asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has for the future, organisation and activities of the professional and executive register division of the Manpower Services Commission.

As stated in the reply to the hon. Member for Stockport, North (Mr. Bennett) on 16 May 1980—[Vol. 984, c. 678 – 9 ]—professional and executive recruitment (PER) will continue to

Official Report the drop-out rate on eight-week employment rehabilitation centre courses; and if he will state what percentage of the drop-outs leave employment rehabilitation centres in each week.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that of 7,219 people terminating ERC courses in the latest period for which information is available—between September 1978 and March 1979—1,076 or 14.91 per cent. terminated prematurely. ERC courses do not have a pre-determined length as they are adjusted to meet clients' individual needs. However, whilst normally courses last between 6–8 weeks, some may be as short as three weeks or, exceptionally, as long as 26 weeks. Details of termination from ERCs including percentages of premature terminations from ERCs in each week, for the period September 1978–March 1979 are set out below:

pursue its two main aims of providing recruitment services for employers seeking staff at the professional and executive levels and information and support services to help individuals seeking jobs at that level with their own job hunting efforts.

The service will continue to operate commercially as a separately managed part of the MSC's employment service division. There is, however, to be a major change in its operating procedures. The present computer system used as a means of identifying a first field of candidates against notified vacancies will be replaced by self-selection by jobseekers who each week will receive a jobs magazine giving details of all jobs notified to PER. Thus PER consultants will assemble short lists for employers from fields of self-selected candidates rather than from computer selections.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that conversion to the new operating method is expected to be completed by October of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the proportion of current wage agreements ( a ) in the public sector and ( b ) in the private sector which contain provisions with a reference to the retail price index.

The information required is not available to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library a copy of the proposed draft regulations or code of practice on lifting of heavy weights submitted by the Health and Safety Executive to the commission; what is the composition of the proposed working party to examine the lifting of heavy weights; what are the qualifications of each member; when the first meeting took place; what is the frequency of future meetings; and when they expect to complete their work.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if it is proposed to recruit any inspectors of factories in the current year and 1981; how many inspectors at present specialising in training will be required for ordinary duties in the same period; and how many inspectors resigned or retired in 1979 and in the current year to the most recent practicable date.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many topics are at present under consideration by the Health and Safety Executive and Commission for regulations and codes of practice; what they are; and when it is anticipated that they will come into operation.

The Health and Safety Commission has submitted proposals for regulations to me for approval on the following topics, recommending that they be implemented as soon as possible or on the dates indicatedAmendment of the Agriculture (Tractor Cabs) Regulations Amendment of the Coal and Other Mines (Fire and Rescue) Regulations Animal Products (Metrication) Leasing Arrangements (1 October 1980) Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences (1 January 1981)

I am advised that the commission is also considering proposals for regulations and/or approved codes of practice on the following topics which have not yet reached the stage of submission to Ministers for approval with specific proposals for implementation dates: Amendment to the Health and Safety (Agriculture) (Poisonous Substances) Regulations (consultative documents to be issued shortly) Amendment to the Health and Safety (Enforcing Authority) Regulations Amendment to the lists of Scheduled Works and Noxious or Offensive Gases Asbestos Insulation and Sprayed Coatings Celluloid and Cinematograph Film Act 1922 Exemptions Dangerous Pathogens (Notification) Dangerous Substances (Conveyance by Road) Diving at Work Fees and Charges for Statutory Approvals Fees for Statutory Medical Examinations First Aid Hazardous Installations (Notification and Survey) Home workers Implementation of International Convention for Safe Containers Ionising Radiations Lead Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 (Conveyance by Road Exemptions) Pressurised Systems Safety Signs Various Proposals for Metrication of Existing Legislation

Regular information on specific matters which the commission is considering is made available in the Health and Safety Commission Newsletter issued every two months. Copies will be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in view of the Prime Minister's statement of 13 May on the reduction by 75,000 of the Civil Service, what effect the cuts will have on the Health and Safety Executive, with special reference to the anticipated cuts in the ranks of qualified health and safety inspectors and support staff.

My right hon. Friend has informed the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission of the Government's intentions to reduce Civil Service manpower further. The apportionment of these cuts within the Department of Employees in employment Textile industry(1) Thousands Clothing & footwear industry 1978 1979 1978 1979 United Kingdom … … 443 430 426 429 Belgium … … … 76 72( e ) 61 56( e ) Denmark … … … 15(2) … 21(2) … France … … … 313 309( e ) 330 333( e ) Germany (FR) … … 349 338( e ) 361 357( e ) Irish Republic … … 18 19 19 20 Italy … … … 563( e ) 547( e ) 388( e ) … Luxembourg … … … …(3) … …(3) … Netherlands … … … 39 … 33 …

Notes:

(1) Not including manufacture of man-made fibres

(2) 1977

(3) Figures not available for the two industries separately. In 1977 there were 800 employees in Luxembourg for the textile and clothing and footwear industries combined.

(e) Estimated

Sources:

Eurostat—" Employment and Unemployment 1972–78 "

—" Eurostatistics: Data for short term economic analysis "

central Statistics Office, Dublin

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report his estimate of the proportion of part-time workers excluded from the coverage of the new earnings survey because their income is below the pay-as-you-earn threshold, showing this in information separately for ( a ) young males, ( b ) young females, ( c ) adult males and ( d ) adult females.

[ pursuant to his reply, 20 May 1980, c. 9–11 ]: About one third of part-time workers are estimated to be omitted from the coverage of the new earnings survey, because their earnings fell below the deduction card limits for tax and national insurance proposes. A precise analysis by age and sex is not

Employment Group has not yet been decided.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were working in the textile industry and clothing industry in each European Economic Community country in 1979.

[ pursuant to his reply ,, 15 May 1980, c. 44–12 ]: The available data are given in the following table. These figures are not fully comparable owing to differences between countries in methods and coverage used for compiling the statistics.

readily available, but the proportion of part-time workers omitted is probably just under one-third for females and just over one-third for males.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers and proportions of employees in wages council industries working less than 30 hours per week.

[ pursuant to his reply , c. 9–11: I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he intends to refer the bid by S. and W. Berisford for the British Sugar Corporation to the Monopolies Commission.

My right hon. Friend will announce his decision as soon as is reasonably practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has fixed the date and venue of the formal investigation into the loss of the " Pool Fisher " off the Isle of Wight in November 1979.

