asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now make a statement about the fee arrangements for students from European Economic Community countries.

It is intended that from 1 September 1980 students from other countries of the European Community shall pay fees at the level charged to home students. In 1978–79 there were nearly 3,000 students from these countries studying in the United Kingdom educational establishments. It is estimated that if the same number of students were on courses in 1980–81 it would cost about £2 million extra in the financial year 1980–81 rising to £5 million by 1983–84. In the case of maintained institutions allowance was made for an appropriate share of this in the RSG settlement announced on 16 November 1979. Similar allowance was made in the Estimates for university expenditure presented to Parliament on 26 March 1980 and an appropriate adjustment to the grants announced on 27 March will be made. Full details of the operation of this scheme will be sent to educational establishments shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out in the Official Report the definition of a new "course" for the purposes of charging full cost fees to existing overseas students; and whether any flexibility will be allowed in the case of foundation and other courses with organic links to subsequent ones.

A course for this purpose would be a period of organised study complete in itself so that the student may leave on completion without necessarily going on to another.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out in the Official Report those European Economic Community ferring to other items of non-institutional directives, regulations and other ordin- ances, on which he is basing his new rules about the fee arrangements for European Economic Community students.

Apart from article 12 of EC Regulation 1612/68 concerning the children of migrant workers, there are as yet no Community directives, regulations or other ordinances relevant to tuition fee arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many of his recently announced new postgraduate bursaries for overseas students of high academic potential will be awarded in polytechnics.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 22 January to the hon. Member for Bedwellty (Mr. Kinnock).—[Vol. 977, c. 112.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from Leicestershire regarding the effects of cuts in education expenditure; and how many were for and how many against his policies.

Of the 33 letters I have received from organisations and individuals in Leicestershire, two expressed support for the Government's expenditure policies and the remainder were opposed to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, how much of the educational budget of local education authorities goes on non-educational expenditure, including (a) school transport, (b) school meals and (c) other items.

In 1978–79 the figures for England and Wales were, in round figures, 2 per cent. on school transport, 6 per cent. on school meals and milk, and 7 per cent. on other items of non-educational expenditure, these being taken for the purpose of this question as re-expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 17 March, if he will list in the Official Report those universities, polytechnics and colleges of higher education currently running initial and in-service training courses for teachers which deal with aspects of microelectronics; what aspects are dealt with in each case; and if he will give more details of the subjects and courses covered;(2) if he will list in the

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he proposes to announce his proposed changes in the financing of student unions.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. and learned Friend made in a written reply to my

My right hon. and learned Friend does not control the content of teacher training courses and detailed information is not collected centrally about the constituent elements of initial and in-service courses at individual institutions. In the programme organised by Her Majesty's Inspectorate the following short courses planned for 1980 will deal with aspects of microelectronics:Department in 1979–80:hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (Mr. van Straubenzee) on 5 February.—[Vol. 978 c.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will take steps to prevent a decline in health and safety standards at work following cutbacks in financial support for the Health and Safety Executive; and if he will make a statement;(2) what steps he has taken to ensure that the Health and Safety Inspectorate's emphasis on inspecting larger companies will not lead to neglect of the safety requirements in smaller companies; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will visit the Bootle jobcentre.

I have no plans at present to visit Bootle jobcentre.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, further to his reply dated 19 February on the level of unemployment in 1980–81, what is his assessment of the means by which an increase in productivity could lead to a reduction in unemployment.

Increased productivity would help to make United Kingdom goods more competitive in home and overseas markets, so attracting orders and leading to an expansion of output and employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the contribution to employability made by preparatory training opportunity programme courses.

