asked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the total number of rooms in the Palace of Westminster and the percentage used or occupied by hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether any approaches have been made by representatives of United Kingdom industry to Taiwan in respect of the counterfeiting of British trade marked goods since the Lord Privy Seal's parliamentary answer to the hon.

I have been asked to reply.1,128 and 22·3 per cent. respectively. These figures have been obtained by reference to the 1974 series of plans for the Palace of Westminster.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing for France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg and for the rest of the world the ratio of imports to exports of manufactured good for 1963, for each year from 1970 and 1980 to date.

Figures for the rest of the world are not readily available. The available information for the other countries is as follows:Member for Cannock (Mr. Roberts) on 16 June; and what facilities he is providing to manufacturers who wish to make representations to Taiwan to end these practices.

I am not aware that any such approaches have been made since 16 June either directly to those concerned in Taiwan or through the Anglo-Taiwan trade committee which, I understand, is willing to help in such cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will use his formal powers under section 72 of the Companies Act 1980 to investigate, with a view to prosecution, insider dealing in the shares of Bernard Wardle Ltd.

The insider dealing provisions of the Companies Act 1980 came into force on 23 June. I have no evidence to suggest that an offence against them has been committed in relation to the shares of Bernard Wardle Ltd., but, if the hon. Member can send me such evidence, I will consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the near aircraft miss over Aberdeen during the week ended 11 July involving a military aircraft; whether this aircraft belonged to the Royal Air Force or the West German Air Force; and

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will outline the policy of Her Majesty's Government in connection with proposals to phase out

The pilot of a civil Fokker Friendship aircraft, operated by Air UK, filed an airmiss report following an incident in the Aberdeen area on Tuesday 8 July. The report is currently being investigated by the joint airmiss section of the National Air Traffic Services which will, when all known facts are available, determine whether any corrective action should be taken to minimise the chance of a recurrence. Inquiries are still being made and it has not yet been confirmed whether the other aircraft involved was civil or military.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish a table showing the poultry imports in tonnes from all countries and from each of the EEC countries in each of the last four years and the figures for imports from France, Holland, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland in the first two quarters of 1980.

The latest information available is as follows:flags of convenience which will be on the agenda at the UNCTAD shipping committee meeting in September.

There is no generally agreed definition of a flag of convenience and this description is applied by some governments to the British Flag. Along with most other OECD countries, Her Majesty's Government agree on the need for effective action against sub-standard ships but strongly oppose any measures that would reduce competition in international shipping and raise the cost of international trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, for each of the last 10 years, what has been the trade deficit in actual and constant prices and the ratio between imports and exports with Japan; and what the effect on United Kingdom trade would be if the import of Japanese cars were halved.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps he is taking to prevent further importation of telephone equipment for use in the United Kingdom which has not secured or is not likely to secure a Post Office certificate of approval in respect of safety and technical compatibility but has been on sale since 1 April without any warning to customers that it should not be used.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has not had discussions specifically on the issue of imports of this kind, since equipment that has not been approved for use on the Post Office network may legitimately be used on privately provided telecommunications circuits. Contravention of any relevant legislation by the content of a particular advertisement used by a supplier of such equipment would be a matter for the appropriate enforcement authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on economic co-operation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

At the meeting I had with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Ireland in April we agreed that a progress report on cross-border studies and economic projects should be prepared. This report is now completed and copies are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many pairs of trousers were imported from Hong Kong, and what was their value, in the 12 months ended December 1979; and how the price compared with trousers manufactured in Northern Ireland;(2) how many men's jackets and blazers were imported from South Korea in the 12 months ended December 1979; and how the average price compares with the average price for jackets manufactured in Northern Ireland.

Statistics are not available on the volume and value of imports destined for particular regions of the United Kingdom. I therefore regret that I am unable to supply the information requested by the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were made redundant in 1979 and during the first six months of the current year; and what is his latest estimate of the minimum, maximum and average amounts of redundancy pay.

