

v. Other benefits
Attendance allowance
Death grant
Family income supplement
Invalidity allowance when paid with invalidity pension
Invalidity pension (contributory or non-contributory)
Maternity grant
Supplementary benefit
War orphan's pension
War widow's pension.

Export Credits

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the estimated effect on the reserves and on sterling lending to overseas residents each quarter of the change in financing export credits; and to what extent the change reduced the borrowing requirement in each period.

I have been asked to reply since the Export Credits Guarantee Department falls within my responsibilities.I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the announcement of 15 December 1976—

Hansard, c. 1530—that in future the emphasis in financing export credits at fixed rates of interest would be towards foreign currency. Since the beginning of the financial year 1977–78 when this policy came into effect until September 1979 £2,579 million (at current exchange rates) of foreign currency fixed rate export credit loans had been underwritten by ECGD, the bulk of it in United States dollars.

The quarterly breakdown of foreign currency business underwritten for the last two years is given below. Values are shown as the sterling equivalent as at 4 February 1980:

Business Underwritten
	£million
1977–78	369
1978–79—First quarter	404
Second quarter	250
Third quarter	628
Fourth quarter	50
1979–80—First quarter	263
Second quarter	615
Total	2,579
Not all these facilities have yet been fully drawn down.

It is not possible to quantify the effect of this foreign currency lending on the reserves or with any precision on the PSBR. However, had all this fixed rate export credit been financed in sterling this would both have involved sterling lending to overseas residents and would have increased ECGD's liability to provide the banks with refinancing by over £800 million, thereby increasing the PSBR.

Northern Ireland

Social Democratic And Labour Party

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if his recent formal discussions with the Social Democratic and Labour Party produced any agreement.

I had discussions with a delegation from the SDLP on 30 January, the first of a series of meetings to which I have invited the leaders of the four main parties. The subject of the meeting was security and the delegation submitted a number of papers. I undertook to consider carefully the points made but discussion has been stood over to a further meeting.

Security

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the security statistics for the last quarter of 1979 are yet available.

Yes. I am also taking this opportunity to publish details of convictions obtained during the period July-December 1979.

Following is the information:

PART I

Statistics of Terrorists Activity

Yearly totals for 1971–78

Quarterly totals for the four quarters of 1979

Statistics for terrorist activity comprise the following:—

(i) Number of shooting incidents

(ii) Number of explosions

(iii) Number of bombs and devices neutralised

(iv) Weight of explosives in bombs and devices neutralised

(v) Number of malicious fires

(vi) Number of armed robberies and amount stolen

(vii) Number of deaths and injuries of RUC/RUC 'R' Army and civilians (including sectarian, interfactional and intra-factional assassinations)

PART II

Statistics of security Forces' Activity

Yearly totals for 1971–78

Quarterly totals for the four quarters of 1979

Statistics for security forces' activity comprise the following:—

(i) Number of houses searched

(ii) Number of weapons, pounds of explosives and rounds of ammunition found.

(iii) Number of people charged with serious security type offences: (murder attempted murder, explosives offences, firearms offences, armed robbery, and other offences relating to the security situation eg, arson, membership of illegal organisations etc)

Statistics on Security Part 1
											Yearly Figures
								1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978(³)
Shooting Incidents				…	…	…	…	1,756	10,628	5,018	3,206	1,803	1,908	1,081	755
Explosions	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	1,022	1,382	978	685	399	766	366	455
Bombs Neutralised		…	…	…	…	…	…	493	471	542	428	236	426	169	178
Weight of Explosives (in lbs) (¹)
In explosions		…	…	…	…	…	…	10,972	47,462	47,472	46,435	13,753	17,596	2,839	5,343
Neutralised	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	3,001	19,978	32,450	27,094	11,159	16,252	21,88	5,860·5
Armed Robberies		…	…	…	…	…	…	437	1,931	1,215	1,231	1,201	813	591	439
Amount Stolen £		…	…	…	…	…	…	303,787	790,687	612,015	572,951	572,105	545,497	446,988	231,250
Malicious Fires (²)		…	…	…	…	…	…			587	636	248	453	432	269
Deaths: Civilians (²)			…	…	…	…	…	115	322	171	166	216	245	69	50
Sectarian, interfactional and intra-factional assassinations shown in brackets)				…	…	…	…		(122)	(87)	(95)	(144)	(121)	(42)	(14)
Deaths: Army/UDR			…	…	…	…	…	48	129	66	35	20	29	39	21
Deaths: RUC/RUC 'R'			…	…	…	…	…	11	17	13	15	11	23	14	10
Injuries: Civilians		…	…	…	…	…	…	1,838	3,813	1,812	1,680	2,044	2,162	1,027	548
Injuries: Army/UDR			…	…	…	…	…	390	578	548	483	167	264	188	135
Injuries: RUC/RUC 'R'			…	…	…	…	…	315	485	291	235	263	303	183	302

