asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he proposes to take on the recommendations of the Health and Safety Executive's report on the fire and explosions at River Road, Barking, published on 4 June.

Guidance on the storage of sodium chlorate which is to be published later in the year will reflect the lessons learned from this incident. The Health and Safety Executive is discussing with the Chemical Industries Association the segregation of chemicals during storage and are discussing with the Home Office making information available to fire authorities. Health and safety inspectors have been instructed to draw the attention of appropriate firms to precautions necessary for the storage of liquefied petroleum gas and the need to draw up emergency plans in consultation with the emergency services. The criteria on which fire brigades decide to evacuate premises are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide the services of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service to assist in resolving the industrial dispute at the St. Fergus gas terminal, East Aberdeenshire which has resulted in a large number of workers formerly engaged by William Press Limited being without work or benefits.

I understand that following discussion between the site managing contractor and union representatives a number of workers formerly employed by William Press Limited at St. Fergus have been employed by other contractors on the site. Further talks are due to be held soon. ACAS is continuing to keep in touch with developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many jobs have been lost in hosiery and knitwear in the East Midlands area in the last three months;(2) what has been the reduction of jobs in the hosiery and knitwear industry in the last 12 months.

Regional figures are not available, but for Great Britain provisional estimates show that between December 1979 and March 1980 the number of people employed in the manufacture of hosiery and other knitted goods fell by 2,500. Between March 1979 and March 1980 the number fell by 5,400.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by what percentage the number of unfair dismissal claims has been reduced since 1 October 1979.

Twenty-six per cent. fewer complaints of unfair dismissal were registered during the period 1 October 1979 to the end of April 1980 than during the corresponding period in 1978–79. April is the latest month for which figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he proposes to meet the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission to discuss the predicted unemployment totals in its report; and if he will make a statement.

I have no immediate plans to meet the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission for this purpose, although I see him regularly. Unemployment is bound to rise over the next few months, given the world situation and the uncompetitive state of parts of British industry. Beyond that no one can predict future levels of unemployment with any accuracy; the MSC has merely reflected the opinions of independent forecasting organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number and percentage of persons unemployed in the Northern region and for the United Kingdom, respectively.

At 12 June there were 142,707 people registered as unemployed in the Northern region and 1,659,676 in the United Kingdom. The rates of unemployment were 10·3 and 6·9 per cent., respectively. The figures are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current total number registered as unemployed.

At 12 June the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in Great Britain was 1,586,645.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a further statement on the level of unemployment.

As long as our present high rate of inflation continues, unemployment is likely to go on rising. Large wage increases without corresponding increases in productivity are at present a major contributory factor to inflation and hence to unemployment.

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

At 12 June the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in the Preston travel-to-work area was 11,304.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for unemployment and

The following table gives a comparison of the numbers of people registered as unemployed in the regions of England and in Wales at 12 June 1980 with those of 14 June 1979.vacancies; and how they compare with the same figures 12 months ago.

At 12 June 1980 the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in Great Britain was 1,586,645 compared with 1,281,102 at June 1979. The numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at employment offices and careers offices at 6 June 1980 were 163,950 and 19,396, respectively, compared with 275,447 and 37,210 at June 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what estimate he makes, in absolute terms and as a percentage of the relevant age groups, of the numbers registered as unemployed in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the North-West and (c) Blackburn travel-to-work area who are (i) aged under 19 years and (ii) aged under 25 years;(2) how many, in numbers and in percentages, of those who have been unemployed for six months or more in (

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will indicate the Government's response to the proposals contained in the Central Policy Review Staff report on training for industry.

The Government welcome the CPRS report "Education, Training and Industrial Performance" as an important contribution to the debate about the future of our education and training system. So far as industrial training is concerned, we shall take the report's analysis into account when considering the report on the training provisions of the Employment and Training Act 1973. This is due in July from the review body established by the Manpower Services Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when next he expects to meet the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress to discuss improvements in industrial training.