Information on the number of redundancies which have actually taken place is not available. However, I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the number of redundancies affecting 10 or more employees and reported by them as due to occur in 1979 was 186,784 employees. For the first six months of this year the number was 174,207 employees. This figure is provisional since some redundancies are reported late.Statutory redundancy payments are calculated according to the employee's age, length of service and weekly earnings, subject to certain limits. No minimum level of entitlement is laid down. The maximum payment is £3,600. The average redundancy payment for the first three months of this year was £900.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current rate of unemployment amongst ethnic minority groups; how this compares with the figures for the same time in 1979; and if he will introduce special measures to reduce unemployment amongst ethnic minority groups.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if it is his policy that the two guarantees given to unemployed 16 to 19-year-olds, ensuring the offer of a place in the youth opportunities programme, will be maintained in 1981–82 and 1982–83, without any decrease in the quality of the programme, or the amount of time young people are entitled to spend in the programme.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish figures showing the most recent wage rates paid in each of the industries governed by wages councils.

The following table lists the current statutory minimum wage rates published by the wages councils. The figures quoted are those for the lowest grade of adult worker employed in main provincial areas for a normal working week.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many small business men have been appointed to wages councils since 1 May 1979.

Representative members are appointed to wages councils by organisations nominated by the Secretary of State. He is not necessarily informed of their business interests, but 20 of 60 appointments of employers' representatives since 1 May 1979 appear to be small business men.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table of figures showing the number of visits made to business premises by officers of the wages councils now operating in the last year for which figures are available and the number of offences detected by the wages councils in each industry.

The information given below relates to visits made in 1979 by wages inspectors of my Department to check compliance with wages orders. A number of advisory visits were also made but records of these are not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the expenditure incurred by each of the wage councils now operating in the last year for which figures are available.

This information is not available in the form requested. The total expenses of all wages councils, including their secretariat, for 1979–80 is estimated at £280,000 for 1979–80.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what would be the cost to his Department of implementing the recommendations set out in the Lindop report on data protection.

The precise, and probably considerable, costs of complying with the recommendations in the report of the committee on data protection depend upon the details embodied in the proposed codes of practice under which the Department would be expected to operate. If, for example it were necessary to provide a print-out service to comply with proposals that members of the public should be able to verify personal data relating to them, a redesign of computer systems may be required. The level of demand would also determine whether additional computer equipment would need to be purchased.Extra staffing costs would be incurred in servicing data subjects' requests, meeting registration requirements of the Data Protection Authority, and drawing up and operating the codes of practice. Direct costs would also be payable to the Data Protection Authority in the form of fees payable for registration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what study has been made by his Department of the effect on the health of bakery workers of additives used in baking the standard white loaf; if he is satisfied that none of the additives now in use has a harmful effect on the health of workers in the industry; and if he will make a statement;(2) further to the information sent to him by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, what consideration his Department has given to the reference in the presidential address of Mr. T. O'Neill, at this year's annual conference of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union, to the harmful effects on the health of bakery workers of the extensive use of chemicals in baking the standard white loaf; if he will sponsor a research project on the subject; and if he will make a statement.

The question of possible harmful effects on the health of bakery workers from additives used in baking the standard white loaf has been discussed by the safety in bakeries liaison committee, which includes representatives of the Health and Safety Executive and of management and trade unions in the industry, including the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union. The executive is studying available evidence on the subject prior to its further consideration by the liaison committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the change in the wage rates since the raising of the school leaving age of 16 to 18-year-old expressed as a percentage of the adult rate, for males and females and for manual and non-manual occupations.

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

asked the Secretary of Slate for Employment what was the total number of applications for compensation under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers Compensation) Act 1979 up to 4 July of the current year; how many of these have been accepted; how many rejected; and how many cases are still awaiting a decision.

A total of 4,515 applications had been received by this date. 1,870 applicants had been informed that they were entitled to a payment, and 1,120 that they were not entitled to a payment. 1,525 applications are outstanding.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many additional notifications are likely to be received under the Notification of Accidents Regulations 1980 (S.I., 980, No. 804) due to wider coverage of occupation; and how many additional notifications are expected under activities already covered by notification provisions.

The best estimate which can be made is that there will be about 150,000 additional notifications per annum due to the wider coverage of occupations which the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1980 will attract, and 125,000 additional notifications per annum arising from activities which at present are covered by notification provisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what pilot surveys were carried out, at what date, what activities were covered, and how many responses were received when assessing the likely notifications received under the provisions of the Notification of Accidents Regulations 1980 (S.I., 1980, No. 804).

