asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in the light of the fact that it took him until 16 April to advise the hon. Member for Newham, North-West to the effect that his letter of 14 February concerning payments of unemployment benefit would receive attention, whether he will take the necessary action to ensure that interim and substantive replies to correspondence are sent faster.

Following acknowledgement by the Department of Health and Social Security the hon. Member's letter was transferred to my Department on 12 March. I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in replying to this particular letter. My Department's arrangements normally ensure that interim and substantive replies are sent as quickly as possible, but in this instance the system did not work as well as I would wish.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the applicants for compensation under the Pneumoconiosis Etc. (Workers Compensation) Act 1979 who had made their applications before 31 December 1979 still have not had their cases determined.

850 out of a total of 2,533.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to provide that the widows of coal miners who died before 26 January 1970 can be compensated under the terms of the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers Compensation) Act 1979, to an extent Which would make up any compensation previously paid to them to the level of entitlement of the above Act, disregarding the fact that such small previous payments would debar them under the 1979 Act, and also disregarding their possible right to claim damages against the National Coal Board.

No. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy announced in a written answer on 19 February to my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Lyell), in order to ease the problems caused by the flat-rate compensation arrangements for these widows, the Government are providing finance, in accordance with a suggestion made by the mining unions, to enable the minimum compensation under the coal industry pneumoconiosis compensation scheme to be increased to £600.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he has considered the twenty-third report of the Select Committee on Statutory Instruments, which states that articles in certain statutory instruments appear to be ultra vires the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974; what instructions he has issued to the commission regarding the warrants to inspectors; and if he will make a statement.(2) what was the total expenditure incurred in travelling expenses by the Health and Safety Executive in the year ended 31 March 1979; and what proportion of this was spent on travel to Brussels for European Economic Community discussions;(3) what steps the Health and Safety Commission has taken to ensure that local authorities have only appointed persons having suitable qualifications to be inspectors under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974; and if he is satisfied that only suitably qualified persons have been appointed;(4) what qualifications the Health and Safety Executive considers it necessary for an inspector to have before he can be authorised to enforce the Electricity (Factories Act) Special Regulations 1908; and if he is satisfied that only persons having those qualifications have been so authorised.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a breakdown of the general administrative expenses of £6,965,612 shown in schedule 2 to the Health and Safety Executive income and expenditure account for the year ended 31 March 1979.

The breakdown of general administrative expenses amounting to £6,965,612 and shown in schedule 2 to the Health and Safety Executive's income and expenditure account for the year ended 31 March 1979 is as follows:

£'000
Travel and subsistence of staff	2,248
Permanent transfer expenses of staff	624
Telecommunications	844
Stationery	538
Staff training	349
Information services	1,107
Postage and carriage	174
Contract cleaning and agency staff	407
Services provided by the Department of Employment	517
Staff recruitment	90
Miscellaneous	68
	6,966

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a breakdown of the other expenses amounting to £1.065,355 shown in schedule 2 to the Health and Safety Executive income and expenditure account for the year ended 31 March 1979.

The breakdown of other expenses of £1,065,355 shown in schedule 2 to the Health and Safety Executive's income and expenditure account for the year ended 31 March 1979 is as follows:

£'000
Equipment, Maintenance and consumable stores	826
Committee expenses	36
Law costs	38
Consultant's fees and expenses	96
Other miscellaneous expenditure	69
	1,065

asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what outside bodies the Health and Safety Executive made payments in the year ended 31 March 1979; for what these payments were made; and how much of the total payments went to each body.

It is not possible without a disproportionate use of staff to give a full breakdown of the amounts and nature of the payments made to outside bodies by the Health and Safety Executive in the year ended 31 March 1979; but the principal payments included the following:

£'000
For research development:—
Medical Research Council	609
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority	270
National Radiólogical Protection Board	131
Microbiological Research Establishment: Porton Down	104
Universities	325
Other bodies	811
	2,250

For enforcement work on an agency basis:—
Railway Inspectorate (Ministry of Transport)	266
Scottish Pollution Inspectorate	111
Petroleum Engineering Directorate	211
	588

For testing and other support services:—
Royal Armaments Research and Development Establishment (MOD)	351
Other bodies	255
	606
	3,444

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions were brought in 1979 by the Health and Safety Executive against designers, manufacturers, importers and suppliers of machinery and substances under section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

In 1979 the Health and Safety Executive brought 24 prosecutions under section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to appoint Lord Bellwin as chairman of the Health and Safety Commission on 1 October.

