asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will provide immediate financial relief to people dying of starvation and disease in northern Uganda ; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have in the past two to three months spent over £100,000 assisting United Nations agencies to provide food supplies and medical services for northern Uganda. We have recently agreed to meet the costs, estimated at £12,000, of air transport to Kampala for some £85,000 worth of food and medical supplies collected by "Special Projects in Christian Missionary Areas" for distribution in northern Uganda under their auspices. We are now investigating as a matter of urgency whether and in what form Her Majesty's Government can, subject to the approval of Parliament, contribute further to the international relief effort and I will announce a decision as soon as possible. There are formidable problems affecting the distribution of relief supplies in the remoter parts of the country and we will have to be sure that any contribution can be made effective.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider allowing local organisations that have been set up to meet the funding of a particular medical emergency to have their money deposited temporarily in the bank not subject to tax liability, as if included under section 36 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1970.

Whether such organisations are exempt from income tax depends on the particular circumstances; if the hon. Member would care to write to me I will look into the matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his intention to introduce legislation in the next Session of Parliament dealing with taxation matters not of a budgetary nature ; and if he will list the main taxation matters to be included in such a Bill.

There are clear attractions to the idea of an occasional, separate, autumn Finance Bill. There are, of course, great pressures on parliamentary time for legislation, but I hope that a technical autumn Finance Bill can be regarded as a realistic possibility later during the present Parliament.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimates are of cash flows from the United Kingdom into and out of the European Economic Community budget for each of the next 19 months and for the last five months.

I regret that it is not possible to provide a worthwhile estimate, on a monthly basis, of cash flows over the next 19 months. Contributions to the Community are affected by the timing of payments of levies and duties by United Kingdom importers; payments from the Community depend on day-today decisions by the Commission, and the timing cannot be predicted.The figures for the first five months of this year are:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the savings in interest repayments by district councils, county councils and metropolitan councils which would occur if the minimum lending rate was reduced by 1 per cent.

The effect of a change in the MLR on interest payments by local authorities depends on how other interest rates react and how the economy in general and local authorities react to the changes in interest rates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the level of private sector investment, both in total and in manufacturing industry only, for each year since 1960, both at current prices and real 1975 prices; what percentages these are of national expenditure for each year; and what are the comparable figures over the same period for public sector investment.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the effect on the United Kingdom balance of payments in 1980, 1981 and 1982 of the recent agreement on the United Kingdom budget contributions to the EEC.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 June 1980, c. 29] : The direct effect of the recent agreement on the United Kingdom's budget contributions to the Community will be to improve the invisible account of the balance of payments compared with what would otherwise have been the case. The improvement in respect of 1980 and 1981 will be of the order of £700 millions and £850 millions respectively. The effect in 1982 will depend on the outcome of the radical review of the pattern of Community expenditure and financing to be undertaken before that year. The precise timing of the savings is not yet known.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the programme of his Department's work research unit for the next 12 months ;