								1979 Quarterly Figures
								Jan-Mar 79	Apr-Jun 79	Jul-Sep 79	Oct-Dec 79
Shooting Incidents			…	…	…	…	…	189	171	192	176
Explosions	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	90	166	98	68
Bombs Neutralised		…	…	…	…	…	…	35	40	36	31
Weight of Explosives (in lbs) (¹)
In explosions		…	…	…	…	…	…	2,015·5	2,613·75	3,617	3,384·5
Neutralised	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	659·5	1,990	596·75	1,284·25
Armed Robberies		…	…	…	…	…	…	132	89	92	124
Amount Stolen £		…	…	…	…	…	…	64,445	113,697	246,222	143,995
Malicious Fires (²)		…	…	…	…	…	…	58	53	145	59
Deaths: Civilians (²)			…	…	…	…	…	8	10	15	18
(Sectarian, interfactional and intra-factional assassinations shown in brackets)				…	…	…	…	(2)	(6)	(10)	(16)
Deaths: Army/UDR			…	…	…	…	…	3	13	21	11
Deaths: RUC/RUC 'R'			…	…	…	…	…	—	10	2	2
Injuries: Civilians		…	…	…	…	…	…	113	133	170	192
Injuries: Army/UDR			…	…	…	…	…	22	34	60	37
Injuries: RUC/RUC 'R'			…	…	…	…	…	49	37	44	35
(¹) Estimates weight only
(²) Consolidated figures not available for earlier years
(³) These figures have been revised since they were published initially.

Statistics on Security Part II
											Yearly Figures
								1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978
House searched (2)			…	…	…	…	…	17,262	36,617	74,556	71,914	30,092	34,939	20,724	15,462
Finds: Firearms		…	…	…	…	…	…	717	1,264	1,595	1,260	825	837	590	400
Finds: Ammunitions (RDS)				…	…	…	…	157,944	183,410	187,399	14,202	73,604	70,306	52,091	43,512
Finds: Explosives (lbs)			…	…	…	…	…	2,748	41,488	38,418	26,120	11,565	21,714	3,809	2,108
ICOS Made	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	—	75	512	312	11	0	0	0

								1979 Quarterly Figures
								Jan-Mar 79	Apr-Jun 79	Jul-Sep 79	Oct-Dec 79
Houses Searched (2)			…	…	…	…	…	1,285	1,457	1,970	1,740
Finds: Fireams		…	…	…	…	…	…	95	79	74	53
Finds: Ammunitions (RDS)				…	…	…	…	8,419	13,194	18,897	5,770
Finds: Explosives (LBS)			…	…	…	…	…	744·25	1,200·5	34·5	17
ICOS Made	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	0	0	—	0

Persons charged with serious security type offences (1)
						31 Jul-31 Dec 1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	Jan-Mar 1979	Apr-Jun 1979	Jut-Sep 1979	Oct-Dec 1979
Murder	…	…	…	…	…	13	71	75	138	120	131	60	11	16	9	9
Attempted Murder			…	…	…	16	85	75	88	121	135	79	13	7	9	10
Firearms Offences			…	…	…	242	631	544	460	353	301	225	49	42	43	43
Explosives Offences			…	…	…	86	236	161	100	215	146	79	9	16	11	4
Theft Act	…	…	…	…	…	111	186	232	314	188	203	151	42	39	52	27
Other	…	…	…	…	…	63	205	275	97	279	392	249	63	36	65	45
TOTAL						531	1,414	1,362	1,197	1,276	1,308	843	187	156	189	138
(1) These figures are not available in consolidated form for earlier years.
(2) Includes occupied and unoccupied houses searched.

PERSONS CONVICTED AND SENTENCES IMPOSED AT BELFAST CROWN

COURT—JULY TO DECEMBER 1979

Notes on the Tables:

1. The offence classifications are based on those used by the Crown and Peace Office in their annual

return.

2. The tables relate to persons convicted at the Belfast Crown Court. This covers all scheduled offences

tried on indictment.

3. Some jury trials are included in cases where the Attorney General certified out of the scheduled mode of

trial, i.e. non-terrorist serious offences.

4. Where a person has been convicted of more than one offence only the most serious or that which

received the longest sentence is recorded in the statistics.

													Imprisonment
Offence July to December 1979								Number convicted	Non custodial sentence	Borstal or training centre	Less than 5 years	5 years and less than 7 years	7 years and less than 10 years	10 years and less than 15 years	15 years and less than 20 years	20 years	Life
Murder	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	22	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	22
Attempted murder			…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Conspiracy to murder				…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Manslaughter		…	…	…	…	…	…	8	—	—	1	1	—	2	4	—	—
Wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm							…	12	1	4	1	—	3	3	—	—	—
Causing explosion			…	…	…	…	…	8	2	—	—	1	1	4	—	—	—
Placing explosives			…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Possessing explosives with intent					…	…	…	17	1	2	1	6	1	4	—	2	—
Causing grievous bodily harm					…	…	…	3	2	—	—	—	—	1	—	—	—
Assault occasioning grievous bodily harm						…	…	2	—	—	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
Possessing a firearm with intent					…	…	…	16	—	—	3	3	1	6	3	—	—
Possessing a firearm			…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Carrying a firearm with intent					…	…	…	5	3	—	—	—	2	—	—	—	—
Intimidation		…	…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Aggravated burglary			…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