The appointment of the present chairman of the Health and Safety Commission expires on 30 September. No decisions on reappointment have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what level of pentachlorophenol in industrial compounds or chemicals would constitute a hazard to the health of workers using them;(2) which EEC countries have placed limits on the use of pentachlorophenol in wood preservative or other compounds in common industrial or domestic use;(3) which public bodies are responsible for monitoring the level of dioxin compounds and toxicity in wood preservative;(4) what level of ingestion of pentachlorophenol compounds would cause serious damage to internal organs; and what biological tests have been made of it by the Health and Safety Executive, the Pesticides Advisory Committee or other public health bodies;(5) how many wood preservatives on sale to the public contain the dioxin pentachlorophenol; and what health warnings are given on the packaging;(6) what limits are placed on the dioxin content of wood preservatives used in the timber and furniture trades, in particular the level of pentachlorophenol;

			January 1980		February 1980
			Number (thousand)	Percentage rate	Number (thousand)	Percentage rate
United Kingdom (1)	…	…	1,471	6·1	1,489	6·1
Austria (1)	…	…	91	3·2	82	2·9
Luxembourg (2)	…	…	1	0·8	1	0·8
New Zealand (1)	…	…	28	3·1	not available
Sweden (3)	…	…	94	2·2	82	1·9
Switzerland (1)	…	…	11	0·4	9	0·3

The latest information available for Israel is for the second quarter of 1979. when there were 32 thousand unemployed, a rate of 2·5%(4).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for England the number of job vacancies unfilled per 100 registered unemployed for each year from 1966 to 1980.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 April 1980, c. 205]: The following table

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the comparison, for the latest date for which information is available to his Department, between unemployment levels in the United Kingdom and those in Austria, Israel, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland.

[pursuant to his reply, 24 April 1980, c. 132]: Using national definitions, which are not directly comparable owing to differences in the concept of unemployment, coverage and methods of compilation, the total unemployment figures and rates for these countries are given below for January and February 1980.gives the numbers of unfilled vacancies and the numbers registered as unemployed in England at April each year. The vacancy figures relate only to those notified to employment offices and careers offices: vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated in recent years to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of this, and of possible duplication between the separate figures for employment offices and careers offices, the two figures should not be

							Notified unfilled vacancies
						Registered Unemployed	At Employment Offices	At Careers Offices
April 1966	…	…	…	…	…	216,336	262,480	131,457
April 1967	…	…	…	…	…	403,828	159,189	73,811
April 1968	…	…	…	…	…	444,067	166,526	84,150
April 1969	…	…	…	…	…	432,388	184,305	88,167
April 1970	…	…	…	…	…	466,556	174,335	73,259
April 1971	…	…	…	…	…	555,997	117,594	49,737
April 1972	…	…	…	…	…	714,794	118,337	40,016
April 1973	…	…	…	…	…	502,815	247,831	66,011
April 1974	…	…	…	…	…	455,817	270,990	91,822
April 1975	…	…	…	…	…	660,006	147,217	36,776
April 1976	…	…	…	…	…	1,011,777	97,026	21,450
April 1977	…	…	…	…	…	1,084,996	130,073	23,892
April 1978	…	…	…	…	…	1,117,141	171,123	24,082
April 1979	…	…	…	…	…	1,020,000	217,109	32,172
April 1980 (provisional)			…	…	…	1,156,232*	147,435	18,463
*The April 1980 unemployment figure is not strictly comparable with those for earlier years because of the introduction of fortnightly attendance and payment of benefit. This had the effect of raising the monthly unemployment figures for England by about 16,300 from October 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of persons joining the unemployment register in 1979; and how many of these received a redundancy payment.

I regret that information is not available on the number of different people who join the unemployment register in a year. Persons who register as unemployed are not asked whether they have received a statutory redundancy payment. However, in 1979 253,594 statutory payments were made.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he proposes to publish the report of the factory inspector into the explosion in Barking on 21 January.

MALE ACTIVITY RATES*
per cent.
						Age
		Region			16–24	25–44	45–64	65+
England
South East			…	…	79·4	98·4	93·6	14·5
East Anglia			…	…	80·2	98·3	92·5	16·9
South West			…	…	74·2	98·3	90·7	11·7
West Midlands			…	…	80·9	97·9	91·9	14·0
East Midlands			…	…	78·7	97·8	92·9	12·4
Yorkshire and Humberside		…	…	…	78·9	98·1	90·5	12·4
North West			…	…	78·9	97·7	89·8	12·9
North		…	…	…	82·8	98·2	88·9	10·3
Wales	…	…	…	…	76·3	97·0	86·8	12·1
Scotland		…	…	…	81·8	97·0	91·1	14·5
Northern Ireland			…	…	78·4	95·4	86·1	14·6

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the employee activity rates for men and women, respectively, for each of the age groups 16 to 24 years and 25 to 44 years, for men only for the age group 45 to 64 years and 65 years and over, and for women only for 45 to 59 years and 60 years and over, for each of the standard regions of the United Kingdom.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 April 1980, c. 205]: The tables below show economic activity rates for men and women separately for each of the standard regions of the United Kingdom. These rates are taken from the EC Labour Force Survey conducted in 1977 and are on a different basis from those usually published by the Department of Employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what grounds he allows his Department to hand over names and addresses of unemployment benefit claimants to private bodies such as Research Surveys of Great Britain, hired by Sir Derek Rayner; and whether he will consult Civil Service trade unions about this practice.

