asked the Secretary of State for Employment what reductions will take place in the size of the Wages Inspectorate.

My right hon. Friend has no current plans to reduce the size of the Wages Inspectorate. However, all Government expenditure continues to be subject to rigorous scrutiny, and this includes the staffing of the Wages Inspectorate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he will make a statement about the future of the Fair Wages Resolution.

The Government will be reviewing the Fair Wages Resolution in the light of debate on clause 18(c) of the Employment Bill, which proposes to repeal schedule 11 to the Employment Protection Act 1975. A statement will be made in due course.

GREAT BRITAIN
						Males	Females	Total
June 1949	…	…	…	…	…	194,204	61,867	256,071
June 1950	…	…	…	…	…	195,580	76,722	272,302
June 1951	…	…	…	…	…	120,730	62,587	183,317
June 1952	…	…	…	…	…	169,878	126,318	296,196
June 1953	…	…	…	…	…	178,689	97,025	275,714
June 1954	…	…	…	…	…	148,142	78,506	226,648
June 1955	…	…	…	…	…	116,113	64,404	180,517
June 1956	…	…	…	…	…	126,072	63,456	189,528
June 1957	…	…	…	…	…	170,278	76,704	246,982
June 1958	…	…	…	…	…	264,227	103,743	367,970
June 1959	…	…	…	…	…	278,311	107,149	385,460
June 1960	…	…	…	…	…	214,254	82,904	297,158
June 1961	…	…	…	…	…	184,971	69,798	254,769
June 1962	…	…	…	…	…	277,508	94,709	372,217
June 1963	…	…	…	…	…	345,666	115,036	460,702
June 1964	…	…	…	…	…	240,348	76,569	316,917
June 1965	…	…	…	…	…	207,422	62,507	269,929
June 1966	…	…	…	…	…	199,473	53,732	253,205
June 1967	…	…	…	…	…	377,877	87,982	465,859
June 1968	…	…	…	…	…	429,371	77,079	506,450
June 1969	…	…	…	…	…	414,915	68,366	483,281
June 1970	…	…	…	…	…	450,232	73,406	523,638
June 1971	…	…	…	…	…	589,077	98,142	687,219
June 1972	…	…	…	…	…	646,775	118,681	765,456
June 1973	…	…	…	…	…	461,025	83,932	544,957
June 1974	…	…	…	…	…	439,493	75,139	514,632
June 1975	…	…	…	…	…	679,563	148,910	828,473
June 1976	…	…	…	…	…	972,380	305,504	1,277,884
June 1977	…	…	…	…	…	1,009,370	381,031	1,390,401
June 1978	…	…	…	…	…	978,094	403,309	1,381,403
June 1979	…	…	…	…	…	887,211	393,891	1,281,102
April 1980 (provisional)			…	…	…	1,010,969	443,687	1,454,656

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current rate of unemployment in the Preston travel-to-work area.

As I told my hon. Friend on 22 April—[Vol 983, c. 202]—at 10 April the rate of unemployment in the Preston travel-to-work area was 68 per cent. The May figures are not yet available. I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as they are.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the level of unemployment in (a) Great Britain, (b) the North-West, (c) Merseyside and (d) Birkenhead for each year since 1945; and if he will subdivide these data according to whether the persons were male or female.

The present series of unemployment statistics started in July 1948. In the following table information is given, where readily available, for June each year from 1949 to 1979 and for April 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will tabulate all the Clegg awards as a percentage of the original wage; what were the dates on which they were awarded; how many employees were affected; what was the total annual cost; what percentage of the award was a comparability award as opposed to a normal annual increase; and what was the total annual cost of the award and the total of these last totals.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the remuneration of each of the chief executives of the industrial training boards.

