asked the Secretary of State for Employment if the Manpower Services Commission will provide a modern jobcentre in a main street position in Woolwich.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it plans to open a jobcentre in Woolwich and has been searching for suitable premises close to the central area for a number of years. The search has so far been unsuccessful, but efforts will continue.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the considerations which led him to conclude that the rents paid for premises occupied by jobcentres were, or could be, matters of commercial confidentiality.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 February 1980, c. 296]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission (MSC) that in matters of this kind it follows the practice of most large public landholding bodies—for example, the Property Services Agency and local authorities—and treats with discretion the terms of any transaction concluded with the lessor of a given property. The final figures agreed would not be disclosed in any circumstance without the agreement of the lessor, and even given his consent the MSC would have to consider very carefully whether disclosure of what has been paid for one property might not prejudice the public interest in negotiations which might be in progress for the acquisition of other properties, or rent reviews for properties already held.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prohibition notices and how many improvement notices, respectively, have been served during each of the six-month periods since these notices were introduced; in how many and in what percentage of cases non-compliance with such notices led to prosecution; how many and what percentage of prosecutions led to convictions and to acquittals, respectively; and what information is available concerning the penalties imposed on those convicted.

I refer the hon. and learned Member to the answer I gave him on 17 December 1979.—[Vol, 976, c. 91–94] The only information available about penalties imposed refers to HMFI prosecutions; in the relevant cases the average penalty per conviction was as follows:

	£
1976	68
1977	76
1978	109

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many successful claimants in unfair dismissal cases are known or estimated to have received compensatory awards, basic awards and additional awards, respectively; and what information is available concerning the level of such awards.

The information available is published annually in the Department of Employment Gazette. I am sending the hon. and learned Member a copy of the latest article in the gazette for September 1979, which gives information on awards made in the years 1976–78. Information on additional awards is not available for these years.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what study his Department has made of the volume of evidence submitted to the Snowdon working party on the integration of the disabled which has recently been published by the National Fund for Research into Crippling Diseases; what action he intends to take; and if he will make a statement.

The Snowdon report, published in 1976, emphasised the fundamental importance of integrating disabled people in the community. It is a view I wholeheartedly endorse and this is why this Government have given their support to the Manpower Services Commission's "Fit for Work" campaign which emphasises the importance of firms adopting constructive policies towards the employment of disabled people. The evidence which the Snowdon working party considered in making its recommendations will therefore be considered with interest by the commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will instruct the Manpower Services Commission to remind any employer who is making workers redundant of the obligations under section 9(5) of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944, not to discontinue the employment of a registered disabled person if to do so would leave him or make him fall below the 3 per cent. quota; and if he will make a statement.

I do not propose to instruct the Manpower Services Commission (MSC) in this way. An employer who is below quota, or becomes so as a result of discharging a registered disabled person, breaks the law only if there is no reasonable cause for the discharge. This is explained in a booklet about employers' obligations which is widely distributed by MSC's disablement resettlement officers (DROs). I am advised by the MSC that when a major redundancy is announced, staff of the employment service division will visit the employer's premises to help those who are to lose their jobs to find alternative work. Disabled employees would be helped by the DRO. Any disabled person who is likely to be made redundant should contact the DRO at the nearest employment office or job-centre. If they are registered as disabled and feel that their dismissal is unreasonable they may make a formal complaint. The DRO would consider the possibility of retention or redeployment with the employer, or, if this is not possible, work elsewhere. The DRO would in this context remind employers of their obligations under section 9(5) of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 30 January, what measures his Department is taking to find the 33,113 jobs needed to reduce the unemployment rate amongst registered disabled people, to the general level of unemployment.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 February 1980]: The Manpower Services Commission (MSC) continues to give a high priority to finding jobs in order to bring them to the notice of all job-seekers including both registered and unregistered disabled people. The Government's continuing support for the MSC's "Fit for Work" campaign, the award scheme and resettlement schemes for disabled people reflects the great importance we attach to assisting disabled people to obtain suitable employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what study he has made of the code of practice on race relations and employment which has been published by the Commission for Racial Equality; what steps he will take to bring this to the notice of employers; if he is planning any changes in the law with regard to equal opportunity at work; and if he will make a statement.

