Written Answers To Questions
Thursday 28 February 1980
Employment
Industrial Disputes (Lost Working Days)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many days have been lost in strikes since 3 May 1979.
These statistics are not complied for parts of a month. The number of working days lost through industrial disputes from 1 May 1979 to 31 January 1980 was 24·5 million.
Skill Shortage Mobility Experiment
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the outcome of the skill shortage mobility experiment.
I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the skill shortage mobility experiment was introduced in January 1979 for a trial period of 12 months. A premium of £500 was paid to the unemployed or redundant workers in 18 selected occupa
| Department of Employment | Manpower Services Commission | Health and Safety | Advisory, Conciliation | ||||||
| Commission/Executive and Arbitration Service | |||||||||
| Staff | £ | Staff | £ | Staff | £ | Staff | £ | ||
| 1976 | … | 19 | 114,300 | 25 | 140,900 | 13 | 85,600 | 3 | 22,000 |
| 1977 | … | 21 | 129,800 | 29 | 174,000 | 18 | 119,700 | 3 | 23,700 |
| 1978 | … | 21 | 147,800 | 34 | 215,600 | 24 | 169,700 | 4 | 32,300 |
| 1979 | … | 21 | 161,100 | 38 | 273,700 | 24 | 185,300 | 4 | 35,800 |
| 1980 | … | 20 | 198,100 | 38 | 355,200 | 23 | 233,500 | 4 | 47,200 |
Disabled Persons (Concessionary Travel)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the increased costs of motoring and public transport which are causing severe mobility problems for many disabled people, he has any plans to extend to other areas the free transport scheme operated by Coventry social services department and financed by the Manpower Services Commission.
tional groups who were prepared to move to fill long standing vacancies in certain sectors of manufacturing industry. The premium was paid in addition to the normal assistance under the employment transfer scheme.
The number assisted under the experiment was less than had been anticipated. However, the Commission decided that it should be extended for six months so that in this period consideration could be given to whether there should continue to be special arrangements to promote the geographical mobility of people taking up particular kinds of vacancies, and if so what these should be.
Information Officers
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The number and cost of permanent staff in the information officer group in the DE Group at these dates was as follows:
[pursuant to his reply]: 26 February 1980, c. 505]: No. The scheme is run by Coventry social services department and funded by the Manpower Services Commission under the special temporary employment programme. As STEP projects can no longer be renewed or approved in Coventry the scheme will end later this year unless another source of finance is found by the city council. It is for the MSC to consider approving any similar schemes which may be proposed in areas where STEP is still available provided that such schemes meet the programme's criteria.
Industrial Training Boards
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total cost of the industrial training boards in each of the years 1977, 1978 and 1979 and the estimated cost for 1980.
I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that figures for calendar years are not available but that by financial years the total cost of the industrial training boards, including their training services and expenditure on training grants, and the cost borne on public funds were as follows:
| Total Cost: | |
| £ million | |
| 1976–77 | 172·1 |
| 1977–78 | 193·7 |
| 1978–79 | 200·0 |
| Of which, borne on public funds: | |
| £ million | |
| 1976–77 | 69·1 |
| 1977–78 | 85·4 |
| 1978–79 | 93·4 |
Jobcentres And Employmentexchanges
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobcentres and employment exchanges there are in England; if he will give the number and the names of those where the unemployment rate is (a) below the national average, (b) between one and two times the average, (c) between two and three times the average and (d) four times or more the national average.
I will reply to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.
Energy
Atomic Energy Reactors
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what studies have been undertaken by his Department to ascertain the decommissioning procedures to be adopted for Central Electricity Generating Board Magnox reactors and other atomic energy reactors.
Studies and associated development work on the problem of decommissioning reactors are being carried out by the UKAEA, the CEGB and the Health and Safety Executive. The EEC has also recently adopted a five-year research programme costing about £4 million. The first step in decommissioning is the removal of the fuel for reprocessing in the ordinary way. This removes the great bulk of the radioactivity. The studies referred to are therefore directed to the problems of dismantling and disposing of the reactor structure, which is itself radioactive making its early demolition difficult.
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of a likely period when the 26 Magnox reactors now operating on 11 sites in the United Kingdom will have to be decommissioned.
Current estimates indicate that Magnox reactors are likely to have been withdrawn from use for generation of electricity by the mid 1990s. Actual dates will be determined in the light of experience, having regard to the need to meet safety requirements and the benefits of maximising output from these reactors.Decommissioning would begin with the removal of the nuclear fuel. Surveillance and safety requirements for the remaining structures, containing only relatively small amounts of radioactivity would then be minimal. How long it would be before these were removed would depend on the balance between removal costs which will decline as the residual radioactivity decays, and the value of the site for other uses.Questions concerning the Magnox reactors at Hunterston are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.
Windscale (Contaminated Water Seepage)
asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects the Health and Safety Executive to publish a report on the seepage of contaminated water from a storage silo at Windscale found in October 1976.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today published a full report on this incident. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.The report describes the very thorough review carried out jointly by the nuclear installations inspectorate (NII) and radiochemical inspectorate (RCI). British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) has cooperated fully with the inspectorates and has conducted much supportive research into possible remedial actions and into the radiological effects of the leak.The report's conclusion is that the leak does not constitute a hazard to the safety of workers at the site; to the environment beyond the immediate vicinity of the leak; or to the public. The greater part of this activity which has leaked from the silo is retained in the soil close to the silo and above the water table. It is estimated that nuclides not absorbed by soil would take some years to migrate to the site boundary, during which time their radioactivity would decay to a negligible level. In view of this, the report concludes that the primary objective (though it will take some time to achieve) should be to empty the silo and dispose of its contents safely rather than attempt to seal the leak with the silo full, which, besides being hazardous and of uncertain effectiveness with present techniques, could prejudice the possibility of emptying the silo later. The company has accordingly been required to develop the necessary techniques for emptying the silo.However, HSE also considers it important that contingency plans should be available to seal the leak or to stop the spread of activity should the monitoring of the area reveal that the rate of leakage is increasing, or that activity is spreading away from the immediate vicinity of the silo.The Company has, therefore, been required to continue to monitor activity and assess the environmental impact of potential activity; and to develop contingency plans to seal the leak or erect a curtain wall outside the silo. Development work on a means of sealing the silo will include work on a means of sealing from the inside which will not prejudice the retrieval of material from it. If a practicable technique is developed, it could be used to prevent further discharges from the silo pending its emptying.The report also notes that the silo no longer receives waste. The first extension, now in use, is of different construction, having cavity walls permitting for, and recovery of, any water leakage. A further extension, now under construction, has double containment of the base as well as cavity walls.
Information Officers
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The number and cost of information officers employed by my Department at the beginning of each of the last four years were
| Number | Cost £ | |
| 1976 | 23 | 152,145 |
| 1977 | 24 | 168,771 |
| 1978 | 25 | 191,376 |
| 1979 | 24 | 230,377 |
| 1980 | 25 | 257,268 |
Information Officers
asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
No information officers are employed by my departments.
Overseas Development
Expenditure
asked the Lord Privy Seal by what percentage reduction his aid spending has fallen in real terms for the present financial year.
It is estimated that planned net expenditure on overseas aid in 1979–80 will be less than one per cent. below 1978–79 outturn revalued into 1979 survey prices.
United Nations Conference, Delhi
asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) which Foreign Office Minister represented the United Kingdom at the recent United Nations conference in Delhi;(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the speech delivered by a Minister from the Foreign Office at the recent United Nations Conference in Delhi.
The United Kingdom was represented at the recent third general conference of the United Nations industrial development organisation in New Delhi by Mr. Peter Blaker, Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. A copy of his speech to the conference has been placed in the Library.
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
Changes in ministerial responsibilities prevent direct comparisons with the period before May 1979. The figures for the years 1976–79 relate to staff employed in the office of the Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons. The 1980 figure relates to my offices of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Leader of the House and Minister responsible for the Arts.
| Year | Information Officers | Cost £ |
| 1976 | 2 | 12,524 |
| 1977 | 2 | 13,815 |
| 1978 | 2 | 14,817 |
| 1979 | 2 | 16,394 |
| 1980 | 2 | 19,840 |
asked the Paymaster General what was the annual cost of the Government Information Service in 1970, 1975 and 1979; how many staff were em-played on those dates; what has been the increase in the cost of the service over the last 10 years; and if he is satisfied that the cost of the service represents value for money.
Details of the provision in Supply Estimates for the costs of the Government information service are contained in table 8 of the Chief Secretary's memorandum for the years in question.
The corresponding figures for staff in post at 1 April were 1,239 in 1970, 1,367 in 1975 and 1,292 in 1979. Since I became responsible for co-ordination of Government information services I have been satisfied that the cost of the services does represent value for money, although of course I shall continue to seek ways of improving their efficiency. I cannot, of course, form a judgment about the position in past years.
asked the Paymaster General if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
None.
Prime Minister (Engagements)
Q5.
asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official engagements for 28 February.
Q6.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q7.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 28 February.
Q8.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q9.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q10.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q11.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q12.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her public engagements for 28 February.
Q15.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 28 February.
Q16.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 28 February.
Q17.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 28 February.
Q18.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 28 February.
Q20.
asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q21.
asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official engagements for Thursday 28 February.
Q23.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q24.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q25.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q26.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q27.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q29.
asked the Prime Minister is she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q30.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 28 February.
Q33.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 28 February.
Q35.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q36.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q39.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 28 February.
Q41.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
Q42.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 28 February.
Q43.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 28 February.
44.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 28 February.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 28 February.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 28 February.
I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Newton (Mr. Evans).
Public Trustee
Q13.
asked the Prime Minister if she will bring forward legislation to wind up the Public Trustee.
No.
Common Fisheries Policy
Q14.
asked the Prime Minister what measures Her Majesty's Government propose to introduce to protect the British fishing industry from the consequences of the failure of the European Community to agree to a new common fisheries policy.
I am aware of the difficulties currently being experienced by the fishing industry. The industry has made proposals which are being considered urgently.
Child Benefit
Q19.
asked the Prime Minister whether it is Government policy to increase incentives to work by reducing the gap between child benefit and the national insurance or supplementary benefit for children.
In considering incentives to work we recognise that the level of child benefit is a significant factor. We also recognise that any increase in child benefit is expensive, each 10p costing about £56 million, at a time when we are critically examining public expenditure.
West Yorkshire
Q22.
asked the Prime Minister when next she expects to visit West Yorkshire.
I hope to visit Yorkshire next month.
Rhodesia
Q28.
asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on the Rhodesian situation.
I refer my hon. Friend to the replies which I gave earlier.
Bells Hill
Q31.
asked the Prime Minister whether she will visit Bells Hill.
I have at present no plans to do so.
Engineering Industry
Q32.
asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the effectiveness of the administrative co-ordination between the Department of Industry, the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Employment, the Department of Energy and the Scottish Office, in relation to those engineering matters covered by the Finniston report.
Yes.
South Wales
Q34.
asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to South Wales.
I hope to visit Wales later this year.
Parliamentary Questions
Q37.
asked the Prime Minister why her Government have refused to answer more questions than any other on the grounds that it would be too expensive to provide the information.
I am aware of no evidence to support the hon. Member's assertion.
National Economic Evelopment Council
Q38.
asked the Prime Minister when next she expects to meet the National Economic Development Council.
No dates have been arranged.
Information Officers
asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by her Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The number and total cost of information officer group staff in my office, the Civil Service Department and the Central Statistical Office on these dates were as follows:
| Number | Cost £ | |
| Prime Minister's Office | ||
| 1 January 1976 | 7 | 59,000 |
| 1 January 1977 | 7 | 58,000 |
| 1 January 1978 | 7 | 62,000 |
| 1 January 1979 | 7 | 67,000 |
| 1 January 1980 | 5 | 65,000 |
| Civil Service Department | ||
| 1 January 1976 | 14 | 90,000 |
| 1 January 1977 | 14 | 96,000 |
| 1 January 1978 | 11 | 78,000 |
| 1 January 1979 | 9 | 69,000 |
| 1 January 1980 | 9 | 95,000 |
| Central Statistical Office | ||
| 1 January 1976 | 2 | 17,000 |
| 1 January 1977 | 2 | 18,000 |
| 1 January 1978 | 3 | 25,000 |
| 1 January 1979 | 3 | 27,000 |
| 1 January 1980 | 3 | 37,000 |
Research And Development
asked the Prime Minister if she will list the membership of the Advisory Council for Applied Research and Development.
I have appointed six new members to ACARD and have invited Dr. Alfred Spinks to become chairman of the Council. The membership is now:
- Dr. Alfred Spinks, CBE (Chairman) formerly Director of Research, ICI Ltd.
- Sir Henry Chilver (Deputy Chairman) Vice-Chancellor, Cranfield Institute of Technology.
- Sir John Atwell, CBE Chairman, Scottish Offshore Partnership Sir Robert Clayton, CBE Technical Director, GEC Limited.
- Mr. D. Downs, CBE Chairman and Managing Director, Ricardo Consulting Engineers Ltd.
- *Dr. D. L. Georgala Head of Laboratory, Unilever Researchv *Professor W. B. Heginbotham, OBE Director-General, Production Engineering Research Association.
- *Dr. B.C. Lindley Director of Research, Dunlop Limited.
- Mr. J. Lyons General Secretary, Engineers' and Managers' Association.
- Sir Ieuan Maddock, CB formerly Chief Scientist, Department of Industry.
- *Sir Alec Merrison Vice-Chancellor, University of Bristol, Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils.
- *Mr. A. M. Muir Wood Senior Partner, so William Halcrow & Partners Dr. L. Rotherham, CBE formerly Vice Chancellor, University of Bath *Mr. J. L. van der Post Chief Executive Water Research Centre.
- Mr. G. H. Wright, MBE Regional Secretary for Wales Transport and General Workers Union
Foreign And Commonwealthaffairs
Political And Publicity Organisations(Nato Grants)
asked the Lord Privy Seal what funds, drawn from the contributions of member States, NATO has provided to political and publicity organisations in the United Kingdom over the last five years; which organisations received grants; and what were the sums paid in each case.
I am informed that over the last five years NATO has allocated £48,190 to such organisations for educational and publicity purposes. This figure has been distributed as follows:
| to the Labour and Trades Union Press Service: | |
| 1976 | £6,000 |
| 1977 | £6,600 |
| 1978 | £6,050 |
| 1979 | £6,535 |
| 1980 | £7,150 (earmarked) |
| to British Atlantic Youth: | |
| 1976 | nil |
| 1977 | £1,000 |
| 1978 | £1,200 |
| 1979 | £2,000 |
| 1980 | £2,000 (earmarked) |
| to the European Atlantic Movement: | |
| 1976 | nil |
| 1977 | £1,600 |
| 1978 | £1,600 |
| 1979 | £5,800 |
| 1980 | nil |
Information Officers
asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department, at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The number and cost of officers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's news department were as follows:
| Numbers of staff | Average cost per head | |
| 1 January 1976 | 13 | 7,100 |
| 1 January 1977 | 13 | 7,500 |
| 1 January 1978 | 12 | 8,500 |
| 1 January 1979 | 12 | 10,600 |
| 1 January 1980 | 12 | 11,800 |
| Numbers of staff | Average cost per head | |
| £ | ||
| 1 January 1976 | 11 | 7,800 |
| 1 January 1977 | 10 | 7,800 |
| 1 January 1978 | 10 | 8,800 |
| 1 January 1979 | 9 | 10,800 |
| 1 January 1980 | 9 | 12,100 |
Ussr (Trade Inspectors)
asked the Lord Privy Seal how the number of Soviet trade officials in the United Kingdom compares with each other country in the European Community and the United States of America with Canada.
Detailed information is not available to Her Majesty's Government. The number of Soviet trade officials in the countries mentioned is, of course, a matter for the Governments concerned.
asked the Lord Privy Seal how many of the Soviet trade inspectors of industrial equipment being exported to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics are in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively.
Two are in Scotland, one is in Wales, and three are in Northern Ireland.
asked the Lord Privy Seal how many of the 65 Soviet trade inspectors in the United Kingdom are accompanied by their families.
Fifty.
asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the longest length of stay of any one of the 65 Soviet trade inspectors in the United Kingdom.
Thirty-six months.
British Trade Inspectors (Communist Countries)
asked the Lord Privy Seal how many British inspectors are at present in Communist countries monitoring the manufacture of goods and equipment to be delivered to Great Britain under trade agreements.