I am informed by the MSC that TOPS preparatory courses, which are intended to supplement the provision made by the education service for adult basic education, are designed to meet the needs of unemployed adults who need language, literacy or numeracy skills to assist their search for employment or further training. These courses make a valuable contribution to improving the employment prospects of those who can benefit from this.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the planned reduction in the number of preparatory training opportunity programmes training places in each region of the United Kingdom and the total.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, in order to dissociate the United Kingdom from May Day celebrations, and to strengthen national unity, he will ensure that the bank holiday on the Monday immediately following 1 May is designated in official documents as United Kingdom Day.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is considered the safety level for the concentration of radium emanation; and on how many occasions this level has been exceeded in the South Crofty tin mine;(2) how many workers were found to be suffering from cancer who worked at the South Crofty tin mine in 1979 and for each of the preceding three years; and the current year;(3) if he is satisfied that conditions at South Crofty tin mine are safe to work in; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what has been the total cost of redundancy payments in each of the last five years; what it is in the current year; and what are the estimates for 1980–81 and 1981–82;(2) what was the average amount paid to individuals in respect of redundancy payments in each of the last five years; and what it will be in the current year;(3) whether the statistics kept concerning redundancy payments show what proportion of such payments is made to people who, having left their jobs, go immediately into retirement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he intends to make a further transfer of funds from the National Oil Account to the Consolidated Fund, as provided for in section 40(3) of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipelines Act 1975.

With Treasury agreement, I made a transfer yesterday of £800 million from the National Oil Account to the Consolidated Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will reshape the gas distribution monopoly by making available to industrial consortia in selected areas of the United Kingdom a limited number of undeveloped gas fields in the North Sea to be linked by independently-operated trunk and distribution systems.

The possible supply to any such consortium of gas from an undeveloped gas field would be a matter for discussion between it and the holders of the relevant production licence. The Secretary of State's consent would be needed under the Energy Act to the supply.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will renegotiate participation agreements to enable companies which have become short of crude oil through the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries policies to have greater access to their own oil which is currently being made available up to a substantial percentage to the British National Oil Corporation.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 24 January 1980.—[Vol. 977, c. 325–26.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated percentage of the expenditure of households on fuel, light and power; and how this compares with five years ago.

Information on average household expenditure on various items is published annually in the "Family Expenditure Survey" report by the Department of Employment. The latest report relates to 1978 and shows that the average domestic expenditure on fuel, light and power accounted for 5·9 per cent. of the total average household expenditure in the United Kingdom. The corresponding figure for 1973 was 5·5 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many coal mines are planned to close in 1983 in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

Closures are a matter for the National Coal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress is being made in the formation of a working code of practice for the use of underwater electrical equipment.

A working party under the chairmanship of an official of my Department is currently drawing up a code. This is expected to be ready by early next year.In the meantime, my Department recommends adherence to the guidelines contained in the report "Underwater Electrical Safety—Guidance on Protection Against Shock", published last year by the Construction Industries Research and Information Association (CIRIA).My Department co-operated in the preparation of this report and fully endorses its recommendations.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her public engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 1 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 April.

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

asked the Prime Minister what proposals have been received by Her Majesty's Government for investment in the advanced passenger train.

The construction of the prototype advanced passenger train was approved in 1974. I understand that the Railways Board expects to submit proposals soon for the construction of a fleet of APTs.

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

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

No dates have been arranged.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Boddam.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister what consideration she has given to the memorandum submitted to her by the Confederation of British Wool Textiles; and if she will make a statement amplifying her views on the subject matter therein.

The Government have given very serious consideration to the problems of the wool textile industry. I fully understand these problems, and have great sympathy with the wool tex- tile industry in its present difficulties. However, I do not believe that the industry's proposals for more extensive controls on imports would help solve our economic difficulties.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will pay an official visit to Oslo.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will visit Dailly.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Luton.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether she is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Health and Social Security in relation to Government administrative measures to reduce the poverty trap.

Yes: the two Departments are in close touch about these matters.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement concerning the European Economic Community Heads of Government meeting.

The Italian Presidency is seeking agreement on new dates for the postponed European Council. I am pressing for it to be held as soon as possible and expect an announcement shortly. I shall report the outcome to the House on my return.

asked the Prime Minister if she will visit Dounreay.

