asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought against pirate driving instructors in each of the past five years; and in how many cases the prosecutions resulted in conviction.

The information available on prosecutions is given in the following table; that on findings of guilt is published annually in " Offences relating to motor vehicles, England and Wales "—table 4, page 37 of the volume for 1978. Cmnd. 7687.

PROSECUTIONS FOR OFFENCES RELATING TO DIVING DRIVING INSTRUCTION ENGLAND AND WALES Number of offences Year Person other than an approved driving instructor giving instruction for payment Falsely claiming to be an approved driving instructor 1974 100 28 1975 114 16 1976 110 20 1977 204 34 1978 101 6

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were received into custody in 1978 and 1979 for fine default following convictions for ( a ) begging, ( b ) sleeping out and ( c ) suspected person offences.

The available information on receptions into prison department establishments in England and Wales of persons in default of payment of a fine for begging and sleeping out is published annually in " Prison Statistics England and Wales"—table 3.2, 4.1 and 5.1 of the issue for 1978, Cmnd. 7626. These offences are not recorded separately in central records. Figures for 1979 are not yet available.

Suspected person offences are not recorded separately.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the short-fall between fines levied and collected in each of the past three years.

Information in this form is not available. The cumulative total amounts of fines outstanding in England and Wales, excluding inner London, at the end of the financial years 1977–78 and 1978–79 were £22,126,110 and £29,404,719 respectively. But these figures include fines which remained unpaid because the time allowed for payment had not expired. Comparable information for 1979–80 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government have any plans to amend section 55 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 to require parents or guardians of children over the age of 14 years to pay fines imposed on their children when convicted of offences.

We have no immediate plans to amend section 55, but we shall look at this provision, among others, in considering what changes are needed in the law relating to juvenile offenders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many orders have been made by the courts for the attachment of earnings of a parent or guardian for the payment of compensation for damage caused by a juvenile in criminal proceedings in the period since 1974;

(2) how many compensation orders have been made against the parents or guardians of children between the ages of 14 and 17 years convicted of offences since 1974.

The information is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government have any intention of in- troducing legislation to clarify the definitions of " child ", " minor " and " young person " in English law.

The words are statutorily defined for each purpose for which they are used, and we do not consider that any general clarifying legislation is needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those penal establishments that are currently subject to industrial action by prison officers, and indicate in each case the nature of the action, the length of time it has been in progress and the reasons for it.

It would not be practicable to provide all the information requested in the hon. Member's question without disproportionate costs. The general position is that industrial action, mainly of a minor nature, is taking place at the following establishments. Ash ford Bedford Blundeston Campsfield House Gartree Holloway Latchmere House Leeds Leicester Liverpool Maidstone Manchester Northeye North Sea Camp Norwich Onley Parkhurst Ranby Risley Stafford Sudbury Thorpe Arch Wandsworth Wellingborough Wormwood Scrubs

The duration of the disputes varies from six days to 18 months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long Mr. D. Wakefield, a prisoner at Long Lartin, has been in solitary confinement; and for what reason.

There is no such thing as solitary confinement. Douglas Wakefield has been segregated from association with other prisoners under prison rule 43, in the interests of good order and discipline since September 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal bankruptcy orders have been made against persons convicted of offences under the provisions of section 39 of the Powers of Criminal Courts Act 1973; and what proportion of the total number of offences causing loss of damage exceeding £15,000 these orders form.

The information available is published annually from 1975 in " Criminal Statistics, England and Wales "—Footnote (4) to table 16 on page 441 of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7670.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases, as a proportion of the total, the provisions of section 35 of the Powers of Criminal Courts Act 1973 orders have been made against persons convicted of offences to pay compensation for personal injuries, loss or damages arising from the offences concerned or offences taken into account when determining sentence.

The information available relates to compensation ordered for the principal offence involved and is published annually from 1976 in " Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—table 6.25 of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7670.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for the introduction of staff training and a proper system of inspection at junior attendance centres; and if he will publish an annual report on their operation.