Preparations for the formal investigation into the loss of the " Pool Fisher " are continuing. These will be completed as soon as possible and every effort will be made to hold the investigation before the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what were the increases between 1978 and 1979 in landed prices of imports from low-cost countries as a percentage for the following textile products ( a ) knitted shirts, ( b ) jersey ( c ) trousers, jeans and shorts and ( d ) blouses and woven shirts.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is now able to make an interim report on the circumstances and cause of the crash of the Dan-Air Boeing 727 at Tenerife on 25 April; and what developments have occurred in the conversations that have taken place between his Department "and the Spanish authorities further to his reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe on 15 May.

Following the statement by the Secretary of State to the House on 28 April about the Tenerife crash, he said that he would not be able to publish an interim report, but would do his best to provide as soon as possible whatever information he could. My Department is consulting the Spanish authorities with a view to the issue, as soon as possible, of an agreed description of the events which led to the accident. So far there is agreement on the manner in which the flight was conducted by the crew of the aircraft, but there is not as yet full agreement about certain aspects of the air traffic control system.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether there is any disagreement between the Spanish and British authorities relating to the investigations into the cause of the crash of Dan-Air Boeing 727 GBDAN; and if he will make a statement.

Both the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder have been recovered and have yielded useful information concerning the events leading up to the crash.

There is no dispute about the sequence of events that took place between the time the Dan-Air Boeing 727 passed over the VOR TFN on the northern part of Tenerife and the time of the crash.

There is agreement on the manner in which the pilot and crew conducted the flight of the aircraft, but there is not as yet agreement concerning certain aspects of the ATC system.

In assessing the cause of the accident it is the relationship between the ATC system and the actions of the pilot and crew which are being considered by the Spanish authorities, who are responsible for the inquiry, and officials of my Department who are assisting them.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what applications he has received from Eastman Kodak Ltd. since May 1979 to arrange a reduction in the import duty currently applied to its products from the United States of America; what response he has given; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what action he is taking on his review of the Policyholders Protection Act 1975.

I am required by section 30 of the Policyholders Protection Act 1975 to lay before Parliament within the first six months of 1981 a report reviewing the operation of this Act and its effectiveness as a method of protecting policyholders of authorised insurance companies carrying on business in the United Kingdom. To this end, the Department is asking certain insurance and other organisations likely to have particular interest in the review for their comments. We shall also take fully into account views received from anyone else with an interest in the working of this legislation. All representations on this matter should be received by the Department by 30 September 1980.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is his policy in regard to repayment by Departments of the costs incurred in buying computers.

Since 1 April this year Government Departments have been required to pay for their computer expenditure.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what are his present plans for reducing the number of civil servants.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service by how many persons the Government now intend to reduce the size of the Civil Service during the lifetime of the present Parliament.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants he expects will be in post on 1 April 1984.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 13 May.

asked the Minister for Civil Service how many civil service posts in all Departments have been abolished in Wales since 3 May 1979.

I can only give the hon. Member figures from 1 January 1979—1 January 1980, since information on the location of industrial civil servants is collected annually as at 1 January. At 1 January 1980 there were 39,200 civil servants in Wales, a reduction of 1,500 since 1 January 1979.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what further reduction he intends to make in the number of civil servants in the next two years; and how many of these will be in Scotland.

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister told the House on 13 May, we intend to bring down the number of civil servants to about 630,000 over the next four years. Ministers are now drawing up plans for their own Departments and it is too early to say how many of the further savings will be made in the next two years or in Scotland.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the size of the Civil Service at the last convenient date; and how this compares with a similar date one year ago.

At 1 April 1980, there were 705,000 staff in post in Government Departments. This represents a reduction of 27,200 since 1 April 1979 when the corresponding figure was 732,300.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether, in view of the availability of inexpensive office accommodation, and good motorway and rail communications in the city of Leicester, he will give consideration to the removal of appropriate Departments to Leicester.

There are at present no plans to disperse Government offices beyond those I announced on 26 July last year—[Vol. 971, c. 902–21]—so I am not in a position to do what the hon. and learned Member suggests.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how the increase in the rates of pay of the Civil Service has compared with that of industrial workers over the last years; and what action he intends with regard to Civil Service pay in the coming years.

From April 1978 to January 1980 basic rates of pay in the non-industrial Civil Service rose by an average of 24.5 per cent. During the same period basic weekly and hourly rates for manual workers went up by 26.8 per cent.

For the future the Government will continue to ensure that Civil Service pay is held within the cash limits used to control expenditure.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service to what extent the index-linking of their pensions reduced the pay increases of between 18 and 19 per cent. recently offered to the members of the Civil and Public Services Association.

The new pay levels were fixed using evidence from the Pay Research Unit on outside staffs' pay and conditions. Two separate deductions were made from their total pay to take account of pensions: first there was a deduction for all differences in pension contributions actually paid; secondly, on the advice of the Government Actuary, a single deduction of 3.8 per cent. was made for differences in average pension benefits, including pensions increase. In addition, male civil servants are required to contribute 1.5 per cent. of salary for family benefits. The combined effect of all these deductions is equivalent to 8½ per cent. of salary.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he has made any forecast of the effects on the numbers of non-industrial civil servants required in Government Departments as a result of the introduction of the microchip, word processors and other similar technology.

Technology is an important aid to improving economy, efficiency and effectiveness. It is not possible at this stage, however, to make realistic estimates of the effects on job levels of new office technology. These should become clearer as the new equipment is tried out over a number of years.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about his recent talks with the National Economic Development Council about technology in the Civil Service.

I reported to the National Economic Development Council at its meeting on 7 May the discussions we have been having with the Civil Service unions on new technology. A copy of my report has been placed in the Library.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many non-industrial civil servants in the headquarters of each Government Department deliberately absented themselves from work on 14 May; what proportion the figure represents, in each case, of the total headquarters non-industrial staff; and how many of those who were so absent held potentially sensitive posts.

Final returns have not yet been received, but I understand that approximately 10,500 non-industrial civil servants (or just less than 2 per cent.) were absent without authority on 14 May. Departments were not asked to provide my Department with details of the location of the staff concerned, nor with details of the work on which they are engaged.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will compare the volume of gas flared in the North Sea for the last full year in which figures are available with the additional flaring required should the United Kingdom be obliged to increase oil output ( a ) by 10 per cent. and ( b ) by 15 per cent. to offset a supply shortage in the European Economic Community.

