asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the increase in the number of civil servants dealing with unemployment benefits as a result of the escalating numbers of workers unemployed over the last 12 months.

Between 1 October 1979 and 1 October 1980 there was an increase of 2,703 permanent and casual staff engaged on unemployment benefit work in my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to reduce delays at the counters of unemployment benefit offices.

Some 3,700 additional staff have been recruited in recent months to help deal with the sharp increase in unemployment. Delays at peak periods are difficult to eliminate entirely but in future these should be kept to a minimum as the unemployment benefit service now has sufficient staff to cope with current levels of unemployment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed in manufacturing industry on 1 June 1960, 1 June 1970 and 1 June 1980.

The following table gives estimates of the numbers of employees in employment in manufacturing industries in the United Kingdom. The figures for 1960 and 1970 are from the continuous series of employment estimates which removes discontinuities present in earlier published data.

	(000's)
June 1960	8,418
June 1970	8,339
June 1980 (provisional)	6,789

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been paid out in redundancy payments during the past 12 months.

During the period 1 October 1979 up to 30 September 1980 the total amount paid to redundant employees under the redundancy payments provisions of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 was £372·97 million. No figures are available for payments above the statutory requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has for reimbursing claimants for unemployment benefit who will have to incur other transport costs because of the acceptance of the Rayner proposals to close part-time benefit offices.

I have no proposals for reimbursing transport costs. The offices concerned are all within a few miles of another office and attendance is required only once per fortnight.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many part-time offices dealing with unemployment benefits are to be closed in the county of Durham; how many civil servant posts will be discontinued; and what is the annual saving in money terms.

It is proposed to close four part-time offices in County Durham. The staff saving is 25 man weeks per annum and the saving in money terms, including premises costs, is about £3,500 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report the percentage wage awards agreed by each wages council in the last 12 months.

The information is shown in the table below. Wages councils determine minimum rates in cash terms and do not express any increase in percentages. The percentage increases given in the table have been calculated from the wages councils' orders. They apply to minimum rates only and do not necessarily apply to workers paid above the minima. The percentage increases in earnings will be below these figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that the Health and Safety Executive is capable in all respects of establishing safety standards and supervision, for zoos, zoo parks, and circus menageries.

Yes. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that the Health and Safety Executive is capable of establishing adequate safety standards and supervision for zoos, zoo parks and circus menageries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many keepers or others have been killed or injured in zoos, zoo parks or circus menageries as a result of an attack by a wild animal in the last 10 years.

I regret that this information does not exist in a readily available form.

asked the Secretary of Stae for Employment if he will institute an inquiry into the safe keeping of wild animals in zoos and zoo parks.

No. My right hon. Friend has no plan to institute an inquiry into the safe keeping of wild animals in zoos and zoo parks. Safety arrangements in these establishments are subject to

							11 September	13 September	14 September
Employment office area							1980	1979	1978
Solihull	…	…	…	…	…	…	454	258	441
Stretford	…	…	…	…	…	…	673	308	511

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young persons aged 18 years and under there are in the employment areas corresponding to the areas of (a) Blaby, (b) Dover and Deal, (c) Wycombe and (d) Barnet, Finchley who have never had a job; and if, in each case, he will provide comparable figures for 1979 and 1978.

[pursuant to his reply, 28 October 1980, c. 141–3]: The following table gives the numbers of registered unemployed young people aged 18 years and under who, at 11 September 1980—the latest date for which information is readily available—had not been in em-

		11 September	13 September	14 September
Employment office area		1980	1979	1978
(a) Hinckley and Leicester	…	1,684	548	745
(b) Dover, Deal and Sandwich	…	229	118	176
(c) High Wycombe	…	347	88	103
(d) Barnet, Finchley, Hendon and Burnt Oak	…	383	178	214

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he intends to take steps with regard to the harmonisation within the European Community countries of safety standards at zoos and zoo parks for both the public and employees.

My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to take steps with regard to the harmonisation within the European Community countries of safety standards at zoos and zoo parks.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young persons aged 18 years and under there are in (a) Solihull and (b) Stretford who have never had a job; and if, in each case, he will provide comparable figures for 1979 and 1978.