Staff employed at junior attendance centres are mainly teachers and police officers with suitable skills and with experience of dealing with juveniles, and no special training is considered necessary. Arrangements already exist for these centres to be inspected at regular intervals by officers of the social work service of the Department of Health and Social Security, who act as professional advisers to the Home Office.

We have no plans for publishing an annual report on their operation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the reports of the prison and probation departments of his Department are published separately; and if, in the interests of the proper co-ordination of information on the penal system, he will consider publishing a combined report for both departments in future.

We do not have this in mind. An annual report on the work of the prison department is required to be laid before Parliament by section 5 of the Prison Act 1952. A report on the work of the probation department has not been published in its previous comprehensive format since 1976, but information about the probation service is published annually by the Home Office in " Probation and After-Care Statistics, England and Wales ".

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the shortfall between television licence fees assessed and those collected in each of the past three years.

The estimate of television licence evasion throughout the last three years is of the order of about 1 million licences a year. Taking account of changes in the level of the licence fees, and the increasing number of people with colour, as opposed to monochrome, sets, the estimates of the revenue lost for the last three years are:

1977–78 about £15 million; 1978–79 about £18 million; 1979–80 about £25 million.

Estimates in connection with evasion are of necessity imprecise and subject to considerable error.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the revised county electoral boundary proposal for Northumberland to be published.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England submitted to us on 18 January its report containing final proposals for new electoral arrangements for the county of Northumberland. I understand that copies of the report were sent also to the local authorities and others concerned.

We hope to make an order in due course implementing the commission's proposals, with or without modifications, at the county elections to be held in May 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what special measures he is considering in view of the increasing numbers of murders among various Arab groups in London in recent years.

I am determined to ensure, so far as I can, that London is not used as a battleground for Middle Eastern factions, and this has been made clear to the Governments of the countries concerned. Immigration staff at ports and posts abroad are well aware of recent incidents and make counter-terrorist measures a high priority. With effect from 19 May all Iranian nationals seeking to enter this country have, like Iraqi and Libyan nationals at present, to be in possession of a valid entry visa obtained from a British overseas post. The police for their part are devoting an increasingly successful effort to the combating of terrorist crimes and the apprehension of those responsible. In addition, my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office announced on 12 May—[Vol. 984, c. 846–47]—that the Libyan authorities have agreed at the request of the United Kingdom Government to withdraw four Libyans connected with their mission in London who have been involved in activities which are incompatible with their functions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received the report of the Boundary Commission for Wales dealing with parliamentary constituencies, county electoral areas and borough district council areas; and when he expects to present the report to the House.

The Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales has not yet begun its general review of parliamentary constituencies, although we hope that it will be in a position to do so shortly. The Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales has not yet submitted to me any reports proposing new electoral arrangements for districts or counties. There is, however, no requirement for the reports of that commission to be laid before Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ascertain the total cost in each of the past three available years of providing police supervision at National Front marches and rallies.

No. This information is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate expense.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if work permits are required for citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who are living abroad to work in the United Kingdom.

If they have the right of abode, no.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what percentage convictions for murder, manslaughter and crimes of violence, respectively, have increased since 1963.

The information is as follows: Percentage increase from 1963 to 1978 in persons convicted of offences of violence against the person England and Wales Percentages Murder +128 Manslaughter +88 Other offences of violence against the person +213 Total +212

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a breakdown by ethnic origin of the 2,820 complaints made against the police alleging assault and submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions, in 1978.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were sentenced to community service orders in 1978 and 1979 in ( a ) Greater London and ( b ) England and Wales.

The number of persons given community service orders in 1978 and the first half of 1979 is published by probation and after-care area in table 6 of " Statistics on Community Service Orders "—Home Office Statistical Bulletin, issue 3/80. Figures for the whole of 1979 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people completed community service orders in 1978 and 1979 in ( a ) Greater London and ( b ) England and Wales.

Information on the number of persons completing community service orders is not readily available. The number of community service orders terminated in 1978 by the completion of the specified number hours of work was ( a ) 1,946 in Greater London and ( b ) 11,146 in England and Wales. Figures for the whole of 1979 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people served custodial sentences for non-completion of community service orders in 1979 and 1980 in ( a ) Greater London and ( b ) England and Wales.