The draft code of practice published on 20 February 1980 was prepared by the Commission for Racial Equality after consultations, which are required by the Race Relations Act 1976, with organisations representative of workers and employers. The commission has now published its draft under section 47(2) of the Act so that representations can be made about its provisions by employers, trade unions and any one else concerned. In due course, after the commission has considered any representations which are made—the closing date for comment is 16 may 1980—the commission will submit a further draft code to the Secretary of State for his consideration. My Department will therefore be making a close study of the present draft and will be arranging for notice of its publication to be included in the Department of Employment Gazette and Employment News to supplement the commission's measures to bring the draft to the notice of all who may wish to offer comment including employers and trade unions.I have no present plans to make changes in the law with regard to equal opportunity at work.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the level of increase in bank employees' wages and salaries for each of the last seven

PERCENTAGE INCREASES IN GROSS AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS*
					Employees covered by banking joint negotiating council		All industries and services
Year to April					Full-time men aged 21 and over	Full-time women aged 18 and over	Full-time men aged 21 and over	Full-time women aged 18 and over
1973	…	…	…	…	12·4	14·8	14·1	12·4
1974	…	…	…	…	6·9	15·7	13·9	16·8
1975	…	…	…	…	32·1	32·4	27·4	38·9
1976	…	…	…	…	22·1	22·9	18·1	23·4
1977	…	…	…	…	11·2	11·6	9·5	10·3
1978	…	…	…	…	12·1†	13·4†	13·2	10·7
1979	…	…	…	…	13·6†	9·5†	13·7	11·8
* Earnings of employees whose pay was not affected by absence.
† Revised estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the latest available information on the numbers of firms receiving aid via the capital grants scheme, the sum authorised and the number of disabled persons gaining employment.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 February 1980, c. 390]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that since the introduction of the scheme in August 1977, 151 firms have received aid and £120,748 has been aunthorised. Fifty disabled people have gained employment, and 101 have been helped to continue in employment despite worsening disability.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, pursuant to his statement on Members' pay and allowances on 14 February, it is still the Government's intention that Members' pay should be reviewed by the Top

The following figures of annual percentage changes in gross weekly earnings relate to employees covered in the new earnings survey:Salaries Review Body on the basis of the £10,725 salary for 1980–81 and £12,000 for 1981–82 agreed by the House on 11 July 1979.

Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, pursuant to his answer of 23 November to the hon. Member for Huntingdonshire, he can yet indicate when the report of the Top Salaries Review Body on the secretarial allowance to hon. Members is expected to be available.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on 14 February 1980.—[Vol. 978, c. 1767.]

asked the Minister of Transport when the report on the British Railways sleeping car fire at Taunton will be published.

The report on this tragic accident is published today. It makes it clear that the fire began with the ignition of bags of linen loaded close to a heater in a carriage vestibule. The fire was not detected until it had spread to involve the interior of the sleeping car. The combination of failings which allowed this to happen could and should have been avoided.The inquiry included a thorough review of fire precautionary measures on trains and the report lists the additional precautions now taken by British Rail. Changes introduced by British Rail promptly after the fire included new arrangements for the supervision and training of sleeping car attendants, alternatives to the heating and ventilating system, and improvements in the means of escape, including prominent notices in a number of languages drawing passengers' attention to them.The inspector has identified a number of further recommendations for the board to implement—some of them long term and involving development of new equipment and modifications of the design of existing and new sleeping cars.Nothing can wholly guard against human error, but I am satisfied that all reasonable measures to prevent another such tragedy have been identified and that the British Railways Board are acting on them.I would like to endorse the inspector's commendation in his report of the efficiency and bravery of the train crew, the care given by passengers and local householders to the injured, and the rapid and professional reaction of the emergency services.

asked the Minister of Transport what proportion of the money spent on rail electrification since nationalisation has been spent in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively.

British Rail's records on this go back only to 1964. Since then expenditure on fixed electrification infrastructure totals £98·6 million in England and £75·3 million in Scotland (at out-turn prices). There are at present no electrified lines in Wales, but some lines in Wales are included in the options being considered as part of the joint review of the case for a programme of main-line electrification.

asked the Minister of Transport what study his Department has made of the volume of evidence sub- mitted to the Snowdon working party on the integration of the disabled which has recently been published by the National Fund for Research into Crippling Diseases; what action he intends to take; and if he will make a statement.

I have only recently received a copy of this document, but I shall be studying it with interest.

asked the Minister of Transport whether in view of the fact that the Department of Transport published the draft order of the Birmingham-Nottingham trunk road A453, improvement at Bell Inn Junction-Hospital Street, Tamworth, in May 1977 and, in the light of the public inquiry held in June 1979, if he is able to indicate when his Department's decision will be made known.

The decision to make these orders was announced on 30 January 1980. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the decision letter.

asked the Minister of Transport for how many trunk road schemes in England, as listed in "Policy of Roads: England", Cmnd 7132, is work yet to start.

Work has not yet started on 340 of the 384 schemes listed in Cmnd, 7132 as "in preparation". Another contract has recently been placed and tenders have been invited for three more schemes and for two major contracts on schemes already started in part. Three schemes have been withdrawn from the programme and one has been subsumed in a larger proposal; announcements were made at the time.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on which of the 61 recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment he (a) accepts in full, (b) rejects in full and (c) accepts with reservations.