I have at present no plans to pay another visit to Dounreay.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Department of Education and Science, the Overseas Development Administration and the Home Office over arrangements for overseas students.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government's decision to approve the Channel tunnel is intended to pave the way at the next European Economic Community summit for including a European Economic Community contribution as an offset to the £1·3 billion which is owed to the United Kingdom by the European Economic Community in 1980; if so, whether she estimates that the net benefit to the United Kingdom of such a tunnel would be greater than the United Kingdom's normal contribution; and, if so, by how much.

There has been no decision to approve a Channel tunnel, but my right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport has said that he will consider commercially sound proposals financed by private risk capital. His announcement had no connection with the issue of our contribution to the Community budget.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the recommendations by the Central Policy Review Staff regarding the advanced gas cooled reactor power station orders for Torness and Heysham.

The recommendations are being considered and an announcement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Prime Minister if it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that the results of the Northern Ireland constitutional conference should be considered by an Ulster committee consisting of the Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Defence, the Home Department and Northern Ireland and the Lord Chancellor; and what form that Committee will take.

The Government are now considering the progress made by the conference. As to whether this consideration is being undertaken by an Ulster committee, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Thomas) on 24 May 1979 concerning the Government's policy on the release of information regarding Cabinet committees.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is his estimate for the United Kingdom and Italian shares of world trade in manufactures in 1979; and if he has made an estimate of when he expects the Italian share to overtake the United Kingdom share.

Shares in world trade in manufactures are normally measured in terms of the value share of main manufacturing countries' exports of manufactured goods. These countries account for about three-quarters of world exports of manufactures. On this basis, latest estimates, relating to the first three quarters of 1979, show figures of 9½ per cent. and 8 per cent. for the United Kingdom and Italy, respectively. My Department does not make forecasts of this type of information.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for exports of machinery, the volume and unit value in 1970 and 1979,

UNITED KINGDOM EXPORTS OF MACHINERY*
							1975=100	OTS basis
			Volume Indices			Unit Value Indices
			Consumer	Intermediate	Capital	Consumer	Intermediate	Capital
1970	…	…	75	70	76	51	53	51
1979	…	…	104	104	95	164	180	174
* SITC (R2) Divisions 71 to 77

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, in view of the fact that more deaths and injuries arise from accidents in the home than on the roads, whether he will make home safety a mandatory function for local authorities.

I do not intend, at present, to introduce legislation to extend the enabling provisions, created by the Home Safety Act 1961 as amended, for the promotion of home safety activities, but we do carefully monitor home accident statistics through our home accident surveillance scheme and act where appropriate using the powers of the Consumer Safety Act 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is his estimate of the number of accidents to children caused by breaking unstrengthened glass in doors each year; if he will take steps to reduce the annual toll of death and injury from this cause; and if he will make a statement.

From data derived from the home accident surveillance system it is estimated that accidents in the home involving architectural glass lead to about 25,000 persons being treated in hospital accident and emergency departments each year. About half of these accidents are caused by glass in doors and just over half of these occur on the same basis as shown for imports n tables C14 and C21 of the February issue of the Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics.

The information is as follows:to children. The data do not indicate the type of glass involved.The practicability of taking steps to reduce the number of these accidents is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment. I am concerned only with the safety of made-up doors and so on for "do-it-yourself" and replacement purposes and am keeping under review the possible need for action in this connection, taking into account current work on the revision of the British Standards Institution's code of practice on "Glazing for Buildings".

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing (a) for the second half of 1973 and (b) the second half of 1979, the relative volume and terms of trade for the items shown in table D2 of the February issue of the Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics;(2) whether he will publish in the

Information for the fourth quarter of 1979 is given in the Monthly Review referred to in the questions. The remaining information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the balance of trade in textile goods between the United Kingdom and other countries in total, including EEC States, for 1979 and January and February 1980.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 March 1980, c. 543]: The United Kingdom had a crude deficit—exports fob less imports cif—on trade in textile goods* of £658 million in 1979 and £131 million in January-February 1980.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will review the indexing of the retirement pensions of the top paid civil servants to ensure that when these receive, with their indexed pensions and other earnings, incomes in excess of that received by the successors to their retired appointments, the civil servants retirement pension will be reduced to ensure that the total income received is not more than that which he would have received had he continued to occupy his former Civil Service position.