Information in the form requested is not available. The information available relates to the number of persons sentenced in England and Wales in 1978 to a custodial sentence following breach of a community service order and is published annually in " Criminal Statistics, England and Wales "—table 6–30 of the 1978 volume, Cmnd. 7670. Separate information for Greater London could be obtained only at disproportionate cost; information for 1979 and 1980 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet had an opportunity to study the report of the sub-committee of the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Councils for England and Wales and for Scotland on the fire at Woolworth's store in Piccadilly, Manchester, on 8 May 1979; and if he will make a statement.

I have now considered the report of the sub-committee of the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Councils for England and Wales and for Scotland on the fire at Woolworth's, Piccadilly, Manchester on 8 May 1979, in which 10 people lost their lives. Copies of the report, which is to be printed and published, have been placed in the Library.

I concur in the sub-committee's recommendations and will take the necessary steps to give effect to them. In particular, I agree that suitable regulations should be made under section 12 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 to control the display in shops and department stores of polyurethane foam-filled furniture, and have authorised the necessary research to be put in hand to devise the details of such control. Other amendments to existing legislation and guides as to standards will be prepared. Arrangements are being made to bring the recommendations to the notice of fire authorities and the retail trade.

Having regard to the depth of the coroner's inquest and the scope of the sub-committee's comprehensive report, I consider that no useful purpose would now be served by any further formal inquiry into this fire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently serving prison sentences for robbery in ( a ) England and Wales and ( b ) Greater London.

[ pursuant to his reply, Vol. 984, c. 295]: On 31 March 1980, 2,106 persons were serving sentences of imprisonment in prison department establishments in England and Wales for robbery. Of these, 212 were in prison department establishments in Greater London.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why his Department gives financial assistance to the Student Community Action Resources Programme.

The Voluntary Services Unit grant to Students Community Action Resource Programme—which amounted to £14,000 in 1979–80—was approved for a three-year period in 1978. It is a contribution limited to the organisation's work in supporting and developing volunteer community work by students in some 200 universities and colleges.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has had any discussion with the Director General of Fair Trading concerning the attempt to restrict competition among wholesale

RATIO OF IMPORTS OF MANUFACTURED GOODS TO EXPORTS AND TO HOME PRODUCTION Imports/Exports Imports/Home Production Country 1963 1973 1974 1979 1963 1973 1974 1979 United Kingdom … … 0.89 1.12 1.12 1.08 0.14 0.22 0.24 0.26 … … 0.87 0.95 0.94 N.A. 0.12 0.19 0.22 N.A. Germany … … 0.58 0.64 N.A. N.A. 0.11 0.17 N.A. N.A. Italy … … N.A. 0.89 N.A. N.A. N.A. 0.21 N.A. N.A. Japan. … … N.A. 0.47 0.42 N.A. N.A. 0.04 0.05 N.A. N.A.—Not available.

Note:

Manufactured goods are defined as those produced by industries classified to major division 3 of the international standard industrial classification: broadly equivalent to Orders III to XIX of lb.5 United Kingdom's standard industrial classification (SIC). United Kingdom figures exclude the following SIC minimum list headings, for which information is not available:

MLH 239 Other drink industries 240 Tobacco 342 Ordnance and small arms 396 Jewellery and precious metals 423 Textile finishing 433 Fur 474 Shop and office fitting

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list in the Official Report those overseas airports which do not conform to the minimum Civil Aviation Authority safety standards; if he will make a statement as to how newsagents in London; and if not, if he will take an early opportunity to discuss the matter.

I have not discussed the London wholesale newspaper market with the Director General; and I propose to do so. If my hon. Friend has details of particular restrictions affecting this market he may like to bring them to the Director General's attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing for the principal industrial countries the ratio of imports of manufactured goods to exports and to home production in the years 1954, 1964, 1974 and 1979.

Such information for principal industrial countries as is available on a basis broadly comparable with United Kingdom figures is given in the table below. The information is provided by the OECD.

this information is communicated to the general public; and whether United Kingdom-based tour operators are prevented from using such airports.