United Kingdom continental shelf gas flaring during 1979 averaged about 18 million cubic metres a day. Further details were given in my answer to my hon. Friend on 21 February.—[Vol. 979, c. 257.]. All United Kingdom continental shelf oil fields are producing at or very near the rates judged appropriate to ensure optimal recovery; increases in production in an way comparable to those suggested by my hon. Friend would not therefore seem to be possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will undertake a study of the problems faced by motorists as a result of difficulties in obtaining petrol because of the concentration of retailing outlets.

No. I have no evidence that motorists are having difficulties in securing petrol.

the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give an estimate of the financial benefit to charities in the next financial year as a result of the measures proposed in the Budget.

I regret that a firm estimate is not possible. It will depend on the extent to which the new reliefs—higher rate relief for covenanted gifts and the increase in the capital transfer tax exemption limit for bequests—stimulate increased gifts and bequests to charities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the rise in the supply of money as a percentage for each quarter for the period 1970 to 1978.

The quarterly percentage increases in sterling M3 (seasonally adjusted) are given, from 1972, in table 7.1 (continued) of the current (April) issue of Financial Statistics , a copy of which is in the Library. Equivalent percentage increases in Ml and M3 are also provided. The percentage increases in sterling M3 in the earlier years were: PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN STERLING M3 (SEASONALLY ADJUSTED) 1970 1st quarter 1.5 2nd quarter 2.9 3rd quarter 2.2 4th quarter 2.8 1971 1st quarter 3.8 2nd quarter 1.4 3rd quarter 2.4 4th quarter 5.1

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report the £ sterling deposits in United Kingdom banks owned by overseas banks, on a monthly basis for the 12 months prior to the abolition of exchange controls.

The information is as follows:

STERLING DEPOSITS WITH UNITED KINGDOM BRANCHES AND SUBSIDIARIES OF OVERSEAS BANKS (£ BILLION) 1978 Nov 15 11.9 Dec 13 11.5 1979 Jan 17 11.7 Feb 21 12.0 March 21 12.4 April 18 12.7 May 16 12.7 June 20 13.4 July 18 13.3 Aug 15 13.1 Sept 19 13.4 Oct 17 13.3 Nov 21 13.9

The figures have been compiled on the same basis as those supplied in my reply to the hon. Member of 6 May 1980. [Vol. 984, c. 17–18.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield to the Revenue from the investment income surcharge in 1977–78, 1978–79 and 1979–80; and what it is estimated to be in 1980–81.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing tax plus national insurance contribution less FAM child benefit where appropriate, as a percentage of gross earnings, for each of a single person, a married couple and couples with each of two and four children, and with earnings equal to 50 per cent., 75 per cent., 100 per cent., 200 per cent., and 300 per cent. of average male manual earnings in 1950, 1960, 1970, 1978 and 1980, assuming single wage families in every case.

Single Per cent. Married couple Per cent. Married couple with 2 children aged under 11 Per cent. Married couple with 4 children aged 16, 14, 12 and 9 Per cent. 1950 – 51 Income tax plus NIC minus family allowance as a percentage of earnings: 50 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 9.0 6.6 0.0 –13.3 75 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 12.2 6.4 0.0 –8.9 100 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 14.2 9.7 0.5 –6.6 200 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 23.7 19.7 11.8 3.2 300 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 27.8 25.1 19.8 13.8 1960 – 61 Income tax plus NIC minus family allowance as a percentage of earnings 50 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 12.9 7.9 1.4 –12.4 75 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 15.5 10.4 1.0 –8.3 100 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 18.5 13.6 4.0 –6.2 200 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 24.3 21.7 15.7 5.6 300 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 27.4 25.2 20.5 13.8 1970 – 71 Income tax plus NIC minus family allowance as a percentage of earnings: 50 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 21.7 13.8 1.6 –12.7 75 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 26.5 21.2 11.3 –4.5 100 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 28.7 24.8 17.3 5.5 200 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 30.5 28.5 24.8 18.9 300 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 31.4 30.1 27.7 23.8 1978 – 79 Income tax plus NIC minus child benefit as a percentage of earnings: 50 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 22.5 14.5 0.5 –15.1 75 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 28.1 22.8 12.9 1.8 100 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 31.0 27.0 19.6 11.2 200 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 33.3 31.2 27.5 23.3 300 per cent. × Average manual earnings … 38.4 36.1 33.3 30.0

For 1950–51 and 1960–61 the average earnings are the annual equivalents of the average weekly earnings of males aged 21 and over in manufacturing and certain other industries at October in each year. For 1970–71 and 1978–79 the figures are based on the average of the new earnings survey estimates of the average earnings of full-time adult male manual workers at the start and finish of each tax year. No comparable earnings figures are available for 1980–81 at present.

For the married couples with children the amount of child benefits for 1978–79 included in the calculations includes the appropriate proportion of the increase payable from November 1978.

It has been assumed that the employees were not contracted out of the earnings-related or graduated pension schemes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider again

The figures are as follows:

exempting sanitary towels from value added tax.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received the pilot scheme for commercial lending by trustee savings banks; and whether it has been decided to extend this scheme.

The trustee savings banks have submitted a progress report on the pilot scheme for small scale commercial lending begun in 1979. In this report they have proposed, and the Government have agreed, that the scheme be extended from the five pilot banks to the remaining banks on a phased basis from 21 May 1980. Certain modifications to the original scheme have also been agreed including removal of the maximum limit on any loan of £25,000. Lending however will still be concentrated on small businesses—sole traders, the self-employed, partnerships and private companies—in the main run by or partly owned by existing TSB customers. The Government regard an expansion of this commercial lending by the TSBs as an important step towards the status recommended for them by the Page committee and welcome this useful addtional source of finance for small firms

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

The numbers of receptions into prison department establishments in England and Wales in 1978 under sentence of imprisonment for begging or sleeping out is given in tables 3.2, 4.1 and 5.1 of "Prison Statistics, England and Wales, 1978 " (Cmnd. 7626). The information collected centrally on the offences of those received into prison does not distinguish between these two offences or record separately suspected person offences. The only readily available information on these separate offences relates to the number of persons sentenced by the courts for such a principal offence to immediate imprisonment, borstal training or a detention centre order, which is published annually in " Criminal Statistics, England and Wales " (offence classifications 182, 183 and 186 of tables 1( a ) and 5( a ) of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7670). Information for 1979 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were received into custody in England and Wales in 1978 following ( a ) the imposition of immediate custodial sentences and ( b ) in default of payment of a fine following conviction for unlawful possession of cannabis (not including possession with intent to supply).