[pursuant to his reply, 2 May 1980, c. 691–92]: The information is as follows:

REMUNERATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVES OF THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING BOARDS AT 1 APRIL 1980
Boards	Annual salary
	£
Air Transport and Travel	22,000
Carpet	12,938
Ceramics, Glass and Mineral Products.	15,282
	+243 London
	Weighting
Chemical and Allied Products	20,260
Clothing and Allied Products	11,990
Construction*	15,992
Cotton and Allied Textiles	16,848
Distributive	17,487
Engineering	18,725
	+ 280 London
	Weighting
Foundry Industry Training Committee.	14,200
	+ 200 London
	Weighting
Food, Drink and Tobacco	16,197
Furniture and Timber	23,372
Footwear, Leather and Fur Skin	17,209
Hotel and Catering	17,000
	+275 London
	Weighting

Iron and Steel	19,263
	+815 London
	Weighting
Knitting, Lace and Net	12,758
Man-made Fibres Producing	13,533
Paper and Paper Products	12,702
	+ 225 London
	Weighting
Petroleum	20,604
Printing and Publishing	21,674
Road Transport	29,633
	+250 London
	Weighting
Rubber and Plastics Processing	18,980
	+220 London
	Weighting
Shipbuilding	14,248
	+286 London
	Weighting
Wool, Jute and Flax	16,625
* The duties of chief executive are divided between two posts, one of which attracts London weighting of £325.

				Number in apprenticeships	Government supported additional 1st year trainees
1974–75	…	…	…	84,943	—
1975–76	…	…	…	84,778	5,056
1976–77	…	…	…	89,216	4,990
1977–78	…	…	…	91,625	4,717
1978–79	…	…	…	92,221	3,068
1979–80	…	…	…	not available	2,007
1974–75	…	…	…	not available	—
1975–76	…	…	…	not available	360
1976–77	…	…	…	not available	316
1977–78	…	…	…	3,666	344
1978–79	…	…	…	3,864	307
1979–80	…	…	…	3,643	313

The total number of persons in apprenticeships in engineering construction is not available; however the annual intakes

				Apprenticeships intake	Government supported additional 1st year trainees
1974–75	…	…	…	not available	—
1975–76	…	…	…	not available	138
1976–77	…	…	…	271	177
1977–78	…	…	…	302	172
1978–79	…	…	…	337	177
1979–80	…	…	…	294	174

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people visited the Industrial Health and Safety Centre in each of the last 10 years.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 May 1980, c. 252–53]: The recorded number of visitors to the Health and Safety Centre in the period 1970 to 1979 were:

1970	22,018
1971	25,099
1972	21,862
1973	20,422

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons are at present in apprenticeships in the engineering, foundry and engineering construction trades; how many of these are supported by the Government grants or awards; and how these numbers compare with each of the last five years.

[pursuant to his reply, 2 May 1980, c. 691–92]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that reliable information can be given only in respect of the craft and technician apprentices recruited by firms in scope to the engineering industry training board and its foundry industry training committee and who follow approved courses of training.The figures are as follows for mainstream engineering:and those supported by Governmerit grants are as follows:

1974	22,823
1975	21,096
1976	27,002
1977	27,181
1978	27,850
1979	26,541

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what methods of bringing relevant information to the public are comparable to the work carried out at the Industrial Health and Safety Centre in Horseferry Road; and what proposals he has for ensuring that such methods are fully utilised following the closure of the centre.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 May 1980, c. 252–53]: The Health and Safety Executive participates in a programme of major industrial trade shows and exhibitions and has an increasing stock of safety films. These activities are used to convey information to specific audience groups about occupational health and safety hazards.A wide and expanding range of publications is available from Her Majesty's Stationery Office bookshops or agents. General information services in headquarters and area offices, including a substantial press service, provide ample flow of health and safety information.The HSE has steadily improved the standard of its information services and it is expected that this development will continue.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers of people employed by the Health and Safety Commission in the provision of information services, categorised by rank; and what is the cost of the provision of such services.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 May 1980, c. 252–53]: The numbers of people employed by the Health and Safety Commission in the provision of information services are as follows:

Information Officers	22
Graphics Officers	24
Photographers	14
Printing Grades	15
Librarians	13
Scientific & Technical	10
Museum Grades	8
Executive	8
Clerical	27
Typing	11
	152