It is not possible to list aerodromes in this way. The safety of operations at an aerodrome is governed by civil aviation legislation and depends on the type of aircraft flown and the circumstances in which the aerodrome is used. Regulation 15 of the Air Navigation (General) Regulations 1976 stipulates the minimum facilities any aerodrome must have before it can be used by United Kingdom registered passenger carrying aircraft. Article 27 of the Air Navigation Order 1976 requires that a United Kingdom operator shall not permit public transport aircraft to land at an aerodrome unless he is satisfied that the aerodrome is suitable and is adequately manned and equipped to ensure the safety of the aircraft and passengers. The Civil Aviation Authority flight operations inspectorate exists to monitor United Kingdom public transport operations for the purpose of ensuring that the statutory requirements are complied with by

UNITED KINGDOM OVERSEAS TRADE IN CONSUMER GOODS* Value (£ million ) Volume ( Index, 1975 = 100 ) Imports Exports Imports Exports 1969 … … … … 55 96 N.A. N.A. 1970 … … … … 74 103 33 75 1979 … … … … 796 405 219 104 N.A.=Not available. * Within SITC (Rev 2) divisions 71 to 77 and as defined by the United Nations broad economic categories classifications.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing for each standard international trade classification heading for manufacturers a table showing imports as a percentage of exports and as a percentage of home production for the years 1954, 1964, 1974 and 1979; and if he will include comparable figures for Germany, France and Japan.

The information requested, relating imports to exports, cannot be provided without disproportionate cost. Information relating imports to production is not available in terms of the standard international trade classification, either for the United Kingdom or for other countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what are the terms of trade and relative volume for electrical machinery in each quarter since 1 January 1978; and whether he has discussed

operators and pilots. The legislation is available to the public and all United Kingdom air transport operators must comply with it.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will circulate in the Official Report figures showing the value and volume of imports and exports of consumer goods covered by standard international trade classification overseas 1971 to 1977 for 1959, 1969 and 1979.

Data for 1959 are not available. The information as is available for the other years requested, or for an adjacent year, is given in the table below.

the position with the major firms in the industry.

The information requested is given in the table below. I have had no recent discussions with representatives of the electrical machinery industry on this matter, but we do of course discuss issues of mutual interest from time to time.

UNITED KINGDOM TRADE IN ELECTRICAL MACHINERY* ( OTS basis ) 1975=100 Terms of traded † Relative volumet ‡ 1978— First quarter 106 83 Second quarter 106 83 Third quarter 107 78 Fourth quarter 108 77 1979— First quarter 113 63 Second quarter 121 65 Third quarter 129 57 Fourth quarter 129 56 1980— First quarter 125 64 * SITC(R2) Divisions 75 to 77 and Group 716. † Export unit value index as a percentage of the import unit value index (not seasonally adjusted) ‡ Export volume index as a percentage of the import volume index (seasonally adjusted).

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) whether, in the light of the urgent need for assistance to Ethiopian refugees in Somalia, he will take the steps to provide aid to Somalia for their support;

(2) whether he will discuss with other EEC Governments a joint programme of aid to Somalia to assist refugees from Ethiopia.

The Government intend to make a suitable contribution to the appeal issued by the Secretary-General of the United Nations for international assistance for refugee relief in Somalia. The European Community has already decided to make a grant of 5 million units of account (approximately £3.1 million) from the European Development Fund. The British share of this is about £600,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what measure he is taking to encourage job creation in rural areas.

I echo the views of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on this subject in her reply to my hon. Friend on 8 November 1979,—[Vol. 973, c. 236–37.]

I am aware of the particular problems of rural areas, including their employment problems. The Government's policy is to provide a climate to stimulate the growth of real employment opportunities in rural and other areas. The Government are actively concerned to encourage traditional rural industries, notably agriculture, food processing and small businesses.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will widen the eligibility limits for entry to skillcentres.

Eligibility for courses at skillcentres is determined by administrative rules covering the training opportunities scheme. These were carefully considered by the Manpower Services Commission in the course of a review of the scheme in 1978 and as a result eligibility was widened in certain respects. No further changes are proposed at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of unfilled vacancies as a proportion of the unemployed work force; and what underlying trend is shown by the monthly figures since May 1979.