Where a retired public servant is re-employed in his former ser-

Location	Number of posts	Department
Birmingham	—	—
Bradford	170	Inland Revenue
Bristol	1,014)	Department of Environment/Transport
	6)	Inland Revenue
Coventry	—	—
Derby	—	—
Leicester	—	—
Liverpool (including Bootle)	30	Inland Revenue
Manchester	248	Inland Revenue
Newcastle	354	Department of Health and Social Security
Southampton	—	—

My hon. Friend will recall that in answer to a question he asked on 20 December 1979—[Vol. 976, c. 306]—I announced the dispersal of a further 1,250 posts to Bootle, and the intention to vice, or is appointed to a public board or office, his pension or salary at the time of appointment is, if necessary, abated so that total remuneration from public funds does not exceed his annual rate of salary at the time of retirement—or the salary of the new post if that is greater. Subsequent pay and pensions increases are applied only to the residual amounts in payment. It would not be practicable to extend these arrangements to those who are re-employed in a different public service after retirement, nor would it be appropriate to abate the pensions of those whose appointment after retirement makes no additional call on public funds.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list in the Official Report the relocation of civil servants into the core city areas in the last five years, showing which Department was so located; and how many civil servants were relocated in Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Coventry, Newcastle, Bradford, Leicester, Derby and Southampton, together with their former location.

Information about the relocation of civil servants for management reasons is not held centrally and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs. The table below shows the numbers of posts dispersed to the places listed by my hon. Friend since 1 April 1975. All these posts were formerly located in London.locate there a number of short-term posts in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (in connection with the 1981 census).

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what were the degree subjects of graduate entrants to the

	Number of Degree Holders
Subject	1977	1978	1979	Totals
Economics	9	5	13	27
History	3	3	12	18
Mathematics	2	2	7	11
Natural Sciences	1	7	2	10
Languages	1	2	5	8
Geography	0	3	3	6
Biology	2	1	3	6
Social Sciences	0	1	4	5
Business Studies	3	1	0	4
English	0	0	4	4
Chemistry	2	1	1	4
Physics	2	0	2	4
Engineering	1	0	2	3
Psychology	0	1	2	3
Law	1	0	2	3
Classics	1	0	2	3
Philosophy	2	0	1	3
Administration	0	0	2	2
Theology	0	0	2	2
Combined Studies	2	0	0	2
Botany	1	1	0	2
Physiology/Zoology	1	0	1	2
American Studies	1	0	1	2
Politics	1	0	1	2
Archaeology	0	1	1	2
Statistics	1	0	0	1
Music	0	0	1	1
Astro-physics	0	0	1	1
Totals	37	29	75	141

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on his decision to order the Pregnancy Advisory Service to withdraw its advertisements from the London Underground.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 24 March.—[Vol. 981, c. 433–34.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of males in Dundee and Scotland receiving unemployment benefit and/or supplementary benefit who are (a) single, (b) married with no children, (c) married with one child, (d) married with two children, (e) married with three children and (f) married with more than three children.

Following is the information:

I regret that such information is not available on a local basis, nor is such information relating to unemployment benefit beneficiaries available for Scotland.The following information relating to Scotland is, however, available for unemployed males receiving supplementary benefit in November 1978:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much his Department has spent in the last 12 months on publicity for major social security benefits in (a) the national press, (b) the provincial press, (c) television, (d) radio and (e) elsewhere.

A total of £445,800 has been spent on publicity for major benefits. National press advertising accounts for £293,500, including expenditure in Scottish-based newspapers; television for £157,000; and radio for £200. Miscellaneous publicity costs, including posters, accounts for the remaining £5,100. These costs do not include expenditure on leaflets because of the difficulty in differentiating between "publicity" and "information".

