asked the Secretary of State for Energy what action he proposes to take following the Marshall report on combined heat and power.

The report on combined heat and power (CHP) by a group chaired by Dr. Walter Marshall was published on 26 July 1979. On the same day the Under-Secretary of State for Energy announced—[Vol. 971, c. 356–7]—that the report raised wide issues of Government policy which would need further detailed examination. It has long been recognised that CHP can save energy whether linked with district heating schemes (CHP/DH) or with industrial processes. But the realisation that energy scarcity and consequent increasing prices are with us for the foreseeable future strengthens the economic case for CHP. In Scandinavia, Germany and France in particular numerous CHP/DH systems have existed for some years in a context in which natural gas has not been an important competitor and where freedom of choice for the consumer has been limited; moreover energy supply on the continent is often controlled locally and this favours community-based CHP/DH. The Continental experience is therefore not directly analogous to this country. The scope for further development of CHP in the United Kingdom has to be considered in the light of our own circumstances.The Government welcome the report, which has made an important contribution towards answering the questions whether CHP saves energy economically and whether there are technological, institutional, planning, legal or other obstacles to its economic development in this country. The report—energy paper number 35—concluded that CHP/DH could be a viable economic option for heating buildings in areas of high density heating loads, particularly in the longer term, and recommended that in order to establish a timely option for its development in the future one or more lead city schemes should be started as soon as practicable. The majority of the members of the group recommended the setting up of a national heat board to oversee this work. In addition, support was called for in the area of industrial CHP.At the upper end of the scale of energy savings given in the report, those from CHP/DH would be about 30 million tonnes of coal equivalent—mtce—per annum, that is to say, between 5 per cent. and 10 per cent. of probable United Kingdom primary energy demand beyond the year 2000, or equal to the savings considered technically possible for the whole of United Kingdom industry. Whether this could be achieved in practice would depend greatly on the level of market penetration, on rational use of heat by consumers and on future improvement in other heating and conservation technologies.The Government have carefully studied the issues raised in the report. We have taken into account in particular our energy policy objectives—to ensure adequate and secure supplies, to use energy efficiently and to maintain as much flexibility as possible about other energy options. We have also taken evidence from other sources and are particularly grateful to the District Heating Association for its advice.On several counts CHP/DH schemes could fit well with our energy policy criteria. They would improve markedly the overall efficiency of producing energy locally, effectively increase energy supplies and offer further flexibility in adopting other options. But the crucial test is whether they could do so economically and without causing undue disturbance to daily life.We have noted that the report's analysis of CHP/DH is subject to considerable uncertainty and that it was confined to generic studies. It is not yet possible to give an adequate estimate of the costs involved for a specific location nor to judge the extent of problems that might arise such as disturbance to people, dwellings and traffic, while conversion proceeded over an extended period. It is also necessary to determine whether financial assistance might be necessary to enable CHP to penetrate the market in competition with other fuels in the shorter term. We believe that the acceptability and viability of CHP can be decided only by detailed examination of particular locations. The Government consider that on the grounds of energy policy CHP/DH is an option that must be kept open and that, as recommended by Dr. Marshall's group, the next step is to test the feasibility of CHP/DH in specific locations. As the report indicates. CHP/ DH schemes should be developed gradually, enabling those involved to learn by experience as they proceed. Inevitably, therefore, long lead times will be involved.We therefore propose immediately to set in hand a programme of work on the feasibility of CHP/DH in particular locations. The first stage will comprise the identification of possible locations for CHP/DH. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Scotland will be consulting local authority associations about areas where CHP/DH might be an economic proposition and where local authorities wish to examine the prospects. The co-operation of the electricity supply industry in all such areas is equally important. The second stage will comprise a full examination of one or two of these locations, with a view to using them for lead city schemes. Only this information will enable judgments to be made on the desirability of providing funds and on the scale of involvement by central and local government and other bodies. The Government will meet the costs of the employment of consultants for this work, but would not cover other costs of establishing feasibility incurred by local authorities, the electricity supply industry or other bodies. All such costs would need to be found from within existing public expenditure limits, and at each stage the programme will be subject to review.After the completion of the second stage, a crucial decision will be necessary on whether to proceed to detailed design work for the construction of a major scheme. There are no easy or cheap options. For instance, even the refurbishing of old power stations in city locations, which is occasionally mooted as an appropriate basis for a CHP/DH scheme, will not necessarily be the optimum solution for that area, and in any case is unlikely ever to be cheap.

