Written Answers To Questions
Tuesday 10 June 1980
Trade
Multi-Fibre Arrangement
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is satisfied that the European Economic Community Commission has and is acting realistically to prevent fraud vis-à-vis the bilateral agreements negotiated under the multi-fibre arrangement especially as regards South Korea and Hong Kong ; and what is the method of co-operation between multi-fibre arrangement signatories.
The Government welcome the Commission's recognition of the need to improve the Community's investigatory methods and to achieve greater co-operation between MFA signatories. At present, co-operation between MFA signatories on the prevention of fraud is on an informal basis and related to particular cases where fraud is suspected or has taken place.
Dumping And Undercutting
asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many industries have now complained to him about dumping or other illegal methods of undercutting British products in the last 12 months ; what is the approximate number of letters of complaints he has received on this subject over the same period ; and if he will make a statement.
In the last 12 months my Department has received many letters about competition from imports and a large number alleged unfair or illegal practices. To give precise figures would involve disproportionate expense. Details of all recent anti-dumping investigations were given in the Department's evidence to the Select Committee on Industry and Trade, published with its Minutes of Evidence for 5 March 1980. (Two new investigations concerning imports of ammonium nitrate fertilizer and polyester filament yarn, both from the United States of America, have been opened since then.)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what action he proposes to take to prevent dumping and severe undercutting by foreign companies and producers in markets which are traditionally recognised to be British ; and if he will make a statement.
Provision already exists to prevent unfair competition from dumped imports into the Community which are causing or threatening material injury to a Community industry. The European Commission, which has responsibility for taking such action, is well aware of the importance which my right hon. Friend and I attach to speedy implementation of the anti-dumping legislation in appropriate cases. To that end my officials are always ready to give what assistance they can to any United Kingdom industry faced with dumping problems. In markets outside the Community, whether traditionally British or not, the best defence is a superior product, competitively priced and delivered on time.
Air Traffic Licensing Arrangements (Hong Kong—London)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on air traffic licensing arrangements between Hong Kong and London.
The licensing of scheduled air services between Hong Kong and London is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority, subject to appeal to my right hon. Friend, and for the Hong Kong Air Transport Licensing Authority. My right hon. Friend is currently considering appeals by Cathay Pacific Airways and Laker Airways against a decision of the Civil Aviation Authority to license British Caledonian Airways to operate between London and Hong Kong in addition to British Airways, the existing licensee, and to refuse applications by Cathay Pacific and Laker to serve the route.
South Africa (African Workers)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade, in view of the fact that in the terms of the European Economic Community code of conduct the following companies : Associated Engineering Ltd., Barclays Bank, BICC, Bowthorpe Holdings Ltd., BP, Burmah Oil, Cape Industries, Cavenham Ltd., Crown House Ltd., Delta Metal, Dickinson Robinson Group, Eagle Star Insurance, Thomas French and Sons, GEC, Gestetner, International Distillers and Vintners, Lindustries, Low and Bonar Group, Metal Closures Group, Mitchell Cotts, National Employers' Mutual General Insurance Association Ltd., Norwich Union, Plesseys, Rank Hovis MacDougall, Reed International, Rentokil, Roussel Laboratories, Tarmac, Tate and Lyle, Tioxide Group, Turner and Newall, USMC Int. and Thomas Witter and Co., operating in South Africa are paying 2,000 of their African workers wages below the poverty datum line, what representations he has made to the chairman of each company to ensure its compliance with the poverty datum line standard in future.
I shall reply to the hon. Member as sooon as possible.
Tenerife Air Crash
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will now make a further statement on the accident involving the Dan-Air Boeing 727 at Tenerife on 25 April.
I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the statement made earlier this afternoon by my right hon. Friend.
Overseas Development
Sri Lanka
asked the Lord Privy Seal how much aid has been given to Sri Lanka annually over the last four years ; and how much of this aid has been distributed on projects in Tamil areas.
The following British aid has been given to Sri Lanka during the last four years :
| £'000 | |
| 1976 | 5,455 |
| 1977 | 3,989 |
| 1978 | 8,318 |
| 1979 | 12,242 |
National Finance
Company Directors (Cars)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of company directors in receipt of benefits arising from use of cars supplied by their employers in their taxable income ; and what is his estimate of the annual value of the benefits.
The latest reliable information is for 1977–78 when about 300,000 company directors were charged to tax under schedule E on net benefits amounting to about £85 million arising from their private use of cars supplied by their companies. If the number of such directors is about the same in 1980–81 the corresponding net benefit will be around £95 million.The increases in the scales of taxable benefit proposed in the Budget will take effect from 1981–82.
National Debt
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the average interest rate paid on the national debt in each of the past 15 years; and what is the average rate due to be paid in the current year ;(2) what was the total of the national debt on 31 March, or the nearest available date in each of the last 15 years ; and what is his estimate of the national debt on 31 March 1981 ;(3) what interest was paid on the national debt in each of the past 15 financial years ; and what is his estimate of the interest due to be paid in the current year.
Figures of the national debt outstanding at 31 March each year and of the annual amount of interest paid thereon are published for each financial year in the Consolidated Fund and national loans fund accounts and supplementary statements. Prior to 1 April 1968 when the National Loans Act 1968 established the national loans fund, the national debt was a liability of the Consolidated Fund. Details of the national debt and interest payments thereon were given annually in the finance accounts of the United Kingdom for the relevant year.Borrowings which make up the national debt are in many varied forms. It is not possible to state an accurate average
| (1) Year | (2) Total National Debt outstanding at end of financial year | (3) Interest paid on Total National Debt | (4) Column (3) expressed as a percentage of Column (2) ie at 31 March of previous financial year (per cent.) | ||
| (£ million) | (£ million) | ||||
| 1965–66 | … | … | 31,340 | ||
| 1966–67 | … | … | 31,986 | 1,198 | 3·8 |
| 1967–68 | … | … | 34,194 | 1,321 | 4·1 |
| 1968–69 | … | … | 34,000 | 1,310 | 3·8 |
| 1969–70 | … | … | 33,079 | 1,412 | 4·2 |
| 1970–71 | … | … | 33,442 | 1,419 | 4·3 |
| 1971–72 | … | … | 35,840 | 1,596 | 4·8 |
| 1972–73 | … | … | 36,885 | 1,828 | 5·1 |
| 1973–74 | … | … | 40,457 | 2,284 | 6·2 |
| 1974–75 | … | … | 46,404 | 2,790 | 6·9 |
| 1975–76 | … | … | 56,585 | 3,482 | 7·5 |
| 1976–77 | … | … | 67,166 | 4,449 | 7·9 |
| 1977–78 | … | … | 79,180 | 5,101 | 7·6 |
| 1978–79 | … | … | 86,885 | 6,369 | 8·0 |
| 1979–80 | … | … | 95,327 | 8,290 | 9·5 |
| (provisional) | 95,327 | 8,290 | 9·5 | ||
| 1980–81(forecast) | … | … | (no estimate of national debt outstanding is made) | 9,885 | 10·4 |
European Community (Financial Control)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the recent report of the Select Committee on European Legislation, &c, on financial control in the Community.
The report by the court of auditors on the 1978 Community budget is being considered by the Government.
Tax Evasion
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he plans any reduction in numbers of Inland Revenue staff dealing with tax evasion.
The number of staff employed in the specialised investigation units has not been reduced and there are no plans for any reduction. The Board of Inland Revenue has recently decided to use more staff on investigation work in special offices.
interest rate paid on the national debt. The available information sought for each of the last 15 years is given in the following table. In column 4 the total interest paid in one financial year expressed as a percentage of the nominal national debt outstanding at the end of the previous financial year gives a limited indication of an average interest rate.
Public Sector Borrowing Requirements
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated net charge to the public sector borrowing requirement following (a) the European Economic Community agreement on the United Kingdom contribution and (b) the farm prices agreement.
The change in the United Kingdom's net contribution to the Community budget resulting from the budget settlement will go to reduce the PSBR. No significant adjustment to earlier assessments of the PSBR is required to take account of the agricultural price settlement on its own.
European Community Budget
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will tabulate Community receipts in each European Economic Community member State in total, giving the subject areas in which this spending took place in 1979 ;(2) if he will list in the
Official Report the levels of payment by each member
State to the budget of the European Community, and the levels of receipt by each member State, indicating the levels of payment and receipt per head of population in each member State in 1979 ;
The following table shows contributions and receipts by member
| Per Capita | |||||
| Contributions £ million | Receipts £ million | Contributions £ | Receipts £ | ||
| Belgium | … | 598·7 | 884·3 | 60·8 | 89·8 |
| Denmark | … | 218·1 | 541·1 | 42·6 | 105·8 |
| Germany | … | 2,742·3 | 1,940·1 | 44·7 | 31·6 |
| France | … | 1,760·4 | 1,892·1 | 32·9 | 35·4 |
| Ireland | … | 69·1 | 493·9 | 20·5 | 146·8 |
| Italy | … | 1,099·8 | 1,256·0 | 19·3 | 22·1 |
| Luxembourg | … | 12·2 | 150·6 | 34·1 | 420·7 |
| Netherlands | … | 834·1 | 1,107·3 | 59·4 | 78·9 |
| United Kingdom | … | 1,956·4 | 773·1 | 35·0 | 13·8 |
| Total | … | 9,291·1 | 9,038·5 | 35·7 | 34·7 |
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the Official Report the present sources of the European Community's own resources, namely, value added tax, external tariffs, agricultural levies and so on ;
| £ million | ||||||
| Customs duties | Agricultural levies | Sugar levies | Community VAT | Total | ||
| Belgium | … | 217·1 | 148·5 | 20·0 | 213·1 | 598·7 |
| Denmark | … | 80·4 | 5·2 | 13·6 | 118·9 | 218·1 |
| Germany | … | 1,025·6 | 170·5 | 94·6 | 1,451·6 | 2,742·3 |
| France | … | 487·5 | 62·4 | 98·4 | 1,112·1 | 1,760·4 |
| Ireland | … | 36·9 | 2·3 | 3·0 | 26·9 | 69·1 |
| Italy | … | 321·4 | 265·4 | 29·7 | 483·3 | 1,099·8 |
| Luxembourg | … | 2·5 | 0·1 | — | 9·6 | 12·2 |
| Netherlands | … | 313·9 | 202·5 | 24·5 | 293·2 | 834·1 |
| United Kingdom | … | 869·2 | 228·3 | 16·9 | 842·0 | 1,956·4 |
| Total | … | 3,354·5 | 1,085·2 | 300·7 | 4,550·7 | 9,291·1 |
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why it is not possible to quantify in any meaningful way by how much the net United Kingdom contribution
States and shows the levels of payment and receipt per head of population in 1979. The figures are based on Commission sources and have been converted to sterling at the rate of £1 = 1·547 EUA.
I regret that a breakdown of receipts by subject areas is not available.
and what was the amount paid by each member State both in full and by each mechanism in 1979.
Provisional estimates by the Commission of own resources paid by member States in 1979 are as follows :to the European Economic Community budget would be reduced if each member country were required to finance the requirements of the common agricultural policy within its borders ; and on what the United Kingdom net contribution would then be based on the assumption that monetary compensatory amounts benefit the exporting country where Community prices are higher than world market prices.
It is impossible because most of the costs of the common agricultural policy (CAP) arise from surplus disposal measures which do not necessarily take place in the countries where output exceeds consumption. A new financing system of the kind that my hon. Friend envisages could well result in movements of surpluses from one country to another which cannot be predicted.A further problem is that national financing of CAP expenditure would leave the Community with a surplus of revenue over expenditure, since the yield of customs duties and agricultural levies alone exceeds expenditure on non-agricultural Community policies. It is impossible to predict how such a surplus might be used, but the United Kingdom's net contribution would depend on the policies agreed upon.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of the effects on the United Kingdom contribution to the European Economic Community of changes in the exchange rate.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) on 6 June.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the timetable for the EEC Commission receipts and payments under the EEC budget in each month since 1 January 1978 ; and whether he expects the other countries concerned to increase their contributions in the early months of 1981 to enable the amount owing to the United Kingdom under the recently agreed formula to be repaid before 31 March 1981;(2) what has been the timetable of payments and receipts from the EEC. under the budget financing procedures in each month since 1 January 1978 ; and whether he expects this pattern to be altered to accommodate the repayment immediately after the end of the EEC financial year of that part of the United Kingdom's contribution recently agreed.
The timing of payments of own resources to the Community budget is governed by Council regulation No. 2891/77. Payments of levies and duties are made by the twentieth day of the second month following the month during which entitlement was established. Payment of GNP or VAT own resources are made on the first working day of each month. Any amounts entered in the Community budget to cover payments to the United Kingdom under the recently negotiated formula will automatically increase payments of VAT own resources by member States when the budget is adopted. The incidence of receipts by member States from other budget headings will be unaffected.
Objects In Lieu Of Tax
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, with reference to his written answer, Official Report, 7 May. c. 138, stating that the commissioners of Inland Revenue derive no financial advantage as a consequence of administrative practices relating to the acceptance by those commissioners of objects in satisfaction of tax, that answer extends to those cases in which three-quarters of the 100 per cent. exemption from tax of those objects which is provided for without qualification under statute is eliminated in the relevant computations for establishing the amount of tax credit to be made available by the commissioners to the tax debtor in respect of the surrender of such objects to the commissioners ; and, if so, whether he will specify in what manner the commissioners do not benefit financially as a consequence of 75 per cent. of a tax exemption being thus eliminated.
I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
Redistribution Of Incomes
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of gross domestic product is allocated to the redistribution of incomes ; and if it is the Government's intention to change this proportion.
I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.
Civil Service
Select Committees (Evidence)
asked the Minister for the Civil Service if she will make a statement concerning the guidance issued to the Civil Service by the head of the Home Civil Service on evidence to Commons Select Committees.
No guidance has been given by the Head of the Home Civil Service on this issue, but I assume my hon. Friend is referring to the memorandum of guidance to officials, issued recently by my Department. The text of the previous memorandum of guidance was reproduced as appendix D to volume 1 of the first report from the Select Committee on procedure for Session 1977–78. The memorandum has been brought up-to-date to take account of the creation of the new departmental Select Committees. Some other changes arising from the Procedure Committee's report have been made. Minor changes have been made to improve the editing and clarity of the text.
Day Of Action
asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants failed to report for work on 14 May ; and what saving in public funds there has been through wages and salaries not paid as a consequence.
Approximately 16,400 civil servants—just over 2 per cent.—were absent without authority on 14 May. The estimated saving in public funds due to wages and salaries not paid as a consequence was £310,000.