I have no immediate plans to discuss this matter with the general secretary of the TUC. The Manpower Services Commission is now reviewing our industrial training arrangements, and the TUC is represented on the Commission, and on the body carrying out the review. I expect to receive the report of this review next month, and I should be happy to discuss it with the TUC.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when next he plans to meet the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress to discuss improvements in dispute procedures and industrial relations; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is ready at any time to discuss with Mr. Murray ways of improving industrial relations including the making and implementing of dispute procedures. Agreement upon dispute procedures is, however, a matter for negotiation between employers and trade unions in individual industries and undertakings.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures for the Alnwick district.

At 12 June the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in the Alnwick travel-to-work area was 926.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if a decision has been reached on the future of the quota scheme for employment of disabled workers; and if he will make a statement.

The Manpower Services Commission is still reviewing the operation of the quota scheme and will be making recommendations to Ministers towards the end of the year. My right hon. Friend will wish to consider its recommendations carefully before reaching a decision on this important issue.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the law currently applicable to secondary industrial action.

No. The House of Lords judgment in the case of Express Newspapers Ltd. v MacShane showed that the present law allows virtually unlimited immunity for secondary industrial action against those not involved in a dispute. That is not an acceptable position. That is why we have taken steps in the Employment Bill to limit severely immunity as regards secondary action, and why we have undertaken to review the whole question of immunities in a Green Paper later in the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will bring forward proposals to stimulate job creation, especially among the young school leavers in West Yorkshire.

My right hon. Friend announced on 14 February 1980 that the Government had agreed to a proposal by the Manpower Services Commission to increase the size of the youth opportunities programme from 210,000 entrants in 1979–80 to 250–260,000 entrants in 1980–81. This will enable the Commission to continue to operate, under the programme, its undertakings to unemployed school leavers and young people unemployed for 12 months or more. Both YOP and the two undertakings will continue to cover West Yorkshire and the number of places will increase by about a third in 1980–81. Community Industry also operates in West Yorkshire to help young people with particular difficulties.The small firms employment subsidy, which was the least cost-effective of the special employment measures, closed for applications on 31 March. However, the temporary short-time working compensation scheme will continue to operate throughout the country, and we have also extended the job release scheme for a further year.We consider that this programme of measures will make an important contribution towards reducing unemployment and helping the particularly hard hit groups, such as school-leavers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the proposed cuts in the budget of the Health and Safety Executive.

The detailed implications of the reduction of £2·2 million by 1982–83 in the annual staff costs of the Health and Safety Executive announced on 6 December 1979 are still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the future levels of employment in the North-West of England.

The future levels of employment in the North-West, as in the country as a whole, are largely dependent upon our ability to conquer inflation. This will be achieved only if both sides of industry and commerce work together to improve the competitiveness of their firms, notably by bargaining responsibly over pay and conditions and by improvements in productivity, quality and reliability. Success in this will lead to more people buying British. This is the way to create permanent new jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will intro- duce legislation to assist union amalgamations.

When enacted, the Employment Bill will encourage union ballots on important matters, including union amalgamations, by providing public funds for this purpose. The Government have no other plans to change the existing law facilitating trade union amalgamations—the Trade Union (Amalgamations, Etc.) Act 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how much unemployment in Greater London has risen since May 1979.

Between May 1979 and June 1980 the number of people registered as unemployed, seasonally adjusted and excluding school leavers, increased by 15,100.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the annual report of the Manpower Services Commission.

My hon. Friend probably has in mind the manpower review published by the commission on June 4. The review contains a broad discussion of manpower issues and a summary of the commission's plans and programmes. I have approved the commission's plans for 1980–81 but have not yet approved those for subsequent years.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current employment situation regarding textile workers in the North-West of England.

The Government are naturally concerned about the problems facing the textile industry. Our policies are designed to provide the climate in which textile firms can compete and we are doing all we can to see that the industry does not suffer from unfair competition by ensuring, for example, that the multi-fibre arrangement is implemented as effectively as possible. Assistance through the temporary short time working compensation scheme will continue to be available to firms as an alternative to redundancies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons under 20 years of age are unemployed in the county of South Yorkshire; and how many unfilled vacancies were available at the latest date for which figures are available.