The latest available estimate of the annual cost of the provision of such services is £2·5 million, which includes the salaries of the staff shown, their support cost, and provision for such items as films and exhibitions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on how many occasions during the last 12 months television time was bought for informing the public about occupational health and safety hazards; and what was the cost.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 May 1980, c. 252–53]: Television time has not been bought for this purpose during the last 12 months.Television has used HSE material on a number of occasions during the last year to inform the general public about occupational health and safety hazards, but this time has been provided free of charge.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Keighley of 28 April, how the specialist electrical inspectors' warrants are distinguished from general warrants of Her Majesty's inspectors of factories.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 May 1980, c. 255]: Specialist electrical inspectors and Her Majesty's inspectors of factories hold identical full warrants.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the coal extracted from Wales has been sold to State-owned industries in 1979; and how this compares with the figures for 1970, 1973 and 1976.

This is a matter for the NCB and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he has taken to encourage the introduction of energy stamps, on sale through gas and electricity boards showrooms and post offices, as a means of helping consumers to save for their quarterly fuel bills.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1980, c. 363]: Agreement has been reached between the Electricity Council, the British Gas Corporation and the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters for the sale of electricity and gas saving stamps by the federation's members. Stamps will be made available by the industries from 2 June to individual sub-postmasters wishing to sell them. There are nearly 20,000 sub-post offices in England and Wales. The Government welcome this agreement, which will provide a helpful extension to the industries' existing " pay-as-you-go " scheme, particularly in outlying areas where the industries do not have showrooms.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will tabulate for the last 10 years (a) United Kingdom oil consumption, (b) United Kingdom oil discoveries and (c) a cumulative estimate of United Kingdom remaining oil reserves net of depletion and for each year, consumption as in (a) minus discoveries as in (b), cumulative reserves as in (c) divided by oil discoveries as in (b), (d) exports of United Kingdom sourced oil to the European Economic Community and (e) wells drilled.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the average volume of gas flared each day and how much offshore oil was exported in the first quarter of the current year.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 May 1980, c. 30]: The average daily volume of gas flared from United Kingdom continental shelf fields in the first quarter of 1980 was about 14 million cubic metres. Exports of UKCS oil in the same period are provisionally estimated at 9·7 million tonnes.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what net financial saving will accrue in the current financial years from the closure of the Middle East Development Division.

None. The closure does not begin until March next year.

asked the Lord Privy Seal to what extent the improved status of women and their socio-economic role is a component part of his Department's planning when reviewing or preparing development aid projects.

The ODA seeks to ensure that all implications for women are fully considered in new projects. Any project's effects on women is appraised before approval and monitored during implementation. Progress is monitored by ODA's social development advisers, one of whom has special responsibility for matters related to the role of women. I am sending the hon. Lady a more detailed description of ODA policies and practice in this field.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list the current development aid projects in which women are clearly identified as potential beneficiaries of the project; and if he will make a statement.

Women benefit from most general development aid projects and it is ODA policy to ensure that the benefits to them are recognised and maximised. Aid projects of more particular benefit to women are principally in the areas of health, particularly mother and child health and family planning, education and agriculture. I shall send the hon. Lady as soon as possible a list of the countries in which such projects operate.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in view of the concern expressed in recent debates on the Brandt Commission report about the problem of world population growth in relation to development, he will give an assurance that, when all development projects are being examined and agreed, there is a financial input in the programme directly related to population activities; and whether he wil make a statement.

I fully recognise the relation between world population growth and development, but it is not possible to apply a hard and fast rule. The aid input to projects varies considerably.I have, however, directed that when projects are under consideration this should take full account of and wherever possible include a population element.

asked the Prime Minister which Government Department has the direct and immediate responsibility for warning the public in the event of a serious accident or malfunction at a nuclear power station and of supervising and controlling any necessary evacuation of population in the vicinity of the power station, whether the incident occurs in the United Kingdom or on the territory of some neighbouring state such as the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Holland, or in Northern France.

