asked the Lord Privy Seal what research into the control of tropical diseases has been supported by the Ovearseas Development Administration over the past five years; what research is currently being carried out; and what new research is to be supported.

Details of ODA-funded research projects in the field of tropical diseases, including those currently being undertaken, can be found in the annual reports on research and development for the years 1975–79. Copies of these reports were placed in the House of Commons Library as they appeared.It is hoped that some new work will continue to be funded, as existing projects come to a close, on the recommendation of the tropical medicine research board of the Medical Research Council.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 11 July, how much it is estimated the Overseas Development Administration will spend on research undertaken through the Tropical Medicine Research Board for 1980–81; and how this compares with 1979–80.

The amounts spent by the ODA on research undertaken through or with the approval or cognisance of the tropical medicine research board are, at current prices:

	Estimate
1979–80	1980–81
£1,448,020	£1,148,140

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the deaf-blind children who leave special schools succeed in obtaining employment; and what kind of employment appears to be most appropriate for such persons.

Neither my Department nor the Department of Education and Science keeps statistics which separately identify young people who are both deaf and blind. I understand, however, that fewer than five deaf-blind young people are thought to leave special schools each year. Principally because these young people usually have severe communication problems which may be associated with behavioural difficulties, they more frequently go into adult training centres rather than open or sheltered employment. Examples of the work they have undertaken are assembly work in factories—often using special jigs—filling envelopes or packages for mailing; and brush making and chair seating in sheltered workshops. Very occasionally a deaf-blind person with the necessary intellectual ability is able to enter higher education with some prospect of eventual employment at a professional level.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many full-time public sector employees he estimates are paid less than the rate of social security paid to an unemployed man with a wife and four children.

There is no single rate of social security benefit paid to all unemployed men with a wife and four children. However, taking the increased social security benefit rates payable from 24 November, an unemployed man with a wife and four children whose previous earnings were the same as average full-time male earnings and who satisfied the contribution conditions would qualify for unemployment benefit at a rate of just over £52 for the first six months and just over £38 for the next six months.Precise estimates of the number of full-time employees in the public sector earning less than the two amounts quoted above are not readily available. However, it is estimated from the new earnings survey that in April 1980 less than a ¼ per cent. of adult men and less than 5 per cent. of adult women would normally earn less than the former amount, and no more than a ¼ per cent.—virtually all women—would normally earn less than the latter amount.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what facilities are available in the Wolverhampton area for training and retraining; and what numbers can be accommodated.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young persons aged 18 and under in (a) Wolverhampton and (b) the West Midlands have never had a job; and will he give figures for the latest convenient date and comparable figures for 1979.

The following table gives the numbers of registered unemployed young people aged 18 years and under, in the Wolverhampton employment office area and the West Midlands region who, at 11 October 1979 and 9 October 1980, had not been in employment since completing full-time education.

	11 October	9 October
	1979	1980
Wolverhampton employment office	1,175	2,089
West Midlands region	9,400	21,408

									Employment Offices	Careers Offices
Agriculture, forestry, fishing				…	…	…	…	…	—	1
Food, drink and tobacco				…	…	…	…	…	1	—
Chemicals and allied industries				…	…	…	…	…	2	1
Metal manufacture			…	…	…	…	…	…	—	1
Mechanical engineering			…	…	…	…	…	…	4	—
Electrical engineering			…	…	…	…	…	…	2	6
Vehicles	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	3	28
Metal goods not elswhere specified					…	…	…	…	4	3
Leather, leather goods and fur				…	…	…	…	…	1	—
Timber, furniture, etc.			…	…	…	…	…	…	1	—
Construction		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	12	4
Transport and communication				…	…	…	…	…	2	—
Distributive trades		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	16	2
Insurance, banking, finance and business services							…	…	9	7
Professional and scientific services					…	…	…	…	17	1
Miscellaneous services			…	…	…	…	…	…	58	4
Public administration and defence					…	…	…	…	28	—
Total, All industries and services						…	…	…	160	58

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed in manufacturing industry in (a) the Wolverhampton travelto-work area and (b) the West Midlands in May 1979; and what is the latest available figure.

At June 1977, the latest date for which estimates for local

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many vancancies are registered for jobs in the Wolverhampton area; and in what categories.