Ross asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a list of the companies which have received overpayments of grants from the Offshore Supplies Office; and what were the overpayments in each case.

[pursuant to his reply, 28 March 1980, c. 733]: I assume the hon. Member is referring to continuing payments of grant which were entered into by the OSO outside the guidelines of the offshore supplies interest relief grant scheme since its inception. The following indicates the position last autumn:

£ million
Total Oil Marine Limited	0·71
Elf Oil Exploration and Production UK Ltd.	0·88
Aquitaine Oil (UK)	0·47
Shell (UK) Ltd.	1·2
BP Oil Development Ltd.	2·0

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he is now in a position to give details of the future of the English language book scheme.

Financial provision of £0·97 million for 1980–81 has been taken in the main Supply Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) when he expects to publish the census of employment;(2) if he will arrange to update more frequently essential employment information supplied by the statistical division of this Department, in view of the problems that arise when using data which is three and a half years out of date.

The results of the June 1977 census of employment for Great Britain were published in Department of Employment Gazette for February 1980. For the standard regions and the United Kingdom, detailed analyses will be published in the March issue. Compilation of June 1978 results is proceeding and it is hoped that those for Great Britain will be published by the end of this year.The delay of two and a half years in publishing the results for 1977 is regretted. It was a consequence of a decision in 1976 to computerise the census operation in order to make a large staff saving but without provision for sufficient preparation and testing. Intensive efforts have been and are being made to overcome the problems. For the census proposed for next year it is planned to produce results within a year.The provision of employment information and its frequency is within the scope of Sir Derek Rayner's review of the Government Statistical Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give details of the yearly budget of the Manpower Services Commission towards adult training courses for each of the years 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information is not available on a calendar year basis.The amount provided in the published annual Estimates for training courses under the training opportunities scheme for the financial year in question is as follows:

	£
1974–75	69,400,000
1975–76	117,300,000
1976–77	196,867,000
1977–78	216,906,000
1978–79	228,827,000
1979–80	246,588,000

The amounts for 1974 to 1978 include special courses for unemployed young people which are now covered by the youth opportunities programme. It is not possible to separate the costs of these courses from the provision for adults.In addition, I give below figures for the Estimates and corresponding expenditure expressed at constant prices. The figures below represent an assessment at estimated 1979–80 price levels. Any calculation in retrospect of the effects of movements in the level of pay and prices between the year in which the expenditure

Year	Estimate at estimate prices (as above)	Estimate at 1979–80 prices	Expenditure at 1979–80 prices
	£ million	£ million	£ million
1974–75	69·400	173·3	145·4
1975–76	117·300	211·3	198·8
1976–77	196·867	276·3	236·4
1977–78	216·906	272·6	237·5
1978–79	228·827	258·2	233·1
1979–80	246·588	246·6	224·1

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will give a percentage breakdown for both public and private sectors of those employed in (a) manufacturing industry and (b) non-manufacturing industry;(2) what percentage of the United Kingdom work force is employed in (

The latest available figures relate to mid-year 1978 and were given in the article "Employment in the public and private sectors 1961–1978" in the November 1979 issue of Economic Trends. The information requested is as follows:

United Kingdom employed labour force*: percentages in the public and private sectors
Public Sector
All industries and services	30
Manufacturing industries	6
Non-manufacturing industries	39
Private Sector
All industries and services	70
Manufacturing industries	94
Non-manufacturing industries	61

* Consisting of employees in employment, self-employed and Her Majesty's Forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the number of redundancies in Wales notified to his Department for each month since 1 May 1979.