Inland Revenue Computers
asked the Minister for the Civil Service which firms have been approached with a view to supplying equipment for the Inland Revenue computer project ; and if the contract will be awarded on open tender.
No firms have been approached with a view to supplying equipment for the computerisation of the PAYE system, although informal contact has been made with a large number during the study of the project's feasibility. Decisions on the project, including the method of procurement, have not yet been taken.
Prime Minister (Engagements)
Q6.
asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 10 June.
Q9.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 June.
Q10.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements on 10 June.
Q11.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q12.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 June.
Q13.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q16.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q18.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 June.
Q20.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q21.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 June.
Q22.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q24.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 June.
Q25.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q26.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 June.
Q28.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q29.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 June.
Q31.
asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q32.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q33.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 June.
Q34.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q35.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q36.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 June.
Q37.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q38.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q39.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q40.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q41.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 June.
Q42.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 June.
Q45.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 June.
Q46.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 June.
I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Foulkes).
Crudie
Q7.
asked the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to Crudie in East Aberdeenshire.
I have at present no plans to do so.
North Northumberland
Q8.
asked the Prime Minister whether she has any plans to visit North Northumberland.
I have at present no plans to do so.
Ministerial Broadcast
Q14.
asked the Prime Minister if she plans to make a ministerial broadcast.
I have at present no plans to do so.
Arab-Israeli Relations
Q15.
asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on the attempts by Her Majesty's Government, in concert with other European nations, to bring about progress in resolving the dispute between Israel and neighbouring Arab States over the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The European Council, in a statement on 28 April, restated its belief that only a comprehensive settlement can bring peace to the Middle East, and instructed the Foreign Ministers of the Nine to report to the Council in June on the problem.
Bean
Q17.
asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Bean.
I have at present no plans to do so.
Pay Policy
Q19.
asked the Prime Minister if she still rules out the possibility of a pay freeze or pay policy in 1980.
I have nothing to add to the statements which I made on this matter in the House on 24 May and 19 June last year.
School Leavers (Departmental Co-Ordination)
Q23.
asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Departments of Education and Science and Employment in helping school leavers to find suitable jobs.
The Government are greatly concerned about the difficulties experienced by some school leavers in many areas in finding suitable jobs. The two Departments have arrangements for regular and close co-operation about careers education and guidance, while careers officers of local education authorities are taking every opportunity to find suitable jobs for young people.
Public Sector (Pay)
Q27.
asked the Prime Minister if she will co-ordinate the dates or the amounts of pay increases in the public sector.
I have at present no plans to do so.
European Community (Agriculture Ministers)
Q30.
asked the Prime Minister whether she is satisfied with the progress of discussions between European Economic Community Agriculture Ministers.
I agree with the views expressed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in his statement on 2 June.
Home Department
Open Prisons (Absconders)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, how many prisoners who have been transferred to open prisons have absconded for any period of time ; and how many of these committed further offences whilst being absconders.
The following figures are of the numbers of inmates who have absconded from within open establishments, or from supervised outside working parties from such establishments, between 1 January 1976 and 24 May 1980 inclusive :
I take it that the hon. Member is referring to the Metropolitan Police. In the period from 1 June 1973 to 31 May 1980, 5,460 officers resigned from the force, excluding transfers to other forces. Of these, 15 were serving in the Special Patrol Group at the time. Officers resigning are not obliged to give reasons, but I understand from the Commissioner that those given cover a wide range of factors, including domestic reasons, ill health and emigration.
Brighton (Arrests)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Sussex on the number of arrests made in Brighton on Monday 26 May ; how many were for assault and theft ; of those arrested, how many have been found guilty ; and what were the fines and sentences imposed.
The chief constable tells me that about 400 youths caused disturbances in Brighton on 26 May, which were contained by some 350 police officers. 28 people were arrested but none for assault or theft ; most have yet to appear in court.
Police Advisory Board For England And Wales
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for the latest 12-month period available, what have been the total financial costs, including administration, of the Police Advisory Board for Wales.
The Police Advisory Board for England and Wales is serviced by the Home Office, and the small administrative costs are not separately identified. Travelling and subsistence expenses incurred by members of the board are borne by the police staff associations and the police authorities concerned.
Voluntary Services Unit (Grants)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the purposes of each of the following grants made in 1979–80 by the Voluntary Services Unit : £12,000 to the British Association for Counselling, £14,050 to the Institute of Community Studies, £26,000 to the Melting Pot Foundation, £28,400 to the National Association for Asian Youth, £3,400 to Campaign Books, £2,500 to the International Council for Social Welfare, £12,678 to the National Association of Young People's Counselling and Advisory Services, £14,000 to the Student Community Action Resources Programme, £5,765 to the Voluntary Service Opportunities Register, £66,375 to the Young Volunteer Resource Unit, £27,056 to the Media Project (Volunteer Centre), £6,042 to the British Council of Churches (Community Work Resource Unit) and £43,552 to the Brixton Neighbourhood Community Programme.
The purposes of the grants were as follows :British Association for Counselling :To contribute towards the promotion of higher standards of counselling by volunteers and professionals in many fields.Institute of Community Studies :To co-ordinate, monitor and evaluate the family day centre projects funded by VSU as part of the EC anti-poverty programme.Melting Pot Foundation :To support a pilot literacy and vocational training scheme, run in association with a hostel, for young West Indians with special problems.National Association for Asian Youth :To contribute to the support of youth work among Asian young people.Campaign Books :To contribute to the costs of a pilot scheme for the distribution of books and pamphlets produced by voluntary organisations in the social service and environmental fields.International Council for Social Welfare :To contribute to the planning costs of the 1982 international meeting of the ICSW (an association of voluntary bodies from many countries) for which the United Kingdom will be the host country.National Association of Young People's Counselling and Advisory Services :To develop youth counselling and advisory services and to provide assistance to those who counsel young people.Student Community Action Resource Programme :To help support and develop volunteer community work by students in universities and colleges.Voluntary Services Opportunities Register :To meet the cost of an annual publication, produced by the Young Volunteer Resource Unit, listing social service projects in which young people can take part.Young Volunteer Resource Unit (of the National Youth Bureau) :To support services to those engaged in promoting voluntary work by, and social education projects for, young people.Media Project (Volunteer Centre) :To support a project to monitor the use of the media (TV, radio and press) in community involvement and to offer advice and information on the basis of the material obtained.British Council of Churches (Community Work Resource Unit) :To contribute to the costs of a unit set up to assist the churches in developing community work.Brixton Neighbourhood Community Association :To support a pilot training scheme in office skills and car maintenance to improve the employment prospects of young West Indians.
Commission For Racial Equality
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what salaries, fees or expenses will be paid by the Commission for Racial Equality to Mr. Brian Ashley, Mrs. Gertrude Paul and Mr. Dilbagh Singh Vavi.
As I explained in my reply to a question by my hon. Friend on 7 May—[Vol. 984, c. 121–22]—all part-time commissioners of the Commission for Racial Equality, including those recently appointed, receive a fee, currently fixed at £40 a day, for each day's attendance. Travelling and subsistence allowances may also be payable.
Electoral Boundaries
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he anticipates receiving the recommendations of the Boundary Commission with regard to the parliamentary constituencies of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
I understand that the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England is likely to have completed its task of reviewing all the parliamentary constituencies, including those in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, by early 1982.
Departmental Correspondence
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why it took him from 15 May until 3 June to reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West's letter concerning police action in stopping religious meetings ; what was contained in this letter which could not have been sent earlier ; and whether he will expedite replies to such questions.
The hon. Member's letter was dealt with as expeditiously as possible. His correspondence will continue to be given the appropriate priority within the Department.
Summer Time
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to take steps to remedy the situation whereby Great Britain is out of step with the rest of Europe on changes to summer time made under the Summer Time Act 1972.
We have made it clear to our partners in the European Community that we see considerable difficulty in achieving a common finishing date for summer time, which this year will end on 26 October in the United Kingdom and 28 September in member States on the mainland of Europe. The European Community is therefore concentrating on a common starting date, which would be one week later than the present United Kingdom date, but one week earlier than that on the mainland of Europe. The Government welcome this proposal and are ready to seek the agreement of Parliament to a draft Order in Council to provide for summer time to start on 29 March in 1981 and 28 March in 1982.
Alcohol-Related Offences
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many men between the ages of (a) 15 to 18 and (b) 18 to 21 years were convicted of offences involving alcohol for each year since 1970 ; and what percentage of the offences for the age groups this represented in each case ;(2) how many girls between the ages of (
a) 15 to 18 and ( b) 18 to 21 years were convicted of offences involving alcohol for each year since 1970 ; and what percentage of the offences for the age groups this represented in each case.
We shall reply as soon as possible.
European Parliament (Members' Salaries And Expenses)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether each country pays for the salary and expenses of its own Members of the European Assembly ; and if not, to what extent the United Kingdom contributes pro rata to the salaries and expenses of Members from other countries.
The salaries of Members of the European Parliament are fixed and paid by their national Governments ; their expenses are reimbursed from the budget of the European Communities.
Medway Borough Council (Police Investigation)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Kent Constabulary regarding the time taken, the manning commitment and the cost of the recent investigation into Medway borough council.
No. I understand that a report was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who considered that there was insufficient evidence to justify proceedings against any person.
Houses Of Parliament
Members' Paintings (Exhibition)
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will arrange for an exhibition of paintings by Members of both Houses to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.
I have made arrangements with the authorities of the House for this exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 30 June to Friday 11 July.
European Community
United Kingdom Budget Contribution
asked the Lord Privy Seal if the payment of the first rebate in respect of the United Kingdom European Economic Community budget contribution for the current year depends on the completion of the common fisheries policy by 1 January 1981.
No. The Government fully accept the aim of completing the CFP negotiations by 1 January 1981, but the budget settlement provides for the making of advance payments to the United Kingdom during 1980. The question of fisheries will continue to be considered on its own merits.
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
Bbc (External Services)
asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will take steps to ensure that industrial action by the National Union of Journalists does not interfere with broadcasts by the BBC external service to the Soviet Union and Afghanistan.
The relationship of Her Majesty's Government to the BBC external services is governed by the licence and agreement which forms part of the BBC charter. Under this, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's powers are limited to prescribing, after consultation with the corporation, the number of hours broadcast, the languages in which programmes are transmitted, and certain other services such as monitoring.The management of the BBC external services, like the contents of the programmes, is solely a matter for the BBC. I understand that the programmes in Russian and Farsi which the BBC instituted in the new year, at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, although varied in content, continue to be transmitted at the same hours.
Inspector John Maclennan
asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, pursuant to his previous replies to the hon Member for West Stirlingshire, Official Report, 11 May, columns 331–35, he will now make a further statement about the circumstances surrounding the death of the late Inspector John MacLennan of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force.
The Attorney-General, Hong Kong, has now studied the coroner's depositions and concluded that there was overwhelming evidence at the inquest into the death of Inspector MacLennan which showed that he committed suicide. Accordingly he has decided that he has no legal power under the Coroners Ordinance to reopen the inquest.
Hong Kong
asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the recent appointment of a chairman and vice-chairman of the Hong Kong urban council, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Scotland Exchange.
Since the details referred to in the question have not been received, I am unable to answer it now, but will write to the hon. Member when I have seen them.
asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish in the Official Report the number of chairmanship and vice-chairmanships of the urban council taken by (a) appointed members and (b) elected members of the Hong Kong urban council at the present time.
The urban council has nine select committees. Six chairmen and six vice-chairmen are appointed members and three chairmen and three vice-chairmen are elected members. There are 22 sub-committees, with 18 appointed members and four elected members as chairmen. These do not have vice-chairmen.
Chile
asked the Lord Privy Seal, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) Official Report, 2 June, column 686, when he expects to conclude his study relating to the continuance of the embargo on the sale of arms to Chile ; and if he will make a statement.
It is not possible to say when the review of this aspect of our policy towards Chile will be concluded.
European Monetary System
asked the Lord Privy Seal if Her Majesty's Government have made any undertakings concerning the European monetary system since taking
| National Park Supplementary Grant | ||||
| National Park | Acreage | 1979–80 | 1980–81* | |
| £ | £ | |||
| Brecon Beacons | … | 335,360 | 297,000 | 295,500 |
| Pembrokeshire Coast | … | 144,000 | 323,400 | 370,500 |
| Snowdonia | … | 536,320 | 431,200 | 423,700 |
| * The figures for 1980–81 will be increased in the autumn in line with the general increase in the rate support grant to take account of inflation. | ||||
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to announce the creation of any new national parks in Wales.
No.
Sports Council For Wales
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for the latest 12 month period available the total financial costs, including administration, of the Sports Council for Wales.
In the year to 31 March 1980 the Sports Council for Wales received grant in aid of £1,825,000. Administration cost were met from within this allocation. An additional £100,000 was paid to the council in reimbursement of expenditure arising in 1979–80 from office ; and what undertakings have been given.
We have made clear on a number of occasions that our intention is to join the EMS exchange rate mechanism when conditions permit, though we cannot at present say when this might be.
Wales
One-Teacher Schools
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many one-teacher schools there are in Wales.
Ten, eight of them primary, one nursery and one special.
National Parks
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the present sizes in acres of every national park in Wales ; what was the grant to each park in 1979 ; and what is the grant for 1980 for each park.
The following is the information :flood damage to the National Sports Centre.
Primary Schools
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the list of primary schools, county by county, for the most recent date available, where the number of pupils enrolled is below 150, but where the headmaster is regarded as a non-teaching member of staff.
The information is not collected by the Department.
Berwyn Range
asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether, in view of considerable local opposition to his proposal to designate 53,000 acres of the Berwyn range as a site of special scientific interest for the benefit of the Nature Conservancy Council in Wales, he will reconsider the proposal generally with the aim of reducing substantially the amount of land required for this purpose.
We have made no such proposal. Under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, the notification of sites of special scientific interest is the responsibility of the Nature Conservancy Council.
Welsh Language
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy regarding the consideration of the effect of planning decisions on the Welsh language in predominantly Welsh-speaking areas.
Planning decisions are taken in the light of all material considerations. The particular character of a community, one manifestation of which may be the extent to which it is Welsh-speaking, can be a material consideration for this purpose.
Mentally Handicapped Persons
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the financial allocation to health authorities in Wales for the care of the mentally handicapped in 1979–80 ; and what it will be for the year 1980–81.
Health authorities in Wales receive comprehensive allocations for all their services. It is not possible separately to identify within these allocations the sums available for the care of the mentally handicapped.