The following table gives the number of notified vacancies remaining unfilled in the Wolverhampton employment office area, analysed by order of the standard industrial classification 1968, at 14 August 1980, the latest date for which this information is available.The vacancy figures relate only to those notified to employment offices and careers offices; vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication the figures for employment offices and careers offices should not be added together.areas are available, there were 63,706 employees in employment in manufacturing industries in the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area.For the West Midlands region, it is provisionally estimated that the numbers of employees in employment in manufacturing industries at June 1979 and June 1980 were 967,000 and 916,000 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many construction workers were employed at the latest convenient date in (a) Wolverhampton, (b) the West Midlands and (c) England and Wales as a whole; and what percentage of (i) those unemployed and (ii) the available work force this represents in each case.

At June 1977, the latest date for which employment estimates for local areas are available, there were 8,332 employees in employment in the construction industry in the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area. These represented 90·8 per cent. of all construction employees, employed and unemployed, in that area.The latest national and regional provisional employment estimates are for June 1980. At that date there were 102,600 employees in the construction

Year		Number of school and college leavers who registered for employment with the Careers Service	Number of school and college leavers who were placed in employment by the Careers Service	Number of young people recruited to the Youth Opportunities Programme by the Careers Service†
1 October 1974 to 30 September 1975	…	—*	690	—
1 October 1975 to 30 September 1976	…	—*	850	—
1 October 1976 to 30 September 1977	…	—*	1,075	—
1 October 1977 to 30 September 1978	…	2,766	719	547‡
1 October 1978 to 30 September 1979	…	3,016	748	1,620
1 October 1979 to 30 September 1980	…	3,535	339	2,331
* This information was not collected before October 1977.
† These figures relate to all young people recruited to the Youth Opportunities Programme by the Careers Service, including school and college leavers.
‡ 1 March 1978 to 30 September 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from the Disablement Income Group about further cuts in public expenditure; and what reply he is sending to its recent telegram.

My right hon. Friend received the telegram from the Disablement Income Group and passed it on to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his latest estimate of the number of women

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers signed the register for employment in the St. Helens travel-to-work area each year from 1975 and up to the latest date for which the above information is available; and how many of these young people were placed in employment during each of the above years, respectively.

I regret that the information is not available in the exact form in which it was requested. I can, however, give the following information in respect of school and college leavers in the area of the St. Helens careers service:who are seeking work but who are not registered as unemployed.

Recent surveys have estimated that the number of women who are seeking work but who are not registered as unemployed may be about a quarter of a million, but it is not possible to be more precise as both intentions and opportunities may fluctuate considerably.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the figures of the total numbers of work permits issued for each year since 1975, respectively, and for this year up to the latest convenient date.

The number of work permits issued and permissions given is as follows:

Year	Longterm	Shortterm	Grandtotal
1975	18,664	11,414	30,078
1976	11,925	8,545	20,470
1977	10,613	7,801	18,414
1978	9,686	9,463	19,149
1979	8,344	9,649	17,993
January to June 1980	3,137	4,083	7,220

Long term permits and permissions are those given for an initial period of 11 months and 12 months and may lead to settlement; short term permits and permissions are those given for shorter periods. The figures do not include overseas student employees and trainees for whom permission was given for limited periods of supernumerary employment or for employment which was essential to a course of study.The 1976 figures are incomplete owing to industrial action affecting the compilation of these statistics; about 10 per cent. of cases overall were not recorded.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total amount of allocations made to the United Kingdom from the European social fund in 1980.

The Commission of the European Communities recently announced the second and final batch of allocations from the European social

					£ million
					Cash limit 1980–81
					Present	Revised
Class IV,
Vote 17: Labour and Market Service	…	…	…	…	141·752	131·752
Vote 20: Department of Employment	…	…	…	…	628·462	633·546
Vote 22: Scottish Economic and Planning Department				…	68·937	74·303
Class X,
Vote 5: Department of Education and Science			…	…	1,118·905	1,118·455
					1,958·056	1,958·056

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people under the age of 19 years there are in the city of Manchester who have never had a job; if he will provide separate figures for each careers office and job centre at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether any change will be made to the cash limits of the Manpower Services Commission.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates the total grant-to-aid to the Manpower Services Commission (MSC) will be increased from £742·143 million to £752·593 million by transferring £10 million from the special temporary employment programme (STEP)—Class IV, 17 Vote and £0·45 million from the Department of Education and Science (DES)—Class X, Vote 5.The £10 million from STEP is required by MSC to meet the increased demand for places under the youth opportunities programme. The transfer of £0·45 million from the DES will allow increased demand to be met by the scheme for training and retraining teachers in shortage subjects which MSC administers on behalf of the DES.The increase on the total grant-in-aid will require consequential adjustments to other cash limits, namely:will provide comparable figures for the same dates in 1978 and 1979.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 November 1980, c. 622]: The following table gives the numbers of registered unemployed young people aged 18 years and under who, at the count dates in October of each of the years specified, had not been in employment since completing full-time education. Work experience and training opportunities have been and will be available for these young people under the youth opportunities