As part of the joint exercise with the Department of Health and Social Security to examine the delivery of benefits to the unemployed, a team from the two Departments is conducting a survey of the claimants' views on the present arrangements. Some 2,000 claimants have been asked by the Department whether they would be willing to give their views on a number of issues to Research Surveys of Great Britain, which is carrying out the survey on behalf of the team. These claimants have been given every opportunity to decline to take part and names and addresses of claimants so declining have not been given to the survey firm. Full discussions have taken place with the Civil Service unions concerned on the aims and objectives of the survey.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases claims for capital transfer tax have been made under section 45(1)(a) of the Finance Act 1975 against persons domiciled in the Channel Islands; how many of these were successful; and what were the sums involved.

Precise information is not available. There have, however, been several cases under section 45(1)(c) of the Finance Act 1975 and in none of them is tax outstanding.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what procedures are used by the Inland Revenue to collect capital transfer tax under section 45(1)(a) of the Finance Act 1975 from persons domiciled in the Channel Islands.

The normal collection procedures for unpaid capital transfer tax, in the, absence of payment on demand of tax that has been agreed or has been determined, are recovery by legal process from those liable for it. The latter can, according to the nature of the transfer, include the transferor, the transferee, the personal representatives of a deceased person, the trustees of a settlement, any person in whom the transferred property is vested, and any person for whose benefit the settled property or the income from it is applied. It is possible to take legal proceedings to recover tax from a person outside the United Kingdom. Interest accrues on overdue capital transfer tax at the rate of 9 per cent. per annum—12 per cent. in the case of lifetime gifts.The legislation also provides that where tax (or interest on it) remains unpaid a charge can be imposed on any property included in the value on which the tax has been charged, including settled property, but excluding in general personal or moveable property in the United Kingdom and heritable property in Scotland.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North, (Mr. Hughes), what is the amount of value added tax paid on purchases by educational charities.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his most recent estimate of the cost over a full year of exempting the whole of (a) widow's allowance and (b) widow's pension for income tax purposes.

The cost of exempting from income tax the widow's allowance, including the earnings-related supplement, is not known precisely but would be of the order of £10 million in a full year at 1980–81 income levels.The cost of exempting the national insurance widow's pension, and retirement pension paid to widows under 65, would be about £110 million in a full year at 1980–81 income levels.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual yield in Custom and Excise tariff of all 2, 4, 5-T imports into the United Kingdom; whether this tariff is raised in the form of specific tax or ad valorem; and what is the rate of such taxation.

Separate figures for the weedkiller 2, 4, 5-T are not available, but the yield from Customs duty is likely to be negligible. Imports from outside the Economic Community are subject to an ad valorem duty for which the full rate is currently 9.2 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what increase in unemployment would result from the abolition of zero rating for value added tax purposes of young children's clothing and footwear, now under consideration by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise;(2) by what percentage the import of young children's clothing and footwear would be increased if, as a result of the current review of the operation of zero rating for value added tax purposes, that zero rating were abolished.

I regret that such estimates are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will name the trader who requested and obtained the suppression by Customs officers of information pertaining to the import of sperm whale oil.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the Government's current estimates at current values of the tax yield from North Sea oil in each tax year from 1980–81 to 1987–88.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional revenue could be expected from fiscal drag in each tax year from 1980–81 to 1987–88, assuming a growth rate of 1 per cent. per annum for the first four years and 2 per cent. per annum for the following four years, and also assuming the continuation of existing tax rates combined with the raising of personal income tax allowances by 10 per cent. each year.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review his policy of value added tax rating on educational visits organised by local education authorities for the benefit of school pupils; if he will take into account that directors of education authorise such visits on the basis of such visits being educational as assessed and judged according to the Education Acts by qualified teachers and advisers; and if he will make a statement.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the index of industrial output divided by equivalent full-time numbers in industrial employment for each of the last 24 months; and what has been the percentage increase or decrease, month on month and year on year.

Consistent series for output and employment are available only quarterly. The table below gives data for the past two Years.

INDEX OF PRODUCTION INDUSTRIES
Output per person employed* seasonally adjusted
	1975=100	Percentage change over previous quarter per cent.
1978—
1 st quarter	110·5	—
2nd quarter	114·0	+3
3rd quarter	115·1	–1
4th quarter	114·4	–1
1979—
1 st quarter	114·3	—
2nd quarter	119·3	+4
3rd quarter	117·8	–1
4th quarter	118·8	+ 1
Percentage change 1979 on 1978		+3
* Both full-time and part-time workers are counted as full units.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on (a) the standard rate of income tax and (b) the rate of value added tax, respectively of meeting the cost of teachers' salaries from those taxes.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of reducing income tax rates to the following: 25 per cent. on taxable incomes between £1 and £10,000, 35 per cent. on taxable incomes between £10,001 and £12,000, 40 per cent. on taxable incomes between £12,001 and £15,000, 45 per cent. on taxable incomes between £15,001 and £20,000 and 50 per cent. on taxable incomes above £20,000.