Basic Slag And Lime
asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many tons of basic slag were used by farmers in Wales in 1979 ; what were the corresponding figures for the previous five years ; and if he will make a statement ;(2) how many tons of lime were used by farmers in Wales in 1979 ; what were the corresponding figures for the previous five years ; and if he will make a statement.
Information on the use of lime and basic slag is not available.
Green Pound
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what advantages have accrued to livestock producers in Wales from the present level of the green pound ; and if he will make a statement.
Since the Government took office a year ago, three devaluations of the green pound, together with the increased strength of sterling, have eliminated substantial monetary compensatory refunds previously paid to importers, allowing the United Kingdom livestock industries to compete with farmers in other EEC countries on much more equitable terms. Support prices for milk products, beef and pigmeat have increased and the ceiling for hill livestock compensatory allowances has been raised.
Community Health Councils
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many hours of voluntary work are given by members of community health councils in Wales ; what is his assessment of the importance of such voluntary work ; and if he will make a statement.
The number of hours contributed by members of community health councils is not recorded centrally, but the total is undoubtedly very substantial. I greatly value the time and effort given by all those who undertake voluntary work for the NHS.
Leasehold Reform
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce a separate bill abolishing leasehold in Wales.
No.
Roads (White Paper)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he intends to publish a roads White Paper for Wales equivalent to Cmnd. 7908 for England.
I will present a statement to Parliament shortly.
Education And Scdznce
Schools Council (Curriculum)
5.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he plans to meet the Schools Council to discuss the school curriculum; and if he will make a statement.
My noble Friend the Minister of State expects to meet representatives of the Schools Council later this month. This is one of the series of consultative meetings on my proposals for a framework for the school curriculum, and it would not be appropriate for me to comment in detail while the consultations are still in progress.
Burnham Committee
9.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will arrange a meeting with the president of the Professional Association of Teachers to discuss representation on the Burnham committee.
My Department is undertaking a review of the membership of the Burnham primary and secondary committee. Without prejudice to the outcome of that review, I will be meeting the president and other representatives of the association when I address its annual conference on 1 August.
Overseas Students
13.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give his estimate of the number of overseas students at universities and polytechnics in the academic year 1980–81.
It is estimated that some 26,000 overseas students now at universities and polytechnics in Great Britain will continue their present courses in 1980–81. No reliable estimate can be made about the number of overseas students beginning courses after 1 September.
Students (Non-Advanced Further Education)
14.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what expansion, if any, in student numbers in non-advanced further education he foresees over the next four years.
Because of the importance which the Government attach to the supply of trained manpower for industry and commerce, provision for home students in non-advanced further education is planned to increase until 1981–82 and then remain at that higher level. Enrolments of home students are expected to increase by about 10 per cent. by 1983–84.
Redundant Steel Workers
17.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, having regard to the reply of the hon. Member for Cardiff, North-West (Mr. Roberts), Official Report, 7 May, what plans he has to allow the qualifications in engineering, mathematics and science of those steel workers about to be made redundant from the industry to be utilised in the education professions.
My right hon. and learned Friend will be glad to grant qualified teacher status to such people on the satisfactory completion of the education and training necessary to enable them to attain the standard for entry to the teaching profession.
Maintained Secondary School Places
18.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current percentage of maintained secondary school places in England and Wales organised on comprehensive lines.
Information about the number of school places is not collected by my Department, but in January 1979, the latest date for which figures are available, some 86 per cent. of pupils in maintained secondary schools in England attended comprehensive schools. Information about schools in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Village Primary Schools
19.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied with the educational standards in small village primary schools.
The standards of education achieved by village primary schools can be as good as those achieved in urban areas. However, each school has to be assessed on its merits.
Teachers (Pay)
20.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of the negotiations on teachers' pay.
34.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the current state of negotiations on teachers' pay.
47.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the mistake made by the Clegg Commission in calculating the comparability award for teachers is to be rectified in the present negotiations for the 1980 teachers' wage award.
The Burnham committees in England and Wales has taken note of the error reported by the Standing Commission, but has confirmed that formal agreements were reached following the Standing Commission's original recommendations. The management panels have accordingly reduced their offers for further increases from 1 April 1980 from 13 per cent. to 9.2 per cent. in order to rectify the situation. The teachers have not accepted these offers and the differences between the two sides have been referred to arbitration.
42.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will investigate changes in the future system of teacher remuneration.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Garston (Mr. Thornton).
Young Children (Teaching Of Reading)
21.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures have been taken at the colleges of education to improve the teaching of reading for young children since the Bullock report was published.
Evidence available through Her Majesty's Inspectorate suggests that the great majority of teacher training institutions have taken the Bullock report very seriously indeed. The teaching of language, including reading, now forms a substantial element in the training of primary school teachers.
School Milk
22.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of local education authorities provide milk at a reduced price with the aid of European Economic Community funds for this purpose.
Although complete information is not available, it is understood that something like half the LEA's in England are continuing to provide free milk to the 5 and 6-year-old group of children. Many of the other authorities are continuing to provide free milk to limited categories of pupils, such as children at special schools.
54.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities are now no longer providing milk for infant and primary schoolchildren, following the Education Act 1980.
On the basis of informal information available to the Department, about 45 local education authorities are understood to have discontinued the provision of free milk for 5 and 6 year old schoolchildren as a group.
Teachers (Assessment Of Performance)
23.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the proposal of the Professional Association of Teachers that the performance of all teaching staff, including head teachers, should be assessed triennially.
I have been interested to see this proposal, which would be for discussion initially between the local authorities and the teachers' representatives.
School Equipment And Buildings
24.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will review the law in relation to the ownership of school equipment and buildings provided and paid for by voluntary effort and not out of public funds.
I am not aware that the law as it stands presents any major problems and I have no present plans to review it.
Secondary School (Burgess Hill)
25.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has received for an additional secondary school in the Burgess Hill area.
No proposal under section 13 of the Education Act 1944 has been received from the West Sussex local education authority for an additional secondary school in the Burgess Hill area.
Maintained Grammar Schools
26.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many maintained grammar schools there are now in England and Wales.
In January 1979, the latest date for which information is available, there were 254 maintained grammar schools in England. Information about schools in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Flowers Report
27.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the Flowers report about teaching at medical schools.
My right hon. and learned Friend has received six such representations. Decisions on the recommendations of the Flowers report are, however, for the University of London.
Specialist Teachers (Salaries)
29.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will seek to introduce differential salaries to teachers in priority specialist subjects.
Any such proposal would be for consideration by the Burn-ham committee.
Comprehensive Schools (Briault Report)
28.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received the report by Dr. Eric Briault suggesting fewer but larger comprehensive schools; and what response his Department has made.
I have received a copy of "Falling Rolls in Secondary Schools", which is the first part of Professor Briault's report of a research project commissioned by my Department, and am considering his findings.
Mixed Ability Teaching
30.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has received from the inspectorate on the value or otherwise of mixed ability teaching in secondary schools.
Her Majesty's Inspectorate published a discussion document in 1978, based on a survey of mixed ability work in comprehensive schools—HMI series : Matters for Discussion No. 6. There are also numerous references to mixed ability teaching in "Aspects of Secondary Education in England" which was published in December 1979. Both reports are available in the Library.
Biotechnology
31.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will invite the Science Research Council, Agricultural Research Council, Medical Research Council and Natural Environment Research Council to set up a joint committee for biotechnology.
This proposal is contained in one of the recommendations of the report on biotechnology of a joint working party of the advisory council for applied research and development, the advisory board for the research councils and the Royal Society. The Government are still considering this report.
School Leavers
33.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to ensure that increased numbers of young people stay on at school or enter further education as an alternative to unemployment.
45.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to increase the number of young people remaining in full-time education after 16 years of age.
The decision to remain in full-time education after the minimum school-leaving age must be for young people themselves to make. Together with representatives of local education authorities, we are currently reviewing the educational provision that is made for young people with a view to ensuring that it meets their needs and expectations.
Measurement Teaching
32.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make an assessment of the extra costs arising from teaching children in both imperial and metric forms of measurement.
No. My Department does not have information in a form that would make such an assessment possible.
Schools (Indoor Toilet Facilities)
35.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to provide indoor toilet facilities for all schoolchildren in the county of Derbyshire.
It is for the Derbyshire education authority to decide how much of its annual school building allocation should be spent on providing indoor toilet facilities. The White Paper on public expenditure—Cmnd. No. 7841—allows for school building improvement programmes in each year from 1981–82 to 1983–84 to be nearly half as much again as the programme of £12 million starts already announced for 1980–81.
Polytechnics (Finance)
37.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he proposes to take to apportion the finance for polytechnics in future years.
Future arrangements for the financing of higher education in the maintained sector, including the polytechnics, are now under discussion with the local authorities and other interests concerned.
Education Act 1980
36.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his timetable for the implementation of the various sections of the Education Act 1980.
I am sending the hon. Member a copy of my Department's circular 1/80, which sets out how the various sections of the Act will be brought into force.
History Teachers
38.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many people currently attending teacher training colleges are training to teach history.
In the academic year 1977–78, the latest year for which complete information is available, 2,814 non-graduate students in England and Wales were studying history as a main subject in three- and four-year courses of initial training in preparation for teaching pupils in the secondary or middle years of schooling. Of the total, 587 were first year students, the majority of whom will now be in the third year of the course.In addition the following numbers of history graduates are in the current academic year undertaking one-year postgraduate courses of training for teaching the subject to pupils of secondary age :
| In university departments of education | 510 |
| In non-university institutions | 420 |
Teachers (Conditions Of Service)
39.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made in the negotiations over the conditions of service of teachers.
Those negotiations, between the Council of Local Education Authorities and the teachers' associations, are still in progress. I hope that progress will be steady and will prove constructive and beneficial to the education service.
Warnock Report
40.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made towards implementing the recommendations of the Warnock report.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Caernarvon (Mr. Wigley) on 16 May—[Vol. 984, c. 679.]
Mathematics Teaching
41.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in his consideration of the curriculum, he will hold discussions with local authorities about ways of improving the standard of the teaching of mathematics in schools.
The Government's proposals for a framework for the school curriculum emphasise the importance of mathematics throughout the period of compulsory education. They have been discussed with the local authority associations and other bodies, and after consultations have been completed my right hon. and learned Friend intends to issue guidance to the education service. He will also be taking account of the advice of the Cockcroft committee of inquiry into the teaching of mathematics in schools, which hopes to report around the end of this year.
Pupil-Teacher Ratios
43.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current pupil-teacher ratio in Cambridgeshire ; and what is that ratio (a) in East Anglia, and (b) in the rest of England.
The overall pupil-teacher ratios for maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in January 1979, the latest date for which actual ratios are available, were 19.1:1 for Cambridgeshire, 19.5:1 for East Anglia and 18.9:1 for England. For England, the estimated ratio for January 1980 is 18.7:1.
55.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the pupil-teacher ratio in secondary and primary schools, respectively, in England and Wales for the academic year 1979–80; and what his forecast is for 1980–81.
The only estimates available for 1979–80 and 1980–81 are of the overall pupil-teacher ratios for maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools combined. These ratios are expected to be 18.7:1 and 18.8:1 respectively in 1979–80 and 1980–81 compared with 18.9:1 in 1978–79, the latest year for which full information is available. In 1978–79 the separate ratios for qualified teachers only within primary and in secondary schools in that year were 23.1:1 and 16.7:1. These ratios are for England. Information for Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Day Of Action
44.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what effect, if any, the strike of 14 May had on pupils taking public examinations; and what arrangements had been made to assist any pupils adversely affected.
No significant difficulties have been reported to the Department. The responsibility for deciding upon appropriate action lay with the individual examining boards. Some examinations were rescheduled, but the majority took place as planned. Any case of genuine hardship will be sympathetically considered by the boards.
49.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the effect on schools of the strike on 14 May.
50.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the number of teachers who withdrew their labour, and of how many continued to work on 14 May.
A sample survey on 14 May of 35 local education authorities in England showed that the majority of schools in these areas were operating normally. Some 180 schools (of which 165 were in the area of one local education authority) were closed wholly or for part of the day. It follows that most teachers were working, but no details are available in my Department.
School Leaving Dates
48.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy with regard to allowing greater flexibility for school leaving dates.
My right hon. and learned Friend is considering, against the background of high unemployment, whether the school leaving arrangements need to be amended so as to introduce a degree of flexibility. He has to weigh the merits of permitting early leaving where a job, an apprenticeship or other training is available against the consequent disruption of final year courses in the secondary schools. Any change would require new legislation, for which there are no immediate plans.
Education Budget
46.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what effect the Clegg Commission rise in teachers' salaries for the last year and the pay negotiations for the current year will have on the rest of the education budget.
This is unpredictable, since the pay claims for the current year from the teachers of England and Wales are now being referred to arbitration. Local education authorities will have to take account of all pay and price increases in planning the deployment of their resources.
Adult Education
51.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what have been the reductions in local authority expenditure and that of his Department, respectively, in adult education for each of the years 1980–81 and 1981–82.
The Government's expenditure plans assume that current expenditure by local authorities on adult education in England will fall below the level of spending in 1978–79 by £12½ million in the financial year 1980–81 (which includes only part of the academic year 1980–81) and by £17 million in 1981–82. It is hoped that these reductions can be achieved by an increase in fees rather than a reduction in the number of adults benefiting from provision. Provision has been made for spending by my Department on grants to various bodies, including the establishment of the adult literacy and basic skills unit, to be increased by about £1 million in 1980–81 and 1981–82.
Schools (Sale To Church Of England)
52.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many State schools have (a) been sold or (b) are in the process of being sold to the Church of England as a prelude to becoming Church schools during the year May 1979 to May 1980.
Two proposals for the sale of county school premises to diocesan education authorities are currently being considered by my right hon. and learned Friend. In addition, two such sales which were approved before May 1979 have still to be completed.
Shop Stewards (Training Grant)
53.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will discontinue the payment of grant-aid to the Trades Union Congress for the training of shop stewards.
As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State announced in a written reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Knutsford (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) on 13 February—[Vol. 978, c. 650]—£1·674 million has been offered to the TUC jointly by my Department and the Department of Employment as grant-aid towards eligible expenditure by the TUC and affiliated trade unions on trade union education and training during the present financial year.No decision has yet been taken about grant for future years.
Educational Disadvantage
56.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many further representations he has had since he announced his decision recently to close the Centre for Advice and Information on Educational Disadvantage.
Since my announcement on 6 May, I have received 12 letters about the closure of CED.
Truancy
57.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has about the current levels of truancy in the Inner London Education Authority.
The Department does not require local education authorities to supply statistical information of this sort on a regular basis, and I have no current figures for ILEA.