													Imprisonment
Offence July to December 1979								Number convicted	Non custodial Sentence	Borstal or training centre	Less than 5 years	5 years and less than 7 years	7 years and less than 10 years	10 years and less than 15 years	15 years and less than 20 years	20 years and over	Life
Robbery		…	…	…	…	…	…	85	19	22	20	13	9	2	—	—	—
Hi-jacking		…	…	…	…	…	…	16	8	4	4	—	—	—	—	—	—
Arson	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	19	10	4	5	—	—	—	—	—	—
Malicious damage			…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Other explosive offences				…	…	…	…	3	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Petrol bomb offences			…	…	…	…	…	2	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Common law riot			…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Escape offences			…	…	…	…	…	2	—	1	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
Assisting offenders			…	…	…	…	…	3	2	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
Other major firearms offences					…	…	…	47	26	8	10	2	1	—	—	—	—
Withholding information				…	…	…	…	5	4	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
Possessing prohibited articles				…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Minor firearms offences				…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Membership of illegal organisations						…	…	34	28	3	2	1	—	—	—	—	—
Unlawful collection of information					…	…	…	5	2	1	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
Illegal training		…	…	…	…	…	…	1	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	—	—
Kidnapping and false imprisonment						…	…	6	1	2	2	1	—	—	—	—	—
Contributing to resources of a proscribed organisation	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Soliciting support for a proscribed organisation							…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Possession of offensive weapons					…	…	…	1	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total		…	…	…	…	…	…	322	114	51	56	28	18	24	7	2	22

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Whales

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the fact that the killing of cetaceans by the use of the cold harpoon is inhumane, he will propose a ban on its use at the next meeting of the International Whaling Commission in July 1980.

The United Kingdom delegation supported a successful proposal at the 31st annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission in 1979 to restrict severely the use of non-explosive ("cold") harpoons. Accordingly an amendment to the schedule to the 1946 Whaling Convention banning the use of such harpoons for killing whales larger than minke whales is expected to come before the 32nd annual meeting this year, and this will be supported by the United Kingdom delegation.

Foreign Fishing Boats (Small Mesh Nets)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to investigate whether foreign fishing boats are making use of drums moored at sea to store and hide small mesh illegal nets.

I am not aware of the practice referred to by my hon. Friend. I am willing to investigate specific incidents if he will write to me with details.

Brambell Committee

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to implement the recommendations of the Brambell committee report on animal husbandry.

A number of major recommendations of the Brambell committee have already been implemented. The codes of practice for the welfare of farm animals, which were developed as a result of the committee's report, are currently being reviewed by the Farm Animal Welfare Council.

Land Prices

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average price paid for agricultural land in England in 1979; what were the corresponding figures for the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

The information is given in the table set out below:

Agricultural land pricrs in England^*
Period during which sales reported to Board of Inland Revenue (Year ending September)	Year during which most of the bargains struck (Calendar year)†	Average price (with and without vacant possession) (£/hectare)
1970	1969	525
1971	1970	501
1972	1971	571
1973	1972	1,161
1974	1973	1,557
1975	1974	1,273
1976	1975	1,125
1977	1976	1,349
1978	1977	1,909
1979	1978	2,434
	1979	3,262‡
^* Figures collected and analysed by the Board of Inland Revenue and published by MAFF covering all sales of agricultural land of 5 hectares (4 hectares before October 1978) and over, excluding sales for non-agricultural purposes, and gifts, but including inter-family sales and sales where the vendor retained certain rights over the land.
† There is a delay between the date on which a sale is agreed and the dates on which it is notified to the Inland Revenue and then included in the series. There is no definite information on the extent of the time-lag but it is thought to average between 6 and 9 months. This means that the average reported prices for the 12 months ended 30 September reflect, very approximately, the prices of land sold during the previous calendar year. The format of the table allows for this lag.
‡ Estimate based on the percentage change in vacant possession agricultural land prices as indicated by the ADAS/AMC Agricultural Land Price series.

Sugar

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations Her Majesty's Government has received from the African. Caribbean and Pacific countries as a result of the recent proposals of the EEC Commission for a reduction in beet sugar quotas; and what reply was sent.

No such representations have been received.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will reaffirm his commitment to the sugar protocol of the Lomé convention and to the preservation within the United Kingdom of cane sugar refining capacity sufficient to make a reality of the affirmation on access.

The Government remain firmly committed to the sugar protocol to the Lomé convention, under which the European Economic Community undertakes to import fixed quantities of sugar from specified developing countries for an indefinite period. I expect that the present system whereby the bulk of the sugar covered by the protocol comes to the United Kingdom under contracts between ACP suppliers and United Kingdom refiners will continue.

Trade

Overseas Investment

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the present annual amount of direct investment overseas by British companies.

Information for 1978, the latest complete year for which information is available, is given in table 8.5 of the "United Kingdom Balance of Payments, 1979 Edition", a copy of which is in the Library.

Ussr

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps have been taken to prevent the dumping of products from the Soviet Union on the United Kingdom market.

Responsibility for taking action against dumped or subsidised imports which are causing injury to a Community industry rests with the European Commission. In recent months imports of Soviet-produced sodium carbonate and lithium hydroxide have been subjected to anti-dumping duties and imports of fibre building board, integral horsepower electric motors, mechanical alarm clocks and ball bearings are currently under investigation by the Commission. There have also been preliminary discussions between officials of my Department's advisory anti-dumping unit and the industries concerned on imports of Soviet Christmas cards and a number of other products.

Birmingham And Midland Counties Trust

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will arrange for his Department to undertake an investigation under the Companies Act of the affairs and activities of the Birmingham and Midland Counties Trust and its associated companies.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 February 1980]: I know of no reason for doing so, but will be glad to consider any information the hon. Member may have about the companies.