The information collected centrally on the offences of those received into prison does not distinguish separately offences of unlawful possession of cannabis. The only information readily available relates to persons sentenced by the courts to immediate imprisonment, a detention centre order or borstal training whose principal drugs offence was unlawful possession of controlled drugs, one of which was cannabis—cannabis, cannabis resin, cannabis liquid or cannabis plants. In England and Wales in 1978, 349 such persons were so sentenced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were received into prison ( a ) following sentences of immediate imprisonment and ( b ) for fine default following convictions for indecent exposure in 1978 and 1979.

The information collected centrally on the offences of those received into prison does not distinguish separately offences of indecent exposure. The only information readily available relates to persons sentenced by the courts to immediate imprisonment for a principal offence of indecent exposure, which is published annually in " Criminal Statistics, England and Wales "—offence classification 139 in table 1(a) of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7670. Information for 1979 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long Mrs. Evelyn Williams and Mrs. Lee Williams had been on remand in custody before they were released; with what they were convicted; what was their sentence; and on what grounds they were removed from the United Kingdom on 4 April.

Mrs. Evelyn Williams and Mrs. Lee Williams spent 502 days on remand in custody and a further two days in detention under the Immigration Act 1971. Both women were convicted of the illegal importation of a controlled drug. Mrs. Evelyn Williams was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and Mrs. Lee Williams to three months. They were removed from the United Kingdom because they had been refused leave to enter when they arrived.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if his Department has any estimate of the number of police houses owned by police authorities which are standing empty;

(2) if he will issue a circular urging the speedy disposal of police houses surplus to the requirements of police authorities and urging police authorities to release empty police houses to local authorities or housing associations for permanent housing use or, where appropriate, for short life housing schemes.

On such information as is available, the total could be of the order of 3,800, about 13 per cent. of all police housing stock. This includes properties standing empty for relatively short periods as a result of postings, transfers and resignations, as well as properties due for redecoration or modernisation and those held vacant specifically for disposal. Police authorities were urged in 1973 to keep their housing stock under review and to dispose of any that were surplus to operational requirements, either by sale or by short-term leasing arrangements. I do not consider it necessary to issue further guidance on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has issued voluntary prison visitors with booklets stating that they must not discuss prison conditions with anyone outside the prison; and, if so, if he is satisfied that this is in keeping with his policy of openness and informed public discussion of prison matters.

The wording of the booklet, prepared in consultation with the National Association of Prison Visitors, is that A visitor will not discuss with persons outside the Prison Service information he acquires about the prison or about individual prisoners ".

Prison visitors have privileged access to secure areas of the prison not accessible to the general public, and they befriend individual prisoners whose concerns need to be afforded a measure of privacy and confidentiality. The require- ment safeguards this relationship and protects visitors from possible manipulation by prisoners. I am satisfied that it is in the best interests of all parties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make an announcement on increasing the police establishment for Warwickshire in the light of Her Majesty's inspectors of constabulary comments.

I shall be making decisions shortly about increases in establishment for several police forces, including the Warwickshire constabulary, and shall take account of advice from Her Majesty's inspectors of constabulary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the light of the need for up-to-date and coordinated information on the operation of the penal system, if he will publish a combined annual report for the prison and probation departments of his Department in future.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. and learned Friend gave to her similar question on 20 May.—[Vol. 985, c. 100.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made by the working Party on the Coroners Rules which has been considering implementation under existing legislation of procedural reforms recommended by the Committee on Death Certification and Coroners (the Brodrick committee).

The Working Party on the Coroners Rules was set up by my predecessor on 29 July 1976—[Vol. 916, c. 341–2]—with the concurrence of the Lord Chancellor and the Law Officers. It submitted its first report in November 1977 and was subsequently invited—[Vol. 939, c. 374 ]—to consider what changes in the Coroners Rules 1953—as amended—would be necessary to implement the procedural reforms recommended by the Brodrick committee which could be achieved under existing legislation, and to make recommendations. The working party has submitted a report on the completion of its consideration of these matters and has made recommendations for changes in the Coroners Rules which have been accepted. These changes will apply to any inquest or post mortem examination started on or after 1 June. I am arranging for the working party's report to be made publicly available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the Government's increasing reliance on junior attendance centres, he will institute staff training, a system of inspection and an annual report of their operation.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to her question on the same subject on 20 May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of women currently serving sentences in Her Majesty's prison, Holloway is prostitutes.

[ pursuant to his reply , 13 May 1980, c. 424 ]: The number of prostitutes in prison is not recorded. However, on 31 March 1980, 5 per cent. of the females under sentence in Holloway prison were serving sentences for offences relating to prostitution.

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

[pursuant to his reply, 13 May 1980, c. 424 ]: On 31 March 1980, there were 1,011 fine defaulters in prison department establishments in England and Wales. Of these, 191 were in prison department establishments in Greater London.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many letters he has received about the future of the Inner London Education Authority; how many of these support the retention of the authority in its present form; and how many favour the devolution of the responsibility for education upon the councils of the boroughs in inner London.

Some 600 letters, as distinct from petitions and common form letters, have been received. Of the 600, 40 favour the transfer of responsibility for education to the inner London boroughs, while most of the remainder oppose such a change.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to alleviate the unemployment situation in Dundee in the light of the announcement of proposed redundancies at the Delta Capillary Ltd. factory in Dundee.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. Wilson) on Wednesday 7 May—[Vol. 984, c. 266.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if Hampden Park Limited, to which Her Majesty's Government have made a provisional offer of financial aid, is entitled to invite tenders and place contracts for the redevelopment of Hampden Park in part or whole without his authorisation.

The provisional offer of grant made to Hampden Park Ltd. contained no condition in respect of tenders for the work relating to the redevelopment and improvement of Hampden Park. I am not yet able to say whether any conditions in respect of tenders would be included if a formal offer of grant is made to the company.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what response he has made to the telex of 2 May from Mr. David Aitcheson on behalf of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, the British Fishing Federation and the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations; and if he will make a statement.