In the event of any emergency occurring within the United Kingdom, it is the responsibility of the police and local authorities concerned to provide appropriate warning to the public and to supervise and control any evacuation. Departmental responsibility for these general emergency arangements in Great Britain is shared by the Home Secretary and the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and the Environment. In Northern Ireland responsibility lies with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.In the case of a serious accident at a nuclear power station, the station's operator would be responsible for providing the police with the advice and information on which a decision to evacuate could be taken. Departmental responsibility for nuclear safety rests with the Secretary of State for Energy, in England and Wales, and the Secretary of State for Scotland, in Scotland.In the unlikely event of an incident at a nuclear installation overseas affecting the United Kingdom, it would be for the Secretary of State for the Environment in consultation with the Minister of Agriculture to assess the environmental effect and to advise the local authorities concerned who have standing arrangements for all incidents affecting their areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the names of the groups and organisations from which he has received

The numbers of those who signed letters or petitions for and against these proposals were 11,575 and 7,623 respectively. They included two organisations which wrote in support and 21 which expressed opposition. It is not the Department's normal practice to publish the identity of those who make representations in respect of proposals under section 13 of the Education Act 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many students have been in full-time attendance at adult education colleges during each of the past 10 years; and how many are expected to be during each of the next three years;(2) how many adult education colleges have been (

There are at present five adult education colleges in England with which my right hon. and learned Friend is directly concerned. These are the long-term residential colleges one of which, Northern, opened in 1978 and another, Fircroft, closed in 1975 but is expected to reopen this autumn. No closures are expected for the year ahead.These colleges provide full-time courses of one or two years' duration, on which numbers of students in the past 10 years were:

1970–71	489
1971–72	461
1972–73	475
1973–74	461
1974–75	428
1975–76	440
1976–77	404
1977–78	380
1978–79	368
1979–80	389

Numbers of students up to and including 1977–78 include those at a similar college in Wales whose funding is now the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many education authorities in England and Wales are reducing nursery and under-five provision during 1980–81; and how many such places will be lost as a consequence of such contraction.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no detailed information about the intentions of local authorities with regard to the provision of nursery education and early admissions to primary schools during 1980–81. The Government have provided within the rate support grant settlement for 1980–81 for educational expenditure on under-fives to remain at broadly the same level as for 1979–80 and my right hon. and learned Friend does not anticipate that there will be any substantial reduction in provision overall.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many one-teacher schools there are in the United Kingdom; and what are the figures for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, respectively.

In January 1979, the latest date for which information is available, 156 maintained primary schools and no maintained secondary schools in England had only one full-time teacher. Statistical information for schools in the other three countries comprising the United Kingdom is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many village schools have been reopened since 1960 having once been closed.

There have been none since January 1978 and I regret that information relating to earlier years could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consultations he has and what consideration he gives to the effect on the local community, before agreeing to the closure of any village primary school.

It is for local education authorities to undertake consultations with parents, teaching or other staff and governors of any school concerned before submitting proposals to close a school. My right hon. and learned Friend then considers the proposal in the light of all the relevant evidence, the objections which have been submitted and any meetings he has held at the request of local groups. He takes full account of the social and educational effects of school closures before reaching his decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what criteria he uses to decide whether to confirm the closure of village primary schools.

My right hon. and learned Friend considers each proposal to close a school on its merits. Paragraphs 6 and 7 of circular 5/77 describe the educational, economic and other factors which are fully taken into account when such proposals are being examined. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many primary schools have been closed in Suffolk since 1970; and how many of those were village schools.

Twenty primary schools have been closed in Suffolk since 1970. All were village schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will issue a circular to local education committees giving advice on the closure of village primary schools.

Advice to local education authorities on the closure of schools is contained in the Department's circular 5/77. This covers schools in both urban and rural areas and there are no plans to issue a further circular.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is available to him of the percentage of students in London in (a) universities, (b) polytechnics, (c) other colleges and (d) all colleges, who are accommodated in (i) halls of residence and (ii) other college accommodation; and what percentage of such accommodation is allocated to first-year students.