The main purpose of pilot surveys involving the Department of Health and Social Security and the Health and Safety Executive, which were carried out in 1975, was to assess the viability of joint accident reporting. Estimates of the likely number of additional notifications are based on a study of published annual accident statistics prepared by the Department of Health and Social Security and the Health and Safety Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) when the

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will state the number and percentage of unemployed school leavers in the travel-to-work areas covering (a) Greater Manchester and (b) the city of Manchester for the latest available month, together with comparable statisitics for the same month in each year from 1970 to 1979 inclusive;(2) if he will state the number and percentage of unemployed in the travel-to-work areas covering (

[pursuant to his reply, 8 July 1980, c. 94]: Information is readily available for 1978, 1979 and 1980 but could be assembled for all earlier years specified only at disproportionate cost. However, figures are given for June 1970 for comparison.The following table gives the available information for the Greater Manchester metropolitan county and for the Manchester travel-to-work area. This comprises the total numbers registered as unemployed and the percentage rates of unemployment. The numbers of school leavers included in these figures are also shown but rates of unemployment for school leavers are not compiled.draft dangerous pathogen regulations of the Health and Safety Executive will become mandatory; who will be expected to comply with them and who will be exempt; and if he will make a statement;

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the change in the national debt expressed in real terms since 1945 or any convenient years before 1950.

Between 31 March 1946 and 31 March 1980, the national debt fell by £111,861 million at March 1980 prices, based on provisional data for the national debt at 31 March 1980. Provisional national debt outstanding at 31 March 1980 is £95,327 million by comparison with £23,742 million outstanding at 31 March 1946, which revalued at March 1980 prices is equivalent to £207,188 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when full details of the rules governing the special 100 per cent. tax allowance for the erection of small industrial premises of less than 2,500 sq. ft. will be published, and advice made available to Inland Revenue local inspectors of taxes to enable them to advise potential developers of small units on their entitlement to the allowance; and what publicity he intends to give to the scheme to encourage its use in the assisted areas.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated full-year cost of allowing widows under the age of 65 years to receive the same earned income relief as those over 65 years in addition to the present personal allowance.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the monthly rate of inflation in the United Kingdom as compared with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average from 1 January 1979 to the latest available date.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 July 1980, c. 218]: Monthly changes in the retail price index can be derived from the Employment Gazette, table 132. Monthly changes in average consumer prices in the OECD can be obtained from the OECD's Press Release "Latest Trends in Consumer Prices".

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will meet the Foreign Minister of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics with a view to initiating discussions about disarmament.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to meet the Soviet Foreign Minister. Multilateral disarmament discussions are continuing in the committee on disarmament. The United Kingdom plays a full part in these discussions and in arms control negotiations on mutual and balanced force reductions and a comprehensive nuclear test ban.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement about relations with the Republic of Ireland.

The relations between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the Republic of Ireland are excellent. They reflect our common membership of the European Community and the unique relationship between our peoples. At their meeting on 21 May my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach noted with satisfaction the efforts being made by the two Governments, both separately and in co-operation, in the field of security. They also agreed to hold regular meetings, to develop new and closer political co-operation.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what contacts he or his officers have had with representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organisation; at what level they were; and on what occasions.

We maintain occasional and informal contacts with representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organisation at official level in London and elsewhere, including Arab capitals and New York. There have been no ministerial contacts other than an occasional encounter on social occasions.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the Government's views concerning the status of Jerusalem.

Since the end of the Palestine mandate, successive British Governments have regarded the status of Jerusalem as a whole as undetermined and taken the view that the city's future should be agreed between all the parties concerned and cannot be determined unilaterally. We regard East Jerusalem as part of the territories occupied by Israel in 1967 and therefore as subject to the provision of resolution 242 for Israel's withdrawal.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will give an undertaking that before any agreement is reached with the Government of Argentina regarding the future status of the Falkland Islands he will publish the proposals as a White or Green Paper for debate by the House.

Successive Governments have made it clear that any proposals for a settlement of this despute would be laid before the House.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on current relations between Her Majesty's Government and Iran.

Relations with Iran continue to be hampered by the illegal detention of the United States hostages. In this context, the Government imposed trade sanctions against Iran on 30 May. We continue to support diplomatic moves which might lead to the release of the hostages, and earnestly hope that the Iranian Parliament, which is to consider this question, will recommend their early release, so that close and mutually beneficial relations can be re-established with the Iranian Government.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will seek to pay an official visit to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to discuss the possibility of establishing a nuclear-free zone in Europe.

No. It would be unrealistic for NATO to consider removing its nuclear weapons from Europe while nuclear weapons targeted against Western Europe continued to be deployed in the Soviet Union. The disparity in conventional forces in any case means that nuclear weapons are essential to Western Europe's security.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will raise at the United Nations as a threat to world peace the invasion of Angola by South Africa.