Anti-Dumping Complaints

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the number of anti-dumping complaints made to the European Commission by United Kingdom organisations for the current and each of the last five years, respectively, giving the result in each case.

The European Commission did not assume responsibility for taking anti-dumping action on behalf of United Kingdom industry until July 1977. Details of cases with a United Kingdom interest subsequently opened for investigation, excluding cases involving iron and steel goods subject to the special ECSC anti-crisis measures, are as follows:

Case opened

Commodity

Country of origin

Result

1977 (first half)

Housed bearings

…

Japan

…

Price undertaking from exporter.

Piezo electric quartz crystals

…

Japan

…

Price undertaking from exporter.

Unalloyed wrought titanium

…

Japan

…

Closed through changed circumstances.

Kraft liner (paper)

…

USA, Sweden, Finland, Canada, Portugal Australia and USSR

…

Duty against USA; price undertakings from all other exporters.

Hole punching machines

…

Japan

…

Price undertaking from exporter.

1978

…

Chemical wood pulp

…

Canada, USA, Finland and Sweden

…

Closed through changed circumstances

Polyamide and polyester high tenacity yarn

USA

…

Price undertaking from exporter.

Plywood

…

South Korea

…

No dumping found.

Styrene butadiene rubber

…

German Democratic Republic Poland and Romania

…

No case found for action.

Rosin

…

Sweden

…

Price undertaking from exporter.

Vinyl acetate

…

USA

…

Closed through changed circumstances.

Electric light bulbs

…

Hungry, Poland, German Democratic Republic and Czechoslovakia.

Investigation proceeding

Sodium carbonate

…

Bulgaria, German Democratic Republic Poland, Romania and USSR.

Duty imposed against USSR; price undertakings received from all other exporters.

Fire building board (hardboard)

…

Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, USSR, Spain, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

Investigation proceeding

Herbicide (DINOSEB)

…

Romania

…

Duty imposed.

Case opened

Commodity

Country of origin

Result

1979

…

Gas tubes

…

Spain and Romania

…

Undertaking from Spain; case still open against Romania.

Integral horsepower electric motors

…

Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Poland, USSR, Bulgaria and Romania.

Investigation proceeding.

Steel flanges

…

Spain

…

Price undertaking from exporter.

Motor car tyres

…

Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Poland, Romania and Yugoslavia.

Investigation proceeding.

Dressed bovine leather(countervailing/subsidisation).

Brazil

…

Price undertaking from exporter.

Chipboard

…

Sweden and spain

…

Price undertaking from exporters.

Cotton yarn

…

Turkey

…

Investigation proceeding.

Saccharin

…

Japan China USA

…

Investigation proceeding.

Stereo cassette player heads

…

Japan

…

Investigation proceeding.

Mechanical alarm clocks

…

German Democratic Republic, USSR, Czechoslovakia, China and Hong Kong.

Investigation proceeding.

Cold formed steel sections

…

Romania

…

Investigation proceeding.

Ball bearings

…

Japan, USSR, Poland and Romania

…

Investigation proceeding.

Seamless steel tubes

…

Spain

…

Investigation proceeding.

Acrylic fibre

…

USA, Japan, Spain, Turkey and Greece

…

Duty imposed against USA; undertaking from Spanish exporter; Turkey and Greece—no dumping

case still open against Japan.

Anchor chains

…

Sweden and spain

…

Investigation proceeding.

Stainless steel bar

…

Brazil

…

Investigation proceeding.

Social Services

Obstetric Services (Fees)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the total payments to general practitioners in fees for obstetric services in England and Wales, listed for each National Health Service region.

Payments to general practitioners in 1978–79 for maternity medical services provided under the National Health Service for each English region Wales were as follows:

£'000s
Northern	1,008
Yorkshire	1,287
Trent	1,536
E Anglia	616
N W Thames	878
N E Thames	1,069
S E Thames	976
S W Thames	771
Wessex	907
Oxford	888
South Western	1,140
West Midlands	1,907
Mersey	814
North Western	1,291
Total (England)	15,088
Wales	861
Total (England and Wales)	15,949

Residential Homes (Heating)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what level of heating his Department recommends for local authority residential homes for the elderly.

Guidance issued to local authorities advises that areas of residential homes occupied by residents should be maintained at a comfortable level of temperature at all times and the technical specification recommends that space heating installations should be capable of producing a temperature of 21 degrees centigrade in these areas under specified conditions.

Pneumoconiosis Medical Panels

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the variation from location to location of the proportion of doctors serving on pneumoconiosis medical panels who possess either the Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians or other relevant higher medical qualifications, if he will take steps to ensure that such panels always contain members with the relevant specialist qualifications, particularly in respiratory and cardio-respiratory diseases and able to perform the specialist diagnostic and assessary work required of them.

No. I am satisfied that each medical panel already contains a sufficient number of experienced and well qualified doctors capable of performing the specialist diagnostic and assessment work required.

National Health Service (Lotteries)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for funding the National Health Service by national lotteries; and if he will ensure that money subscribed in any one locality in a national lottery would be used to better the medical provision of that locality.

The introduction of a national lottery, with proceeds distributed to good causes, was recommended by the Royal Commission on gambling. The Royal Commission's report was debated on 29 October 1979, but the Government have not yet reached a conclusion on this recommendation. If such a lotterly were introduced, I would certainly hope that the National Health Service might benefit.