At 10 April, the latest date for which the quarterly age analysis is available, there were 8,154 people under 20 years of age registered as unemployed in the county of South Yorkshire.At 2 April there were, 1,723 notified vacancies remaining unfilled at employment offices and 447 at careers offices in the county and the corresponding vacancy figures at 6 June were 1,547 and 352, respectively. Vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication the figures for employment offices and careers offices should not be added together.

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

No. Although the rate of unemployment in Cumbria is better than for the Northern region as a whole it is none the less far too high. To bring down unemployment, however, we must first conquer inflation and create the conditions in which industry and commerce will be able to prosper and create the jobs which are needed. The Government's policies are directed towards this goal.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the 16 to 18-year-old age group, not attending school, are following some form of vocational training, apprenticeship, further education, or other form of education or training, either full-time or part-time.

This information is not available in the form requested by hon. Member. However, for information about the pattern of education and training for young people aged 16 to 18 in England and Wales during the academic year 1978–79, I refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Bolton, West (Mrs. Taylor) on 14 April.—[Vol. 982, c. 560–62.] I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that in the academic year 1978–79 in England and Wales there were 130,000 entrants to the youth opportunities programme, which provides varying elements of work experience and training for unemployed young people; this is approximately 6 per cent. of young people aged 16 to 18. There are no comprehensive statistics available to indicate how many young people enter apprenticeships.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were out of work in the Peterborough travel-to-work area at the latest convenient date.

At 12 June the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in the Peterborough travel-to-work area was 4,489.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action is proposed on the proposal of the Manpower Services Commission made in the Manpower Review 1980; and if he will make a statement.

The Manpower Services Commission's Manpower Review 1980 contains a broad discussion of manpower issues and a summary of the Commission's plans and programmes. I have approved the Commission's plans for 1980–81 but have not yet approved those for subsequent years.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many computer programming courses were provided under the training opportunities scheme for 1978–79 and 1979–80; and what is the provision for the current financial year.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the number of computer programming courses run or projected under the training opportunities scheme in each of the years specified is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects next to discuss with the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission the operation of the training opportunities scheme.

I have no immediate plans to discuss with the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission the operation of the training opportunities scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest number of former construction workers registered as unemployed; and how this figure compares with the equivalent month in 1973, 1976 and 1979, respectively.

At 8 May 1980, the latest date for which information is available, there were 189,554 people registered as unemployed in Great Britain who last worked in the construction industry. The corresponding figures for May in each of the years 1973, 1976 and 1979 were 90,147, 206,562 and 160,012, respectively. The May 1980 figure is not strictly comparable with those for the earlier years because of the introduction, in September 1979, of fortnightly attendance and payment of benefit. This had the effect of raising the monthly figures for all unemployed in Great Britain by about 20,000 or 1½ per cent. Estimates of this effect by industry are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest percentage figures of male and female unemployment in the Consett and Stanley travel-to-work area.

At 12 June the provisional unemployment rates for males and females in the Consett travel-to-work area, which includes Stanley, were 14·5 and 12·5 per cent., respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been notified to his Department for the Consett travel-to-work area in each month since January of the current year.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has been requested to assist in resolving the dispute over lagging at the Isle of Grain power station.

ACAS has not been requested to assist, but has continued to keep in close touch with developments.

asked the Secretary, of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the work of the wages councils.

In general I am satisfied; where there are defects we are seeking to remedy them.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with the Manpower Services Commission concerning its forecasts for unemployment for 1980 and 1981.

The Manpower Services Commission submitted to me late last year a corporate plan which included an appreciation of various published unemployment forecasts. I have discussed the plan and the unemployment outlook with the commission at several subsequent meetings.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received on clause 16 of the Employment Bill.

Clause 16 of the Employment Bill reflects the many comments we received during consultation on the working paper on secondary industrial action which preceded publication of the clause. We have received a small number of further representations since the clause was published, mainly from individuals.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what financial and manpower resources the Manpower Services Commission now has to help unemployed school leavers.