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research has been carried out by his Department into a possible connection between fluorescent lighting and carcinoma; and if he will make a statement.

The main Government-funded body supporting research into cancer is the Medical Research Council from funds provided by the Department of Education and Science and the Health Departments. Government funds also support research at the Universities and hospital medical schools.I am not aware of any research which has been or is being undertaken into a possible contention between fluorescent lighting and carcinoma in animals or man; nor am I aware of sufficient evidence of such a connection to ask that research be initiated.If my hon. Friend has any information on this I should be glad to know of it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, since long standing working in the ionised atmosphere of low-dose radiation has not been proven to be free of long-term potential hazards, he will undertake further investigations and discussions before implementing the recent Clegg report that recommends that radiographers work an extra two and a half hours in order to obtain a salary increase.

The radiological protection of radiographers, as for all other radiation workers in the health field, is governed by the code of practice for the protection of persons exposed to ionising radiations arising from medical and dental use, which is based on the recommen- dations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection. There is no evidence to suggest that radiographers who work normally and in accordance with this code are at any long-term health risk. The change in hours recommended by the Clegg standing commission would not affect the issue in any material way. The question of implementation is still under consideration by the Professional and Technical "A" Whitley Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the fact that in London and the home counties 24 radiotherapy units serve a population of roughly 12 million, if he will take action to remedy this over-provision as against other regions which are seriously underfunded after some years of attempted redistribution of resources; and if he will make a statement.

The provision of radiotherapy units to meet the needs of the people in their areas is the responsibility of the relevant health authorities. General guidance on the subject has been issued by the Department. A recent report by a study group of the London health planning consortium on radiotherapy and oncology services in the four Thames regions has proposed that they should be provided by a smaller number of larger centres. The report will be considered by the consortium following current consultation. Redistribution of overall resources between regional health authorities is carried out by reference to relative need assessed in accordance with the recommendations of the resource allocation working party.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the fact that some women's aid refuges have closed recently because of lack of local authority funding and support, if he will seek to take steps to implement the recommendations made four years ago by the Select Committee on violence in marriage.

The previous Administration's response to the Select Committee's report was set out in Cmnd. 6690. This made it clear in paragraph 46 that the need for refuges could best be estimated locally in the light of experience in ways local resources are used. This is now a matter, at national level, for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. The Department accepted the recommendation made by the Select Committee that it should fund the National Women's Aid Federation. In this financial year, £75,000 has been made available to the federation to assist in its aims to provide refuge, support and help for battered women and their children.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment, is at present funding a study of the current provision, role and need for refuges.A significant number of refuges are funded under the Department of the Environment urban aid programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy towards withdrawal of services from a disabled person by a local authority where there has been no reduction of need.

Services for disabled people are provided by local authorities under a number of different statutory provisions. In general, it must be for each local authority to assess priorities in the light of their statutory functions and the resources available for carrying them out and to determine the level of services accordingly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy towards withdrawal of services from a disabled person by an area health authority where there has been no reduction of need.

The level of services provided by area health authorities on my right hon. Friend's behalf is determined both by the assessed needs in the area and by the resources available. I recognise that resources constraints and changing local priorities in needs present authorities with different decisions which can lead to some services being reduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the total amount of social security benefits which are unclaimed by people entitled to them; and if he will provide a breakdown of the amount under appropriate headings.

Statistical estimates are available only for supplementary benefit and child benefit increase.The latest information concerning supplementary benefit is contained in chapter 12 of the report of the Supplementary Benefits Commission for 1978 (Cmnd 7725).With regard to child benefit increase, it is estimated that at the end of 1978 about £16 million a year was being left unclaimed by people who would benefit by claiming it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration he has given to the booklet "Britain's Babies: Action to Prevent Deaths and Disabilities", a copy of which has been sent to him; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

I am arranging for this booklet, published by the Children's Research Fund, to be studied in the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many teenagers left the care of local authorities on attaining 18 years of age in 1979; and how this compares with the figures for each of the previous five years.