Family Practitioners

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what effect he expects the Minister of Health's announcement that family medical practitioners may practise privately in health centres to have on the reluctance on the part of such practitioners to work from health authority-provided facilities and buildings.

I have not announced any change of policy in that respect; family doctors practising in health centres and wishing to see private patients as well as National Health Service patients have normally been allowed to do so from 1949 onwards. The current arrangements, under section 72 of the National Health Service Act 1977, require a doctor to seek my right hon. Friend's permission to use health centre premises in this way, and require him to grant permission unless in his opinion this would interfere with the giving of full and proper attention to people attending for National Health Service services. Permission has not in any case been withheld by my right hon. Friend or, I understand, by his predecessor.

Nurses

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will be in a position to give details as to schemes for the training of nurses in the private sector; and if he is satisfied that, with the absence of accident, geriatric, psychiatric and pregnancy termination services, private hospitals provide a comprehensive service.

The General Nursing Council for England and Wales is responsible for the approval of basic nurse training courses whether in the NHS or the independent sector; these courses require experience in various specialities. Outline curricula for special post-basic courses are developed and issued by the Joint Board for Clinical Nursing Studies. A considerable amount of nurse training and education is carried out in the independent health sector. Approved training courses are currently provided at a number of private hospitals. In addition to these formal schemes, the independent sector provides a range of in-service and developmental training for nurses.Officials in the Department are currently discussing with representatives of the independent sector ways in which its contribution to the training of hospital staff, particularly nurses, might be developed.

German Measles (Immunity)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that his publicity campaign has been successful in ensuring that by the time women reach child-bearing age individual proof of immunity from German measles has been obtained in a sufficiently high percentage of cases.

As the health circular issued at the time explained, the Department's campaign was intended to provide a boost to the vaccination programme for women of child-bearing age in support of health authorities' own efforts, which need to be sustained over a long period and include measures designed to increase uptake among schoolgirls. Even before the campaign was launched limited studies suggested that, as a result of the schoolgirl vaccination programme which has been operating since 1970, the percentage of young women with immunity is high and continuing to rise.

Benefits

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present average penalty imposed on a worker found guilty of industrial misconduct, in terms of the proportion of supplementary benefit that he is denied, both for himself and his dependants.

When a supplementary benefit claimant—who is required to register for employment—is disqualified from receiving unemployment benefit because of misconduct, or if the Supplementary Benefits Commission considers that unemployment benefit would be disallowed if such a claim were decided, a reduction is made in the supplementary allowance otherwise payable. The Supplementary Benefits Act 1976 sets this reduction at 40 per cent. of the personal scale rate of the claimant, with a maximum of 40 per cent. of the single householders's rate. The allowances for dependants are not reduced. The amount of benefit payable is affected by many factors, in particular, the number and age of dependants and the rent, so that it is not possible to express the reduction as a proportion of full entitlement. The maximum reduction at present is £7·30 a week.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research his Department has undertaken into the numbers of people eligible to claim industrial disablement benefit; and how much additional expenditure would be required if take-up of the benefit were equal to the numbers eligible.

Every claimant for injury benefit is advised of his right to claim disablement benefit if he has continuing disablement, due to industrial causes, when he returns to work or when his title to injury benefit comes to an end after 26 weeks of incapacity, and approximately 20 per cent. of all successful injury benefit claims are followed by successful claims for disablement benefit. In these circumstances there is no reason to suppose that there is any significant shortfall in the take-up of industrial disablement benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research his Department has undertaken into the numbers of people eligible to claim non-contributory invalidity pension; and how much additional expenditure would be required if take-up of the benefit were equal to the numbers eligible.

Before the introduction of non-contributory invalidity pension (NCIP), the Department's records were used to estimate that about 220,000 people might qualify for the new benefit. It is currently in payment to about 112,000, of whom some 49,000 are in hospital. About 100,000 people are receiving supplementary benefit who might qualify for NCIP if they claimed it. There would be no additional expenditure if they did so because NCIP is taken into account in the assessment of supplementary benefit entitlement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research his Department has undertaken into the numbers of people eligible to claim housewives' non-contributory invalidity pension; and how much additional expenditure would be required if take-up of the benefit were equal to the numbers eligible.

Before housewives' non-contributory invalidity pension was introduced, the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' survey "Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain" was used to estimate that about40,000 women would qualify for the benefit. Currently, almost 43,000 awards are in payment and their number continues to rise slowly. In the light of these facts and taking into account the publicity the benefit has been accorded, I do not think that there is a significant number of women who have not claimed the benefit but who would be entitled to it if they did so. If they were to claim, the cost would not, therefore, be high.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research his Department has undertaken into the numbers of people eligible to claim invalid care allowance; and how much additional expenditure would be required if take-up of the benefit were equal to the numbers eligible.

Before invalid care allowance (ICA) was introduced, it was estimated that 11,500 people might be eligible for it. The forecast was based on the number of people who were receiving supplementary benefit because they were looking after disabled people in their homes. During the past year, the number receiving the benefit at any time has remained almost constant at a little over 6,000, with new awards broadly balancing terminations. This experience, and the fact that ICA title depends upon the disabled person being entitled to an attendance allowance whereas supplementary benefit title for a carer does not, leads to the conclusion that the original estimate was too high and that there is now little practical difference between the number receiving the benefit and the number eligible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research his Department has undertaken into the numbers of people eligible to claim attendance allowance; and how much additional expenditure would be required if take-up of the benefit were equal to the numbers eligible.