Neither British firms nor individuals concerned are required to tell the Government of such activities on their part.
Communist Countries (Trade Inspectors)
asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list in the Official Report the names of those Communist countries which have trade inspectors working in Great Britain monitoring the manufacture of goods and equipment to be exported to their countries; and if he will give the number of trade inspectors per country.
I shall circulate in the Official Report as much information as is available as soon as it has been assembled.
Ussr Officials (United Kingdom Residents)
asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the present fixed limit on the number of Soviet officials who are resident in the United Kingdom for more than three weeks: and what it was on 1 March 1974.
The following fixed limits are placed on the number of Soviet officials resident in the United Kingdom for periods longer than three months:
| Soviet Embassy | 93 |
| Soviet Trade Delegation | 47 |
| Other Soviet organisations, including commercial organisations, press, etc | 106 |
| Temporary appointments to the Soviet Trade Delegation for periods of 1–3 months | 13 |
Trade
Copyright Acts
48.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he has any proposals to amend the Copyright Acts.
The Whitford committee to consider the law on copyright and designs, which reported in 1977, made a great many recommendations for legislative changes covering all aspects of this very complex area of law. The Government are studying these recommendations in the light of the many comments they have received on the report, with a view to putting forward some proposals for public discussion in due course.
| UNITED KINGDOM TRADE IN MANUFACTURES* | |||||
| EXCLUDING ERRATICS † | |||||
| Indices1975 = 100 | |||||
| OTS basis | |||||
| Exports | Imports | ||||
| Volume | Unit Value | Volume | Unit Value | ||
| 1967 | … | 61 | N/A | 49 | N/A |
| 1968 | … | 69 | N/A | 56 | N/A |
| 1969 | … | 78 | N/A | 59 | N/A |
| 1970 | … | 79 | 52 | 66 | 53 |
| 1971 | … | 86 | 55 | 71 | 53 |
| 1972 | … | 86 | 58 | 85 | 55 |
| 1973 | … | 97 | 64 | 103 | 67 |
| 1974 | … | 104 | 80 | 110 | 87 |
| 1975 | … | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| 1976 | … | 109 | 120 | 110 | 123 |
| 1977 | … | 115 | 141 | 119 | 142 |
| 1978 | … | 117 | 155 | 135 | 150 |
| 1979 | … | 117 | 169 | 159 | 161 |
| N/A not available | |||||
| * SITC sections 5 to 8 | |||||
| † These are defined as ships and North Sea installations (together comprising SITC (Rev 2 793). aircraft (792) and precious stones (667) | |||||
Information Officers
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The number of information officers employed by my Department and the average cost of salary plus employer's national insurance contribution is as follows:—
The figures for 1 January and subsequently to 1 January 1979 include the staff in the Department of Prices andNumber of staff and Average cost: 1.1.76, 123, £5,304; 1.1.77, 124 £6,000; 1.1.78, 118, £6,501; 1.1.79, 120, £7,131; 1.1.80, 121, £8,889.
Manufactures
asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing the indices of trade in manufactures, excluding erratics, from 1967 onwards on the same basis as shown in the latest press notice on the January trade figures.
The available annual information in respect of manufacturers excluding erratics is given in the table below. More detailed information from 1970 will be published in the next Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, which will be published early in March.Consumer Protection which has since been absorbed in the Department of Trade.The information officer group, in addition to press and public relations officers, includes information specialists in exhibitions, exhibition design and paid publicity.
Imports And Exports
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the cost and volume, that is value at constant prices, of United Kingdom imports and exports as a whole and for each individual EEC country for each of the last 10 years.
The information requested on the value of United Kingdom trade with EEC countries is readily available in published statistics, and I refer my hon. Friend to Tables B2 and E20 of the January issue of the Monthly Review of Exttrnal Trade Statistics. A copy of this publication is in the House of Commons Library.Information on the volume of United Kingdom trade with specific areas of countries is not available in the United Kingdom statistics.
Company Directors (Penalties)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many of the 1,375 penalties imposed during 1979 under section 4(1) of the Companies Act 1976 were on individual directors as opposed to penalties against the defaulting company.
All of them. Companies are not liable under this provision.
Ussr (Exports)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the value of industrial equipment exports to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics by British firms which have Soviet inspectors attached to them; and how this compares with the position before the appointment of such inspectors.
The information requested by my hon. Friend is not readily available and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost.
Lead Acid Batteries
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list in the Official Report the quantity and total value of the import and export of sealed lead acid batteries for the latest available year.
[pursuant to his reply, 25 February 1980]: The information is not available. Sealed lead acid accumulators are not separately identified in the Overseas Trade Statistics.
Social Services
Social Security (Entitlement)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many managers of local security offices have requested public co-operation in the campaign against those who may not be entitled to social security; and if he will make a statement.
The Department's policy in dealing with suspected cases of social security fraud and abuse is perfectly clear and has not changed for many years. We neither expect nor encourage members of the public to investigate such cases on our behalf. But we are always prepared and indeed regard it as our duty, to follow up any positive information brought to our attention which suggests that fraud or abuse is taking place. All members of the Department, including the managers of local social security offices, are expected to observe this policy. I am aware of recent press reports which imply otherwise, and which have no doubt prompted the right hon. Gentleman's question. These reports have either misunderstood or mis-stated the views of officials and whilst I have no reason to believe that the policy is not properly carried out, I am reminding managers of it in view of the interest shown by the right hon. Gentleman and others in the matter.
Information Officers
asked the Attorney-General if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department and by the Lord Chancellor's Office at the beginning of each of the last four years.
No costs have been incurred by either Department as neither has nor has had over the last four years an information officer.
Industry
Information Officers
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The number of information officers employed by my Department and the average cost of salary plus employer's national insurance contribution is as follows:
The information officers group, in addition to press and public relations officers, includes information specialists in exhibitions, publications and paid publicity.Number of Staff and Average Cost: 1.1.76, 57, £5,754; 1.1.77, 59, £6,545; 1.1.78, 53, £7,018; 1.1.79, 54, £7,638; 1.1.80, 54, £9,590.
Industrial Assistance
asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what was the total Government assistance to industry for the financial years 1974–75 to 1978–79, inclusive, for the Northern region of England and for Wales, respectively;(2) what was the average assistance to industry per head of the population for the years 1974–75 to 1978–79, inclusive, for the Northern region of England and for Wales, respectively.
| Expenditure | |||||||
| Year | Northern region £ million | Per head of population £ | Wales £ million | Per head of population £ million | |||
| 1974–75 | … | … | … | 62·1* | 19·8* | 46·6 | 16·9 |
| 1975–76 | … | … | … | 116·7 | 37·3 | 67·4 | 24·4 |
| 1976–77 | … | … | … | 171·8 | 55·0 | 76·5 | 27·6 |
| 1977–78 | … | … | … | 154·0 | 49·4 | 89·1 | 32·2 |
| 1978–79 | … | … | … | 163·9 | 52·9 | 107·7 | 38·9 |
Notes:
(1) This includes expenditure on regional development grants, selective financial assistance under sections 7 and 8 of the industry Act 1972, and on land and factories. Since 1 July 1975 regional selective assistance under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 to firms in Wales has been administered by the Welsh Office, and since 1 January 1976 factories there have been built by the Welsh Development Agency. Expenditure under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972 excludes payments made to individual firms and payments made under the offshore supplies interest relief grant scheme as it is not always possible to allocate payments made in these cases to specific regions or areas. Expenditure under section 7 of the Act excludes the following payments to the Ford Motor Company which were shared between the North-Western region of England and Wales but which cannot be allocated specifically:
| 1977–78 | 1978–79 |
| £m | £m |
| 4·3 | 52·0 |
(2) All figures are at outturn prices. They are gross and include payments to the nationalised industries of regional development grants and selective Financial assistance.
(3) Aside from expenditure on land and factories, there is no predetermined allocation of regional preferential expenditure between separate areas or regions. Expenditure under such schemes depends, therefore, on the level of applications from eligible firms within the areas or regions concerned.
* The 1974–75 figures for the Northern region exclude expenditure on land and factories. They are therefore not comparable either with the corresponding figures for Wales for the year, or to figures for the later years.
Shipyards
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what study his Department has made of the system of subsidy for shipyards operated by the Belgian Government, in the light of the paper "A Profile of British Shipbuilders" by Mr. John Parker, of the board of British Shipbuilders, a copy of which has been supplied to him.
The Belgian authorities have confirmed in respoinse to an official enquiry that no production subsidies are given to the Belgium shipbuilding industry. Aid to their domestic shipowners, through preferential credit,
I regret the information is not available in the form requested.Much of the assistance given to industry by the Government cannot be broken down for individual regions without disproportionate staff time and cost. However, total expenditure in the years specified on the main forms of regional preferential assistance to industry and on national schemes of assistance under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972 is estimated as follows:has been in existence for many years. Under the EEC fourth directive such aid is not regarded as aid to the shipbuilding industry provided it is available on ships built in any EEC yard.
Microelectronics
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what are the terms of reference and aims of the microprocessors application project; how much has been spent on this project since its inception; and what further funds are to be allocated for 1980–81.
[pursuant to his reply 25 February 1980, c. 460–61]: The central aims of the microprocessors application project are to raise the awareness of key decision makers to the significance of microelectronic applications, to increase the training and retraining facilities for engineers in industry, and to provide incentives for feasibility studies and project developments. The figures for actual spend and so far committed are £3£897 million, £18,220 million respectively. The allocation for 1980–81 has not yet been finalised but we expect to spend about £15 million.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list those projects and schemes which have been wholly or partly funded by his Department to promote and extend the microelectronic industry; how much has been spent in each case over the past three years; and what percentage of his Department's budget this represents.
[pursuant to his reply, 25 February 1980, c. 460–61]: Spending by the Department in support of the microelectronics industry in the past three financial years has been as follows:
| £ | |
| Microelectronics support scheme | 6,579,000 |
| Electronic components industry scheme | 318,000 |
| Microelectronics industry support programme | 1,168,000 |
| Computers, systems and electronics requirements board | 1,750,000 |
| Advanced computer techniques project | 350,000 |
| Total: | £10,165,000 |
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish a comprehensive list of microprocessor surveys, and their costs, funded by his Department.
[pursuant to his reply, 26 February 1980]: Since the inception of the microprocessor applications project in 1978 my Department has commissioned and funded the following general microprocessor surveys with various objectives:—
Platt Saco Lovell
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what loans or grants Platt Saco Lovell has received in each of the last five years under industrial aid schemes; which schemes were involved in each case and what sum per year under each scheme; and what information he has about how the money was spent in each case.
Offers totalling £2,941,809 were made to this company in 1978 under the textile machinery industry scheme, to assist the company to restructure its manufacturing facilities in Lancashire. I regret that it is not the practice to publish additional information in individual cases for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
Post Office Pension Fund
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what consideration has been given to the future of the Post Office pension fund in the discussions on the future construction of the corporation; what discussions he has held and with whom about the future of the pension fund; what representations he has received; and if he will make a statement.
The Post Office is consulting its unions and the trustees of the fund and will put proposals to my right hon. Friend in due course. No specific representations on the subject have been received.
European Community (Steel Production And Consumption)
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will set out five tables, one for each of the last five years,
| PRODUCTION AND APPARENT CONSUMPTION OF CRUDE STEEL | |||||||
| million tonnes | |||||||
| 1974 | Production | Percentage of EEC total | Apparent consumption | Percentage of EEC total | |||
| Belgium | … | … | … | 16·2 | 10·4 | 5·5 | 4·5 |
| Luxembourg | … | … | … | 6·4 | 4·1 | ||
| Denmark | … | … | … | 0·5 | 0·3 | 2·4 | 2·0 |
| France | … | … | … | 27·0 | 17·4 | 24·8 | 20·2 |
| Ireland | … | … | … | 0·1 | 0·1 | 0·5 | 0·4 |
| Italy | … | … | … | 23·8 | 15·3 | 23·8 | 19·4 |
| Netherlands | … | … | … | 5·8 | 3·7 | 5·3 | 4·3 |
| United Kingdom | … | … | … | 22·4 | 14·4 | 23·7 | 19·3 |
| West Germany | … | … | … | 53·2 | 34·2 | 36·8 | 30·0 |
| 1975 | |||||||
| Belgium | … | … | … | 11·6 | 9·3 | 3·6 | 3·5 |
| Luxembourg | … | … | … | 4·6 | 3·7 | ||
| Denmark | … | … | … | 0·6 | 0·5 | 1·8 | 1·4 |
| France | … | … | … | 21·5 | 17·2 | 20·4 | 19·7 |
| Ireland | … | … | … | 0·1 | 0·1 | 0·4 | 0·4 |
| Italy | … | … | … | 21·8 | 17·4 | 18·6 | 18·0 |
| Netherlands | … | … | … | 4·8 | 3·8 | 4·6 | 4·4 |
| United Kingdom | … | … | … | 19·8 | 15·8 | 21·0 | 20·3 |
| West Germany | … | … | … | 40·4 | 32·2 | 33·0 | 31·9 |
| 1976 | |||||||
| Belgium | … | … | … | 12·1 | 9·0 | 4·3 | 3·7 |
| Luxembourg | … | … | … | 4·6 | 3·4 | ||
| Denmark | … | … | … | 0·7 | 0·5 | 2·3 | 2·0 |
| France | … | … | … | 23·2 | 17·3 | 23·5 | 20·2 |
| Ireland | … | … | … | 0·1 | 0·1 | 0·5 | 0·4 |
| Italy | … | … | … | 23·4 | 17·4 | 22·6 | 19·4 |
| Netherlands | … | … | … | 5·2 | 3·9 | 4·7 | 4·0 |
| United Kingdom | … | … | … | 22·4 | 16·7 | 21·3 | 18·3 |
| West Germany | … | … | … | 42·4 | 31·6 | 37·3 | 32·0 |
| Belgium | … | … | … | 11·3 | 9·0 | 4·2 | 3·8 |
| Luxembourg | … | … | … | 4·3 | 3·4 | ||
| Denmark | … | … | … | 0·7 | 0·5 | 1·9 | 1·7 |
| France | … | … | … | 22·1 | 17·5 | 21·1 | 19·0 |
| Ireland | … | … | … | 0·1 | 0·1 | 0·5 | 0·4 |
| Italy | … | … | … | 23·3 | 18·5 | 22·3 | 20·1 |
| Netherlands | … | … | … | 4·9 | 3·9 | 4·5 | 4·0 |
| United Kingdom | … | … | … | 20·5 | 16·2 | 20·7 | 18·6 |
| West Germany | … | … | … | 39·0 | 30·9 | 36·1 | 32·5 |
| 1978 | |||||||
| Belgium | … | … | … | 12·6 | 9·5 | 4·3 | 3·9 |
| Luxembourg | … | … | … | 4·8 | 3·6 | ||
| Denmark | … | … | … | 0·9 | 0·7 | 1·9 | 1·8 |
| France | … | … | … | 22·8 | 17·2 | 21·0 | 19·2 |
| Ireland | … | … | … | 0·1 | 0·1 | 0·5 | 0·5 |
| Italy | … | … | … | 24·4 | 18·3 | 21·4 | 19·6 |
showing the consumption and production of steel in millions of tons to the nearest tenth of a million and as a percentage of European Economic Community totals for each country in the European Economic Community.
The information is as follows:
| PRODUCTION AND APPARENT CONSUMPTION OF CRUDE STEEL {continued) | |||||||
million tonnes
| |||||||
| 1978 | Production
| Percentage of EEC total
| Apparent consumption
| Percentage of EEC total
| |||
| Netherlands | … | … | … | 5·6 | 4·2 | 4·6 | 4·2 |
| United Kingdom | … | … | … | 20·3 | 15·3 | 20·2 | 18·5 |
| West Germany | … | … | … | 41·3 | 31·1 | 35·2 | 32·3 |
| 1979 | |||||||
| Belgium | … | … | … | 13·4 | 9·6 | not available | |
| Luxembourg | … | … | … | 4·9 | 3·5 | ||
| Denmark | … | … | … | 0·8 | 0·6 | ||
| France | … | … | … | 23·4 | 16·7 | ||
| Ireland | … | … | … | 0·1 | 0·1 | ||
| Italy | … | … | … | 24·0 | 17·2 | ||
| Netherlands | … | … | … | 5·8 | 4· | ||
| United Kingdom | … | … | … | 21·5 | 15·4 | ||
| West Germany | … | … | … | 46·0 | 32·9 | ||
Source:
EUROSTAT
Note:
Apparent consumption is the production of products converted to ingot weight plus imports less exports plus consumption of scrap in rolling mills and adjustments for stock changes.