In May 1979 there were 266,000 notified vacancies at employment offices, and the number of unemployed registered at those offices was 1,171,()00. In May 1980, the corresponding figures were 176,000 vacancies and 1,356,()00 unemployed. The number of vacancies is probably only about a third of all vacancies in the economy, and for this and other reasons a simple expression of the proportion of vacancies to unemployment may not be meaningful.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek a meeting with the Trades Union Council to discuss its attitude to current legislative proposals from his Department.

I have had a number of discussions with the TUC about the proposals in the Employment Bill. I remain ready to meet it at any time.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his Department's estimate of the underlying trend in unemployment levels.

Unemployment, excluding school leavers and seasonally adjusted, in Great Britain has increased since September 1979 by 27,000 a month on average.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for those directly engaged in the construction industry; and if he will publish henceforth as a separate statistic the numbers of those engaged in manufacturing materials and equipment and providing services for that industry.

At February 1980, the provisional number of employees in employment in the construction industry in Great Britain was 1,225,000. There is no comprehensive information about the numbers engaged in manufacturing materials and equipment and providing services for the industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the level of unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

Of course I am not satisfied with the level of unemployment. The level is likely to decline when inflation is overcome and when United Kingdom industry becomes fully competitive in home and overseas markets.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of unemployment in North-West England and Great Britain, respectively.

At 8 May, the provisional numbers of people registered as unemployed in the North-West region and in Great Britain were 226, 274 and 1,441, 389, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what recent discussions he has had With the Trades Union Council and the Confederation of British Industry about the improvement of training facilities; and if he will make a statement.

The improvement of training facilities is a matter for the Manpower Services Commission, on which the TUC and CBI are represented. Consultation therefore takes place regularly with these bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what study he is making of the need for the development of skills in maintaining and building dry- stone dykes, and the development of skills of thatchers, in the light of the work done by British Trust for Conservation Volunteers and the Countryside Commission for Scotland at the Muiravonside country park and elsewhere.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it has no evidence that such a study is needed.

I understand that the experience of the Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas is that the current level of training in thatching is appropriate.

Much of the maintenance and building of dry-stone dykes is carried out by local authorities and farmers, using their own labour or engaging self-employed dykers. It is also carried out by the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers.

The trust is a charity, promoting voluntary practical conservation work in the countryside including dyking but not thatching. Training at Muiravonside is in the form of short courses, partly funded by the Countryside Commission for Scotland, for volunteer group leaders. Training for employment is not provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of working days lost on 14 May.

My Department's statistics of industrial stoppages relate only to terms and conditions of work, and exclude political action such as that on 14 May. We cannot make a close estimate of numbers of people involved, but such information as is available suggests that more than 90 per cent. of the work force went to work last Wednesday.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with industry's response to legislation in respect of the employment of the disabled.

At the last count 82 per cent. of those employers who were subject to the legislation were complying with its requirements, but I am not satisfied that this figure is a true reflection of employers' response to the employment of disabled people. I share the unease of many in this House about the ineffectiveness of the present quota, established under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944. I therefore look forward to receiving the Manpower Services Commission's recommendations about the best way of helping disabled people to get and keep suitable jobs, when its review of the present scheme is completed towards the end of the year.

Because of my concern about the employment of disabled people I have fully supported the MSC's " Fit for Work " campaign which encourages employers to adopt new positive approaches to all aspects of employing disabled people.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the level of unemployment in the Northern region.

No. The level of unemployment in the Northern region remains much too high. The Government recognise that certain parts of the country, such as the North-East, require special help to overcome their particular unemployment problems, and regional policies have been implemented which are designed to provide this help. In the longer term, the economic future of the North depends upon a general improvement in the industrial performance of the country as a whole. This is one of the main aims of the Government's policies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further progress he has made in his assessment of the future of the Clegg Commission.

I have nothing to add to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave my hon. Friend on 22 April.—[Vol. 983, c. 208 .]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the number of women who are seeking work but who are not registered as unemployed.