This is one of a number of representations that I have received on the difficulties facing the fishing industry. Together with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, I met the representatives of the fishermen on 13 May to discuss the current state of the industry, including their proposal that imports of fish into the United Kingdom should be controlled. It is not open to the United Kingdom to take unilateral action on imports but the Government are actively involved in the discussions currently taking place in Brussels on the question of reference prices and the level of tariff suspensions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of planning applications and the total cost of development control and enforcement in Scotland for the most recent year for which figures are available.

39,246 planning applications were made in Scotland in 1978. Information about the total cost of development control and enforcement in Scotland is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has decided the amounts of maintenance grants to be made available to the grant-aided secondary schools in 1980–81; and if he will state his policy for this grant in future years.

I shall lay before the House as soon as possible regulations providing for grants of the amounts shown below.

As already announced, I intend, as grant for assisted places builds up from 1981–82 onwards, to phase the maintenance grant out over a period of five years. The effect of this will be broadly that the sum of public expenditure on maintenance grant and assisted places grant will remain constant in real terms.

I propose, however, to make an exception in the case of St. Mary's music school which differs radically from the other grant-aided schools in that it provides specialist musical education. The grant proposed for it in 1980–81 represents a higher proportion of its maintenance costs than is proposed for the other schools and my intention is to keep it at that higher level for a period of three years, after which the position can be reviewed. In recognition of the distinction between St. Mary's and the other grant-aided secondary schools separate regulations relating to it will be laid before the House.

SCHOOL AND GRANT FOR THE SCHOOLS' 1980–81 FINANCIAL YEARS Dollar Academy 188,770 Benedictine Convent School 43,150 St. Joseph's College 88,200 Albyn School for Girls 89,030 Robert Gordon's College 233,760 St. Margaret's School 89,500 George Heriot's School 222,650 St. Mary's Music School 30,000 Craigholme School for Girls 103,630 Kelvinside Academy 119,990 Laurel Bank School 109,040 St. Aloysius' College 167,210 Westbourne School for Girls 100,450 High School of Dundee 238,860 Daniel Stewart's and Melville College) George Watson's College ) 929,390 The Mary Erskine School for Girls ) Hutcheson's Grammer School 268,440 The Park School ) St. Colomba's School ) 222,650 Morrison's Academy 178,800

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the Church of Scotland concerning proposals on pending legislation which would have a detrimental effect on the Church's provision of rehabilitative residential care for alcholics; and what was the nature of his reply.

I have been asked to reply.

The Church of Scotland has written to my right hon. Friend, asking for continuance of the Supplementary Benefits Commission's discretionary additional payments to certain residents of Church of Scotland hostels for alcholic rehabilitation. I am considering the terms of the reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases have been brought in Scotland under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 for the latest convenient period.

This information is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish for the latest available 12-month period, the total 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 £ £ £ £ £ 1. Total financial cost (Net expenditure) … 2,046,113 2,167,197 1,968,869 1,859,705 2,390,469 2. Amount disbursed (Gross Expenditure) … … 2,375,619 2,785,170 2,835,806 2,973,033 3,455,772 3. Amount of payments for:— ( a ) Member salaries (Chairman only) … … 1,500 2,292* 2,000 2,000 2,250 ( b ) Members expenses (Travelling etc) … 213 641 1,879 2,435 1,207 ( c ) Secretarial grades salaries 21,549 30,001 34,819 41,224 41,246 ( d ) Secretarial expenses (Travelling etc) … — 32 — 247† — * Includes £292 back pay in respect of a 1974–75 increase † Attendances at the Windscale public inquiry. 4. Total number of staff employed at 31 March … … 285 298 310 308 322

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were, for the latest available 12-month period, the total financial costs, including administration, of the Food Standards Committee, 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.

I have been asked to reply.

FOOD STANDARDS COMMITTEE 1979 – 80 * 1978 – 79 * 1977 – 78 * 1976 – 77 1975 – 76 Total Cost … … … … 5,300 8,400 9,600 5,200 6,600 Fees … … … … 1,350 1,830 2,450 1,900 1,900 Expenses … … … … 2,820 3,630 3,810 3,300 4,700 * The difference between the total cost and the sum of members' fees and expenses is due to Inland Revenue deductions and earnings related national insurance contributions, which are paid for by the Department.

financial costs, including administration, of the National Radiological Protection Board, 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.

I have been asked to reply.

The information is as follows:

The total cost of the Food Standards Committee for the latest financial year, 1979–80, was £5,300. This figure excludes the departmental administration costs as these would have been incurred whether the committee existed or not. The committee comprises a chairman and nine members who receive a fee for attendance, with secretarial support which varies depending upon the number and complexity of reviews under consideration. The committee does not disburse any moneys.

The table below sets out the requested information over the past five years:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were, for the latest available 12-month period, the total financial costs, including administration, of the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee, 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.

I have been asked to reply.

1979 – 80 1978 – 79 1977 – 78 1976 – 77 1975 – 76 Total cost* … … … 7,740 7,530 5,880 4,700 4,500 Fees … … … … 2,580 2,460 2,640 2,120 1,900 Expenses … … … … 2,850 2,740 2,220 2,410 1,930 *The difference between the total cost and the sum of members fees and expenses is due to Inland Revenue deductions and earnings related national insurance contributions paid by the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive the report of Lord Hunter on the imprisonment of Mr. Paddy Meehan.

Lord Hunter has indicated that he hopes to submit his report some time this year.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consultations take place with staff and Members before redecoration schemes are carried out in the parliamentary buildings.

The occupants are consulted before individual offices are redecorated, and the Services Committee is consulted on major redecoration proposals for public areas of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what

The total cost of the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee for the last full financial year, 1979–80, was £7,740. This figure excludes departmental administration costs, which would have been incurred whether the committee existed or not. The committee consists of 14 members—including the chairman—who receive a fee for attendance, and is served by an administrative and scientific secretariat. The degree of secretarial support depends on the particular subjects the committee is considering at any time. The committee does not disburse any moneys.

The table below sets out the information on the cost of the committee over the last five years.

action he is taking following the publication of the Flowers report to safeguard the future of Westminster hospital and medical school.

My hon. Friend proposes to seek the views of the London Advisory Group on the future pattern of acute hospital services in central London, including the role of the Westminster hospital. The proposals in the Flowers report on the future of the Westminster medical school are, however, a matter for the University of London in the first instance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many oral appeals against appointments of general practitioner vacancies since the Health Services Act 1946 have resulted in success for the appellant;

(2) since the National Health Service Act 1946, how many single-handed vacancies for general practices have been the subject of appeal;

(3) since the National Health Service Act 1946 how many appeals against appointments to general practitioner vacancies have been heard orally.