Careers office						12 October 1978	11 October 1979	9 October 1980
Manchester		…	…	…	…	197	164	291
North Manchester			…	…	…	55	57	189
Openshaw	…	…	…	…	…	105	79	170
Withington		…	…	…	…	150	108	255
Wythenshawe		…	…	…	…	200	165	361

Employment office/Jobcentre						12 October 1978	11 October 1979	9 October 1980
Manchester		…	…	…	…	96	62	193
Manchester City		…	…	…	…	10	4	—
Beswick	…	…	…	…	…	Included in Openshaw		6
Didsbury	…	…	…	…	…	45	40	28
Droylsden	…	…	…	…	…	Included in Openshaw		4
Longsight (formerly Levenshulme)					…	46	58	129
Moss side	…	…	…	…	…	251	276	343
Newton Heath		…	…	…	…	9	32	68
Openshaw	…	…	…	…	…	11	8	Included in Beswick and Droylsden
Wythenshawe		…	…	…	…	28	10	17
Note: The figures from October 1979 are not strictly comparable with those for earlier dates because of the introduction of fortnightly attendance and payment of benefit. Estimates by age or for local areas are not available but for the country as a whole the monthly figures for all unemployed are about 20,000 or 1½ per cent. higher than under weekly attendance.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the fall in placing disabled people in employment in the second and third quarters of 1980 compared with the same two quarters in 1979; how the fall in each case compares with the fall in total placings: and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 November 1980, c. 16]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission (MSC) that information on total placings of disabled people in employment is not available because the number of disabled people who obtained employment through the self-service sections of jobcentres and employment offices cannot be separately identified. However, the fall in placing achieved by the MSC's specialist resettlement service in the second and third quarters of 1980 compared with the same two quarters in 1979 was 21·5 per cent. and 36 per cent. respectively. The comparable falls for total placings excluding self-service were 11 per cent. and 19 per cent.I am concerned by these figures. The growth in unemployment amongst disabled people, which has not been as fast as amongst able bodied people, suggests

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he can provide figures of redundancies created in (a) the private sector, and (b) the public sector equating the boundaries as far as possible with local authority boundary areas; and if he will provide these statistics for county and district council areas in England in order to draw a comparison between the numbers declared redundant in the public and private sectors in given areas for which a direct measurement of local government employment can be made.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 November 1980, c. 125]: The available statistics on redundancies are not separated into private and public sectors, and are not based on county and district council areas. The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what special facilities are available to help young ex-offenders find work; what plans he has to increase those; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 November 1980, c. 16]: Local education authority careers officers and employment advisers of the employment service division (ESD) of the Manpower Services Commission co-operate with probation officers concerned with the resettlement of young ex-offenders by providing, on request, careers guidance and assistance in securing suitable employment.Young ex-offenders in penal institutions receive a pre-release interview on request. This establishes contact with the careers office or local offices of ESD with a view to post-release advice, placing action and referral to other services such as training or employment rehabilitation. I have no plans to seek to change the present arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of former young offenders is unemployed; how this compares with the previous five years; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 November 1980, c. 16]. Statistics to show the percentage of former young offenders who are unemployed are not kept by either the careers service of offices of the employment service division of the Manpower Services Commission who share responsibility for providing a placing and employment advice service to young ex-offenders.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the most recent year's statistics of the number of deaths at work from (a) accidents, (b) diseases, (c) cancer and (d) asbestos; and what is known about the reliability of these statistics in monitoring such deaths.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 November 1980, c. 129]: In 1979, 710 fatal accidents at work were reported to Health and Safety Commission authorities, and to other authorities in respect of merchant shipping—including fishing—and civil aviation. (This figure has been revised since publication of the Health and Safety Commission report 1979–80). Of these 710, 589 were statutory reportable accidents, and this figure is believed to be reasonably complete. The remainder comprises 121 fatalities voluntarily reported in anticipation of new regulations to be made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.There is no reliable estimate of all deaths from disease attributable to working conditions. Industrial death benefit and similar compensation has been awarded in respect of 851 deaths from disease in 1978. Among these are eight cases of bladder cancer. The only other cancer distinguishable in the available statistics is mesothelioma, and awards of death benefit do not provide a good indicator of the number of deaths from that disease.Statistics derived from death benefit awards are not in general a reliable guide to fatalities from occupational disease. One reason for this is that there are not always dependants to claim benefit another is that not all occupational diseases are prescribed, and not all cases of prescribed diseases are diagnosed. In the case of cancer in particular, the difficulties of recognising the causes make it impossible in many cases to distinguish between occupational disease and disease attributable to other factors, and in general industrial death benefit is only payable for a few types of cancer which are very firmly associated with particular working conditions, as in mesothelioma with exposure to asbestos.Nearly all cases of asbestosis and mesothelioma must be attributed to exposure to asbestos at work. In 1979 517 death certificates mentioned one or both of these diseases; 166 mentioned asbestosis and 422 mesothelioma.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the most recent estimate of the number of computer programmers required by the United Kingdom computer industry over the next five years.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 November 1980, c. 127]: The most recent estimate of which I am aware is that in a study carried out by the Institute of Manpower Studies on behalf of the electronic computer sector working party published earlier this year. It suggested that in 1979 the total stock of computer programmers was about 65,000 with a shortfall of some 12,500. The IMS predict that demand for computer programmers will increase substantially between now and 1985.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when the comprehensive review of the needs of Government Departments for statistical information being carried out by Sir Derek Rayner will be completed.