It is estimated that the number of women who are seeking work but who are not registered as unemployed is about a quarter of a million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many places under the youth opportunities scheme will be provided in the Yorkshire and Humberside region during 1980–81; and how this compares with the 1979–80 figure.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the Yorkshire and Humberside regional plans for 1980–81 provide for 25,200 young people to enter the youth opportunities programme. The original plans for 1979–80 provided for 24,600 entrants, but, in fact, 21,500 young people entered the programme in the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the Health and Safety Executive will be monitoring the tests to be carried out by the Shell United Kingdom Oil Company on the Maplin Sands, Essex, during the summer to ascertain the likely behaviour of liquefied gases in the event of a spillage.

The Health and Safety Executive will be monitoring the safety aspects of these tests.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why the Services Resettlement Committee for Scotland and the Services Resettlement Committee for the South and South-East are being continued; and to what extent their functions duplicate the work of the Advisory Committee on Resettlement of Ex-Regular Members of Her Majesty's Forces.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that these committees are being retained because they provide a means of maintaining contacts between commission staff and interests concerned with the resettlement of ex-Regulars in the areas in question. The functions of the two committees do not duplicate the work of the MSC Advisory Committee for the Resettlement of Ex-Regular Members of Her Majesty's Forces, since they are concerned essentially with matters within Scotland and the South and South-East of England respectively, whereas the advisory committee deals with broad policy considerations, and matters of a national nature. However, the work and functions of the two committees will be reviewed before the term of office of the present members expires in October next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were, for the latest available 12-month period, the total financial costs, including administration, of the Advisory Committee on Safety of Nuclear Installations, the amount disbursed by that body, the number of persons, including secretaries, involved with the body, the amount of payment for, respectively, members of the body by way of salary or equivalent, expenses of members and secretarial salaries and expenses; and what were the figures in all the above categories in each of the past five years, respectively.

There is no separate advisory committee on the safety of nuclear installations for Scotland. The following information relates to the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations whose remit relates to Great Britain.

The members of the committee are unsalaried although they are paid expenses; these amounted to some £5,300 in 1978–79. The committee does not itself disburse monies and no records of the costs of the Health and Safety Executive staff time directly attributable to servicing the committee are kept.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the quota for applications from persons working in Hong Kong for work permits for the current year; and how many permits have been issued to date;

(2) what was the quota for applications from persons living in Hong Kong for work permits in the United Kingdom, in each of the last five years; and how many were granted in each year.

Permits for citizens of Hong Kong who do not satisfy the skills criteria of the general work permit scheme are issued within the special quota for dependent territories. For the years 1975 to 1979 the number of permits for any one territory was restricted to 200. Continuance of the special arrangements in 1980 is still under consideration. However, 46 applications to employ citizens of Hong Kong who do not satisfy the skills criteria of the work permit scheme are being held pending a decision. Permits issued for applications which satisfy the requirements of the work permit scheme, including the skill criteria are dealt with under the normal procedures and do not count against the quota.

Information on the number of permits issued is as follows: Permits issued for Hong Kong under the quota 1975 200 1976 200 1977 146 1978 124 1979 200 1980 —

Permits issued for Hong Kong—all 1975 1681 1976 993 1977 637 1978 639 1979 (prov) (630) 1980 N/A

The figures for permits include both permits issued for those workers overseas and permissions given to those already in this country for some other reason. They do not include foreign student employers or Commonwealth trainees, for whom permission was given for limited periods of supernumerary employment or for employment which was essential to a course of study.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the quota for applications from persons living in the United States of America for work permits in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years; and how many were issued in each year.

There have been no numerical restrictions on the numbers of work permits issued for citizens of the United States of America. Any application satisfying the requirements of the work permit scheme would have been approved.

The numbers of applications approved for citizens of the USA were as follows: 1975 4,388 1976 (estimated) 5,325 1977 4,911 1978 5,868 1979 (provisional) 5,971

The figures do not include those for student employees, for whom permission was given for limited periods of supernumerary employment. Neither do they include work permits for United States citizens taking work in Northern Ireland, which operates its own work permit scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the present age limit for applications from persons living abroad for work permits in the United Kingdom; if he has any plans to increase this age limit; and if he will make a statement;

(2) how many work permits were issued for persons living abroad for permission to work in the United Kingdom during the past five years who were over the official age limit;

(3) how many work permits were issued to citizens of the United States of America to work in the United Kingdom in each of the past five years who were over the qualifying age.