Home Department
Mrs Lillian Wilson
20.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will allow Mrs. Lillian Wilson of 33 Salisbury Road, London N.22 to remain in the United Kingdom permanently.
As the hon. Member knows, I wrote to him about this case in August last. Leave to appeal against the adjudicator's decision was refused in September. The hon. Member has this week written to my right hon. Friend asking that the decision be reversed. When this letter has been considered I shall write to the hon. Member.
Wormwood Scrubs
8.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received the report of the regional director for prisons on the incidents at Wormwood Scrubs in August 1979; and whether he will make a statement.
19.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now ready to publish the report of the Gibson inquiry into the incident at Wormwood Scrubs.
Following a communication made to me earlier this week by Mr. Gibson, the regional director for the South-East region of the prison department who has been conducting the investigation into the incident at Wormwood Scrubs prison on 31 August 1979, I am asking the police to investigate allegations of criminal offences by staff against prisoners.Mr. Gibson will report to me in due course on the basis of the inquiries which has has already made on other aspects of the incident. Mr. Gibson has already concluded that the deployment of the MUFTI teams to regain control of D Wing was fully justified and that prison officers must continue to be trained and equipped to deal with acts of concerted indiscipline by inmates. I fully endorse that view. I will make a further statement when I have received Mr. Gibson's report.
Persons On Remand
28.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently on remand in custody solely for the preparation of medical or probation reports.
I regret that this information is not available centrally.
British Broadcasting Corporation
21.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects next to meet the chairman of the board of governors of the BBC.
I have no immediate plans to do so.
Criminal Offences (Statistics)
22.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many burglaries, car thefts, and robberies with violence took place (a) on Merseyside and (b) in England and. Wales during the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many motorists were cautioned or prosecuted during the same period.
1978 is the latest year for which information on both offences and cautions or prosecutions is available. In 1978 there were recorded 53,300 offences of burglary, theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle, or robbery in Merseyside, and 896,000 such offences in England and Wales. In the same period, for offences relating to motor vehicles, 48,500 persons in Merseyside were given written warnings or proceeded against, and 1,452,000 in England and Wales.
Citizenship Applications
24.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why applications for British citizenship are subject to delays of up to one year; and what proposals he has to reduce the waiting period.
The main reason for delay is that there has been a sharp rise in the numbers of applications for citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies in the last two years; at the end of 1979 they had risen by over 50 per cent. compared with 1977. My right hon. Friend announced last December that the staff of the nationality division was being increased in view of these delays but that the need to restrain public expenditure limited what could be done.
Telephone Tapping
23.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete his review of the law on telephone tapping.
27.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete his review of the law on telephone tapping.
31.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete his review of the law on telephone tapping.
35.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete his review of the law on telephone tapping.
I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave earlier today to questions by the hon. Members for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery) Keighley (Mr. Cryer) and Stockport, North (Mr. Bennett).
Parliamentary Candidates (Deposits)
25.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received in the past 12 months concerning the need for an increase in the deposit payable by parliamentary candidates.
Since taking office we have received about a dozen representations from members of the public and others advocating an increase in the deposit.
Metropolitan Police Force
26.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present strength of the Metropolitan Police force; how this figure compares with 12 months before; and by how much the present figure is below establishment.
At 31 December 1979 the strength was 22,528, 567 more than a year before, and still 4,061 below the establishment of 26,589.
Electoral Rolls
29.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his best estimate of the number of electors in England and Wales whose names appeared more than once each on the electoral registers for the latest electoral year for which the figure is available.
Information on the basis of which such an estimate could be made is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Jurors (Regina V Bennett, Mills And Others)
30.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he refuses to reply to letters sent to him by the jurors in Regina v. Bennett, Mills and others.
As far as I am aware, we have received only one such letter, a copy of which was also sent to my right hon. Friend by the hon. Member with a request for comments. My noble Friend, the Under-Secretary of State, replied on 13 February, enclosing an extra copy of his reply for the juror.
Chief Constable Of Merseyside
32.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to meet the chief constable of Merseyside.
I have no immediate plans for a further meeting with the chief constable.
Police Photograph Albums
33.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report his Department's guidelines regarding access to police photograph albums by potential witnesses once a suspect has been picked out.
Rules on the use of photographs for identification are contained in the memorandum attached to Home Office circular No. 109/1978, copies of which are available in the Library of the House and from Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
Civil Defence
34.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a ministerial broadcast on civil defence.
I have no plans to do so.
42.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce his review of civil defence measures.
I shall make an announcement on the conclusions of the review as soon as possible.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to consult local authority associations about reviewing their policies concerning their duties and actions in the aftermath of nuclear attack.
I regularly consult the local authority associations on all aspects of their civil defence responsibilities.
Short Stay Visitors
36.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest information available to him in connection with short stay visitors to the United Kingdom who overstay.
I refer the hon. Member to what my right hon. Friend said about overstaying during the debate on 4 December, and to the reply given on 18 December to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow).—[Vol. 975, c. 259–260; Vol. 976, c. 118–120.]
Parliamentary Candidates (Age)
37.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to introduce legislation to lower the age at which people can stand for election to the House of Commons.
We are considering this matter as part of our general review of electoral law and procedures.
Vandalism And Violence (Powers Of Punishment)
38.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that magistrates have sufficient powers to punish persistent crimes of vandalism and violence to the person.
Yes. The maximum penalties available to magistrates for the more serious examples of these offences are a fine of £1,000 or six months' imprisonment or both; and they have power to commit for sentence to the Crown court in any case where, in view of the offender's character or antecedents, they consider their powers insufficient.
Special Constables
39.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables are currently serving in the police forces in England and Wales; and what relationships the number of special constables has to the number of regular police officers.
A total of 15,960 special constables were enrolled at 31 December 1979, the latest date for which figures are available. There is no set relationship between the numbers of special constables and regular police officers: chief officers of police are encouraged to enrol as many special constables as they can usefully train and employ.
Police Complaints Board
40.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects next to meet the chairman of the Police Complaints Board.
I have no immediate plans for a further meeting with Lord Plowden.
Diana Irons
43.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Diana Irons will be moved from Broadmoor.
Miss Irons was transferred from Broadmoor to another hospital on 27 February 1980.
Demonstrations (Policing Costs)
44.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of policing demonstrations in the Metropolitan Police district during 1979.
The Commissioner has estimated the cost of policing all demonstrations, marches and meetings which required the presence of 100 or more police officers at about £5·75 million.
Association Of Chief Constables
45.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when next he will meet the Association of Chief Constables.
I met it at its request on 20 February. I have no plans at present to meet it again.
Immigration
46.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on illegal immigration.
The Government take a serious view of circumvention of the immigration control, whether by illegal entry or by breach of conditions imposed on lawful entry. Extensive measures are taken by the Immigration and Nationality Department, including the Immigration Service, and by the police to trace evaders of the control; the effectiveness of the machinery for this purpose is kept under continuing review. Substantial powers exist for dealing with people found to have flouted the immigration laws. The courts may impose substantial penalties and may recommend deportation. Except where in individual cases there are powerful arguments against it, the Government will not hesitate to make full use of the powers available to remove offenders from the country.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether immigrants who are allowed entry under the new immigration rules being dependants over 65 years will be entitled to retirement pension, supplementary benefit or free medical treatment; and whether they have the right to bring in their dependants, for example children under 18 years of age.
The immigration rules do not directly govern eligibility for the matters mentioned in the first part of the question. These are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. The new rules do, however, state that the sponsor must be able to maintain and accommodate his dependants without recourse to public funds and that he should give an undertaking in writing to this effect if requested—though this requirement does not apply to the admission of the wife or the child under 18 of a Commonwealth citizen who has the right of abode or was settled here on the coming into force of the Immigration Act 1971. In the case of the children of elderly dependants there is the additional requirement that the sponsor must be able to maintain and accommodate not only his parents or grandparents but also any other relatives who would be admissible as their dependants.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy regarding the entry of polygamous spouses.
The matter is being kept under review but, as my hon. Friend knows, the extent to which the entry of such wives can be controlled is limited by the interaction of the primary legislation on immigration and nationality with the law on marriage.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up a system so that for each port of entry and embarkation and centrally for the whole of the United Kingdom figures are kept on a monthly basis for the recording of the numbers of persons travelling according to country of last embarkation for those entering the United Kingdom and country of first destination for those leaving the United Kingdom.
No. Such a system would involve disproportionate cost. The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in its international passenger survey has, since 1964, collected data on a sample of all passengers including information on the country of last residence of incoming passengers and the country of destination of passengers embarking.
Sinn Fein
47.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to proscribe the Provisional Sinn Fein.
I have no present plans to do so.
Citizens Band Radio
41.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in his consideration of the possibility of introducing citizens band radio.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now take steps to allow the use of citizens band radio.
We are still examining the regulatory and administrative difficulties involved in legalising the use of citizens band radio which I outlined in the course of an Adjournment debate on this issue on 6 December. We hope to announce a decision before long.—[Vol. 975, c. 761–74]
Police (Complaints)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the last 12 months for which figures are available (a) how many complaints have been made against members of the Metropolitan Police, (b) how many complaints, and what percentage of the total made, have been upheld, (c) how many policemen have been dismissed, and how many have been required to resign, (d) how many appeals have been made to the Commissioner, and how many have been upheld, and (e) how many appeals have been made to him, and how many have been upheld.
The information requested is contained in the report of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis for the year 1978—Cmnd. 7580—a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The report contains the following information:
Fingerprints
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sets of fingerprints are held at New Scotland Yard on the computerised videofile information system.
The videofile finger-print system at New Scotland Yard is not expected to be fully operational until the end of 1980, by which time it will hold on video tape about 2·5 million sets of fingerprints at present held on paper.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the fingerprints and photographs taken of people detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act will be destroyed when the Act ceases to have effect.
This will depend on the circumstances prevailing at the time.
Police (Use Of Cameras)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to bring the use of cameras by the police under similar control to that exercised over telephone tapping and the interception of mail.
I have no present plans for doing so.
Picketing (Steel Dispute)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constables concerned regarding the number of policemen present during the picketing at Hadfields steel plant, Sheffield and at Sheerness Steel, Isle of Sheppey, and the numbers of people injured;(2) what fines have been paid by pickets arrested during the steel strike;(3) what has been the cost of police attendance at the picket lines during the steel dispute.
I understand that 680 officers were on duty outside Hadfields on 14 February; one officer was reported injured. 1,036 officers were present at the Sheerness plant on 20 February; one officer and eight members of the public were reported injured, none seriously.The rest of the information requested is not at present available.
Police Supervision (Payment)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances organisers of private rallies, meetings and demonstrations are asked to pay for police supervision; and how much was paid in this respect in 1979 and to date in 1980.
The police are generally present at rallies, meetings and demonstrations, at the discretion of the chief officer of police, in order to discharge their duty to keep the peace and prevent offences. There is no power to charge for their services except where special services are provided at the request of the organisers of the event. Information as to payments made in these circumstances is not available.
Winson Green Prison
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the annual report for 1979 of the board of visitors of Winson Green prison, Birmingham; what steps he is taking to introduce alternative treatment for prison inmates with drink or drugs problems, and the mentally disturbed; if he is satisfied with the conditions for such prisoners at Winson Green prison; and if he will make a statement.
I have received, and am considering, the report. Treatment for prisoners at Winson Green prison who request medical help with drink or drug problems, or who are mentally disordered, is provided by the four full-time medical officers, of whom three are psychiatrically qualified, and by visiting psychiatrists. For prisoners with a drink problem there is also an active Alcoholics Anoymous group. Although I am not satisfied with the physical conditions at Winson Green for such prisoners, the staff do their best in difficult circumstances.
Horserace Totalisator Board
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to amend the Horserace Totalisator and Betting Levy Boards Act 1972 to provide that no member or employee of the Totalisator Board may bet with the tote.
No.
Special Branch
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to increase the level of information on the Special Branch collated by his Department from individual police forces and made available to hon. Members.
I am always ready to try to answer general questions from hon. Members about the work of Special Branches, but it is for each chief officer of police to decide how much information to make public about the Special Branch of his force.
Information Officers
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the number and the average cost of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The number and cost of information officer group staff employed by my Department in providing information to the press and broadcasting organisations and on publicity work at the beginning of each of the last four years were as follows:
| Staff in post | Estimated annual salary cost | |
| £ | ||
| 1976 | 24 | 159,000 |
| 1977 | 27 | 188,000 |
| 1978 | 25 | 191,000 |
| 1979 | 26 | 237,000 |
Equal Opportunities Commission
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has no plans to abolish the Equal Opportunities Commission.
We are satisfied that the Equal Opportunities Commission has a useful role to play in promoting equal opportunities and eliminating sex discrimination.
Broadcasting Criteria (Olympic Games)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what criteria he observes in deciding when to seek to intervene to dissuade the BBC and ITA from broadcasting certain events;(2) if he will hold wide-ranging discussions prior to making any firm representation to the broadcasting authorities about the coverage of the Olympic Games;(3) if he has discussed the broadcasting of the Olympic Games with the BBC and ITA or if he intends so to do;(4) when was the last occasion a British Government sought to dissuade the BBC or ITA from broadcasting any particular programme.
The two broadcasting authorities have editorial responsibility for the content of their programmes, subject to the law and within the general rules prescribed by the charter and licence and agreement for the British Broadcasting Corporation and by Act of Parliament for the Independent Broadcasting Authority. It would be contrary to long-established practice, endorsed by successive Governments, for Ministers to seek to influence them in deciding what to broadcast. It is, therefore, for the two authorities alone to decide what cover to give to the Moscow Olympics. I understand that they issued a joint statement on 24 January in which they said that they had decided to act jointly in any review which might become necessary of their planned coverage of the Moscow Olympic Games; and that such a review would take account of any changes in the nature of the Games or of British participation in them.
Young Offenders
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions he has reached about short sharp, shock treatment for young offenders, following the ministerial visit to Glenochil detention centre.
As part of a programme of visits to young offender establishments I visited Glenochil detention centre on 14 August 1979. I found the visit encouraging and useful. We shall not reach conclusions about tougher regimes in England and Wales until we have seen how they operate here.
Animal Experiments (Inspection)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the approved establishment at 31 January for inspectors of laboratories where experiments on live animals take place; and what percentage of posts was filled at that date.
A total of 15, including a chief inspector and two superintending inspectors. All posts were filled.
Send Detention Centre
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail the sanctions being imposed by the prison officers at Send detention centre and the effect these are having on the regime and the consequences for his proposed short, sharp shock experiment.
The industrial action at Send detention centre, which lasted from 21 to 26 February, included refusal to accept offenders committed by magistrates' courts and some Crown courts, restriction of education, inmates' employment and probation officers' work, and refusal to allow family and social visits. It is not expected to have any effect on the pilot project.
Women Prisoners
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many women prisoners are currently being held in Brixton prison; how long each one has been there; with what is each one charged; and what is the weekly cost;(2) how many women, to date, have been held in Brixton prison;(3) how many women prisoners are currently being held at Durham prison; how long each one has been there; what the convictions or alleged offences of each case are; and what is the weekly cost of the women's unit.
Since March 1973, when women were first accommodated in Brixton prison, 12 have been held there while on remand. On 26 February 1980 three women were held at Brixton: each has been there since 19 December 1979, charged with withholding information regarding terrorist activities in the United Kingdom. On the same date 37 women were serving sentences in the women's wing at Durham prison; I regret that the other information requested about them is not readily available. The average weekly cost of keeping a woman prisoner in custody was £140 in the financial year 1978–79: it is not possible separately to identify the cost of those at Brixton and Durham.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) why women prisoners are being held at Brixton and Durham prisons;(2) if he will list those men's prisons at which women are currently being held.
Women prisoners are currently being held at Brixton and Durham prisons and Risley, Low Newton and Pucklechurch remand centres, the last two of which otherwise cater for male young offenders; women prisoners are also occasionally held overnight at Birmingham prison while in transit. Women prisoners on remand from courts in the South who require high security are held at Brixton prison because there is no other suitable accommodation. The women's wing at Durham prison holds sentenced women prisoners who require high security or are commencing long sentences, because it provides suitable accommodation and security.