No. The United Nations Security Council has already debated this matter.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what further discussions he has had with the Government of Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 1 July and my hon Friend the Member for Bexleyheath (Mr. Townsend) on 2 July.—[Vol. 987, c. 518; Vol. 987, c. 619.]

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on current relations between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of the Republic of South Africa.

I have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend's reply of 16 April to the hon. Member.—[Vol. 982, c. 1183.]

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will take new initiatives, following the NATO Foreign Ministers' discussions on Cyprus and in the light of the continued occupation of that country by Turkey, to ensure that progress can be made in fulfilling the British guarantee given to Cyprus promising sovereign independence.

There was no substantive discussion of Cyprus during the recent NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting. The British Government continue to give full support to the United Nations Secretary-General in his efforts to secure a resumption of the intercommunal talks.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what plans he has to visit Cyprus.

I visited Cyprus in April, and at present have no plans to make a further visit.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what efforts have been made by Her Majesty's Government to further a comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East since the recent EEC initiative.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will report progress on the EEC peace initiative in the Middle East.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what further discussions he has had with his EEC counterparts concerning their Middle East initiative.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on further progress on the Middle East initiative by the EEC Foreign Ministers.

I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friends to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Hove (Mr. Sainsbury).

asked the Lord Privy Seal what progress has been made in setting up the EEC fact-finding mission to the Middle East; and who the British representative will be.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Hove (Mr. Sainsbury). No decisions have been taken on whether or how Britain should be represented.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what plans he has to initiate or join in making changes to existing United Nations resolutions on the Middle East.

United Nations resolutions cannot be changed retrospectively. The Government have made clear that there could be advantage at the right time in a new Security Council resolution supplementing resolution 242 by associating its principles with the need for the rights of the Palestinian people, which go beyond the status of refugees, to be taken into account.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what requests for military and civil aid Her Majesty's Government have received from representatives of the Afghan patriots resisting the Soviet forces of occupation; and what reply they have been given.

I have nothing to add to the reply which my hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence) on 7 July.—[Vol. 988, c. 42.]

asked the Lord Privy Seal if Her Majesty's Government have any plans to mobilise an international call for the creation of an independent and democratic Afghanistan.

The Government, with their partners in the Nine, have been working for a neutral and non-aligned Afghanistan outside competition among the powers. I refer my hon. Friend to the declaration of the European Council issued on 13 June and the statement following the Venice summit on 21 June.— [Vol. 987, c. 231–53.]

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he intends to propose any further EEC action concerning Afghanistan at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers.

My right hon. Friend and his European colleagues will be continuing to discuss Afghanistan, although I cannot say whether there will be such discussion at the Foreign Affairs Council on 22 July. Herr Schmidt, in his recent visit to Moscow, made plain to Mr. Brezhnev and the Soviet leadership the Nine's resolve to continue to work for a solution which will leave the Afghan people free to return to their traditional neutrality and non-alignment.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, in the light of the statement by the EEC Heads of Government in Venice, what action is being taken to strengthen the United Nations interim force in the Lebanon.

Since the renewal of the UNIFIL mandate on 17 June the Lebanese battalion serving alongside UNIFIL has been reinforced. The Secretary-General of the United Nations is considering additional ways in which the position of UNIFIL may be consolidated and its effectiveness improved.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will take steps to promote an international convention on torture.

The United Kingdom is deeply concerned about the practice of torture in various countries throughout the world. Her Majesty's Government are taking an active part in drafting an international convention on torture by participating in the United Nations working group on the draft convention against torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. We aim to achieve a practical and clearly defined convention which can then be signed and ratified by as many States of the United Nations as possible.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the status of the Libyan representatives in London.

The status of those persons working at the People's Bureau of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, who have been notified to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in accordance with the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations as members of the diplomatic or of the administrative and technical staff of the mission, is governed by the relevant provisions of that convention. Other persons working at the People's Bureau are not regarded as having any special status.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the Government's preparations for the conference for security and co-operation in Europe review conference in Madrid.

I refer my hon. Friend to the concluding paragraphs of the six monthly review of implementation of the Helsinki Final Act given on 2 July in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Chislehurst (Mr. Sims).—[Vol. 987, c. 623–24.]

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether Her Majesty's Government will be represented at ministerial level at the major donors conference called by the Organisation of African Unity's Southern States in Maputo in November.