Industry
Foreign Companies (Unfair Practices)
asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many industries have complained about unfair competition and unfair undercutting of prices by foreign companies; what is the approximate number of complaints he has received on this subject; what action he is taking to assist the victims of such unfair practices; and if he will make a statement.
The hon. Member's question refers to complaints about major competition and unfair undercutting of prices. The most common examples of these are complaints about dumping. In this regard I refer the hon. Member to the replies to his questions on this subject which he has today received from my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Trade. There are, of course, complaints about other unfair practices which are brought to the attention of the Department of Industry, but I am unable to provide a summary of their extent and the kind of action taken in response to them without incurring disproportionate expense.
Regional Development Grants
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will now extend the 1 August deadline for projects seeking regional development grants in cases where shortage of special steel parts will prevent completion by the deadline.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 21 May 1980.—[Vol. 985, c. 238.]
Small Firms (European Investment Bank Loan Facilities)
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what he is doing to publicise loan facilities available from the European Investment Bank for small firms in assisted areas.
I take every opportunity to explain the loan facilities available from both the European Investment Bank and the European Coal and Steel Community when talking to small businessmen or their professional advisers about individual projects or the wide range of measures the Government has taken to help small firms. In addition, I have recently written about EIB loans to the hon. Member and to a number of other hon. Members with constituencies covering assisted areas with the intention that they should make the availability of EIB loans more widely known. I propose to let the hon. Member have full information about ECSC loans so that he can also publicise these opportunities which are now available.
Redundancy Payments
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the average level of redundancy payments to each man made redundant at every steel plant in the United Kingdom enforcing redundancies since 3 May 1979.
I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
National Enterprise Board
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the Official Report a complete list of all the shareholdings of the National Enterprise Board, the number and type of shares held, the percentage of the total equity this represents, the total cost of the shares, the principal business activity of each company and, where appropriate, the market value of the shares as at 31 May.
[pursuant to his reply, 9 June 1980]: In my reply of 20 February last—[Vol. 979, c. 160–66]—I gave a full list of the board's shareholdings as at 31 January 1980. The following items should be deleted from this list : British Tanners Products Ltd.; Mayflower Packaging Ltd.; Pakmet International Ltd.; Sinclair Radionics Ltd.; Technical Resources (Equipment) Ltd.; Vicort of London Ltd. and R. R. Chapman (Sub Sea Surveys) Ltd.; and the items in the attached table should be added to show the position at 31 May 1980.The business activities of all the board's companies are set out in the board's annual report and accounts 1979; a copy is in the Library.
Company
| Number and description of shares held by NEB
| Percentage of nominal value of total equity
| Cost £'000 | Stock Exchange quotation (closing price 31 May) | |||||
| Barlin Consumer Products Ltd | … | … | … | 50,000 | £1 | redeemable preference | not equity | 50 | |
| Barrow Hepburn Ltd | … | … | … | 1,000,000 | 25p | ordinary | 4·1 | 450 | 35p |
| Baviscrown Ltd | … | … | … | 155,000 | £1 | ordinary | 92·4 | 155 | |
| 400,000 | £1 | redeemable preference | not equity | 400 | |||||
| BL Ltd | … | … | … | 2,193,404,996 | 50p | ordinary | 99·4 | 1,219,948 | 18p |
| Brown Boveri Kent Ltd | … | … | … | 10,856,585 | 25p | ordinary | 20·0 | 3,293 | 31p |
| British Underwater | … | … | … | 183,674 | £1 | ordinary | 185 | ||
| Engineering Ltd | … | … | … | 6,035,326 | £1 | redeemable preference | 90·0 | 6,035 | |
| Data Recording Instrument Co Ltd | … | … | … | 14,290,000 | £1 | ordinary | 100·0 | 14,343 | |
| 1,000,000 | £1 | redeemable preference | not equity | 1,000 | |||||
| Ferranti Ltd | … | … | … | 10,666,666 | 50p | ordinary | 50·0 | 6,933 | 495p |
| Inmos International Ltd | … | … | … | 1,850,000 | 5p | ordinary | 61·3 | 93 | |
| 1,025,000 | £20 | preferred ordinary | not equity | 20,500 | |||||
| Insac Group Ltd | … | … | … | 8,600,000 | £1 | ordinary | 100·0 | 8,600 | |
| James Howorth & Co. (Holdings) Ltd | … | … | … | 12,000 | £1 | 'B' ordinary | 21·4 | 36 | |
| 80,000 | £1 | redeemable preference | not equity | 80 | |||||
| Microform Communications | … | … | … | 358,211 | £1 | ordinary | 35·0 | 310 | |
| International Ltd | … | … | … | 260,000 | £1 | redeemable preference | not equity | 260 | |
| Nexos Office systems Ltd | … | … | … | 155,990 | £1 | ordinary | 156 | ||
| 9,100,000 | £1 | redeemable preference | 78·0 | 9,100 | |||||
| Technalogics Computing Ltd | … | … | … | 4,000 | £1 | ordinary | 40·0 | 4 | |
| 40,000 | £1 | redeemable preference | not equity | 40 | |||||
British Tanners Limited
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total amount lent by the National Enterprise Board to British Tanners Products Limited; what was the total amount lent by third parties to British Tanners Products and guaranteed by the National Enterprise Board; and what is the total amount of financial assistance provided to British Tanners Products by the National Enterprise Board, prior to the receivership of the former.
The board's annual report and accounts 1979 show that before the company went into receivership the board had subscribed £2 million for its shares and lent it £2.5 million. Guarantees of loans to the company by third parties are a matter for the board.
Scotland
Colleges Of Education (Use Of Facilities)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details for each college of education in Scotland of the present use of its facilities by other bodies; and what additional use is in prospect.
Details are as in the following table :
Colleges of Education and Principal User of Surplus Accommodation
Aberdeen
Robert Gordon's Institute of Technology (Department of Business Management Studies): from the start of the 1980–81 academic session
Callendar Park
Forth Valley Health Board (College of Nurse Training and Midwifery): since September 1979
Craigie
Ayr Technical College (Department of Accounting and Business Administration) : since September 1977
Craiglockhart
Napier College of Commerce and Technology : since September 1978
Dundee
None. Decisions will be taken in the light inter alia of the report (expected soon) of a working group on facilities for non-university tertiary education in the Dundee area
Dunfermline
No surplus accommodation at present
Hamilton
Strathclyde Regional Council (Teachers' Resource Centre): since August 1979
Jordanhill
Property outwith the main campus is being used by Strathclyde Regional Council and by the Education Resource Unit of the Youth Opportunities Programme. (Other surplus accommodation in the form of hutted accommodation has been dismantled.)
Moray House
Scottish Council for Research in Education : since April 1980. (Some property outwith the main campus will also be given up shortly.)
Notre Dame
Scottish Council for Educational Technology : in occupation of the Dowanhill campus since March 1980
In addition, surplus residential accommodation in most of the colleges has been made available to students at other institutions. I shall be considering the use of any further surplus accommodation in the light of my current review of the college of education system as a whole.
Community Health Councils
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hours of voluntary work are given by members of community health councils in Scotland; what is his assessment of the importance of such voluntary work; and if he will make a statement.
I have not thought it desirable to add to the work of health service administrators by asking for returns showing the number of hours of voluntary work given by members of local health councils. The future of these councils is being examined as part of our consideration of the NHS in Scotland following the consultative document "The Structure and Management of the NHS in Scotland".
Transport
Containers And Pallets
asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made by his Department in evaluating the performance in service of self-demounting containers and pallets which could assist road and rail interchange ; when he expects to publish a report on this work ; and what other studies are being carried out on techniques of inter-modal transfer.
The Transport and Road Research Laboratory has recently completed technical studies of self-demounting containers and container-carrying pallets. These have included demonstrations of prototype equipment. A report is being prepared for publication before the end of this year.In a research and development pro gramme jointly funded by this Department British Rail is investigating various potential means of container transfer.
Foster Committee
asked the Minister of Transport when he will announce his decisions on the recommendations contained
| HEAVY GOODS VEHICLE TRAFFIC ON THE Ml, 16-HOUR FRIDAY FLOWS | ||||||
| Junction 9–10 | Junction 25–26 | Junction 36–37 | ||||
| April 1979 | … | … | … | 18,238 | 10,501 | 8,902 |
| May 1979 | … | … | … | 18,559 | 9,923 | 9,871 |
| June 1979 | … | … | … | 15,585 | 10,234 | 8,762 |
| July 1979 | … | … | … | 16,985 | 8,468 | 9,379 |
| August 1979 | … | … | … | 13,288 | 8,972 | 7,042 |
| September 1979 | … | … | … | 16,786 | 9,538 | 9,283 |
| October 1979 | … | … | … | 17,249 | 9,985 | 9,605 |
| November 1979 | … | … | … | 17,547 | 9,968 | 9,007 |
| December 1979 | … | … | … | 18,136 | 10,171 | 9,685 |
| January 1980 | … | … | … | 15,220 | 9,203 | 7,841 |
| February 1980 | … | … | … | 17,034 | 8,920 | 6,875 |
| March 1980 | … | … | … | 17,107 | 9,343 | 8,353 |
Driving Tests
asked the Minister of Transport what now is the average waiting time for driving tests ; and what measures he is taking to reduce it.
On 23 May the average waiting period for driving tests was 26½ weeks ; last November it was 28 weeks. It is still far too long, but we are having to cope with the previous Administration's failure to employ enough examiners. My right hon. Friend and I are determined to reduce the backlog : since we took office, we have recruited over 300 new examiners, and further recruitment should steadily reduce waiting periods in future.
Roads Programme Policy
asked the Minister of Transport if he will correct the reply given, Official Report, 19 March, column 404, by the Parliamentary Secretary to the supplementary question by the hon. Members for Holborn and St. Paneras,
tained in the November 1978 report of the Foster committee ; and what is the reason for the delay.
I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bebington and Ellesmere Port (Mr. Porter) on 6 June.—[Vol. 985, c. 849.]
M1 (Heavy Lorries)
asked the Minister of Transport what have been the numbers of heavy lorries using any section of the Ml for each of the last 52 weeks.
Traffic on motorways is not counted for every week of the year. The following monthly information is available.South referring to the effect of the House of Lords decision in the case of Bushell and Brant that roads programme policy cannot be challenged at public inquiries.
Certainly. As I told the hon. Member when I wrote to him on 6 May I misheard the reference to "roads programme policy" in his supplementary question. His reference was in fact correct. The House of Lords decision in Bushell and Brunt confirmed the long-standing practice that national roads programme policy cannot be challenged at a public inquiry although its application to the particular scheme and traffic problems are very much an important subject of any inquiry. I welcome this opportunity to put the record straight, and to apologise for the misunderstanding.
Cyclists
asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement as to how many applications his Department has received from local authorities to erect the non-prescribed signs and signals described in Note 1/78 "Ways of Helping Cyclists in Built-up Areas" ; and whether he will list (a) those applications which have been refused, specifying the type of sign or signal, (b) the authority making the application and (c) the grounds of each refusal.
Sixteen applications have been received from local authorities since January 1978. Eleven have been authorised, in some cases incorporating modifications in the authorities' proposals discussed and agreed with them. Two have been agreed in principle and will be authorised as soon as the authorities make the enabling traffic regulation orders, and the other three are currently under discussion with the authorities concerned. None has been refused.
Employment
Corby
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the Corby travel-to-work area in terms of parishes.
The Corby travel-to-work area consists of the Corby employment office area, which is made up of the following civil parishes :(1) The District of Corby consisting of :CorbyCottinghamEast CarltonGrettonMiddletonRockinghamStanionWeldon(2) The following Civil Parishes in the District of East Northamptonshire :
| Apethorpe | Lilford-cumWigsthorpe |
| Ashton | |
| Barnwell | Luddington |
| Benefleld | Lutton |
| Blatherwycke | Nassington |
| Brigstoke | Oundle |
| Bulwick | Pilton |
| Cotterstock | Polebrook |
| Deene | Southwick |
| Deenethorpe | Stoke Doyle |
| Fineshade | Tansor |
| Fotheringhay | Thurning |
| Glapthorn | Wakerley |
| Harringworth | Warmington |
| Hemington | Wood Newton |
| King's Cliffe | Yarwell |
| Laxton |
Family Incomes
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing, for a married man with two children and on average earnings, how many times net earnings in the relevant year was the cost of (a) an 1100cc Ford Escort motor car or equivalent and (b) an average priced three-bedroomed family home, for each year since 1964, and in each of the following countries : the United States of America, Japan, France, Austria, West Germany, East Germany and Czechoslovakia.
I regret that there are too many imponderables and difficulties in such comparisons for me to provide the information except at disproportionate cost.
Labour Attachés
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry about the role of labour attachés generally and in South Africa in particular.
None.
Manpower Services Commission
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to prevent any further cuts in financial assistance to the Manpower Services Commission ; and if he will make a statement.
Decisions on the funds to be made available to the Manpower Services Commission will continue to be taken within the framework of our general policy on public expenditure and in the light of our assessment of the need for the programmes administered by the commission.
Disabled Persons
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what follow-up action is taken by the Manpower Services Commission to make sure that disabled people who are given assistance to work are given continual support, aid and advice ; and if he will make a statement.
I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that disablement resettlement officers (DROs) are instructed to follow-up the first placing into work after disablement and those cases which involve special difficulty or where there is some doubt over the suitability of the employment, or where special arrangements have to be made with the employer, for example over hours of work, or where the disabled person has been assisted under one of the MSC's special schemes. In addition, all disabled people are encouraged at the time of placing to consult the DRO whenever they have an employment problem and need further advice or assistance.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many severely disabled persons are supplied with equipment to enable them to work ; and if he will make a statement.
I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that precise information on the number of severely disabled people supplied with equipment is not available, but in the year ended 31 March 1980 830 items of equipment were loaned, free of charge, under the special aids to employment scheme, to disabled people to assist them in their employment, 787 aids were issued in 1979 and 669 in 1978.During the last few years the special aids to employment scheme has been steadily developed. The advances in technology have made available a greater variety of sophisticated electronic aids, which can be issued when needed to certain disabled people.
Heavy Weights (Lifting)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what experience J. F. Peterie, P. J. Arscott and D. Friggens have of the lifting of heavy weights in industry ; and whether any member of the Confederation of British Industry/Trades Union Congress working party has either medical experience or qualifications or any knowledge of ergonomics.
As I told the hon. Member in my written reply on 28 January 1980—[Vol. 977, c. 557]—the Health and Safety Commission decided to set up a working party to advise it on the formulation of general guidance for those responsible for designing work systems and for supervising work.Nominees to the working party were sought from both sides of industry and there is no reason to doubt the experience and competence of those nominated from either side to carry out this task.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were considered for membership of the working party on the lifting of heavy weights.