The tripartite steering group on job satisfaction (TSG) last met on Wednesday 4 June with Lord Gowrie, Minister of State, in the chair. The meeting received a report from the director of the work research unit (WRU) covering its activities since the previous meeting in January this year. The future programme of the unit for the period 1980 and 1981 was also considered and approved. The next meeting of the steering group will be held towards the end of October 1980, when a further report of the director of the WRU will be discussed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy with regard to the EEC document proposing tighter supervision of temporary work and limiting expansion of the role of employment agencies.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is yet in a position to announce the redundancies declared by Staflex International Ltd. in addition to the 208 employees made redundant from the five main subsidiary companies.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he sees a long-term future for disablement advisory committees; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the proposed closure of the CBS Engineering Company, Liverpool, details of which have been sent to his Department.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to reduce unemployment among young school leavers on Merseyside ; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will make a statement on the trend in unemployment among school leavers since 1975;(2) what is the present number of school leavers registered as unemployed ; and what percentage of this total are female.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the causes of unemployment among women ; and what measures and policies his Department are using specifically to remedy female unemployment.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment fl) how many persons aged 18 years and under are registered as unemployed ; and what percentage of these are female ;(2) what is the present number of persons aged 25 years and under who are unemployed ; and what percentage of these are female.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the numerical trend (a) in female unemployment and (b) in male unemployment since 1970 and since 1975.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many part-time women workers there were at the latest convenient date, and what percentage of these earned (a) under £1 an hour, (b) between £1 and £1·50 an hour and (c) over £1·50 an hour ; and if he will give similar figures for part-time male workers ;(2) how many part-time women workers are not included in Government statistics because their weekly pay is too low ; and if he will give similar estimates for part-time male workers ;(3) how many men and women are engaged in part-time work in Great Britain ; what percentage of the work force this represents ; and what are the figures for each country in the European Economic Community and Scandinavia.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in view of the unfairness to small businesses of having to make contributions to the Construction Industry Training Board out of proportion to the use which they make of it, if he will seek to mitigate the burden upon them of the levy.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies, and in which type of employment, have been declared in the St. Helens parliamentary constituency in each of the last three years for which figures are readily available.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will publish the job lost figures over the last 12 months for the various regions of England and Wales ;

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he intends to grant funds for the expansion of Birmingham airport now that the planning application has been granted.

A grant towards the cost of the new terminal at Birmingham airport will be made in accordance with my Department's commitments under the agreement of 28 March 1960 made between the Minister of Aviation and the then city of Birmingham.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, in view of the attempt by West Midlands county council to obtain EEC funds for the expansion of Birmingham airport, if he will reduce any funds granted by his Department for this project by an amount equivalent to any amount received from the EEC ; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the West Midlands county council may seek to borrow funds from the European Investment Bank for that part of the terminal project for which it is granted key sector loan sanction. There is no provision in the agreement of 28 March 1960 for the amount of grant payable by my Department to be abated in respect of such a loan. The source of borrowing is a matter for the authority.

asked the Secretary of State for trade if he is satisfied that funds granted by his Department for the expansion of Birmingham airport meet Her Majesty's Government's policy on public expenditure.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) whether he proposes to institute an investigation under the Com- Act into the operation and liquidation of Staflex International ;(2) if any report has been made under section 334(2) of the Companies Act 1948 to the Director of Public Prosecutions regarding Staflex International Ltd.

No report has been made by the joint liquidators under section 334(2) of the Companies Act 1948. My Department is in touch with the liquidators, who have indicated that they have virtually completed the work and that they consider it unlikely that evidence will be forthcoming to justify a report. In the absence of such a report, there are no grounds for further action by the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) whether he issues individual import licences for the import of bicycles to the United Kingdom ; and, if so, how many were issued in the last year ;(2) how many applications for licences to import bicycles were refused or revoked on safety grounds in 1979 ;(3) whether it is his practice to refuse applications for import licences, or to revoke existing licences, for the import of bicycles which do not comply with the legal requirements for rear reflectors.

Bicycles may be freely imported into the United Kingdom without the need for importers to obtain individual import licences, and the question of refusing applications for licences or revoking existing licences does not therefore arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade to what extent membership of the European Economic Community permits the United Kingdom to make bilateral trade deals with third countries.

Trade questions such as tariffs and quotas fall within the common commercial policy of the European Community, and agreements on these subjects are concluded by the Community as a whole. Outside the area of the common commercial policy, on subjects such as economic co-operation, individual member States do indeed conclude bilateral agreements with third countries ; and many of these contribute to promoting the expansion of trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has received any complaints with regard to the dumping of Czechoslovak shoes.

The British Footwear Manufacturers' Federation is currently considering the possibility of applying to the European Commission for antidumping action against imports of certain types of Czechoslovakian footwear and my Department is giving advice and assistance on the preparation of a complaint.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is satisfied with the operation of the present regulations controlling the use of captive balloons for advertising purposes ; and, if not, whether any changes are proposed.

