asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is prepared to amend the Gas Act 1972 and the Energy Act 1976 to enable the British Gas Corporation to sell gas used as a feedstock for the chemical industry at preferential rates so that the added value in the product may be maximised.

Section 25(6) of the Gas Act 1972 already enables the BGC to enter into special agreements for the supply of gas where the tariffs are not appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what were the sales of gas and electricity, respectively, in value terms in the latest year for which figures are available; what would have been the revenue from the imposition of value added tax at 15 per cent. on such sales; and how these amounts compare with the estimated gross profit of these two industries in 1980–81 as a result of the directives that have been issued.

The total sales of gas and electricity in value terms in 1978–79 were £2,524 million for the British Gas Corporation and £5,093 million for the electricity supply industry in England and Wales. It is estimated that VAT charged at the current rate of 15 per cent. on the domestic use of gas and electricity in 1978–79 would have been about £220 million and £325 million respectively. The pre-tax profit of British Gas in 1980–81 is expected to be of the order of £600 million. The electricity supply industry's profit will depend on movements in its fuel and other costs and it is too early to estimate how these will move in 1980–81.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to negotiate additional supplies of gas diesel oil for the United Kingdom users, particularly in rural areas where supplies are being consistently threatened by United Kingdom major oil companies.

No. The proportion of small garages retailing DERV is low, and so DERV outlets are likely to be relatively unaffected by the termination of supply agreements between the major oil companies and small garages; furthermore, 83 per cent. of DERV supplies are delivered direct to commercial users. Gas oil for non-road use is not marketed through garages. The current levels of supply of both products are adequate to meet demand in full.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the price of oil supplied to the public electricity supply industry has risen as fast as the price of imported crude oil since 1978; and if he will circulate a table in the Official Report showing the estimated cost on the basis of current prices of (a) a ton of heavy fuel for power generation, (b) a ton of light fuel, (c) a ton of coal and (d) the estimated works cost per kilowatt hour of electricity supplied from coal and oil-fired steam power stations on an estimated annual basis using these prices and showing fuel costs, and, if available, estimated operational costs and capital charges.

I am advised by the CEGB that the rate of increase between 1978 and 1979 in the unit value of heavy fuel oil supplied to the CEGB has been greater than that for crude oil imported into the United Kingdom in the same period. The average price for oil supplied to the e.s.i. in 1979 is not yet available but will be published later this year in the digest of United Kingdom energy statistics for the CEGB and the Scottish boards together. Current prices paid for fuel supplied to the board are commercially confidential. Fuel costs and operational costs of generation are published annually in the CEGB's annual report and statistical yearbook. The latest available figures were contained in the report for 1978–79 published in July 1979. The estimates requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has about the current cost per ton in shipping crude oil by very large crude carrier from Nigeria and North Africa; to what extent the price of North Sea oil takes account of this; and if he will publish a table in the Official Report outlining the position.

The most recently published world scale AFRA shipping rates to Rotterdam are:

From Africa	$tonne
Nigeria	5·11
Algeria	2·53
Libya	3·32
From the United Kingdom	$tonne
Grangemouth	4·81
Sullom Voe	5·04
Flotta	4·66

The relatively high cost of North Sea transport is due to the much smaller size of vessel used compared with the very large crude carriers used for intercontinental transport. On average North Sea transport costs to Rotterdam are some 17c/ barrel more than average costs from Africa to Rotterdam. Consideration is given to freight rates when prices are negotiated.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the latest agreed price for North Sea oil; how this compares with the free market price of comparable oil delivered to Europe on a carriage, insurance, freight basis under (a) national price arrangements and (b) the spot market at Rotterdam; what is the estimated loss of petroleum revenue tax as a result of charging a lower price for United Kingdom oil; and what arrangements he has made for recovering this tax from the Federal Republic of Germany and other countries to which the oil is being supplied.

Following the recent round of increases in OPEC prices negotiations are taking place between producing companies and BNOC on prices for the remainder of the first quarter. In January BNOC had agreed prices based on $29·75 per barrel fob for Forties crude, which would equate with about $30·60 per barrel delivered to Rotterdam This could be compared with a Rotterdam delivered price for slightly higher quality Nigerian crude in January of about $30·80 per barrel, and does not suggest that North Sea oil has been under priced. In recent weeks there has been insufficient trading on the spot market to assess spot as opposed to term prices for comparable oils.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total cost per employee of interest payments by the National Coal Board.

In 1978–79 interest payments by the National Coal Board and its subsidiaries amounted to £152·4 million and the average number of employees was 300,000. This gives a figure of £508 paid by the NCB per employee.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current value of the assets of the British National Oil Corporation.