[pursuant to his reply, 28 October 1980, c. 141–3]: The following table gives the numbers of registered unemployed young people aged 18 years and under who, at 11 September 1980—the latest date for which information is readily available—had not been in employment since completing full-time education. Corresponding information is given for 13 September 1979 and 14 September 1978.ployment since completing full-time education. Corresponding information is given for 13 September 1979 and 14 September 1978.Work experience and training opportunities will be available for these young people under the youth opportunities programme, which the Secretary of State announced on 14 February would be expanded this year in order to admit over a quarter of a million young people throughout the country by next March.The figures relate to the areas covered by the employment offices which most closely correspond to the parliamentary constituencies specified.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate for the latest convenient date the number of persons in the United Kingdom on short time; what is his estimate of the person days per week not being worked; and what is the equivalent of that figure for additional persons who would otherwise now be unemployed.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 October 1980, c. 223] Information on short-time working is available only for operatives in manufacturing industries in Great Britain. During the week ended 16 August, the latest date for which information is available, 262,900 operatives were on short time and 3,760,600 hours were lost, an average of 14.3 hours per person per week. Because the circumstances of short-time working vary from firm to firm and the extent may vary from a few hours to a complete week and affect a large number of firms and industries, it would not be meaningful to conclude that if there were no short-time working a given number of people would otherwise have been unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how much Her Majesty's Government had increased or decreased the expenditure of his Department compared to planned expenditure in Cmnd. 7439 expressed at 1980 constant prices, taking outturn figures for the year 1979–80, the best estimate of outturn for 1980–81 and planned expenditure to 1982–83.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 November 1980, c. 425]: For 1979–80 the information is as follows:—Planned expenditure in Cmnd. 7439 is £1705 million at 1980 survey prices. Latest forecast of outturn is £1280 million at 1980 survey prices. Estimates of outturn in 1980–81 together with planned expenditure for later years will be published in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, for each travel-to work area, he will indicate the percentage of the registered unemployed in the area who are (a) out of work for four weeks or less and (b) aged over 55 years and voluntarily early retired.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 November 1980, c. 425]: The unemployment statistics do not distinguish voluntarily early retired people. The following tables gives for each region the percentages of the numbers of registered unemployed people who, at 9 October (a) had been unemployed for up to four weeks and (b) were aged 55 and over. The information could be provided for each travel-to-work area only at disproportionate cost.

	Percentage unemployed up to 4 weeks	Percentage aged 55 and over
South East	20·4	16·3
East Anglia	21·8	18·4
South West	19·4	18·4
West Midlands	14·6	14·3
East Midlands	16·6	17·7
Yorkshire and Humberside	16·3	15·2
North West	14·0	12·3
North	14·3	14·6
Wales	16·5	15·1
Scotland	14·9	11·5
Great Britain	16·7	14·8
Northern Ireland	13·5	7·8
United Kingdom	16·5	14·5

asked the Secretary of State for Employment under what authority form F 2508 has been issued by the Health and Safety Executive on the report of an accident or dangerous occurrence when the authorising instrument, the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, is not in force until 1 January 1981.

[pursuant to his reply, 5 November 1980]: The authority to approve and issue forms in advance of regulations coming into force derives from sections 13 and 23 of the Interpretation Act 1978.Form F 2508 was approved by the Health and Safety Executive on 2 September 1980. It has not yet been "issued" but is now being printed for that purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will ask the Director General of Fair Trading to conduct a review of the terms and operation of the contract for the supply of building materials and supplies to Government and similar establishments throughout England and Wales before this is next awarded in February 1981, in order to ensure that the contract results in genuine savings in public expenditure, and does not penalise potential competitors for this business by the creation of a monopoly.

The Director General of Fair Trading has powers under the Fair Trading Act 1973 and the Competition Act 1980 to initiate investigations into monopoly situations or anti-competitive practices. The Director General exercises these powers independently of the Government. My hon. Friend may therefore care to bring any relevant information to the Director General's attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he proposes to give a warning about the disposal of foam-filled furniture on bonfires and its dangers.