The table below sets out the available information on appeals by general medical practitioners against non-selection for medical practice vacancies in England and Wales. Apart from the years 1950 to 1962, when the figures were included in the published annual reports PRACTICE VACANCY APPEALS INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM MINISTRY OF HEALTH ANNUAL REPORTS FROM 1950–62 Year Total number of practice vacancy appeals Total Number of appeals allowed Number of appeals decided after oral hearing Number of appeals allowed after oral hearing 1950 … … 71 0 0 0 1951 … … 67 3 0 0 1952 … … 63 3 0 0 1953 … … 60 2 2 2 1954 … … 93 1 9 1 1955 … … 77 0 18 0 1956 … … 63 10 19 10 1957 … … 69 2 21 2 1958 … … 82 4 18 4 1959 … … 78 1 7 1 1960 … … 54 2 16 2 1961 … … 88 1 19 1 1962 … … 50 1 9 1 INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM DEPARTMENTAL RECORDS 1970 … … 58 1 1 1 1971 … … 49 0 2 0 1972 … … 68 1 1 1 1973 … … 55 0 0 0 1974 … … 57 0 3 0 1975 … … 56 0 0 0 1976 … … 60 1 3 1 1977 … … 77 1 4 1 1978 … … 96 0 0 0 1979 … … 90 2 2 2 1980 up to 13 May 28 0 1 0

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish figures for each region showing the existing deficiencies in consultant provision in each of the major specialty subdivisions, further subdivided as to whether the present consultant establishment is full-time or part-time.

There are no general criteria for judging shortages in the number of consultants in different specialties. Crude ratios of consultants in post and consultant vacancies per 100,000 population, broken down by specialty, for England and Wales as a whole and for each region are, however, given in table R5 of the Regional Tables for Hospital Medical Staff (England and Wales) at 30 September 1979, a copy of which is in the Library. Information on the number of consultants holding full-time, maximum part-time and other part-time contracts broken down by region and specialty would be unreasonably expensive to provide.

of the Ministry of Health, information before 1970 is not now readily available. It is not possible to distinguish between single-handed and other practice vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the report of the World Health Organisation expert committee on the compiling of a list of essential and proven drugs published in July 1979; what importance his Department attaches to the report; and whether its recommendations are of assistance in reducing the complexity and high cost of drug prescribing in the United Kingdom.

As the hon. Member will know, the main purpose of the meeting of the World Health Organisation expert committee to which the report relates was to review and update the model list of essential drugs contained in the first report of the committee published in 1977. The earlier report makes clear that the committee was primarily concerned to establish a list of essential drugs for use in those developing countries where there is at present difficulty in making the most necessary drugs generally accessible to the population. As far as the introduction of such a list into the NHS is concerned, I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member on 13 February.—[Vol. 978, c. 703 .]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the variation throughout Great Britain of the availability of access for screening for neural tube defects of the foetus and in the light of Professor Black's working group's recommendations, if he will take steps to make such facilities for early detection of abnormalities more evenly and universally available.

No. The introduction of a screening programme is a matter for each individual health authority to determine in the light of its assessment of needs and priorities and of the resources available to it. We have endorsed the working group's general conclusions that rapid progress towards a national screening service may be unwise in view of some remaining uncertainties about safety and effectiveness and of the costs entailed. The report indicated that an increasing number of health authorities are providing a routine screening service—46 per cent. of area health authorities in January 1979 compared with 32 per cent. in April 1978—and more recently North-East Thames regional health authority announced the launching of a regional programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will bring forward proposals to strengthen the available sources of advice to Health Service units along the lines of the advisers on hotel services introduced by his Department in 1955; and whether such advice can be provided on a commercial basis.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so at present. Health authorities already have discretion to seek advice from a variety of sources. I should be glad to see them making wider use of commercial sources when they consider it appropriate to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will initiate a public review of the working of section 47 of the National Assistance Act 1948; and if he will make a statement.

I am still examining the paper prepared by Dr. Muir Gray. As soon as I reach a conclusion as to whether there is a need to review section 47, I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons who received children's attendance allowance at the higher and lower rates, respectively, in 1977–78 no longer did so in 1978–79; and if he will give the figures for each region of England, Wales and Scotland.

The information, which relates only to Great Britain as a whole, is not readily available but I am having it assembled and will circulate it in the Official Report in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the 1978–79 figures for adult attendance allowance at the higher and the lower rate for all regions of England, Wales and Scotland, expressing these as a rate per thousand population for the following (a) numbers claiming attendance allowance, (b) numbers receiving attendance allowance, (c) numbers of appeals and (d) number of successful appeals.

The information requested is not readily available and some of it will not be available for several weeks yet. As soon as it is to hand, I will have it assembled and will circulate it in the Official Report .

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has received a copy of the Disability Alliance report, "The Impact on People with Disabilities of Government Policies Since the Last Election"; and what consultations he will be having on the report.

Yes, I have received a copy and it is being studied in the Department. My right hon. Friend met representatives of Disability Alliance earlier this week to hear their views on clause 3 of the Social Security (No. 2) Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the evidence that he has received suggests that many local authorities are not fulfilling their statutory obligations under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Association of County Councils has withdrawn its proposal to repeal section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970; whether there are any plans to amend the Act to lessen the statutory obligations of local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

The association has not pursued with me its proposal that section 2 of the 1970 Act should be made discretionary. I have no present plans to amend the section.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of his Department's different leaflets available for advice.

This Department currently has 126 leaflets available giving advice and information about the social security system. This total is made up of: 41 leaflets dealing with national insurance contributions, 67 leaflets dealing with social security benefits, and 18 leaflets dealing with arrangements on social security with the European Community and reciprocal agreements with other countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if benefits payable under the pneumoconiosis, byssinosis and miscellaneous diseases benefit scheme are affected by any provision contained in the Social Security (No. 2) Bill; and if so, if he will give details.

[ pursuant to his reply, 21 April 1980, c. 51–52 ]: The provisions of the Bill do not affect personal benefits available under this scheme, but increases of those benefits payable in respect of unemployability and for a dependant wife are affected because their equivalents under the Social Security Act are affected by clause 1 of the Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make a decision on the possible use of contract cleaners and caterers at the Royal Arsenal, the Queen Elizabeth military hospital, the Woolwich garrison officers' mess and the Royal Naval College, Greenwich.