In the academic year 1978–79, the latest year for which information is available, 33 per cent. of full-time students in universities in London were accommodated in colleges or halls of residence. Information is not readily available about the percentage of such

NET RECURRENT INSTITUTIONAL COST PER PUPILS IN MAINTAINED SCHOOLS
£ at 1980 survey prices
					Financial years
			1976–77		1977–78		1978–79
			Primary	Secondary	Primary	Secondary	Primary	Secondary
London Borough of Brent			461	657	511	705	550	745
Inner London Education Authority	…	…	562	844	599	847	649	891

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what, for each local education authority, are the costs of education (a) per school-pupil, (b) per head of the population and (c) per domestic ratepayer.

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 and financial and rating 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 if he is able to indicate the cause for delay in adjustments to teachers' pensions following the 1979 salary award; and if the accommodation allocated to first year students. A division into halls of residence and other college accommodation is not available. No information is available about the accommodation of students in polytechnics or other colleges.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the expenditure per head of pupils in schools, for each of the last three years, in the London borough of Brent and the Inner London Education Authority.

The figures are as follows:payment of interest can be authorised in the light of the long delay.

Because of the late date at which the 1979 teachers' salary settlement was reached, my Department had no option initially but to calculate the pensions of teachers who retired between April and August on the 1978 salary scales.Immediately benefits for teachers who retired on 31 August had been dealt with staff were available to begin the work on some 6,000 revisions. The work started in September and has been proceeding as quickly as possible, but priority had to be given to first-time benefits payable to teachers who retired on 31 December. The staff dealing with these revisions have been augmented to the extent permitted by the resources available and it is expected that the last of the revisions will be dealt with during the next two weeks.Every effort has been made to deal with these revisions as quickly as possible. There is no provision in the teachers' superannuation regulations under which payment of interest may be authorised in these circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list details of the numbers and percentages of pupils leaving school at the minimum leaving age; and if he will classify these figures for each social class of the parents for each year since the raising of the school leaving age.

The information is as follows:

PUPILS LEAVING SCHOOL* AT THE MINIMUM SCHOOL LEAVING AGE IN ENGLAND† FROM 1973–74 to 1978–79
Year	Numbers (thousands)	Percentage of all school leavers
1973–74†	366·2	54
1974–75	346·6	53
1975–76	345·6	52
1976–77	353·2	50
1977–78	363·8	50
1978–79 (provisional)	352·6	48
*Excluding leavers from independent schools not recognised as efficient, up to and including 1976–77.
† Figures for 1973–74 are for England and Wales.

No information is available concerning the social class of the leavers' parents.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consultations he has had or intends to have with representatives of the Inner London Education Authority to assist him in the examination he is undertaking currently into the administration, provision and financing of education in inner London.

The Inner London Education Authority has already sent me its detailed comments on the Baker report on inner London education. These comments, and any further written expression of views received from the authority, will be given full consideration in the course of the internal Government examination.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence he is calling for to assist him in the examination he is undertaking currently into the administration, provision and financing of education in inner London.

All written representations received on this matter will be given full consideration in the course of the internal Government examination.

asked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the total number of specialist advisers currently employed by Select Committees of the House.

Fifty-three.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps it is in his power to take to improve the balance of air services as between the United Kingdom and Ghana.

The United Kingdom—Ghana air services agreement provides for consultation between the aeronautical authorities of the contracting parties to ensure close collaboration in all matters affecting the fulfilment of the agreement. My officials have recently had negotiations with the Ghana authorities with the objective of improving the balance of air services between the two countries. A second round of talks is due to start very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the recent talks with Canada concerning the air service agreement between the United Kingdom and Canada.

As I told my hon Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) on 1 May, at the April talks the Canadian delegation refused British Airways access to Western Canada unless we gave Canadian airlines further major unreciprocated traffic rights between London and Hong Kong, including that cabotage route itself. This is not acceptable and we have told the Canadians that Air Canada's direct services to Western Canada will have to end on 31 March 1981 unless British airlines are allowed similar rights.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether any proposals have been put to him for major investment in new baggage handling facilities at Heathrow.