The numbers of teenagers who left local authority care in England and Wales on reaching the maximum age (18 or 19 as appropriate) during the five years ending 31 March 1974 to 1978 were, to the nearest one hundred, as follows:

1974	…	…	…	…	7,100
1975	…	…	…	…	7,500
1976	…	…	…	…	8,300
1977	…	…	…	…	8,100
1978	…	…	…	…	8,400

Figures for 1979 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the extra cost of providing child resistant containers for medicines; if he will increase the range of medicines for which child resistant containers are compulsory; and if he will make a statement.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average cost of a medical prescription issued under the National Health Service.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Page) on 31 March 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many unemployed persons received the earnings-related supplement in each of the

			(1)	(2)	(3)
			Lowest ERS Payable	Highest ERS Payable	Average ERS Paid
			£	£	£
1975	…	…	0·01	9·37	5·56
1976	…	…	0·01	10·27	6·48
1977	…	…	0·01	12·18	7·43
1978	…	…	0·01	15·42	8·32
1979	…	…	0·01	16·25	8·54
1980	…	…	0·01	17·67	8·80

The figures in column 3 for the years 1975–79 are the average payments which were being made on a day in May of each year. The 1980 figure is the estimate for the financial year 1979–80.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what saving will be made for each of the categories of earnings-related supplements, which in total is estimated in the White Paper through their withdrawal to produce a total saving of £130 million in 1982–83.

The figure quoted in the White Paper is the estimated net saving at "1979 survey prices", assuming the introduction of an employer's statutory sick pay scheme in April 1982, and after taking account of increased expenditure on supplementary benefit. The extent of the latter depends on the relative rates of national insurance and supplementary benefits, and a revised estimate, taking account of the November 1980 rates which my right hon. Friend announced in his statement to the House on 27 last five years; and how many will receive it in the current year.

The number of unemployed persons receiving earnings-related supplement on a day in May in each of the years was as follows:

1975	…	…	…	171,000
1976	…	…	…	245,000
1977	…	…	…	223,000
1978	…	…	…	204,000
1979	…	…	…	176,000
*1980	…	…	…	190,000
* The 1980 figure is the estimate for the financial year 1979–80.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the highest, lowest and average amounts of earnings-related supplements paid to the unemployed in the last five years and the estimate for the current year.

The information requested is as follows:March—[Vol. 981, c. 1658–78]—is given in the financial memorandum to the Social Security (No. 2) Bill published on 28 March. The latter shows an estimated gross saving in cash terms of £360 million in 1982–83, given the current benefit structure. The earnings-related supplement in respect of each benefit within this total is:

	£ million
Sickness Benefit	185
Injury Benefit	15
Maternity Allowance	35
Unemployment Benefit	110
Widows' Allowance	15

The gross saving would be offset by an estimated additional expenditure of £75 million on supplementary benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of the progress in planning a new detoxification unit in the Grampian region of Scotland, whether he will reconsider the Government's decision to opt out of the policy on detoxification centres for South-East London and the Leeds Detox.

No. I see no reason to alter the decisions of the previous Administration on these two projects. A decision on the future policy on detoxification centres will follow the completion of the evaluation research programme now in hand.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of personnel employed by the area health authorities in each year since they were formed; if he will list the wages and salaries paid by these authorities in each of those years; and what savings he expects to emerge by their abolition.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 February 1980, c. 353–4]: The total number of staff employed by area health authorities—including senior medical staff employed by AHA(T)s—and the broadly matching annual total of salaries and wages, are as follows:

			Total area employees (whole time equivalents)
30 September 1974	…	…	637,000
30 September 1975	…	…	680,000
30 September 1976	…	…	705,000
30 September 1977	…	…	708,000
30 September 1978	…	…	713,000

					Total salaries and wages for NHS staff employed by AHAs (£ million)
1974–75	…	…	…	…	1,684
1975–76	…	…	…	…	2,224
1976–77	…	…	…	…	2,548
1977–78	…	…	…	…	2,762
1978–79	…	…	…	…	3,091

If the proposals in "Patients First" are implemented, after transitional costs of protection, compensation and early retirement have been met, we expect to achieve a reduction of up to 10 per cent. in the cost of managing the Service. This would mean that up to £30 million a year would be available for expenditure on services for patients.