I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Transport what time scale he envisages for the construction, of the proposed link road between Beckton (A13) and Falcon-wood (A2), shown in the Greater London development plan.

Details of the programme of major road schemes in England will be announced in the White Paper on roads due to be published this spring.

asked the Minister of Transport why he does not consider it appropriate to publish the names of the cities through which nuclear waste is transported by rail.

Because the routeing of trains is an operational matter for which the British Railways Board are wholly responsible. I am satisfied that there are no valid safety or other reasons why Ministers should seek to take upon themselves responsibility for the day to day management of this matter as irradiated nuclear fuel is transported in conditions which make it quite suitable for routeing on a normal operational basis. Also disproportionate cost and effort would be involved in producing complete lists of towns or cities through which British Rail decide to route any particular goods.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will specify the nature of irradiated nuclear fuel that is being transported through Stoke-on-Trent; and if he will state whether it is intermediate or high level nuclear waste.

A typical flask might hold up to 200 irradiated fuel elements containing a mixture of up to 2 tonnes of uranium, 5 kilograms of plutonium and a very small amount—representing about 1 per cent. of the total mass—of highly active fission products. The fission products constitute the actual waste material, the uranium and plutonium being recovered for further use by reprocessing at Windscale.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the transport of irra- diated fuel requires the approval of the Health and Safety Executive; and if the Executive has been consulted.

No. My right hon. Friend has the sole responsibility for approval of flask designs and transport arrangements in his capacity as national competent authority under the relevant international regulations.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether the positive vetting procedure currently in operation in the public service differs from that in operation in 1964.

No.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what has been the aggregate cost to public funds of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration since the inception of the office.

Since 1973, the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration has also included the Health Service Commissioners. It is not possible to give separate costs.The aggregate costs to public funds of the Parliamentary Commissioner and Health Service Commissioners, since its inception in 1967, are as follows:

Financial Year	Cost (at current prices)
	£
1966–67	16,583
1967–68	110,089
1968–69	127,747
1969–70	132,775
1970–71	143,048
1971–72	162,012
*1972–73	175,124
*1973–74	273,666
*1974–75	414,826
*1975–76	548,486
*1976–77	568,727
*1977–78	618,300
1978–79	685,574
Total Cost	3,976,957
* The combined costs of the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and the Health Service Commissioners

These amounts were in addition to the Commissioner's salary and the cost of accommodation and other services borne by the Property Services Agency and Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why it will not be possible in future to estimate the cost and manpower effects involved in the implementation of EEC regulations and directives in the same way as this information is set out for United Kingdom Government Bills.

I refer my hon. Friend to my earlier reply—[Vol. 979, c. 34–35]—and will write to him further.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps the Government are taking to encourage less wasteful use of raw materials in the manufacture of bottles and other forms of packaging.

The Government's policy is to encourage voluntary action by the glass and other packaging industries to economise in the use of materials. It is in the industries' own interest to use less material and to increase recycling in order to reduce costs, and I understand that such savings are progressively being made.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the changes, and proposals for change, that the Government have made to improve the prosperity of small businesses; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's general economic policies are designed to improve the climate in which all businesses operate and to make the start up or expansion of a small firm more worthwhile.The first steps in this direction were taken in last year's Budget with its considerable reductions in direct taxation, extension of the criteria for the lower rate corporation tax and the "writing-off" of liabilities under the stock relief scheme. The Chancellor also announced a major review of capital taxation which is a cause of great concern to small businessmen.Among the other major measures introduced which will help small firms are several changes made to the Employment Protection Act by order and in the Employment Bill; a reduction in the amount of financial accounting information many small companies are required to disclose; proposals for speeding up planning procedures; an extension of the English Industrial Estates Corporation's building programme of small workshop units; a reduction in the number of statistical surveys sent to companies; and an extension of the Department of Industry's advisory services to small firms, including a pilot scheme to help make available finance from a pension fund in relatively small amounts.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what study his Department has made of the volume of evidence submitted to the Snowdon working party on the integration of the disabled which has recently been published by the National Fund for Research into Crippling Diseases; what action he intends to take; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and I support the integration of disabled people into the community whenever this is practicable. The Department will be studying the volume of evidence in that light.

asked the Attorney-General what representations he has received concerning the proposed removal of public records from Chancery Lane to Kew particularly concerning the preservation of old, fragile and unique historical documents.

Approximately 100 letters have been received about the proposal to close the Public Record Office reading rooms at Chancery Lane and to make the records available for public inspection at Kew. The majority of these letters refer to the risk of damage to these records.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to curb the increasing number of offences and injuries caused by air guns.