A statement of the net book value of its assets will appear in the corporation's 1979 report and accounts which will be published within the next two or three months.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are his plans for the future of the Radio Chemical Centre; and if he will make a statement.

I keep in regular touch with the company's affairs but have no announcement to make.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will reconvene the research and development working party of the Coal Industry Tripartite Working Group.

At the last meeting of the Coal Industry Tripartite Group, the National Union of Mineworkers suggested that the group's research and development working party should be reconvened. I agree with this suggestion. Two years have passed since the report of this working party was prepared. Progress since then on coal conversion and utilisation and on unconventional coal mining should now be reviewed and the way ahead reassessed. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has reconvened the working party under my chairmanship. It will meet on 20 February 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police forces which intend to appoint additional assistant chief constables to handle allegations from the public under the police complaints procedure; and what will be the additional cost of such appointments.

Deputy chief constables are responsible for the investigation of complaints in forces in England and Wales outside London, and have full-time staff in the ranks of chief superintendent and/or superintendent to assist them. A deputy can, when necessary, obtain from the assistant chief constables of the force help in the management of the complaints procedure. A new post of assistant chief constable is authorised only where the overall work load of the chief officers of the force—of which complaints work forms only a part—makes an addition essential. An additional assistant chief constable post has recently been authorised on this basis for the Greater Manchester police, and the chief constable intends that the officer appointed should mainly be employed in giving assistance on complaints work. A similar post for Merseyside police is under consideration. The salary of an assistant chief constable is £14,188 per annum, plus rent allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants were refused entry certificates by his Department in January; and what was their country of origin.

The only readily available information relates to entry clearances for settlement in the United Kingdom applied for in the Indian Subcontinent and dealt with by the end of September 1979. In the first three-quarters of 1979, 1,631 persons were refused in Bangladesh, 868 in India and 3,198 in Pakistan. Statistics on the citizenship-nationality of these persons could be provided only at disproportionate cost, but normally applicants would be citizens-nationals of the country in which they apply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of people detained as illegal immigrants for each of the last five years.

The numbers detained under the provisions of schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 as having entered the United Kingdom illegally on or after 1 January 1973 were published, for the years 1973 to 1978, in table 15 of the annual Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics 1978"(Cmnd. 7565). Figures for the first three-quarters of 1979 were published on 17 December 1979 in table XI of Home Office statistical bulletin "Control of Immigration Statistics—Third Quarter 1979", issue 12/79, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what has been the total cost to the taxpayer in each of the last five years for detaining illegal immigrants and over-stayers in prisons and detention centres;(2) what is the cost to the taxpayer of detaining each illegal immigrant or over-stayer in a prison or detention centre.

Illegal immigrants and over-stayers are normally held in custody in local prisons or remand centres and not in immigration service detention centres. The cost of keeping a particular category of inmate in custody is not separately recorded. In 1978–79, the latest year for which information is available, the average annual costs in England and Wales of keeping a male in a local prison or remand centre and a female in custody were £5,403 and £7,301 respectively. On this basis the total costs of holding illegal immigrants and over-stayers was about £1,084,000. On the same basis the total costs in 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77 and 1977–78 were£236,000, £279,000, £582,000and£986,000 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many medical practitioners are employed by the Metropolitan Police to make periodic visits to police stations for the purpose of examining persons under arrest and detained in cells; how many visits they make on average each week or month; and what is the approximate sum of public money disbursed for this purpose.

I understand from the Commissioner that 83 doctors are employed part-time as police surgeons by the Metropolitan Police for a variety of purposes, including the examination where appropriate, of arrested persons. Records of visits are kept locally, and considerable analysis would be required to identify the numbers of visits for particular purposes. The total cost of employing police surgeons was some £664,000 in 1978–79.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the Official Report the statistics contained in the letter he sent to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West, concerning muggings and rape in the London borough of Newham.

Yes. I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that in 1978 there were 36 arrests in the London borough of Newham for offences of robbery of personal property following a sudden attack in the open, there having been no previous association between the assailant and the victim, and 394 arrests for all other offences involving attacks on the person. It is not possible to distinguish those offences which took place on the public highway. In 1978, seven offences of rape were recorded by the police in the London borough of Newham. The number of cases where an offence of rape was alleged but where the allegation was un- substantiated is not known. During the same period five people were arrested for offences of rape in the borough.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on his negotiations with the London taxi-cab trade on fares and extra charges for passengers and their luggage.

My Department is responsible for ensuring that the fares payable in London taxi-cabs are reasonable from the points of view of both the passenger and the operator. To this end the Department is discussing with representatives of the London taxi trade the structure of the fare tariff, including the level and scope of the extra charges now payable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representation he has received from the Prison Officers' Association to bring its members' conditions of service to the equivalent of a police officer's.