Help for unemployed school leavers is available under the youth opportunities programme. I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that £183 million has been allocated to this programme for 1980–81. It is not possible to say what proportion of this amount will be spent on school leavers, but the current undertaking to school leavers has been retained; all those school leavers who have not found a job by Easter 1981 will be offered a suitable place in YOP. There are approximately 1,200 staff involved in the special programmes division of the Manpower Services Commission, which runs the youth opportunities programme together with the special temporary employment programme in those areas where it operates. The employment service division of the MSC has a general responsibility for placing in employment those unemployed school leavers who are registered with them, and in addition recruits appropriate young people to special programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies in North-West England have been notified to his Department during 1980.

The number of proposed redundancies notified to my Department under the redundancy handling provisions of the Employment Protection Act 1975 for the North-West region from 1 January to 31 May 1980 involved 66,901 employees at 1,327 establishments.During the same period, 17,733 redundancies at 348 establishments were formally withdrawn. There is no statutory requirement to notify my Department when proposed redundancies do not take place.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he can now announce his plans for the future of the Clegg Commission.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will bring forward plans to reduce unemployment on Merseyside.

The Government accept that unemployment on Merseyside is too high. For that reason the area is retaining its special development area status so that employers setting up on Merseyside and creating new jobs will be entitled to the highest level of assistance available under the Industry Act. In the longer term, however, the economic prospects for Merseyside as for the country as a whole, depend upon the country's success in the fight against inflation. The Government's policies are aimed at creating the conditions in which United Kingdom firms can compete successfully in world markets and so create a genuine need for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many firms in the boot and shoe industry in Northamptonshire are currently working short time; and how many firms in the same industry are receiving aid under the temporary employment scheme.

Information about the number of firms working short time is not available. Under the temporary short time working compensation (TSTWC) scheme 19 clothing and footwear firms in Northamptonshire are currently being supported; information is not available for the clothing and footwear industries separately.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the ratio of earnings in (a) manufacturing and (b) engineering to non-manufacturing in 1949, 1959, 1969 and 1979 in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Germany and Japan.

The available information for manufacturing industries is given in the following table. These estimates are not fully comparable between countries owing to differences in definitions and methods used to compile the statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has received the open letter from the General and Municipal Workers Union southern district, sent to him by the hon. Member for Newham, North-West concerning an industrial dispute at the Royal Russell school, Coombe Road, Croydon; whether the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has taken or intends taking action to resolve this dispute; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received a copy of the open letter to which the hon. Member refers. I understand that the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service issued a report on the union recognition claim in February and that, since then, neither the union nor the employer has approached ACAS.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for the registered unemployed and for the notified vacancies in the Southampton travel-to-work area; and, in each case, what percentage of the known working population they represent.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many men and women are currently working short time in Birmingham, and in which firms;(2) how many men, women and young people are now unemployed in Birmingham: and what are the comparable figures for one year ago;(3) how many redundancies were notified to his Department in the last year for the Birmingham travel-to-work area.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report the names of the chairman of the Central Arbitration Committee, the Boot and Shoe Repairing Wages Council, the Laundry Wages Council, the Licensed Residential Establishment and Licensed Restaurant Wages Council and the Road Haulage Wages Council; and if he will list in each case any other part-time official appointmets held by them.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland on Tuesday 17 June, he will publish the names of the authorities failing to take up the specialist posts in the careers service founded by his Department.