The Health and Safety Commission imposed no specific limitations on the number of members of its working party on manual lifting. It is not known how many persons were considered by the CBI and TUC for membership of the working group.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the Royal College of Nursing or any other nursing organisation, the Back Pain Association, the International Labour Office or any other body closely associated with back lifting problems were asked to nominate members to the working party on the lifting of heavy weights.
Only the CBI and TUC were invited by the Health and Safety Commission to nominate members to the working party which is to reexamine the draft proposals for regulations and guidance on manual lifting prepared by the Health and Safety Executive.However, various interested bodies, including the Royal College of Nursing and the Back Pain Association, were consulted informally during the preparation of the draft proposals.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions have been instituted or improvement notices and prohibition notices issued in respect of breaches of section 72 of the Factories Act 1961 during 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979.
No prosecutions were instituted for breaches of section 72 of the Factories Act 1961—lifting excessive weights—during the years 1975 to 1979. No prohibition notices were issued in respect of breaches of section 72 in the same period, but improvement notices were issued as follows :
| 1975 | Nil |
| 1976 | 2 |
| 1977 | 1 |
| 1978 (provisional) | Nil |
asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether any members of the working party on the lifting of heavy weights were obtained through advertising the vacancies ; if not, what method of selection was used ; and whether the present composition of three members each from the Trades Union Congress and Confederation of British Industry is expected to produce a result different from that achieved by the Health and Safety Commission.
The Health and Safety Commission has decided that the draft proposals for regulations and guidance on manual lifting prepared by the Health and Safety Executive should be reexamined by a working party from industry. Accordingly nominations to the working party were sought only from the CBI and TUC.I cannot anticipate the conclusions of the working party.
Health And Safety
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of likely increases in factory accidents and consequential days lost in industrial injury following the implementation of the proposed 6 per cent. cut in staff costs between 1979–80 and 1982–83 in the Health and Safety Executive.
None, and no useful estimate could be made.
Chief Inspector Of Factories (Reports)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the Health and Safety Executive expects to publish the 1978 and 1979 reports of the Chief Inspector of Factories ; and why the publication of these reports has been delayed so long.
The manufacturing and services industries 1978 report is being printed and publication is expected in July. Some of the statistical information needed for the report did not become available until this year. It is expected that the 1979 report will be published in the last quarter of this year.
Health And Safety Executive
asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what staff levels the Health and Safety Executive proposes for the hazardous installations group ; and whether this will be achieved before the notification scheme comes into force in 1982–83 ;(2) on what basis the Health and Safety Executive deals with planning applications ; how long it is taking to process these applications ; what effect the proposed cuts in staff will have ; and if he will ensure that all hazard assessments are examined thoroughly.
I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Factory Inspectorate
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ensure that whatever cuts are made in the staff costs of the Health and Safety Executive the present strength of the field inspectorate of the Factory Inspectorate is not reduced.
The implications of cuts in staff-related expenditure have not yet been determined.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide the percentage of factory inspections carried out by the field inspectorate of the Factory Inspectorate as a total of all inspections.
It is estimated that, of the routine inspections carried out by the general inspectorate field force of Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate, 67 per cent. are paid to workplaces which are factories as defined in the Factories Act 1961 ; and 33 per cent. to construction sites, loading and unloading work at docks, ships under repair and other workplaces subject to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. A substantial part of the time of inspectors is spent on other work such as investigating accidents, responding to requests for advice, and records are not kept in a form on which a similar estimate for this work could be based.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the figures for the Factory Inspectorate and support staff under the following headings (a) the field inspectorate, (b) specialist inspectors and scientists in the field, (c) specialist consultants at headquarters, (d) executive and clerical support staff in the field and (e) chief inspector headquarters.
On 1 April 1980 1,900 professional and support staff were in post in the Factory Inspectorate. There are 1,667 staff in the field force, which includes 156 specialist inspectors and scientists and 846 executive and clerical support staff. In the chief inspector's headquarters there are 233 staff, including 105 specialist consultants.
European Community (Labour And Social Affairs Council)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what discussions he has had at the EEC Labour and Social Affairs Council on the Commission communication guidelines for a Community labour marketing policy ; and if he will make a statement ;(2) what discussions he has had at the EEC Labour and Social Affairs Council concerning industrial health and safety, equal rights and illegal immigration ; and if he will make a statement.
I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
National Dock Labour Board
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the annual cost of maintaining the National Dock Labour Board.
The most recent annual report of the National Dock Labour Board, which relates to the 12-month period to December 1978, shows that in that year the board spent £3·7 million in discharging its statutory functions. The board's activities were financed by a levy on registered employers, except for the remuneration of the chairman and vice-chairman, which were paid by my Department and totalled £12,033.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the annual cost of maintaining the service of the National Dock Labour Board in the port of Rochester.
I have no information about the distribution of the board's expenses between individual ports. The rate of the board's administration levy in each port is currently 3½ per cent. of the gross wage bill in respect of registered dock workers.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set up an independent review of the structure and finance of the National Dock Labour Board.
Following its reconstitution in 1977, the National Dock Labour Board consists of an independent chairman, vice-chairman and four members appointed by my right hon. Friend after consultation with the Confederation of British Industry, Trades Union Congress and National Joint Council for the Port Transport Industry, as well as eight members appointed on the nomination of the National Joint Council. The board is required by clause 21(6) of the dock workers employment scheme 1967 and paragraph 12 of schedule 1 to the Dock Work Regulation Act 1976 to present an annual report and audited statement of account to the Secretary of State. I see no need for an independent review, but will consider any point my hon. Friend may wish to raise with me.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to abolish the National Dock Labour Board.
No.
Pay Increases
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table of rates of increase of pay compared for the following sectors since 3 May 1979 ; civil servants, local authority clerical workers, school teachers, including all Clegg awards, and workers in manufacturing industry.
[pursuant to his reply, 9 June 1980, c. 4] : The new series index of average earnings published monthly in the DE Gazette shows that average earnings for employees in manufacturing industries rose by 13·0 per cent. between May 1979 and March 1980, which is the latest available figure. The old series, which is seasonally adjusted, shows an increase of 14·3 per cent. for the same period. The other information required is not available to me.
Mr B Fox
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report his letter of 5 June to the hon. Member for Jarrow relating to the case of Mr. B. Fox.
Yes. The following is a copy of my letter :Thank you for your letter of 13 May enclosing a copy of one from Mr. B. Foy of 56 Jutland Avenue, Hebburn, who is concerned that I was mistaken in my statement in the House on 22 April about the existence of unfilled vacancies in British Rail in the North East.I have now been advised by the Employment Service Division of the Manpower Services Commission that British Rail have not recently notified any vacancies to ESD Employment Offices or Jobcentres in the Newcastle area, and I was clearly wrong to suggest otherwise.I was thinking in the House of correspondence which I have had in recent months with a British Railways Board Member who had expressed concern at the existence of significant staff shortages in areas of relatively high unemployment. He had mentioned British Rail's Newcastle Division specifically.It appears that British Rail's recruitment difficulties in their Newcastle Division have now eased and I apologise if my remarks to Giles Radice gave your constituent reason to believe that a job with British Rail might be in prospect.I am sending a copy of this correspondence to Giles Radice who raised the issue of unemployment in the North.
Northern Ireland
Housing Associations
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what pro- portion of the total financial income, including Government grants, is represented by the rental income for the years ending April 1978, 1979 and 1980, in respect of all registered housing associations in Northern Ireland ;(2) what was the total rental income of registered housing associations in Northern Ireland for the financial years ending April 1978, 1979 and 1980.
The accounting years of registered housing associations vary and the information sought by the hon. Member is not readily available in the form requested. I shall write to the hon. Member.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many housing associations in Northern Ireland charged rents at variance with the rent levels set by the Department of the Environment during the years ending April 1978, 1979 and 1980.
Registered housing associations are expected to charge rents equal to those which would be charged by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for similar accommodation in the same area.In the case of associations which, prior to registration, owned properties let at rents substantially lower than Housing Executive rents, increases may be phased over a period to bring the rent up to the equivalent Housing Executive level.All rents charged by registered housing associations are subject to annual review and approval by my Department. I am not aware of any association assessing or charging rents on any other basis.
Community Health Councils
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many hours of voluntary work are given by members of community health councils in Northern Ireland ; what assessment he has made of the importance of such voluntary work ; and if he will make a statement.
Information about the number of hours of voluntary work given by members of district committees in Northern Ireland—the equivalent of community health councils in England and Wales—is not readily available, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The future of district committees is currently under review in the light of evidence submitted in response to the consultative paper on the structure and management of health and personal social services in Northern Ireland and other relevant factors. The outcome of this review will be announced in due course.
Social Services
Homoeopathic Medicine
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has referred the question of homoeopathic medicine to the advisory group considering the future of London's hospitals.
No. I would expect the advisory group to be guided by the assurances that I and my predecessors have given about the homoeopathic services at the Royal London homoeopathic hospital.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which members of the advisory group recently appointed to consider the future of London's hospitals have a knowlege and understanding of homoeopathic medicine.
I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his other question today.
| TABLE 1 | |||||||
| NET WEEKLY SPENDING POWER (£) OF A SINGLE MOTHER, WITH TWO CHILDREN AGED 4 AND 6; RECEIVING SUPPLEMENTARY ALLOWANCE (SHORT TERM) AND EARNING £6 A WEEK | |||||||
| Supplementary allowance | Child benefits | Net earnings | Rent | Rates | Free school meals | Free welfare milk | Net weekly spending power |
| 31·95 | 10·50 | 6 | 8·20 | 3·55 | 2·25 | 1·16 | 40·11 |
| TABLE 2 | |||||||
| NET WEEKLY SPENDING POWER (£) OF A SINGLE MOTHER, WITH TWO CHILDREN AGED 4 AND 6; RECEIVING SUPPLEMENTARY ALLOWANCE (LONG TERM) AND EARNING £6 A WEEK | |||||||
| Supplementary allowance | Child benefits | Net earnings | Rent | Rates | Free school meals | Free welfare milk | Net weekly spending power |
| 37·35 | 10·50 | 6 | 8·20 | 3·55 | 2·25 | 1·16 | 45·51 |
The members of the group have been appointed because of the wide range of experience they bring to London's health services. I see no need for any further special representation on the group.
One-Parent Families
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update the reply given to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 30 October 1979, column 496, showing net weekly spending power for one-parent families at earnings of up to £105 per week compared with spending power from supplementary benefit, ordinary and long-term rates, and assuming work expenses of £15 a week.
The information requested is given in tables set out below. Table 3 shows the levels at which, on the basis of my hon. Friend's hypothetical assumptions including work expenses of £15 a week, there may no longer be title to means-tested benefits. My hon. Friend will appreciate that the figures relate only to the illustrative examples he has chosen.In the DHSS tax/benefit model tables showing net weekly spending power for a range of working families, it is assumed that work expenses are £3 a week. This is on the basis of information about the cost of fares to work to heads of households using public transport. As my hon. Friend knows, copies of the DHSS tax/benefit model tables will shortly be placed in the Library.
| TABLE 3 | ||||||||||||
| NET WEEKLY SPENDING POWER (£) OF A SINGLE MOTHER, WITH TWO CHILDREN AGED 4 AND 6, WORKING FULL-TIME WITH £15 WORK EXPENSES | ||||||||||||
Gross earnings
| Tax
| National insurance contribution
| Child benefits
| Family income supplement (FIS) | Rent rebate
| Rates rebate
| Work expenses
| Free school meals
| Free welfare milk
| Net weekly spending power
| ||
| 29·70* | … | … | — | 2·00 | 10·50 | 14·50 | 7·73 | 3 03 | 15·00 | 2·25 | 1·16 | 40·11 |
| 35·00 | … | … | — | 2·36 | 10·50 | 12·80 | 6·83 | 2·74 | 15·00 | 2·25 | 1·16 | 42·17 |
| 40·00 | … | … | — | 2·70 | 10·50 | 10·30 | 6·21 | 2·54 | 15·00 | 2·25 | 1·16 | 43·51 |
| 50·00 | … | … | 2·63 | 3·38 | 10·50 | 5·30 | 4·96 | 2·14 | 15·00 | 2·25 | 1·16 | 43·55 |
| 60·00 | … | … | 5·63 | 4·05 | 10·50 | 0·30 | 4·10 | 1·84 | 15·00 | 2·25 | 1·16 | 43·72 |
| 67·90† | … | … | 8·00 | 4·58 | 10·50 | — | 2·80 | 1·38 | 15·00 | 2·25‡ | — | 45·51 |
| 70·00 | … | … | 8·63 | 4·73 | 10·50 | — | 2·45 | 1·26 | 15·00 | 2·25 | — | 46·35 |
| 80·00 | … | … | 11·63 | 5·40 | 10·50 | — | 0·75 | 0·66 | 15·00 | 2·25 | — | 50·38 |
| 83·00 | … | … | 12·52 | 5·60 | 10·50 | — | 0·24 | 0·48 | 15·00 | 2·25 | — | 51·60 |
| 90·00 | … | … | 14·63 | 6·08 | 10·50 | — | — | 0·06 | 15·00 | 2·25 | — | 55·35 |
| 95·00 | … | … | 16·13 | 6·41 | 10·50 | — | — | — | 15·00 | 2·25 | — | 58·46 |
| 96·00 | … | … | 16·43 | 6·48 | 10·50 | — | — | — | 15·00 | — | — | 56·84 |
| 105·00 | … | … | 19·13 | 7·09 | 10·50 | — | — | — | 15·00 | — | — | 62·53 |
* Gross earnings needed to provide net weekly spending power equivalent to that available with supplementary allowance at ordinary rate, as m Table 1. | ||||||||||||
| † Gross earnings needed to provide net weekly spending power equivalent to that available with supplementary allowance at long-term rate, as in Table 2. | ||||||||||||
| ‡Statutory provision of free school meals ceases when title to FIS ceases. Local education authorities have discretion to allow free or cheap school meals to other children and this table illustrates the case where an authority continues to apply the November 1979 conditions for entitlement. | ||||||||||||
Family Incomes
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish tables for each of a single person and a married couple, on the same basis as his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 7 November 1979, column 213, comparing net weekly spending power when earning with net weekly spending power, including tax refunds, when sick, distinguishing between (a) civil servants, (b) wage and salary earners who have their sick benefit made up to full pay by their employers, (c) members of Her Majesty's Forces, (d) wage and salary earners who rely wholly on sickness benefit and (e) the self-employed, assuming previous earnings of £55, £75, £95, and £115 per week.