The number of proposed redundancies in Wales, which have been notified to my Department under the Was met and 1979–80 must, of necessity, be subject to some broad assumptions, but I hope my hon. Friend may none the less find them of interest:redundancy handling provisions of the Employment Protection Act 1975, for each month since 1 May 1979 was as follows:

	Employees	Establishments
May 1979	1,236	39
June	4,051	45
July	2,960	47
August	3,107	33
September	2,419	40
October	4,007	66
November	10,108	72
December	2,343	54
January 1980	13,881	85
February	7,763	98
Total	51,875	579

During the same period 6,343 redundancies at 115 establishments were formally withdrawn.I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the number of redundancies notified to it as due to occur since 1 May 1979 was as follows:

	Employees
May 1979	702
June	661
July	905
August	520
September	1,122
October	1,261
November	1,285
December	1,444
January 1980	1,266*
February	1,257*
Total	10,423

* Figures are provisional to take account of late notifications.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many trainees at the Killingworth training centre come from the Berwick, Alnwick and Castle Morpeth local authority areas; and what alternative facilities would be available to them if the centre closed.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the following number of trainees attend Killingworth skillcentre from the areas mentioned:

Berwick	4
Alnwick	2
Castle Morpeth	3
Total	9

All the trainees from Berwick and Alnwick are in lodgings and could attend similar courses at Felling skillcentre or Felling skillcentre annexe.There is no proposal to close the skill-centre at Killingworth at present.

Morris asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people with physical disabilities and psychiatric disorders, respectively, are currently waiting for places at employment rehabilitation centres; and what is the average waiting time for each group.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that at 3 March 1980 1,890 people were awaiting admission to an ERC, of whom 185 were regarded as having a psychiatric disability. Of the other 1,705 persons, it is estimated that 1,480 had physical disabilities. The average waiting periods for all categories of ERC clients are five and a half weeks for those able to attend an ERC on a daily basis and six and a half weeks for those needing to go into lodgings for the period of their attendance. In the case of psychiatrically disabled clients the waiting times are seven and a half weeks and just over six weeks respectively. Separate figures are not available for the average waiting periods for clients with physical disabilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many working days have been lost through industrial disputes since 3 May 1979; and how this figure compares with the previous 12 months.

The number of working days lost in industrial disputes from 1 May 1979 to 29 February 1980 was 27·7 million—monthly average 2·8 million. The total for the previous 12 months was 14·4 million—monthly average 1·2 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many toxicologists there were in his Department on 1 April in each of the years 1970 to 1980.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, pursuant to the Under-Secretary of State's reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe on 27 March, concerning the proposed study of local employment rates in Manchester, he will publish in the Official Report his letter to Manchester city council on this matter.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library a copy of the findings of Hay Management Consultants which were used by Professor Hugh Clegg in preparing his report on pay comparability for the professions supplementary to medicine.

Work undertaken by consultants for the Standing Commission on pay comparability is confidential to the commission. Copies of the commission's report on the professions supplementary to medicine were placed in the Library of the House on 10 March 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ask the Health and Safety Commission to hold a public inquiry into the fire and explosions at the warehouse of Permaflex Ltd., Longport, Stoke-on-Trent, in view of the widespread public concern and dissatisfaction which continues to be expressed.

[pursuant to his reply, 31 March 1980]: No. Both the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission and I have been in correspondence with Stoke-on-Trent city council on this matter recently. An investigation into the incident is being carried out by the local factory inspectorate in conjunction with its specialist experts. This is nearing completion and the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission has asked the factory inspectorate to make its report findings and recommendations available to all interested parties. These recommendations will also be taken into account when considering the updated regulations referred to in the reply given to the hon. Member on 12 March.—[Vol. 980, c. 619–20.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment 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.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 April 1980]: Although the Health and Safety Executive was asked to make economies in line with the rest of the public sector; these were less than in other areas of expenditure. My right hon. Friend has excluded the executive from the further reduction in manpower costs recently announced by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Civil Service Department in view of his concern to maintain health and safety standards at work.—[Vol. 980, c. 748–49.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he has taken to ensure that the Factory 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.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 April 1980]: My right hon. Friend has taken no such steps. It is the responsibility of all employers to ensure that safety requirements are not neglected, whatever the size of their company. Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate selects workplaces for inspection on their merits, without regard to the size of the company that owns them. However, the selection system used is slightly weighted towards the larger workplaces in that, first, these may be divided for inspection purposes into convenient blocks of work, each of which is treated as a separate workplace, and in that inspectors have general instructions to visit the larger workplaces first, thereby covering the greater numbers of employees. Experience has shown that in some larger companies, particularly those with many subsidiaries, there are problems of organisation which may adversely affect health and safety standards, so that the intentions of the senior management may not be translated into action on the shop floor. It has been found that a co-ordinated national approach to larger companies may help to overcome these difficulties, and a small unit was set up some years ago to take the lead in this work among other duties. I am assured by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that neither the slight weighting towards the larger workplaces, nor the small allocation of resources to the special unit lead to any significant reduction of inspectorate activity among the smaller companies. If any neglect of safety requirements is discovered at the workplaces of any company, large or small, this is taken into account in determining when the workplace should next be visited.