Some authorities have still to respond to the letters offering posts allocated in April 1980, but, at the present time, no authority has declined an offer of one of these posts.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what new courses on job-finding will be provided for steel rundown areas; where they will be located; and what additional resources will be made available for them;(2) what expansion of retraining facilities is to take place in steel rundown areas;(3) which new courses on small business training are to be started in steel rundown areas; which courses on how to start small businesses are to be expanded in the same areas; and if there is to be an increase in resources available to the Manpower Services Commission for these purposes;(4) what extra assistance is to be made available to industrial training boards to help firms take on first or second year craft apprentices made redundant by the steel industry; what estimate he has made of the numbers of such apprentices; and how many of these he expects to be found alternative opportunities of following their training;(5) what assistance will be available from his Department to assist apprentices other than those in the first or second year of their apprenticeships affected by the rundown of the steel industry to follow their training;(6) how he proposes that the youth opportunities programme will be modified in steel rundown areas so as to provide special attention to their needs;(7) what changes he is considering in the present provisions to assist people in the steel rundown areas to move home to take up work elsewhere;

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action his Department has taken since 3 May 1979 on any recommendation of the Finer committee for which it is wholly or partly responsible.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many questionnaires requesting information from firms with up to a £1 million turnover have been discontinued since 3 May 1979 and how many new ones introduced; and how many different ones are sent out at present.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 June 1980, c. 422–23]: The vast majority of administrative questionnaires sent out to firms by the Department of Employment group relate to specific requests for information on behalf of members of the public, for example about entitlement to unemployment benefit or about jobs and training opportunities. The number of such inquiries is not held either centrally or locally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. A review of administrative procedures and their associated forms was carried out last year with the object of reducing the burden of form filling on employers and particularly small firms, and recommendations for simplification are being implemented.With regard to statistical questionnaires, as a result of reductions in three statistical surveys and the discontinuation of one, the number of such questionnaires to be completed by employers since 3 May 1979 has been reduced by over 1 million, a substantial proportion of which would have been sent to firms with a turnover of less than £1 million. No new regular survey has been introduced since 3 May 1979.There are currently nine regular surveys conducted by the Department of Employment which are likely to involve firms with less than £1 million turnover. These surveys will account for a total of about 600,000 questionnaires issued in 1980. The proportion of these sent to firms with less than £1 million turnover is not known.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures for the Northern region.

At 12 June the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in the Northern region was 142,707.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) in the light of the difficulties being created for United Kingdom producers of knockdown furniture by the import of large quantities of cheap knock-down furniture from East Germany, if he will examine the long-term effects such unfair competition will have on the United Kingdom furniture manufacturing industry;(2) if he will investigate the price structure of imported knock-down furniture from East Germany to establish the reasons for giving most-favoured nation status to such imports;(3) if he will initiate discussions with those East European countries exporting knock-down furniture to the United Kingdom with a view to obtaining agreement on the element of subsidy being given to such exports.

My right hon. Friend and I have received a number of complaints against imports of furniture from Eastern Europe, particularly the German Democratic Republic, and the concern felt by the industry is thus well known to us. With the advice and assistance of my Department, the British Furniture Manufacturers Federated Associations are seeking to establish the basis for a com- plaint to the European Commission that these imports are being dumped and a request that the Community should take appropriate anti-dumping action. Any such action would be accompanied by an investigation by the Commission into the pricing of the imports concerned and the damage being caused to the industry within the Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will instruct his staff considering the consultation document on companies registration and business names to allow the continuance of the present dispensation for organisations such as the British School of Osteopathy to omit the word "Limited," from their title.

The consultative document proposed to repeal section 19 of the Companies Act 1948, under which my right hon. Friend may license a company in certain circumstances to omit the word "limited" from its name. It takes staff time to supervise the conditions for licences, and changes in the constitution of companies that hold them. I shall of course, consider the representations made on the consultative document by the British School of Osteopathy and others.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many new building firms were registered as limited companies in the last 12 months; and how many building firms have gone bankrupt or into liquidation in the past year.

Registrations of companies are not recorded by industry so that the number of new building firms is not available. In the 12 months ended 31 March 1980—the latest available—the number of company liquidations—compulsory and creditors voluntary—was 769 and the number of bankruptcies—plus deeds of arrangement—which relate to sole traders and partnerships, was 825; both figures relate to England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the representative bodies, trade associations and professional bodies in, and connected with, the construction industry which have made written representations to him since June 1979.