I shall let my non. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what principles are applied by the Inland Revenue in its current practice concerning the treatment of foreign exchange gains and losses, whether realised or unrealised, in respect of foreign currency borrowings and loans made by companies registered in the United Kingdom pursuant to the Inland Revenue statement dated 6 October 1976 in drawing the distinction, mentioned in the 1976 statement, between borrowings regarded as being from fixed as distinguished from those on circulating capital accounts;(2) whether any distinction is drawn by the Inland Revenue in its current practice concerning the treatment of foreign exchange gains and losses, whether realised or unrealised, in respect of foreign currency borrowings and loans made by companies resident in the United Kingdom pursuant to the Inland Revenue statement dated 6 October 1976 between borrowings for a short term and those for a longer term;(3) whether any distinction is drawn by the Inland Revenue in its current practice concerning the treatment of foreign exchange gains and losses, whether realised or unrealised, in respect of foreign currency borrowings and loans made by companies resident in the United Kingdom pursuant to the Inland Revenue statement dated 6 October 1976 between borrowings raised by companies from external lenders, whether or not with the benefit of guarantees from other members of the borrowing company's group, and those raised from lenders within the borrower's group;(4) if he will outline the current Inland Revenue practice concerning the treatment of foreign exchange gains and losses, whether realised or unrealised, in respect of foreign currency borrowings and loans made by companies resident in the United Kingdom and in particular to supplement the Inland Revenue statement dated 6 October 1976;(5) whether any particular criteria are applied by the Inland Revenue in its current practice concerning the treatment of foreign exchange gains and losses, whether realised or unrealised, in respect of foreign currency borrowings and loans made by companies registered in the United Kingdom pursuant to the Inland Revenue statement dated 6 October 1976 to finance companies controlled from overseas which borrow foreign currency for conversion into £ sterling to lend out in the United Kingdom in the course of their business operation;(6) if he will make a statement upon the current Inland Revenue practice concerning the treatment of foreign exchange gains or losses, whether realised or unrealised, in respect of foreign currency borrowings and loans made by companies resident in the United Kingdom and pursuant to the Inland Revenue statement dated 6 October 1976 in the light of the Marine Midland case, in circumstances similar to those under discussion in that case.

[pursuant to his replies, 22 and 23 April 1980, Vol. 983, c. 126, and Vol. 984, c. 149–50]: I cannot usefully add to what was said about Inland Revenue practice in the consultative document " Borrowings in Foreign Currency " to which my hon. Friend refers. The practice has not changed since 1976. The existing tax law and practice is not straightforward and whilst the distinction between fixed and circulating capital is based on principles well established in tax case law, much can turn on the facts of individual cases. As my hon. Friend's final question indicates, he is aware that the Inland Revenue's interpretation of the existing law is currently being challenged and a test case—the Marine Midland case—is due to be considered by the courts later this year. The Department will continue to study the issues involved in the light of the litigation and relevant economic developments, for example the removal of exchange control. The time is not ripe at present for any further statement of practice to be made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of abolishing domestic rates and raising the revenue instead from (a) income tax and (b) value added tax, respectively.

I have been asked to reply.In 1979–80, domestic rates yielded about £2,700 million in Great Britain—net of domestic rate relief and rate rebates. This is equivalent to the yield of about 5½p on income tax or to the yield of about 4 per cent. to 5 per cent. on value added tax.

asked the Prime Minister if she received a copy of the speech on nuclear arms and war by the late Admiral of the Fleet, Earl Mount-batten of Burma, on the occasion of the presentation of the Louise Weisse Foundation Peace Prize at Strasbourg on 11 May 1979; what consideration she has given to the speech; and if she will make a statement about its conclusions.

I have read the late Earl Mountbatten's speech. The Government fully endorse his view that we are most likely to preserve the peace if there is a balance of strength between East and West and that we need to work for such a balance based on mutual restraint.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in any future reconstruction of the Government, she will give consideration to the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary being a Member of the House of Commons.

I believe in choosing the best person for the job and I am happy that time and events have proved that judgment right.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects next to meet the chairman of the National Enterprise Board.

My right hon. Friend sees the chairman frequently.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give a direction under the Industry Act 1975 to the National Enterprise Board that it is not to rent flats in the Grosvenor House hotel, in any other hotel or elsewhere.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the number of new firms assisted by regional development grants and selective financial assistance under section 7 of the Industry Act.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what plans he has in regard to industry on Merseyside.

Merseyside should benefit from the Government's national economic policies which are designed to restore incentives and thus encourage industrial growth. In addition, most of Merseyside remains a special development area and manufacturing firms there are eligible for the highest level of Government assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he proposes to meet the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to meet the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proposals he has for assisting the setting up of small firms in West Durham; and how many jobs he expects to be created by such a proposal by the end of the current year.

The Government's policies are designed to encourage small firms wherever they may be located by reducing the burdens imposed on them by Government and increasing incentives. In addition, as north-west Durham is a special development area, small firms there are eligible for regional development grants and selective financial assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what are his criteria in selecting chairmen for nationalised industries within his Department's sphere of interest.

I look for the best candidate for the job, taking into account personal capacity, character, motivation and relevant experience. One consideration is the willingness of candidates to accept employment at the rates of pay on offer.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he next intends to meet the chairman of the British Steel Corporation.