I hope to make a statement shortly on the Government's policy in relation to firearms matters in general.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider amending the Street Offences Act 1959 to remove the powers of the police to arrest and detain prostitutes without independent witnesses.

The Criminal Law Revision Committee is examining the law on prostitution as part of the review of sexual offences which it is undertaking in consultation with the policy advisory committee on sexual offences. I think it right to await the outcome of this review before considering changes in this area of the law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many warrants were issued last year by the Home Secretary for the interception of mail.

As I made clear in answers to questions on 31 January, successive Governments have, in the national interest, made it their practice not to give figures on the extent of interception, in accordance with the recommendation in paragraph 165 of the Birkett report (Cmnd. 283).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what study his Department has made of the volume of evidence submitted to the Snowdon working party on the integration of the disabled which has recently been published by the National Fund for Research into Crippling Diseases; what action he intends to take; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has studied the recommendations and will continue to give what help it can.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which regional police forces have their own computer systems that are separate from shared local authority computers; what kind of information is held on these computers; and which regional police forces have plans for the introduction of their own computer systems.

Most police forces in England and Wales use computers, either dedicated to their own use, or shared with local authorities. The Home Office has records only of major applications for operational purposes. Such uses fall into the following broad categories:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to permit men and women to stand for parliament at the age of 18 years.

We are considering this matter sympathetically as part of the general review of electoral law and procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the date of the last meeting of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England during 1979.

I understand that the Commission last met on 30 November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will arrange for United Kingdom policemen seconded to supervise the elections in Southern Rhodesia who sustain death or injury to be entitled to at least as large compensation as they would be in similar circumstances in the United Kingdom from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

[pursuant to his reply, 20 February 1980, c. 191–2]: My noble Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has undertaken that, in the event of a police officer sustaining a criminal injury during his period of secondment in Rhodesia, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will make an ex-gratia payment on the lines of that which might have been awarded under the criminal injuries compensation scheme had the injury been sustained in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many civil servants have been engaged in the work of the Department of Education in each year since 1972; and what growth has occurred in each of the branches of that Department responsible for youth services and community services, respectively.

The information is as follows:

Average for year	Total staff	Staff employed in Youth Services	Staff employed in Community Services
1972	511	20	—
1973	518	21	—
1974	472	21	—
1975	609*	15	79
1976	626	20	67
1977	649	20	61
1978	637	20	54
1979	673	22	59
1980	668	22	60
* This figure Includes 79 staff transferred from the Department of Community Relations on its amalgamation with the Department of Education for Northern Ireland in 1975

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will make a statement on the progress of police inquiries into alleged child prostitution at an East Belfast Department of Health and Social Services home; and when he expects papers on the matter to be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions;(2) when the allegations of child prostitution at an East Belfast boys' home were known (

The Department of Health and Social Services and the police became aware of these allegations on 24 January 1980. Police investigations are proceeding with all possible speed and on completion the papers will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions. It is not possible at this stage to give a date.Pending the outcome of police inquiries the Government have not conducted any separate investigation. No staff have been dismissed or suspended from duty as no concrete evidence has been advanced to justify such action.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether there are any plans to phase out the Transport Collection at Witham Street, Belfast; and if exhibits have been transferred permanently to other museums recently.

The exhibits at Witham Street, Belfast, are part of the transport collection of the Ulster folk and transport museum. There are plans to house the entire collection at the museum's main site at Cultra when money can be made available for accommodating the larger items.No exhibits have been transferred permanently to other museums.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the cost to public funds to date of the constitutional conference.

The estimated additional cost to public funds to 20 February 1980 is £27,200.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will carry out a survey of the opportunities for part-time employment and for work sharing in the manufacturing and service industries.

I have no plans to conduct such a survey at present. I am anxious not to add unnecessarily to the form-filling burden on employers at a time when the Government are trying to minimise their intervention in industry.There is a clear trend for increasing opportunities for part-time employment particularly in the service sector, and this is expected to continue.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the present security situation in Northern Ireland.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the non-departmental public bodies engaged in countryside recreation, sport, the arts and tourism are under review in Northern Ireland; why these have been chosen; and what arrangements he is making to ensure that these reviews are impartial.

The recent independent review under the chairmanship of Sir Leo Pliatzky has examined all non-departmental public bodies in Northern Ireland to ensure that they operate with maximum efficiency and economy.Following this review, I decided that the Lagan Valley regional park committee should be merged with the Ulster countryside committee, and that a comprehensive, further review should be made of the Sports Council. This is under way.The functions of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board is also being examined in the light of the consultant's report on the potential for development of the Northern Ireland tourist industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether, in view of the arrangements pertaining to England and Wales, he will consider transferring responsibility for sport and physical recreation in Northern Ireland to the Department of the Environment under similar arrangements; and, if not, why not.