This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the representative bodies, trade associations and professional bodies in, and connected with, the construction industry he has met since June 1979.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many firms went bankrupt in the first quarter of 1979; and how many went bankrupt in the first quarter of 1980.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what quantity of glass fibre is being imported from Spain for blowing into lofts; and if he is satisfied that the method of manufacture and shipping is not leading to contamination which can be dangerous for installers and householders.

[pursuant to his reply, 23 June 1980, c. 18]: Glass fibre for insulating lofts in dwelling-houses is not separately identified in the Overseas Trade Statistics. I am not aware of any health hazards presented to householders by the importation of glass fibre from Spain. Questions concerning safety at work are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) in view of the severe famine in parts of East Africa, whether any initiative is contemplated by the United Kingdom, in concert with other members of the European Economic Community, to help overcome this problem by food aid;(2) in view of the severe famine in parts of East Africa, if he will provide help in the form of foodstuffs.

We and the European Community have already responded to this situation in various ways, including the provision of food aid. The Community has in recent months committed to East Africa emergency aid worth 9 million European units of account, of which the United Kingdom share is about £1 million.We have separately pledged £850,000 for refugee relief in Somalia and my right hon. and noble Friend stated in another place on 18 June that the bulk of this would take the form of 5,000 tonnes of food aid. We have spent or committed over £110,000 to assist the transport and distribution in Uganda of food and medical supplies provided by international organisations and British charities.

asked the Attorney-General (1) how many appeals against conviction were heard in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) during 1979; how many of these appeals were heard within one month of the conclusion of the case in the lower court; and how many between one and three months, three to six months, six to nine months, nine to 12 months, and over 12 months, respectively;(2) how many appeals against sentence only were heard by the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) during 1979; how many of these appeals were heard within one month of the conclusion of the case in the lower court; and how many between one and two months, two and three months, three and four months, four and five months, five and six months and over six months, respectively.

No figures are yet available to show the number and nature of appeals heard in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) in 1979. Figures for 1978 appear in table 21(a) of the Criminal Statistics England and Wales 1978 (Cmnd. 7670), issued by the Home Office. Information about the period between conviction and sentence and the hearing of the appeal is not available at present in the form requested and the Lord Chancellor will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Attorney-General what action his Department or the Lord Chancellor's office has taken since 3 May 1979 on any recommendation of the Finer committee for which it is wholly or partly responsible.

The Lord Chancellor is, in part, responsible for recommendations 26–51, which contain proposals for the establishment of a separate system of family courts. However, for the reasons which have already been given—[Vol. 970, c. 405 and Vol. 974, c. 174]—the Government have not been able to make any substantial progress towards legislation in this area.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on her discussions with Mr. Harold Brown, United States Defence Secretary, on Monday 2 June, about the United States' proposal that Great Britain should acquire Trident missiles.

I discussed a range of matters with Secretary Brown. As to a successor to Polaris, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence made clear only last week that we shall announce a decision as soon as it has been taken.

asked the Prime Minister if she plans to make a ministerial broadcast.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engage Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June,

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the prime Minister if she will list her official engagement for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 June.

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

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Memsie, East Aberdeenshire.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the coordination of Government Departments to deal with unemployment.

The Departments and agencies concerned work closely together in a variety of ways. If the hon. Member has a specific aspect in mind, I shall be glad to consider it.

asked the Prime Minister when next she intends to take the chair at the National Economic Development Council.

No dates have been arranged.

asked the Prime Minister when she plans to meet the leader of the Greater London Council.

I have no immediate plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when last she met the Trades Union Congress.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Melton (Mr. Latham) on 2 June.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will move to appoint a joint committee of both Houses to examine the effect on the United Kingdom over the last five years of membership of the European Community.

We have no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the implementation of the Government proposals to cut public expenditure.

My colleagues and I give continuous attention to the level of public expenditure. Where there is cause for concern we take action; for example, we have called for revised local authority budgets because they were planning to overspend.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will authorise the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama to acquire the site offered by Glasgow district council for the construction of a new academy.