No research has been undertaken specifically on the number entitled to attendance allowance, but the report on the survey of "Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain"—published in 1971—estimated that there were some 260,000 very severely or severely handicapped adults in need of some attention. At 31 December 1978 some 271,000 people—of whom 47,000 were children—were receiving the allowance. There is no evidence that there is any significant further number who are entitled but fail to claim the allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what research his Department has undertaken into the numbers of people eligible to claim invalidity pension; and how much additional expenditure would be required if take-up of the benefit were equal to the numbers eligible;(2) what research his Department has undertaken into the numbers of people eligible to claim invalidity allowance; and how much additional expenditure would be required if take-up of the benefit were equal to the numbers eligible.

Because invalidity pension and invalidity allowance are paid automatically to those who have received sickness benefit for 168 days, there is no problem of take-up to justify such research.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research his Department has undertaken into the numbers of people eligible to claim the mobility allowance; and how much additional expenditure would be required if take-up of the benefit were equal to the numbers eligible.

It was originally estimated on the basis of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' survey "Handicapped and Impaired in Great Britain" that mobility allowance would become available to approximately 100,000 new beneficiaries. This was later amended to 120,000 as a result of the extension of the upper age limit for women. There are 116,000 new beneficiaries currently in receipt of the allowance and a considerable number of claims are still in hand. When these are processed the number of current awards could reach 150,000. We have no reason to suppose that there is a general problem of take-up.

Private Health Insurance

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what evidence he bases his assessment that private health insurance is of overall benefit to the National Health Service by conservation of resources.

I believe that private health insurance, by enabling people to receive medical care privately, relieves pressure on NHS services. This is because the patient either obtain treatment outside the NHS or uses NHS facilities on a private basis, thus bringing revenue into the service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that sufficient safeguards exist to prevent the National Health Service from becoming inferior to, or dependent on, private provision of health services.

Yes. Statutory safeguards already exist to control the development of large private hospitals and the extent to which facilities in NHS hospitals may be made available for the treatment of private patients. These safeguards are carried forward, with some modification, in the Health Services Bill.

Christmas Bonus

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to eliminate in future the long delays which sometimes occur in the payment of the Christmas bonus to pensioners in old persons' homes.

Pensioners in old people's homes are normally paid by order book and should, in common with other pensioners, receive the Christmas bonus when the pension order in respect of the relevant week is cashed. I am not aware of any delays in payments to these pensioners, but if my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind I would be pleased to look into it.

Family Incomes

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 29 January, column 606, how he measures the gap between supplementary entitlement levels and the net earnings of the lower paid; and if he will publish figures showing how this gap has altered during the past five years.

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

Post Office (Payment For Services)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what payment the Post Office receives from his Department for each transaction made on its behalf.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 28 January.—[Vol. 977, c. 487.]

Expenditure

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will explain the discrepancy between his estimate of 5 per cent. reduction in personal social services expenditure in his press release issued on 1 November 1979 with the figures in table 3 of Cmnd. 7746 showing reductions in current expenditure from £1,292 million to £1,204 million and in capital from £75 million to £72 million; and if he will make a statement.

The 5 per cent. reduction shown in the press notice relates to England only and compares current plus capital expenditure in 1980–81 with the 1978–79 provisional outturn. A comparison with 1979–80 was inappropriate as the figure in Cmnd. 7746 for that year could not reflect the Government's call for a reduction of 3 per cent. in local authority current expenditure on services as a whole—see paragraph 13 of the White Paper Cmnd. 7746.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will explain the difference between the figure of £1,204 million estimated as local authority current expenditure on the personal social services in Great Britain in 1980–81 given in table 3 of Cmnd. 7746 and that of £1,246 million for England and Wales only in appendix A to House of Commons paper 280.

The England and Wales component of the £1,204 million is £1,057 million. This is at November 1978 prices and was revalued to November 1979 prices for the rate support grant settlement.

Child Accident Prevention Committee

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the members and terms of reference of the Child Accident Prevention Committee; what is the committee's programme of work; and if he will make a statement.