The Government are quite satisfied with existing arrangements in Northern Ireland whereby the Department of Education carries central responsibility for sporting, recreational, youth, community and cultural activities. These activities are closely related to and complement the Department's main responsibility for education at all levels, and there are therefore no plans for change.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what study his Department has made of the volume of evidence submitted to the Snowdon working party on the integration of the disabled which has recently been published by the National Fund for Research into Crippling Diseases; what action he intends to take; and if he will make a statement.

Northern Ireland Departments have not yet had sufficient time fully to study the recently published volume of evidence submitted to the Snowdon working party but are doing so with interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases have been referred to the Central Office of the Industrial Tribunals in Northern Ireland since the tribunals were set up; and in how many cases lawyers were (a) participating, and (b) representing: (i) the dismissed employee and (ii) the employers.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 February 1980, c. 503]: I understand that, during the period 2 June 1965 to 31 December 1979, 11,430 applications made to the industrial tribunals were registered in Northern Ireland.This figure includes 818 complaints of unfair dismissal heard before industrial tribunals during the period 1 October 1976 to 31 December 1979. Legal representatives participated in 371 of these cases; 203 on behalf of the employees and 313 on behalf of the employers.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs have been created in Northern Ireland by Northern Ireland based companies which have been grant aided, from 1970 to the end of 1979;

[pursuant to his reply, 22 February 1980, Vol. 979, c. 383]: This information is not available in the precise form requested, but in the financial years 1969–70 to 1978–79 the Department of Commerce and the Local Enterprise Development Unit entered into agreements to make available financial assis- tance, under the Industries Development Acts (Northern Ireland) 1966 and 1971, in respect of 27,546 jobs to be provided in companies with Northern Ireland origins.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs have been created in Northern Ireland by overseas companies, which have been great-aided, from 1970 to the end of 1979.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 February 1980, Vol. 979, c. 383]: This information is not available in the precise form requested, but in the financial years 1969–70 to 1978–79 the Department of Commerce and the Local Enterprise Development Unit entered into agreements to make available financial assistance, under the Industries Development Acts (Northern Ireland) 1966 and 1971, in respect of 32,049 jobs to be provided in companies with their origin outside Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the aggregate cost to public funds of all forms of financial support, direct and indirect, to the Learavia Corporation towards the cost of establishing a manufacturing facility in Northern Ireland; and what is the estimated cost per permanent job to be provided thereby.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 February 1980, c. 384]: Details of financial assistance to individual companies in respect of new industrial enterprises or expansion of existing capacity in Northern Ireland are regarded as confidential. I regret, therefore, that the details requested by my hon. Friend cannot be provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what study his Department has made of the volume of evidence submitted to the Snowdon working party on the integration of the disabled which has recently been published by the National Fund for Research into Crippling Diseases; what action he intends to take; and if he will make a statement.

This document, published by a voluntary body, was not sent to the Scottish Office. I am obtaining a copy and it will be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many doctors there are in Scotland.

Information about the number of doctors employed in the National Health Service in Scotland at 30 September 1979 is set out below. The latest information on the total number of doctors active in medicine in Scotland—non-NHS as well as NHS—indicates that there were approximately 9,800 in 1976.

NHS medical staffing in Scotland at 30 September 1979 (provisional figures)
Hospital Medical Staff	5,239
General Medical Services	3,196
Community Health Services	660
Total Scotland NHS	9,095
Note: Some doctors, such as general practitioners working in community health, will be included in more than one category.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons were employed by the Scottish Development Agency in, respectively, January 1977, January 1978, January 1979, and January of the current year; and if he will make a statement on any plans to take on further staff, as from the current month, regarding numbers, functions and extra cost.

At vesting day the agency took over 472 staff from the organisations it subsumed—the Scottish Industrial Estates Corporation and the Small Industries Council for Rural Areas of Scotland. Agency staff numbers at the dates requested were as follows:

January 1977	530
January 1978	578
January 1979	679
January 1980	700

The approved staff complement of 750 is not expected to be exceeded in 1980–81, the estimates for which will be published in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of sewage and what percentage of industrial effluents discharged into the River Tay do not conform to the Royal Commission standard.

This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to ask the appropriate authority, the River Tay purification board.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will bring resolution 718 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, regarding the arrest and forced exile of Mr. Andrei Sakharov to the attention of the Soviet Government; and whether he will make a statement.

We fully share the sentiments expressed in it. The Soviet authorities are fully aware of the extent of Western concern about their treatment of Dr. Sakharov and will have taken due note of the resolution by the Parliamentary Assembly. The Soviet Ambassador was told on 22 January that Her Majesty's Government condemned the banishment of Dr. and Mrs. Sakharov.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in the discussions in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the situation in Afghanistan, Her Majesty's Government will take into account and, where possible, support, recommendation No. 889 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council; and whether he will make a statement.