Michael Mcfadden
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a full statement concerning the circumstances leading to the death in police custody in February of Michael McFadden who was found dead with his shirt sleeve tied to a cell door and the other sleeve round his neck.
The circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. McFadden will be the subject of an inquest to be held by the coroner for the Wirral district of Merseyside, before a jury, on 29 February. It would not, therefore, be appropriate for me to make any further statement at this stage.
Agriculture, Fisheries Andfood
Apples And Pears
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has received the report of the apple and pear industry of the top fruit working group; if he will make a statement; and what consideration will, in particular, be given to the conclusions contained in paragraph 3, sections (a), (b) and (c) of that report.
The top fruit working group presented its report to me on 26 February, in conjunction with the industry itself. I shall be considering urgently how its performance can be improved.
Information Officers
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report the number and the average cost of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The number of staff in the information officer group in my Ministry at the relevant dates, together with their cost, is as follows:—
| Number | Cost | |
| £ per annum | ||
| 1 January 1976 | 9 | 61,000 |
| 1 January 1977 | 10 | 72,000 |
| 1 January 1978 | 12 | 92,000 |
| 1 January 1979 | 11 | 98,000 |
Cattle (Artificial Insemination)
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now make a statement on the future of controls over the artificial insemination of cattle.
My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales and I have reviewed the present arrangements and the proposals for changes that were announced in 1978 following the recommendations of the interdepartmental report on the review of standards for the selection of bulls used in AI. After wide consultation with the industry bodies concerned with the artificial insemination of cattle, we have concluded that the report's recommendations should be implemented in full except that, as a first step, there should be provision for only limited control over the advertising for sale of semen from dairy bulls. To this end we hope to lay new regulations before the House shortly, to revise the existing regulations and to come into force on 1 May next together with the other new arrangements that are set out below.
Whilst there is widespread acceptance by the industry that veterinary standards and controls in this field should continue, we have noted a continuing diversity of view on the effectiveness of the longstanding government control over the genetic selection of bulls used in AI. We have decided that in the shorter term this control should continue, but with some changes to provide on the one hand greater freedom of choice in the selection of dairy bulls for progeny testing and for extended use, and on the other adequate safeguards for the interests of purchasers of semen. The main relaxation recommended by the review report will affect the distribution outside owners' herds of semen from dairy bulls through new categories of bulls and associated semen imits set out in the table below. In addition, small panels drawn largely from members of the industry will be appointed to hear and advise on appeals where mature dairy bulls marginally fail to meet a qualifying standard for additional semen distribution but have other outstanding attributes. Furthermore the committee on the AI of cattle, under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Trehane, will be asked when it has reached conclusions on its present dairy breed remit to consider how participation by the industry in bull approvals can best be achieved for the longer term.
We propose to provide for purchasers of semen to be better safeguarded. The revised regulations will require the breed, name, approval category and the Great Britain herd book number of the donor dairy bull to be provided before, or at the time of, the sale of semen. They will further require specified production and conformation information to be provided for untested or unclassified donor dairy bulls and, against a request in writing, for other donor dairy bulls. The provisions will apply also to dairy bulls whose semen is imported where the information is available. These same conditions will also apply to the advertising of semen from dairy bulls and it is hoped that advertisers will voluntarily extend the provision of full information to all their semen sales' promotion. Other principal modifications will strengthen the present animal health safeguards in the quarantine arrangements for semen and provide for greater flexibility in the permitted movement of semen from AI centres to farms in special circumstances.
In response to requests from breeders and farmers for a relaxation where a bull is jointly owned, the unlimited use of its semen within an owner's herd will be extended to the first six joint owners. As a first step, the parentage of young dairy bulls under three years of age will require to be authenticated by blood typing before they can be approved for progeny testing outside the owner's herd. This requirement will be extended to
| SEMEN DISTRIBUTION LIMITS FOR DAIRY BULLS | |||
Type
| Category
| Qualifying conditions
| Limit* (Straws) |
| Young bulls under 3 years of age eligible for progeny testing. | Grade A Progeny Testing. | See Note 1 | 750 |
| Grade B Untested | Pedigree only | 500 | |
| Bulls 3 years of age or over not previously progeny tested. | Grade B Untested | Pedigree only | 500 |
| Mature bulls eligible for extended AI use. | Unclassified | Minimum Improved Contemporary Comparison (ICC) weighting of 5 and no conformation of production standards. | 3,500† |
| Class 4 | ICC weighting of 10 but below 15 and meeting conformation and production standards specified in Note 2. Spread of daughters in less than 7 herds. | 7,500† | |
| Class 3 | ICC weighting of 15 or more and meeting conformation and production standards specified in Note 2. Spread of daughters in less than 7 herds. | 15,000† | |
| Class 2 | ICC weighting of 10 but below 15 and meeting conformation and production standards specified in Note 2. Spread of daughters in 7 or more herds. | ||
| Class 1 | ICC weighting of 15 or more and meeting conformation and production standards specified in Note 2. Spread of daughters in 7 or more herds. | Unlimited | |
| * Excludes use within the herd of the owner of the bull. | |||
| † These limits are inclusive. | |||
Notes:
1. Grade A Progeny Testing Bulls. For a young bull to be approved as a grade A progeny testing bull his sire must have met the standards of weighting and production in Note 2 for classified mature bulls and have daughters of good conformation in respect of the important commercial characteristics. His dam should have milk and fat production records above the average of her herd mates, with fat percentages acceptable for her breed, and have satisfactory conformation in respect of the important utility requirements. Her production pedigree should reflect a superior production ancestry. The bull himself must be of sound conformation, and in addition must be registered with a breed society.
2. Classified Bulls (Classes 1 to 4). For bulls to qualify for these categories they must have a minimum improved contemporary comparison weighting of ten, and the production standards shown in the table below must be met; the daughters' milk must be of an acceptable fat percentage for the breed. Daughters must also meet a satisfactory standard of conformation in respect of the important commercial requirements and classification reports will be taken into account.
mature dairy bulls as soon as practicable.
Owners of bulls eligible to take advantage of the relaxations in semen distribution or co-ownership may now apply to the appropriate agriculture Department for new approvals which will take effect on or after 1 May.
The arrangements for the approval of beef bulls remain unchanged and breed societies are asked to continue to encourage the wider use of AI in pedigree herds.
Weighting
| ICC Fat Kg
| Weighting
| ICC Fat Kg
| Weighting
| ICC Fat Kg
| Weighting
| ICC Fat Kg
|
| 10 | 7·18 | 18 | 5·92 | 26 | 5·15 | 34 | 4·62 |
| 11 | 6·98 | 19 | 5·80 | 27 | 5·08 | 35 | 4·57 |
| 12 | 6·79 | 20 | 5·70 | 28 | 5·00 | 36 | 4·50 |
| 13 | 6·62 | 21 | 5·60 | 29 | 4·93 | 37 | 4·46 |
| 14 | 6·46 | 22 | 5·50 | 30 | 4·87 | 38 | 4·41 |
| 15 | 6·31 | 23 | 5·40 | 31 | 4·80 | 39 | 4·37 |
| 16 | 6·17 | 24 | 5·32 | 32 | 4·74 | 40 | 4·31 |
| 17 | 6·04 | 25 | 5·23 | 33 | 4·68 |
Continuing reduction in kilograms fat with increased weightings.
Untreated Milk
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is able to announce his decision on the sale of untreated milk in rural areas.
I told my hon. Friend the Member for Leek (Mr. Knox) on 14 February that I hope to reach a decision within a month.—[Vol. 978, c. 1738.] I still hope to do so.
Defence
Hms "Hermes" (Visits By Schoolboys)
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out in the Official Report the detailed arrangements for the visit by 36 schoolboys to HMS "Hermes", including the period and purpose of the visit, the accommodation and welfare arrangements and duties, if any, to be undertaken by them; and if he will make a statement.
It is a long standing, and very popular, Naval custom to offer passage to the young relatives of members of ship's companies. Normally the demands of school work, ships programmes and lack of space aboard restrict opportunities severely.On this occasion the training deployment of HMS "Hermes" to the Western Atlantic with about 300 cadets, apprentices and junior ratings aboard, afforded scope for something more ambitious and I am glad that local education authorities have been able to co-operate with the Navy in making the most of it.These boys, aged 12 and upwards are in HMS "Hermes" for about five weeks. Each has written permission from his headmaster who will have provided him generously with homework. There are set periods for study and qualified instructors are on hand to provide any help—or encouragement—that is necessary.
The boys are accommodated in mess decks. There are good facilities for sport and entertainment and they are allowed to give a hand with the chores for anything up to three hours a day. That is of course very much part of the fun.
The boys' parents have to pay all expenses, covering principally return air fares, pocket money and victuals.
The purpose of this custom is simply to give pleasure to Naval families. If a boy is convinced that this really is the life for him and eventually decides to join the Service the Navy will be glad to run the rule over him. If not he will have had a holiday to remember and widen his horizon.
Information Officers
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The numbers of information officer Group staff employed in my Department at the beginning of each of the last five calendar years, together with their approximate cost based on annual average salaries and employer's national insurance contributions for the years in question were as follows:
| Number | Cost | |
| £,000s | ||
| 1 January 1976 | 179 | 960 |
| 1 January 1977 | 171 | 993 |
| 1 January 1978 | 155 | 985 |
| 1 January 1979 | 146 | 1,010 |
| 1 January 1980 | 145 | 1,305 |
Royal Air Force (Aircraft Losses)
asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians were killed as a result of crashes of Royal Air Force aircraft during the last 12 months; and how many were injured.
There have been three civilians killed and 11 civilians injured as the result of crashes involving Royal Air Force aircraft during the last 12 months.
| Aircraft Casualties | |||
| Date | Aircraft Type | Killed | Injured |
| 28 February 1979 | Phantom | — | — |
| 14 March | Hunter | — | — |
| 26 March | Jaguar | — | 1 |
| 28 March | Jet Provost | — | — |
| 19 April | Wessex | — | — |
| 22 May | Gnat | — | 1 |
| 25 May | Lightning | — | 1 |
| 12 June | Harrier | — | — |
| 22 June | Jaguar | 2 | — |
| 3 July | Jet Provost | 1 | — |
| 3 July | Hunter | — | — |
| 6 July | Hunter | — | — |
| 2 July | Buccaneer | 2 | — |
| 18 July | Jaguar | — | 1 |
| 18 July | Harrier | 1 | — |
| 17 August | Lightning | — | — |
| 18 September | Lightning | — | 1 |
| 21 September | Harrier × 2 | — | 1 |
| 4 October | Harrier | — | — |
| 8 November | Harrier | — | — |
| 16 November | Bulldog | — | — |
| 23 November | Jaguar | 1 | — |
| 10 December | Jaguar × 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 27 December | Puma | 3 | — |
| 7 February 1980 | Buccaneer | 2 | — |
| 12 February | Hunter | 1 | — |
| 14 | 7 | ||
Scotland
National Health Service (Scotland) Superannuation Scheme
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints the Scottish Office receives on average per annum from or on behalf of members of the medical and dental professions concerning the present provisions for the purchase of war service years under the National Health Service (Scotland) superannuation scheme.
Since these provisions were introduced with effect from 1975,
asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force aircraft have been lost by any cause during the past 12 months; and if he will list the types and number of aircraft involved and the number of air crew killed or injured.
Details of Royal Air Force aircraft lost—that is, missing or damaged beyond repair—and the number of aircrew killed or injured as a result of these accidents during the past 12 months—25 February 1979 to 26 February 1980—are as follows:some three-quarters of the applicants who have sought credit for war service have satisfied the conditions. No separate record is kept which would show how many of the unsuccessful applicants have subsequently complained, and it would be disproportionately costly to extract this information.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on behalf of the medical and dental professions concerning the present provisions for the purchase of war service years under the National Health Service (Scotland) superannuation scheme.
Since the provisions were introduced I have had letters from my hon. Friend and other hon. Members on behalf of individual constituents. In addition, the British Medical Association and British Dental Association have sought to widen the scope of the provisions in several ways: for example, by having the emergency medical services accepted as war service; by covering pensioners who died before the operative date of the concession; and by including persons who had transferred between public service pension schemes before war service could be reckoned by their first post-war scheme.
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to reconsider the present provisions for the purchase of war service years under the National Health Service (Scotland) superannuation scheme.
The present provisions are in line with those applicable in other public service pension schemes and I have no plans to reconsider them. I am, however, considering their extension to cover people who are at present excluded because they have transferred in the past between schemes.
Glasgow Sheriff Court
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the capacity of the space available for witnesses at Glasgow sheriff court and the average number of witnesses called on the busiest days.
The witness waiting areas at county buildings and Lanarkshire house provide somewhat cramped accommodation for approximately 600 persons. On a very busy day the number of witnesses in attendance can range up to 650.
Car Accidents (Dundee)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of car accidents that have taken place in Dundee in the past year in which serious injury could have been avoided if seat belts had been worn.
It is not feasible to make such an estimate on a local basis. But it has been estimated that seat belt wearing could, on a national basis, reduce serious injuries by between 3,000 and 10,000 a year, depending on the wearing rate.
Jobs Creation (Dundee)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many jobs have been created in Dundee between 1970 and the latest available date by firms that had set up in Dundee since 1945; and how many have been created by indigenous firms.
Information is not available in the form requested. For manufacturing industry, however, gross job increases in the Dundee employment exchange area over the period 1970–76 are shown below. The units that opened in 1950 or later are likely to have included some firms indigenous to Dundee. These gross job increases were offset by gross job decreases in manufacturing over the same period totalling 15,000. The figures do not cover units with fewer than 11 employees.
| No. of units expanding | Gross Job increase | |
| 1970–76 | 1970–76 | |
| Units opening before 1950 | 47 | 2,386 |
| Units opening between 1950 and 1970 | 19 | 781 |
| Units opening between 1970 and 1976 | 26 | 2,906 |
River Tay
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of the River Tay are estimated to be (a) unpolluted, (b) fairly good quality, (c) poor quality and (d) grossly polluted.
The most recent readily-available information is in map E of the report "Towards Cleaner Water 1975" published in 1976 by HMSO on behalf of the Scottish development department. The hon. Member may wish to seek further information from the appropriate authority, the Tay River purification board.
Schools (Dundee)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schools in Dundee built prior to 1918 are still in use; and if he will name them.
On the basis of information obtained in 1977 from Tayside regional council the following 22 schools in the Dundee division had in use, at that time, main buildings erected before 1918:—
Primary schools:
- Ancrum Road
- Blackness
- Clepington
- Dens Road
- Downfield
- Eastern
- Fowlis Easter
- Glebelands
- Hawkhill
- Invergowrie
- Invertay
- Liff
- Longforgan
- Mattocks
- Mitchell Street
- Muirhead of Liff
- Murroes
- Strathmartine
- St. Andrews
- Tealing
Secondary schools:
- Grove Academy
- Morgan Academy
1 January
| ||||||
Information Officer Group
| 1976
| 1977
| 1978
| 1979
| ||
| Number in post | … | … | 28 | 25 | 23 | 22 |
| Average annual cost | … | … | £169,000 | £166,000 | £169,000 | £186,000 |
Local Authorities (Transfer Of Powers)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the Caird, Lochee and Ancrum-Blackness community councils regarding the transfer of powers from Tayside region to Dundee district council.
None.
Parliamentary Boundary Commission (Report)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Scotland to report.
I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. Wilson) on 21 January 1980.
Local Authority Rates
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to introduce legislation which will impose a limit
O Grade
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future of the O grade; and if he has reached any conclusions on the recommendations of the Munn and Dunning reports.
The future of the SCE O grade will depend on what changes in assessment practices and procedures the Government decide to make in the light of the recommendations of the Munn and Dunning reports. I hope to announce the Government's intentions towards the reports soon.
Information Officers
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The numbers and costs of the information officer group staff in the Scottish Office were as shown—on the increase in rates which a local authority may seek in a financial year.
I have no present intentions to introduce legislation for this purpose but I am discussing with the Convention of Scottish local authorities whether there is a need for a change in my statutory powers.
Robroyston Hospital
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he proposes to make for examination of the circumstances of the sale of Robroyston hospital and its surrounding land.