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 April 1980]: The name of the holiday is not established in law. The Royal Proclamation by which the day is declared a bank holiday customarily refers to "the first Monday in May". I have no plans to allocate a name to the holiday.

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 April 1980]: The following table shows for each region of the training services division of the Manpower Services Commission the estimated number of trainees

PREPARATORY COURSE STARTS
Region	1979–80 (Estimated)	1980–81 (Expected)	Change
Scotland	200	340	+140
Northern	110	124	+ 14
Yorks/Humberside	235	352	+117
North West	637	390	-247
Midlands	804	741	-63
Wales	91	135	+44
South West	111	114	+3
South East	542	636	+94
London	900	660	-240
Great Britain	3,630	3,492	-138

The TOPS scheme does not extend to no entitlement to a redundancy payment Northern Ireland.

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 for current year; and what are the estimates for 1980–81, 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, havirg left their jobs, go immediately into retirement.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 April 1980]: The total cost of statutory redundancy payments and the average individual payments made during the past five financial years were as follows:

Total payments	£
1974–75	91,575,000
1975–76	201,991,000
1976–77	175,690,000
1977–78	160,151,000
1978–79	198,142,000
1979–80	169,767,000
(1st three quarters)
Average payments	£
1974–75	431
1975–76	553
1976–77	605
1977–78	709
1978–79	770
1979–80	889
(1st three quarters)

No estimate is available in respect of future years. No record is kept of the economic activity of beneficiaries following their redundancy, but there can be

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is his policy in respect of obtaining the services of outside consultants for operations within the Civil Service; and where lists of such appointments are published.

Where it is thought that expertise not available in the Civil Service would be of value, the use of outside consultants is considered. The procedure to be followed by Departments for employing management consultants is laid down in CD's code of practice which is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Lists of management consultancy assignments commissioned by Departments are published from time to time in Management Services in Government.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, for the latest and most convenient stated date, what has been the reduction in the number of civil servants that has occurred since May 1979; and what has been the weekly, monthly or annual savings of the cost of the Civil Service since May 1979.

At 1 January 1980 there were 707,800 staff in post in central Government Departments with a pay cost for that month estimated at £330 million.At 1 April 1979 the corresponding staff figure was 732,000 and the pay cost for that month was £288 million. Information on staff numbers is collected quarterly at 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October; details are not held centrally for other months of the year.The Main Estimates for 1979–80 presented by the previous Administration provided for total staff in post of 740,000 at the beginning of the financial year rising to 748,000 at the end. This implied 746,000 staff in post at 1 January 1980. Against that level of staffing there is a saving of about £18 million in what would have been the pay costs for that month.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will review the indexing of civil servants' pensions to ensure that no retired civil servant would be enabled to have an income on retirement in excess of that when employed or paid to the person who took over his former employment.

The annual pension awarded to a civil servant on retirement cannot exceed half his pensionable pay. Indexing preserves but does not increase the real value of the pension. It would be unreasonable, particularly at a time of high inflation, to restrict the pension in money terms to a retirement salary which may have been earned many years previously. I know of no case in which a Civil Service pension exceeds the present pay for the post to which the pension relates: such a situation could come about only in the most exceptional circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is yet able to announce details of the new regimes at Send and Newhall detention centres.