We can certainly give broad support to the sentiments expressed in this recommendation. The Government's policies are aimed at ending the Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan and at ensuring that détente is global and reciprocal.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many inspectors in factories in the United Kingdom there are from the USSR, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia for the purpose of supervising goods on an order.

Regarding the Soviet Union I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath (Mr. Townsend) on 11 February.—[Vol. 978, c. 466.] Similar figures are not available for the other countries of Eastern Europe, since the records are not classified in such a way as to show how many people from such countries pursuing commercial activity in the United Kingdom are working as inspectors.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many persons in total are on the strengths of the embassies of Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

The figures, excluding locally engaged staff, are Poland 58, Bulgaria 40, Hungary 35, Czechoslovakia 67 and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 93.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Grimsby on 7 February that auxiliaries are part of the armed forces, why they have different uniforms, a different name, Pfmo Revano, and a different sphere of operation; what is their role; and how their pay and job tenure compares with that of the rest of the army.

We are consulting the Governor and will reply to the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what date has been set for Zimbabwe Independence Day; and whether the Governor will be present at the celebrations.

No date has yet been set. The Governor will be present for the transfer of power to the independence Government.

asked the Lord Privy Seal why Bishop Lamont of Umtali has not been allowed to remain in Rhodesia despite the assurances given to him by the Foreign Office before returning there.

Bishop Lamont was told by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that there would be no obstacle to his returning to Rhodesia. On his return he was given an entry permit valid until early February. It was made clear to him that an extension would be granted enabling him to remain for the duration of the Governor's administration. However, Bishop Lamont declined to apply for this extension and decided to leave Rhodesia. The choice was entirely his own.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade to what extent the work of the National Economic Development Office sector working parties will affect the adverse trend in the balance of trade shown, in written answer of 4 February, as applying in 25 out of the 32 main SITC divisions.

The sector working parties look for ways of improving the trade performance of their sectors, though they have no powers of direct action. There is no way of measuring the effects of their activities in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) whether, following the lapsing of the preferential export credit agreement with the Soviet Union, exports to that country are now supported on terms no more favourable than are available for exports to other countries;(2) on what date the preferential export credit agreement as to capital goods with the Soviet Union was terminated.

As these two questions both concern our attitude towards official support for exports to the Soviet Union. I am replying to them together.The Anglo-Soviet credit agreement expired on 16 February 1980 and is not being renewed. Applications for support for exports to the Soviet Union are now considered on terms no more favourable than those available for exports to other countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the volume increase year-on-year of, respectively, exports and imports, for each month since January 1970.

The available information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report details of the routes under the bilateral air agreement between British Airways and Kenya Airways.

The United Kingdom's air services agreement with Kenya, which is an agreement between the two Governments, was published as Cmnd. 7110 in November 1979. The agreement provides for the following routes:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the position of the "Aeolian Sky" and on its cargo as soon as the divers he has commissioned have completed their task of examination of the ship.

Divers contracted by my Department carried out a reconnaissance of the "Aeolian Sky" on 25 and 26 February and their detailed report is awaited. Preliminary indications are, however, that most chemicals which could have broken away from the upper deck have already done so either before or after the vessel sank. Furhermore, the divers confirm my Department's earlier view that any cargo recovery operation could not be undertaken before late spring.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, what study his Department has made of the volume of evidence submitted to the Snowdon working party on the integration of the disabled which has recently been published by the National Fund for Research into Crippling Diseases; what action he intends to take; and if he will make a statement.

My Department is studying the evidence submitted to the Snowdon working group. The integration of disabled people into the mainstream of life is a matter to which I attach much importance.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what study his Department has made of the volume of evidence submitted to the Snowdon working party on the integration of the disabled which has recently been published by the National Fund for Research into Crippling Diseases; what action he intends to take; and if he will make a statement.

The volume of evidence submitted to the Snowdon working party on the integration of the disabled and published recently will be valuable in assisting the appreciation of the problems associated with the disabled in every sphere of life.My Department is anxious to play a full part in finding suitable posts for disabled people and we shall continue our efforts to increase the number of 18 registered disabled persons we currently employ.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what action he proposes to take to secure the supply of paraffin (TVU) to rural communities in West Wales; what representations he has made to the oil companies which are threatening to discontinue supplies; and if he will make a statement.