In general only persons between the ages of 23 and 54 years of age are considered for the issue of work permits. The upper age limit is occasionally waived, however, when the overseas national concerned has some exceptional skill or very specialised knowledge to offer and the need for his services has been fully justified.

The age policy, like other policies of the work permit scheme, is under regular review. I do not propose at present to change either age limit.

My Department's statistical records make no analysis by age.

Such information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many claims have been received, up to the latest convenient date, for payment under the Pneumoconiosis, Etc. (Workers' Compensation) Act 1979 to those suffering from Byssinosis; and how many of these claims have been rejected.

2,160 claims had been received up to Friday 16 May. 390 applicants have been told they are not entitled to a payment under the Act. The figures include claims from dependants of deceased sufferers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what consideration he has given to the effect on attendance at employment rehabilitation centres of clause 3 of the Social Security (No. 2) Bill; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what proportion of people attending employment rehabilitation centres were drawing invalidity benefit immediately before commencing the course at the last date for which figures are available;

(3) of people completing courses of employment rehabilitation centres in the last period for which figures are available, what proportion ( a ) immediately entered full-time employment, ( b ) reverted to drawing sickness benefit, (c) reverted to drawing invalidity benefit, ( d ) reverted to drawing unemployment benefit and ( e ) reverted to drawing supplementary benefit only;

(4) in the last period for which figures are available, what proportion of people commencing courses of employment rehabilitation centres ( a ) completed the course and ( b ) dropped out in the first week, second week, third week, fourth week, fifth week, sixth week and seventh week;

(5) if he will publish in the Official Report whatever figures are available concerning successful re-establishment in employment of people who have attended courses of employment at rehabilitation centres.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Keighley on 9 May, how a health and safety inspector, when exercising or seeking to exercise a power conferred on him by any of the relevant provisions in connection with specialist electrical work, is able to give evidence of the powers so specified.

All health and safety inspectors are issued by the enforcing authority which appoints them with an instrument in writing—a warrant—specifying which of the powers conferred on inspectors by the relevant statutory provisions they are entitled to exercise. An inspector should be prepared to produce the warrant, or a duly authenticated copy, if required to do so when exercising any of these powers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how occupiers of factories and other premises can confirm which of the powers conferred on inspectors by the relevant statutory provisions are to be exercisable by the person appointed to make an inspection of premises, installation of equipment, and so on; and if he will make a statement.

Every inspector is issued by the enforcing authority which appoints him with an instrument in writing—a warrant—specifying which of the powers conferred on inspectors by the relevant statutory provisions he is entitled to exercise. Any occupier of premises who wishes to check the powers conferred on persons visiting his premises for the purposes of inspection should ask to see that person's warrant.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) when the Homeworking Advisory Committee last met; when next it will meet; whether its agenda has yet been agreed; and, if so, what items are to be discussed;

(2) if he will maintain the home working unit within the Wages Inspectorate and at its established strength;

(3) what representations he has received about the Homeworking Advisory Committee.

The Homeworking Advisory Committee last met on 24 January 1979. The future of the committee and of the homeworking unit is still under consideration. I have received representations about the Homeworking Advisory Committee from hon. Members, the TUC, the Low Pay Unit, the National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers, and the National Joint Committee of Working Women's Organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if it is the policy of his Department to send only one press notice on any subject to each individual newspaper being circulated.

Wherever possible, only one press notice is sent to each newspaper. However, where the subject is of interest to specialist correspondents more than one copy may be sent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many copies of press lists of industrial tribunals have been sent in the past to the Northern Echo.

Seven, at the request of the newspaper and its district offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment for what services his Department charges the press for the provision of information about activities for which it is responsible.

My Department makes no charges for the provision of information to the press.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were killed in accidents at work during the last year for which records are available.

In 1979, 639 fatal accidents at work were reported to the Health and Safety Executive and other enforcement authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will convene a meeting of the RPI Advisory Committee with a view to examining the possibility of removing cigarette prices from the index.