There have been no general representations, but following a recommendation in the May committee report, the POA has proposed that the basis of calculating rent allowances for prison officers should be changed to a system similar to that used by most police forces. This is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the weekly food cost allowance for a prisoner serving a prison sentence in Her Majesty's prison.

The current average weekly cost of food in penal establishments in England and Wales is £4·15 per inmate. This takes into account the value of foodstuffs provided by the prison department's own horticultural and agricultural output.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to seek to exempt the Merseyside and London urban development corporations from the provisions of the Race Relations Act and the Sex Discrimination Act.

We have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish his proposals on British nationality and citizenship.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he now expects to present his proposals for changes in the present nationality laws.

I cannot yet say when we will be ready to publish the White Paper on changes in the nationality law, but I hope that it will be within a few months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will tabulate for the most convenient 12-month period the disposals within the Metropolitan Police district where magistrates courts have convicted under section 4 of the Vagrancy Act 1824.

I shall publish the information in the Official Report in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the longest period of time that a prisoner currently in Canterbury prison has been there on remand; and with what he is charged.

[pursuant to his reply, 28 January 1980, c. 435–36]: The longest period for which any person held on remand in custody in Canterbury prison on 31 December 1979 had been so held was 446 days. Three men had been so held and each had been charged with drugs offences.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of converting the Royal Yacht "Britannia" into a fully equipped hospital ship.

It is estimated that to adapt and equip "Britannia" in an emergency to act as a hospital ship carrier for casualties would cost about £300,000 including £240,000 for equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the refit of the Royal Yacht "Britannia" is causing any holdup in any other work; and whether any facilities, such as plating or machining, are being used for "Britannia" when they were found to be available for other Royal Navy ships.

The refit is not holding up work on other ships currently in Portsmouth dockyard's programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of yachts, their size by category, current value and annual maintenance costs, owned by the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy and the Army, separating the information for each Service.

This information is not readily available, but I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of overseas students studying in the United Kingdom over the past five years to the latest available date; and if he will give the country of birth, Commonwealth, EEC and other countries.

Statistics for 1977–78 and earlier years are published in the British Council's annual volume "Statistics of Overseas Students in Britain", copies of which are in the Library. Provisional information for 1978–79 relating to students classified as "overseas" for fees purposes at universities and maintained, assisted and grant-aided establishments of higher and further education in the United Kingdom, is set out below:

Country of origin	Students
COMMONWEALTH
Canada	1,065
Cyprus	1,578
Hong Kong	5,133
India	1,170
Kenya	1,169
Malaysia	12,679
Nigeria	5,883
Rhodesia	1,534
Singapore	1,813
Sri Lanka	2,067
Countries where numbers are less than 1,000	8,610
Total	42,701
EEC
Belgium	191
Denmark	158
France	501
Germany, Federal Republic of	1,028
Ireland, Republic of	739
Italy	363
Luxembourg	42
Netherlands	316
Total	3,338
OTHER FOREIGN
Greece	3,153
Iran	9,151
Iraq	2,485
Jordan	1,876
Libya	1,014
Turkey	1,469
United States of America	3,720
Countries where numbers are less than 1,000	17,935
Total	40,803
ALL COUNTRIES	86,842

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what the average cost to overseas students from Commonwealth, EEC and other countries was for degree courses over the past five years; and what the average cost will be during the next financial year.

No precise information is available on the average cost to an overseas student for a degree course, or its equivalent, over the past five years. The best indication that can be given for the period is the recommended fee for a first degree course plus the rate of maintenance grant payable through a mandatory award to home students. The cost of travel from abroad is not included.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list by local authority the numbers of children suffering from dyslexia, distinguishing those which are being educated in (a) maintained and (b) private schools.

My Department does not collect this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has yet completed his discussions with the Trades Union Congress about the level of public subsidisation of shop steward training in 1980–81; if so, when he did so; and what is the agreed amount.

My right hon. and learned Friend wrote to the TUC on 7 January saying that the Government were unable to agree to its requests for an increase in real terms in the grant paid jointly by his Department and the Department of Employment and for a capital grant towards the cost of its proposed national centre for trade union education, but offering to maintain grant at its current real value for a further year. The TUC accepted that offer and my right hon. and learned Friend has today written to it confirming that the amount for 1980–81 will, therefore be £1·674 million, an increase of some 15 per cent. on this year's figure of £1·455 milion.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if any further adjustments are being made to his Department's cash limits for the financial year 1979–80, in particular the cash limits for the research councils.