I regret that I could not justify the expense and the use of scarce staff resources which would be involved in supplying the information requested by my hon. Friend.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will publish a table, on the same basis as the reply given to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North Official Report. 7 November 1979, column 213, showing the effect on spending power for a single person, a married couple and a couple with two children of making benefits reckonable for tax, and of abolishing earnings-related supplement, assuming previous earnings of £45, £55 £65, £75, £85, £95 and £105, and illustrating the effects on the spending power of recipients of (a) unemployment benefit, (b) invalidity benefit, (c) widows pension and (d) supplementary benefit ;(2) if he will publish a table, using the same basic assumptions as in his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North
Official Report, 7 November 1979, column 213, comparing for each of a single person, a married couple, and couples with each of two and four children, net weekly spending power when at work with spending power during weeks, one two and three to eight of sickness ( a) under present legislation and ( b) assuming implementation of the arrangements proposed in "Income During Initial Sickness", assuming in each case (i) that the employees are
not at present covered by any employers' sick pay arrangements and (ii) that they have their sickness benefit made up to full pay by their employers, taking into account tax refunds and assuming normal weekly earnings of £55, £75, £95 and £115.
I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Ophthalmic Industry
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the manufacture and distribution of spectacles to patients, what is the present estimate of the range of profits being made by the manufacturers of lenses and frames by the prescription houses where lenses and frames are assembled, and by the opticians supplying the finished product to clients, respectively.
Information provided by manufacturers and prescription houses to assist the Department in reimbursing opticians reasonable costs for lenses and frames supplied under the general ophthalmic services is given in confidence and could not be published without a breach of this confidence. Opticians also obtain and supply spectacles to private patients and information on opticians' profits is not available.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to the report on the optical industry, in page 3 of conclusions and recommendations, that the profitability of this work is probably more than that of dispensing private spectacles, and the fact that volume of sales stimulating competition has not kept costs and prices down, if he will set up an investigation into the contact lens sector of the optical and ophthalmic industry.
No ; the report to which the hon. Member refers was published in 1976 and I am not aware that there is currently any distortion of cost and price levels in the contact lens sector of industry. Any investigation into anticompetitive practices would be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade.
Family Income Supplement
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many families are currently receiving family income supplement ; how many it is estimated will receive it after the November uprating ; and if he will break the figures down into one-parent and two-parent families.
In February 1980, the latest month for which figures are available, about 84,000 families were receiving family income supplement, of whom about 47,000 were one-parent families. In the year following the uprating next November, the average number receiving the benefit is forecast to be of the order of 95,000. It is not possible to forecast the precise proportion of one-parent families, but it is likely that it will still be over half.
Mobility Allowance
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to amend page 23 of his Department's leaflet "Which Benefit" in order to inform women between the ages of 60 and 65 years that from September 1979 they have been allowed to claim mobility allowance.
As the bulk of the current edition of "Which Benefit" (FB 2) has now been distributed to a wide variety of individual users, it would not be practical to issue an amendment slip.The forthcoming November 1980 edition of the leaflet FB2 makes clear that there is no distinction between the sexes in the age at which they may claim.
Homoeopathy (Liverpool)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement as to the appointing of a successor to the consultant physician in homoeopathy at hospitals in the Liverpool area health authority.
In my reply to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Edge Hill (Mr. Alton) on 20 May—[Vol. 985, c. 158–59]—I said that I had had discussions on 16 May with the chairman of Liverpool area health authority (teaching) about homoeopathy in the city. These discussions touched on the subject of the appointment of a consul]tant in homoeopathy. I was left in no doubt that the authority had experienced genuine difficulty in finding a suitably qualified person, but I was encouraged to learn that urgent steps are being taken to seek a satisfactory solution to the problem.
Diabetes
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, following the increasing availability of evidence that controlling blood sugar levels reduces the incidence and degree of both ophthalmic vascular and neurological complications in those suffering from diabetes, if he will take steps to provide people so afflicted, particularly in the younger age groups, with reliable instruments to measure their own blood sugar levels together with adequate teaching.
I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Wood Green (Mr. Race) on 29 April.—[Vol. 983, c. 442–43.]
Pensions
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will consider increasing State pensions from next November in line with the actual rate of inflation at the time rather than in line with the expected rise.
; This is not a practical proposition. The uprating of benefits for millions of people is a complex administrative task. It is therefore essential, if the proposed new rates are to be put into payment on time, for them to be determined and announced well in advance of the up-rating date. This can be done only on the basis of an estimate of the likely movement of prices over the period since the last up-rating date. The increases in retirement pensions proposed for November this year are expected to match the increase in prices since the uprating in November 1979.
Hospital Accommodation
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospital beds have been available for each year since 1950 ; and if he will break these figures down into their various uses, such as maternity, geriatric, and so on.
The average daily number of beds available in National Health Service hospitals in England since 1955, the earliest date for which figures are available, is as follows :
Date
| Medical
| Surgical (including Gynaecology) | Obstetrics and GP Maternity
| Geriatrics and Units for Younger Disabled
| Mental Illness
| Mental Handicap
| Other
| Total *
| |||||
| 1955 | … | … | … | … | … | 74,235 | 65,472 | 17,676 | 53,064 | 156,953 | 54,827 | 28,256 | 450,483 |
| 1956 | … | … | … | … | … | 76,010 | 73,657 | 18,161 | 52,832 | 150,218 | 53,661 | 26,140 | 450,680 |
| 1957 | … | … | … | … | … | 74,175 | 73,879 | 18,115 | 53,727 | 147,962 | 54,595 | 28,186 | 450,639 |
| 1958 | … | … | … | … | … | 72,633 | 74,580 | 18,136 | 54,208 | 147,200 | 55,234 | 28,605 | 450,596 |
| 1959 | … | … | … | … | … | 71,063 | 74,106 | 18,101 | 54,607 | 146,580 | 56,017 | 28,321 | 448,795 |
| 1960 | … | … | … | … | … | 69,407 | 75,259 | 18,513 | 55,146 | 144,090 | 57,204 | 28,722 | 448,341 |
| 1961 | … | … | … | … | … | 67,360 | 74,720 | 18,670 | 53,901 | 141,829 | 57,359 | 28,504 | 442,343 |
| 1962 | … | … | … | … | … | 66,309 | 75,619 | 18,929 | 54,230 | 138,951 | 57,509 | 28,769 | 440,316 |
| 1963 | … | … | … | … | … | 64,008 | 76,197 | 19 050 | 54,449 | 137,576 | 57,926 | 28,970 | 439,176 |
| 1964 | … | … | … | … | … | 63,923 | 76,257 | 19,431 | 54,719 | 136,490 | 58,514 | 29,075 | 438,409 |
| 1965 | … | … | … | … | … | 63,307 | 76,979 | 19,899 | 54,662 | 134,946 | 58,892 | 28,723 | 437,408 |
| 1966 | … | … | … | … | … | 62,600 | 77,143 | 20,213 | 54,855 | 132,629 | 58,849 | 28,557 | 434,846 |
| 1967 | … | … | … | … | … | 62,047 | 77,974 | 20,642 | 55,485 | 130,878 | 59,287 | 28,085 | 434,398 |
| 1968 | … | … | … | … | … | 60,809 | 78,129 | 21,408 | 55,748 | 128,559 | 59,464 | 28,023 | 432,140 |
| 1969 | … | … | … | … | … | 59,198 | 78,172 | 21,489 | 56,409 | 126,010 | 59,566 | 27,925 | 428,769 |
| 1970 | … | … | … | … | … | 59,125 | 81,258 | 21,976 | 57,205 | 123,219 | 58,983 | 21,858 | 423,624 |
| 1971 | … | … | … | … | … | 58,046 | 82,505 | 22,107 | 57,393 | 119,514 | 58,510 | 21,537 | 419,612 |
| 1972 | … | … | … | … | … | 57,171 | 82,439 | 21,989 | 57,663 | 114,496 | 57,477 | 21,429 | 412,664 |
| 1973 | … | … | … | … | … | 55,836 | 81,351 | 21,804 | 57,230 | 109,650 | 56,130 | 21,525 | 403,526 |
| 1974 | … | … | … | … | … | 55,062 | 81,503 | 21,670 | 56,526 | 104,410 | 55,186 | 21,872 | 396,235 |
| 1975 | … | … | … | … | … | 54,225 | 80,077 | 21,257 | 56,846 | 99,371 | 54,163 | 21,693 | 387,632 |
| 1976 | … | … | … | … | … | 53,700 | 80,648 | 20,659 | 57,249 | 96,688 | 53,116 | 21,072 | 383,132 |
| 1977 | … | … | … | … | … | 52,838 | 80,307 | 19,735 | 57,470 | 93,499 | 52,281 | 19,796 | 375,926 |
| 1978 | … | … | … | … | … | 51,829 | 79,105 | 19,075 | 57,822 | 91,129 | 51,295 | 18,977 | 369,232 |
* Totals may not agree due to rounding. | |||||||||||||
Community Health Councils
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hours of voluntary work are given by members of community health councils in England ; what is his assessment of the importance of such voluntary work ; and if he will make a statement.
The number of hours contributed by members of community health councils is not recorded, but the total is undoubtedly very substantial. I value very highly the time and energy freely given by all those who undertake voluntary work for the National Health Service.
Resource Allocation Working Party
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services at what level the redistribution policy of the Resource Allocation Working Party will be applied to each of the underfunded regions in 1980–81.
For 1980–81 the growth rates given to those regions which are currently below the target assessed under the formula established by the resource allocation working party are :
| Trent | 0·6 |
| North-Western | 0·6 |
| Northern | 0·6 |
| East Anglian | 0·6 |
| West Midlands | 0·6 |
| South-Western | 0·6 |
| Wessex | 0·5 |
| Yorkshire | 0·5 |
| Mersey | 0·5 |
| Oxford | 0·5 |
Expenditure
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the estimated real growth in spending in the National Health Service for 1980–81 as compared with 1979–80.
The recent public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 7841) estimated total planned gross spending on the National Health Service in Great Britain in 1980–81 to be some 3·4 per cent. higher in real terms than the provisional out-turn for 1979–80. Most of this increase is accounted for by the reduction in the planned level of spending in 1979–80 brought about by the operation of cash limits.
Family Incomes
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing his latest estimate of the number of households with incomes (a) below supplementary benefit levels, (b) at supplementary benefit levels, (c) within 120 per cent. of supplementary benefit levels, and (d) at between 120 per cent. and 140 per cent. of supplementary benefit levels, taking the long-term supplementary benefit rates for all adults, and adding the value of either free schools meals or free welfare milk to the supplementary benefit rates for children, distinguishing between households above and below retirement age, between households with and without dependent children, and between one and two-parent families, specifying the total number of children at each income level, and showing what proportions of all children and of all pensioners are represented at each income level.
I regret that this information is not readily available and could not be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table for each of a single person, a married couple and a couple with two children, comparing net weekly incomes when earning £100 per week with net weekly incomes, including and excluding tax refunds, during the weeks 1. 2, 3 to 8, 9 to 28 and 29 onwards of sickness (a) under the existing system, and (b) after the implementation of current Government proposals, including the recommendations in the Green Paper.
I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Tuc
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will list the occasions and dates when he or any of his departmental colleagues have met official representatives of the Trades Union Congress at a formal meeting to discuss policy issues, excluding meetings with departmental unions about Whitley conditions ; and whether there has been any occasion when he has refused to meet a Trades Union Congress deputation after the congress has officially requested one.
[pursuant to his reply, 3 June 1980, c. 631]: On no occasion have I or my ministerial colleagues refused to meet a reputation from the Trades Union Congress.I and my ministerial colleagues have met representatives of the TUC on the following occasions :
Secretary Of State
18 July 1979
Meeting with the TUC Health Services Committee.
26 September 1979
Meeting on Social Security Policy with a delegation from the TUC.
28 September 1979
Meeting on the Royal Commission Report with the TUC Social Insurance Committee.
29 October 1979
Secretary of State for the Environment's meeting with the TUC local government Committee.
16 November 1979
Meeting with TUC Health Services Committee.
12 December 1979
Meeting on the Health Services Bill with a delegation from the TUC.
16 January 1980
Meeting to discuss NHS disputes procedure with the TUC Health Services Committee.
12 May 1980
Meeting on the 1980 Budget proposal with TUC representatives.
4 June 1980
Meeting with TUC Health Services Committee.
Minister Of State For Health
6 August 1979
Meeting on private medical practice with the TUC Health Services Committee.
20 September 1979
Meeting on Community Health Councils with a deputation from the TUC and local trades councils.
2 April 1980
Meeting on the Health Service in London with TUC regional officials.
Whittington Hospital
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the proposed capital development of the Whittington hospital is to go ahead ; and, if not, whether the Odeon site at University College hospital will be developed to provide new operating theatres and 100 new surgical beds.
I refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Islington, Central (Mr. Grant) on 20 May—[Vol. 985, c. 155–6.]
Mentally Handicapped And Mentally Iii Persons
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if it remains his policy to transfer care of the mentally handicapped and mentally ill from long-stay hospitals to community care.
Our policies on care of the mentally ill and mentally handicapped are broadly those set out in the 1971 White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally Handicapped" (Cmnd. 4683) and in the 1975 White Paper "Better Services for the Mentally III" (Cmnd. 6233) ; that is that the general pattern of care will involve a shift of emphasis from hospital to community, but that some people will continue to need long-term care in hospitals.
Psychotropic Drugs
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidance is given to general practitioners about prescribing drugs for mental illness ; what training general practitioners receive on the use of psychotropic drugs; and if he has any plans to review the present situation.
Training in the treatment of mental illness is provided for under the trainee practitioner scheme, and in addition refresher courses approved by post graduate medical deans are available under the arrangements for the continuing education of general medical practitioners. The use and misuse of psychotropic drugs is one of the aspects which may be covered. There is continuous liaison with the medical profession about education for general practitioners, but the content is essentially a matter for the profession itself.Guidance to general practitioners on the use of psychotropic drugs also appears from time to time in the publications circulated by or with the support of the Department.
St George's Hospital, Hyde Park Corner
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the terms of the arrangements between his Department and the Grosvenor Estates about the site and buildings of St. George's hospital, Hyde Park Corner, which is due to close at the end of June 1980 ; why the Department has refused to negotiate with any other party or allow inspections of the property ; why the Department has spent £250,000 restoring the facade of the building ; and if he will make a statement.