The Child Accident Prevention Committee—formerly the Joint Committee on Childhood Accident Prevention—is not my right hon. Friend's responsibility although several officials of the Department of Health and Social Security are members and the Department gives it a small financial grant. The committee was established in September 1979 under the auspices of the Medical Commission on Accident Prevention, which is a registered charity.The chairman of the committee is Dr. Howard Baderman, consultant, accident and emergency department at University College hospital, London, who represents the Casualty Surgeons Association; its medical secretary is Dr. R. H. Jackson, consultant paediatrician, Royal Victoria infirmary, Newcastle, who represents the British Paediatric Association.The members of the Committee on 1 January 1980 were:O. P. Alexander, H.M.I.Dept of Education and Science.Dr. H. Baderman, B.Sc., F.R.C.P.Casualty Surgeons Association.Dr. J. BainbridgeSenior Medical Officer, DHSS.Mrs. P. Belson, M.B.E., B.A..National Association of Welfare for Children in Hospital.W. G. Cannon, M.A.., F.H.A..Director, King Fund's Centre.Dr. W. D. Clarke, B.Sc., M.Ed., Ph.D., F.R.S.H.British Life Assurance Trust for Health and Medical Education.Dr. G. Cust, D.P.H., M.F.C.M.Health Education Council.G. A. W. FranceHead of Safety Research Section, Consumer Safety Unit, Department of Trade.Dr. H. Francis, D.P.H., F.F.C.M.Medical Commission Accident Prevention.Mrs. M. Glen Haig, C.B.E.Chairman CCPR.Dr. G. B. GraysonTransport and Road Research Laboratory.Professor A.. J. Harding Rains, F.R.C.S.Medical Commission Accident Prevention.Dr. J. D. Havard, M.D., LL.B.British Medical Association.Professor C. I. Howarth, M.A.., D.Phil.University of Nottingham (Psychology).Miss Sheila Jack, B.A.., H.V.Tut., R.N.T.Principal Lecturer, South Bank Polytechnic.Dr. J. T. JonesSenior Medical Officer DHSS.Professor N. S. Kirk, B.A., Ph.D.Institute for Consumer Ergonomics, Loughborough University.Professor E. G. Knox, F.R.C.P., F.F.C.M.Birmingham University (Social Medical).Mrs. J. LittlewoodPrincipal Research Officer, Social Research Division, DOE.The Countess of Limerick, M.A..Vice-President UNICEF (U.K.).Professor I. McColl, F.R.C.S.F.Guy's Hospital.

Dr. A.. M. Nelson, D.P.H., F.F.C. M.

Medical Commission Accident Prevention.

Dr. M. Kellmer Pringle, C.B.E. D.Sc.

Director National Children's Bureau.

J. Robins

Department of Transport.

Lt. Col. R. G. Satterthwaite, O.B.E.

National Playing Fields Association.

Dr. Mary Tate

Senior Principal Medical Officer, DHSS.

Professor A.. W. Wilkinson, F.R.C.S.E.

Institute Child Health, Great Ormond Street.

J. Wilson, B.Sc., M.Sc.

Institute for Consumer Ergonomics, Loughborough University.

The terms of reference are:

to encourage investigation and research into the pattern of accidents in childhood, their causes, their relationship to child development and to the social and environmental background in which they occur

to promote a better understanding of the importance of a child's need for a safer but stimulating environment

to spread information on childhood accidents and on the different types of risks and ways of preventing them.

The aims and objectives are:

to act as a reference centre for all matters relating to accidents in childhood

to collect and co-ordinate information on work undertaken in this field

to initiate and support research into the causes and types of childhood accidents and their social and psychological causes and effects

to ascertain what factors in these accidents are modifiable and by what means they may be altered

to pass information to appropriate national and local bodies or to groups of individuals with a view to action being taken

to evaluate the effectiveness of accident prevention programmes

to liaise with and support—not supplant—statutory and voluntary bodies working in this field

to arrange seminars and scientific meetings and publish proceedings.

I am informed that the committee's programme of work is under discussion.

Disabled Persons (Insurance)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what investigation he has made of the difficulties disabled people face in buying all types of insurance; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that, as part of its wider inquiries into the subject of discrimination against disabled people, the Committee on Restrictions Against Disabled People is looking into the problems which it is suggested disabled people face in purchasing insurance. It has been asked to report in 1981.

Depo Provera

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he would expect the first child of a women given Depo Provera during the nursing period to reach the reproductive age.

Depo Provera has been licensed in the United Kingdom as a short-term contraceptive since 1974. Therefore, the first female child of a women given Depo Provera during the nursing period is likely to reach reproductive age between 1986 and 1988.

Elderly Persons

asked the Secretary of Stale for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the number of people of pensionable age for each of the last 10 years; what percentage of the total population they represented; and what is his forecast for each of the next 10 years.

The information for the United Kingdom is as follows:

Mid-year	Number of people of pensionable ages^* (thousands)	Percentage of the total population
Estimates—
1969	8,783	15·9
1970	8,912	16·1
1971	9,055	16·3
1972	9,173	16·4
1973	9,289	16·6
1974	9,409	16·8
1975	9,517	17·0
1976	9,576	17·1
1977	9,629	17·2
1978	9,651	17·3
Projections†—
1979	9,663	17·3
1980	9,793	17·5
1981	9,869	17·6
1982	9,907	17·7
1983	9,894	17·7
1984	9,874	17·6
1985	9,948	17·7
1986	10,002	17·8
1987	10,026	17·8
1988	10,023	17·7
1989	10,016	17·7
^* Males aged 65 and over plus females aged 60 and over.
† Mid-1978 based principal population proections.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the number of people of the age of 80 years and over for each of the last 10 years; what percentage of the total population they represented; and his forecast for each of the next 10 years.

The information for the United Kingdom is as follows:

Mid-year	Number of people aged 80 and over (thousands)	Percentage of the total population
Estimates—
1969	1,228	2·2
1970	1,252	2·3
1971	1,274	2·3
1972	1,292	2·3
1973	1,306	2·3
1974	1,319	2·4
1975	1,339	2·4
1976	1,354	2·4
1977	1,380	2·5
1978	1,406	2·5
Projections^*—
1979	1,439	2·6
1980	1,476	2·6
1981	1,519	2·7
1982	1,556	2·8
1983	1,599	2·9
1984	1,640	2·9
1985	1,682	3·0
1986	1,721	3·1
1987	1,758	3·1
1988	1,796	3·2
1989	1,832	3·2
^* Mid-1978 based principal population projections.