Successive Administrations have considered the position to be unsatisfactory and a review has been in process for some time. The Government now have it in mind to relax the application of the Civil Aviation (Aerial Advertising) Regulations 1971 so that exemption from them will be extended from the present limit which covers captive balloons not exceeding one metre in any linear dimension so as to cover captive balloons whose size does not exceed seven metres in any linear dimension combined with a total gas capacity not exceeding 700 cubic feet. This is equivalent to a spherical balloon of a little over 3 metres in diameter. A suitable statutory instrument will be laid before Parliament at an appropriate time. It is the intention that the present controls exercised by the Civil Aviation Authority over the flying of balloons at stated heights, in controlled airspace and in proximity to aerodromes and large assemblies of persons shall all remain fully effective. In addition, it will be the responsibility of those flying balloons for advertising or other purposes to see that there is compliance with any other relevant legislation such as that enforced by the police or by local authorities.

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 their compliance with the poverty datum line standard in future.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 June 1980, c. 81] : The hon. Gentleman and members of the public must judge for themselves from the published reports which companies fall into this category. In any event the code is voluntary and coercion by the Government is therefore inappropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will consider convening a meeting of all interested bodies in Wales to discuss the need for future changes in the National Health Service in the Principality.

No. We are at present considering the many representations received in response to the proposals set out in "Patients First" and we shall make a statement in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the cost of a litre of petrol in each of the European Economic Community countries (a) in 1976 and (b) at the latest date, and the percentage increase in each case.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest available housing allocation bid by Dundee district to his Department ; and what percentage the provisional allocation represents of the bid.

Dundee district council submitted its 1979 housing plan on 16 April 1980 with its proposed capital programme for 1980–81 of £7·154 million on the housing revenue account block and £2·640 million on the non-HRA block. On 21 February 1980 I issued final allocations of £6·450 million on the HRA block and £2·640 million on the non-HRA block at outturn prices. Taking account of the different price bases, the HRA allocation represents 85 per cent., and the non-HRA allocation 103 per cent.

The following information on petrol prices in 1976 for EEC countries is based upon data published by the OECD in "Energy Statistics 1974/1978" and relates to prices at 1 January 1976. The latest reliable estimates of petrol prices published by the EEC relate to 15 March 1980.cent. of the council's proposed programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many new public sector houses were (a) started and (b) completed in each district authority at the latest available date ;(2) if he is satisfied with the number of new council houses being built.

The following table gives the latest available figures for 1979. Final figures, which will be published in Scottish Housing Statistics in due course, cannot be produced until the returns from local authorities are complete.The reducing trend in council house building, which has been evident for many years, has to be understood in relation to the overall surplus of houses over households in Scotland and to the increasing contribution from the private sector. The decisions as to how much of the capital resources available to local authorities are used for new building—as distinct from improvement—are taken by local authorities, but I do not see any reason for concern with the overall result of these decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the number of dwellings acquired in each of the last five years by each island or district council in Scotland (a) for slum clearance, (b) for demolition

The information requested is available only for the period 1 April 1979 to 31 March 1980, and is shown in the table below :

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what reductions have been made in administrative staff in education authorities in Scotland since 3 May 1979.

Information about the number of education authority staff engaged on administration is not available centrally. The number of education authority staff other than lecturers and teachers rose from 42,407 in June 1979 to 42,855 in December 1979—both figures full-time equivalent ; these figures include, among others, janitors, cleaners, school meals staff, school auxiliaries, technicians and clerical staff, in addition to those engaged on administration as such.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many houses in Belfast are substandard.

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive house condition survey 1974 revealed that 29,750 dwellings in Belfast were unfit. Over the past five years more than £150 million has been spent by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to improve this situation. Preliminary indications from a similar survey to be published later this year show that between 1974 and 1979, as a result of clearance, rebuilding and rehabilitation the number of unfit houses in Belfast has been reduced by over 40 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what methods he proposes to use for consulting Northern Ireland Members about the proposed Belfast enterprise zone before an order is made.