My right hon. Friend will be meeting the chairman later this afternoon.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is satisfied with the current level of investment in manufacturing industry; and if he will make a statement.

No. But it is equally important that manufacturing industry should make the best possible use of its existing investment.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what were the employment figures in each shipyard in Great Britain at 1 April 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980; and if he will, in each case, give the subsequent figure as a percentage increase or decrease from 1960.

Information about British Shipbuilders' yards is a matter for British Shipbuilders. The information is not available for private sector yards.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is now in a position to reply to the representations on alterations to development area status made to him on 24 January by the deputation from Grampian regional council, Aberdeen city district council, Banff and Buchan district council, Gordon district council, Kincardine and Deeside district council, Moray district council and hon. Members representing constituency interests; and if he will make a statement.

We are carefully considering the representations made at the meeting on 24 January with the Grampian regional council and other representatives of the region and a reply will be sent as soon as is consistent with full consideration of the matters raised.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will put in hand surveys of energy conservation efforts in each of the 25 major industries in the United Kingdom.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 April 1980 col. 43]: No. However, some information on energy conservation efforts in industry is being obtained through the Department of Industry's industrial energy thrift scheme. Surveys at present in progress will cover United Kingdom manufacturing industry (SIC orders III to XIX).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the names and dates of original appointment of the members of the Fife health board, whose term of appointment expires in 1981.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will report the latest position with regard to negotiations on teachers' salaries.

Negotiations on teachers' salaries are a matter for the negotiating bodies concerned. I understand that the Scottish Teachers Salaries Committee met on 21 April, and is meeting today to consider a pay settlement consequent on the report on teachers' pay by the Standing Commission on Pay Comparability. The committee is also considering a claim by teachers for a pay increase from 1 April 1980. The negotiating committees for teaching staff in central institutions and colleges of education, which will meet on 2 May, will be considering the same issues.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many members of area health boards appointed in the financial years 1974 to 1979 inclusive were self-nominated; what were the boards and the names of the members concerned.

One such member, Mrs. N. T. S. Innes, was appointed to Fife health board from 1 April 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if the Government's offer of financial assistance to the Hampden Park project is conditional on Hampden Park Limited obtaining assurances that the balance of the total cost can be provided from other sources; and if he will make a statement;(2) what recent discussions he has had with the Glasgow district council about its contribution to the Hampden Park project; and if he will make a statement;(3) whether there is any contract between the Scottish Office and Hampden Park Limited regarding the company's raising the remainder of the money for the redevelopment of the ground from grants from public or other bodies.

It is the responsibility of Hampden Park Limited to obtain the funds necessary for the project over and above the contributions provisionally offered by the Government and by Strathclyde regional council; the Government's liability is limited to a maximum of £5.5 million at April 1978 prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the Boundary Commission for Scotland to report on the parliamentary constituencies of the Strathclyde region.

This is a matter for the commission, but I understand that it hopes to publish its provisional recommendations for Strathclyde region later this year.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will publish a detailed list of public servants who have not had an adjustment in their wages and salaries scales since the stated date when hon. Members' salaries were last adjusted; and. if hon. Members' salaries were adjusted to enable them to have the average salary increase paid to public servants, what the increase to date would be.

The pay of public sector groups does not, of course, form part of my direct responsibilities, but I understand that London Transport drivers and conductors are the only main group not to have received an increase in the period June 1979 to 31 March 1980.No reliable statistics on average salary increases for public servants are kept.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he proposes to give effect to the resolution of the House in respect of pensions for Members' secretaries.

Consultations are taking place on this matter, and I shall be making a statement in the near future.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why it is necessary for his Department to acknowledge the receipt of letters from hon. Members by means of an individual typewritten reply when other Departments use a standardised acknowledgment card; and what estimate he has made of the annual cost of such individual acknowledgments.

As from today, correspondence from hon. Members will be answered by a standardised acknowledgment card. I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his helpful suggestion.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service to what extent hon. Members' salaries have depreciated due to inflation since the date of publication of the last two Boyle committee reports; and to what extent the purchasing power of hon. Members' salaries has depreciated since the last stated date of adjustment.

I have been asked to reply.The dates of publication of the last two reports on hon. Members' salaries from the Review Body on Top Salaries were June 1975 and June 1979. The amounts of parliamentary salary which came into effect on 13 June 1975 and 13 June 1979 were £5,750 and £9,450 respectively.The equivalent values in March 1980 real terms, as measured by the movement in the general index of retail prices, are £10,577 and £10,852, representing depreciations of 11.9 per cent. and 14.8 per cent over the current salary.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he is satisfied with the support currently available for basic research in chemistry, mathematics, physics and biology; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will increase the funds available to the Science Research Council to ensure that it can support all the alpha applications submitted to it; if he will

give details of (

Most of the research referred to by the hon. Member comes within the scope of the Science Research Council which receives more than half the Department's science budget. In the current year the science budget amounts to £300 million at 1979 survey prices, and the Government expenditure plans published in Cmnd. 7841 provide for an increase in the future level so that, by 1983–84, it will, in real terms, be about 5 per cent. above that achieved in 1978–79. This provision is being made at a time when total planned public expenditure is being progressively reduced, and reflects the importance which the Government attach to the support of basic scientific research, as an investment in this country's industrial and intellectual future.Under guidelines recommended by the Advisory Board for the Research Councils and recently approved by my right hon. and learned Friend, on the basis of the plans in Cmnd. 7841, small increases are envisaged in the level of the Science Research Council's allocation in 1981–82 and 1982–83.During the current year, the Science Research Council has funded over 560 applications for research grants graded alpha and turned down 105.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many Palestinian students are studying in the United Kingdom.