In my message on firework safety on 13 October 1980, I included a warning against building up

"the strength of your bonfire by throwing old foam filled furniture on to it",

and have reiterated the warning several times during radio broadcasts.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether the powers under which the Export Credits Guarantee Department operates the cost escalation scheme and which are due to expire next March are to be renewed.

I fully recognise the need of industry for the earliest possible information on the Government's intentions with regard to this scheme, especially if negotiations for important overseas projects are not to be frustrated. I am therefore particularly pleased to be able to announce that it is our intention to recommend to the House an extension for 12 months, to 26 March 1982, of the powers granted under section 5 of the Export Guarantees and Overseas Investment Act 1978. The necessary draft order will be laid before the House in due course. I hope that the timing of this decision will provide our major exporting companies with the reassurance they need to plan ahead with confidence.We do not envisage further changes to the scheme at this stage. The House will recall that, as foreshadowed in my statement of 5 March this year, its terms were recently revised to increase premium income. The new rate is being applied in general to business obtained since the end of the last financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the percentage figures for male and female unemployed in the Glasgow travel-to-work area as at June 1979 and similar information for the latest convenient date.

The information is set out in the table below.

PERCENTAGE UNEMPLOYED IN GLASGOW TTWA
	Males	Females	Total
14 June 1979	11·1	6·4	9·1
9 October 1980	15·4	9·0	12·6

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many men, women and young persons were

	Rutherglen		Cambuslung
	June 1979	October 1980	June 1979	October 1980
Males	2,471	3,741	693	1,061
Females	1,075	1,629	289	477

The following tables gives details of unemployment analysed by age and dura-

		Rutherglen		Cambuslung
		Total	Unemployed for more than 6 months	Total unemployed	Unemployed for more than 6 months
Men	…	2,809	1,485	915	412
Women	…	1,253	650	337	125
Young persons (under 18)	…	329	103	346	13
Note: The analysis by age and duration, unlike the monthly total figures, does not give comprehensive information, since some unemployed young persons from Rutherglen register at Cambuslang careers office, while others register at Glasgow South Side careers office. Adjustments are made to the monthly totals to take this into account. The comparable monthly totals for the 2 areas for July 1980 were Rutherglen 4,198 (3,296 males and 1,622 females) and Cambuslang 1,437 (1,005 males and 432 females.)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what have been the total numbers of deaths and the total numbers of serious accidents which have occurred in United Kingdom waters since the search for oil and gas started.

Since 1964, when the first well was drilled, there have been 103 accidental deaths and 444 persons have been seriously injured, on or about offshore installations, in United Kingdom waters. The figures include 13 who died in the loss of the "Sea Gem" in 1965 and some of the injuries occurred in multiple accidents.The figures for 1980, so far, are one death and 39 serious injuries.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in the Official Report the amounts of gas flared

Information is not available in the precise form requested. The following table gives the numbers of males and females registered as unemployed in Rutherglen and Cambuslang in June 1979 and October 1980.tion in July 1980, the latest date for which this information is available.from the Brent Field in the North Sea for each year; and how much has so far been flared in 1980.

The information requested is as follows:

Gas flared at the Brent Oilfield (million cubic metres)
1976	36
1977	531
1978	1,598
1979	3,347
1980 (first 9 months)	1,020

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Welsh United Kingdom citizens suspected of acts of terrorism unconnected with Northern Ireland affairs have been subject to arrest without warrant by a constable under section 12(1)(b) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts of 1974 and 1976.

Information on those detained under the prevention of terrorism legislation is not kept in such a way as to permit distinctions to be drawn between Welsh and other United Kingdom citizens.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any people were arrested under section 12(1)(b) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act in Operation Fire, which occurred in Wales in March.

I understand that one man was arrested under section 12(1)(b) of this Act in the police operation on 30 and 31 March this year in connection with arson and attempted arson in Wales. He was subsequently charged at Luton with conspiracy to cause explosions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act has been invoked in any case in the United Kingdom which has been unrelated to Northern Ireland.