Demand for tractor vapourising oil has been declining for many years as vehicles using the fuel fall out of use. The last company to produce TVO consulted closely with farming interests over its plans in 1975 and stopped producing TVO in June 1979. Monthly demand in the United Kingdom for TVO from remaining stocks had fallen to 11,900 litres by December 1979. In view of the small number of vehicles requiring this fuel which remain in service, it is the commercial judgment of the companies involved that continued production is not justified. In the case of premium paraffin, one oil company is withdrawing from the market, but its market share is small, and other companies operating in West Wales foresee no difficulty in meeting any additional demand which may arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he intends to take advantage of the offer from the Canadian Government of the use of the Canadian energy bus, assistance with software development and the training of crews; and if he will make a statement.

The European Commission's proposal for an EEC energy bus programme, to be established with the help of the Canadian Government, is designed to encourage energy auditing and conservation in industry. The United Kingdom Government's energy conservation programme already includes extensive promotion of energy survey and auditing activities. We are, however, considering taking part in the information exchange to be established under the proposed EEC programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the Government schemes for auditing energy use; and if he will make a statement about the success of these schemes.

My Department's energy survey scheme provides assistance in industry, commerce and the public sector with surveys of energy use of one day's duration or longer. Some 18,000 surveys have been carried out to date and an exercise is currently under way to asses the effectiveness of the scheme in terms of energy savings. The energy-saving information service provided by my Department also includes the distribution on request of fuel efficiency booklets, two of which are specifically aimed at helping organisations to audit their energy consumption. Over 150,000 of these two booklets have been issued to date. In addition, two films have been prepared by the Central Office of Information which have auditing of energy use as a key theme. These films are available free on loan from the Central Film Library and nearly 1,400 bookings have been made to end January 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give a preliminary report of the results of the international fuel cycle evaluation programme; and whether the stand taken by the United Kingdom on reprocessing spent fuel elements has been vindicated.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 November 1979, c. 786–87]: The final plenary conference of INFCE was held in Vienna this week; and the reports of the evaluation have been adopted by the 60 or so Governments who took part, which included the United Kingdom. Following their adoption, the reports have been published by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Copies of the reports have been deposited in the Libraries of the House. The Government will now consider the findings of this important international evaluation and any implications it might have for United Kingdom policies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he considers the revised proposals from the European Commission for the European Economic Community sugar regime 1980–85 to be acceptable to Her Majesty's Government; and whether he will make a statement.

The revised proposals are some improvement on the earlier ones in that they give the United Kingdom a small B quota. But they provide no increase in the proposed A quota and would impose on the British producer a disproportionate 24 per cent. cut in the present maximum quota. Accordingly, my right hon. Friend made it plain at the last Council meeting that the revised proposal was unacceptable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what would be the percentage reduction in sugar beet production for each country in the Community if the revised EEC Sugar Regime 1980–85 proposals for A and B quotas were accepted in their present form.

Quotas are set in terms of white sugar production and not beet production. The table below shows the percentage by which member States' maximum quotas would be altered if the Commission's proposals were agreed. It is not possible to make a reliable estimate of how total sugar production would be affected because this depends on the profitability of C quota sugar production and hence on world prices.

Denmark	— 4·1
Germany	— 3·7
France (Metropolitan)	— 4·3
France (Overseas Departments)	—29·5
Ireland	—25·0
Italy	— 8·2
Netherlands	— 8·0
Belgium and Luxembourg	—15·8
United Kingdom	—23·8
Total EEC	— 9·7
(Source EEC Commission)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish details of the training in conservation now given to members of the staff of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, in the light of his predecessor's acceptance of the Strutt report's recommendation on this point.

Training in conservation matters is provided for members of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS) and other Ministry staff throughout the country by means of courses and staff meetings and by attendance at conservation conferences and events. This local training is supported by specialist one-week courses, two of which were held in 1979 in cooperation with the Countryside Commission and the Nature Conservancy Council.Though principally for ADAS, these specialist courses were also attended by officers of the other Agriculture Departments. Two similar courses will be held this year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current estimate of the cost of construction of the Yare barrier at current prices; and what proportions of this sum would come from central Government, the county council, the district councils and the water authority.

The decision whether to construct a Yare barrier rests initially with the Anglian water authority. If and when it decides to go ahead with the proposal it will no doubt submit an application to my Department for grant-aid giving an up-to-date estimate of the cost. The current rate of grant for sea defence works in this part of the authority's area is 85 per cent. The question whether contributions should be sought from other bodies cannot be considered until the nature of the scheme has been finally decided.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many and what percentage of men aged between 60 years and 65 years he estimates would retire from work if they were given the opportunity to do so on pension.