[ pursuant to his reply, 15 April 1980, c. 438 ]: The advice of the advisory committee on the coverage of the main retail prices index (RPI) is set out in the reply following. The first essential purpose of the RPI is to provide an overall measure of price changes of goods and services bought by households in general. For various purposes, however, it is necessary to look deeper than one overall figure and consider the detailed information already available which enables separate allowance to be made for the effects of individual price changes, for example of tobacco, if required for particular purposes. I have noted with great interest the views recently expressed but the arguments have not so far led me to seek to convene the advisory committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the current membership of the Retail Price Index Advisory Committee indicating the organisations represented by, or nominating each member, the dates in the past five years when the committee has met, and the dates on which it discussed the inclusion or removal of tobacco products from the retail price index; and if he will publish its advice on this matter.

[ pursuant to his reply, 25 April 1980, c. 205–6 ]: Details of the membership of the RPI Advisory committee were given to the hon. Member on 30 October 1979. The committee last met in November 1977 to consider certain changes in presentation and some technical improvements in the method of calculation of the index. Previous to that a series of five meetings was held in 1973–74. The question of tobacco was not raised at any of these meetings.

Tobacco has been included in the RPI and its predecessors since 1914. The principle on which the coverage of the index is presently based was reported on by the Advisory committee in 1956 and reaffirmed by the committee in 1968.

In its report in 1956 " Report on proposals for the new index of retail prices " (Cmnd. 9710) the advisory committee said: From time to time suggestions have been made that the retail prices index should take account of price changes only for those goods or services that could be regarded as basic necessaries. For example, it might be suggested that alcoholic drink, tobacco, entertainment, etc. should be excluded. In the past the index has never purported to measure price changes for necessaries only and apart from the difficulty of defining ' necessaries ' there would be many serious objections to a limitation of the index in this way. We are firmly of the opinion that, as in the past, the general design of the index should be such as to enable price changes to be measured for the whole field of goods and services over which households distribute their expenditure ".

The committee reaffirmed its view in 1968 in " A report of the Cost of Living Advisory Committee " (Cmnd 3677) that the index is designed to reflect price changes throughout the whole field of consumer goods and services.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister what are her public engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 20 May.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 20 May.

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

asked the Prime Minister if she intends to pay an official visit to Wisbech.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the United Kingdom turbine industry.

In recent years the United Kingdom turbine industry has experienced a low level of home demand. Orders for two further advanced gas cooled reactors are expected to be placed later this year and they, together with the nuclear programme announced last December, should provide a firmer base for the industry.

With the assistance of the full range of Government services, the industry has achieved some notable successes in export markets despite intense international competition.

asked the Prime Minister if she will arrange a meeting with the Confederation of British Industry at which she will be accompanied by the Secretary of State for Industry.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether she is satisfied with the level of penalties available for punishing tax evaders.

My hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, Treasury announced on 28 February that the Government would be setting up a committee to review the enforcement powers of the Inland Revenue and the Customs and Excise. We shall take account of the views of that committee in reaching decisions on the level of penalties for tax evasion.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish a review of those policies on which she has found it necessary to change course during the past 12 months.

The policies will continue.

asked the Prime Minister when she intends to pay an official visit to Finland.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Ruislip—Nortbwood (Mr. Wilkinson) on 1 May, concerning sales of surplus butter by the European Economic Community, she will state the nature of any representations since made by Her Majesty's Government.

My right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal raised the question of butter sales to the USSR with the Vice-President of the EC Commission responsible for External Relations, Herr Haferkamp, on 6 May, and emphasised that it was a matter of great public concern in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the European Communities, Sir Michael Butler, made the same point in the Committee of Permanent Representatives; on 14 May.

asked the Prime Minister if, in view of Colonel Gaddafi's recent threat to the lives of Libyan nationals living abroad and the recent killing of three Libyan exiles in Europe, she will consult European Economic Community Heads of Government to arrange the expulsion of Libyan embassy staffs immediately from the United Kingdom and other member States of the Common Market.

I have nothing to add to the statement made to the House on 12 May by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.