Only section 12 (1) (b) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1976 and article 10 (1) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Supplemental Temporary Provisions) Order 1976, as amended, contain powers not specifically restricted to terrorism connected with Northern Irish affairs. Arrest is a matter for the chief officer of the force concerned, but an extension of detention under these provisions is granted only where a connection with terrorism related to Northern Irish affairs is established or suspected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements there are to allow citizens, or groups of citizens, to address magistrates in order to oppose the granting of an alcohol licence to club premises, which they consider may be detrimental to their area; and to what extent magistrates have discretion in the administration of these rules.

Under the Licensing Act 1964 a proprietary club may supply alcoholic liquor only under the authority of an on-licence granted by the licensing justices, who have complete discretion to grant or refuse such an application. Any person has the right to oppose an application for the grant or renewal of a licence and licensing justices will normally allow an objector to address them when they consider the matter.A members' club, provided that it fulfils certain conditions, may supply liquor under the authority of a registration certificate granted by a magistrates' court. Only the chief officer of police, the local authority or a person affected by his occupancy of or interest in other premises may object to an application for such a certificate and may be heard when the magistrates consider the application. The grounds on which such an objection may be made comprise defects in the application, unsuitability of the premises, failure to comply with the qualifications for registration, disorderly conduct or habitual breaches of the rules and habitual use of the premises for unlawful purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were prosecuted for shoplifting in the last year; and what guidelines he issues to the police on the prosecution of shoplifting offences.

Information on the number of persons prosecuted for shoplifting is published annually in the "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" (table 1(a) of the volume for 1978 (Cmnd. 7670). Information for 1979 will be published towards the end of November. In common with our predecessors, we have not issued guidance to the police about the prosecution of these offences, which is a matter for the discretion of individual chief officers.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the need to revise the beef variable premium scheme in order to remove the anomaly of the "ceiling" on the amount of premium paid, in view of its detrimental effect on beef producers in Wales.

The National Farmers Union and the Farmers Union of Wales have made representations concerning the revision of the current ceiling of 7·32p/kg liveweight on the amount of the beef variable premium payable. Such a revision would need to be considered in the light of the other measures available for the support of the beef industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when the feasibility study of possible improvements to the Tan-yr-Unto Bend, Llanbedr DC, Ruthin, Clwyd, was in fact completed.

The Department received a draft of the feasibility report in April 1980 which was subsequently supplemented by further information passed by the consultants to the Department during the course of the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what would have been the approximate costs of (a) the dearest and (b) the cheapest possible ways of eliminating the bends on the A494 trunk road down the western flank of the Clwydian Range considered in the feasibility study of possible improvements that has now been completed.

The cheapest scheme would cost approximately £2·2 million and the most expensive approximately £3 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether any criticism was levelled by environmentalists against any of the possible ways of eliminating the bends on the A494 trunk road down the western flank of the Clwydian Range considered in the feasibility study of possible improvements that has now been completed; and, if so, on what grounds.

This proposed improvement scheme had not reached the stage where the public had been invited to comment on the options available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans to provide additional financial assistance for Urdd Gobaith Cymru.

Subject to the approval of Parliament I propose to offer Urdd Gobaith Cymru a grant of £140,000 in the financial year 1981–82 with a commitment of £145,230 in 1982–83. This grant, which is additional to the funds allocated each year for administrative and capital expenditure, is towards the provision of a new resources centre which will be situated in the movement's establishment in Llangrannog, Dyfed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he proposes to introduce a review of the provisions for youth, pursuant to the undertaking made in the Official Report, 7 July, column 104; whether he proposes a departmental inquiry or an inquiry conducted by a non-governmental organisation; whether he has settled the terms of reference and appointments of the review body; and whether he anticipates extensive consultation with youth organisations.

My right hon. and learned Friend is still considering the form the review should take. He hopes to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report, specifying in each case the local authorities concerned, the voluntary body concerned and the name, composition and status of the school, those schools which in the last 10 years have changed from (a) independent to voluntary, (b) voluntary to county, (c) county to voluntary and (d) voluntary to independent.

Information in respect of schools in categories (a) and (d) is given below. I regret that the other information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest available figures for annual increases in beer prices; what are the corresponding figures for the two preceding years; if he will take steps to limit these increases; and if he will make a statement.

The annual changes in beer prices, as measured for inclusion in the General Index of Retail Prices, over the last three years are as follows:

September 1979 to September 1980	+22·7 per cent.
September 1978 to September 1979	+16·9 per cent.
September 1977 to September 1978	+6·7 per cent.