I regret this information is not available. Palestinians studying in this country fall under the statistics for the countries whose passports they hold.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the per capita annual spending for each pupil at school in the education authorities of England and Wales.

My Department does not prepare figures of expenditure for each local education authority. Certain analyses of their estimates and expenditure are contained in the education statistics published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, copies of which are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of total local government expenditure is currently spent on education.

In 1978–79, the latest year for which outturn information was available, some 50 per cent of current expenditure by local authorities in England and Wales was spent on education (including school meals and milk). No estimate is yet available for the outturn of local authority expenditure in 1979–80.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of expenditure on education is spent on the salaries of teachers.

In 1978–79, the latest year for which outturn information was available, 57 per cent. of relevant expenditure by local authorities in England and Wales on education—excluding school meals and milk—was accounted for by the salaries of teachers in schools and further education. No estimate is yet available for the outturn of local authority expenditure in 1979–80.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the salaries of teachers is paid for from the rates.

The 1980–81 rate support grant settlement—as that for 1979–80—provided for Exchequer grant to be paid on total relevant expenditure by local authorities in England and Wales—including expenditure on teachers' salaries—at the rate of 61 per cent. The remaining 39 per cent. falls to be met from the rates and local sources of income.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he proposes to take on the future of the Inner London Education Authority.

The Government have embarked on a comprehensive examination of the local Government arrangements for the provision, administration and financing of education in inner London. I shall male a further statement when this examination has been completed.

asked the Attorney-General if he is now ready to make a statement on his policy towards jury vetting.

My right hon. and learned Friend expects to be able to make a statement shortly after his return from the Commonwealth Law Ministers' conference on 7 May.

asked the Attorney-General when he expects next to meet the Director of Public Prosecutions.

I refer the hon. Member to the Answer given to the hon. Member for Derby, North (Mr. Whitehead).

asked the Attorney-General whether he is satisfied with the procedure for informing a defendant of matters material to his defence or appeal, as exemplified in Regina v. Lindo; and if he will make a statement.

The problem is likely to arise in three main situations:

(i) On appeal I am satisfied with the procedures which will now be followed by the Criminal Appeal Office and which are summarised in the answer given to the hon. Member for Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk) on 22 April.—[Vol. 984, c. 176–177];

(ii) In proceedings conducted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. I am satisfied with the procedures followed by him, which will be well known to the right hon. and learned Member;

(iii) In proceedings conducted by other persons over whom neither the Law Officers nor the Lord Chancellor have any direct control. However, if the Director is asked for his advice under the Prosecution of Offences Regulations he will advise that the matter be referred immediately to the applicants' legal advisers for the appropriate action.

The law places certain obligations as to disclosure on prosecutors. It is consequently for the prosecuting solicitor and, ultimately, counsel to make the appropriate disclosures.The question of what ought to be disclosed is a very difficult one, which has been referred to the Royal Commission on criminal procedure for its consideration.

asked the Attorney-General what representations he has received on the report of the Royal Commission on legal services.

So far 25 representations have been received by me or the Lord Chancellor, from hon. Members, associations or individual members of the public.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of free world (a) reserves of natural gas, (b) annual production of gas traded internationally and (c) annual production of gas traded as liquid natural gas and liquid petroleum gas is represented by Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries member States.

It is estimated that approximately 60 per cent. of the proven reserves of natural gas in the free world are in OPEC member States. Sources suggest that, of the natural gas traded internationally in the free world in 1978, approximately 19 per cent. came from OPEC countries, and of the gas traded as liquid natural gas in the same year, about 58 per cent. was from OPEC member States Industry sources suggest that, for 1980. about 62 per cent. of the gas traded as liquid petroleum gas, in the free world, will come from OPEC member States.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy on how many occasions in the last two years transfers have been made from the National Oil Account into the Consolidated Fund in addition to that recorded in the Official Report, volume 982, column 119; and what was the total sum involved.

In addition to that recorded in the Official Report—[Vol. 892, c. 119]—transfers to the Consolidated Fund from the National Oil Account have been made on 23 March 1979 and 30 October 1979, the sums involved being £75 million and £300 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the free world (a) reserves of crude oil, (b) annual production of crude oil, (c) refining capacity and (d) tanker fleet is held by Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries member States.

It is estimated that the following are the proportions held by OPEC member States: (a) proven reserves—78 per cent.: (b) annual production in 1979—63 per cent; (c) refining capacity at the end of 1979—7·3 per cent.; and (d) registered tanker fleet—dwt—as of December 1979—3·6 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he proposes to take steps by regulation to extend the 500 metre safety radius from North Sea installations to 1,000 metres to give greater protection both to the structures and adjacent pipelines on the seabed.