The pilot project will commence on 21 April at New Hall and Send detention centres. The regime, which will come into full effect two weeks after the commencement date, will be based on physically demanding work, primarily farming, market gardening and the servicing and maintenance of the centres, education and physical education, drill sessions, parades and inspections. Privileges and recreation will be limited. Staff will be expected to be firm but fair, to require high standards of work and behaviour from inmates but also to continue to take a close personal interest in their wellbeing. A copy of the Department's guidance to staff is being placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why it took him until 26 March to reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West's letter of 26 February; what was contained in this reply which could not have been sent within days of receipt; and, as the letter sent by the hon. Member dealt with the question of the ban on Scientologists which has been in operation for 10 years or more, why so long is needed to consider this matter.

I am satisfied that the hon. Member's note was given the appropriate priority having regard to pressure of work in my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for the last three years, the number of juveniles (a) boys and (b) girls, who have been apprehended by the police and taken to a police station, but after inquiries, no criminal charges have been made and the juvenile has been released.

The only information available relates to the use of police cautioning as an alternative to court proceedings. The number of persons aged 10 and under 17 who received a formal police caution is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" —table 35(b) of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7670.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each of the last three years the number of juveniles (a) boys and (b) girls who have been charged with criminal offences and appeared in juvenile courts.

The number of males and females aged 10 and under 14 and aged 14 and under 17 proceeded against in juvenile courts—or a magistrates' court if a juvenile is charged jointly with an adult—is published annually in the "Criminal Statistics, England Wales" table 1(a) and 1(c) of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7670.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the actual central Government and local authority costs in respect of: administrative costs, prosecution costs, defence costs, criminal legal aid, and accommodation costs, as these relate to the magistrates' courts service in England and Wales for 1979–80.

Details of expenditure on magistrates' courts in England and Wales for 1979–80 are not yet available. But expenditure on administration—including salaries—and accommodation is expected to be about £80 million. This expenditure is initially borne by local authorities but attracts a central Government grant of 80 per cent. In the published Supply Estimates for 1979–80 provision was made for prosecution and defence costs awarded out of central funds in indictable cases amounting to £6.5 million and for expenditure on criminal legal aid, which also falls on central Government funds, of £29·7 million. The costs incurred by the Home Office on its functions in respect of magistrates' courts are met from the provision made for Home Office administration in the Central and Miscellaneous Services (Home Office) Vote and are not readily distinguishable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the inmates of Wandsworth prison are currently being given psycho-tropic drugs; how many were given such drugs during 1979; how many of these prisoners have become dependent on or addicted to the drugs; and how many of these prisoners are suicide or attempted suicide cases after being on the drugs.

We have no reason to suppose that any prisoners have become dependent on or addicted to psychotropic drugs as a result of treatment received in prison, but if the hon. Gentleman has a particular case in mind and will let us have the details we shall look into the matter. Information to answer the other parts of the question is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners at Springhill convicted of sex offences have received sex drugs or hormone treatment during the last year; how many prisoners have received sex change operations over the last five years: and how many of these were convicted of sex offences.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why prison medical officers are under the aegis of his Department and bound by the Official Secrets Act rather than under the aegis of the British Medical Authority in a similar way to other doctors.

Anyone with access to official information is subject to the Official Secrets Acts. Prison medical officers are bound by the same ethical standards in relation to their professional duties as other doctors practising in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the standards of the prison medical officers are monitored to ensure that they adhere to the codes of practice of a doctor.

I have no reason to believe that prison medical officers depart from the ethical standards of the medical profession in this country or that there are grounds for special monitoring of their adherence to these standards.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average daily number of convicted prisoners serving sentences of 18 months or less in England and Wales during (a) 1978 and (b) 1979.

In 1978 the average daily population of persons serving sentences of imprisonment of 18 months or less in prison department establishments in England and Wales was 12,679. The provisional figure for 1979 is 12,730. Information on the average daily population of prison Department establishments in England and Wales in 1979 by type of prisoner will be published later this year in "Prison Statistics England and Wales" —table 1.2 of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7626.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons nationally have been convicted of further offences while on bail in each of the last three years.