I have appointed Professor J. M. Halliday to conduct this review and Mr. Kenneth Ryden to act with him. The terms of reference are:
To examine the arrangements under which Robroyston hospital and its surrounding land was sold by the Scottish Home and Health Department: to consider whether in the light of that sale any improvements are desirable in the procedures for the sale of land in Scotland surplus to National Health Service requirements: and to report.
Strathclyde Regional Council
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to discuss with representatives of the Strathclyde regional council its plannel level of public expenditure in 1980–81.
No.
Islands (Transport Services)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what assistance is being paid to Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd., the Orkney Islands Shipping Company Ltd. and North of Scotland Orkney and Shetland Shipping Company Ltd. (P and O Ferries) for the maintenance and improvement of services to the Scotttish Islands.
In line with the Government's commitment to increase assistance in real terms to ferry services to the Scottish Islands I am offering the following revenue grants for the forthcoming financial year.
| Caledonian Macbrayne Ltd. | £5·0 million |
| Orkney Islands Shipping Co. Ltd. | £0·7 million |
Civil Service
Vacant Posts
asked the Minister for the Civil Service at what level information is gathered on the filling of vacant posts for non-industrial civil servants; and how this information is made available centrally.
The level at which information is gathered is a matter for Ministers to determine in their Departments. Details are not available centrally. However, departmental Ministers have set up monitoring systems to enable them to exercise a close scrutiny on a continuing and regular basis of the recruitment and replacement of staff.
National Finance
Interest Rate
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the real rate of interest in 1979; and how this compares with the rate each year from 1945 onwards.
To calculate the real rate of interest on loans and securities of any period to maturity requires com- paring the nominal rate of interest on such loans or securities with the inflationary expectations of lenders and borrowers over the same period. Since inflationary expectations cannot be measured, real rates of interest cannot properly be calculated. It is, however, possible to calculate figures that might approximate to real short term interest rates by using, say, recent inflationary experience as a proxy for current short-term inflationary expectations. Such a proxy would, however, certainly not be adequate for estimating long term real interest rates.The following table shows notional three month real interest rates calculated in this way, i.e. by comparing, for each quarter, the actual average rate of inflation in that three months over the previous three months—at an annual rate—with average three month interest rates ruling over the quarter. Annual figures are shown as geometric averages of the quarterly figures. Insufficient information is available in respect of years before 1955. It should be noted that similar calculations could be done using other proxies for inflationary expectations. The choice would depend on the purpose to which the data were being put.
| IMPLIED REAL RATES OF INTEREST 1955–79 | ||
| Percentage | ||
| Quarterly | Annual average | |
| 1955—1st quarter | N/A | N/A |
| 2nd quarter | 1·7 | |
| 3rd quarter | -7·1 | |
| 4th quarter | -1·1 | |
| 1956— 1st quarter | -0·7 | 0 |
| 2nd quarter | 6·3 | |
| 3rd quarter | -1·6 | |
| 4th quarter | -3·8 | |
| 1957— 1st quarter | 14·1 | 1·6 |
| 2nd quarter | 0·6 | |
| 3rd quarter | -6·9 | |
| 4th quarter | -0·1 | |
Percentage
| ||
Quarterly
| Annual average
| |
| 1958—1st quarter | 6·0 | 3·9 |
| 2nd quarter | 1·3 | |
| 3rd quarter | 6·2 | |
| 4th quarter | 2·3 | |
| 1959—1st quarter | 5·9 | 3·9 |
| 2nd quarter | -5·6 | |
| 3rd quarter | 13·4 | |
| 4th quarter | 2·9 | |
| 1960—1st quarter | 8·1 | 3·7 |
| 2nd quarter | -1·3 | |
| 3rd quarter | 6·8 | |
| 4th quarter | 1·3 | |
| 1961—1st quarter | 3·6 | 3·6 |
| 2nd quarter | 5·7 | |
| 3rd quarter | -9·0 | |
| 4th quarter | 15·7 | |
| 1962 1st quarter | -0·9 | 1·2 |
| 2nd quarter | 3·5 | |
| 3rd quarter | 4·6 | |
| 4th quarter | 0·4 | |
| 1963—1st quarter | 3·7 | 1·2 |
| 2nd quarter | 1·7 | |
| 3rd quarter | -1·3 | |
| 4th quarter | 0·8 | |
| 1964—1st quarter | 7·4 | 0·5 |
| 2nd quarter | -2·6 | |
| 3rd quarter | -3·2 | |
| 4th quarter | 0·7 | |
| 1965—1st quarter | 7·8 | 2·8 |
| 2nd quarter | 4·5 | |
| 3rd quarter | -4·6 | |
| 4th quarter | 3·9 | |
| 1966—1st quarter | 4·0 | 3·8 |
| 2nd quarter | 2·1 | |
| 3rd quarter | -1·6 | |
| 4th quarter | 10·9 | |
| 1967—1st quarter | 4·5 | 2·1 |
| 2nd quarter | 1·8 | |
| 3rd quarter | -0·9 | |
| 4th quarter | 3·1 | |
| 1968—1st quarter | 11·2 | 5·0 |
| 2nd quarter | 4·7 | |
| 3rd quarter | -2·1 | |
| 4th quarter | 6·6 | |
| 1969—1st quarter | 6·7 | 4·5 |
| 2nd quarter | 6·7 | |
| 3rd quarter | 4·4 | |
| 4th quarter | 0·4 | |
| 1970—1st quarter | 4·0 | -1·0 |
| 2nd quarter | -0·1 | |
| 3rd quarter | -1·3 | |
| 4th quarter | -6·5 | |
| 1971—1st quarter | 3·7 | -5·0 |
| 2nd quarter | -5·2 | |
| 3rd quarter | -10·6 | |
| 4th quarter | -7·3 | |
| 1972—1st quarter | 5·6 | -2·8 |
| 2nd quarter | -3·5 | |
| 3rd quarter | -9·4 | |
| 4th quarter | -3·3 | |
| 1973—1st quarter | 12·9 | 3·1 |
| 2nd quarter | 9·8 | |
| 3rd quarter | -5·8 | |
| 4th quarter | -3·3 | |
Percentage
| ||
Quarterly
| Annual average
| |
| 1974—1st quarter | 8·0 | -7·0 |
| 2nd quarter | -1·2 | |
| 3rd quarter | -21·7 | |
| 4th quarter | -10·5 | |
| 1975—1st quarter | -17·5 | -10·1 |
| 2nd quarter | -10·2 | |
| 3rd quarter | -10·7 | |
| 4th quarter | -1·2 | |
| 1976—1st quarter | 0 | -0·2 |
| 2nd quarter | -3·6 | |
| 3rd quarter | +1·4 | |
| 4th quarter | +1·6 | |
| 1977—1st quarter | -2·0 | -2·1 |
| 2nd quarter | -1·0 | |
| 3rd quarter | -7·4 | |
| 4th quarter | +2·2 | |
| 1978—1st quarter | -10·1 | -1·3 |
| 2nd quarter | +2·9 | |
| 3rd quarter | -2·4 | |
| 4th quarter | +5·0 | |
| 1979—1st quarter | +3·3 | |
| 2nd quarter | -6·4 | |
| 3rd quarter | -3·9* | |
| * Estimate. | ||
Notes:
(1) Quarterly real interest rates, r, have been calculated on the formula:
r = (1+p) (q1/q2)4 -1
where:
p = 3 month interest rate (average over the quarter). For 1968 and succeeding years the 3 month inter-bank rate has been used; prior to 1968 the commercial bill rate has been used; the figures for 1955–62 have been derived on a slightly different basis from those for 1962–68.
q = The GDP(E)—total home costs—deflator, expressed in index number form and seasonally adjusted. (See for example, Economic Trends, Annual Supplement, 1980, p. 5). q1 and q2 are the GDP(E) deflator for each quarter and the previous quarter respectively.
(2) Annual average real interest rates, R, have been calculated on the formula:
R = [(r1 +1) (r2 +1) (r3 +1) (r4 +1)]¼-1.
where r1,2,3,4, are the real interest rates for each quarter.
Inland Revenue And Customs And Excise (Powers Of Inspection)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has completed his review of the powers of the inspectorate within the Inland Revenue and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise; and if he will make a statement.
The Government will be setting up an independent committee to review the enforcement powers of the Inland Revenue and the Customs and Excise. The committee will be asked to weigh the need to ensure compliance with the law against the need to avoid excessive burdens on taxpayers. The precise terms of reference, the name of the chairman and members, and arrangements for submitting evidence will be announced later.
Information Officers
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report the number and the average cost of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
Tax Allowances
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he has received any pre-Budget submissions which advocate an increase in personal taxation by not raising the allowances in line with inflation;(2) if he will update the answer given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr,
Official Report, 28 January, columns 511–12, in respect of personal tax allowances based on the February retail price index and incorporate any rounding needed for the operation of the PAYE scheme.
I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
Value Added Tax
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer which registered charities pay value added tax on membership subscriptions.
I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated total debt owing to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, at the latest date for which information is available, by those who are registered for value added tax; how many months' payments this represents; and if he will provide the same information in respect of the position 12 months earlier.
[pursuant to his reply, 27 February 1980]: VAT outstanding on unpaid returns and assessments at 31 October 1979 was about £1,750 million, of which about £800 million became due only on 31 October. The remaining £950 million represented about 20 days' payments at the average rate during the fourth quarter of 1979, the full £1,750 million about 36 days. The tax outstanding at 31 October 1978 was about £580 million of which £335 million became due on 31 October. At the then current VAT rates of 8 and 12½ per cent. the remaining £245 million represented 10 days' payments and the full £580 million 23 days. Although information for a later date is not complete, there are indications that the average number of days VAT payments are in arrears has been reduced since the end of October.
Stock Relief
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the value of stock relief each year since 1974, in terms, respectively, of reducing corporation tax and tax on self-employment income, both at current prices and at 1980 prices.
I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
Family Income
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures comparing the net weekly incomes of single non-householders, single householders, single wage married couples, two wage married couples, single wage married couples with two children aged 8 and 12 years, two wage married couples with two children aged 8 and 12 years, single wage married couples with four children aged 6, 8, 12 and 14 years and two wage married couples with four children aged 6, 8, 12 and 14 years, earning 50 per cent., 75 per cent. and 100 per cent. of average male annual earnings, assuming: existing child allowances and child benefits and that single person's tax allowance, married person's tax allowance and wife's earned income allowance were abolished in favour of a uniform tax allowance at £700 per annum and an untaxed householder credit of £4 per week and child benefits at children's supplementary benefit levels.
[pursuant to his reply, 27 February 1980]: On the assumptions stated, and giving an allowance of £1,400 to a married couple whether the wife is working or not, the figures are as shown in the following table.
Half average earnings
| Three quarters average earnings
| Average earnings
| |||||||||
Net income at present
| Net income under suggested rates
| Difference
| Net income at present
| Net income under suggested rates
| Difference
| Net income at present
| Net income under suggested rates
| Difference
| |||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |||
| Single man, non-householder | … | … | 2,254 | 2,115 | –139 | 3,188 | 3,049 | —139 | 4,122 | 3,983 | —139 |
| Single man, householder | … | … | 2,254 | 2,322 | 68 | 3,188 | 3,256 | 68 | 4,122 | 4,190 | 68 |
| Single wage married couple | … | … | 2,449 | 2,532 | 83 | 3,383 | 3,466 | 83 | 4,317 | 4,400 | 83 |
| Two wage married couple | … | … | 4,075 | 3,813 | —262 | 5,634 | 5,368 | —266 | 7,189 | 6,923 | —266 |
| Single wage married couple with 2 children | 2,865 | 3,258 | 393 | 3,799 | 4,192 | 393 | 4,733 | 5,126 | 393 | ||
| Two wage married couple with 2 children | 4,491 | 4,539 | 48 | 6,050 | 6,093 | 43 | 7,605 | 7,648 | 43 | ||
| Single wage married couple with 4 children | 3,281 | 3,744 | 463 | 4,215 | 4,678 | 463 | 5,149 | 5,612 | 463 | ||
| Two wage married couple with 4 children | 4,907 | 5,025 | 118 | 6,466 | 6,580 | 114 | 8,021 | 8,135 | 114 | ||
Note:
The figures take account of income tax, national insurance at the not-contracted-out rate, and child benefit. They do not take account of family income supplement or other means tested benefits. The multiples of average earnings are estimates of the annual equivalents of adult male or female earnings as appropriate, averaged over all occupations, in November 1979 (the latest month available.)
Exchange Controls
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the light of the recent secret buying up of Consolidated Gold Fields shares, if he will take steps, following the removal of United Kingdom exchange controls, to reintroduce the requirement of official approval for foreign purchasers of more than 10 per cent. of a United Kingdom company's equity.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade has appointed inspectors to investigate the recent large scale hidden purchases of Consolidated Gold Fields shares, in accordance with section 172 of the Companies Act 1948. I understand that the Stock Exchange and the Council for the Securities Industry are also conducting inquiries. The Government will consider what action to take, if any, in the light of these inquiries.
Inland Revenue (Debt)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated total debt owing to the Inland Revenue, at the latest date for which information is available, in respect of "pay as you earn" and national insurance contributions due from employers; how many months' payments this represents; and if he will provide the same information with regard to the position 12 months earlier.
[pursuant to his reply, 27 February 1980]: Figures are not available in precisely the form requested.The amount of PAYE tax and national insurance contributions for the year to 5 April 1980 is estimated at £28,800 million. The amounts outstanding on 25 January 1980, the latest date for which information is available, from employers whose monthly payments exceed £2,000 was £241 million. This represents between three and four days' tax and contributions.The corresponding figures for the previous year are: outstanding at 25 January 1979 £210 million; total due for the year to 5 April 1979 £26,559 million; between three and four days. The majority of the tax and contributions outstanding on 25 January 1979 and 25 January 1980 were amounts due for payment six days earlier and related to one month only.
Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider raising an excess profits tax of £200 million on the clearing banks as a means of cutting the public sector borrowing requirement.
[pursuant to his reply, 27 February 1980]: I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion; he will appreciate that I cannot anticipate my right hon. and learned Friend's Budget Statement.
Social Services
Benefits (Payment)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many inquiries his Department has received from or on behalf of claimants about the possibility of their pensions or other social security benefits being paid direct to a bank or National Giro account; in how many cases such requests were refused; and what reasons were given for the refusal.
Market research indicates that there is now significant public demand for direct crediting of social security benefits to banks and other accounts, but no statistics are available on the number of people who have asked to have their benefits paid in this way. The Government, like their predecessors, agree in principle that people should be able to have their benefits paid by this method if they so choose and would like to be able to introduce such a facility as soon as the administrative and financial implications have been fully considered.
Children's Medical Treatment (Parental Costs)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will specify any benefits available for parents accompanying a child sent for medical treatment far from home with special reference to assistance with the cost of transport accomodation and loss of pay during the period of absence from work; and if these benefits apply to parents where attendance upon their sick child is requested specially by the medical authorities.
Under the hospital fares scheme, health authorities have powers to assist with travelling expenses of children and an escorting parent attending NHS hospitals who would otherwise suffer financial hardship as assessed by the Supplementary Benefits Commission. This applies whether or not the parents are in receipt of supplementary benefit.When the presence at hospital of one or both parents is necessary on medical grounds, the Supplementary Benefits Commission can consider a claim in the normal way if the parent has to take unpaid leave from a full-time job. When, in such cases, a return journey cannot be undertaken on the same day, the commission can also consider helping with the cost of overnight accommodation.Where the hospital considers the presence of a parent at the hospital necessary for the well-being of the child, accommodation at the hospital may be provided free of charge.
Retirement Pensions (Payment)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider adopting a similar system for national retirement pensions to that used by the Paymaster General's Department for crediting public service pensions to National Giro accounts.
The Government are considering proposals prepared in consultation with Sir Derek Rayner for changing the arrangements for paying social security benefits. This consideration will include the possibility of beneficiaries having their benefits paid direct into bank acounts, if they so choose, and the scope for wider use of National Giro-bank by beneficiaries. It must be for beneficiaries to decide whether to use such payment methods when they can be made available.
Chemist Contractors
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what facilities exist for mediation if chemist contractors decide to take industrial action against his Department in furtherance of their pay negotiations; and if he will make a statement.
No specific provisions for mediation exist at present. I am, however, still considering sympathetically the proposal that a review body should be established to resolve disputes between the Department and retail pharmacists about their remuneration.