Current international law does not permit the establishment of a safety zone with a radius greater than 500 metres. Any proposed extension of the present limit would be subject to international agreement and would in any event need to await ratification of the draft convention of the United Nation Law of the Sea Conference.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what action he has taken, or intends to take, in view of the refusal by the large petroleum companies to supply distributions points other than those which handle an annual throughput of 100,000 gallons, which will result in large rural areas being denied local suppliers, thus adding substantially to fuel and other costs.

As I informed the House on 29 October 1979, the oil companies involved have given the Government assurances which provide for the maintenance of supplies to those areas where closure of an outlet would result in social hardship. Many independent outlets have in practice been able to secure alternative sources of supply.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he proposes to publish the Mobil Oil United Kingdom-British Gas Corporation report on the North Sea gas pipelines in full, and at what date.

An edited version of the British Gas Corporation—Mobil North Sea Ltd report on a North Sea gas gathering system will be published as an energy paper as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what will be the total Government contribution to social grants for the coal mining industry in 1979–80.

The total Government contribution to social grants for the coal mining industry in 1979–80 was £79 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what arrangements exist with the French Government for mutual advice or warning to populations in Northern France, Southern England, or the Channel Islands, of serious accidents in nuclear installations, on either side of the Channel, which might result in the release of radioactive contaminants.

I shall answer the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the aggregate public expenditure in 1979 in each of the EEC countries, including the United Kingdom, on energy conservation.

I have nothing to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member on Tuesday 11 March.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the statistical likely recoverable reserve of oil (a) discovered but not yet exploited and (b) exploitable but not yet discovered, in terms of years' supply at current rates of use.

Subject to a very wide margin of error, recoverable oil reserves on the United Kingdom continental shelf in existing discoveries yet to be exploited—ie discoveries not yet under development—are equivalent to around 7 years of United Kingdom oil consumption at current rates. Similarly, recoverable reserves in future discoveries are believed to be around 15 years' consumption at current rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate has been advised of the circumstances of the malfunction of the nuclear reprocessing plant at Cap de la Hague on 16 April; and if it will have an opportunity of discussions with its French counterparts about this accident.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Keighley (Mr. Cryer) on 25 April 1980. The arrangement to which I referred, between the Health and Safety Executive and the French Government agency, provides for the exchange of information by various means including discussions where appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether the mineworkers redundancy payments scheme, early retirement schemes, sick pay schemes and similar schemes which take into consideration unemployment pay or sick pay, will be, in effect reduced by 5 per cent. by the Government's proposals to reduce the increase in such payments in November; and, if not, from where the difference will be funded;(2) who will fund that element of the mineworkers redundancy payments scheme which is at present made up by earnings-related supplement when the supplement is phased out;(3) who will fund that element of the mineworkers pension scheme and similar schemes which are at present made up by earnings-related supplement when the supplement is phased out.

The consequences of the proposed changes are complex, and their effect on a number of coal industry schemes is still being studied. As regards the 5 per cent. change, the Bill provides only that the increase in certain benefits may be reduced by up to 5 per cent. and not that the benefits themselves will be reduced by this amount.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to lessen the burden of water rates on groups such as retirement pensioners or one-parent families.

We have no plans to introduce a rebate system for water services charges, since help is available through the supplementary benefits system.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with current levels of local authority staff.

No. The all-time-high level of local authority manpower recorded in June 1979 has, according to the Joint Manpower Watch Surveys, been reduced only marginally in each of the succeeding quarters in 1979—reductions of 0·4 per cent. and 0·3 per cent. respectively. This can, at best, be regarded as no more than a small beginning to the substantial reduction in staff which will be required if the reductions in public expenditure, set out in the Government's White Paper, Cmnd. 7841, are to be achieved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list his powers in relation to calling in or overruling a planning decision already made by the local planning authority.

The Secretary of State has no power to call in a planning application once it has been determined by the local planning authority. Section 276 of the Town and Country Planning Act

						Increase in general rate	Increase (+) or decrease (−) in general rate net of precepts
						per cent.	per cent.
Ashford	…	…	…	…	…	17·15	+ 18·87
Canterbury	…	…	…	…	…	16·99	+ 17·27
Dartford	…	…	…	…	…	16·93	+ 16·90
Dover	…	…	…	…	…	16·26	+ 10·85
Gillingham	…	…	…	…	…	17·37	+ 25·43
Gravesend	…	…	…	…	…	18·83	+ 35·11
Maidstone	…	…	…	…	…	15·91	+ 8·46
Medway	…	…	…	…	…	14·69	No change
Sevenoaks	…	…	…	…	…	13·09	−13·34
Shepway	…	…	…	…	…	16·80	+ 16·11
Swale	…	…	…	…	…	14·35	No change
Thanet	…	…	…	…	…	16·90	+ 16·75
Tonbridge and Mailing		…	…	…	…	16·06	+ 10·69
Tunbridge Wells	…	…	…	…	…	16·54	+ 11·93

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to prescribe premises under section 5 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act; and if he will make a statement.