The cash limits for Vote 13 (Medical Research Council), Vote 16 (Social Science Council) and Vote 18 (Other Science) announced in the Government's White Paper on Cash Limits (Cmnd. 7604) have been increased to take account of the revised forecast cost of university pay settlements in the financial year 1979–80 The revised cash limits are:

	£m
Vote 13	57·263
Vote 16	16·765
Vote 18	2·989

Subject to parliamentary approval the recurrent grant available to the bodies concerned will be increased by the amounts shown below:

	£m
Medical Research Council	0·660
Social Science Research Council	0·250
Royal Society.	0·036

The only other adjustment is to the cash limit on Vote 6 (Educational Services) which has been increased to £75·918 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the increase of manufactured imports into Great Britain in 1979.

This information can be obtained from tables E2—in value terms—and E8—in volume index terms—of the January 1980 issue of the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will take steps to make the directors of a limited company personally guarantee sums due to former employees should the limited company become insolvent;(2) if he will take steps to debar the directors of a limited company which has become insolvent from forming any other limited company until the debts of the original company have been met.

The Insolvency Law Review Committee is at present reviewing matters such as these. We shall be con- sidering them in the light of the committee's report, which is expected later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will discuss with his EEC colleagues the incidence of involvement of Greek maritime interests in maritime accidents, with a view to ensuring that Greece is required fully to comply with EEC regulations in matters of maritime safety.

The Greek Government are fully aware of our concern and that of other members of the European Community about the safety record of the Greek fleet.After accession Greece will be bound by Community instruments relating to maritime safety in the same way as other members.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the numbers of serious maritime accidents involving ships (a) registered in, (b) owned by and (c) with masters from, the following countries, for each of the last five years for which statistics are available: Greece, West Germany, the United States of America, Denmark, France, Holland, the United Kingdom, Norway, Italy, Belgium, Japan, Sweden, Canada, the USSR, Spain and Portugal;(2) if he will list for each of the last five years the names of ships which have (

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) in view of the artificially low price of Romanian suits imported into the United Kingdom, which is adding to the redundancies in the menswear industry, and the unwillingness of the Commission to operate the multifibre arrangement price clause, if he will seek to take unilateral measures to stop imports;

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, during the impending review of the European Community's generalised scheme of preferences, he will seek to remedy the situation in which newly industrialised countries which are highly developed and fiercely competitive in the textile and clothing sector enjoy high preferences under the scheme but, with the exception of Hong Kong, impose high tariff barriers against British exports.

In the case of most textile and clothing products, the total amounts that can be imported from these countries, whether under the GSP or paying the Community tariff, are subject to strict quantitative limitation. Further, the new GSP arrangements for textiles and clothing introduced on 1 January this year set new and more restrictive limits on the preferences available to the most advanced and competitive suppliers.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he intends to change the arrangements for the fixed rate sterling export and shipbuilding credit scheme; and whether he will make a statement.

Under long standing arrangements the Export Credits Guarantee Department has provided the banks with refinance for certain fixed interest rate sterling export credits. After a review of the arrangements, the Government propose to withdraw the refinance facility for new business with effect from 1 April 1980. In future, therefore, the banks will provide sterling export credits entirely from their own resources. This will result in increasing and significant savings of public expenditure over the coming years.The Government have decided to continue the present arrangements under which the banks receive a commercial rate of return on the finance they provide for fixed rate export credits on terms of two years credit or more. However, it has been agreed that in future the level of the return will be reviewed more frequently.In addition, the range of institutions which will be eligible to participate under the ECGD supported fixed rate schemes will be widened so that all acceptable banks which are recognised under the Banking Act 1979 will be eligible to lead or participate in sydicates providing sterling export credit. In addition, the Export Credits Guarantee Department will be prepared to consider requests from other acceptable deposit-taking or non-deposit-taking institutions to participate as lenders in such syndicates. These wider eligibility rules also apply to foreign currency financed credits.The revised arrangements will apply to new commitments from 1 April 1980. The review has shown that these arrangements are generally acceptable to the banks. They should continue to ensure an adequate supply of fixed rate export finance to our exporters whilst reducing the burden on public expenditure of the support of these funds.My hon. Friend the Minister for Industry has asked me to confirm that they will also apply to the home shipbuilding scheme with effect from the same date.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what was the value of overseas aid to Bangladesh in each of the last three years, including the current year.

In the financial years 1977–78 and 1978–79, disbursements, excluding those for food aid, were £23·2 million and £43·9 million respectively. I cannot yet give a figure for the current financial year.

asked the Lord Privy o Seal if he will make a statement on the economic assistance which the United Kingdom has so far provided, or has specifically programmed for Pakistan, for the relief of refugees from Afghanistan.

:A consignment of essential supplies was flown out by special charter last month at a cost of about £120,000 We are also providing out share, amounting to £1·1 million, of the European Community response to an appeal by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a report on his recent visit to Malawi.