Breast Cancer
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to encourage women to have screening for breast cancer; what projects are currently being carried out to try and reduce death from breast cancer and to identify it at an early stage; how much has been spent on such projects; and what further resources he is planning to commit to breast cancer screening and research.
I refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter-Jones) on 6 November 1979.—[Vol. 973, c. 164–65.] The trials started in 1979 and are expected to continue for eight years at a cost of approximately £600,000 per annum. The Medical Research Council is also undertaking research related to the trials amounting to a further £100,000 per annum and participating with charitable organisations in a substantial amount of further research on the treatment of breast cancer. I have no plans to commit further resources to research and further expenditure on screening will depend on the outcome of the trials.
Belgrave Children's Hospital
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the Health Service commissioners for Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham have told him the date on which they intend to close the Belgrave children's hospital; and if he will make a statement.
As a result of a very generous offer of financial help by the Variety Club of Great Britain, the Commissioners for the Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham area health authority and the South-East Thames regional health authority have agreed to the provision of two new children's wards at King's College hospital. It is envisaged that the in-patient services provided at the Belgrave children's hospital will be transferred to King's College hospital on completion of the scheme in 1982. No decision has been taken on the future of the outpatient facilities or the assessment centre at the Belgrave hospital.
Information Officers
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers em
| 1 January 1976 | 1 January 1977 | 1 January 1978 | 1 January 1979 | 1 January 1980 | |
| Number | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 |
| Average cost per head | £7,593 | £8,171 | £8,926 | £10,630 | £11,516 |
| Total cost | £151,865 | £155,253 | £178,538 | £223,245 | £230,330 |
Family Income
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish figures comparing the net weekly incomes of single non-householder pensioners, single householder pensioners and pensioner married couples, both supplementary pensioners and pensioners with additional annual incomes of £100, £200, £300, £400 and £500, assuming: tax allowances as at present and that single person's tax allowance and married person's tax allowances were reduced to £700 for a single person and £1,400 for a married couple and that householders were able to claim a housing credit of £4 a week.
I regret that such information could be provided only at disproportionate expense.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much better off each week is the married man on average earnings with one child, two, three or four children as against a similar man on earnings-related unemployment pay or supplementary benefit, the figures to be tabulated as they stand, also corrected according to the total of the cost of sustenance and getting to work, and the cost of school transport and meals as estimated after passage of the Education (No. 2) Bill.
I regret that it is not possible to provide information which will enable a comparison to be made between the current situation for a family man with average earnings and his position after the passage of the Education (No. 2) Bill. Under the provisions of this Bill local authorities will have discretion
ployed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The number and cost of information officer group staff in the Department on these dates is shown in the table below. The information officer group, in addition to press and public relations officers, includes information specialists in paid publicity.whether or not, and how much, to charge for both school transport and school meals. It is not therefore possible to predict what average charges will be.If my hon. Friend wishes to have information on how much better off these family men with average earnings are than similar men on earnings-related unemployment benefit or supplementary benefit, I can let him have some details. But we have no information about average school transport costs at present incurred in these situations.
Communicable Diseases
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 14 January, if he is yet ready to make a statement on the feasibility of making the communicable disease report more widely available.
My right hon. Friend is not yet ready to make a statement.
Cardiac Transplants
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the text of the letter sent by Sir Henry Yellowlees to regional and area medical officers concerning the issue of priorities and finance involved in cardiac transplants.
The text of the letter dated 21 February 1980 from the Chief Medical Officer of the Department to regional medical officers and area medical officers and copied to secretaries of boards of governors of the specialist postgraduate teaching hospitals is as follows.
The paper on costs referred to its available on request.
"Dear Doctor
HEART TRANSPLANTS
As I am sure you know, a Panel widely representative of the medical profession, advises me on all aspects of organ transplantation. In view of the recent heart transplants and attendant publicity, I felt it would be helpful to you if I passed on their advice which the Department has accepted, about the criteria which should be met before a decision is taken to carry out a cardiac transplant programme at any centre.
At its meeting in February 1977 the Panel accepted that a centre planning a programme of heart transplantation should satisfy the following criteria:—(a) A unit should already be a centre for advanced cardiac surgery and, preferably, renal transplantation should already be taking place at the same centre. (b) Donor hearts of high quality should be available. (c) Sufficient medical surgical, nursing and technical personnel and equipment must be available to maintain both the transplantation programme and the regular cardiac surgical programme. (d) Adequate support services in pathology, immunology and microbiology must be readily available at all times.
In February 1979 the Panel re-affirmed the above criteria and emphasised that any development should only be as part of the planned programme. The Panel also added a further criterion that a centre performing cardiac transplantation should already have carried out experimental work into immunology, circulatory support, and organ preseveration systems with and without animals.
The Panel met again in November 1979, when they confirmed all these criteria and again emphasised their disapproval of heart transplants which are not part of a planned programme.
At its last meeting, the Panel also considered the costs of such operations. These were very difficult to estimate but the Panel accepted that a figure of £140,000 (at 1979 prices) for a programme of eight transplants in one year was a useful indication of the likely overall costs. Enclosed with this letter is a paper, based on one which was put to the Transplant Panel, itemising costs on the limited information so far available in the Department. If you would like any further information on this please contact Dr. G. Pincherle, Department of Health and Social Security, Room 1020 Hannibal House, Elephant and Castle, London SE1 6TE, telephone 01-703 6380, ext 3414.
The Department is giving further consideration to the issues of priorities and finance involved in cardiac transplantation and the wider implications for the NHS as a whole. Until the Department's advice on these aspects is available authorities are not expected to make any policy change in the direction of further heart transplant programmes.
Regional Medical Officers and Area Medical Officers are asked to bring this letter to the attention of cardiac surgeons."
Supplementary Benefit
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many men who have been unemployed for more than one year and are receiving supplementary benefit have children under the age of 16 years; what is the total number of children in these families; and if he will give comparable figures for the last 10 years;(2) how many unemployed men receiving supplementary benefit have children under the age of 16 years; what is the total number of children in their families; and if he will give comparable figures for the last 10 years;(3) if he will give for the latest convenient date the number of unemployed people who are receiving supplementary benefit and the percentage this represents of all those unemployed; and if he will publish comparable figures for the past 10 years;(4) if he will give for the latest convenient date the number of people who have been unemployed for more than one year and are receiving supplementary benefit and the percentage this represents of all those unemployed for more than one year; and if he will give comparable figures for the past 10 years.
I shall let the right hon. Gentleman have a reply as soon as possible.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will introduce amending regulations to provide that a claim from any disabled person for non-contributory invalidity pension may be treated as a claim also for supplementary benefit;(2) if he will introduce amending regulations to provide that a claim for invalidity pension may be treated as a claim also for supplementary benefit.
[pursuant to his reply, 20 February 1980, c. 235–36]: gave the following further reply: No. Those who claim invalidity and non-contributory invalidity pension should have no difficulty in claiming supplementary benefit as well if they wish to do so. I cannot commit staff resources to the investigation of title to supplementary benefit of those who have not indicated that they wish to receive it.It is, however, the practice of the Supplementary Benefits Commission to backdate a claim for supplementary benefit if the claim was made immediately the claimant learned he was not entitled to social security benefit which he had been assuming would be paid and would be sufficient for his needs.
Long-Term Unemployed (Supplementary Benefit)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the criteria by which the long-term unemployed on supplementary benefit are selected for interview by unemployment review officers.
Normal procedures are that unemployment review officers interview men unde the age of 60 and women under the age of 55 who have been unemployed for about six months. There are variations depending on local conditions such as the regional level of unemployment and the availability of employment in the area. Claimants are also interviewed by UROs when they appear to be frequently or persistently unemployed without good cause. People who are suffering from ill-health which limits the work they are able to do or who are physically or mentally disabled are normally excluded from unemployment review.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimates he has received of the percentage of the long-term unemployed on supplementary benefit whose employability is affected by their health; what percentage is registered disabled; what percentage of these two groups have been interviewed by unemployment review officers in the last convenient period of six months; what percentage of those interviewed came off supplementary benefit before or just after the interview; and if his Department has any information about whether they obtained jobs after coming off supplementary benefit.
I regret that information about long term unemployed supplementary benefit claimants whose employability is affected by their health is not available. Unemployment review officers do not normally interview claimants who are clearly physically or mentally disabled or those who are fit for only a very limited range of employment.
asked the Secretary of State for Secial Services what percentage of the long-term unemployed on supplementary benefit are aged 50 years or over; what percentage of these has been interviewed by unemployment review officers in the latest six months for which figures are available; what percentage of those interviewed came off supplementary benefit before or shortly after the interview; and if his Department has any information about whether they obtained jobs after coming off supplementary benefit.
The latest information available is that in November 1978 there were about 83,000 unemployed men and women over the age of 50 who had been receiving supplementary benefit for 12 months or more. This represented 39 per cent. of all unemployed people receiving supplementary benefit for a year or more. I regret that it is not known how many of these claimants were interviewed by unemployment review officers. That information could be obtained only at considerable cost.
Unemployment
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the latest available figures for the incidence of (a) unemployment and (b) long-term unemployment for men in the following situations (i) single, (ii) married with no children, (iii) married with children, (iv) married with one or two children, (v) married with three or four children and (vi) married with five or more children.
I shall let the right hon. Gentleman have a reply as soon as possible.
Limbfitters
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether limb-fitters are paid outer London weighting allowance.
Limbfitters are almost all employees of private companies who supply artificial limbs under contract to the Department. I understand that those working in the London area do receive an addition to salary. The one limb-fitter employed by the Department is part of the staff of the biomechanical research and development unit at Roehampton and he is paid outer London weighting.
Invalidity Benefits
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will give a substantive answer to supplement the replies given to the priority written questions of the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe on 20 February relating to invalidity pensions and invalidity benefits.
In relation to two of the right hon. Gentleman's questions, I refer him to my reply to him today. I have written to him concerning the other question.
Heart Operations (King's College)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will give a substantive answer to supplement the reply given to the priority written question of the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe on 13 February relating to heart operations at King's College hospital, London.
I replied on 27 February.
Education And Science
School Meals
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, having regard to the discretion to be given to local education authorities in relation to school meals provision, what guidance he proposes to give to local authorities as to the service they should provide to pupils who bring sandwiches to school, in view of the letter circulated by the Cumbria education authority that it does not intend to provide free water, plates or cutlery to children who bring sandwiches to school.
Under clause 22 of the Education (No. 2) Bill local education authorities will have a duty to provide facilities free of charge for pupils wishing to bring their own food to school. My right hon. and learned Friend has not yet considered whether guidance to local education authorities about the facilities to be provided will be necessary.
Information Officers
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The number and total cost of information officer group staff employed by my Department at the beginning of each of the last four years and on 1 January 1980 was
| Total cost | ||
| Number | £ | |
| 1 January 1976 | 19 | 127,000 |
| 1 January 1977 | 19 | 136,000 |
| 1 January 1978 | 18 | 140,000 |
| 1 January 1979 | 19 | 176,000 |
| 1 January 1980 | 18 | 182,000 |
Welsh Language
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in what ways his Department gives recognition to the Welsh language; and if he will list the statutory forms used by his Department which are either bilingual or have Welsh versions.
Correspondence in Welsh from teachers in Wales is answered through the Welsh Office. The following forms concerning teachers pensions have Welsh versions:
- Form 14 Pen Age allowances
- Leaflet 194 Pen Age allowances
- Leaflet 207A Age allowances
- Form 208 Pen Allocation of Pension
- Form 213 Pen Allocation of Pension
- Form 217 Pen Allocation of Pension
- Form FB3 Pen Details for potential widow's pension
- Form 374 Pen Purchase of added years
- Form 374F Pen Purchase of added years
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many forms, documents and circulars have been published in his Department in the Welsh language during the last five years.
Nine different forms and explanatory leaflets concerning teachers' pensions; have been published in the Welsh language by my Department during the last five years.
High Schools (Ealing)
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how
| 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | |
| TWYFORD | |||||
| 1. Actual number of places available | 240 | 240 | 240 | 240 | 240 |
| 2. Actual numbers admitted | 141 | 122 | 135 | 132 | 120 |
| 3. Number of places taken up by parents as first choice | 87 | 81 | 94 | 105 | 75 |
| REYNOLDS | |||||
| 1. Actual number of places available | 240 | 240 | 240 | 240 | 240 |
| 2. Actual numbers admitted | 231 | 230 | 230 | 231 | 229 |
| 3. Number of places taken up by parents as first choice | 169 | 184 | 143 | 195 | 159 |
| FARADAY | |||||
| 1. Actual number of places available | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 | 300 |
| 2. Actual numbers admitted | 210 | 189 | 130 | 111 | 109 |
| 3. Number of places taken up by parents as first choice | 178 | 172 | 127 | 92 | 101 |
School Transport
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a list, from the information available to him, of the proposed new charges for school transport which will be permitted under the Education (No. 2) Bill, by each education authority.
Of the local education authorities in England which are understood to have taken decisions at council level, subject to the enactment of clause 23 of the Education (No. 2) Bill, the details are as follows:—
LEA and proposed charge
Cheshire
20p per day
Cambria
20p per day (not more than two children in a family to be charged)
Gloucestershire
30p per day (third or subsequent children 15p; primary pupils free)
Hampshire
30p per day (not more than two children in a family to be charged; primary pupils free)
Isle of Wight
15p per day (not more than two children in a family to be charged; primary pupils free)
Northamptonshire
£10 per term (not more than two children in a family to be charged)
Surrey
40–50p per day (not more than two children in a family to be charged)
many pupil places have been available at Twyford, Reynolds and Faraday high schools, Ealing, in each of the past five years; and what proportion of these has been taken up by parents as first choice in each of the years concerned.
The information relating to the transfer of pupils to these high schools at 12+ years is as follows:
- No charge proposed:—
- Cornwall
- Devon
- Durham
- Humberside
- Suffolk
Natural Environment Research Council (Purchasing Policy)
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, why the Natural Environment Research Council purchased a French trawler for conversion in preference to a British vessel.
Since the council was advised that the construction of a new vessel would have cost considerably more than the purchase and conversion of a secondhand one, it made an extensive survey in 1978 of the secondhand fishing vessel market, using the services of ship brokers. There was no British vessel available which met the council's requirements. A survey of the continental market identified two suitable French vessels, of which the more suitable was purchased after inspection and survey.
Wales
Hill And Upland Research And Development
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much Government money was allocated to hill and upland research and development in Wales during 1979; what were the corresponding figures for the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.
The main responsibility for research on hill and upland farming in the United Kingdom lies with the Hill Farming Research Organisation. Government money is allocated to agriculture research and development jointly for England and Wales. Some hill farming research is carried out at the Welsh plant breeding station hill centre at Pant-y-Dwr, near Rhayader and at the
| Date | Number | Average Cost Per Head | Total Cost | ||
| £ | £ | ||||
| 1 January 1976 | … | … | 19 | 5,259 | 99,922 |
| 1 January 1977 | … | … | 20 | 5,729 | 114,580 |
| 1 January 1978 | … | … | 21 | 6,060 | 127,266 |
| 1 January 1979 | … | … | 22 | 6,693 | 147,247 |
British Steel Corporation, Shotton
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will reconsider, in the light of continuing requests by the Alyn-Deeside council, his policy regarding the setting up of a task force consequent upon the cessation of steelmaking at British Steel Corporation, Shotton; and if he will make a statement.
I consider that the present arrangements for consultation are satisfactory and in accord with the views expressed to me by the majority of local authorities in Clwyd, when I visited the area on 5 December. I am not persuaded that a task force is necessary.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the loss in rateable value to the Alyn Deeside council and the Clwyd county council resulting from the cessation of steelmaking at British Steel Corporation, Shotton; what is his estimate of the amounts for that part of the financial
MAFF experimental husbandry farm at Pwllpeiran. Separate figures for Wales are not available.
Information Officers
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The following table sets out the required information:year for which these two local authorities will not be compensated through the rate support grant system; if he will seek to make special payments on the same basis as payments made to local authorities in Wales in previous steel closures; what representations he has received; if he will receive a deputation from the area on this matter; and if he will make a statement.
Significant losses in rateable value will be incurred by these two authorities but no precise estimate can yet be made. Negotiations on this matter are in train between the corporation and the valuation office and I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 22 November last.—[Vol. 974, c. 305–306.] As to special payments, additional resources are, in my view, best used to create new factories and improved infrastructure.I have received representations from the hon. Member and the two local authorities referred to and I have already received a deputation on 5 December last from these authorities, together with the borough councils of Delyn and Wrexham Maelor. I am always ready to discuss these problems with those affected.