I assume that the hon. and learned Member has in mind a situation in which pension age for men in the State and occupational schemes was reduced to 60. The extent to which men between 60 and 65 would retire in this situation would depend on the extent to which men and their employers adjusted their retirement plans and practices to the new provisions. In the long term it is probable that the pattern of retirement amongst men aged 60 to 64 would be similar to that at present shown by men aged 65 to 69. On this basis it is estimated that about 90 per cent. of men aged 60 to 64 would retire. The hon. and learned Member may wish to know that at present more than 10 per cent. of men aged 60 to 64 are retired.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, during his Department's restructuring of the National Health Service, he will ensure that minimum standards for obstetric and neonatal care are established in every regional health authority thereby providing a national health service for all pregnant women.

We wish to ensure that all mothers and their children receive the highest standards of care available, as do the professions involved. However, if minimum standards were laid down by the central Department or by the regional authority it would be essential to ensure that they were not interpreted as optimum standards, thus frustrating future development. I am aware that the Select Committee on Social Services has considered this in detail, and I will give it urgent attention when its report is received.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now appoint management consultants to advise on waste and overmanning in his Department.

The operations and staffing levels in local social security offices, the two central offices at Newcastle and North Fylde and at headquarters are subject to frequent review by management services and staff inspection units of my Department. Management consultants are brought in to advise from time to time where this is considered appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has from the last three annual surveys of the number of notified cases of children who were immunised against measles before their second birthday.

Notifications of measles in England and Wales totalled 173,361 in 1977, 124,035 in 1978 and, provisionally, 76,073 in 1979. The number of immunised children who contracted measles is not known but the measles vaccine trials conducted by the Medical Research Council do not indicate any fall in the response to measles vaccine, which has been shown to confer immunity on about 90 per cent. of recipients. The numbers of children, to the nearest thousand, immunised against measles by the end of the second year after their year of birth for the last three years for which figures are available, are as follows:

Year of birth		Per cent
1974	293,000	46
1975	293,000	49
1976	276,000	47

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if in view of the findings of the Spastics Society that 1978 saw a large increase in rubella-associated terminations of pregnancy, he will institute a national campaign to vaccinate women of child-bearing age against rubella and to test early in pregnancy for proven rubella immunity.

A national campaign to increase the uptake of rubella vaccination among women of child-bearing age was launched in June 1979. The circular issued then emphasised the importance of screening all ante-natal patients for rubella.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total sum that has been paid to date in supplementary benefit (a) to steel strikers and (b) to steel strikers' dependants.

Up to 19 February, £15,800 and £3,955,000, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it remains his intention to provide alternative funding of the National Health Service by a changeover to an insurance basis system, when consumers' readiness to pay would increase directly as a result of their being able to realise clearly that their money was devoted io their health care.

I believe that there are some features of insurance-based health systems which could with advantage be integrated into the National Health Service. Improved consumer awareness of individual contributions and of cost may be among these. However, any radical change in the basis of financing of the NHS must depend upon very careful study of all the advantages and disadvantages, and cannot be a short-term issue. I am continuing to examine the experience of other countries to see what lessons we can learn.

RECEPTION CENTRES, INCLUDING RESETTLEMENT UNITS
			Location				Bed capacity
Outside London
Alvaston	…	…	Derby	…	…	…	104
Brighton	…	…	Sussex	…	…	…	38
Crown Quay Lodge	…	…	Sittingbourne, Kent	…	…	…	76
Fazakerley	…	…	Liverpool	…	…	…	61
Glasgow	…	…	Bishopbriggs, Glasgow	…	…	…	63
Leeds	…	…	Leeds	…	…	…	96
Leicester	…	…	Wigston, Leicester	…	…	…	100
Newbury	…	…	Berkshire	…	…	…	80
Plawsworth	…	…	Chester-le-Street, Co. Durham	…	…	…	112
Southampton	…	…	Southampton	…	…	…	80
South Wales	…	…	Bridgend, Mid-Glamorgan	…	…	…	64
Walkden	…	…	Worsley, Manchester	…	…	…	84
West Midlands	…	…	Stourbridge, Worcestershire	…	…	…	123
Winterbourne	…	…	Bristol	…	…	…	112
Woodhouse	…	…	Sheffield	…	…	…	96
London
Camberwell	…	…	Peckham, SE15	…	…	…	550
Camden	…	…	Birkenhead Street, WC1	…	…	…	35*
Cedars Lodge	…	…	Cedars Road, SW4	…	…	…	70†
							30*
Bridge House	…	…	Kingsdown Close, W10	…	…	…	120
Lancelot Andrewes House	…	…	Great Guildford Street, Southwark, SE1	…	…	…	60
Pound Lodge	…	…	Pound Lane, NW10	…	…	…	80
Spur House	…	…	Ennersdale Road, SE13	…	…	…	150
West End House	…	…	Dean Street, Soho, W1	…	…	…	80
			Total	…	…	…	2,464
* Women.
† Men.