The information requested is not available. However, the Home Office has in hand a national analysis of the incidence of re-offending while on bail based on bail decisions made at magistrates' courts during the first year of operation of the Bail Act 1976, that is April 1978-April 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was, for the longest and most convenient stated period, the annual intake of recruits to the Metropolitan Police from the various ethnic groups; and how this compares with those recruited from British-born applicants.

The available figures are:

Year	Recruits from ethnic minorities	Other recruits*
1967	1	1,737
1968	1	1,343
1969	1	1,153
1970	1	1,166
1971	22	1,096
1972	4	1,179
1973	7	1,063
1974	13	1,460
1975	6	1,616
1976	23	2,482
1977	16	1,782
1978	9	1,456
1979	14	2,065

* Includes other recruits born outside England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances citizens of the Republic of Ireland are eligible for membership of the House.

Under the same conditions as apply to British subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he hopes to make a statement on citizens band radio.

I have nothing to add at this stage to the reply I gave to questions by the hon. Member and to my hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove and Redditch (Mr. Miller) on 28 February.—[Vol. 979, c. 677–78.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have been held in police cells so far in the current year; what was the average length of time spent there; what types of prisoner were held; and for what reasons they were detained.

Figures are not kept of prisoners on remand or just sentenced who are kept overnight in police cells for normal operational reasons such as the distance of the court from a prison or remand centre. Otherwise, up to 27 March 1980, 130 sentenced prisoners had been held in police cells on average between 24 and 48 hours: 125 male young prisoners because of the likelihood of industrial action at Wormwood Scrubs prison and five male adult prisoners because of lack of accommodation there. In addition, one sentenced male adult prisoner had been held in police cells since the beginning of 1980 in the interest of justice.

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

[pursuant to his reply, 13 March 1980, c. 651]: The longest period for which any person held on remand in custody in Pentonville prison on 31 January 1980 had been so held was 483 days. He had been charged with drugs offences.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his policy regarding future ownership of public assets in new towns.

The Government are committed to supporting the role of the existing new towns in Scotland in creating jobs and securing our industrial future. The development corporations will therefore continue until their job is completed but we believe they should actively encourage the private ownership of housing and industrial and commercial property.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland by what amount he has reduced the rate support grant to Central regional council for 1980–81 as a result of his decision on school transport.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland by what amount he has reduced the rate support grant to Borders regional council and Lothian regional council for 198081 as a result of his decision on school transport.

Deletion of clause 25 from the Education (No. 2) Bill will not result in any reduction in rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider increasing the block grant to the Strathclyde regional council for education; and if he will make a statement.

There is no block grant to Strathclyde regional council for education. If the hon. Gentleman has in mind rate support grant, this is paid in aid of local revenues generally. If he has in mind capital expenditure, the council is not given grants but annual consents to incur liability to meet capital expenses. Its representations about the amounts for 1980–81 have been taken into account in determining its final consents for that year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the balance of the rate support grant settlement between urban and rural authorities in Scotland.

I have had no representations in these terms since announcing the rate support grant settlement for 1980–81 but I am aware that some individual authorities have reservations about the distribution of grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the latest situation in the fishing industry.

The Government acknowledge that the fishing industry faces great difficulties. To alleviate these, we are, as my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food told the House on 13 March, making available £3 million by way of temporary aid. For the longer-term prosperity of the industry, we must look to a satisfactory settlement of the common fisheries policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which blocks of expenditure within his Department have breached their cash limits in the current financial year, and why.

SDD1 and SHHD2.The reasons for the Scottish Development Department overspend are that the cost of trunk road improvement schemes in progress increased faster than the allowance for inflation in road construction costs, and some major schemes made faster progress than expected because of the mild winter.The Scottish Home and Health Department overspend is due to unexpectedly high staff costs on the prison service, caused by increased overtime, attributable to a higher number of more dangerous prisoners requiring special security measures, the aftermath of the serious incident at Peterhead prison, and increases in sick leave and in the numbers of court escorts required.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when next he expects to meet the chairmen of the area health boards in Scotland.