Welsh Development Agency
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out in the Official Report the guidelines of the Welsh Development Agency which enable it to make loans or provide grants to refinance debts owing to it from companies in the private sector.
The guidelines, copies of which are in the Library, for the Welsh Development Agency's industrial investment functions do not specify the uses to which moneys invested by the WDA are to be put by recipient firms; that is a matter for the agency's judgment. The agency does not make grants to firms for any purpose.
Nuclear Waste Management
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the total expenditure by his Department on research into radioactive waste management since this became his departmental responsibility.
None. Government expenditure into radioactive waste management in the United Kingdom has since 1978 been funded centrally by the Department of the Environment in consultation with the Welsh Office and Scottish Office.
Snowdonia National Park
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he now intends making an order to redraw the boundaries of the Snowdonia national park so as to exclude the area from Aran Fawddwy to Cader Idris and the areas of Cwm Dulais and Dyffryn Dyfi now included with the boundaries of the park.
No.
Radioactive Waste
asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether environmental impact analysis will be utilised in assessing the proposal to deposit high level radioactive wastes in geological formations in Wales.
There is at present no proposal to deposit high level radioactive waste in geological formations in Wales and it is premature to speculate on what form of environmental assessment might be appropriate if such a proposal were put forward at a much later date.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what criteria are employed by his Department in selecting areas for surface reconnaissance to assess sites for the storage of high level radioactive waste.
The selection was made by the Institute of Geological Sciences which applied internationally-accepted geological criteria, together with further desk studies related to rocks, in order to identify areas which contain examples of the geological formations suitable for investigation. The four areas—three in England, one in Wales—announced on 17 January are those on which desk studies are most advanced.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the cost of (a) surface reconnaissance, (b) the borehole programme and (c) a public inquiry into any proposals to deposit high level radioactive waste in mid-Wales.
I shall write to the hon. Member about the estimated cost of surface reconnaissance. If a borehole programme proceeds, its cost would be subject to tender. There are no proposals to deposit high level radioactive waste in Wales and therefore the third part of the question is hypothetical.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the proposed duration of the surface reconnaissance to assess sites for the storage of high level radioactive nuclear waste in Wales.
I understand that the Institute of Geological Sciences expects to complete the surface reconnaissance in mid-Wales within six months.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects surface reconnaissance to begin in mid-Wales as part of the project to assess sites for the depositing of high level radioactive waste.
I understand that the Institute of Geological Sciences expects to start surface reconnaissance in mid-Wales for the programme of investigation into geological research connected with the underground disposal of radioactive waste shortly.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales why his Department was not represented on the expert group on the revision of "The Control of Radioactive Wastes" in view of his Department's intention to undertake a survey of sites to deposit high level radioactive waste in Wales.
The Welsh Office's interests on the expert group were represented by the radiochemical inspectorate which advises my right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on matters relating to radioactive wastes.
Northern Ireland
Cash Limits
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) by what percentage the cash limits for 1980–81 for Northern Ireland will be greater than the limits for 1979–80 after account is taken of the various increase orders promulgated by the Department of the Environment in Great Britain;(2) whether he will give an assurance that the higher costs of welfare and allied services in Northern Ireland due to general deprivation in regard to housing, employment and the prevalance of low incomes, will be covered by the cash limits for 1980–81;(3) when he expects to be able to announce the cash limits on expenditure of district councils, education boards, health boards, and other 100 per cent. grant-aided public bodies.
It is the intention to announce the 1980–81 cash limit for Northern Ireland Departments on Budget day.The implications for 100 per cent. grant-aided public bodies of the Northern Ireland cash limits will be notified to those bodies individually by the sponsoring Departments in the normal way. Expenditure by district councils is not, in itself, cash limited though cash limits controls apply to central Government grants to district councils.In determining the allocation of resources, the Government seek, so far as is possible, to take account of social and economic circumstances in Northern Ireland.
Job Sutpport
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to make job support schemes more attractive to employers in order to create more jobs.
Consultants were commissioned last autumn to examine the effectiveness of the present incentives to industrial investment by existing or prospective employers in Northern Ireland, and the Government are now studying their findings. Meanwhile, I should point out that these incentives are the most generous in the United Kingdom, and their attractiveness is shown by the number of new jobs promoted since they were last reviewed in August 1977.
Industry And Education
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to strengthen industry and education links, particularly in regard to marketing and production engineering.
Co-operation between those responsible for industry and education can make a valuable contribution to Northern Ireland's economic future and the Government are currently examining how existing links might be strengthened.The Government are considering proposals for improving the development of marketing management expertise in Northern Ireland and creating a better understanding of the marketing function in industry. As regards production engineering, the recommendations of the Finniston committee are highly relevant and are being studied.
Sludge Disposal
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will arrange for an inquiry into the effectiveness of the system used in Northern Ireland at present, particularly those involving the use of filter beds, for the treatment and eventual disposal of sludge and sludge cake, to see how they can be modernised to achieve the standards recommended by the Royal Commission.
No. I am not aware of any significant problem resulting from the treatment of sewage using the biological filtration process. This is a long established process commonly used throughout the United Kingdom and the effluent it produces is well within Royal Commission standards.
Elderly Persons (Health Care)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the total recurrent expenditure of the four health boards is represented by expenditure on the care of the elderly, for each year since 1972.
Board accounts do not enable expenditure on services for particular groups to be separately identified. Services for the elderly are, however, accorded high priority in the allocation of resources.
Information Officers
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report the number and the average cost of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The number and cost of information officers in the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments for each of the last four years and for the current year is as follows:—
| Number | Cost | |
| 1 January 1980 | 25 | £251,000 |
| 1 January 1979 | 24 | £220,000 |
| 1 January 1978 | 27 | £213,000 |
| 1 January 1977 | 26 | £191,000 |
| 1 January 1976 | 26 | £179,000 |
Security
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the present security situation in Northern Ireland.
[pursuant to his reply, 26 February 1980]: Since I last made a statement in the House on 7 February, two RUC officers have died as a direct result of terrorist activity; two civilians have been murdered by shooting, and a young boy was killed as a result of the stoning of an Army vehicle. Up to 25 February 12 persons have been charged with terrorist-type offences, including one with murder and three with attempted murder. Four persons have been charged in connection with the attempt to bomb a Belfast bank on 15 February. A total of 1,142 rounds of ammunition and four weapons have been recovered.
Environment
Refuse Collection
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of the local authorities which have contracted out to private enterprise the collection of (a) domestic refuse and (b) industrial refuse; and what steps he is taking to encourage more local authorities to adopt this course of action.
Industrial waste is already collected almost exclusively by the private sector.The following local authorities* contracted out a proportion of their domestic refuse collection service during 1978–79:
| Local authority | % contracted out |
| Maldon | 95 |
| Mid Bedfordshire | 50 |
| Hartlepool | 23 |
| Redditch | 22 |
| Corby | 9 |
| Malvern Hills | 6 |
| Spelthome | 5 |
| Peterborough | 5 |
| Rushcliffe | 3 |
| Chorley | 2 |
| Rugby | 2 |
| Basildon | 1 |
| Carlisle | 1 |
| Fenland | 1 |
| Kettering | 1 |
European Wildlife Convention
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if Her Majesty's Government will expedite the ratification Council of Europe convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats.
The ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on the Conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats cannot be put in hand until the enactment of the Wildlife and Countryside Bill, but it is then the intention of Her Majesty's Government to ratify this convention.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a list of the common names of the species protected by the Council of Europe convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats.
The official text of the convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats was laid before Parliament on 20 February 1980 and copies of the appendices to the convention annotated to show the English equivalents of the Latin names were made available in the parliamentary Libraries on the same day.
Government Car Pool
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the savings in the cost of the Government car pool for the Midland region as described in his reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, Official Report, 21 January, columns 84–5, will be repeated in other regions; and, if not, whether he will make a statement.
The savings now being sought will depend on local circumstances, but the aim is to reduce the driving staff of the regional GCS to 37 as opportunity offers, with no more than two drivers in any one centre, except for Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh.
| Amounts (£ million) | ||||||||
| 1974–75 | 1975–76 | 1976–77 | 1977–78 | 1978–79 | 1979–80* | |||
| County councils | … | … | 1,642·6 | 1,999·5 | 2,113·7 | 2,105·8 | 2,243·2 | 2,113·1 |
| District councils | … | … | 991·0 | 1,499·2 | 1,630·0 | 1,671·8 | 1,823·8 | 2,318·2 |
| Metropolitan authorities | … | … | 1,749·2 | 2,286·3 | 2.547·4 | 2,688·0 | 3,014·5 | 3,313·8 |
| Total rate support grant | … | … | 4,384·0 | 5,788·0 | 6,295·0 | 6,470·0 | 7,086·0 | 7,751·0 |
| * The amounts for 1979–80 are based on the first Increase Order. | ||||||||
| Percentage change, year on previous year | |||||||
| 1975–76 | 1976–77 | 1977–78 | 1978–79 | 1979–80 | |||
| County councils | … | … | 21·7 | 5·7 | —0·4 | 6·5 | —5·8 |
| District councils | … | … | 51·3 | 8·7 | 2·6 | 9·1 | 27·1 |
| Metropolitan authorities | … | … | 30·7 | 11·4 | 5·5 | 12·2 | 9·9 |
| Total rate support grant | … | … | 32·0 | 8·8 | 2·8 | 9·5 | 9·4 |
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the rate support grant needs element, in each year since 1974 for (a) metropolitan districts, (b) district councils and (c) each of the 32 London boroughs in money
River Trent (Bridges)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what now is delaying his consideration of the proposed second bridge across the Trent at Burtonon-Trent.
My right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport is still awaiting the submission of the necessary Highways Act orders from Staffordshire county council. It is still proposed to hold a joint inquiry into these orders, the planning application and the certificate for the public open space.
Rate Support Grant
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the distribution of the rate support grant, each year since 1972, to the latest convenient date, both in figures and percentage increases, as between county councils, district councils and metropolitan authorities: and if he will show the total of the rate support grant and the percentage increase in each of these years.
Direct comparisons cannot be made for the earlier years since the Local Government Act 1972 changed the status and boundaries of local authorities with effect from 1 April 1974. The amounts of rate support grant paid since then are:terms and expressed as a percentage of the total sum allocated.
The figures are as set out below. The needs element of RSG was paid to non-metropolitan district councils for the first time in 1979–80.
| NEEDS ELEMENT OF RATE SUPPORT GRANT | ||||||||||||||
Final Allocation
| Estimated Final Allocation
| Percentage Share
| ||||||||||||
| 1974/75 | 1975/76 | 1976/77 | 1977/78 | 1978/79 | 1979/80 | 1980/81 | 74/75 | 75/76 | 76/77 | 77/78 | 78/79 | 79/80 | 80/81 | |
| £m | £m | £m | £m | £m | £m | £m | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| (a) Metropolitan | 709·83 | 904·14 | 979·48 | 1054·64 | 1145·54 | 1280·05 | 1544·79 | 24·870 | 25·938 | 25·687 | 26·914 | 26·503 | 26·333 | 26·411 |
| (b) Non-Metropolitan Districts | — | — | — | — | — | 351·95 | 426·26 | — | — | — | — | — | 7·240 | 7·290 |
| (c) London Boroughs Camden | 16·26 | 18·05 | 21·07 | 21·22 | 26·13 | 31·38 | 36·73 | 0·570 | 0·518 | 0·553 | 0·542 | 0·605 | 0·646 | 0·628 |
| Greenwich | 14·44 | 16·02 | 19·77 | 20·08 | 24·05 | 29·80 | 35·70 | 0·506 | 0·460 | 0·519 | 0·513 | 0·566 | 0·613 | 0·611 |
| Hackney | 19·42 | 20·84 | 26·69 | 28·34 | 34·47 | 39·74 | 46·45 | 0·681 | 0·598 | 0·700 | 0·723 | 0·798 | 0·818 | 0·794 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 15·42 | 17·28 | 21·25 | 21·97 | 26·76 | 31·05 | 36·12 | 0·540 | 0·496 | 0·558 | 0·561 | 0·619 | 0·639 | 0·618 |
| Islington | 19·00 | 20·31 | 25·26 | 17·02 | 32·65 | 36·86 | 42·64 | 0·666 | 0·583 | 0·663 | 0·690 | 0·755 | 0·758 | 0·729 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 13·60 | 15·85 | 19·12 | 19·33 | 23·02 | 26·55 | 30·04 | 0·477 | 0·455 | 0·502 | 0·493 | 0·533 | 0·546 | 0·514 |
| Lambeth | 25·03 | 27·00 | 33·64 | 35·15 | 43·03 | 50·40 | 58·64 | 0·877 | 0·775 | 0·880 | 0·897 | 0·996 | 1·037 | 1·003 |
| Lewisham | 19·28 | 21·63 | 27·06 | 28·39 | 34·36 | 40·01 | 46·53 | 0·676 | 0·621 | 0·710 | 0·725 | 0·795 | 0·823 | 0·796 |
| Southwark | 23·34 | 25·09 | 31·78 | 33·77 | 40·78 | 46·55 | 53·94 | 0·818 | 0·720 | 0·833 | 0·862 | 0·944 | 0·958 | 0·922 |
| Tower Hamlets | 16·59 | 17·01 | 21·55 | 22·92 | 27·21 | 30·71 | 35·44 | 0·582 | 0·488 | 0·565 | 0·585 | 0·630 | 0·632 | 0·606 |
| Wandsworth | 22·02 | 24·85 | 31·53 | 32·20 | 39·14 | 45·12 | 52·50 | 0·772 | 0·713 | 0·827 | 0·822 | 0·906 | 0·928 | 0·898 |
| Westminster | 11·84 | 14·40 | 15·94 | 13·80 | 19·17 | 26·35 | 32·50 | 0·415 | 0·413 | 0·418 | 0·352 | 0·444 | 0·542 | 0·556 |
| Barking and Dagenham | 11·95 | 15·25 | 17·81 | 18·44 | 22·16 | 24·54 | 28·82 | 0·419 | 0·437 | 0·467 | 0·471 | 0·513 | 0·505 | 0·493 |
| Barnet | 17·96 | 21·76 | 26·28 | 26·93 | 32·42 | 35·71 | 42·18 | 0·630 | 0·624 | 0·689 | 0·687 | 0·750 | 0·735 | 0·721 |
| Bexley | 12·45 | 15·34 | 18·19 | 18·84 | 22·93 | 26·22 | 32·07 | 0·437 | 0·440 | 0·477 | 0·481 | 0·531 | 0·539 | 0·548 |
| Brent | 19·74 | 24·37 | 30·74 | 34·80 | 44·21 | 48·96 | 57·00 | 0·692 | 0·699 | 0·806 | 0·888 | 1·023 | 1·007 | 0·975 |
| Bromley | 16·67 | 19·03 | 24·64 | 26·46 | 32·97 | 38·14 | 45·36 | 0·584 | 0·546 | 0·646 | 0·675 | 0·763 | 0·785 | 0·776 |
| Croydon | 20·17 | 24·55 | 30·52 | 31·99 | 39·39 | 45·81 | 54·60 | 0·707 | 0·705 | 0·800 | 0·817 | 0·911 | 0·942 | 0·934 |
| Ealing | 18·82 | 21·64 | 28·35 | 30·59 | 38·23 | 42·05 | 49·33 | 0·660 | 0·621 | 0·744 | 0·781 | 0·885 | 0·865 | 0·844 |
| Enfield | 15·31 | 19·28 | 24·14 | 25·26 | 30·93 | 35·73 | 42·93 | 0·537 | 0·555 | 0·633 | 0·645 | 0·716 | 0·735 | 0·734 |
| Haringey | 18·08 | 22·46 | 28·29 | 31·04 | 39·10 | 42·25 | 49·30 | 0·634 | 0·645 | 0·742 | 0·792 | 0·905 | 0·869 | 0·843 |
| Harrow | 11·94 | 14·17 | 16·64 | 17·15 | 20·79 | 23·52 | 28·48 | 0·419 | 0·407 | 0·437 | 0·438 | 0·481 | 0·484 | 0·487 |
| Havering | 15·41 | 18·51 | 22·46 | 23·42 | 28·06 | 30·06 | 34·87 | 0·540 | 0·531 | 0·589 | 0·598 | 0·649 | 0·619 | 0·596 |
| Hillingdon | 13·65 | 14·96 | 18·62 | 18·89 | 23·13 | 27·13 | 32·59 | 0·478 | 0·429 | 0·488 | 0·482 | 0·535 | 0·558 | 0·557 |
| Hounslow | 13·36 | 15·64 | 19·31 | 20·15 | 24·42 | 27·78 | 32·72 | 0·468 | 0·449 | 0·506 | 0·514 | 0·565 | 0·572 | 0·560 |
| Kingston-upon-Thames | 8·37 | 9·94 | 12·08 | 12·39 | 14·63 | 16·81 | 20·23 | 0·294 | 0·285 | 0·317 | 0·316 | 0·339 | 0·346 | 0·346 |
| Merton | 10·95 | 12·82 | 16·51 | 17·52 | 21·66 | 24·76 | 29·58 | 0·384 | 0·368 | 0·433 | 0·447 | 0·501 | 0·509 | 0·506 |
| Newham | 19·17 | 24·18 | 30·33 | 32·77 | 40·01 | 43·34 | 50·62 | 0·672 | 0·694 | 0·795 | 0·836 | 0·926 | 0·892 | 0·866 |
| Redbridge | 12·78 | 14·62 | 17·93 | 19·46 | 24·97 | 29·21 | 35·41 | 0·448 | 0·420 | 0·470 | 0·497 | 0·578 | 0·601 | 0·606 |
| Richmond-upon Thames | 9·12 | 10·90 | 13·94 | 14·61 | 18·32 | 20·88 | 24·94 | 0·320 | 0·313 | 0·366 | 0·373 | 0·424 | 0·430 | 0·4 |
| Sutton | 9·49 | 11·82 | 14·92 | 15·84 | 19·61 | 22·01 | 25·95 | 0·333 | 0·339 | 0·391 | 0·404 | 0·454 | 0·453 | 0·444 |
| Waltham Forest | 14·13 | 17·72 | 21·91 | 24·36 | 31·12 | 34·76 | 40·94 | 0·495 | 0·509 | 0·575 | 0·622 | 0·720 | 0·715 | 0·70 |
Council House Sales
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which housing authorities do not permit the sale of council houses; and how this compares with the position as at May 1979.