The freehold of the property vests in the Secretary of State for Social Services, but part of the site is subject to a covenant requiring a first offer of purchase be made to the Grosvenor Estates. (The medical school is vested in the council of St. George's hospital medical school.) We are considering the position with the Grosvenor Estates and investigating what alternative planning permission can be expected. Meanwhile we have not taken any decision on means to dispose of the Secretary of State's interest in order to secure the best market price. But we hope to come to a decision on this matter very soon. Until these questions have been decided there is no basis for negotiation with other parties, nor is it practicable to arrange inspection of the hospital premises by interested parties while the hospital continues in use.Recently the dangerous condition of the facade was the subject of representations by the Westminster city council, and given the responsibilty of the health authority for a listed building, it decided to undertake urgent remedial work at a cost of £200,000.
Defence
Widow's Pension
asked the Secretary of State for Defence, referring to the written answer dated 4 June, what would be the additional annual cost of extending the widow's pension to all surviving spouses of deceased ex-Service men regardless of (a) the date of the marriage and (b) the date when the deceased husband left the Services.
Since my Department does not maintain records of the number of marriages which were contracted by ex-Service men after their retirement, the information requested is not available. However, on the basis of the general statistics on the age of marriage, the cost for the Services alone is likely to be in the region of £8 million to £10 million per year. Since such a concession could not be limited to the Armed Forces, the total cost for the public services would be much greater.
Defence Policy
asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the results of his Department, after 13 months of the present Government, in achieving the policy programme which he set it on assuming office.
In accordance with the policy outlined in the Gracious Speech the Government have given a high priority to improving national security and our contribution to the North Atlantic Alliance. We have underlined our commitment to NATO by publishing planned expenditure figures for the years up to 1983–84 which meet the Alliance's aim for a real increase in defence expenditure in the region of 3 per cent. per annum. We have supported NATO's long-term defence programme and played a full part in the Alliance decision to modernise its long-range theatre nuclear forces. In order to improve the manpower situation in our Armed Forces we immediately restored and have maintained pay comparability for Service personnel and we have increased the bounties of the Reserve Forces : recruiting and retention rates in the Forces generally have improved significantly. In addition, we have announced a number of improvements in the equipment programme.We are maintaining the effectiveness of the strategic deterrent into the 1990s and continuing our examination of the options for an eventual replacement for the Polaris force.In the light of the changed strategic situation arising from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan we have made improvements to and are considering further measures to enhance the flexibility of our forces to operate on a world wide basis. While events in Afghanistan have overshadowed the arms limitation process, the Government nevertheless remain committed to seeking arms control agreements and the United Kingdom is playing a full part in international negotiations.In line with other Government Departments, the Ministry of Defence has contributed its share in securing economies in Civil Service manpower and has set in hand studies aimed at improving efficiency and identifying the scope for the curtailment or elimination of functions. Some measures have already been announced.
Environment
Children's Play Provision
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the fact that if the traditional urban aid programme is significantly changed or abolished there could be at least a 50 per cent. reduction in children's play provision in the North-West, he will ensure that this does not happen.
I hope to announce the outcome of the review of the traditional urban programme before the summer recess and I would not wish to pre-empt that. I am well aware of the role of the traditional urban programme in supporting play provision.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which play organisations have responded to his document on the traditional urban programme and the nature of the replies received ; and why, in view of the fact that over 50 per cent. of the full-time play projects in the North-West are funded through the urban aid programme, few were consulted.
The play organisations which have commented on the consultative document are :National Playing Fields AssociationBirmingham Play CouncilFair Play for Children (NW London)Pre-School Playgroups, HeadquartersPre-School Playgroups, North West RegionPre-School Playgroups, BristolRochdale and District Play Action CouncilThe Dumps Play Group (SE London)Lewisham Play AssociationBermondsey (London) Adventure Playpark Association
Future Generations Club (SE London)
Southwark Playground Association
Kensington and Chelsea Play Association
Bethwin Road Neighbourhood Play Group (London)
Burdett Toy Library (London)
Honor Oak Play Group (London)
Ackroyd Under 5 Group (Lewisham)
Mrs. C. Jeffrey (Playgroup) (Deptford)
Balderstone/Kirkholt Play Scheme (Rochdale)
Castlemere Adventure Playground (Heywood, Lancs)
Ashfield Valley Play Scheme (Rochdale)
Poynton Play Association (Cheshire)
North West Play Association (Chester)
E. Midland Play Association
Many of the local groups commented that their work would not have been possible but for the traditional urban programme funding, and that they valued the co-operation and participation with the local authority which the programme encouraged. All supported the continuation of the programme.
The consultation document was widely circulated amongst the voluntary sector and publicised at a national level. Any local groups which requested the document from the Department or the National Council for Voluntary Organisations received a copy. Over 180 responses were received on this stage of consultation, of which most were from voluntary groups.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the National Playing Fields Association and Fair Play for Children were asked to offer any comments on his document on children's play provision under the traditional urban programme.
Both the National Playing Fields Association and Fair Play for Children received copies and commented on the consultation document. It did not specifically consider children's play provision, although many play projects are funded under the traditional urban programme.
Rent And Rate Rebates
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider taking steps to synchronise the annual upratings of rent and rate rebates, to coincide with the April increases in rent and rates.
No. It is better for the rent and rate rebate schemes to be uprated when pensions are increased.
Rate Relief
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the level of domestic relief granted for 1979–80 to Wales and to England ; what was the total cost of each ; what would be saved were Wales to be granted the same domestic rate relief as England ; and what proportion that saving would be of the needs and resources element granted to Wales for 1979–80.
Domestic rate relief for England in 1979–80 was set at 18·5p in the pound and amounted in total to £641 million. The equivalent figures for Wales were 36p and £46 million. If domestic rate relief in Wales were at the same level as in England there would have been a saving of £22 million, which was 4·11 per cent. of Wales' needs and resources element grant.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the domestic rate relief granted to Wales is different from that granted to England.
The differential in domestic rate relief between England and Wales was introduced in 1974–75 to protect Welsh domestic ratepayers against exceptional increases in rates arising from changes in grants, and from large increases in charges for water and sewerage services following a reorganisation of the water industry.
Tower Blocks (Newtown And Stratford Points)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement giving details of the financial implications of alternative proposals for the tower blocks at Newtown and Stratford Points arising from the discussions held with departmental officers of the London borough of Newham last January ; and to what extent the Government intend to contribute towards the costs of the demolition of these blocks.
The assessment of the financial implications of alternate proposals for the tower blocks at Newtown and Stratford Points is a matter for the London borough of Newham. The council has been informed that demolition costs incurred as part of a scheme to redevelop the site for public sector housing would be taken into consideration by the Department when examining any eligibility for housing subsidy.
Local Authorities (Planning Applications)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he is issuing to local authorities to define in what circumstances they should or should not make charges for planning applications.
The Government's proposals for the scale of charges for planning applications are being issued for consultation next week. We shall take account of the responses to our proposals in framing the regulations, but at present we do not envisage that there would be any significant exemptions from charges. When the regulations are framed, we shall issue guidance to local authorities on their implementation.
Local Authorities (Building Regulation Approvals)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities have indicated their intention to employ additional staff to administer charges for processing building regulation approvals.
This information is not yet available. My right hon. Friend has said that he will look at the working of the fees scheme after 6 months operation. At that time he will be asking interested bodies including the local authority associations to report on how the scheme is being administered. In the circular which accompanied the fees regulations (DOE circular 6/80) local authorities were told that the Secretary of State expected local authorities to provide any required staff resources from existing manpower provisions.
Rate Support Grant
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what provisions he is making in the rate support grant to assist local authorities deprived substantially of income through the closure of major industrial plants.
:The rate support grant mechanism already compensates, through the resources element, for loss of rateable value and will continue to do so under our proposals for block grant.
House Improvement Grants
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement as to how much money has been available in the last three years and for projection in 1980–81 in the following cities for improvement grants for older houses, loans for the purchase of older houses and sound insulation : Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Newcastle, Sheffield and Bristol ;(2) if he will make a statement as to how much money has been available in the last three years and for projection in 1980–81 for housing action areas and general improvement areas in the following cities : Liverpool, Birmingham. Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and Bristol.
| 1977–78 | 1978–79 | 1979–80 | 1980–81 | Inner City Construction Package (1977–80) | ||
| Liverpool* | … | 0·24 | 2·67 | 12·26 | 17·61 | 5·09 |
| Manchester/Salford* | … | 0·05 | 2·67 | 12·80 | 17·48 | 4·56 |
| Birmingham* | … | 0·11 | 2·67 | 12·94 | 17·04 | 9·83 |
| Newcastle/Gateshead* | … | 0·10 | 1·87 | 8·93 | 12·91 | 5·79 |
| Sheffield† | … | — | 1·01 | 2·46 | 3·44 | 0·73 |
| Bristol | … | — | 0·10 | 0·31 | 0·29 | 0·25 |
| *Partnership. | ||||||
| † Programme authority. | ||||||
Leasehold Property
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the total number of leasehold dwellings in England ; and what proportion this represents of the housing stock ;(2) how many dwellings in England are held on leasehold for 99 years or less ; what proportion of all leasehold properties this represents and where they are mainly concentrated.
No specific allocation of resources has been made to local authorities for any of the years referred to for the individual purposes described. Subject to general controls over local authority housing capital expenditure, the amount available for each specific purpose will have been, and will continue to be in the current financial year, for the individual authorities concerned.
Inner City Areas
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make available Government funds for rehabilitation of the inner city for each of the last three financial years and for the projection in 1980–81 in the following cities : Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Sheffield and Bristol.
The information is as follows, in £million :
The information requested is not available.
Domestic Rates
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, if domestic rates were replaced by a poll tax, how many adults would pay this tax without rebate, assuming that under a poll tax the same proportion of people receiving rate rebate might receive a poll tax rebate.
Since the reply I gave to my hon. Friend on 19 May—[Vol. 985, c. 69]—revised calculations have been made on this subject. I now give the information in reply to both questions as follows.In 1979–80 domestic rates raised about £2·7 billion in Great Britain. If a poll tax were to raise a similar sum from all adults over 18 years (about 40 million people), and if as with domestic rates about one-sixth received a rebate, then around 32 million would pay an unrebated tax. The average payment would be about £80 a year from each of these individuals (not £90 as in my earlier answer).
Local Authorities (Planning Applications)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to speed up consultations which local authorities make before determining planning applications.
I have asked the local authority associations and those bodies—for example, Department of Transport, regional water authorities, amenity societies—which the local authorities regularly consult to agree a code of practice for consultations. I am glad to say that, through the national development control forum, a code of practice has now been agreed and will operate from 1 July. The code requires local authorities to consult without delay, and those consulted to reply within 28 days. We aim to reduce this period in the light of experience. At local level many consultees have already made arrangements to reply within a shorter time, these arrangements stay, as does the statutory time of 14 days for consultations with parish councils. I have put copies of the code in the Library.
Industrial And Commercial Development
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to clarify the role of local authorities in encouraging the development of industry and commerce locally, especially small businesses.
I have recently consulted the local authority associations and they have agreed to take part with officials in an urgent review with the following terms of reference :
"To consider the means and powers currently employed by local authorities to foster industry and commerce and to encourage private sector employment within their boundaries, paying special attention to small firms, and to report, in the light of relevant national policies, including those concerned with competition and incentives for particular geographical areas as well as the Government's stance on public expenditure and its international obligations, on the most appropriate fields of action for local authorities and on any implications for legislation."
Energy
Gas And Electricity Disconnections
asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many domestic consumers were disconnected by each gas or electricity area board for non-payment of accounts during the quarter ended 31 March.
Figures for the number of gas and electricity domestic consumers disconnected for non-payment of accounts during the quarter ended 31 March 1980 are as follows :
| GAS REGION | |
| Scottish | 330 |
| Northern | 881 |
| North Western | 1,807 |
| North Eastern | 356 |
| East Midlands | 711 |
| West Midlands | 1,457 |
| Wales | 139 |
| Eastern | 363 |
| North Thames | 2,393 |
| South Eastern | 793 |
| Southern | 230 |
| South Western | 58 |
| 9,518 | |
| AREA ELECTRICITY BOARD | |
| London | 9,193 |
| South Eastern | 692 |
| Southern | 908 |
| South Western | 432 |
| Eastern | 1,719 |
| East Midlands | 2,534 |
| Midlands | 2,661 |
| South Wales | 642 |
| Merseyside and North Wales | 2,152 |
| Yorkshire | 2,269 |
| North Eastern | 1,574 |
| North Western | 2,056 |
| 26,832 | |
Nuclear Waste
asked the Secretary of State for Energy on what date it is proposed to commence carrying nuclear waste by sea through the Minches.
The Government know of no plans to carry nuclear waste by sea through the Minches. However, as part of the programe for the operation of the, prototype fast reactor (PRF), the UKAEA proposes later this year to commence the movement of plutonium nitrate recovered from PFR fuel from Dounreay to Windscale by road and sea, through the Minches.
Ethane
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what use is made of ethane prior to the time when supplies may be employed as a petrochemical feedstock.
The quantities of ethane available at present are small. That which is not used by BGC to adjust the calorific value of pipeline gas is used as process fuel. In the case of the Mossmorran ethane cracker, arrangements, are being made to supply the ethane to Peterhead power station for electricity generation in the period between the St. Fergus gas terminal of the Brent field becoming operational and the ethane cracker coming on stream.
Miners (Early Retirement Scheme)
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions his Department has had with the National Coal Board and the National Union of Mine-workers about the future of the miners' early retirement scheme in the light of the Social Security (No. 2) Bill ; and whether he envisages that this scheme will be continued in such a way that the income of those miners taking early retirement is maintained.
Consideration of the relationship of the Social Security (No. 2) Bill to the mineworkers voluntary early retirement scheme is at an early stage and I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the possible effects on the income of miners who take early retirement is being fully borne in mind.
Oil (Export Policy)
asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the Government have any knowledge of specific swap arrangements made since July 1979 under which Shell or BP has exchanged or undertaken to exchange North Sea oil or oil products refined from North Sea oil in return for supplies to South Africa.
I have nothing further to add to my reply of 2 May to the hon. Member.—[Vol. 983, c. 703.]
Education And Science
Primary And Secondary School Classes
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding size of classes in primary and secondary schools.
My right hon. and learned Friend not infrequently receives letters, from hon. Members and others, which raise questions about class sizes. These generally relate to problems in particular schools. In January 1979, the latest date for which information is available, only 29 per cent. of taught classes in primary schools and 12 per cent. in secondary schools had over 30 pupils—the lowest figures ever recorded.
Schools (Ancillary Staff)
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from the city of Leicester concerning the reduction in employment of ancillaries in schools.