My right hon. Friend has not recently visited Malawi. However, I was there from 23 to 26 January. I was there from 23 to 26 January. I met Presidet Banda, the Ministers of Finance and Health, and the governor projects with which the United Kingdom is assisting, the national seed farm in Lilongwe, and the Smallholder Tea Authority in Mulanje.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will reconsider the level of future aid to Malawi in view of the serious abuse of human rights in that country.

The Government's position on the provision of aid to Malawi remains as stated in the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for mix-Oxen (Mr. Hurd) to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Springburn (Mr. Martin) on 28 November 1979 –[Vol.974,c.704.]

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) if he will have discussions with the Zambian Government regarding the cost of replacing the 10 bridges destroyed by Rhodesian military forces;(2) if he will increase aid to Zambia to pay for the cost of restoring the 10 bridges destroyed by Rhodesian military forces.

We offered to make available for reconstruction purposes part of the £10 million project loan to Zambia, signed on 24 January. The Zambian Government preferred the loan to be devoted entirely to agricultural development and we were happy to accept this. Zambia's needs for further aid for reconstruction or for other purposes will be kept under review.The European development fund has agreed to provide 1·7 million European units of account towards the reconstruction of the Chambeshi and Lunsemfwa bridges. The United Kingdom contributes to the fund and strongly supported this proposal.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will raise the question of additional aid to Zambia at the next meeting of the Development Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community.

No. We believe that satisfactory provision for Zambia's needs has already been made by the European Community, through Zambian participation in the arrangements under the Lomé convention, and through the Community's food aid programme.Under the Lomé convention, Zambia benefits from the European development fund—from which it will receive 47 mua (£30 million)—as well as from preferential trade provisions, the stabex scheme, emergency assistance, and loans from the European Investment Bank.Zambia will receive comparable benefits from the second Loméconvention, which should enter into force later this year, and which also includes special provisions to assist mineral producing countries. Zambia was allocated 10,000 tonnes of cereals, 1500 tonnes of skimmed milk powder, and 500 tonnes of butter oil from the Community's 1979 food programme.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he is satisfied with the extent of the cut in the budget of the Overseas Development Administration from £790 million for 1979–80 to £782 million for the year 1980–81; whether he intends further cuts to be made; and, if so, if he will make a statement.

Any changes in the planned level of overseas aid for 1980–81 will be announced in the next public expenditure White Paper.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether it is now possible to estimate the number of new technical co-operation awards for the coming year; how they compare with such awards during the current year; and how many will be for six months or longer and tenable at British higher educational establishments.

Provision for country programmes for 1980–81 is still subject to revision, but present indications are that new awards will be some 30 per cent. below the comparable figure—estimated at about 4,300—for 1979–80. Their duration and level cannot yet be determined.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether, in view of the importance of cheap power to Ulster's economy, he will consider the setting up of a high-powered inquiry into the means of reducing the high cost of electricity, both in the short and long term.

The days of cheap energy are gone for all of us, but I share the hon. Member's concern that electricity prices in Northern Ireland should not be any higher than necessary and, while I am not sure precisely what kind of inquiry the hon. Member has in mind, I would not rule out any investigation which might contribute to this objective.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether, as an interim measure, he will seek to allocate out of the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund, an annual subsidy to the Northern Ireland electricity service sufficient to keep the cost to domestic consumers down to the Great Britain average.

Domestic electricity consumers in Northern Ireland continue to benefit significantly from the write-off in 1977 of £250 million indebtedness of the electricity service to the Government. The recent rapid increase in the cost of primary fuel for electricity generation in Northern Ireland has implications for the finances of the electricity service and its tariffs, which are being investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums are available from the European regional fund to assist the Northern Ireland electricity service in keeping down the cost of electricity to the consumer, both industrial and domestic.

Grants are available from the European regional development fund towards the cost of projects which contribute to the development of Northern Ireland's economic infrastructure. The Northern Ireland electricity service has benefited from such grants, which have reduced the cost of producing and supplying electricity in Northern Ireland. Since its inception in 1975 the fund has approved grants of some £3·7 million to NIES in respect of capital projects. In addition, the fund has provided a grant of £7·9 million towards relief of the interest payable by NIES to the European Investment Bank under the terms of a £33·3 million loan provided by the EIB towards the capital expenditure on Kilroot power station.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will immediately commission an urgent study by Queen's University of the possibility of harnessing the tidal flow at Strangford Lough for the purposes of generating electric power.

Following discussions which I had with the chairman of the Northern Ireland Economic Council, a study of the technical and financial aspects of tidal generation at Strangford Lough is already under way, under the council's auspices. The study will be headed by Professor Eric Wilson of Salford university. The department of civil engineering of Queen's University, Belfast will be involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the amount of the Exchequer contribution towards the electricity supply industry in Great Britain in the last 10 years; and what is the equivalent amount in Northern Ireland.