Over-Eighties (25P Pension)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the current cash value of the supplementary pension of 25p a week to the 80-year-olds and over, if it were to be uprated to take account of inflation since it was introduced.

If the 25p age addition paid to retirement pensioners aged 80 or over were increased in line with the movement of the general index of retail prices between September 1971, when the age addition was introduced, and November 1979, when benefits generally were last uprated, its current value would be 73p.

Pay Beds

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will update the answer given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, Official Report, 2 February 1978, column 266, regarding debts incurred by pay bed patients;(2) if he will update the answer given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, on 12 June 1978, regarding recovery of debts incurred by pay bed patients following law suits.

This information is not available centrally. The information required to answer the earlier question was acquired only at great cost to health authorities and I have no reason to believe that a repetition of the special inquiries is justified.

Pregnancy (Alcohol Dangers)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will ensure that the possible dangers of alcohol during pregnancy are stressed in the Health Education Council's mother and baby campaign; and what is the latest information possessed by his Department on the subject.

The campaign, which was launched on 4 February, contains specific advice to mothers on the dangers of alcohol during pregnancy and I am in continuing consultation in this respect with the Health Education Council. Similar advice was also given in two of the follow-up booklets in the "Prevention and Health" series: "Reducing the Risk: Safer Pregnancy and Childbirth" (September 1977) and "Eating for Health" (September 1978).There is as yet no clear professional consensus on the foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in this country going beyond the conclusions in Professor Kessel's article published in the November 1977 issue of "Health Trends", of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. The Department has sponsored the research project which he recommended, to identify excessive drinkers among pregnant women, and assess the possibility of intervention. The report is expected shortly.

Cigarettes (Lung Cancer)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what studies he is carrying out on the relationship between the cost of cigarettes and the incidence of lung cancer.

The Department is carrying out no studies on this specific relationship. It is well known that the incidence of lung cancer increases with the number of cigarettes smoked, and that price is the factor most directly affecting changes in the consumption of cigarettes.

Hospital Waiting Lists

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are on the waiting lists for hospital treatment in the Stoke-on-Trent area health authority area; and if he will list the categories of treatment required.

I shall let the right hon. Gentleman have a reply as soon as possible.

Republic Of Ireland Residents (Benefits)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people now residing in the Republic of Ireland are in receipt of United Kingdom retirement pensions, or other welfare benefits payable from Great Britain; and what is the total amount payable.

I regret that the information is not immediately available. I shall reply as soon as it has been compiled.

Fazakerly Hospital

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will investigate the decision of the Sefton area health authority to ban children from visiting their mothers in the maternity unit at Fazakerly hospital, and instruct the area health authority on national policy.

pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1980]: Although the Department's guidance suggests that children should be allowed to visit their parents in hospital regularly and frequently, visiting arrangements are ultimately for health authorities to decide in the light of local circumstances; maternity units present particular difficulty because of the risk of cross-infection for new-born babies. After a period with a liberal visiting policy, Sefton area health authority found it necessary to impose restrictions because staff in the maternity unit had experienced considerable difficulty in controlling and supervising visiting children and had been subject to obstruction from accompanying adults in attempting to do so. Child visitors have now been banned from postnatal wards and are allowed on antenatal wards only during a half-hour period on Sunday mornings. Ward staff have discretion to relax these restrictions where, for example, a patient is in the unit for a longer than average time. At the invitation of the area health authority, the community health council has agreed to monitor the new arrangements and to report on them.

Volume 978: debated on Tuesday 12 February 1980

Written Answersto Questions

Home Department

Civil Defence

Prisoners (Terrorists)

Press And Public Relations Officers

Police (Complaints)

Police (Assaults)

Borstal Detention

Air Weapons

Diplomatic Immunity (Vehicles)

Squatting

Mr A Mady

Elections (Voting Rights)

Murder (Life Sentences)

London Prisons

Young Offenders

Prison Officers

Detention Centre Training (Medical Reports)

Television Licences

Bomb Shelters

Prisoners (Psychiatric Treatment)

Immigration

Taxi And Car Hire Businesses

Equal Opportunities Commission

Steel Dispute (Picketing)

Nationalisation And Registration

Telephone Tapping

Prevention Of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act

Suspected Persons (Metropolitan Police District)

Isle Of Ely

Olympic Games

Prime Minister (Engagements)

President Carter

Prime Minister (Official Visits)

Rugby

Secretary Of State For Industry

Nato

Ussr

Ussr (Learned Society Contacts)

Dundee

Civil Aviation Authority

Tuc

Steel Industry

Postal Services

Members Of Parliament (Secretarial And Research Assistance)

Dog Licence

Ellon

Raw Materials (Supply)

Arms Exports

Education And Science

School Meals

School Population

Press And Public Relations Officers

Universities And Polytechnics

Teachers

Overseas Students

Depo Provera

Civil Service

Public Service Pensions

Manpower

Parliamentary Papers

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Zambia

Rhodesia

Overseas Development

Overseas Development Administration

Dominica

Uganda

European Development Fund

Pakistan

Indonesia

Chilean Refugees (Education Grants)

Employment

"Employment News"

One-Parent Families

Tate And Lyle, Liverpool

Urban Development Corporations (Merseyside And London)

Job Release Scheme