Consideration will be given to the need to prescribe premises under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act when the Health and Safety Commission makes formal proposals to my right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales. I understand that the Commission will put forward proposals in the light of the response to the consultative document it issued last year on amendments to the lists of scheduled works and noxious or offensive gases administered,

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the increase or decrease in rates for the current financial year for each of the borough and district councils in Kent and the appropriate percentages net of county and other precepts.

Based on the latest information available, the figures for each of the borough and district councils in Kent are:for the purposes of pollution control, by Her Majesty Alkali and Clean Air Inspectorate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional funds are available for sports staging alternative events to the Olympic Games; what criteria will have to be met to qualify for such funds; who will administer this scheme; and under what statutory provision such funds will be made available.

As my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office indicated during the Adjournment debate on 21 April, decisions on whether alternative events will be staged depend, first, upon the number of governing bodies that decide to boycott the Moscow Games, and, secondly, on the extent to which competitors wish to take part in compensatory events. The position is still fluid, but more countries are coming out in favour of a boycott.Thus, no specific request has yet come from any governing body for financial support for staging or participating in such events, although a number of preliminary discussions have been held. As was also mentioned in the Adjournment debate, we are ready to give modest financial help for these events, if it is wanted. In these circumstances it is too early to answer what at this stage are hypothetical questions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what dates the Sports Council and the Central Council of Physical Recreation were consulted about the proposed scheme to provide alternative events to the Olympic Games; and, in each case, what advice was received from these organisations.

Alternative events will be arranged—and then by governing bodies of sport—only if there is a demand for them from the governing bodies and competitors not going to the summer games in Moscow. The situation is constantly changing, and the Government have merely sought to express their support, both moral and financial, for such events if needed.In such a situation, the most productive way to proceed has been, and is, for governing bodies individually to deal direct with Ministers. Advice was obtained from the Sports Council in the earlier stages about possible locations for events in the United Kingdom. But the main dialogue has generally been direct with governing bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the memorandum of guidance and explanation issued by his Department to chief officers of police in respect of the Firearms Acts 1920 and 1937.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) with reference to his written reply of 23 January 1980 of criminal statistics for England and Wales, since Government economic statistics are often based upon constant costs or prices, whether he will apply this policy to statistics of acts involving criminal damage;(2) with reference to his written reply of 23 January 1980 on criminal statistics for England and Wales, for indictable offences of criminal damage recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used where the damage was estimated at over £20, if he will arrange for this figure to be changed to £100, indexed with a base year of 1980.

Information is not collected centrally on the value or nature of the damage involved in each offence of criminal damage and so it is not possible to revalue that damage to constant prices. Statistics on offences of criminal damage in which firearms were reported to have been used relate only to damage valued at over £20 because the police keep detailed records for only those offences. It is desirable that these statistics should be on as comparable a basis as possible to the statistics of all recorded offences of criminal damage and it would weaken the link between these two sets of statistics if the £20 limit were increased. Annual indexing of the lower limit would make the procedures for recording this information unduly complicated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to his written reply of 23 January 1980 on criminal statistics for England and Wales concerning the fact that the data in table 9.3 were published for two years only, what statistical analyses had been carried out to justify the decision not to continue publication; and if these analyses and supporting evidence will be made available.

The evidence which led us to decide not to continue publication of these tables may be seen from the tables themselves and the notes to them. In particular, the notes record that the age of the suspect was unknown for over 40 per cent. of the cases in each of the years 1976–8, and in most of the categories of the table the number of instances in which the age of the offender is known is very small.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of persons received into prisons under Immigration Act powers during 1979 and the first quarter of 1980.

Information on receptions into prison department establishments in England and Wales of persons held under the Immigration Act 1971 is published annually in " Prison Statistics, England and Wales " (table 1.1 of the issue for 1978, Cmnd. 7626). Figures for 1979 and 1980 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average daily population of persons detained under Immigration Act powers during 1979.

The provisional figure for the average daily population of these held under the Immigration Act 1971 in prison department establishments in England and Wales in 1979 is 166.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Northampton, North, 18 April, where it is evident at the time of interview between the woman and the entry clearance officer that the woman is an unwilling participant in an arrangement into which she is by various means and for various purposes being induced, if it is the case that the entry clearance officer will take action in a sensitive manner to prevent that arrangement from taking place.

Officers conducting interviews where it is suspected that pressure is being brought to bear endeavour to ensure that the interviewee is given every opportunity to make her true wishes known. When an application for an entry clearance or extension of stay depends on the willingness of a woman to marry the applicant, or continue in marriage with him, and it becomes clear that the woman is not so willing, the application may be refused provided that the woman is prepared to put her unwillingness on record, in order to justify the refusal and provide confirmation of the reason for it in any subsequent appeal hearing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were recommended for deportation who were serving custodial sentences on the latest convenient date, listing these according to the prison department establishment and nationality or country of origin of the inmates.

The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number for the latest convenient date of persons serving custodial sentences following conviction of criminal offences who are liable for deportation.