I will write to my hon. Friend.
Local Authorities (Manpower)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the total number of staff employed by local authorities in the United Kingdom, including water boards, and for each year from 1960 to 1979.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 4 December 1979—[Vol. 975, c. 151–521—with regard to local authority employees, and to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment to my hon. Friend the Member for Bridlington (Mr. Townsend) on 29 November 1979—[Vol. 974, c. 794]—with regard to water authority employees. Separate figures for the water industry prior to 1974 are not available on a comparable basis.
Disabled Persons (Central London)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the public lavatory facilities for disabled people in central London; if he will discuss the matter with the relevant London boroughs so that improvements can be achieved before the International Year of Disabled People in 1981; and if he will make a statement.
The provision of public conveniences is a matter for local authorities and when providing new facilities they have a duty, imposed by the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, to make provision, so far as is practicable and reasonable, for the needs of the disabled. I am sure they will take into account the aims of the International Year of Disabled People.
European Ministerial Conferences
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is the view of Her Majesty's Government that the European ministerial conferences on the environment should continue to mee at the same intervals as at presnt.
It is the Government's view that the European ministerial conferences on the environment should continue to meet at the same intervals as at present provided the agenda contains worthwhile subjects for discussion.
Sporting Fixtures (Ticket Distribution)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Under-Secretary of State's meeting with the Football Associations of Scotland and England regarding ticket distribution arrangements at the England-Scotland International.
I understand that the football associations met yesterday to discuss this matter, but I did not attend. I regard ticket sales and distribution as matters for these associations, not for the Government.
Environmental Impact Analysis
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether environmental impact analysis has been used by his Department in assessing any major building project; and if he will list such projects;(2) whether environmental impact analysis will be utilised by his Department and inspectors acting for his Department at public inquiries into sites for the building of future nuclear power stations.
An appropriate appraisal of the likely environmental consequences is made whenever my Department considers planning applications for major developments. The technique of environmental impact analysis can play a part in suitable cases.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether environmental impact analysis will be utilised in assessing the proposal to deposit high level radioactive wastes in geological formations.
If, after consideration in possibly 10 years' time of alternative methods of disposal, the Government of the day decided to proceed with the development of a demonstration repository for the disposal of high level radioactive waste, the environmental effects of any proposal would be thoroughly investigated.
Local Authority Housing
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the allocations for each region of Great Britain to local authorities to cover new housing, improvement grants, housing associations and other related district council housing functions for the last five
| ALLOCATIONS TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOR HOUSING CAPITAL EXPENDITURE, BY REGION | |||||||
| All figures in £ million, at outturn prices | |||||||
| 1975–76 (improvement only) | 1976–77 (improvement and mortgage lending) | 1977–78 (all housing capital) | 1978–79 (all housing capital) | 1979–80† (all housing capital) | 1980–81 (all housing capital) | ||
| Northern | … | 44·0 | 46·2 | 139·1 | 164·4 | 180·0 | 154·9 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | … | 38·0 | 51·3 | 176·0 | 202·2 | 216·0 | 189·6 |
| North West | … | 65·6 | 81·4 | 241·8 | 308·4 | 333·4 | 311·5 |
| East Midlands | … | 30·6 | 40·1 | 175·3 | 188·8 | 159·9 | 130·0 |
| West Midlands | … | 31·5 | 65·7 | 227·8 | 258·4 | 248·0 | 217·0 |
| Eastern | … | 19·3 | 40·3 | 165·7 | 179·7 | 167·1 | 135·2 |
| London | … | 96·2 | 204·1 | 757·7 | 842·4 | 886·6 | 768·7 |
| South-East | … | 17·7 | 55·6 | 194·2 | 213·5 | 228·4 | 185·7 |
| South-West | … | 12·3 | 30·9 | 111·7 | 126·6 | 125·0 | 106·3 |
| ENGLAND | … | 354·5 | 615·6* | 2,189·3 | 2,484·4 | 2,544·4 | 2,198·9 |
| * Excludes a further £4·8 million for mortgage lending by county councils. | |||||||
| † Allocation made in August 1979. | |||||||
Radioactive Waste
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his estimate of the total accumulation of radioactive waste in each year since the military and civil nuclear power programme was initiated, giving separate estimates for (a) high level of liquid waste, (b) high level of solid waste, (c) medium active liquid waste, concentrates, sludges and resins, (d) low active plutonium contaminated waste, (e) volatile and gaseous waste and (f) waste from decommissioning reactors and other plant;(2) what is the total amount spent on the evaluation of the longer term hazard of radioactive waste disposal in geological formations in the United Kingdom; and how much of this expenditure relates to the evaluation of waste hazard analysis, long term stability of conditioned waste, interaction of actinides with the environment and the monitoring of actinides;
years; and what are the projected allocations for 1980–81.
For 1975–76, allocations to local authorities in England were made only for improvements to council housing. In 1976–77, additional allocations were made for lending for house purchase. For 1977–78 and following years, allocations were extended to comprise all housing capital investment by local authorities. Allocations for 1980–81 were announced on 21 February. The figures available are therefore as follows:(3) what has been the total expenditure in the European Community by Euratom on the direct action research programme of radioactive waste management and storage in each year since the programme was intiated.
I will reply to the hon. Member shortly.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his Department's estimate of the predicted accumulation of radioactive wastes by category up to the year 2000.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Under-Secretary of State for Energy, to the hon. Member for Ayrshire, South (Mr. Foulkes) on 17 January.—[Vol. 976. c. 830.]
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total United Kingdom expenditure on research into radioactive waste management in each year since 1970 by funding organisations and by contractor.
I will reply to the hon. Member shortly.
Information Officers
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The number and cost of information officers in my Department, including the Property Services Agency, Building Research Establishment, and Fire Research Station, in these years are:
| January 1976 | 94 | £535,000* |
| January 1977 | 83 | £515,000 |
| January 1978 | 72 | £467,000 |
| January 1979 | 56 | £407,000 |
| January 1980 | 52 | £519,000 |
| * The Department then included the present Department of Transport. | ||
Vitrification (Research)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been undertaken by his Department into the process of vitrification.
The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority developed a vitrification process to the pilot plant stage some years ago. This was the "Fingal" process. More recently, the Department has taken responsibility for funding a full-scale non-radioactive plant, known as "Harvest" at Harwell. The objective of this work is to investigate radiological protection aspects and to optimise the processing conditions. Other work funded by the Department at Harwell is directed towards investigating advanced vitrification techniques. BNFL is carrying out a substantial development and design programme aimed at the installation of a production-scale vitrification plant at the Windscale works. The specifications for that plant have not yet been determined. Vitrification promises to provide a very satisfactory method of solidifying high level liquid radioactive waste. The Department has also initiated a review of other potential methods of solidification being investigated in France, Australia and the United States of America.
Housing Starts
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what he now estimates to be the numbers of new housing starts in 1980–81 compared with 1979–80 as a result of the reduced allocation to the Housing Corporation for the work of housing associations following his statement to the House on 21 February(2) following his reduced allocation to the Housing Corporation for housing associations, by what percentage he expects their housing starts in 1980–81 to fall over those in the current year.
The number of housing starts that can be funded from the Housing Corporation 1980–81 allocation will depend on how far associations take advantage of the new powers in the Housing Bill to undertake rehabilitation for sale and shared ownership. The Housing Corporation is considering the balance to be struck between homes for sale, for shared ownership and for renting.
Transport
M4 (Chiswick-Heathrow)
asked the Minister of Transport what contribution is being given to increasing the capacity and improving the safety of the M4 between Chiswick and Heathrow airport where there is at present provision for only two lanes of traffic, and no emergency hard shoulder.
I have no plans to increase the capacity. A contract has been let to strengthen the parapets adjacent to the two-lane section.
A1 (Felton Bypass)
asked the Minister of Transport whether the A1 Felton bypass will be opened in 1980.
The A1 Felton bypass—which is being built in stages—will not be open to traffic until 1981. In 1978 it had been hoped that it would be
| VEHICLE INVOLVEMENTS IN INJURY ACCIDENTS GB 1972–78 | ||||||
| Darkness accidents in areas with a speed limit not over 30 mph | ||||||
| Parked | All | %parked | All parked in all accident. | |||
| 1971 | … | … | 5,263 | 87,294 | 6·0 | 17,318 |
| 1972 | … | … | 6,304 | 92,081 | 6·8 | 18,172 |
| 1973 | … | … | 7,771 | 90,889 | 8·5 | 20,461 |
| 1974 | … | … | 8,009 | 88,596 | 9·0 | 20,285 |
| 1975 | … | … | 8,598 | 89,740 | 9·6 | 22,067 |
| 1976 | … | … | 8,818 | 94,402 | 9·3 | 22,677 |
| 1977 | … | … | 8,581 | 95,618 | 9·0 | 22,330 |
| 1978 | … | … | 8,775 | 94,717 | 9·3 | 23,325 |
Transport Supplementary Grants
asked the Minister of Transport what proportion of the transport supplementary grants proposed for Wales and England for 1980–81 has been allocated to the Greater London, Birmingham and Manchester metropolitan areas.
The proportions are Greater London 34·4 per cent., West Midlands metropolitan county 3·5 per cent. and Greater Manchester metropolitan county 4·7 per cent.
Railway Sidings (Section 8 Grants)
asked the Minister of Transport how many reques
possible to complete the work early in 1981 or even possibly before the end of 1980. But the letting of the contract for the final stage involving the contract for the finel stage involving the contract for the final stage involving the construction of a new bridge across the River Coquet took a little longer than had been expected because of the unusual and highly technological nature of the design and construction methods chosen for likely to be completed until later in 1981.
Lighting Regulations
asked the Minister of Transport if, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby on the new lighting regulations introduced in April 1972 which shows an increase in accidents involving powered vehicles of 36 per cent. for 1973, he will give the accident figures for each year subsequent to 1973.
The following information illustrates the effects of the change in the lighting regulations:for section 8 grants for railway sidings have been submitted to his Department by industrial organisations in the past 12 months.
19 formal applications have been submitted.
Bypasses
asked the Minister of Transport which of the 84 historic towns will be relieved of through traffic by the early 1980s, as planned in 1971, or have already obtained such benefit from completed bypass routes; which will not; and when they can expect such relief.
The following towns have been at least partially relieved of through trunk traffic by bypasses or major new routes:—
- Abingdon.
- Arundel.
- Bath.
- Belper.
- Bridgwater.
- Bury St. Edmunds.
- Cambridge.
- Carlisle.
- Castle Donington.
- Cheltenham.
- Chester.
- Cirencester.
- Colchester.
- Cockermouth.
- Durham.
- East Dereham.
- Exeter.
- Faversham.
- Gloucester.
- Godmanchester.
- Hexham.
- Huntingdon.
- Kendal.
- King's Lynn.
- Lancaster.
- Launceston.
- Led bury.
- Lewes.
- Lichfield.
- Ludlow.
- Market Harborough.
- Marlborough.
- Morpeth.
- Newark on Trent.
- Newport (Essex).
- Northampton.
- Nottingham.
- Oxford.
- Painswick.
- Penrith.
- Peterborough.
- Rochester.
- St. Albans.
- St. Neots.
- Southampton.
- Stamford.
- Taunton.
- Tewkesbury.
- Thetford.
- Thirsk.
- Ware.
- Winchester.
- Witney.
- Worcester.
- Wymondham.
- York.
M6—Perry Beeches, Birmingham
asked the Minister of Transport on how many occasions wheels from vehicles have bounced over the parapet on the elevated sections of the M6 motorway at Perry Beeches, Birmingham; and what steps he proposes to take to prevent this.
While I am aware of one such incident I do not think measures to overcome this type of freak occurrence could be justified.
Strategic Road Network
asked the Minister of Transport if he will institute studies into the way that the continued construction of the strategic road network may increase dependence on the private lorry and car.
While it is clear that without the development of the strategic road network the increases in personal mobility and reductions in cost achieved through the use of motor vehicles could not have been achieved, it is unlikely that filling the remaining gaps or bypassing towns and villages would cause a significant change in general transport patterns, though the impact of individual schemes on competing modes is considered where appropriate. Studies in this area are expensive and I am not convinced that a major new one would be worth while at this stage.
Information Officers
asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish in the Official Report the number, and the average cost, of information officers employed by his Department at the beginning of each of the last four years.
The number and cost of information officers employed in my Department including the Transport and Road Research Laboratory and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre in these years are as follows:
| January 1976 | The Department was then part of the Department of Environment. |
| January 1977 | 17 £110,000 |
| January 1978 | 17 £118,000 |
| January 1979 | 17 £127,000 |
| January 1980 | 17 £164,000 |
The information officer group, in addition to press officers, includes information specialists in advertising and editorial work. Common services for films, publications and exhibitions continue to be provided for my Department by the Department of the Environment.
Nuclear Waste (Carriage)
asked the Minister of Transport how often trains carrying nuclear waste pass through Wolverhampton.
I am informed that from four to six trains carrying irradiated fuel may pass through Wolverhampton each week.
asked the Minister of Transport what studies have been carried out as to the effects of a train carrying nuclear waste crashing at 60 mph.
In the USA, several crashes have been staged involving rocket propelled vehicles, including a railway-wagon, carrying fuel flasks designed to the same internationally accepted safety standards as applied in this country.Impact speeds in these crashes ranged up to 82 mph. In each instance the flask survived the crash with only superficial damage.
asked the Minister of Transport what studies are being carried out into the safety aspects of empty nuclear waste flasks being carried on trains carrying explosives; how often this has occurred; if he will take steps to ensure that this does not happen again; and if he will make a statement.
I am informed that no such studies are being undertaken. The empty nuclear fuel flasks to which the hon. Member refers would only contain residual radioactivity of a low order.
National Finance
Currency
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the possibility of introducing a £1 coin, he will consider supplementing his counter-inflation policy by rearranging the currency such that there is a new £1 unit equivalent to 10 current pounds, further divided into 20 units known as shillings divided into 12 units known as pennies.
The currency was the subject of a very full inquiry in the context of the change to a decimal system, and further extensive changes are not considered to be necessary at this time.