Work is still continuing on assessing the feasibility and balance of advantage in changing to contract cleaning at the Royal Arsenal, the Queen Elizabeth military hospital and the Royal Naval College, Greenwich; and to contract catering at the latter two establishments and at Woolwich garrison officers' mess. Decisions will be made on a case by case basis when this work is complete, after consultation with staff interests. I cannot at present say when this stage will be reached in individual cases. I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what are the morbidity and mortality rates amongst naval personnel compared with (a) personnel in the Army, (b) personnel in the Royal Air Force and (c) the population at large;

(2) what are the rates for bronchitis, coronary and artery disease and lung cancer amongst naval personnel in the Royal Navy as compared with (a) personnel in the Army, (b) personnel in the Royal Air Force and (c) the population at large.

The figures are not immediately available in the form requested. I shall write to the hon. Lady.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the six-monthly figures of youth recruitment into the Armed Forces nationally and by region for the periods from January 1975 to the latest available date.

The information is not recorded in the form requested and could not be provided except at disproportionate cost and effort. Some information is available for United Kingdom Service men only and is given in the tables below.

TABLE 1 RECRUITMENT OF UNITED KINGDOM SERVICE MEN BY AGE ON ENTRY percentage Age last birthday 1975 – 76 1976 – 77 1977 – 78 1978 – 79 1979 – 80 16 … … … … … 39.6 41.6 40.5 38.9 38.6 17 … … … … … 25.2 25.1 27.7 29.5 25.7 18 … … … … … 12.4 12.6 12.9 13.3 13.1 19 … … … … … 6.9 7.0 7.2 6.6 7.7 20 and over … … … 15.9 13.7 11.7 11.7 14.9 TABLE 2 RECRUITMENT OF UNITED KINGDOM SERVICE MEN BY COUNTY AND STANDARD REGION 1975 – 76 1976 – 77 1977 – 78 1978 – 79 1979 – 80 Total … … … … 39,804 34,383 32,231 36,664 43,659 England … … … … 31,877 27,568 26,507 29,878 35,681 Scotland … … … … 3,983 3,641 3,319 3,856 4,707 Wales … … … … 2,217 1,911 1,763 2,133 2,431 Northern Ireland … … … 764 680 741 605 759 Overseas and net adjustments … 963 583 –99 192 81 English Regions North … … … … 2,907 2,532 2,443 2,726 3,417 Yorkshire and Humberside … 4,059 3,427 3,312 3,536 4,209 East Midlands … … … 2,934 2,486 2,574 2,722 3,210 East Anglia … … … 1,283 1,162 1,097 1,243 1,548 South East (including London) … 7,984 7,388 6,917 7,663 8,760 SouthWest … … … 3,642 3,158 3,152 3,703 4,212 West Midlands … … … 3,722 2,880 2,724 3,163 4,162 NorthWest … … … 5,346 4,535 4,288 5,123 6,163

Notes to Table 2:

( a ) " Overseas " represents the sons of Service men who enlist at an overseas location, where their parents are stationed. These, together with certain re-entrants are not included with regional figures.

( b ) Regional statistics are collected by a separate procedure from the total recruitment figures. Differences, appearing in the Table as net adjustments, may be caused by the time elapsing between recording enlistment at a regional office and the date the Service man reports for duty and is included in the official recruiting figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much duty-free tobacco was supplied to officers and men in the Royal Navy in each year since 1970.

Figures are not immediately available in the form requested, but numbers of duty-free cigarettes provided to the Royal Navy from 1976 have been: million 1976 162 1977 174 1978 145 1979 131

Young people may enter specifically as juniors or alongside adult entrants, according to their Service, age and trade. Table 1 below shows the age distribution of recruits for the United Kingdom as a whole, while table 2 shows the regional distribution for recruits of all ages. The regional distribution for those under 18 is unlikely to differ very substantially.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his assessment of the effects of the continued provision of duty-free tobacco in the Royal Navy on the cost of maintaining an active and healthy naval force.

The provision of duty-free tobacco is a long-standing element in naval conditions of service, still valued by many Service men. The possibility that it might have an effect on health in the Royal Navy is being taken into account as we review policy towards smoking.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish the level of expenditure incurred by his Department in each of the financial years from 1974 to 1979 inclusive, both in total and per head of the population, on the main forms of preferential assistance to industry and on national schemes of assistance under section 8 of the Industry Act 1974 – 75 * 1975 – 76 1976 – 77 1977 – 78 1978 – 79 English Regions: North (£ million) … … … 62.1 116.7 171.8 154.0 163.9 Per head of population (£) … 19.8 37.3 55.0 49.4 52.9 North West (£ million) … … 55.2 70.5 67.3 69.5 94.9 Per head of population (£) … 8.4 10.7 10.3 10.7 14.6 Yorkshire and Humberside (£ million) … … … … 16.3 24.7 37.8 35.4 48.2 Per head of population (£) … 3.3 5.1 7.7 7.3 9.9 East Midlands (£ million) … 3.6 2.5 3.5 5.2 9.6 Per head of population (£) … 1.0 0.7 0.9 1.4 2.6 West Midlands (£ million) … 1.3 0.5 1.9 5.0 8.2 Per head of population (£) … 0.3 0.1 0.4 1.0 1.6 Eastern (£ million) … … — — 1.3 3.3 6.4 Per head of population (£) … — — 0.7 1.8 3.5 London and South Eastern (£ million) … … … … — — 0.8 2.2 5.1 Per head of population (£) … — — Negligible 0.1 0.3 South West (£ million) … … 5.7 6.8 7.3 11.0 14.8 Per head of population (£) … 1.4 1.6 1.7 2.6 3.4 Scotland (£ million) … … 72.7 136.2 130.6 138.1 151.2 Per head of population (£) … 13.9 26.2 25.1 26.6 29.2 Wales (£ million) … … … 46.6 67.4 76.5 89.1 107.7 Per head of population (£) … 16.9 24.4 27.6 32.2 38.9 * The 1974–75 figures for the English regions exclude expenditure on land and factories They are not, therefore, comparable either with the corresponding figures for Scotland and Wales for the year or with figures for the later years.