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

[pursuant to his reply 6 March 1980, c. 304]: I have sent my hon. Friend the information and placed a copy in the Library.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will report on the position regarding maintenance of value payments due in respect of the United Kingdom contributions to the first three replenishments to the resources of the International Development Association.

The maintenance of value obligations accepted by the United Kingdom in the arrangements for the replenishments, under the authority of the Overseas Aid Act 1968 and statutory orders made under it, are being met by the deposit of non-negotiable non-interest bearing notes, additional to those originally deposited for our contributions. A deposit of a note is being made for £1,539,184·66. This sum is based on disbursements made by the association from our contributions during the period 1 January 1979 to 30 June 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many attacks were perpetrated upon Borstal staff in each year since 1970; and what was the punishment meted out to each offender in each case;(2) how many attacks were perpetrated upon prison officers in each year since 1970; what was the punishment meted out to each offender in each case; and what was the compensation paid to the injured officer in each case.

Information is not available in the form requested. However, information on the number of inmates dealt with within Department establishments for offences of gross personal violence to an officer is published annually in the publication now entitled "Prison Statistics, England and Wales"—formerly "Report on the work of the Prison Department, Statistical Tables", and previously in "Report on the work of the Prison Department". Tables 9.3 and 9.6 of the volume for 1978—Cmnd. 7626—give the numbers of males and females dealt with in borstals, and tables 9.2 and 9.5 the corresponding numbers dealt with in prisons. Information for 1979 is not yet available.Information relating these offences to the punishments given is not available. Payments of compensation in appropriate cases are a matter for assessment by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, but the details of assessment in each individual case could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend the borstal hostel schemes.

The Department is taking steps to acquire a property in the West Midlands to serve Hewell Grange borstal. A decision about the desirability of further extension of the borstal hostels scheme will be taken when we have experience of the operation of hostels serving the borstals at Hindley and Hewell Grange as well as at Hollesley Bay colony.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what years the borstal hostel schemes started at (a) Hollesley Bay, (b) Hewell Grange, and (c) Hindley; what progress has been made with their evaluation; and when the results will be published.

The hostel serving Hollesley Bay borstal opened in 1968 and that serving Hindley borstal in 1979; Hewell Grange borstal does not yet have one. Results of the evaluation of the Hollesley Bay hostel will be published shortly. Because of inherent limitations on the value of the research there are no plans to extend the formal evaluation to other hostels.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient period of time, the number of persons wearing turbans stopped and questioned about failure to wear crash helmets when driving motor cycles; how many of these gave addresses in the London borough of Newham; how many were charged; what were the results; and what are the reasons for such action being taken by the police.

The information requested is not available. The information available relates to prosecutions for offences of riding a motor cycle without protective headgear but does not distinguish the circumstances of the offence. In England and Wales, 11,942 such prosecutions were brought in 1978, 11,378 of which resulted in a finding of guilt; details of sentences given is published annually in "Offences relating to motor vehicles, England and Wales"—table 4, page 36, of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7687. 488 of these prosecutions, including 469 which led to a finding of guilt, were for offences which took place in the Metropolitan Police district; separate figures are not available for the London borough of Newham.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there are any plans for increasing the establishment of police in Luton in view of the fact that 706 of the 1,711 reported offences against the person in 1979 took place in the division covering Luton.

Luton division already has a larger establishment than the other territorial divisions in Bedfordshire, but I understand the chief constable is reviewing the situation and contemplating asking the police authority to consider a further increase.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the procedures which a police officer is required to follow once he has apprehended and taken a juvenile to a police station.