I hope it will be within the next few weeks.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will publish the complete list of the studies and reviews that have been undertaken by Sir Derek Rayner together with details of the reports that have subsequently been made and details of any forthcoming or pending investigations by Sir Derek Rayner.

All the projects and scrutinies referred to in the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 23 January and 1 August have now been undertaken and the reports put to Ministers except in the following cases:

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will list the number of civil servants employed in the clerical assistant, clerical officer, executive officers, higher executive officer and senior executive officer grades on 1 November.

The number of staff in the Home Civil Service in the grades specified at 1 September 1980, the latest date for which information is at present centrally available, is given in the following table:

Grade	Staff-in-post
Clerical Assistant	70,400
Clerical Officer	83,900
Executive Officer	46,300
Higher Executive Officer	22,700
Senior Executive Officer	7,900

Note: Part-time staff are counted as half units.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his policy on the research and development of methanol from coal, with a view to finding a useful additional use for the latter.

The various possibilities for producing methanol and extending its use are kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how many of the 22 power stations which will be closed under the accelerated closure programme of the Central Electricity Generating Board will be oil-fired, coal-fired, gas-fired or designed for dual fuel systems, respectively;

PLANT IT IS PROPOSED TO DECOMMISSION AND EITHER CLOSE OR PLACE IN RESERVE IN OCTOBER 1981
Station and CEGB Region				Capacity (MW sent out)	Fuel	Age (years)	Close (C) Reserve (R)
North East Region
Dunston	…	…	…	98	Coal	32	C
Huddersfield	…	…	…	56	Coal	28	C
Mexborough	…	…	…	113	Coal	36	C
North West Region
Bold A	…	…	…	120	Coal	28	C
Bromborough	…	…	…	197	Oil	30	C
Fleetwood	…	…	…	90	Coal	26	C
Ince A	…	…	…	240	Oil	27	R
Lister Drive GT		…	…	110	Oil	16	R
Midlands Region
Hams Hall B	…	…	…	306	Coal	39	C
Nottingham (HP and IP)			…	148	Coal	34	C
South East Region
Ashford	…	…	…	8	Oil	27	C
Bankside	…	…	…	94	Oil	18	C
Barking	…	…	…	220	Oil	29	C
Blackwall Point		…	…	86	Coal	30	C
Croydon (Steam)		…	…	198	Coal	31	C
Little Barford A		…	…	120	Coal	40	C
Littlebroook C		…	…	229	Oil	29	R
Tilbury A	…	…	…	348	Oil	25	R
South West Region
Aberthaw A (2 sets)		…	…	188	Oil	21	R
Plymouth	…	…	…	205	Oil	30	R
Uskmouth A	…	…	…	228	Coal	27	C
Total		…	…	3,402

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is satisfied that the law pertaining to the holding of mock auctions provides sufficient safeguard to

Details of the power stations it is proposed to decommission in October 1981, including the length of working life of each one, are set out in the attached table. Ten of these stations are oil-fired and the remainder coal-fired.These stations are being taken out of service at a time when there is surplus capacity on the system, and will not therefore be replaced by new plant.the public; and if he will make a statement.