This includes expenditure on regional development grants, selective financial assistance under sections 7 and 8 of the Industry Act 1972, and on land and factories. Since 1 July 1975 regional selective assistance under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 to firms in Scotland and Wales has been the responsibility of the Scottish Office and the Welsh Office respectively. Responsibility for the construction of factories in Scotland and Wales passed to the Scottish and Welsh Development Agencies on 15 December 1975 and 1 January 1976 respectively. Expenditure under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972 excludes payments to individual firms and payments under the offshore supplies interest relief scheme, as it is not always possible to allocate payments made in these cases to specific regions or areas. Expenditure under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 excludes payments of £4.3 million in 1977–78 and

1972 for each of the economic regions of Great Britain.

This information is not available in terms of the economic regions of Great Britain, and is therefore presented by Department of Industry regions. Expenditure, total and per head of population in the years specified, on the main forms of regional preferential assistance to industry and on national schemes under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972 is estimated as follows:

£52.0 million in 1978–79 to the Ford motor company, which were shared between the North-Western region of England and Wales, but which cannot be allocated specifically.

All figures are at outturn prices. They are gross and include payments of RDGs and selective financial assistance to the nationalised industries.

Aside from expenditure on land and factories, there is no predetermined allocation of regional preferential expenditure between separate areas or regions. Expenditure under such schemes depends, therefore, on the level of applications from eligible firms within the areas or regions concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what percentage of the cost of insulating his work premises an employer can receive in grants at present; and if he will consider raising the level of grants available especially for small businesses.

Under the energy conservation scheme grants of 25 per cent. are available towards the cost of insulating premises, provided that the cost of the project is at least £3,000 and that certain other criteria are met. Assistance in the form of regional development grant may be available in certain areas. I have no plans for changing the present level of grants nor for reducing the £3,000 threshold because of the additional administrative costs which would be involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many companies have approached him about operating petrochemical facilities in the United Kingdom based on ethane feedstock.

There have been approaches by a number of companies, but I am unable to give any details at present because these are matters for confidential discussion with the companies concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much money Delta Capillary Ltd. has received from Government and European Economic Community grants in the past three years.

The information is as follows: (a) Assistance under the Industry Act 1972 (i) Regional development grant £96,000 (ii) Offers of regional selective assistance grant under section 7 £379,500 (iii) Offers of selective financial assistance grant under section 8 £103,770 (b) Loan from European Investment Bank £1,350,000

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) if he will make a statement on the progress of the microprocessor application project;

(2) whether he has any plans to review the microprocessor application project;

(3) what is the purpose of the microprocessor application project; how many civil servants are involved in the project; what is the total cost to public funds per annum; and what has been the total cost to date.

The microprocessor application project is aimed at raising the level of awareness of the potential of microelectronics for United Kingdom industry and encouraging its widespread application. Thirty-six civil servants in the electronics application division of this Department are wholly or mainly engaged in work connected with the project at an approximate cost to public funds of £0.6 million per annum. In addition £5.5 million was allocated to the project, of which £5.5 million has so far been spent. The progress of the project is kept under continuous review and I see no need for a special statement at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the cost of the MORI poll for the microprocessor application project.

The cost of the MORI survey on senior managers' awareness of the impact of microelectronics was £8,625. This will be offset by receipts from sales.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will ensure that in those assisted areas where regional development grants are being withdrawn with effect from 1 August 1980 grants will continue to be paid in respect of installation of new boilers and buildings, where assets cannot be provided until after 31 July because of the effects of the steel strike in delaying delivery of boilers and steel construction.

There is no intention of varying the transitional arrangements for the changes in the availability of regional development grant announced on 17 July 1979. In instances where a project is genuinely in jeopardy as a result of loss of regional development grant arising from the changes, selective financial assistance under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 may be available if the necessary criteria are met.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much was paid to ( a ) Grimsby and ( b ) Hull in the grant towards dock and landing charges in each financial year it was available; what are his reasons for not extending the scheme; and what are the sums which would be available to the two ports for the same purposes under the £2 million temporary aid scheme.

A scheme introduced by the previous Government provided for certain vessel operators to receive a single payment in the 1979–80 financial year in respect of dock charges incurred in 1978. £264,024 was paid towards charges at Grimsby, and £348,079 at Hull.

The scheme announced by my right hon. Friend on 13 March provided that producer organisations can make payments for a range of purposes including dock and landing charges. The funds are allocated to producers' organisations and not to individual ports; the Fish Producers Organisations Ltd. within the economic area of which Hull and Grimsby as well as other ports are represented has so far been allocated £657,000 under the scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the price of the levy imposed on the importing of hard wheat into the United Kingdom from places such as North America by the EEC under the common agricultural policy; and if he will take steps to reduce it.

On 16 May the United Kingdom net levy on all imported wheat was £51.29/tonne. I recognise that a reduction in the levy would be of considerable benefit both to United Kingdom consumers and the milling industry. My right hon. Friend will continue to press for such reduction.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how he arrives at an estimate of Government aid for fishing of £23 million in 1980–81; how much of this is operating aid of the type available to fishing in other EEC countries; and how this compares with the total amount made available, measured in the same way, by France, Germany, Holland and Denmark to their fishing industries.

The figure for Government aid for the fishing industry for 1980–81 is made up of the following provisions:

£ million Grants and loans for construction and improvement of vessels 13.7 Grants and loans for harbour works 4.6 Grants and loans for processing operations 2.2 Fish Producers Organisations Subsidy Scheme 2.0 Exploratory Voyages 1.0 23.5

In addition, rebates on fuel duty for fishing vessels may be worth £0.8 million. There is also provision for research and development and for fishery protection services.

The lack of a clear definition of "operating aids" makes it difficult to compare the aids given by member States of the European Community in the way the hon. Member asks. I will write to him with information about the aids available in the countries to which he refers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response he has made to the telex of 2 May from Mr. David Aitcheson on behalf of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, the British Fishing Federation and the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations; and if he will make a statement.

Together with my right hon. Friends the Minister and the Secretary of State for Scotland I met representatives of all sections of the United Kingdom fishing industry on 13 May. This meeting provided an opportunity to discuss fully the problems facing the industry and the various requests for action which have been made by a number of fishermen's organisations. A further meeting will be held in July to reassess the situation in the industry in the light of developments in the domestic market and the consideration which is being given within the Community to reference prices and tariffs.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when now he expects to reach a decision on the application of the Yorkshire water authority for a variation of its main river map in relation to the River Went.