A consultative document was sent to a number of interested bodies and individuals, including the hon. Member and other right hon. and hon. Northern Ireland Members on 26 March 1980, seeking their views on the proposed enterprise zone for Belfast.I would welcome their views.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of redevelopment in North Belfast.

In the current financial year there will be 406 completions, 520 starts and a further 103 houses under construction in north Belfast in Housing Executive and housing associations schemes. That represents a capital investment of some £20·5 million.The rehabilitation programmes for the constituency will involve 248 completions, and 455 starts, representing expenditure of the order of £8·8 million. Additionally, short-life repairs to some 188 dwellings will be carried out, at a cost of £900,000.The cost of these current programmes is approximately £30·2 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will state the arrangements now prevailing to ensure that home leave visits are carried out.

Sentenced prisoners in Northern Ireland may be granted home leave in a variety of circumstances. Special provision is made for prisoners in the latter stages of their sentences. In general the arrangements work smoothly and difficulties seldom arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement about the future of Harland and Wolff.

I hope to make such a statement later this month.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prison officers have been killed or wounded in Northern Ireland over the past two years ; and what is being done to afford them greater protection.

In the two years ending on 11 June, 12 prison staff, including one woman, were killed in terrorist attacks. During the same period 11 men and three women were wounded.I am aware of a renewed threat from the Provisional IRA against prison staff ; we have not of course relaxed our guard. However, it would not be in the interest of security to disclose the precise nature of the protection measures which have been implemented, although I can assure the hon. Member that every effort is being made to maintain a high level of security for the staff of the Northern Ireland prison service.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is now in a position to make a statement regarding Mr. De Lorean's application for an additional £8 million from public funds for his corporation.

The application is still being assessed. I shall inform the House of my decision at the earliest opportunity.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement on the progress towards devolved government in the six counties.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Melton (Mr. Latham).

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when first the Gaelic Athletic Association received grants from public funds; what is the total amount received by it, for all purposes, since then; and what is the increase in the amount received by the Gaelic Athletic Association in the first two years and that received by it in the last two years.

Grants were first paid by the former Ministry of Education for Northern Ireland to the Gaelic Athletic Association on 10 June 1962. The total grant paid by Government bodies up to the end of the last financial year was £331,000. The total grant paid during the first and last two years of this period was £512 and £195,952 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his Department's estimate of the cost of damage to property and buildings caused by terrorist explosions so far this year.

An applicant for damage compensation has 10 days to lodge a notice of intention to claim compensation and four months to lodge an application. These time limits can in certain circumstances be extended. Consequently we do not yet have the facts to estimate the overall cost of the damage to property and buildings so far this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is now satisfied with the level of cooperation in cross-border security.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Harborough (Mr. Farr).

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he proposes any change in the status of the Northern Ireland Sports Council so as to differentiate it from the Sports Councils of England, Scotland and Wales.

The future role of the Northern Ireland Sports Council is at present under review. A statement is to be made shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will consider employing a firm of public relations consultants to publicise the policies of Her Majesty's Government in Northern Ireland as a counterweight to Provisional IRA claims.

Extensive measures are already taken to publicise the policies of Her Majesty's Government in relation to Northern Ireland both within the United Kingdom and abroad. I do not consider that any worthwhile purpose would be achieved by employing a firm of public relations consultants.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his policy towards the provision of nuclear shelters in Northern Ireland ; and if any have been constructed or are planned for construction.

The present policy is that shelters will not be provided and none have been constructed. Northern Ireland constitutes a home defence region within the United Kingdom and I shall of course be guided by any changes in shelter policy recommended as a result of the current review of home defence.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on security in the Province.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Antrim, North (Rev. Ian Paisley).

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what complaints he has received about the British Army helicopters landing on the football pitch at Crossmaglen.

There have been no recent complaints.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official engagements for 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 12 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 12 June.