My right hon. and learned Friend has received 15 letters and 10 petitions bearing a total of 217 signatures from parents and teachers in Leicester.
Pupil-Teacher Ratios
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the pupil-teacher ratio for nursery, primary, and secondary education in (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) the rest of England and Wales.
The latest information about pupil-teacher ratios for maintained schools in Nottinghamshire and England, for January 1979, is published in my Department's Statistical Bulletin 17/79, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend. Statistical information in respect of schools in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
Adult Literacy
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what steps he proposes to take in the fight of the report to him of the Adult Literacy Unit Management Committee ; and if he will make a statement ;(2) whether he will issue a circular to local authorities, to take note of the report of the Adult Literacy Unit Management Committee and to ensure greater emphasis is placed on improving the levels of adult literacy ;
(3) whether he will ensure greater resources are freed to combat the increase in adult illiteracy as recommended in the report of the Adult Literacy Unit Management Committee ;
(4) whether he will hold discussions with local education authorities and others in connection with the report of the Adult Literacy Unit Management Committee ; and whether he will make a statement ;
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. and learned Friend on 17 December 1979 in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Loughborough (Mr. Dorrell).—[Vol. 976, c. 15–19]—I have repeatedly stressed the importance which we attach to work to remedy illiteracy among adults, indicated by our decision to establish a new unit with funds of over £½ million in 1980–81 to continue to support developments in this area and in related basic skills. It is for local authorities to take into account the recommendations of the report by the management committee of the adult literacy unit, and determine in the light of local needs, priorities and resources, how best to respond to the needs of illiterates in their areas. We shall review developments in the normal course of discussions with them about expenditure on education.
Adult Education
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total number of people in full-time education, over 18 years of age, in the United Kingdom.
In the academic year 1978–79 there were just over 566,000 students aged over 18 years in full-time education in the United Kingdom.
Postgraduate Students (Grants)
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement concerning the rates of grant for postgraduate studentships for the academic year 1980–81.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have now decided on the rates of grant for 1980–81 for postgraduate studentships awarded by the education departments and the research councils. They will be increased as follows :For students living away from home and attending an establishment in London : from £2,250 to £2,570.For students living away from home and attending an institution outside London : from £1,820 to £2,090.For students living in the parental home : from £1,370 to £1,565.The rates for 1980–81 will on average be 14·7 per cent. higher than the rates for 1979–80. This is the outcome of the assessment of the expected rise in living costs and takes into account increases in student costs since the last triennial review minus an abatement by about five percentage points as a contribution to the Government's policy of restraining public expenditure. The increases are in line with those announced on 27 March for undergraduate students—[Vol. 981, c. 632–3].There will be an improvement in the older students' allowance payable by the research councils to students who have supported themselves by full-time employment for a total period of at least two years ; and in the postgraduate experience allowance payable by the research councils to students who have obtained at least two years of responsible experience including at least one year since graduating by working full-time in an approved professional capacity. The rates of these allowances will be uprated by amounts varying between £140 and £275. These increases are proportionately higher than the increase in the main grant to encourage students who will normally have had experience in industry.The income disregard for scholarship and sponsorship payments for postgraduates will also be increased from £500 to £750, thus enabling industry to offer larger inducements to graduates to study science and engineering at higher degree level.Where other supplementary allowances are applicable to postgraduate students they will be at the rates applicable to undergraduate students announced on 2 April 1980.—[Vol. 982, c. 268.]The rates of grant for postgraduate and adult education bursaries will be the same as for undergraduate students.
Iranian Students
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students from Iran have, in the last two years, been granted permission to remain in the United Kingdom after their courses have been concluded.
I have been asked to reply.I regret that the information requested is not available.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students from Iran have been arrested in the last 12 months.
I have been asked to reply.The information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
| CROPPED AREAS (HECTARES) OF COMMERCIAL APPLE ORCHARDS IN SUFFOLK | |||||||||
| Total area at June | Increase /decrease on previous year | ||||||||
| Year | Dessert apples | Culinary apples | Cider apples | Total | Dessert apples | Culinary apples | Cider apples | Total | |
| (1974) | … | (2,003) | (164) | (7) | (2,174) | ||||
| 1975 | … | 1,960 | 180 | 14 | 2,154 | −43 | +16 | + 7 | −20 |
| 1976 | … | 1,928 | 182 | 14 | 2,124 | −32 | +2 | — | −30 |
| 1977 | … | 1,910 | 214 | 17 | 2,141 | −18 | +32 | +3 | + 17 |
| 1978 | … | 1,859 | 268 | 12 | 2,139 | −51 | +54 | −5 | −2 |
| 1979 | … | 1,893 | 228 | 13 | 2,134 | + 34 | −40 | +1 | −5 |
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the yearly production figures for apples grown in Suffolk in the last five calendar years.
The information requested is as follows :
| Commercial Production ('000) Tonnes of Apples in Suffolk | |
| Desert Apples | |
| 1975 | 28·90 |
| 1976 | 26·69 |
| 1977 | 14·11 |
| 1978 | 23·29 |
| 1979 | 25·48 |
| (forecast) | |
| Culinary Apples | |
| 1975 | N/A |
| 1976 | N/A |
| 1977 | N/A |
| 1978 | N/A |
| 1979 | 2·05 |
| (forecast) | |
Trade
Trade Policy
asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will make a statement on the results of his Department, after 13 months of the present Government, in achieving the policy programme which he set it on assuming office.
I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Apple Growing (Suffolk)
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what acreage devoted to apple growing has gone out of production in Suffolk in the last five years.
The information requested is as follows :
Sheepmeat
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether it is proposed to restrict imports of sheepmeat from countries other than New Zealand ; if so, whether he expects to reach agreement with those countries ; and what effect he expects the restriction will have on United Kingdom exports to the countries in question.
It is the Commission's intention to negotiate voluntary restraint arrangements with all countries which supply the Community with sheepmeat. These will be agreed only if the countries concerned are prepared to accept the terms, and I do not anticipate any effects on other trade.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his analysis of the extent to which the decline in imports of sheepmeat from New Zealand has been due to the raising of the tariffs on imports to 20 per cent. ad valorem.
A number of factors have led to the decline in imports from New Zealand and it is not possible to assess their relative importance.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the quantity and value of sheepmeat exported to each of the other European Economic Community countries in 1979
| Volume (Tonnes) | Value (£ million) | Average price. (plkg) | ||
| 1979: | ||||
| Exports to : | ||||
| France | … | 5,107 | 6·663 | 130·5 |
| Belgium/Luxemburg | … | 14,126 | 20·622 | 146·0 |
| Netherlands | … | 938 | 1·389 | 148·1 |
| West Germany | … | 13,607 | 19·828 | 145·7 |
| Italy | … | 2,365 | 3·161 | 133·7 |
| Eire | … | 46 | 0·078 | 169·6 |
| Denmark | … | 459 | 0·546 | 119·0 |
| 1980 (January to March only): | ||||
| Exports to : | ||||
| France | … | 187 | 0·225 | 120·3 |
| Belgium/Luxemburg | … | 4,122 | 5·919 | 143·6 |
| Netherlands | … | 210 | 0·305 | 145·2 |
| West Germany | … | 3,687 | 5·393 | 146·3 |
| Italy | … | 764 | 1·018 | 133·2 |
| Eire | … | 20 | 0·028 | 140·0 |
| Denmark | … | — | — | — |
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the prices agreed to by the European Economic Community for sheepmeat compare with the prices realised in the United Kingdom market in 1979 and in the current year to date ; how these prices compare with those received by farmers in (a) hill farms and (b) elsewhere ; and whether the higher European Economic Community prices will be in addition to
and in the first four months of 1980 ; what was the average price in each case ; how this compares with the price now agreed by the European Economic Community ; whether United Kingdom exporters will now receive the European Economic Community price in respect of exports to other European Economic Community countries.
Provisional figures from the United Kingdom trade statistics are as follows :the existing subventions to United Kingdom sheep farmers.
The guide level for variable premiums agreed to by the Council of Agriculture Ministers for sheepmeat in the United Kingdom for the marketing year April 1980/March 1981 is 293 ECU per 100 kg deadweight. This is equivalent to 181p per kg, compared with the current guaranteed price of 155p per kg under the fat sheep guarantee scheme.The average market price in the United Kingdom in the marketing year 1979–80 is estimated to have been 141p per kg and in the year 1980–81 up to the week ending 25 May the market price has averaged about 146p per kg.Prices received by hill farmers for fat lambs of certifiable quality are generally similar to those in the lowlands for lambs of comparable quality.The Community variable premium arrangements will replace those under the fat sheep guarantee scheme, but will not affect the system of support for hill livestock farming under the EEC less favoured areas directive.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he expects the production of sheepmeat in the United Kingdom to increase as a result of the measures agreed to in the European Economic Community ; and what is his forecast for the years 1981 to 1983.
I expect the introduction of a common market organisation for sheepmeat to result in an increase in United Kingdom production, but I can give no specific forecasts.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much he expects the United Kingdom price of United Kingdom and New Zealand sheepmeat, respectively, to rise as a result of the agreement to restrict imports from New Zealand.
| 1970 | Consumption of Mutton and Lamb ozs/head/week | Expenditure p/week | |
| Income Group | A (£40 or more) | 5·06 | 8·14 |
| B (£23—£40) | 5·06 | 7·77 | |
| C (£12·50—£23) | 4·78 | 7·34 | |
| D 1979 (provisional) | 4·27 | 6·59 | |
| Income Group | A (£145 or more) | 4·04 | 22·47 |
| B (£90—£145) | 4·05 | 21·19 | |
| C (£56—£90) | 4·08 | 21·33 | |
| D (under £56) | 4·29 | 22·51 |
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the fall in consumption of sheepmeat in the United Kingdom since 1970 ; and by how much further he expects consumption to fall as a result of the agreement reached in the European Economic Community on the marketing of sheepmeat.
Consumption of mutton and lamb in the United Kingdom
The agreement now under negotiation between the Community and New Zealand, which must be voluntarily accepted by both sides, would be intended to limit imports to past levels, not to reduce them, and would involve a reduction in the import duty. Such an agreement will not lead to any increase in prices in the United Kingdom.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the estimated quantity of sheepmeat consumed per head in each income group for households with one or more earners in 1970 and 1979 ; what is his estimate of the cost to each group in each year ; and whether the food survey gives any indication of the origin of the sheepmeat consumed by each group as between New Zealand and other sources.
The information requested is as follows :was 9·6 kg per week per head in 1970 and is provisionally estimated at 7·0 kg per head in 1979. The Community sheepmeat arrangements agreed by the Council of Agriculture Ministers should not in themselves cause any reduction in consumption in the United Kingdom. They could, in fact, help to increase consumption.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much sheepmeat he expects to be taken into intervention in the European Economic Community in 1980 and in 1981 as a result of the recent agreement, if implemented.
There will be no intervention in the United Kingdom, which is the major producer in the Community, and the variable premium arrangements which we have secured should prevent intervention in France being increased by additional imports from the United Kingdom. As a result I would expect quantities taken into intervention to be relatively small.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the recent European Economic Community agreement on the price of sheepmeat would enable exporters to claim export restitutions for sheepmeat sold direct to third markets and not out of intervention.
The agreement reached by the Agriculture Council on sheepmeat includes provision for export restitutions, but any use of this provision would be subject to the terms of agreements negotiated with third country suppliers.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of United Kingdom exports to France of sheepmeat, following the agreement on prices, for 1980 and 1981 ; and whether he expects French sheepmeat to be sold in the United Kingdom market.
I can give no forecasts of the future level of exports of sheepmeat to France. It is unlikely that any significant quantity of French sheepmeat will be sold in the United Kingdom as France is a net importer of lamb and has higher production costs.
Food And Crops (Lead Contamination)
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the extent of contamination of food and fodder crops by atmospheric fall-out from petrol.
Surveys in the United Kingdom and various other countries have shown that some lead contamination of crops grown near roads may occur. The degree of contamination depends on several factors, including the distance of drops from the road and the plant species exposed. Contamination is primarily due to surface deposition and a large proportion of deposited lead is removed during normal food preparation. We are continuing to investigate any relationship between the lead content of vegetable and cereal crops and their exposure to airborne lead.
Fishing Industry
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fishing vessels have been permanently laid up (a) from 1 January to the start of the temporary aid scheme and (b) from that date to the present ; and what size the British fishing fleet will be by 1 January 1981 if present trends are projected forward.
It is not possible to provide figures in the form requested. I have received no reports of significant numbers of inshore vessels being laid up. However, the number of vessels over 80 ft. in length fishing out of Aberdeen, Fleetwood, Grimsby, Hull and Lowestoft fell by 24 between 1 January and 13 March ; and by 29 between 13 March and 31 May. It cannot be assumed that all the vessels now out of commission have been permanently laid up, and it would therefore be misleading to use this information to project trends in the industry to the end of this year.
Vivisection
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will list the establishments for which he is ministerially responsible where vivisection is carried out.
The following are the establishments registered under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876:Fisheries Laboratory, WeymouthTorry Research Station, AberdeenFisheries Laboratory, Burnham-on-CrouchFisheries Laboratory, LowestoftFisheries Radio Biological Laboratory, LowestoftSalmon and Freshwater Fisheries Laboratory, London S. W1Tolworth LaboratoryInfestation Control Laboratory, ChessingtonWorplesdon LaboratoryPests Unit, London, E.1Plant Pathology Laboratory, HarpendenCoypu Research Laboratory, NorwichVeterinary Laboratory and Investigation Centre, WeybridgeVeterinary Laboratory, Lasswade
Veterinary Investigation Centres at :
Aberystwyth
Bangor
Bristol
Cambridge
Cardiff
Carmarthen
Gloucester
Leeds
Lincoln
Long Benton
Northampton
Norwich
Penrith
Reading
Shrewsbury
Starcross
Sutton Bonnington
Thirsk
Truro
Winchester
Worcester
Wye
Cattle Breeding Centre, Reading
Feed Evaluation Unit Drayton Experimental Husbandry Farm, Stratford-on Avon
Redesdale Experimental Husbandry Farm, Otterburn
Colorado Beetles
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the discovery that Colorado beetles were imporled into the United Kingdom from Italy in green vegetables, if he will take steps to eliminate the danger of widespread infestation.
Following the discovery of Colorado beetles on Italian vegetables last month immediate action was taken to trace the consignments concerned and to alert traders and the general public.There have been no reports of beetles associated with Italian vegetables since 26 May. The Ministry has a standing agreement with the National Association of Agricultural Contractors to provide for emergency action should any colony of Colorado beetles be discovered in this country.