I met the chairmen of the health boards on 13 November 1979 to discuss a number of general questions affecting all boards. I have no immediate plans for a further meeting, but my current programme of visits to all area health boards in Scotland is providing me with an opportunity to discuss national and local issues with individual chairmen and health board members.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next expects to meet the chairman of the Scottish Development Agency.

My right hon. Friend and I will continue to meet Mr. Duthie regularly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when next he proposes to meet the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities' education committee.

I have invited the convention to meet me to discuss the Munn and Dunning development programme, but a date for this meeting has not yet been arranged.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the replies received on his road tariff equivalent proposals for ferry services.

It is too early yet to expect comments on the consultative paper on "Sea Transport to the Scottish Islands" issued on 17 March.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take on the recommendation which he received in the letter, dated 7 March from the Registrar of the General Teaching Council, that there should be a reduction in the number of colleges engaged in training teachers and if he will make a statement.

I am considering this recommendation, but am not yet able to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to meet representatives of the Scottish Confederation of British Industry and the Scottish Trades Union Congress.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when next he will meet members of the Scottish Confederation of British Industry.

My right hon. Friend and I have met representatives cf both bodies several times since taking office and have made it clear that we are prepared to meet them at any time they wish.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when next he intends to meet the chairman of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

On 18 April.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in the light of the considerable financial loss to both offshore and onshore sectors of the fishing industry, he will take steps to reduce the dumping and imports of particular species of fish into Scotland; and whether this dumping and increased imports at cheap prices is a contravention of the Treaty of Rome.

I appreciate the difficulties facing the fishing industry. I am always willing to have allegations of dumping investigated but I have received no evidence of any contravention of the Treaty of Rome on which action could be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his assessment of the effect on the employment situation in the Levenmouth area, following the withdrawal of special development area status in the autumn of 1980.

It is not possible to isolate the effect of regional policy changes on employment prospects in relatively small areas where employment can be heavily influenced by individual industrial developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has taken a decision on the number of students to be admitted to courses of teacher training in the Scottish colleges of education in session 1980–81; and if he will make a statement.

A consultative paper setting out my provisional views on the arrangements for intake to teacher training courses in session 1980–81 was issued in February to the General Teaching Council, the Convention of Scottish Local

Primary intake
	Diploma		Post-graduate		Secondary intake
	quota	Proposed quota	quota	Proposed quota	quota	Proposed quota
College	1979–80	1980–81	1979–80	1980–81	1979–30	1980–81
Aberdeen	100	70	25	20	245	180
Callendar Park	65	45	15	10	—	—
Craigie	75	55	20	15	—	—
Craiglockhart	55	40	15	10	60	45
Dundee	55	40	15	10	155	115
Dunfermline	—	—	—	—	110	80
Hamilton	70	50	20	15	35	30
Jodanhill	125	90	35	25	655	630
Moray House	125	90	30	20	415	305
Notre Dame	90	65	25	20	225	215
Total	760	545	200	145	1,900	1,600

The proposed total intakes for the primary diploma and primary post-graduate courses have been allocated among the colleges so that each college receives the same proportion of the totals as in session 1979–80. The proposed total secondary intake has been apportioned between the East and West of Scotland colleges in such a way as to take account of the special staffing needs of Strathclyde region and the resulting figures have been allocated among the colleges in each group on a

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schools there are in the Strathclyde region which are over 100 years old.

This information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will visit the Inverclyde Royal hospital.

I discussed the situation at Inverclyde Royal hospital with the right hon. Gentleman and a local deputation yesterday, and I have no plans to visit the hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a direction to the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board not to proceed with its surcharge on islands until an inquiry has been held into its pricing policy.

The electricity consultative council for the North of Scotland district has submitted formal representations to me, under the provisions of schedule 7 to the Electricity (Scotland) Act 1979, asking that I should give a direction to the board on this matter. I have these representations under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total amount paid to farmers and crofters in Orkney and in Shetland, respectively, under the special scheme of assistance over feeding stuffs set up earlier in the current year.

Producers in Orkney have received £123,000 and those in Shetland £41,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money his Department gives to the Scottish Council of Social Services.