I am glad to announce that I have authorised the academy to purchase from the district council a site at the corner of Hope Street and Renfrew Street in Glasgow, and to proceed with the preparation of plans for the new building which is required to provide improved facilities in Scotland for the teaching of music and drama at this level. The date on which construction of the new building can start will depend on progress with these plans and the availability of resources for the project.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the present level of unemployment in each of the employment areas within South Ayrshire.

The table below shows the numbers registered as unemployed and percentage rates in South Ayrshire on 12 June 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to implement the Timbury report; and if he will make a statement.

The main recommendations in the report relate to improvements in social work and health services and to the development of a new kind of hospital unit. Local authority and health interests are being consulted; replies received to date are generally in favour of the recommendations, but many express serious reservations about costs. When all the comments have been considered, the Secretary of State will announce the policy he proposes to pursue in relation to the report.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Lothian constabulary as to the number of incidents of car thefts and damage which have been reported to him that took place in the vicinity of Edinburgh airport car park and as to what measures of additional protection have been suggested.

Policing this area is the responsibility of the chief constable of Lothian and Borders police, and I have arranged for the hon. Gentleman's concern to be brought to his attention. The police are already active in regard to car thefts or damage in the area, but I am not aware that the incidence of these compares unfavourably with that experienced elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why no order has been presented to bring into force the Confirmation to Small Estates (Scotland) Act 1979 which received the Royal Assent on 29 March 1979; and if he will give the reason for the delay.

An order bringing this Act into force on 1 July 1980 was made by my right hon. Friend on 21 May. The order entitled the Confirmation to Small Estates (Scotland) Act 1979 (Commencement) Order 1980 (1980 No. 734 (c30) (s.57)) was not subject to parliamentary procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the latest parole figures for Scotland, with particular reference to the increase from three killers released before serving their full sentence in 1970, to 47 such killers in 1979.

In terms of section 61 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 the decision on the release on licence of prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment rests with the Secretary of State, after consultation with the judiciary. though the decision may not be acted on unless the parole board recommends release. The licence remains in force for the rest of the prisoner's life and he may be recalled at any time.The reference to three and 47 cases in the annual report of the parole board of Scotland for 1979 refers to cases considered for future release on successful completion of a pre-release programme. The number of life sentence prisoners actually released in 1970 was three, and in 1979, 21. The difference in the figures between 1970 and 1979 reflects a difference in the number of persons who in past periods had been sentenced to imprisonment for life.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants in his Department were employed in the administration of sports and recreation in Scotland in each year from 1972 to the current year.

Five persons are employed solely on matters connected with sport and recreation; there has been little change in this number since 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action his Department has taken since 3 May 1979 on any recommendation of the Finer committee for which it is wholly or partly responsible.

Certain of the recommendations relating to civil law and civil procedure in Scotland are to be given further consideration in the light of the report of the Royal Commission on legal services in Scotland and forthcoming reports of the Scottish Law Commission on family law and the spouse's right to occupancy of the matrimonial home.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many firearms were issued to policemen in 1979.

The number of occasions in 1979 on which firearms were issued for use in particular incidents involving criminals or other persons known or believed to be armed was 8,374.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recommendations for minimum periods of detention have been made over the last 10 years where a defendant has been convicted of the murder of a police officer; and in how many cases no such recommendation has been made.

Ten persons have been convicted of the murder, in the period 1970 to 1979, of a police officer. The trial judge made a recommendation under section 1(2) of the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965 for the minimum period of detention in seven of these cases. In three cases no recommendation was made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of recent decisions by the courts overruling refusals by local authorities to license prize bingo and amusement with prizes machines, he will seek to amend the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976 and the Gaming Act 1968 so as to widen the grounds on which a local authority may refuse licences for such activities.

The Royal Commission on Gambling recommended some strengthening of the powers of local authorities in relation to amusement places and I am considering its recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the level of grant-aid made to the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service for the year 1980–81.

£491,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial resources are available to the appeal system for immigrants or visitors refused entry to the United Kingdom.