The electricity supply industries in England and Wales and in

Nature of payment					period	Amount (£ million)
Compensation for price restraint	…	…	…	…	1973–74—1975–76	71·3
Grant towards accrued revenue deficit		…	…	…	1975–76—1976–77	26·3
Grant towards reduction of industrial tariffs			…	…	1977–78—1979–80	60·0

The Northern Ireland electricity service has also benefited from a financial reconstruction under which £250 million of its capital debt to Government was written off in 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if Northern Ireland is a net beneficiary or net contributor to the EEC budget.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 31 January by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.—[Vol. 977, c. 769–70.]

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the list of approved management consultants who may be employed by Northern Ireland Government Departments.

There is no list of approved management consultants who may be employed by Northern Ireland Government Departments. According to their ability to undertake a specific assignment, a minimum of three firms are normally approached and selection is then made by competitive tender.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been claimed or paid to the participants at the Stormont conference up to 8 February; and how many individuals have claimed.

£7,264:36 individuals.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will esti- Scotland are the responsibilities of my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Energy and the Secretary of State for Scotland. The principal sums paid to the electricity supply industry in Northern Ireland in the period 1969–70 to 1979–80 are as follows:mate the cost of heating, lighting, telephone, postage, and catering at the Stormont conference up to 8 February.

It is not possible to apportion the cost of heating and lighting used in Parliament buildings for the conference. The buildings are heated and lit as one unit. The holding of the conference has not involved any additional heating or lighting costs.The postage costs of the Northern Ireland Office on conference business cannot be separately identified. Participants at the conference pay their own postage.The estimated cost for telephones is £1,100.The estimated cost of catering is £1,000 to 25 January, the latest date for which figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what have been the takings in (a) the bars provided for the participants at the Stormont conference and (b) the press bar up to 8 February.

(a) £284; (b) £422.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of places available at skill-centres for courses commencing during 1979; what proportion of such total was actually taken up; and what reasons had been identified as contributing significantly to the shortfall.

I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that the information is not available in the form requested. However, on 10 December 1979 there were approximately 18,000 possible places of which 16,541 were operational places. 13,008 (78 per cent.) of the operational places were occupied. The main reasons for the shortfall are:

(1) lack of recruits;

(2) difficulty in filling vacant places at short notice;

(3) failure of applicants to report for training;

(4) premises and equipment difficulties;

(5) the progressive build-up of new classes.

The difference of approximately 1,500 places between possible and operational places is the result of shortage of instructors.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people who were in employment on 10 May 1979 have since become unemployed; and whether a breakdown can be given by region.

Information is not available in this form. It is not practicable to distinguish and count separately all those who were at work on a given date and who had one or more than one subsequent period of unemployment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many employees in the private steel sector have been laid off as a result of the industrial dispute in the nationalised steel industry.

Figures are not available but it is believed that up to the end of January only a small number were affected. Lay-offs varied throughout the private sector, but many more are likely if the strike continues.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been notified to his Department by Barker and Dobsons of Liverpool.

I am unable to reply as information given to my Department under the notification of redundancy provisions of the Employment Protection Act 1975 is given in confidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will send an inspector to examine the implications of the cuts in staffing of the Leicestershire careers service from 83 to 43; and whether he will make a statement.

As the hon. Member will know from my reply to his question on 8 February—[Vol. 978, c. 360]—the Secretary of State is taking steps to keep himself informed about the staffing position of the careers service.An inspection in part of Leicestershire is currently taking place as part of this year's normal inspection programme and an inspector is therefore already in close touch with the Leicestershire career service.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what instructions have been issued concerning the withdrawal of semi-skilled TOPS courses; whether he will list those courses; and whether he will make a statement.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that as part of the reduction which is being made in the training opportunities scheme the numbers completing courses at the semi-skilled level are expected to fall by about half over a period of three years from the figure of about 6,000 completions originally planned for 1980–81. It is not possible to list courses which will be affected by this reduction.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps so that employees who are unfairly dismissed should, in the event of the former employers going into liquidation, still obtain payments from the redundancy fund.

The basic element of an unfair dismissal award is payable under the Insolvency Provisions of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978. The compensatory element is not so payable, but the employee has the right to claim in the insolvency as a creditor.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the Race Relations Employment Advisory Group will next meet; and what it is due to discuss.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the Home-working Advisory Committee will next meet; and what it is due to discuss.

No meeting has been arranged. The future of the committee is under consideration and will be decided in the light of reports from various research projects into homeworking, the first of which is expected within the next few months.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to begin the review of the position of the Standing Commission on pay comparability.