For the year ended 31 March 1980 grant amounting to £293,790 has been offered to the council, but the amount has not yet been finally determined.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money his Department gives to the Scottish Community Education Centre.

Grant for the year ended 31 March 1980 amounted to £133,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table for public expenditure on housing based on Cmnd. 7841 of 26 March in the same form as the answer given to the right hon. Member for Ayr (Mr. Younger) on 2 April, 1979, Official Report, columns 456 to 460.

The information requested, set out in the table below, has been prepared in a form consistent with Cmnd. 7841 which, for the reasons explained in paragraph 6 of the White Paper, contains only broad totals for the years after 1980–81.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what the latest available percentage figures are for the exports of goods to Japan from Great Britain;(2) what is the latest available percentage figure for the import of goods from Japan to Great Britain.

In 1979 Japan accounted for 1.4 per cent., by value, of the United Kingdom's total exports and 31 per cent. of total imports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will congratulate his officials on the presentation and content of the Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics in the latest issue; and whether he will take steps to draw this publication to the attention of the press and other users through Her Majesty's Stationery Office, the monthly press notice on the trade figures, and by other means.

My officials and I are grateful for the appreciative remarks and suggestions from the hon. Member. The review, although prepared mainly as an internal working document, is made available to the public through the British Overseas Trade Board publications sales unit, and there has been certain limited publicity over the years. Now that the presentation and content have been changed, and with the introduction of an annual supplement probably around the end of this month, some further publicity is planned, including through the medium of the monthly press notice.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what estimate he has made of the likely effect of the construction of a Channel tunnel on the import and export of manufactures.

As was made clear to the House on 19 March by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport, no decision has been taken to establish a fixed Channel link. An assessment of the effect of such a link on our trade in manufactures will be one of the many factors that would be considered by my right hon. Friend on any firm proposals that may be put to him. But as no detailed proposals have been received, any attempt to estimate the effect on our international trade would be premature.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing in historic and replacement cost terms, the level of profitability in industrial and commercial companies, both gross and net of depreciation and stock appreciation, for each of the year since 1959 as a percentage of (a) capital employed and (b) turnover;(2) if he will publish in the

Estimates of profits in historic cost and replacement cost terms as a percentage of capital employed were published in the article "Companies' rates of return on capital employed" in the 28 September 1979 issue of Trade and Industry. The national accounts estimates of company profits which form the basis of table 1 are in the process of being revised and should be published by the end of April; a full run of revised estimates of profits as a percentage of gross domestic product will then become available.Tables 2–4 of the article referred to are based on the Department of Industry's analysis of company accounts, and this is the only basis available for estimating profits as a percentage of turnover. Figures for gross trading profits—before deducting depreciation and stock appreciation—as a percentage of turnover for 1969–77 were published in tables 9 and

10 of the Business Monitor MA3 "Company finance", tenth issue. Replacement cost profits for large listed manufacturing companies as a percentage of turnover are as follows:

Large Listed Companies:
Manufacturing Industries
Year	per cent.
1969	5·5
1970	4·2
1971	4·6
1972	5·5
1973	4·0
1974	1·9
1975	1·2
1976	2·6
1977	3·0

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will publish a table in the Official Report comparing the profits of British industry with those of the United Kingdom's principal competitors in 1958, 1968 and the latest available year in historic and replacement cost terms.

Tables giving the available international comparisons were published in the 17 August 1979 issue of Trade and Industry, pp. 332–4. The estimates were largely based on the 1979 OECD publication "Profits and Rates of Return" by Professor T. P. Hill. Updated and revised estimates will be published by OECD by about the middle of 1980. No estimates are available in historic cost terms.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will support a global quota, to be set by the European Economic Community, which assures home-based Community industry its fair share of the market.

I assume my hon. Friend's question refers to trade in textiles. It would not be practicable, and would be contrary to the Community's international obligations, to seek to renegotiate the present bilateral agreements under the multi-fibre arrangement.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what help he intends to give to the British Airports Authority to implement the recommendations of the International Civil Airports Association on the handicapped and the airport; and if he will make a statement.