My right hon. and noble Friend is considering at what level we should be represented.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement about the safety of British subjects involved in relief work in Thailand.

The safety of British relief workers in Thailand is the responsibility of the local authorities. I have no reason to doubt the Thai Government's awareness of this, but in a troubled situation, some risks are inevitable. To their credit, the relief workers are prepared to face these risks. So far there have been no reported casualties although one relief worker was temporarily detained by the Vietnamese.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he is satisfied with existing BBC external services to Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union and Afghanistan.

Yes. The BBC increased its broadcasts to the Soviet Union and Afghanistan following the Russian invasion.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what representations Her Majesty's Government are making to the Government of the United States of America regarding ratification of SALT II.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member on 14 May.—[Vol. 984, c. 501.]

asked the Lord Privy Seal when he proposes to vist the Seychelles.

I visited Seychelles from 13 to 16 June. My right hon. Friend has no present plans to do so.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on constitutional developments in Namibia.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 18 June.—[Vol. 986, c. 555.]

asked the Lord Privy Seal which Ministers and officials from his Department are expected to visit North African States between 21 and 30 October.

Her Majesty the Queen will be making State visits to Tunisia. Algeria, and Morocco between 21 and 30 October. The composition of the ministerial party which will accompany Her Majesty has yet to be finalised. It is, however, customary for a Foreign Office Minister accompanied by one official to travel with the Royal party on such occasions.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Korea.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Gosport (Mr. Viggers).

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make representations to the Government of the United States of America asking them to improve the procedures for processing visas for United Kingdom citizens wishing to travel on a temporary basis to the United States of America, as many British citizens are experiencing more than two months' delay during which they are often in effect deprived of the use of their passports.

The American Embassy has assured us that the normal period taken to process postal visa applications is currently three weeks. Personal applicants receive their visas within three or four hours. It remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government to seek the abolition of the visa requirement.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the new agreement between the European Economic Community and Turkey.

The Government warmly welcome this agreement, details of which were given by my hon. Friend on 3 July in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes).—[Vol. 987, c. 702–3.]

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the political case for the admission of Portugal and Spain into the European Community.

The new democracies of Portugal and Spain have chosen to seek membership of the Community. To turn them away would be unthinkable. Besides, it is in the interest of both the United Kingdom and Europe generally that Portugal and Spain should be anchored to democratic Western Europe as firmly as possible.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he is satisfied that the accession of Greece, Spain and Portugal into the European Economic Community will not have harmful consequences.

The political case for the second enlargement remains decisive, and the economic consequences, some of which will be favourable, are acceptable.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish the representations made to her by Mr. Roy Grantham, the general secretary of APEX, in his letter about the textile industry, together with the text of her reply; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. Grantham wrote to me on 26 June, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry replied on my behalf yesterday. It is not my normal practice to publish exchanges of correspondence, but Mr. Grantham is free to do so if he wishes.I can assure the right hon. Member that, as we have made clear, the Government will do all they can to help the textile and clothing industry within the framework of our international obligations and our broad economic objectives.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will seek an early opportunity of visiting the London borough of Newham.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Attorney-General if he will refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions the Department of Trade inspectors' report on Darjeeling Holdings Ltd., with a view to prosecution of the directors of that company for fraudulent conversion.

I have not received details of the allegations, but I understand that the actions of this company were referred to the Director by the inspectors some time ago and, although there was good reason to suspect them to be fraudulent, the matter was stale and the evidence insufficient. The decision antedated the publication of the report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, when giving consideration to the BBC's request for a higher licence fee and for any new system of raising the fee, he will take steps to ensure that the listening and viewing public will have the right to complain and investigate cases of gross inefficiency and wasteful expenditure on the part of the BBC before any increases are made.

In considering the level of the television licence fees I have regard, among other things, both to the general financial needs of the BBC and to what is fair to the licence holder. Day-to-day management is essentially a matter for the corporation. Members of the public may, of course, complain to the BBC about its day-to-day activities and the corporation would give such complaints due consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names of all voluntary bodies to which his Department is paying grants in the current year; and how much is going to each individual body.

Grants paid to voluntary bodies by the Home Department fall into the following categories; those administered by the voluntary services unit, those administered by the probation and after-care department, grants in respect of refugees, and grants to certain other bodies. Bodies receiving grants in the current year, and the amount of grant where this has been fully determined are as follows: