Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Thursday 17 July 1980

Social Services

Family Incomes

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table, using the same basic assumptions as in his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 7 November 1979, column 213, comparing for each of a single person, a married couple, and couples with each of two and four children, net weekly spending power when at work with spending power during weeks, one, two and three to eight of sickness (a) under present legislation and (b) assuming implementation of the arrangements proposed in"Income During Initial Sickness" ", assuming in each case (i) that the employees are not at present covered by any employers' sick pay arrangements and (ii) that they have their sickness benefit made up to full pay by their employers, taking into account tax refunds and assuming normal weekly earnings of £55, £75, £95 and £115.

[pursuant to her reply, 10 June 1980, c. 141–27]: I regret that it is not possible to provide all the information requested by my hon. Friend who, in any event, will appreciate that"Income During Initial Sickness"is a consultative document. However, I have set out in the tables below some illustrative figures of net weekly spending power in the first eight weeks of an employee's sickness. Tables (a)(i) and (a)(ii) illustrate the position as at November 1979 under the present scheme. Table (b)(i) illustrates the position of employees receiving employer's statutory sick pay (ESSP) only, had the proposed scheme been introduced in November 1979. The tables show only three days' sickness benefit or ESSP in week one. The remaining three days in that week have been treated as "waiting days."In many cases, wages for a preceding period of work would be paid during the first week or so of sickness and there would normally be no need for any supplementary benefit. Where, however, there would be higher net weekly spending power with supplementary benefit, this has been shown in the tables.In the period up to 1982, changes will take place other than the introduction of ESSP and these will affect net weekly spending power. For example, earnings-related supplement was payable with sickness benefit in November 1979, whereas the payments proposed in"Income During Initial Sickness"are based on the assumption that earnings-related supplement will have been abolished. It would, therefore, be misleading to regard the changes in net weekly spending power shown in the tables as the effect of the introduction of ESSP.A table of net weekly spending under the proposed scheme where sick pay is made up to full pay has not been included. Although the precise shape of the arrangements for taxing benefits is not known, it is anticipated that ESSP will be taxable. In all these circumstances, employees would have had the same net weekly spending power as in work. Figures were given in my reply to my hon. Friend on 7 November.—[Vol. 973, c.

213–20]. For the reasons explained in that reply, refunds of income tax have not been included as part of net weekly spending power.

The assumptions on which the tables have been based all relate to November 1979. Other assumptions have been made as follows:

For married couples, the wife has no personal income from earnings or social security benefits, apart from child benefit where appropriate;

there are no tax allowances apart from personal allowances;

there have been no previous spells of unemployment or sickness which would affect the amount of benefit and any earnings-related supplement payable; and

means-tested benefits are taken up in full. In the case of family income supplement, payment is assumed to continue for the first six months of sickness.

TABLES OF NET WEEKLY SPENDING POWER IN NOVEMBER 1979
FIRST EIGHT WEEKS OF EMPLOYEE'S SICKNESS
TABLE (a)(i) PRESENT SCHEME—EMPLOYEE NOT COVERED BY EMPLOYER'S SICK PAY ARRANGEMENTS
November 1979
Weeks	Family type	Previous earnings	Sickness benefit	Child benefit	Family income supplement	Rent	Rent rebate
		£	£	£	£	£	£
One (3 days sickness benefit at flat rate)	Single person	55,75,	9·25	—	—	5·40	5·40
		95,115
	Married couple	55,75,	14·98	—	—	5·40	5·40
		95,115
	Married couple with two children aged 4	55	16·68	8·00	2·80	6·50	6·50
	and 6	75,95,115	16·68	8·00	—	6·50	6·50
	Married couple with four children aged 3,	55	18·38	16·00	7·30	7·50	7·50
	8, 11 and 16	75,95,115	18·38	16·00	—	6·50	6·50
Two (flat rate sickness benefit)	Single person	55,75,	18·50	—	—	5·40	5·40
		95,115
	Married couple	55,75,	29·95	—	—	5·40	5·40
		95,115
	Married couple with two children aged 4	55	33·35	8·00	2·80	6·50	6·50
	and 6	75,95,115	33·35	8·00	—	6·50	6·50
	Married couple with four children aged 3,	55	36·75	16·00	7·30	7·50	7·50
	8, 11 and 16	75,95,115	36·75	16·00	—	7·50	7·50
Three to eight (flat rate and earnings-	Single person	55	25·94	—	—	5·40	4·52
related supplement)		75	28·46	—	—	5·40	3·89
		95	30·98	—	—	5·40	3·26
		115	33·50	—	—	5·40	2·82
	Married couple	55	37·39	—	—	5·40	5·28
		75	39·91	—	—	5·40	4·65
		95	42·43	—	—	5·40	4·02
		115	44·95	—	—	5·40	3·39
	Married couple with two children aged 4	55	39·31	8·00	2·80	6·50	6·50
	and 6	75	43·31	8·00	—	6·50	6·31
		95	45·83	8·00	—	6·50	5·68
		115	48·35	8·00	—	6·50	5·05
	Married couple with tour children aged 3,	55	39·31	16·00	7·30	7·50	7·50
	8, 11 and 16	75	46·71	16·00	—	7·50	7·50
		95	49·23	16·00	—	7·50	7·28
		115	51·75	16·00	—	7·50	6·65

Weeks	Family type	Rate	Rate rebate	Free school meals	Free welfare milk	Net weekly spending power	Net weekly spending power on supplementary benefit where
		£	£	£	£	£	£
One (3 days sickness benefit at flat rate)	Single person	2·30	2·30	—	—	9·25	18·30
	Married couple	2·30	2·30	—	—	14·98	29·70
	Married couple with two children aged 4	2·80	2·80	1·50	1·05	30·03	44·65
	and 6	2·80	2·80	1·50	1·05	27·23	44·65
	Married couple with four children aged 3,	3·20	3·20	4·50	1·05	47·23	66·60
	8, 11 and 16	3·20	3·20	4·50	1·05	39·93	66·60
Two (flat rate sickness benefit)	Single person	2·30	2·30	—	—	18·50	—
	Married couple	2·30	2·30	—	—	29·95	—
	Married couple with two children aged 4	2·80	2·80	1·50	1·05	46·70	—
	and 6	2·80	2·80	1·50	1·05	43·90	44·65
	Married couple with four children aged 3,	3·20	3·20	4·50	1·05	65·60	66·60
	8,11 and 16	3·20	3·20	4·50	1·05	58·30	66·60
Three to eight (flat rate and earnings-	Single person	2·30	1·79	—	—	24·55	—
related supplement)		2·30	1·59	—	—	26·24	—
		2·30	1·39	—	—	27·93	—
		2·30	1·23	—	—	29·85	—
	Married couple	2·30	2·03	—	—	37·00	—
		2·30	1·83	—	—	38·69	—
		2·30	1·63	—	—	40·38	—
		2·30	1·43	—	—	42·07	—
	Married couple with two children aged 4	2·80	2·55	1·50	1·05	52·41	—
	and 6	2·80	2·45	1·50	—	52·27	—
		2·80	2·25	1·50	—	53·96	—
		2·80	2·05	1·50	—	55·65	—
	Married couple with four children aged 3,	3·20	3·02	4·50	1·05	67·98	—
	8, 11 and 16	3·20	3·01	4·50	1·05	68·07	—
		3·20	2·81	4·50	—	69·12	—
		3·20	2·61	4·50	—	70·81	—

TABLE (a)(ii) PRESENT SCHEME—SICKNESS BENEFIT MADE UP TO FULL PAY BY EMPLOYER
November 1979
Weeks	Family type	Previous earnings	Sickness benefit	Pay made up by employer	Tax	National insurance contribution	Child benefit	Family income supplement
		£	£	£	£	£	£	£
One (3 days sickness benefit at flat rate)	Single person	55	9·25	45·75	6·28	2·97	—	—
		75	9·25	65·75	12·28	4·27	—	—
		95	9·25	85·75	18·28	5·57	—	—
		115	9·25	105·75	24·28	6·87	—	—
	Married couple	55	14·98	40·02	1·28	2·60	—	—
		75	14·98	60·02	6·81	3·90	—	—
		95	14·98	80·02	12·81	5·20	—	—
		115	14·98	100·02	18·81	6·50	—	—
	Married couple with two	55	16·68	38·32	0·85	2·49	8·00	2·80
	children aged 4 and 6	75	16·68	58·32	6·30	3·79	8·00	—
		95	16·68	78·32	12·30	5·09	8·00	—
		115	16·68	98·32	18·30	6·39	8·00	—
	Married couple with four	55	18·38	36·62	0·43	2·38	16·00	7·30
	children aged 3,8,11 and 16	75	18·38	56·62	5·79	3·68	16·00	—
		95	18·38	76·62	11·79	4·98	16·00	—
		115	18·38	96·62	17·79	6·28	16·00	—
Two (flat rate sickness benefit)	Single person	55	18·50	36·50	3·52	2·37	—	—
		75	18·50	56·50	9·51	3·67	—	—
		95	18·50	76·50	15·51	4·97	—	—
		115	18·50	96·50	21·51	6·27	—	—
	Married couple	55	29·95	25·05	—	1·63	—	—
		75	29·95	45·05	2·54	2·93	—	—
		95	29·95	65·05	8·32	4·23	—	—
		115	29·95	85·05	14·32	5·53	—	—
	Married couple with two	55	33·35	21·65	—	1·41	8·00	2·80
	children aged 4 and 6	75	33·35	41·65	1·69	2·71	8·00	—
		95	33·35	61·65	7·30	4·01	8·00	—
		115	33·35	81·65	13·30	5·31	8·00	—
	Married couple with four	55	36·75	18·25	—	—	16·00	7·30
	children aged 3,8,11 and 16	75	36·75	38·25	0·84	2·49	16·00	—
		95	36·75	58·25	6·28	3·79	16·00	—
		115	36·75	78·25	12·28	5·09	16·00	—

Weeks	Family type	Previous earnings	Sickness benefit	Pay made up by employer	Tax	National insurance contribution	Child benefit	Family income supplement
		£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Three to eight(flat rate and earnings-	Single person	55	25·94	9·06	1·66	1·89	—	—
related supplement)		75	28·46	46·54	6·52	3·03	—	—
		95	30·98	64·02	11·76	4·16	—	—
		115	33·50	81·50	17·01	5·30	—	—
	Married couple	55	37·39	17·61	—	—	—	—
		75	39·91	35·09	0·05	2·28	—	—
		95	42·43	52·57	4·58	3·42	—	—
		115	44·95	70·05	9·82	4·55	—	—
	Married couple with two	55	39·31	15·69	—	—	8·00	2·80
	children aged 4 and 6	75	43·31	31·69	—	2·06	8·00	—
		95	45·83	49·17	3·57	3·20	8·00	—
		115	48·35	66·65	8·80	4·33	8·00	—
	Married couple with four	55	39·31	15·69	—	—	16·00	7·30
	children aged 3, 8,11 and 16	75	46·71	28·29	—	1·84	16·00	—
		95	49·23	45·77	2·72	2·98	16·00	—
		115	51·75	63·25	7·78	4·11	16·00	—

Weeks	Family type	Rent	Rent rebate	Rates	Rate rebate	Free school meals	Free welfare milk	Net weekly spending power
		£	£	£	£	£	£	£
One (3 days sickness benefit at flat rate)	Single person	5·40	—	2·30	0·24	—	—	38·29
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	50·75
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	63·45
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	76·15
	Married couple	5·40	2·48	2·30	1·11	—	—	47·01
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	56·59
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	69·29
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	81·99
	Married couple with two	6·50	3·94	2·80	1·69	1·50	1·05	61·34
	children aged 4 and 6	6·50	1·00	2·80	0·66	—	—	65·27
		6·50	—	2·80	—	—	—	76·31
		6·50	—	2·80	—	—	—	89·01
	Married couple with four	7·50	5·26	3·20	2·16	4·50	1·05	77·76
	children aged 3, 8,11 and 16	7·50	2·86	3·20	1·34	—	—	75·03
		7·50	—	3·20	0·14	—	—	83·67
		7·50	—	3·20	—	—	—	96·23
Two (flat rate sickness benefit)	Single person	5·40	—	2·30	0·24	—	—	41·65
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	54·12
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	66·82
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	79·52
	Married couple	5·40	2·48	2·30	1·11	—	—	49·26
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	61·83
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	74·75
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	87·45
	Married couple with two	6·50	3·94	2·80	1·69	1·50	1·05	63·27
	children aged 4 and 6	6·50	1·00	2·80	0·66	—	—	70·96
		6·50	—	2·80	—	—	—	82·39
		6·50	—	2·80	—	—	—	95·09
	Married couple with tour	7·50	5·26	3·20	2·16	4·50	1·05	80·57
	children aged 3,8,11 and 16	7·50	2·86	3·20	1·34	—	—	81·17
		7·50	—	3·20	0·14	—	—	90·37
		7·50	—	3·20	—	—	—	102·93

Weeks	Family type	Rent	Rent rebate	Rates	Rate rebate	Free school meals	Free welfare milk	Net weekly spending power
		£	£	£	£	£	£	£
Three to eight (flat rate and earnings-	Single person	5·40	—	2·30	0·24	—	—	43·99
related supplement)		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	57·75
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	71·38
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	84·99
	Married couple	5·40	2·48	2·30	1·11	—	—	50·89
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	64·97
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	79·30
		5·40	—	2·30	—	—	—	92·93
	Married couple with two	6·50	3·94	2·80	1·69	1·50	1·05	64·68
	children aged 4 and 6	6·50	1·00	2·80	0·66	—	—	73·30
		6·50	—	2·80	—	—	—	86·93
		6·50	—	2·80	—	—	—	100·57
	Married couple with four	7·50	5·26	3·20	2·16	4·50	1·05	80·57
	children aged 3, 8,11 and 16	7·50	2·86	3·20	1·34	—	—	82·66
		7·50	—	3·20	0·14	—	—	94·74
		7·50	—	3·20	—	—	—	108·41

TABLE (b)(i) PROPOSED SCHEME—EMPLOYEE COVERED BY EMPLOYER'S STATUTORY SICK PAY ONLY
Weeks	Family type	Previous earnings	Employer's statutory sick pay	Tax	National insurance contribution	Child benefit	Family income supplement	Rent
		£	£	£	£	£	£	£
One (3 days ESSP only)	Single person	55,75,	15·00	—	—	—	—	5·40
		95,115
	Married couple	55,75,	15·00	—	—	—	—	5·40
		95,115
	Married couple with two	55	15·00	—	—	8·00	2·80	6·50
	children aged 4 and 6	75,95,115	15·00	—	—	8·00	—	6·50
	Married couple with four	55	15·00	—	—	16·00	7·30	7·50
	children aged 3,8,11 and 16	75,95,115	15·00	—	—	16·00	—	7·50
Two to eight	Single person	55,75,	30·00	1·90	1·95	—	—	5·40
		95,115
	Married couple	55,75,	30·00	—	1·95	—	—	5·40
		95,115
	Married couple with two	55	30·00	—	1·95	1·00	2·80	6·50
	children aged 4 and 6	75,95,115	30·00	—	1·95	8·00	—	6·50
	Married couple with four	55	30·00	—	1·95	16·00	7·30	7·50
	children aged 3,8,11 and 16	75,95,115	30·00	—	1·95	16·00	—	7·50

Weeks	Family type	Rent rebates	Rates	Rate rebate	Free school meals	Free welfare milk	Net weekly spending power	Net weekly spending power on supplementary benefit where higher
		£	£	£	£	£	£	£
One (3 days ESSP only)	Single person	5·40	2·30	2·30	—	—	15·00	18·30
	Married couple	5·40	2·30	2·30	—	—	15·00	29·70
	Married couple with two	6·50	2·80	2·80	1·50	1·05	28·35	44·65
	children aged 4 and 6	6·50	2·80	2·80	1·50	1·05	25·55	44·65
	Married couple with four	7·50	3·20	3·20	4·50	1·05	43·85	66·60
	children aged 3,8,11 and 16	7·50	3·20	3·20	4·50	1·05	36·55	66·60
Two to eight	Single person	3·50	2·30	1·46	—	—	23·41	—
	Married couple	5·40	2·30	2·30	—	—	28·05	29·70
	Married couple with two	6·50	2·80	2·80	1·50	1·05	41·40	44·65
	children aged 4 and 6	6·50	2·-80	2·80	1·50	1·05	38·60	44·65
	Married couple with four	7·50	3·20	3·20	4·50	1·05	56·90	66·60
	children aged 3, 8,11 and 16	7·50	3·20	3·20	4·50	1·05	49·60	66·60

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table for each of a single person, a married couple and a couple with two children, comparing net weekly incomes when earning £100 per week with net weekly incomes, including and excluding tax refunds, during the weeks 1, 2, 3 to 8, 9 to 28 and 29 onwards of sickness (a) under the existing system, and (b) after the implementation of current Government proposals, including the recommendations in the Green Paper.

[pursuant to her reply, 10 June, 1980, c. 148]: I regret that I cannot provide information in the particular form requested by my hon. Friend. Net weekly incomes would depend on a variety of family circumstances and other factors. In addition, it is not possible to anticipate the rates of benefit in force when all the current Government proposals have been implemented. It is also not possible to illustrate the effects of making benefits reckonable for tax because the precise shape of the arrangements for taxing benefits is not yet known.However, so far as the first eight weeks of an employee's sickness are concerned, I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Howell) today. This gives some illustrative comparisons of net weekly spending power for hypothetical family types on the assumption that employer's statutory sick pay had been introduced in November 1979.So far as weeks 9 to 28 of an employee's sickness are concerned, I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk North, on 18 June. [Vol. 986, c.

562–66.] Tables A1 and A2 in that reply gave some illustrative comparisons of net weekly spending power where unemployment benefit was payable with and without earnings-related supplement. The standard rates of sickness benefit are the same as those of unemployment benefit.

So far as weeks 29 onwards of an employee's sickness are concerned, my hon. Friend will appreciate that these would not be affected either by the introduction of employer's statutory sick pay or by the abolition of earnings-related supplement. The employer's statutory sick pay proposals apply only to the first eight weeks of an employee's sickness; and earnings-related supplement is not payable with invalidity benefit.

Non-Contributory Invalidity Benefit

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the current annual cost of paying non-contributory invalidity benefit at the same rate as contributory retirement pension; and if he will make a statement about the Government's intentions in this respect.

The gross cost of paying non-contributory invalidity benefit at the same rate as the basic flat-rate retirement pension, together with dependency increases where appropriate, is estimated at between £50–£55 million. Because of differing individual needs, it is not possible to estimate the offsetting savings on supplementary benefit accurately but we believe it could be up to £20 million. We have no proposals to increase the non-contributory rate.

National Health Service (Management Costs)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the National Health Service management costs in the larger health authority area; and how these compare with management costs in smaller health authority areas.

I regret that the information is not available centrally as management costs returns are made on a regional basis.

Sick Pay

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what effect recent proposals to make employers pay for the first eight weeks of sick pay for employee will have on small employers: and whether he will make a statement on the proposal.

The effect of the Government's sick pay proposals on small businesses is discussed in Chapter 4 of"Income During Initial Sickness: A New Strategy"(Cmnd 7864). As stated in the Green Paper, the Government are anxious to take account of views on the proposals during the consultation period.

Aged Persons (Homes)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if a resident living in an aged persons home maintained by a local authority has any right of tenure in that home, or if such residents are protected from being moved to an alternative home without their express permission; and what guidance his Department gives to local authorities on this matter.

An elderly person residing in an old people's home maintained by a local authority under the provisions of section 21 of the National Assistance Act 1948 has no right of tenure.The move of a resident from one home to another would be a matter for those staff of the local authority most closely concerned with his welfare. In practice, this would rarely occur without the consent of the person concerned. The Department has given no guidance to local authorities on this matter.

Sickness Benefit

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what will be the estimated cost, as a result of the abolition of earnings-related sickness benefit, to those employers who make up sickness benefit to full pay when their employees are ill.

Insufficient information is available about occupational sick pay schemes and about the incidence of sick absence of employees in such a scheme for an estimate to be made of the costs that will be incurred by those employers who agree to make good the value of earnings-related supplement when it is abolished.

Departmental Records

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what procedures his Department has for tracing payments made in past years to claimants of benefit; what records the Department keeps of a claimant's entitlement to benefit over the years, and what records are kept to confirm that a claimant has over the years actually received the benefit to which he or she is entitled, such as whether it is possible where a payment has been made by Giro order, to confirm that the recipient of the order has actually cashed it.

The Department maintains individual records in respect of each claimant showing, over the years, the periods of eligibility for, and payments of, the various benefits. Paid orders, including Girocheques, are returned to central stores from which they can be obtained in the event of any dispute about receipt and/or encashment arising within a reasonable period of the payment being issued, generally a year for orders from pension and other order books and one year three months for Girocheques.

Pensioners

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the National Health Service expenditure has been spent on pensioners in 1977–78, 1978–79 and 1979–80.

National Health Service expenditure on all pensioners cannot be separately identified from the financial information collected centrally. However, in 1977–78 and 1978–79 estimated expenditure on people aged 65 years and over accounted for some 38 per cent. and 39 per cent. respectively of the total current expenditure on the hospital and community health services and family practitioner services. Similar information for 1979–80 is not yet available.

Data Protection

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

It is not possible to estimate the cost to my Department of implementing the recommendations in the Lindop report until any codes of practice recommended in the report are established. In addition to any departmental costs for social security, costs will also arise in the National Health Service and they are expected to be substantial.

Acute Beds

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current provision of acute beds per head of the population in each of the regional health authority areas in England.

The average daily number of available acute beds in National Health Service hospitals in each regional health authority in England per 1000 managed population during 1978, the latest year for which figures are available, was as follows:

Regional Health Authority
Northern	3·11
Yorkshire	3·08
Trent	2·45
East Anglian	2·52
North-East Thames	3·44
South-East Thames	3·10
North-West Thames	3·01
South-West Thames	2·53
Wessex	2·41
Oxford	2·30
South-Western	2·43
West Midlands	2·54
Mersey	3·40
North Western	3·22

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current provision of acute beds per head of population for each district within the North-West regional health authority area.

The average daily number of available acute beds in NHS hospitals in the North-Western regional health authority per thousand managed (resident) population during 1978, was as follows:

Wigan	1.97
Bolton	2·47
Bury	2·10
Rochdale	2·58
Salford	3·82
Manchester North	7·36
Manchester Central	6.82
Manchester South	7·71
Oldham	2·23
Trafford	2·19
Stockport	2·96
Tameside	1·61
Lancaster	3·44
Blackpool	2·59
Preston	2·77
Blackburn	2·65
Burnley	2·76
Ormskirk	5·45

These figures include both district-based and supra-district acute specialties. The use of managed population estimates does not take account of local arrangements for the treatment of patients, and the figures should be used with caution when making comparisons between districts.

Supplementary Benefit (Leaflet)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has had, and from whom calling for the withdrawal of the leaflet, 'Changes to the supplementary benefit scheme and how they affect you'; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to her reply, 11 July 1980, c. 347]: I have had one representation from the National Council for One-Parent Families calling for withdrawal of the leaflet on the grounds that the changes to which it refers do not yet have the approval of Parliament.It has been the practice, under successive Governments, since the early 1970s to anticipate parliamentary approval of the uprating regulations in order to ensure that beneficiaries receive increased benefit levels from the date of the uprating. Many of the changes in the supplementary benefits scheme are being implemented at the same time as the uprating. In this situation, the leaflet to which the hon. Member refers has been issued to help beneficiaries to understand the changes which will take place from the uprating date. Local offices have been instructed to issue the leaflet with a slip which points out that the changes described are subject to the approval of Parliament.

House Of Commons

Members (Correspondence)

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the purpose of limiting to one the number of letters that may be brought to the House by individual members of the public for delivery to hon. Members.

All mail for Members of Parliament is dealt with by the House of Commons Post Office, and the Post Office will not accept unstamped mail without making a surcharge to the addressee. If all mail which is handed in, or received in bulk by post, were to be franked the cost would have to be met from the House of Commons Vote and this would be a considerable charge to public funds.

Lord Chancellor's Department

asked the Attorney-General what is the total number of staff of the Lord Chancellor's Department who work in the Palace of Westminster; and what proportion of the total floor area of the Palace they occupy.

69, occupying some 34 rooms. The proportion of the total floor area of the Palace could be ascertained only at disproportionate expense.

Coal Mining Industry

asked the Attorney-General when it is proposed to consolidate the law relating to the coal mining industry.

The Law Commission is aware of the need for consolidation, and work will be put in hand when resources permit.

Employment

Health Hazards (Noise Levels)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many people are working in conditions where the noise level is greater than (a) 84 decibels, (b) 90 decibels and (c) 96 decibels;(2) how many separate factories or works have a noise level likely to be such that it might cause occupational deafness; and how many separate factories or works there are which the eight health, and safety inspectors who specialise in noise control, would be expected to visit annually;(3) how many employers are not complying with the code of practice relating to noise; and how many workers they employ.

The table below contains estimates made by the Health and Safety Executive of the number of workers in United Kingdom manufacturing industry exposed above the various levels:

Exposure greater than (8 hour equivalent continuous sound level—dB(A))	Number exposed (thousands)
84	1,600
90	600
96	200

NOTES

(1) Derived from a survey of 488 factories employing a total of 78,300 people in manufacturing industry (SIC orders III-XIX) and based on estimate of 5·2 million persons employed in these industries.

(2) The survey involved measurement of the noise level to which production workers—that is, all workers except office workers—were exposed for more than six hours and for less time than this. Some estimation has been involved in deriving "equivalent continuous sound level" from this information.

High noise levels are known to exist in most other major industries, including agriculture, construction, quarrying, shipping, transport, railway work, forestry and entertainment. However, no estimate of the number of people exposed to various levels is available, except that some limited evidence suggests that, underground in coal mines, the percentage of the work-force exposed above 90 dB (A) is about the same as in manufacturing industry.

I regret that information on how many separate factories or works have a noise level likely to be such that it might cause occupational deafness is not readily available.

All qualified inspectors of the Factory Inspectorate are trained in noise measurement and basic principles of noise control. Risks from noise are considered in the course of basic inspections; the eight inspectors specialising in noise control act as consultants to these inspectors, and do not have a specific number of premises which they are expected to visit annually.

I regret that information on how many employers are not complying with the recommendations of the code of practice and how many workers they employ is not available.

Retail Price Index

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, as derv affects the cost of living, as indicated, if he will include it as a factor for calculating the retail price index.

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

Trade

Clothing And Footwear

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many countries' exports to the United Kingdom are subject to restrictions, either formal or informal, in the case of (a) clothing and (b) footwear, other than rubber and canvas; and which are the countries in each case.

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

	Q1 1979		Q1 1980
	£ million	Million square metres	£ million	Million square metres
United Kingdom manufacturers' sales	159·9	40·9	152·1	37·0
Imports	33·9	5·0	38·5	7·3
Exports	38·7	7·0	41·1	6·5
Home market sales	155·1	38·9	149·5	37·8

Source:

United Kingdom manufacturers' sales are based of figures published in Business Monitor PQ 419 and include estimates for the sales of firms too small to be included in the inquiries. Imports and exports are taken from the Overseas Trade Statistics.

Tyre Sealants

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will refer the dangers of tyre sealants to the Director General of Fair Trading.

No. It would not be appropriate for me to refer this matter to the Director General.

Estate Agents Act 1979

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Handsworth on 11 July, if he will estimate approximately when he will bring into operation sections 16, 17, 19, and 22 of the Estate Agents Act 1979; and when orders under section 3(1) (a)(iii) or (d) or regulations under section 18 are likely to be made.

Sections 16 and 17 are next in line for implementation after the provisions to come into operation next year. Regulations under section 16 will, however, require further consultation with the insurance industry and other interested parties as to how estate agents not within the existing schemes are to obtain cover. I propose to take decisions in relation to the remaining provisions in the light of experience of implementation and working of the Act.

Carpets

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what are the comparative figures for the first quarter of the current year and the first quarter of 1979 with regard to United Kingdom carpet manufacturers' sales, United Kingdom home market sales and total carpet imports and exports.

The information is as follows:

Motor Cars (Import Controls)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has received representations from car manufacturers on the imposition of import controls; if so, front which companies; and whether each company supported or opposed such controls.

I have received representations from a variety of sources requesting import controls on motor cars. I have also received one representation opposing such controls. For reasons of commercial confidentiality I cannot give the names of the various companies concerned.

Sprays (Sale Restrictions)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will review the law with a view to tightening it in respect of the sale of sprays, particularly medical sprays, that can be used for sniffing.

The regulation of most medical sprays is not a matter for my Department. Certain aspects of consumer safety in relation to the flammability of non-medical sprays is under consideration. As far as the problem of sniffing is concerned there are many consumer products which can be and are misused in this way, but are quite safe when properly used for their intended purpose.

Manufactures

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1975 the unit value of exports and imports of manufactures using current weights and not the pattern of trade in 1975.

The information is as follows:

TRADE IN MANUFACTURES^*:
CURRENT-WEIGHTED UNIT VALUE INDEX†
OTS basis
	Exports	Imports
1975	100	100
1976	119	121
1977	138	138
1978	152	148
1979	167	155
^* SITC Sections 5 to 8.
† Paasche index.

House Of Commons

Parliamentary Allowances

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the implementation of the resolutions of parliamentary allowances passed in the House on 4 March.

I announced on 27 March 1980—[Vol. 981, c. 531] —that I had instructed the Fees Office to meet claims for the secretarial and research assistance allowance at the new rates. The Fees Office has now drawn up a revised certificate to claim for this allowance. Many Members however arrange for their staff to be paid through the Fees Office, and this is a practice which I strongly encourage.The Home also voted for an additional sum of £675 per annum to be made available to provide pensions for Members' employees. This facility has been introduced with effect from 1 April 1980. The Fees Office is prepared to recommend a suitable pension scheme for Members' secretaries and will make payments directly into an approved scheme on a Member's behalf. Alternatively, payments can be reimbursed to a Mem- ber on production of a receipted renewal notice for an approved insurance scheme. As pensions are usually related to salary levels, each Member will be limited to a payment of premium of 10 per cent. of the amount of salary he pays to his secretary, subject to the maximum of the amount specified in resolution.The House passed an amendment that all travel within the United Kingdom on parliamentary business should be reimbursed or qualify for payment of the car mileage allowance. This facility will be introduced with effect from today under arrangements approved by Mr. Speaker. Members will, however, he asked to give the Fees Office at least three days' notice of intended journeys outside the Westminister/constituency/home triangle except in exceptional circumstances. The Fees Office will maintain a record of these journeys. Reimbursement for such journeys may be subject to tax.A resolution was passed increasing severance pay to six months' salary for those under age 50 and up to one year's salary for older, longer serving Members. These arrangements will come into effect for Members losing their seats at the next General Election or through boundary changes.

Scotland

Investment

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what latest and approximate estimate he has made for a 12-month period of the value of investment made abroad by companies whose headquarters are in Scotland and the value of investment made by companies in Scotland whose headquarters are abroad.

In 1977, the latest year for which information is available, net capital expenditure in Scotland by overseas manufacturing enterprises was £81·7m, 16·6 per cent. of the Scottish total. Estimates for other industries and of the value of investment made abroad by companies whose headquarters are in Scotland are not available.

Textile Industry

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many textile workers are unemployed in Dundee; and how many registered vacancies exist for employment in the textile industry in Dundee.

On 8 May 1980, the latest date for which this information is available, 1,076 people who last worked in the textile industry were registered as unemployed in Dundee. On 2 May, 13 vacancies in the textile industry were recorded in Dundee. The vacancy figures relate only to vacancies notified to the employment office and remaining unfilled; they do not purport to be a measure of all vacancies in the textile industry in Dundee.

Unemployment (Ethnic Minorities)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many members of ethnic minorities are unemployed in Dundee.

On 8 May 1980, the latest date for which this information is available, 14 people in ethnic minority groups were registered as unemployed in Dundee.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

British Farmers (Profitability)

17.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether

VALUE OF APPLE PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
	1977	1978	£ million 1979 (provisional)
Dessert apples	39·7	31·2	35·3
Culinary apples	25·2	17·1	16·4
Cider apples	1·0	3·9	1·1
	65·9	52·2	52·8

These figures relate to the production estimates shown in the Annual Review of Agriculture 1980 White Paper (February 1980) Cmnd. 7812.

Whale Conservation

19.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to place on the agenda at the next European Economic Community Agriculture Council the problems of preservation and conservation of whale species.

The EEC Council of Fisheries Ministers had a discussion on 16 June about possible Community

he is satisfied with the average profitability of British farmers in comparison with their counterparts in France and Germany.

We have acted in a number of ways to improve profitability and we keep the position under review.

Apples

18.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent consultations he has had with the Apple and Pear Development Council; and what proposals are being considered to assist United Kingdom apple growers.

My right hon. Friend met the members of the reconstituted Apple and Pear Development Council on 27 May. The council is developing a campagin strategy for the coming season and I am expecting an application for financial assistance with marketing early next week.

45.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what is the value of apple production in the United Kingdom.

The estimated value of apple production in the United Kingdom for the last three calendar years is shown below:involvement in matters of whaling conservation, and is expected to return to the issue at a later date. In the meantime the United Kingdom will continue to participate actively in the International Whaling Commission.

Eggs Authority

22.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the future of the Eggs Authority.

I am reviewing the present arrangements in consultation with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Northern Ireland and for Wales.

Sprays And Chemicals

20.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the controls which exist over potentially dangerous agricultural sprays or chemicals including The herbicide known as 2,4,5-T.

There are four main controls, namely, the Pesticides Safety Precautions Scheme, the British Agricultural Supply Industry Scheme, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 together with the Health and Safety (Agriculture) Poisonous Substances Regulations made under it, and the poisons legislation.

European Community (Milk Imports)

21.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current position regarding the likelihood of importing European Economic Community milk into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

There has been no change in the position. Imports of milk continue to be subject to our animal and public health regulations.

Sugar

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he expects to meet his European Economic Community colleagues to discuss the present sugar regime.

I expect to resume discussion of the sugar regime with my Community colleagues in September.

Departmental Restructuring

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what prior consultation with the agriculture community was undertaken before the recently announced decision to restructure his Department at regional and divisional levels.

I invited the views of the main agricultural organisations at the outset of the review last August and again on the proposals I announced on 8 May in reply to my hon. Friend, the Member for New Forest (Mr. McNair-Wilson).

Agricultural Land

25.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he is making in his efforts to prevent an unacceptable amount of good agricultural land being lost each year to urban development.

I am considering, with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, how, within the context of the general planning system, greater protection can be given to land of a higher agricultural quality. Some useful progress has already been made. My Department continues to apply rigorously existing Government policy so that land of a higher agricultural quality is not taken for development where land of a lower quality is available, and no more land is taken for development than is really required.In the 12 months ending last April, the Ministry objected to about 250 planning applications involving the proposed development of 6000 acres of agricultural land in England. As nothing more was heard of the great majority of these cases it is reasonable to assume that the objections were successful.

27.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has completed his consideration of the need to make changes in the classification and grading of agricultural land.

No, but consultations are taking place.

Citrus Fruits (Imports)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will list by percentage, volume and value the source and quantity of citrus fruit imports for the last five years; and what changes he anticipates will occur in the next year in view of the prospective enlargement of the European Economic Community.

In view of the nature of the information, I am publishing it in the Official Report.I do not anticipate any substantial changes in the next year in citrus fruit imports because of the prospective enlargement of the Community.

TOTAL CITRUS IMPORTS—1975–79
	1979		Quantity as a percentage of total supplies	1978		Quantity as a percentage of total supplies	1977		Quantity as a percentage of total supplies	1976		Quantity as a percentage of total supplies	1975		Quantity as a percentage of total supplies
	Tonnes	£'000		Tonnes	£'000		Tonnes	£'000		Tonnes	£'000		Tonnes	£'000
EEC^*
Belgium/Luxembourg	1,425	313	..	680	129	..	358	75	..	401	51	..	3,176	505	1
France	4,001	1,109	1	3,555	789	1	1,715	338	..	1,964	300	..	3,132	606	1
Italy	15,019	5,200	3	13,839	4,008	2	10,396	2,659	2	13,654	2,721	3	12,979	2,983	2
Netherlands	16,783	4,112	3	13,135	2,850	2	7,688	1,646	1	10,032	1,713	2	9,753	1,540	2
West Germany	1,985	479	..	577	131	..	311	75	..	254	43	..	308	61	..
Denmark	20	5	..	—	—	—	—	—	—	358	53	..	328	56	..
Irish Republic	1,791	374	..	1,730	346	..	1,207	211	..	631	95	..	1,621	250	..
Total EEC	41,024	11,592	7	33,516	8,253	6	21,675	5,004	4	27,294	4,976	5	31,320	6,001	6
THIRD COUNTRIES
Spain	124,279	23,348	22	129,021	23,366	22	111.481	18,431	21	130,290	18,752	24	119,385	13,197	21
Israel	181,393	32,318	33	192,688	31,509	33	193,369	28,514	36	184,446	22.929	33	204,845	20,560	37
South Africa	90,995	23,694	16	98,196	21,799	17	82,506	20,533	15	94,501	15,516	17	94,519	14,027	17
Cyprus	71,023	14,428	13	63,631	11,114	11	78,710	12,771	15	60,626	8,686	11	48,530	6,347	9
United States of America	6,044	1,657	1	9,746	2,121	2	20,523	5,046	4	30,027	4,920	5	27,902	4,058	5
Morocco	12,676	2,987	2	21,530	4,575	4	12,599	2,444	2	5,588	1,263	1	6,084	919	1
Swaziland	4,541	1,150	1	5,693	1,362	1	5,403	1,143	1	6,897	1,239	1	3,924	500	1
Brazil	14,817	2,486	3	3,999	739	1	1,445	281	..	596	48	..	6,255	495	1
Greece	908	219	..	2,741	573	..	536	89	..	822	93	..	462	46	..
Cuba	1,268	225	..	491	86	..	528	88	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
Egypt	471	67	..	4,387	595	1	1,640	225	..	5,062	552	1	1,777	149	..
Mozambique	591	129	..	2,163	514	..	2,706	527	1	1,813	303	..	3,023	456	1
Portugal	191	51	..	179	41	..	35	9	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
Uruguay	670	147	..	378	79	..	554	130	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
Jamaica	802	253	..	1,734	553	..	215	59	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
Turkey	1,120	337	..	1,209	337	..	660	145	..	1,082	224	..	1,597	394	..
Australia	115	37	..	203	62	..	222	93	..	440	100	..	412	94	..
Argentina	176	40	..	18	7	..	..	..	..	—	—	—	1,165	206	..
Paraguay	161	44	..	31	7	..	160	41	..	..	..	..	..	..	..
Dominica	247	59	..	2,403	446	..	1,093	291	..	1,704	259	..	2,699	603	1
OTHER THIRD COUNTRIES	490	173	..	1,945	440	..	1,860	445	..	3,978	760	1	7,391	7,879	1
TOTAL THIRD COUNTRIES	512,978	103,849	93	542,386	100,325	94	516,245	91,305	96	527,975	75,669	95	529,989	63,244	94
TOTAL SUPPLIES	554,002	115,441	100	575,902	108,578	100	537,920	96,309	100	555,269	80,645	100	561,309	69,245	100
^* Only Italy, and to a smaller degree France, produce citrus on a commercial scale. The majority of imports from other Member States originate from Third Countries.
.. Means statistically insignificant.

European Community (Lobster Imports)

26.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to increase the Community common customs tariff against imports of lobsters from outside the Community.

Fisheries Ministers are considering the problems facing United Kingdom lobster fishermen and the various measures which might be of help to them.

Eggs

28.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is being done to promote the sale of surplus eggs.

Sales promotion is undertaken by those engaged in the industry and by the Eggs Authority.

School Milk

29.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now make a statement on subsidies that are available for school milk.

As I explained in a written reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Stamford (Mr. Lewis) on 27 June, the Government are anxious that local authorities should be able to take maximum advantage of the generous subsidies available from FEOGA for school milk. Discussions are under way with interested parties on the details of a scheme enabling them to do so.

Tomatoes

30.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he estimates will be the total value of the United Kingdom production of tomatoes for the current year.

It is too early in the marketing year to make a realistic forecast.

Potato Production

32.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the level of self-sufficiency in potato production in the current year.

The level of self-sufficiency in potato production in the current year is estimated to be 93 per cent.

Horticultural Production

31.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken to harmonise European horticultural production.

The European Community arrangements for fruit and vegetables do not have a direct impact on the overall production of horticultural produce. The arrangements provide for common grading standards, compensation for market withdrawal for key horticultural commodities and reference prices (effectively minimum import prices) on imports of certain commodities from third countries.

Fishing Industry

33.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he will take to protect the reliability of the British fishing industry while a common fisheries policy is being negotiated.

40.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to maintain the structure of the fishing fleet while a common fisheries policy is being negotiated.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply I gave the hon. Members for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang) and for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) earlier today.

Store Sheep

36.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to ensure that the autumn sales of store sheep are not disadvantaged by the late implementation of the common sheepmeat agreement.

The Council decided that the proposed sheep regime will come into effect when agreements have been negotiated with third country suppliers for voluntary restraint on their exports to the Community. The arrangements for implementing the regime in the United Kingdom are under consideration and I shall make an announcement as soon as I can.

Cereal Production

34.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is likely to be the level of self-sufficiency in cereal production for the current year.

Much depends on the weather between now and the end of the harvest. Given a reasonable harvest there is likely to be a surplus of feed-grains, but we will need to import sonic hard wheats for breadmaking as well as the maize required by the distilling, starch, glucose and other food industries; some may be used in feedstuffs.

Pigmeat

35.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what levels England and Wales is self-sufficient in pigmeat supplies.

In the three months to 31 March 1980 the United Kingdom was about two thirds self-sufficient in pigmeat supplies. Separate figures for England and Wales are not available.

Dairy Products

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures are being taken by the Commission of the European Economic Community to dispose of surplus dairy products.

The principal measures for the disposal of surplus dairy products are of long standing, and include schemes designed to encourage greater usage of butter, skimmed milk powder and liquid skimmed milk within the European Community, and refunds on dairy products exported outside the Community.

Vacant Farms

38.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of farms becoming vacant is being offered for let.

I regret that this information is not available.

Wild Rabbits

39.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what damage is being done to agricultural production by wild rabbits.

No reliable estimates are available of the national loss to agricultural production attributable to rabbits.

Hill Livestock Compensatory Payments

41.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will have talks with the National Farmers Union on the level of hill livestock compensatory payments for 1981.

The rates of hill livestock compensatory allowances will be reviewed in the usual way this autumn in consultation with the farmers unions.

Horticulture Industry

43.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, pursuant to his reply, Official Report 15 May, column 621, he will detail the aid given to the horticulture industry, and particularly to the glasshouse sector.

The Government give aid to the horticulture industry in the form of grants on a wide range of capital investments, with rates ranging from 5 per cent. to 50 per cent. of approved expenditure, research and development and free advice to growers from the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service. The glasshouse sector benefits from all of these and also from full repayment of excise duty, and zero rating for VAT, in respect of oil used for glasshouse heating and soil sterilisation.

Meat And Livestock Commission

42.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the Meat and Livestock Commission.

We believe that the Meat and Livestock Commission has a valuable contribution to make towards the efficiency of the meat and livestock industry.During the course of last year and the early part of this year the Commission carried out a thorough-going review of its levy-funded activities, other than meat promotion, and proposed a number of important changes leading to a reduced level of activities and a reduction in the levy income provided by the industry. These changes were accepted by the major industry organisations. I welcomed this outcome, which has provided a realistic basis for the Commission's future work.

Raspberry And Strawberry Pulp

44.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures are being taken by the European Economic Community Commission to prevent raspberry and strawberry pulp from third countries disrupting the market in the United Kingdom.

As a result of the representations which my right hon. Friend made on 30 June, the European Commission decided to take action against low-priced imports of strawberry pulp from Poland.Representatives of the Polish Government have been told by the Commission that the Community will not tolerate the disruption of its market by these imports, and the Polish authorities have confirmed their willingness to discuss increases in their minimum export prices to the Community and also voluntary limitations on quantities. These talks are continuing and the Commission is also considering the early imposition of permanent surveillance arrangements on imports of strawberry pulp.We are considering, on the basis of the evidence now with us, whether there is a case for requesting Community action against imports of raspberry pulp.

Prime Minister (Engagements)

Q4.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q5.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q9.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q10.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q11.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q12.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q15.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her engagements for 17 July.

Q16.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q17.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q19.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q20.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q21.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q22.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q23.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q24.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q25.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q26.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q27.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q28.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q29.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q30.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q31.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q32.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q33.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q34.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q35.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q36.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q37.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q38.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q39.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q40.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q42.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q44.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q46.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q47.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

Q50.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 July.

Q51.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 July.

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

North-East England

Q6.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to the North-East of England.

I have no immediate plans to pay a further visit to the North-East.

Mr Brezhnev

Q8.

asked the Prime Minister if she will invite Mr. Brezhnev to pay an official visit to Great Britain.

I have at present no plans to do so.

March

Q13.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will pay an official visit to March.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Horticulture Industry

Q7.

asked the Prime Minister if she will seek to place on the agenda at the next meeting of the European Council the problems of the horticulture industry.

I think it preferable for horticultural matters relating to the Community to continue to be pursued in the Council of Agriculture Ministers by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. I can assure my hon. Friend that our gorwers' interests will be vigorously presented in the Council.

National Economic Development Council

Q14.

asked the Prime Minister when she next proposes to take the chair at a meeting of the National Economic Development Council.

No dates have been arranged.

Communications (Official Interception)

Q18.

asked the Prime Minister whether any Minister is responsible for, or empowered to authorise telephone tapping and postal and telex interception in the United Kingdom by foreign Governments or their agents; and, if so, which.

I cannot depart from the long-standing practice whereby neither my colleagues nor I are prepared to answer questions on the interception of communications and matters connected therewith. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary made a statement and laid a White Paper on 1 April, and I have no further information to give the House on this matter.

Dundee

Q41.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Dundee.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Gracious Speech

48.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on the progress to date in implementing the legislative programme contained in the Gracious Speech.

Ten Bills fulfilling commitments in the Queen's Speech have been enacted so far. Progress is being made on eight further Bills. I regard our record so far as reasonable.

Greenham

Q43.

asked the Prime Minister when she expects to visit Greenham.

I have at present no plans to do so.

British Airports Authority

Q45.

asked the Prime Minister when next she will meet the chairman of the British Airports Authority.

I have at present no plans to do so.

London Boroughs

Q49.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the London boroughs she has visited since becoming Prime Minister.

I have made regular visits to my constituency and have visited a number of other boroughs in the course of my official duties.

Wage Settlements

asked the Prime Minister if she will instruct all her Ministers, where relevant, to issue general directives to the nationalised industries and to the National Enterprise Board, to relate their wage settlements to their price increases immediately after the wage settlements are made, in order that consumers shall he able to relate one to the other.

Where price increases are necessary, the Government consider that the industries should explain to their consumers the reason for those increases, including the relationship to wage settlements, but I do not believe that a general directive would be appropriate, or within the terms of the several statutes.

European Community

asked the Prime Minister whether, since every public opinion poll now reports that there is a majority of the people against Great Britain remaining in the Common Market, she will arrange for a referendum on this matter as soon as may prove possible.

:No.

European Community (Greece)

asked the Prime Minister whether the United Kingdom has withdrawn from the special contract signed between all members of the EEC and Greece, originally in 1961.

No. But the provisions of the 1961 Association Agreement between Greece and the European Community will be superseded by those of Greece's Act of Accession when Greece accedes to the Community on 1 January 1981.

Appointments (Vetting Procedure)

asked the Prime Minister what steps she takes to vet the activities and political interests of the wives of persons whom she may be considering for appointment.

I consider candidates for public appointments on their own merits.

Home Department

Television Sets (Prisons)

48.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many television sets are installed in Her Majesty's prisons; and whether the Home Office pays a television licence to the British Broadcasting Corporation for each set installed.

164 television sets are provided by the Home Office in prison department establishments for educational purposes. These do not need to be licensed because Crown exemption applies. No record is kept centrally of the number of sets for recreational purposes provided from inmates' funds, but each establishment which has such a set or sets needs to obtain a licence.

Home Office Data Bank

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the organisations, bodies and individuals outside his Department who have access to information in the Home Office data bank computer; and under what authority such access is given(2) what action has been taken as a result of the Home Office data bank's processing of embarkation and landing cards;(3) if he will publish the specification of the Home Office data bank computer; and state whether it has a full text retrieval system;(4) if he will state the initial capital cost and annual running costs of the Home Office data bank computer;(5) what are the purposes of the Home Office data hank on immigration and emigration; when it came into operation earlier in the current year; how many individuals are covered by this system; and what is its future capacity;(6) if he will state the scope of the information about individuals which is stored in his Department's data bank.

The manual arrangements for pairing landing and,embarkation cards completed by passengers subject to immigration control are being replaced by a computer system from 1 August, preliminary running for which commenced on 1 May. The purpose remains to indicate when an individual has remained here after the expiry of his permitted stay so that inquiries can be made, but the computer should provide such information more promptly, accurately and economically. The system will initially handle about ½ million arrivals and departures annually and could be expanded if necessary.The record for an individual comprises identifying particulars together with the conditions of stay, including the time limit, imposed on him on arrival, and any subsequent variation of these conditions.No text retrieval system is required for this operation and processing is by a standard computer. The total cost of additional equipment was about £140,000 and running costs are estimated at a further £140,000 annually.

Direct access to the computer record is limited to staff of the immigration and nationality department.

Data Protection

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet reached any conclusions as to the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on data protection.

There is no such convention yet open for signature. A draft convention is likely to be considered by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in the autumn of this year with a view to adoption and opening for signature.

International School For Subversion

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take action, in the interests of public order, to prevent entry into the United Kingdom of foreign revolutionary members of the Socialist Workers League attending their forthcoming summer school at Oxford.

A person subject to immigration control may be refused admission on the ground that his presence here is not conducive to the public good. Immigration staff at ports will examine carefully those seeking entry to attend this function and the decision will be made according to the merits in each individual case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions are being given to immigration officials concerning the entry into the United Kingdom of Trotskyist revolutionaries attending the international school for subversion to be held in Oxford next week; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Oxford (Mr. Patten) today.

Board Of Visitors

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a prisoner has the right of appeal against the adjudication of the board of visitors; and if he will make a statement.

If a prisoner wishes to appeal against an adjudication he may petition the Secretary of State, who can, by the exercise of the power granted him under section 56(1) of the Prison Rules 1964, remit or mitigate any disciplinary award.An adjudication of a board of visitors is also liable to judicial review in the Divisional Court by way of an application for an order of certiorari.

Prisoners (Property And Savings)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how long prisons accept responsibility for the property and savings of an absconded prisoner; and what happens to these when the prison disclaims further responsibility.

Rule 41(3)A of the prison rules 1964, as amended by the Prison (Amendment) Rules 1976, prescribes that any property belonging to a prisoner which remains unclaimed for a period of more than three years after he leaves prison, or dies, may be sold or otherwise disposed of and the net proceeds of any sale shall be paid to the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders for its general purposes. The private cash of an absconder which has remained unclaimed for more than a year is disposed of likewise. Should the prisoner return to custody at any time after his cash has been so appropriated, it is returned to him.

Attendance Centres

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information is available (a) about the reconviction rates of those who have attended attendance centres and (b) about the relative performance of individual junior attendance centres.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Irving) on 28 November 1979—[Vol. 974, c. 665]—and to the report on junior attendance centres being published today—Home Office research study No. 60.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 20 May, what recommendations or criticisms he has received from the social work service inspectors on the operation of junior attendance centres during the last period for which information can conveniently be obtained; and what action he has taken as a result;(2) in the last period for which information can conveniently be obtained concerning the inspection of junior attendance centres by officers of the social work service (

a) in how many cases recommendations were made for improvements and ( b) in how many cases serious criticisms were made.

It will take time to extract the information requested from the individual attendance centre papers. We will publish it in the Official Report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many junior attendance centres were inspected last year by officers of the social work service; and by what principal criteria the officers assess the operation of such centres.

65 junior attendance centres were so inspected during 1979. There are no set criteria for assessing the operation of attendance centres. The inspecting officers provide factual information to the Home Office on a range of matters, including staffing, premises, equipment, organisation and functioning of the centres, records kept and whether the statutory rules are being complied with. The officers may also comment on the standard and tone of the centres and make recommendations for improvements.

Immigration

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the raids by the immigration service and the police at Bestway Cash and Carry and other premises on 13 May, at the Hilton Hotel on 22 May and at the Main Gas factory on 20 June were each undertaken on the decision of a Minister; and if not, at what level each was authorised to be undertaken.

The operations by immigration service officers were authorised in accordance with the policy which had been agreed by Ministers. As far as the police were concerned, these were matters for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what dates the management of the Bestway Cash and Carry and the Main Gas factory were first informed of the intention to conduct the operations by the immigration service and police which were carried out on 13 May and 20 June respectively.

It would not be appropriate to provide information of this nature about individual operations.

Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the operation of the sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976; and if he has any plans to amend this legislation.

We are keeping the operation of this Act under review, and shall be interested to see whether the Criminal Law Revision Committee forms any views on it in the course of the review of the law on sexual offences which it, in consultation with the Policy Advisory Committee on Sexual Offences, is carrying out.

Environment

Development Commission And Council For Small Industries In Rural Areas

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is in a position to announce the result of his review of the Development Commission and the Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas.

I hope to be able to do so very shortly.

Housing (Shared Ownership Schemes)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have undertaken, or are undertaking, shared ownership schemes; and in respect of how many dwellings they are operating such schemes.

The following councils have reported shared ownership sales up to the end of March 1980:

Bassetlaw
Birmingham
Canterbury
Charnwood
Dudley
Enfield
Exeter
Greater London Council
Gravesham
Kingston
Lambeth
Lichfield
Malvern Hills
Medway
North Wiltshire
Ribble Valley
Southampton
Southend
South Tyneside
Sunderland
Sutton
Swale
Wandsworth
Wellingborough
Wolverhampton

It is provisionally estimated that, to the same date, there had been 1,950 such sales by authorities in England and Wales.

Wisley Airfield

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the names and addresses of the parties to the contract and transfer dated 20 June by which the Property Services Agency disposed of its interest in Wisley airfield, Surrey.

The parties were the Secretary of State for Defence and the Earl of Lytton of Keeper Knights, Copthorne Road, Crawley, West Sussex, who has consented to disclosure.

Dust And Petrol (Pollution)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will undertake investigations into two major areas of pollution, namely, that from dust and from petrol; whether he is aware of American research into this subject; and whether he proposes to give advice to local authorities, especially in London.

Dust and petrol were among the sources of lead pollution re- viewed in the report of the Lawther working party, which considered very many recent research studies. The Government are considering the report and will announce their conclusions as soon as possible.

Planning Officers

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many planning officers are at present employed on planning duties in his Department and in all local authorities throughout the United Kingdom.

108 planning officers are employed on planning duties in this Department. Figures from the March 1980 return of the joint manpower watch Show that local authorities in England and Wales employ approximately 22,350 staff in town and country planning services. This includes planning officers, building control staff and administrative support. Figures relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland are of course the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.

Rivers Don And Rother (Pollution)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will increase the capital expenditure budget of the Yorkshire water authority to enable it to undertake the necessary works to reduce the level of pollution in the river Don and the river Rother.

We have no plans to increase the capital expenditure allocation of the Yorkshire water authority. Levels of river pollution are among the factors taken into account in determining the individual capital allocations of the regional water authorities but it is for each water authority to decide its own priorities.

Property Services Agency (Apprentices)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, how many apprentices employed by the Property Services Agency will complete their training during the current year; and how many of these will be, or have been, dismissed without redundancy pay.

287 apprentices will complete their apprenticeships this year: all in the next few weeks. 169 are expected to be offered continuing employment as craftsmen and strenuous efforts are being made to see whether the remaining 118 can be retained to fill other essential vacancies. An apprenticeship is a fixed-term contract. If an apprentice cannot be offered employment he receives an appropriate short-term gratuity under the Civil Service superannuation arrangements. No question of redundancy arises.

Civil Service

Government Economic Service

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many economists were in post in the Government Economic Service at the latest available date; and if he will give a breakdown by departments.

The information in respect of central Government Departments is set out in the following table:

Staff in post^ in the Government Economic Service† at 1 July 1980.*
Department
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food	24
Department of Employment Group	39
Department of Energy	20
Department of the Environment	65
Office of Fair Trading	11
Department of Health and Social Security	19
Department of Industry	43
Foreign and Commonwealth Office	11
Overseas Development Adminstration	37
Scottish Office	26
Treasury	65
Other Departments	24
Total	384

Note

^* The staff-in-post figures are provisional and are expressed as full-time equivalents.

† Government Economic Service includes staff in economic posts at open structure levels but excludes some members of the economist group who are not currently engaged on economic work.

Transport

Tachographs

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will make representations on behalf of British road hauliers to his counterparts in France, Germany and the Netherlands asking them to interpret the ruling that tachographs should be fitted to vehicles equipped to carry 10 or more passengers, such that it is the actual seating capacity, after structural modifications, which is taken into account rather than the original design capacity.

Interpretation of the relevant Community legislation is a matter for the courts in the member States concerned, subject to appeal to the European Court. I am not, however, aware that any difficulties have arisen in practice.

Vehicle Registration System

asked the Minister of Transport what consideration he has given to the use of a validation sticker on car number plates instead of the present tax disc system.

I am certainly aware of vehicle registration systems which use validation stickers on number plates. They are widely used in the United States and we are currently examining whether there might be advantages in using them in this country.

Vehicle Number Plates

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in the interests of prevention of crime, he will seek powers to institute a system of control and issue of vehicle number plates; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a number of representations from the police and from members of the public about difficulties caused by the design, manufacture and issue of vehicle number plates. They raise several points of concern which I am considering carefully.

Voluntary Bodies (Funds)

asked the Minister of Transport if he will list the names of all voluntary bodies to which his Department gave funds in 1979 and in the current year; and much much went to each individual body last year and in the current year.

In the financial year 1979–80 my Department gave funds to voluntary bodies as follows:

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)	£307,568
Royal Automobile Club/Auto Cycle Union (RAC/ACU)	£62,612

Provision has been made for funds to voluntary bodies in the financial year 1980–81 as follows:

RoSPA	£355,000
RAC/ACU	£90,000

Vehicle Excise Duty

asked the Minister of Transport what conclusions he has reached on the possibility of taxing vehicles whether or not they are being used on the road.

I have today published a consultation paper inviting comments on a possible change in the basis of vehicle excise duty to a tax on possession. The change would simplify enforcement of the tax and reduce evasion. Heavy goods vehicles would not be included, and special arrangements would be made for vintage and veteran vehicles, and those laid up for long periods. For the law-abiding motorist my proposals should have considerable attractions. But before deciding whether to introduce the necessary legislation I wish to take full account of the views of all interested organisations and the public. I have placed copies of the consultation document in the Library of the House.

Tyne Tunnel

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if it is his intention that tolls should in future be raised to meet the annual operating repayment of all loans on the ultimate repayment of all loans on the Tyne tunnel;(2) if he will seek to make interest-free grants on the initial loans raised to meet construction costs of the Tyne tunnel, leaving tolls to cover operating costs only.

The Government's policy is that tolls should continue to be charged on estuarial crossings which provide exceptional benefits to the users at rates sufficient over time to cover the servicing and ultimate repayment of the capital debt as well as operating and maintenance costs. This has been the policy of successive Governments.Special financial assistance for the Tyne tunnel would not be justified.

asked the Minister of Transport, at current prices, what increase in the present level of tolls would be required to meet the annual revenue costs of the Tyne tunnel and ensure repayment of all loans by 1995 as originally required under section 43(2) of the Tyne Tunnel Act 1960.

The Tyne tunnel is the responsibility of the Tyne and Wear county council. The council has made representations and published a notice on 9 June proposing a revision of tolls which my right hon. Friend is required to consider with any objections before deciding whether to make an order bringing the revised tolls into effect. Full information on how the council proposes to repay its outstanding debt is still awaited.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the estimated accumulated deficit of £19.4 million at 31 March 1981 on the Tyne tunnel will be financed and the outstanding loans repaid.

The county council's recent application for an increase in certain toll charges is, I understand, intended—with future increases—to enable it to comply with its statutory obligations in respect of servicing and eventual repayment of the loans.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the cost per mile of the Tyne tunnel compared with motorway construction costs at the same time; what would be the level of toll required to break even if the costs in excess of normal motorway construction were not to be met from toll revenues; and what would be the level of tolls required to break even if only the costs in excess of normal motorway construction were met from toll revenues.

The Tyne tunnel is the responsibility of the Tyne and Wear county council. The construction cost of the tunnel was £13.6 million, of which £4 million was met by direct grants from the Exchequer and the local authorities. The construction costs of a dual two-lane motorway at that time ranged between £600,000 and £800,000 per mile. Hypothetical calculations about what toll levels might have applied in different circumstances and on different assumptions cannot readily be carried out and would not be very meaningful.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) if, in view of the fact that the Al has been rerouted through the Tyne tunnel, he will now seek to assume direct responsibility for the road;(2) if he will seek to remove the tolls from the Tyne tunnel and arrange for its financing as part of the normal motorway trunk road network.

No. There would be no advantage in a change of responsibility. The Tyne tunnel provides exceptional benefits which would have to be paid for by the users, whether it became a trunk road or remained the county council's responsibility.

M66 (North Manchester)

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has immediate plans to turn Victoria Avenue, Victoria Avenue East and Hollinwood Avenue into a mini-motorway as an alternative to the proposed completion of the North Manchester M66.

We have no such plans. Improving these roads would have serious disadvantages compared with the preferred route for the M66 announced last December.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Chile

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he has completed his review of the embargo on the supply of naval vessels and spare parts for the Daring Class destroyers to Chile; and if he will make a statement.

The review of the embargo has not yet been completed.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will take steps to ascertain which members of the EEC impose an embargo on the supply of naval vessels to Chile; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware that any of our European partners operate an embargo on the supply of naval vessels to Chile.

Afghanistan (Soviet Invasion)

asked the Lord Privy Seal who is responsible for implementing the decisions made by the EEC Council of Ministers after the invasion of Afghanistan to the effect that exports of food to the Soviet Union should be maintained at traditional levels and that no food exports to the Soviet Union from the EEC should be used as a means of replacing food embargos implemented by the United States of America; and if he will make a statement outlining how these policies have been applied in relation to the export of wheat from the EEC to the Soviet Union since the invasion of Afghanistan.

The Commission is responsible for implementing the decision of the Foreign Affairs Council of 15 January concerning food exports to the USSR.As regards wheat exports, the cereals management committee had already decided on 10 January that the USSR should be excluded from the list of countries eligible for export refunds under the tender system.

European Community

Common Fisheries Policy

asked the Lord Privy Seal what are the differences between the offer on a common fisheries policy made by the EEC at the European Council in Luxembourg and that made at the Foreign Affairs Council on 30 May.

There was no"offer"on the common fisheries policy at either the Luxembourg European Council or at the 30 May Foreign Affairs Council.At the Luxembourg European Council no agreement on a detailed text on on fisheries was possible because other member States were seeking an unqualified endorsement of the principle of equal conditions of access.At the Foreign Affairs Council on 30 May we secured agreement to a fisheries text which identified all the elements defined by Her Majesty's Government as essential components of a fisheries settlement. This text set out general guidelines which were fully compatible with Her Majesty's Government's stated negotiating objectives, and it left the substantive issues to the Fisheries Council for consideration on their merits.

Value Added Tax

asked the Lord Privy Seal if the Government will accept any increase in the 1 per cent. limit on the rate of value added tax accruing to the EEC.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 11 June.—[Vol. 986, c. 178.]

Wales

Redundancies

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing, for each of the eight counties of Wales, the number of proposed redundancies notified under the Employment Protection Act for the period July 1979 to June of the current year.

The number of proposed redundancies, not all of which have occurred or will necessarily take place in the future, are as follows:

County	Redundancies Notified
South Glamorgan	4,122
Mid Glamorgan	7,061
West Glamorgan	12,994
Gwent	10,460
Dyfed	4,903
Powys	243
Gwynedd	3,608
Clwyd	11,080

Microelectronics

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to increase the awareness amongst manufacturing industry in Wales of the potential for applying microelectronic technology and of the advisory services available to such companies.

Every opportunity is taken by my Industry Department at seminars, conferences and meetings with individual companies to advise on these matters. Financial assistance is available under the microelectronic industry support programme and the microprocessor application project.

Welsh Language Act

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek to amend the Welsh Language Act so as to provide more positive rights to Welsh speakers than the permissive rights outlined in that Act.

No.

Britannia Road Bridge

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total cost to public funds of the official opening of the Britannia Road bridge by the Prince of Wales on Friday 11 July, including costs by the central Exchequer, local authorities, the police and so on.

The cost to the Welsh Office does not extend beyond normal administrative expenses. I cannot answer for other bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what further use there will be for the temporary stairway constructed on the orders of the Welsh Office at a cost of £6,500 for the Price of Wales to climb from the railway deck to the road deck of the Britannia Bridge on Friday 11 July; and, if it is to be scrapped, what is the estimated value of the timber.

This is a matter for the contractors. No orders were issued by the Welsh Office in respect of this stairway, and no additional costs will fall on Welsh Office Votes.

Education And Science

British Youth Council

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how his Department monitored the money it gave in 1979 to the British Youth Council; and whether he is satisfied that this year's grant is compatible with the Government's policy to reduce public expenditure.

Representatives of Her Majesty's Inspectorate attend British Youth Council executive committee meetings and serve on the steering groups monitoring the work funded by my Department. The organisation is required to submit to the Department annual reports, and accounts certified by auditors that the grants have been properly spent.The grant for 1980–81 was settled with due regard both to the need for economy in expenditure and to the importance which the Government attach to the youth service and to the particular activities of the British Youth Council. I am satisfied that the level of grant chosen is entirely appropriate.

European Community (Student Fees)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether there are any reciprocal arrangements between European Economic Community countries so that students studying in universities or colleges outside their own country but within the Community are treated in a similar way regarding fees.

At their meeting on 27 June this year the Education Ministers of member States of the European Economic Community agreed that their policies on student admission should be based on the recognition of their interdependence and mutual responsibilities. They agreed that the tuition fees charged to students from other Community countries should be no higher than those charged to home students.

Teachers

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the figures for each local education authority in England of the number of teacher in post in September 1979, the estimated number who will be in September of the current year and the number of vacancies each local education authority is taking steps to fill in September.

Figures given below are of teachers who were being paid by local education authorities in England for services in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools on 28 September 1979. The figures include qualified teachers, student teachers and instructors. Part-time teachers are included on a full-time equivalent basis. My Department has no information with which to answer the rest of the question.

September 1979 England	Nursery, primary and secondary schools
Barking	1,600
Barnet	2,608
Bexley	2,045
Brent	2,717
Bromley	2,445
Croydon	2,940
Ealing	2,555
Enfield	2,359
Haringey	2,040
Harrow	1,769
Havering	2,385
Hillingdon	2,078
Hounslow	1,994
Kingston-upon-Thames	1,117
Merton	1,455
Newham	2,457
Redbridge	1,825
Richmond-upon-Thames	1,002
Sutton	1,315
Waltham Forest	2,215
Inner London	22,669
Birmingham	10,630
Coventry	3,387
Dudley	2,697
Sandwell	3,341
Solihull	2,238
Walsall	3,103
Wolverhampton	3,049
Knowsley	2,093
Liverpool	5,468
St. Helens	2,035
Sefton	3,005
Wirral	3,186
Bolton	2,730
Bury	1,776
Manchester	5,279
Oldham	2,096
Rochdale	2,314
Salford	2,742
Stockport	2,618
Tameside	2,110
Trafford	2,058
Wigan	3,506
Barnsley	2,344
Doncaster	3,238
Rotherham	2,657
Sheffield	5,294
Bradford	4,785
Calderdale	1,909
Kirklees	3,659
Leeds	6,772
Wakefield	3,124
Gateshead	2,151
Newcastle upon Tyne	2,961
North Tyneside	2,066
South Tyneside	1,771
Sunderland	3,199
Isles of Scilly	24
Avon	7,852
Bedfordshire	5,329
Berkshire	6,243
Buckinghamshire	5,107
Cambridgeshire	5,313
Cheshire	9,062
Cleveland	6,262
Cornwall	3,686
Cumbria	4,683

Derbyshire	8,211
Devon	7,414
Dorset	4,468
Durham	6,051
East Sussex	4,789
Essex	13,303
Gloucestershire	4,617
Hampshire	12,863
Hereford and Worcester	5,715
Hertfordshire	9,676
Humberside	8,891
Isle of Wight	986
Kent	12,894
Lancashire	12,857
Leicestershire	8,325
Lincolnshire	4,852
Norfolk	5,954
North Yorkshire	6,028
Northamptonshire	5,230
Northumberland	2,837
Nottinghamshire	9,323
Oxfordshire	4,541
Salop	3,621
Somerset	3,331
Staffordshire	10,084
Suffolk	5,178
Surrey	8,012
Warwickshire	4,461
West Sussex	4,936
Wiltshire	4,679

School Leavers (South Kirklees)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children are expected to leave school in the coming summer in the area of South Kirklees.

I regret that this information is not available in my Department. I suggest that the hon. Member contacts the local education authority.

School Meals (Dorset)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions his Department has had with the Dorset county council about its proposal to cease to maintain a school meals service for primary school age children.

Officials from the Department met officers of the Dorset county council on 9 July to ascertain the background to the recommendation to discontinue the paid school meals service for primary school children in the county.

Trade Unionists (Training Grants)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a breakdown by recipient institutions of the grants listed in his answer, Official Report, 8 July, column 135.

Grant is paid on the basis of claims made by the Trades Union Congress on its own behalf and that of its affiliated members towards eligible categories of expenditure set out in the agreed memorandum of arrangements. In 1979–80 some £725,000 of the total grant was shared by 39 affiliated unions. My Department does not collect information about the amounts paid to individual educational institutions as fees or in other ways by the TUC or its member unions.

Energy

Gas And Oil Prices

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, in view of the further information supplied to him by the Chemical Industries Association in its document"Supplies and Price of Gas to the Chemical Industry—Some Further Considerations ", he will now publish revised and up-dated comparative figures for gas and oil prices for industrial consumers in each country of the European Economic Community showing prices both net and inclusive of taxes.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to eliminate unfair competition within the European Economic Community arising from differentials of gas and oil prices for industrial consumers.

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

Cross-Channel Link

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is yet in a position to give final investment approval to the Central Electricity Generating Board's proposed 2,000 mw cross-Channel link with Electricité de France.

I have today given the CEGB final investment approval for the cross-Channel link, initially for the first 1,000 mw stage. Approval for the second 1,000 mw stage will be given in step with French Government approval.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and I have decided to examine an alternative cable route before a final decision is reached on the CEGB's proposal to build the converter station for the link at Sellindge, Kent. We have asked the board to proceed urgently with this work so that a decision on its planning application can be taken as quickly as possible.

National Finance

Personal Taxation

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead, Official Report, 4 June, column 734, if he will make a statement on the large number of single men with children receiving additional personal allowance; what is his precise understanding of the term "one-parent family" as used in that question; and whether this understanding is consistently used by Her Majesty's Government in replies to parliamentary questions.

As stated in the reply to which the hon. Member refers, the figures quoted there for one-parent families with children were based on numbers of taxpayers claiming child tax allowances in 1977–78, and not on the numbers claiming the additional personal allowance. Based on the same year, it is estimated that about 140,000 male taxpayers with single personal allowances also benefit from the additional personal allowance and that about 260,000 female taxpayers with single personal allowances benefit similarly. Virtually all of these would currently pay tax at the basic rate.From tax sources it is possible to identify one-parent families only by reference to the tax allowances claimed. In general, the child tax allowance depends on maintenance of the child and the additional personal allowance on residence of the child, but this is not uniformly the case. Both allowances can be split between separated parents and it is also possible that the parent who can derive most benefit from the allowance will arrange with the other parent to claim it. Moreover, a man living with a woman to whom he is not married is not entitled to the married allowance, but may be eligible for the child tax allowance and the additional personal allowance where the household includes children.A definition based on receipt of tax allowances necessarily does not correspond exactly with that used for informa- tion from the other sources, where non-taxpayers are included. In this connection I refer the hon. Member to the answer by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security to the hon. Member for wood Green (Mr. Race) on 6 May 1980.

Members Of Parliament (Salaries)

46.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the actual or estimated increase in the cost of living and inflationary spiral caused by the full implementation of the Boyle Committee report on hon. Members' salaries, and on the basis of a 9·6 per cent. increase, respectively.

The rate of inflation will be reduced by the Government's policies to control and reduce the rate of monetary growth. If unnecessarily high levels of unemployment are to be avoided, the overall level of pay increases must be reduced. Decisions on the Boyle Committee report must be seen in that context.

Cumbria

47.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional resources from the EEC will be available for application in the county of Cumbria consequent upon the measures being taken to reduce the United Kingdom's net contribution to the Community.

Detailed arrangements for implementing the agreement on reducing our net contribution to the Community budget have still to be agreed, and it is too early to say what expenditure programmes in the United Kingdom will be associated with the Community's supplementary measures scheme. But the Government have made it clear that the extra receipts from the Community will not increase the overall level of public expenditure.

Social Security Benefits

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the administrative costs of his proposals to make social security benefits taxable.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 15 April to the hon. Member for Waltham Forest, (Mr. Deakins).

Tax Allowances And Reliefs

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 10 March, c. 447, how soon he will be able to publish an updated version of table 16 in Cmnd. 7439, showing the latest estimated costs of all direct tax allowances and reliefs.

An updated version of the table was published in "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1980–81 to 1983–84 "—Cmnd. 7841, table 5.13.

Energy

Fuel Oil Prices (International Comparisons)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what duties are imposed on fuel oil in £ sterling equivalents in the United States of America, Japan and the other European Economic Community countries.

The following table shows the Excise duty and VAT imposed on fuel oil in each of the other EEC countries as at 1 April 1980:

	Excise Duty £/tonne	VAT%
Belgium	1·48	6
Denmark^*	26·02	20·25
France	0·08	17·6
Germany	3·55	13
Ireland	4·09	0
Italy	0·05	14
Luxembourg	1·48	5
Netherlands	3·27	18

Currencies have been converted at the exchange rates current on 1 April 1980.

^* In Denmark duty is reclaimable by all VAT-registered traders.

2. USA

There are no federal taxes on heating oil or residual fuel.

3. Japan

(i) The following internal taxes are imposed on fuel oil:

(a) Petroleum tax—3·5% ad valorem—is imposed on crude oils shipped from domestic extracting stations and on imports of crude oils and specified petroleum products withdrawn from bonded areas. Tax base is 100% of c.i.f. plus import duty for crude, and 60%–80% for products.

(b) Petroleum tax (£91 per kl) and local road tax (£16 per kl) are imposed on petrol.

(d) LPG tax: 3p per kg, imposed on LPG used in car fuel tanks. Methane and ethane exempt.

(e) Light-oil machinery tax: £48·50 per kl, imposed by local authorities.

(ii) The following import duties are also imposed:

Crude oils £1·28 per kl.
Petroleum spirits

(a) for use as fuels £2·14 per kl;

(b) Others £4·29 per kl;

Kerosenes £2·01 per kl;
Gas oils £3·77 per kl;
LPG £1·09 per tonne;
Heavy fuel oil A, B, and C for use in oil refining: 1·28 per kl;
Heavy fuel oils A for uses in agriculture, forestry or fisheries within tariff quota limitations —free;
Heavy fuel oils imported for uses within tariff quota limitations —

A £1·90 per kl;
B £1·45 per kl;
C£1·31 per kl;
Heavy fuels imported for other uses £4·55 per kl.

Electricity And Gas Bills (Savings Stamps)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made by the electricity and gas industries in making arrangements to accept each other's savings stamps; and if he will make a statement.

I am pleased to announce that agreement has been reached between area electricity boards and the British Gas Corporation whereby each industry will accept the other's savings stamps in payment or part-payment of its bills. This means, for example, that electricity consumers will be able to save with either gas or electricity stamps towards the payment of their electricity bills. The scheme will start on 4 August.A large number of consumers already use gas and electricity savings stamps in paying their bills. I welcome this agreement which further extends the outlets at which consumers can buy their stamps and so save towards their next bill. The scheme will help those people, particularly among the elderly, who have to take great care in managing their budgets. It will complement the direct Government measures of assistance with fuel bills to those in greatest need announced by my right hen. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services on 22 March.

Fuel Oil

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, by detailing the money spent and by the amount used, the top 10 sectoral consumers of fuel oil in the calendar years 1976 to 1979 inclusive.

An analysis of inland of gas/diesel and fuel oils is given in the digest of United Kingdom energy statistics published annually by

INLAND DELIVERIES OF FUEL OIL
Thousand tonnes
	1976	1977	1978	1979
Electricity generation	10,081	10,161	11,145	10,715
Steel manufacture	2,787	2,573	2,435	2,461
"Other" chemicals (including petroleum chemicals)	2,355	2,559	2,547	2,435
Paper making	1,075	1,036	1,111	1,074
Medical and welfare establishments	821	936	880	821
General non-electrical engineering	640	666	651	613
Drink industries	622	633	668	614
Man-made fibres	577	576	572	558
"Other" manufacturing industries	647	531	549	541
Glass manufacture	594	552	545	529

I regret that details of prices paid or total values are not available. However, an indication of money spent may be obtained by using the results of a continuing survey of large industrial consumers conducted for the department. The average prices of heavy fuel oil used by manufacturing industry establishments included in the survey were £43·2, £54·7, £51·3 and £63·8 per tonne in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979 respectively.

National Finance

Inflation (Wages)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effects on the overall level of inflation are expected from the real cuts in wages imposed on certain groups of public sector workers.

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

Value Added Tax

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why Wales is not administered as a distinct entity for the purpose of gathering value added tax; and how much value added tax was collected in Wales for the financial year 1979–80.

Wales is not administered as a distinct entity for the purpose of gathering value added tax because it is part of the United Kingdom and separate administration would be more expensive. The amount of value added tax collected by Customs and Excise from traders registered in VAT offices in Wales in the calendar year 1978 was a little under £15 million; information for 1979 is not yet available. It is estimated that in 1979–80 the amount of VAT paid by residents of Wales was about £375 mil-

my Department (table 53 of the 1979 edition). The quantities of fuel oil delivered to the top 10 sectors during 1976 to 1979 are tabulated below.

lion, most of this to traders registered in other parts of the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made to ensure that value added tax on the sale and import of blood-stock is dealt with in a similar manner in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland.

I understand that the Commission has decided to open proceedings against the French Government on the grounds that the French provisions for levying value added tax on the basis of a flat-rate valuation (carcase value) of thoroughbred horses are contrary to article 11 of the sixth Council directive. The Irish exemption for thoroughbredhorses is permissible as a transitional derogation under article 28 of the directive and will be reviewed in 1982.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average period of delay in the payment of value added tax refunds by his Southend office to traders; what is the total financial sum involved as a result of this delay; what are the reasons for this delay; and what action he is taking to alleviate the situation.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 July 1980, c. 418]: On the introduction of VAT the then Financial Secretary said it was hoped to make repayments within one or two weeks of receipt of claims by Customs and Excise. In fact over the past five years, except during and immediately following the period of industrial action by computer staff in Southend last year, over 90 per cent. of valid claims have been repaid within 10 days.

About 50,000 claims involving repayments of some £100 million are dealt with by Customs and Excise each week. Some delays inevitably occur when there is a query on or an error in a claim but Customs and Excise make every effort to keep such delays to the minimum.

The procedures for repayment of VAT are kept under review, and I see no reason for special action at present.

Bank Notes

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied with the range of bank notes currently in circulation.

The range will be extended by the introduction of a £50 note early next year.

Citizens Band Radio

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases during the current financial year and during the last financial year the Customs and Excise had carried out house searches for citizens band radios in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, respectively; how many radios were seized during such searches in each area specified in each period; and what charges were brought in respect of possession of the radios.

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

Fuel Oils (Tax)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to reduce the tax on fuel oils.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

Inland Revenue And Customs And Excise

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is now in a position to announce the composition and terms of reference for the review of the enforcement powers of Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise.

I am pleased to say that the right hon. the Lord Keith of Kinkel PC has agreed to chair the committee; and the following have accepted an invitation to serve as members: The Lord Allen of Fallowfield CBE, Mr. Brian Crack FCA, Mr. John F. Avery Jones MA LLB FTII and Mr. Ernest V. Symons CB.The terms of reference are to be:

To inquire into the tax enforcement powers of the Board of Inland Revenue and the Board of Customs and Excise, including: powers of investigation into the accuracy of returns including powers to call for information and documents: powers of entry and of search of premises and persons; powers relating to cases of fraud, wilful default or neglect and to cases of reckless action: but not including the ordinary processes of collecting outstanding tax and the charge of interest theron. To consider whether these powers are suited to their purposes having regard both to the need to ensure compliance with the law and to avoid excessive burdens upon taxpayers and to make recommendations.

I understand that the committee will shortly be making known the arrangements for those interested to put in representations to it.

Widows (Earned Income Relief)

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 July 1980, c. 561]: The cost of giving the aged persons' single allowance instead of the ordinary single allowance to working widows under 65 is estimated, very roughly, to be of the order of £35 million in a full year at 1980–81 income levels. It is assumed that widows with children would continue to receive the additional personal allowance.

European Community Finance Council

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the meeting of the European Community Finance Council in Brussels on 15 July.

The Finance Council met under Luxembourg Presidency.The Council discussed the economic situation in the Community on the basis of a paper by the Commission. This enabled members of the Council to outline the latest economic developments in their countries. The Council agreed that there was no need to modify the overall guidelines for 1980 that it had established at its meeting in December 1979.The Council considered the Commission's proposals for a second tranche of the Ortoli loan facility. It agreed that further loans totalling 400 million European units of account (about £240 million) should be made available immediately covering the same range of projects as the first tranche. The Council will discuss in October the possibility of allocating a further 100 million European units of account (about £60 million) to a wider range of energy and infrastructure projects.

Small Industrial Premises (Tax Allowances)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when full details of its 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 the scheme to encourage its use in the assisted areas.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 July 1980, c. 561]: Inland Revenue press notices and statements of practice about the small industrial workshops scheme were issued on 26 March and 9 July. These have been sent to tax offices and the Department of Industry's regional offices, and should enable most inquiries to be dealt with locally, but where necessary further information can be obtained from the Inland Revenue at Somerset House.The small workshops scheme has received considerable press coverage, and has been widely welcomed. Its existence is, I believe, already well known to potential investors in small workshops.

Defence

Civil Authorities (Military Support)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to extend the training of military personnel to enable them to give support to the civil authorities

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied that there is sufficient clarity concerning the role and authority of the Armed Forces in situations in which they are called on to give support to civilian authorities.

Yes.

Serving Personnel(Election To Public Office)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications are received on average from serving sailors, soldiers or airmen who wish to stand for election to public office.

Four candidates applied to leave the Services to stand at the 1979 general election, two in 1974 and three in 1970. In considering such applications Ministers are advised by the Advisory Committee on Service Candidates. In addition, serving personnel occasionally apply to the Ministry of Defence for permission to stand at local government elections; on average about six such applications are made each year.

Service Personnel (Civil Offences)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to inquire into the causes of the recent riot by soldiers who attacked persons and property in the local community.

The disturbance at Tidworth on the night of 14 June 1980 involving a group of soldiers is being investigated jointly by the civil police and the special investigation branch of the Royal Military Police.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many instances there have been of groups of soldiers committing civil offences and being charged in the courts; and what is the policy with regard to military disciplinary action for the same offences.

In the last five years there has been one incident in the United Kingdom, in London in 1978, involving a group of soldiers committing civil offences and being charged in the civil courts. Where such cases are dealt with by the civil courts, the Army takes no further action.However, if on conviction a soldier is sentenced, either by a civil court or by a court martial, to imprisonment, including a suspended sentence, or by a civil court to detention or borstal, that soldier will normally be discharged from the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations his Department made to the newspapers, radio and television about the recent incident in which a number of soldiers were involved in a serious disturbance.

No representations were made by my Department to the media about the recent incident at Tidworth. Inquiries of a factual nature about Army aspects were dealt with by Ministry of Defence representatives, but since the civil police led the investigation into the incident, all inquiries related to the incident itself, or its investigation, were referred to the Hampshire police.

Firearms

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what standing instructions exist with regard to the use of firearms in dealing with combatants who are not similiarly armed.

The use of firearms against combatants in war, whether armed or unarmed, is regulated by the Geneva conventions and other laws governing armed conflict.

Armed Forces (Sex Equality)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which tasks in each of the Armed Forces are now considered suitable to be undertaken by men only and by women only; and if he will give examples of the application of this policy in practice.

Many trades in the Armed Forces are reserved for men because they involve combat either directly or as a secondary role. Examples of the secondary role are certain categories of Royal Air Force technical staff where only men serve because they could be required to operate very close to the front line. Women do not serve on board warships in any capacity. Other posts limited to men require previous experience in a combat role whereas others are reserved in order to preserve a reasonable career structure; the Royal Navy for instance needs to balance service at sea with shore jobs. In the case of a few jobs, such as Royal Air Force firemen, it would not be cost effective to provide the necessary facilities for the very few women who might meet the particularly demanding physical requirements.On the other hand, in all three Services there are a number of trades open specifically to women. In the Royal Navy a number of purely shore-based trades, such as motor transport drivers and telephonists, are reserved for women. In the Army posts open only to women include kennel maids and welfare assistants and in the Royal Air Force typists. In other cases men and women do broadly similar work in different trades; female switchboard operators in the Army, for example, do not have the additional training and combat role that apply to their male equivalents. We recognise that we need to make full use of both sexes and we are continuing to look for ways to improve the position.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have been made in practices in the Armed Services to reduce discrimination in the public service in harmony with the spirit of equal opportunities and sex equality legislation.

Although the Armed Forces are exempt from the Sex Discrimination Act, our policy is to treat men and women equally except where there are good reasons for doing otherwise. In furtherance of this policy, conditions of service for women have been brought more closely into line with those for men; for example married Service women are now entitled to married quarters and a range of associated allowances in their own right. In recent years a number of additional trades have been opened to women, including among others air mechanicians and air traffic controllers in the Royal Navy, terminal equipment technicians and other technical employments in the Army, direct entry technicians and various radio operating trades in the Royal Air Force. Improved opportunities are also now being offered to male nurses.

Quality Assurance Directorate,Woolwich

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many vacancies for (a) skilled and (b) unskilled industrial staff at the Quality Assurance Directorate (Ordnance), Woolwich Arsenal remain unfilled at the most recent available date.

On 1 July 1980 there were vacancies for 24 skilled and 19 unskilled workers.

Chile (Naval Vessels)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a table showing the naval vessels supplied to Chile for which Her Majesty's Government are at present willing to allow spare parts to be provided by British firms and those for which no such permission is given.

Under the terms of the embargo, spare parts are supplied to Chile for its Leander frigates and Oberon submarines, but not for the Daring class destroyers.

Northern Ireland

Electricity Generation

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the fossil fuel generating capacity in Northern Ireland; what is the capacity (a) coal-fired and (b) oil fired; what tonnage is used by each annually; and whether a nuclear station is contemplated within the next decade.

The present fossil fuel electricity generating capacity in Northern Ireland is 1,845 MW, of which (a) 240 MW is coal-fired and (b) 1,605 MW is oil-fired. The consumption of fuel in equivalent coal tonnes for the year ended 31 March 1980 was (a) 560,557 and (b) 2,121,319. There are no plans to build a nuclear station.

Regional Employment Premium Andshort-Term Working Subsidy

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will reintroduce, for a temporary period during the current trade recession, a system of regional employment premiums, and extend the present short-term working subsidy beyond the present 23 weeks.

I have no plans at present to reintroduce a system of employment premiums or to extend the period of payment of compensation under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme beyond its present 26 weeks.

Gaelic Athletic Association

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his oral reply on 10 July to the hon. Member for Belfast, East, what court gave consideration to the unlawful nature of payment to the Gaelic Athletic Association; what its conclusion was; who the judge was; and when this court sat.

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

Social Services

Pleural Mesothelioma

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the difficulty of diagnosing pleural mesothelioma in its initial stages, how best data may be collated to enable practitioners to make more accurate and correct diagnosis; and whether he considers there is a role that registered charities could be called upon to play.

The diagnosis of the uncommon disease pleural mesothelioma in its early stages is recognised as difficult. Data on the symptoms and aetiology of the disease are best disseminated to practitioners through the usual professional literature and institutions for medical education and training. Should registered charities have ideas on ways in which they might make an effective contribution, I will of course consider them.

Children's Band Concert (Nottinghamshire)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will carry out an inquiry into the causes of the sickness and so on, caused to children from Creswell, Glaywell, Clay Cross and other areas in the Bolsover and adjoining constituencies at the jazz festival on 13 July near Kirkby in Ashfield; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up an inquiry into the cause of the incident as a result of which many children and adults collapsed at Kirkby in Ashfield on 13 July.

No. The Ashfield district council is carrying out a full investigation of the incident with the assistance of other local and regional bodies. Until this is completed, it is not possible to judge what, if any, further action may be needed.

War Pensioners

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost in a full financial year of the extension of war pension entitlement to amputees who develop cardiovascular disease; and how many war pensioners are affected by the provision.

Separate statistics of those amputation cases in which awards of war pension have been made in respect of cardiovascular disease are not kept. I therefore regret that the information requested is not available.

Discipline	1976	1977	1978	1979
ENT Consultants	309·8	316·0	315·8	317·0
Other ENT grades	437·7	415·8	472·7	468·5
ENT hospital practitioners and other part-time medical officers	51·5	53·6	52·6	54·8
Consultants in Audiological Medicine	0·6	1·5	3·0	6·2
Other grades in Audiological Medicine.	—	—	2·3	4·0
Hospital practitioners and other part-time medical officers in Audiological Medicine	—	0·1	0·5	0·9
Physiolological Measurement Technicians (Audiology)	589·7	590·6	623·1	Figures not available

There are 120 main specialist hearing aid centres in England at which a wide range of tests for deafness are employed. Many centres have satellite centres, most of which offer a similar range of services. Information is not held centrally about the types of tests carried out at individual centres.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the contribution made by shortage of (a) technical staff, (b) medical staff and (c) specialist centres to the limitation in facilities which caused the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council to recommend a limit of 10,000 audiological examinations each year for industrial deafness.

Deafness

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are currently receiving disablement benefit for occupational deafness.

Precise information is not available. It is estimated that there are at present about 4,500 claimants receiving disablement benefit for occupational deafness.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many (a) medical and (b) technical staff were available for the diagnosis and treatment of deafness in hospital ear, nose and throat departments in each year since 1976; and how many specialist centres there are capable of carrying out advanced differential tests for deafness.

The number of medical and technical staff—whole-time equivalents—available for the diagnosis and treatment of deafness in hospital ear, nose and throat departments in England in each year since 1976 was:

I understand that it was the evidence as to the combined capacity of NHS technical and medical staff, working in specialist and other centres, to diagnose and assess occupational deafness which led the council to recommend this limitation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the action which he has taken to overcome the shortage of audiological facilities which led to the recommendation of a limit of 10,000 audiological examinations each year for industrial deafness.

The occupational deafness scheme introduced in 1975 was extended to cover additional groups in 1978, when it was agreed that the maximum number of annual examinations for occupational deafness should remain at 10,000. The Department is currently carrying out a further review of the number of occupational deafness examinations that can be undertaken annually, and we hope to be able to offer evidence to the industrial diseases sub-committee of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list the representations which he has received protesting about the restriction that claims for benefit for industrial deafness have to be made within 12 months of permanent cessation of work in a prescribed occupation; if he will estimate the number of people that have been precluded from claiming by this restriction; and if he will estimate the increase in the cost of paying benefit that would follow removal of the restriction;(2) if he will list the representations which he has received protesting about the restriction that claimants for benefit for occupational deafness should have had a total of at least 20 years' employment in the occupation; if he will estimate the numbers of people that have been precluded from claiming by this restriction; and if he will estimate the increase in the cost of paying benefit that would follow removal of the restriction.

Representations have been received from the following bodies on the 20 years' employment and the"12 months"rule for industrial deafness claims:

ASTMS Parliamentary Committee
TUC General Council
General and Municipal Workers Union
Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Ship
wrights, Blacksmiths and Structural Workers
National Union of Mineworkers (Easington Lodge)
British Rail Engineering

A number of hon. Members and members of the public have also commented, but, while the points they made have been noted, there is no central record of the individuals concerned.There is no reliable estimate of the numbers of people who might be entitled to disablement benefit if these conditions were removed and, consequently, it would not be possible to calculate the cost of their removal.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will request the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council to review again the operation of the provisions for occupational deafness.

I understand that, in accordance with its continuing remit to keep the occupational deafness scheme under review, the council's industrial diseases sub-committee will be considering further evidence on its operation later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail the research evidence that relates damage of the hearing mechanism with the period of time for which an individual is exposed to noise.

The seminal work in this field was commissioned jointly from the Medical Research Council and the National Physical Laboratory in 1962 by the then Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance. A report of their findings was submitted to the Secretary of State for Social Services in 1968 and published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1970 as"Hearing and Noise in Industry"by Professor W. Burns and Dr. D. W. Robinson.I understand that the National Physical Laboratory has since published two acoustic reports which are derived in part from "Hearing and Noise in Industry":

(a) Tables for the Estimation of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (Robinson and Shipton) (AC61)

(b) Hearing Hazard from Occupational Noise: (AC80)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what publicity he has given to the availability of disablement benefit for industrial deafness; whether any representations have been made that the publicity is inadequate; and, if so, from which people and organisations.

Leaflets, information and advice about the availability of disablement benefit for all prescribed industrial diseases, including industrial deafness, are freely available from local social security offices.In addition, on the advice of the TUC,. the Department wrote to unions likely to have members working in the qualifying occupations informing them of the introduction of the occupational deafness scheme and asking them to make it known to their members.While some members of the public have complained that they were unaware of particular aspects of the occupational deafness scheme, I have received no formal representations on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list for each

(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)	(e)	(f)
52 weeks ending	Claims received	Audiological examinations	(c) as a percentage of (b)	Diagnosis accepted by medical boards	(e) as a percentage of (b)
17 June 1975	2,955	1,247	42	455	15
15 June 1976	3,952	2,551	65	1,533	39
14 June 1977	2,205	1,289	58	726	33
13 June 1978	2,581	1,467	57	527	20
12 June 1979	2,259	1,386	61	555	25
10 June 1980	4,640	2,543	55	661	14

Note: Occupational deafness was introduced as an industrial prescribed disease on 28 October 1974 and benefit became payable from 3 February 1975.

The figures in columns c and e relate to the examinations performed and claims allowed in the periods shown in column a; because of the time taken to determine claims, they do not relate directly to the claims received as shown in column b for the same years. Columns d and f must be interpreted in this light.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people who have been awarded occupational deafness benefit have also received compensation from their employers; how many people are known to have received compensation from their employers because of noise induced hearing loss; and what percentage of these has been awarded occupational deafness benefit.

Since the payment of compensation by employers to people suffering from occupational deafness does not affect their entitlement to industrial injuries benefits, the Department has no knowledge of such compensation payments.

Supplementary And Related Benefits (High Court Judgment)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in the light of the judgment of Mr. Justice Latey, Times Law Report, 8 July, Queen's Bench Division, he will consider legislation to ensure that where supplementary year since disablement benefit for occupational deafness was introduced (a) the number of claims, (b) the percentage that has gone forward for examination by the audiological services and (c) the percentage of claims that were successful.

The information is not available precisely as requested. The following table gives the figures which most nearly correspond with the question:and related benefits are deducted from damages, these are returned to the Government and do not benefit the unsuccessful party, as in the case of Plummer

v. P. W. Wilkinson & Son Ltd.

The effect of this judgment is under consideration.

Social Security (No 2) Bill

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further representations he has receieved since Friday 27 June in respect of each clause of the Social Security (No. 2) Bill; and if he will list them in the Official Report

Between Friday 27 June and Tuesday 15 July, the only representation received from organisations on the Social Security (No. 2) Bill has been from the Royal British Legion on clause 1.

Heart Surgery (West Yorkshire)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will investigate complaints that important heart surgery operations are not being performed in West Yorkshire hospitals due to lack of staff to undertake post-operative care;(2) what measures are being taken to recruit more staff to undertake postoperative care following heart surgery in the West Yorkshire area.

This is a matter for the Leeds area health authority (teaching) but I am aware that, because of a shortage of nursing staff, it has been necessary to postpone a number of the less urgent cardiac operations at the Leeds general infirmary. The AHA(T) has the matter under close review and has mounted a campaign to recruit suitable nursing staff for the intensive care unit.

Accidents (Notification)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he will be required to take under section 7 of the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1980, No. 804, concerning notifications to the Health and Safety Executive.

Local social security offices, on my right hon. Friend's behalf, will send a copy of industrial accident report forms to area offices of the Health and Safety Executive.

National Insurance Contributions

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department's discussions with the American School of London Educational Trust Limited in

NHS EXPENDITURE ON PROJECTS JOINTLY FINANCED WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES
			£ thousands
Region	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79
Northern	134	646	2,169
Yorkshire	295	1,378	2,206
Trent	402	1,573	2,983
EastAnglia	164	820	1,258
Northwest Thames	282	1,315	2,297
Northeast Thames	413	1,778	2,804
Southeast Thames	420	1,423	2,106
Southwest Thames	390	1,121	2,015
Wessex	289	1,323	2,246
Oxford	111	778	1,383
South Western	85	1,556	2,511
West Midlands	240	1,560	3,133
Mersey	223	623	1,141
North western	697	1,637	2,916
Total	4,145	17,531	31,168

Student Health Service

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total cost to universities and other institutions of further education in the provision of a student health service; and what would be the total financial cost to the National Health Service of those people covered by the student health service being registered and cared for by

respect of liability for employers' national insurance contributions have been concluded; and if he will make a statement.

The Department's discussions have been concluded. Solicitors acting for the American School of London Educational Trust Limited were informed on 18 April that there is no liability for employers' national insurance contributions because the employer does not fulfil the conditions as to residence or presence in Great Britain prescribed in the Social Security (Contributions) Regulations.

Health And Social Service Functions

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the amount spent by each of the regional health authorities in England on the joint funding of projects spanning both health and social service functions for each year since the inception of the joint funding scheme.

The amounts spent by health authorities in each health region in England, on projects spanning both health and social services up to the latest financial year for which figures are available, are as follows:family medical practitioners in the same area.

I have been asked to reply.There is no comprehensive student health service and information on costs is not available. Any arrangements are decided locally, often in partnership with the National Health Service or using its resources.

Medical Sprays

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider making the sale of medical sprays to young people subject to prescription.

I have no reason to think that such a course is justified.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Voluntary Bodies (Funds)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the names of all voluntary bodies to which his Department gave funds in 1979 and in the current year; and how much went to each individual body last year and in the current year.

I regret that this information is not readily available for the grants which are generally available to eligible businesses and which account for most of my Department's expenditure. Specific provision has however been made for the following payments:

	1979–80 £	1980–81 (estimated) £
Fox Destruction Societies^*	524	Nil
National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs	9,500	10,500
National Proficiency Test Council	40,000	64,000
^* Grants to these societies were withdrawn on 31 August 1979.

Herbicide 2,4,5-T

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in the light of the fact that, on strong heating, 2,4,5-T is converted into dioxin, whether he has any evidence to suggest that the severe forest fires that occurred during May produced dioxin from weeds sprayed with 2,4,5-T and that this was released into the environment.

I have no such evidence. As far as can be established, 2,4,5-T had not been applied within the time scale which would have created the circumstances in which TCDD might have been formed during these fires.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average dioxin content of the 2,4,5-T used in herbicides in the United Kingdom (a) during the 1960s and (b) during the 1970s.

At any point in time, the limit of detection of the most sensitive analytical techniques available establishes the lowest level at which the TCDD content, if any, of a sample can be measured. Below that threshold, measurement could not be made with the precision needed to determine average concentrations. The information is therefore not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on whose advice or evidence, and as a result of what investigations, he decided to reduce the permitted level of 2,3,7,8- tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in 2,4,5-T from 0·1 to 0·01 mg./kg., as announced on 22 May.

The decision was taken after consultation with the chairman of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, following the development of improved analytical techniques at the Laboratory of the Government Chemist in response to a recommendation by the committee in March 1979.

Beef

asked the Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he is satisfied that beef exported with refunds is not then transferred to other markets;(2) further to his answer,

Official Report, 30 June, column 454, what response he has had to his request to the Commission for an investigation into allegations that intervention beef sold to Romania has been re-exported to the Union Soviet Socialist Republics; and whether Her Majesty's Government are able to demand safeguards against such resales, in view of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

On 12 February the Commission introduced special monitoring arrangements for applications for export refunds on beef. With effect from 21 June the Commission abolished refunds for beef exported to the USSR. It does not consider that the allegations concerning beef exported to Romania justify further action, but the special arrangements will continue so that trade levels can be monitored on a continuous basis. We are not satisfied with this and have written to Vice-President Gundelach asking him to examine the allegations and to take appropriate action.

Colorado Beetles

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that Colorado beetles do not get established in the United Kingdom.

The Import and Export (Plant Health) (Great Britain) Order 1980 requires controls in exporting countries, backed by official certification, to ensure that exports to us are free from Colorado beetles. The effectiveness of these controls is checked through import inspections in this country. If a colony of Colorado beetles is discovered in this country, the Ministry has made provisions for emergency action.

Poultry

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the standard of poultrymeat inspection in the United Kingdom; how the United Kingdom standard compares with those pertaining in each of the other countries in the European Economic Community; and how many poultrymeat inspectors currently are in post in the United Kingdom.

Local authorities have made good progress in setting up the poultrymeat inspection service in this country. Our objective is to ensure that the poultrymeat hygiene directive is implemented to a uniform standard throughout the Community. Because we were concerned by reports of variations in the standards between member States, we asked the Commission last year to carry out a study into the implementation of the directive. The Commission's report has been delayed, but it is to be released shortly. The exact number of PMIs currently in post in the United Kingdom could only be obtained by asking all the employing authorities, but I understand that the total is of the order of 380.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he is satisfied with the working of the Live Poultry (Restrictions) Order 1971 as amended in 1971, 1972 and 1973;(2) how many instances of Newcastle disease have been recorded since 1973; how many of these are attributable to the operation of sales by auction of store poultry; and if it is his intention to review the regulations covering the prohibition of store sales of poultry between 1 October and 31 December and the required practice of tail clipping.

I am satisfied that the provisions of these orders imposing movement controls and other measures provide necessary safeguards against the risks of Newcastle disease.Forty-nine outbreaks of the disease have been confirmed since 1973, the last outbreak occurring in 1978. It is not possible to say what proportion of these were attributable to any particular method of sale.The working of these orders, and others dealing with animal health subjects, is kept under regular examination.

Crops (Aircraft Spraying)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about spraying of crops from aircraft; and whether he is satisfied that existing controls are adequate.

There have been 10 representations, comprising six letters from hon. Members, most of which include correspondence from constituents, and four approaches to officials from members of the public. Half these representations were not confined to aerial spraying, but concerned crop spraying in general. Existing controls are being reviewed in the light of the recommendations in the report last year of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution. The conclusion will be included in the Government's response to the report.

Agriculture And Food Industries

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends to take to ensure closer co-operation between all sections of the agriculture and food manufacturing and distributing industries and his own Department.

I have instructed my officials to give greater consideration to the marketing aspects of all their work to achieve this closer co-operation. ADAS in particular will in future be working more closely with the processing distributing industries. I will continue my own efforts, in meetings with the industry, to stress the need for each link in the food chain to work together.

Agricultural Development And Advisory Service

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what additional financial help he intends to give to the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service in the marketing of agricultural and horticultural produce.

Arrangements have been made for the reallocation of resources within ADAS to enable this work to be carried out without additional financial provision.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations there have been between his Department and the agricultural trade in the new Agricultural Development and Advisory Service marketing effort as announced by him.

We have had first round discussions with farming and other interests and further consultations will follow as necessary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current cost to the Exchequer of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service; and what is the likely cost in the next financial year.

The net cost of ADAS, inclusive of equipment and travel, is forecast at £61·4 million for 1980–81. The estimate for 1981–82 will be published later this year, but in real terms is not expected to exceed that for the current financial year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will name the leading national and regional marketing experts invited to assist the Agricultural Development and Advisory Services in its new enlarged marketing scheme.

Consultations are under way and we expect to make appointments shortly.

Central Council For Agricultural And Horticultural Co-Operation

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what increased funds are now to be made available to the Central Council for Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation for the marketing of produce.

As my right hon. Friend announced on 25 June, the funds available to the CCAHC for the improvement of marketing are being increased by £109,000 to a total of £500,000 in the current financial year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current cost to the Exchequer of the Central Council for Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation; and what is the likely cost in the next financial year.

The total cost of the Central Council for Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation was just under £1·2 million in the financial year 1979–80. The estimate for 1980–81 is about £1·5 million. These figures include all administrative costs and expenditure on projects to improve marketing. They do not include the cost of the co-operative grant scheme.

Agricultural And Horticultural Co-Operatives

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what financial assistance the Central Council for Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation is providing in the formation of co-operatives in the current financial year; and what future financial assistance is envisaged.

Grants at a maximum rate of 75 per cent. are and will continue to be available under the agricultural and horticultural co-operation scheme towards the eligible costs, such as legal and registration expenses, incurred in the formation of co-operatives. So far in the current financial year one application for grant on formation costs of £500 has been approved.

In addition to grant-aid, considerable expert advice and assistance is given to new co-operatives by the central council's staff.

Agricultural Supply Trade Association

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the president of the United Kingdom Agriculture and Seed Trade Association; and when he next intends to do so.

I assume that the question relates to the United Kingdom Agricultural Supply Trade Association. I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting the current president of UKASTA, but my right hon. Friend hopes to do so on 31 July.

Off-Farm Marketing Facilities

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the increased grants now to be made available for off-farm marketing facilities as announced by the Ministers of Agriculture on 25 June.

I refer my hon. Friend to draft statutory instrument, the Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation (Variation) Scheme 1980, which was laid before Parliament on 25 June.

Ritual Slaughter Of Animals

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for Newham, North-West enclosing a letter from the Secretary of the Newtown branch of the Newham North-West Labour Party protesting about the ritual slaughter of animals according to the Islamic and Jewish religious practices; and whether he will take steps to control ritual slaughter.

My right hon. Friend received the hon. Member's letter of 9 July. The Slaughterhouses Act 1974, which provides exemption from the prestunning requirement for Jewish and Muslim slaughter, already contains safeguards which are enforced by local authorities. In particular, it requires that slaughter must take place without the infliction of unnecessary suffering, that slaughtermen of either faith must hold a normal slaughterman's licence issued by a local authority and in addition that a Jewish slaughterman must hold a licence from the Rabbinical Commission. We have no plans to propose an amendment to these provisions.

Fruit Imports

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that the existing powers of horticulture marketing inspectors in the exercise of their duties in regulating fruit imports are sufficient to prevent fruit of inferior and unacceptable quality being purchased by the British public; and what plans he has to increase these powers.

I am satisfied that the existing powers of the horticultural marketing inspectors are sufficient to enable them to carry out their duties in regulating the quality of fruit whether imported or home produced. I have no evidence that significant quantities of inferior quality imported fruit are being offered for sale.

Fisheries

asked the Minister of Agricultre, Fisheries and Food whether the phrase"loss of catch potential in third country waters"in the text of the declaration on the common fisheries policy refers to the actual loss of catches made in the past in Icelandic, Norwegian, Russian and Faroesan waters; and if so, whether he will publish the relative shares of catches made by Great Britain, France, Germany and Denmark in the period which he considers most relevant to the British case.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 June 1980, c. 301]: The following table sets out the relative share of catches of all species taken annually in the waters of third countries by the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Denmark from 1970 to the latest year for which final information is available. In the view of the Government, account should be taken not only of the overall losses of fishing opportunity but also of the composition of these catches, which in the case of the United Kingdom, comprise mainly high-value demersal species such as cod and haddock.

CATCHES OF ALL FISH (INCLUDING INVERTEBRATES) BY EUROPEAN COMMUNITY MEMBER STATES IN THIRD COUNTRY WATERS^* 1970–1977:
TONNES CAUGHT, WEIGHT AND PERCENTAGE†
Year, tonnes and percentage
Member State	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977
United Kingdom	433,383	368,476	320,817	332,512	332,575	292,363	228,533	223,565
	47 per cent.	47 per cent.	47 per cent.	43 per cent.	40 per cent.	41 per cent.	35 per cent.	38 per cent.
France‡	128,295	115,382	104,536	99,455	111,761	100,635	92,196	82,853
	14 per cent.	15 per cent.	15 per cent.	13 per cent.	13 per cent.	14 per cent.	14 per cent.	14 per cent.
Germany	329,750	260,312	211,075	283,052	333,437	259,300	238,652	190,341
	35 per cent	33 per cent.	31 per cent.	36 per cent.	40 per cent.	36 per cent.	37 per cent.	32 per cent.
Denmark§	39,642	43,300	50,670	61,194	62,920	63,580	89,345	92,929
	4 per cent.	5 per cent.	7 per cent.	8 per cent.	7 per cent.	9 per cent.	14 per cent.	16 per cent.
TOTAL║	931,070	787,470	687,098	776,213	840,693	715,878	648,726	589,688
^* Comprising the Barents Sea and Murman Coast (ICES Area I), Northward of the Norwegian Coast (ICES II), the Baltic (ICES IIID), Iceland and Faroes (ICES V), the Canadian East Coast, excluding St. Pierre and Miquelon (NAFO Areas 0 and 2 to 5, except 3 PS) and part of the North East Coast of the United States (NAFO 6).
† Catches expressed as a percentage of the total catch by the four member States concerned.
‡ Excluding St. Pierre and Miquelon and other overseas departments.
§ Excluding Greenland.
║ Excluding limited catches by Belgium, the Irish Republic, Italy and the Netherlands.

Pipe Design For Field Drainage

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the organisations which he has now consulted regarding his Department's draft technical note on"Pipe Design for Field Drainage ".

The organisations and individuals sent a copy of the draft consultative paper on pipe design for field drainage were:

Albion Concrete Limited, Swansea
ARC Concrete Limited, Chipping Sodbury
British Clayware Land Drain Industry, Sheffield
Concrete Pipe Association of Great Britain, Andover
John Davidson Group, Northampton
East of Scotland College of Agriculture, Edinburgh
A. D. Gabb, Esq. Consultant, York
Land and Water Management, Cambridge
National Association of Agricultural Contractors, Hindhead
National College of Agricultural Engineering, Silsoe
Pipe Products Associates, Leicester
Land Reclamation Consultants, Dumfriesshire
Plastics Land Drainage Manufacturers Association, Birmingham
Ryan Pipe Limited, Corby
Soil and Water Management Association, Stoneleigh
Joint Consultative Organisation for R & D Scotland

Common Fisheries Policy

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made in negotiating a common fisheries policy.

Following the Fisheries Council on 16 June, on which my right hon. Friend made a statement to the House on 18 June, I have discussed with the Commission and with other member States the outstanding problems associated with negotiations on the revised common fisheries policy.

Wheat And Barley

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average length of time that payment has been made for wheat and barley sold to the Intervention Board following its delivery.

The average period of time taken to process claims for cereals sold into intervention is 23 days.

Carlisle asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has received any representations from the agricultural merchanting trade regarding the delayed payment for wheat and barley sold into intervention.

I have received no formal representations from the agricultural merchanting trade alleging delays in payments for wheat and barley sold into intervention, although my officials have received telephone inquiries about the payment of claims.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that the Intervention Board has enough storage for wheat and barley that it may be offered during the coming season.

The market appears this year to be more than usually affected by the weather, but the likely level of intervention is monitored and as in past years we would expect to have sufficient capacity to meet demands.

Fishing Industry

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to make a statement on the representation made to him by the fishing industry on 3 July asking for some £30 million aid to help the industry at a time of growing unemployment in the industry, the tying-up of even more vessels, the rising cost of fuel and the competition from subsidised foreign vessels, resulting in cheap imports of foreign fish.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang).

Eggs

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the National Egg Packers Association about the dumping in Great Britain of eggs from other European Economic Community countries that are not subject to standards of labelling and packing that conform to United Kingdom standards.

The association, the National Farmers Union and the British Poultry Federation, have made representations about recent trends in production in the United Kingdom and other member States and the effect of imports on the United Kingdom industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any evidence that the number of new chicks being bred and placed in EEC countries are so large as to ensure an increase in egg production excessive to the needs of the Community.

The Community is rather more than self-sufficient in eggs. Recent increases in chick placings in the Community as a whole are expected to increase Community supplies over coming months.

Certificates Of Plant Health

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to help horticultural exporters who are experiencing delays and difficulties in obtaining certificates of plant health.

I much regret these difficulties, which arise from industrial action by the Ministry's Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate. We are taking all possible measures to deal with priority work including the issue of plant health export certificates while this action continues.

Commodity Imports

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the cost of food/feed imports from other Common Market countries for the last complete year; and what would have been the cost had the same quantity of commodities been imported at the average of world market prices for the same period.

The cost of food/feed imports from other Communnity member States was £2,627·8 million in 1979. The cost might have been around £2,000 million if these imports had been obtained at prices which were lower by the amount of the average net levies on United Kingdom imports in 1979. However, for the reasons set out on the reply to my hon. Friend's question on 11 June, I do not regard it as realistic to assume that, in the absence of the CAP, we would obtain our imported supplies of milk products and sugar at such prices.

Volume 988: debated on Thursday 17 July 1980

Written Answers To Questions

Social Services

Family Incomes

Non-Contributory Invalidity Benefit

National Health Service (Management Costs)

Sick Pay

Aged Persons (Homes)

Sickness Benefit

Departmental Records

Pensioners

Data Protection

Acute Beds

Supplementary Benefit (Leaflet)

House Of Commons

Members (Correspondence)

Lord Chancellor's Department

Coal Mining Industry

Employment

Health Hazards (Noise Levels)

Retail Price Index

Trade

Clothing And Footwear

Tyre Sealants

Estate Agents Act 1979

Carpets

Motor Cars (Import Controls)

Sprays (Sale Restrictions)

Manufactures

House Of Commons

Parliamentary Allowances

Scotland

Investment

Textile Industry

Unemployment (Ethnic Minorities)

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

British Farmers (Profitability)

Whale Conservation

Apples

Eggs Authority

Sprays And Chemicals

European Community (Milk Imports)

Sugar

Departmental Restructuring

Agricultural Land

Citrus Fruits (Imports)

European Community (Lobster Imports)

Eggs

School Milk

Tomatoes

Potato Production

Horticultural Production

Fishing Industry

Store Sheep

Cereal Production

Pigmeat

Dairy Products

Vacant Farms

Wild Rabbits

Hill Livestock Compensatory Payments

Horticulture Industry

Meat And Livestock Commission

Raspberry And Strawberry Pulp

Prime Minister (Engagements)

North-East England

Mr Brezhnev

March

Horticulture Industry

National Economic Development Council

Communications (Official Interception)

Dundee

Gracious Speech

Greenham

British Airports Authority

London Boroughs

Wage Settlements

European Community

European Community (Greece)

Appointments (Vetting Procedure)