The Government continue to keep the work of the Standing Commission under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if public expenditure cuts have affected or will affect the Wages Inspectorate; and, if so, to what extent;(2) when he envisages the cycle of inspection in wages council trades will be reduced to five years and four years respectively, or what alternative cycle is anticipated;

The Government are considering to what extent proposals for a reduction in public expenditure would affect the planned programme of the Wages Inspectorate and its homeworking unit. In the meantime, both continue to operate unchanged and the inspectorate's annual target remains at contacting one-sixth of the number of establishments on its lists.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if public expenditure cuts have affected or will affect the staffing of the Health and Safety Executive; and, if so, to what extent they concern the committed expansion of the Factory Inspectorate and the frequency of visits, the increasing work on major hazards, local authority planning permission inquiries and the testing of equipment and appliances for safety purposes, the attitude of the inspectorate towards recommended and statutory standards and general recruitment.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many times the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has been asked to intervene in disputes at the Royal Liverpool teaching hospital since it opened.

I understand that the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has been asked to assist in resolving industrial relations difficulties at the Liverpool royal teaching hospital on three occasions since September 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations have been held with employers, trades unions and other interested parties over the merger proposals for retail trades councils over the past five years; and on what dates those consultations took place.

I am informed that over the past five years my Department has consulted the following organisations over the merger proposals for retail trades wages councils.

Date of consultation			Organisation, etc. consulted
24 March 1975		…	Workers' sides of the 9 retail wages councils comprising USDAW, TGWU, URTU, APEX and Retail Book, Stationery and Allied Trades Employees' Association, Bakers' Union Scottish Union of Bakers.
24 March 1975		…	Employers' sides of the 9 retail wages councils comprising Booksellers' Association of Great Britain and Ireland, Federation of Bakers, Scottish Association of Master Bakers, Multiple Shops' Federation, Menswear Association of Great Britain, Scottish House Furnishers' Association, Scottish Grocers' Federation, National Association of Retail Furnishers, Retail Confectioners' and Tobacconists' Association, Scottish Tobacco Federation, Retail Distributors' Association, National Federation of Fish Friers, The National Association of Master Bakers, China and Glass Retailers' Federation, Multiple Wine Merchants' Association, British Stationery and Office Products Federation.
			The National Chamber of Trade.
			Co-operative Employers' Association.
			Drapers' Chamber of Trade.
			The Multiple Shoe Retailers' Association.
			The Retail Credit Federation.
			The National Shoe Retailers' Council.
			The Scottish Retail Drapers' Association.
			The Scottish Retail Credit Association.
			The Federation of Merchant Tailors.
			Mail Order Traders' Association.
			Amalgamated Master Dairymen Ltd.
			National Dairymen's Association.
			National Federation of Fishmongers.
			National Federation of Meat Traders' Associations Incorporated.
			National Food and Drink Federation.
			The National Union of Small Shopkeepers.
			The Retail Fruit Trade Federation Ltd.
			The Licensed Grocers and Wine Merchants' Association of Scotland.
			Multiple Food Retailers Employers' Association.
			Retail Fruit Trade Federation Ltd. (Scottish Region).
			Radio and Television Retailers' Association Ltd.
			The Society of Master Saddlers Ltd.
			The National Association of Tool Dealers.
			The National Federation of Ironmongers.
			The Scottish Hardware Association.
			The Federation of Sports Goods Distributors.
			Radio and Television Retailers' Association of Scotland.
			British Hardware Federation.
			The Electrical Contractors' Association of Scotland.
			National Association of Cycle and Motor Cycle Traders.
			National Association of Toy Retailers.
			Wallpaper, Paint and Wall-covering Retailers' Association.
			National Federation of Retail Newsagents.
			The Ice Cream Alliance Ltd.
			The Newspaper Publishers' Association Ltd.
			National Federation of Retail Newsagents (Scottish Council).
25 March 1975		…	17 Independent Members of the 9 retail wages councils.
11 December 1975*		…	Draft order sent to all organisations represented on the 9 wages councils and also CBI and TUC.
18 February 1976		…	British Flower Industry Association.
20 February 1976		…	The National Association of Goldsmiths of Great Britain and Ireland.
4 May 1976	…	…	British Flower Industry Association.
15 July 1976	…	…	National Association of Goldsmiths of Great Britain and Ireland.
18 October 1977		…	Multiple Shops Federation.
15 December 1977		…	The National Association and Master Bakers and Scottish Association of Master Bakers.
26 January 1978		…	Employers' Side of the Retail Newsagency, Tobacco and Confectionery Trade Wages Council (England and Wales).
28 April 1978		…	Dairy Trade Federation.
25May l978 †		…	Sent to all organisations represented on the 9 wages councils.
3 August 1978		…	Multiple Shops' Federation.
11 October 1978		…	Retail Wages Liaison Committee (Retail Consortium).
31 January 1979		…	USDAW.
26 March 1979		…	Retail Wages Liaison Committee (Retail Consortium).
10 April 1979†		…	Sent to all organisations represented on the 9 retail councils.
21 June 1979	…	…	Employers' Side of Retail Newsagency, Tobacco and Confectionery Trades Wages Council (England and Wales).
*Draft order.
†Consultative document.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if public expenditure cuts have affected, or will affect, services concerning the employment of disabled people; and, if so, to what extent.

Services provided by the Manpower Services Commission (MSC) for the employment of disabled people have not been affected by public expenditure cuts in 1979–80.My right hon. Friend is at present considering the Commission's corporate plan for 1980–84, and will be seeking to protect the Commission's services for disabled people from cuts in their resources. It is hoped that, as far as possible, cuts can be made through administrative savings.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration he is giving to the problem of low pay and, in particular, to the role of wages councils.

The problems of low pay relate to a wide range of the Government's policies, which the Government keep under review. The need for wages councils in particular trades and industries is also kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his policy regarding the proposals contained in the report of the Low Pay Unit, "Low Pay in the Eighties", a copy of which has been supplied to him; and if he will make a statement.

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

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 down into sex, age, below 21 years, and below 18 years, trade and ethnic origins.

[pursuant to his reply 12 February 1980]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the number of workers involved in redundancies affecting 10 or more employees and notified as due to occur in the Manchester travel-to-work area between May 1979 and January 1980 was 6,747. Redundancies involving a further 895 workers have been notified as due to occur in this area later in the year.No breakdown as requested is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is, for each month since January 1978, the number of redundancies covered by notices under the Employment Protection Act 1975 he has received from employers in wool textiles (MLH 414), carpets (MLH 419) and men's outer wear (MLH 442) sectors in comparison with the list of actual redundancies he gave in answer to the hon. Member for Batley and Morley on 29 November 1979; and what estimate he has made of the effects of loss of jobs through voluntary redundancy, early retirement and natural wastage in West Yorkshire.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 February 1980, Vol. 978, c. 361–2]: Details are given below of the number of redundancies notified under the Employment Protection Act 1975, each month in 1978 and 1979 in the sectors covered by MLH 414, MLH 419 and MLH 442 in Great Britain and the Yorkshire and Humberside region. These figures are listed according to the month in which advance notification of an impending redundancy was received. I regret that it is not possible to set out the information according to the months in which the redundancies were due to take place.It should be noted that many of the redundancies notified in this way do not in the event take place.The figures provided in reply to the hon. Member's question of 29 November 1979 were of redundancies which were known to have taken place. But these were not fully comprehensive as there is not statutory obligation on employers to provide the Department with figures of actual redundancies.

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;

[pursuant to his reply, 12 February 1980]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that Network was launched in November 1977. Its primary function was to provide sponsors of schemes designed to help unemployed young people, the careers service and local authorities, with up to date information during the launch of the youth opportunities programme and the special temporary employment programme.The original list of recipients consisted of all careers officers, chief executives and chief educational officers of local authorities sponsors of work experience schemes and colleges of further education—making a total circulation of 37,000. After the launch of the new programmes, the role of

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what response he has had to the latest representations made by Her Majesty's Government to the EEC, in relation to aid for areas affected by steel closures.

We are continuing to make maximum use of the various types of aid already available from the European Coal and Steel Community. In addition, we are currently pressing for more of the proposed non-quota aid from the European regional development fund to be allocated to the United Kingdom, and to the steel closure areas in particular. We have also applied for aid from the European social fund to help retraining in steel closure areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will undertake that Her Majesty's Government will provide matching finance to the level of any grants that may be negotiated with the European Coal and Steel Community to alleviate the economic situation that will arise in Corby new town subsequent to the closure of the British Steel Corporation's iron and steel works.

Readaptation benefits, of which the European Coal and Steel Community pays up to half the costs, are the only grants available from the European Coal and Steel Community which require matching finance. This is provided by the Government under the statutory iron and steel employees readaptation benefits scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the current investment per employee in manufacturing industry at current exchange rates in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United States of America, the Netherlands, Italy, the Republic of Ireland, France and Belgium.

Exchange rates do not necessarily reflect the purchasing power of national currencies in terms of the goods and services available in the countries being compared. The use of purchasing power parities rather than exchange rates would considerably reduce the investment per head figures for all countries except the United Kingdom and Ireland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to meet representatives of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries following the recent Caribbean sugar symposium held in Jamaica.

None.