The actual level of prices varies from area to area and from bar to bar, as well as between types of outlet. Their level is a matter for the commercial judgment of the sellers.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what savings he expects to obtain from the transfer of the officer and aircrew selection centre at Biggin

		Part-time		Full-time		Total
		Establishment	Strength	Establishment	Strength	Establishment	Strength
31 December 1978	…	9,379	5,321	2,535	2,407	11,914	7,728
31 December 1979	…	9,986	4,884	2,658	2,530	12,644	7,414
30 September 1980	…	9,986	4,804	2,658*	2,674	12,644	7,478
* The establishment for full-time personnel will be revised in due course to reflect the increase of 175 announced earlier this year. Recruitment is meanwhile not constrained by the present ceiling.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the full extent of the contingent liability of the Export Credits Guarantee Department arising out of his statement regarding the writing-off of sums in capital and interest owing to him from the Meriden Motor

As a result of recently raised RAF officer and aircrew training targets, and the additional facilities to meet these revised needs with their consequent budgetary implications, a review of the manpower, construction and running costs of transferring the officer and aircrew selection centre form Biggin Hill is in hand. I will inform my hon. Friend of the outcome of this study in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Army units engaged in the raid on a home in the Twinbrook Estate, Belfast, were armed with Armalite rifles.

Armalite rifles are available to the security forces in Northern Ireland for use in appropriate circumstances. It is not the practice to discuss in detail particular operations.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the establishment and actual strengths of the Ulster Defence Regiment at the end of 1978 and 1979 and at the latest convenient date, separating the figures for whole-time and part-time ranks.

The information requested is as follows:Cycle Co-operative; what has been the aggregate cost to public funds of all forms of financial assistance given to Meriden and to Norton Villiers Triumph since 1973; how this sum compares with the sum initially committed to Norton Villiers Triumph; what is the number of persons currently employed by Meriden; and if he will indicate the legislative authority sanctioned by Parliament under which outstanding loans to the co-operative have been written off.

The Export Credits Guarantee Department has in this case pursued its normal policy of seeking to maximise recoveries and thus minimise loss. If during the next few months at least £2 million is realised from the sale of motor cycles in the United States of America, ECGD has agreed that it will release Meriden from its recourse obligations to repay to ECGD an approximately equivalent amount. The exact amount will depend on the sum realised by the sale. Had this arrangement not been made, it was considered likely that ECGD's recovery prospects would have been severely prejudiced. The arrangement will not represent public expenditure as it will be accounted for within ECGD's section 2 trading account which it seeks to operate at no net cost to public funds.The aggregate cost to public funds—that is, the net outflow from public funds—of all forms of financial assistance to the Meriden Co-operative and Norton Villiers Triumph since 1973 is £9·877 million. This does not include the interest charges outstanding on the Department of Industry loan to Meriden.The sum intially committed to Norton Villiers Triumph in 1973 was £4·872 million.It is understood that the Meriden Cooperative had 170 employees on 31 October 1980.No legislative authority is required for the arrangement which has been agreed with Meriden.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, with reference to the endorsement by Her Majesty's Government in June 1979 of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development declaration on international investment and multinational enterprises, and to the support given by 60 United Kingdom-based multinationals to the voluntary guidelines recommended in the declaration, if he will list the names of the said 60 multinationals; and if he will name those persons who represented the United Kingdom on the Committee on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises which is studying the operation of the guidelines.

I understand that over 60 multinationals operating in the United Kingdom have now indicated their support for the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises, but I am not able to provide a complete list of names of these companies. A number of officials from this Department have represented the United Kingdom on the OECD committees and working groups which are concerned with the operation of the guidelines.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has yet received the report of Sir Derek Rayner into the administration of the regional development grant scheme; if he will publish this; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received the report and hopes shortly to let the Industry and Trade Committee know the main conclusions, as he promised when he gave evidence to the Committee on 23 January 1980.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many enterprises at the Tai Wo Ping site in Hong Kong have not been offered alternative accommodation; and what provision has been made in these cases for the operators to continue their businesses.