Yes. The British Airports Authority has put forward several substantial items of expenditure to improve baggage handling facilities at Heathrow, as part of its investment plans which we are currently considering.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is satisfied that the existing system of bilateral negotiation of air transport services within Europe is operating in the best interests of the United Kingdom.

The existing system has provided us with an extensive network of air services in Europe, but I strongly believe that it should be possible to give the air traveller in Europe a better deal and have taken initiatives with the aim of achieving this multilaterally in both the European Community and the wider 21 Nation European Civil Aviation Conference. In the meantime we make the best use we can of the bilateral system as it is.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade to what extent he has been successful in securing the transfer of scheduled airline passengers from Heathrow to Gatwick.

As a result of the policies set out by my right hon. Friend on 9 October 1979 the British Airports Authority has announced that over 20 new scheduled services are expected to start operating from Gatwick during 1980. Under the recent agreement reached with the United States all new United States services including those to new United States gateways will operate from Gatwick.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list his powers in relation to the control of prices.

I have powers under the Prices Act 1974 to regulate the prices of fresh or subsidised food and certain other articles. Powers to control prices may also arise from a report by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on a monopoly reference under the Fair Trading Act 1973 or in a competition reference under the Competition Act 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is satisfied with the present lack of protection for third parties under the Sale of Goods Act; and, if not, whether he is considering legislation to provide remedies in such cases.

I am considering the draft European Community directive on liability for defective products which would make the producer liable for damage caused by defective goods.I am not considering any other changes in the law in this field since the Law Commission recommended that the law of contract should not be extended to give third parties contractual rights against suppliers of goods.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the Monopolies and Mergers report on the London postal services in relation to the consumer interest.

I welcome this thorough and valuable report which reveals a number of disturbing facts which have contributed to the poor postal services in London. These weaknesses will need to be remedied if the Post Office's standards of service are to be restored to an acceptable level. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry has discussed the report with the chairman of the Post Office Board; the Post Office is considering as a matter of urgency what action needs to be taken in the light of the report.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has received from the Transport and General Workers Union concerning the import of monochrome television sets from Thailand; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Trade has held two meetings with management and trade unions in the industry, including a representative from the Transport and General Workers Union, to discuss this matter. Following those meetings, our ambassador in Bangkok has held discussions with the Government of Thailand and one of their officials has been in the United Kingdom to examine the facts and report back to his own Government. We are awaiting their response. My Department is also considering with the EC Commission the possible courses of action.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will review the law relating to exclusion clauses in the light of the recent case of Photo Production v Securicor.

No. The effect of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 and the recent House of Lords judgment is that the test of reasonableness will apply to exclusion clauses in consumer contracts and in commercial contracts on written standard terms, but that the parties to other commercial contracts will be free to make their own bargain.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will use his Competition Act powers to refer the price of bread to the Director General of Fair Trading for investigation.

My right hon. Friend does not think it would be appropriate to use these powers in the case of the bread industry, particularly as the profit on the standard loaf is still very low, and as a considerable number of redundancies have already occurred in this industry, and also in view of the fact that the particular industry has already been the subject of investigations by the Price Commission and the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many trade missions or delegations assisted by Government funds will be sent to South Africa in the current year.

There are expected to be 14 trade missions during 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what discussions he has had with Herr Kurt Gscheidle, Minister of Transport of the Federal Re public of Germany, about the future of Karlsruhe and Maastricht air traffic control centres, and the future of Eurocontrol.

I had a most useful meeting with Herr Gscheidle on 29 April. We were in broad agreement that the plans being developed within Eurocontrol for its future were on the right lines. The future of the Karlsruhe and Maastricht air traffic control centres is playing an important part in the discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in view of the concern in British industry arising from the compensation trade deal with Finland for the sale of 50 Hawk trainer aircraft, he will use his powers to restrict imports from Finland into the United Kingdom where imports from other sources exceed 20 per cent. of United Kingdom production, by sector.