The Director General of Fair Trading is required to collect evidence of practices which may adversely affect the interests of consumers and has certain powers to initiate action against such practices. I suggest that my hon. Friend should send to the Director General any evidence available to him which suggests that the Mock Auctions Act 1961 does not provide adequate safeguards for the consumer.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish a table showing the countries from which coal is imported to the United Kingdom, together with the quantities of such imports for 1980 to date, and the average price per tonne of such imported coal.

The quantities and average values per tonne of coal imported in the period January to September (inclusive) 1980 by country of consignment are as follows:

	Quantity (tonnes)	Average value per tonne
		£
Australia	2,424,306	26·99
United States of America	2,159,323	29·25
Poland	336,238	30·00
Federal Republic of Germany	76,226	75·50
France	58,900	67·76
China	66,467	24·76
Irish Republic	40,419	33·54
Netherlands	27,148	26·88
Belgium-Luxembourg	16,663	32·10
South Africa	3,355	33·31
India	44	74·30
Total	5,209,089	29·33

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how much public money is now being spent directly and indirectly promoting exports.

The total net cost of Government support for export promotion in the current year, excluding the costs of ECGD and the Ministry of Defence, is estimated at £92·1 million of which direct costs amount to £32·7 million (net) and indirect costs £59·4 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the fall in exports of manufactures by category in September 1980 compared with September 1979, together with his estimate of the effective exchange rate at the time orders for these goods, generally or by sub-division, were booked.

The information requested on the movement in the volume of exports of manufactures is given in the table below.On the second part of the question, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 11 November.—[Vol 992, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish the conclusions reached by the inquiry into the fatal accident at Biggin Hill on 13 September.

The accidents investigation branch of my Department is in the process of carrying out a field inquiry into this accident. When its investigations have been completed the facts related to the accident will be published in an AIB bulletin.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many (a) bankruptcies and (b) company liquidations have occurred since May 1979 in (i) the North-West, (ii) Merseyside, (iii) Kirkby and (iv) Ormskirk.

A measure of bankruptcies by area can be obtained from the numbers handled by the various county courts but such figures are available only with reasonable accuracy on a calendar year basis. In 1979, receiving and administration orders dealt with by the county courts in the North-West region totalled 358 of which 85 were administered by courts in Merseyside. The court in Liverpool handled 67 cases in 1979 and these would include bankruptcies in Kirkby and Ormskirk, the figures for which are not available.I regret that there are no figures available of the number of company liquidations by area.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will bring forward proposals to amend section 56 of the Companies Act 1948.

Section 56 requires companies to account for all acquisitions and mergers effected by way of a share exchange on the basis of a fair value of the consideration given or received, thereby requiring the creation of a non-distributable share premium account.The Government consider that there are circumstances in which it would be right to relieve companies of this obligation. It therefore proposes to make amendments to the Companies Acts in the next Companies Bill to provide the following exceptions from the present requirements:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether any prosecutions will result from the inspectors' report on the ownership of Consolidated Gold Fields.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 October 1980, c. 48]: In the light of advice from leading counsel, prosecution proceedings will not be instituted by my Department. In the light of this advice we are carefully considering how forthcoming company legislation can strengthen the law.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether the proposal by the Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer Hino to assemble its products in the United Kingdom represents a change or alteration in existing or past undertakings given by Japanese motor vehicle producers and their trade with the United Kingdom.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 November 1980, c. 137]: The hon. Member may have in mind the public assurance given by the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry that heavy commercial vehicles over 3·5 tonnes in weight would not be shipped directly from Japan to the United Kingdom, a commitment which I understand remains in force. This would not apply to the present proposal which I am advised, is not the assembly of vehicles by Hino in the United Kingdom but the importing by a firm in Warrington of certain Hino trucks assembled in the Republic of Ireland. The concern which this proposal has raised in the United Kingdom is believed to be fully understood in Japan.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is yet in a position to make a decision on the future role of the Scottish Development Agency in relation to inward investment to Scotland from overseas countries; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is still considering this matter in the light of the report on inward investment by the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs, to which the Government will reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what have been the unemployment figures in the Glasgow area broken down each year for the past 10 years.

The total number of people registered as unemployed in the present Glasgow travel-to-work area in October each year since 1971 is shown in the following table.

October	Total registered unemployed	Per cent.
1980	74,928	12·6
1979	53,801	9·1
1978	52,332	8·8
1977	56,767	9·6
1976	49,903	8·4
1975	37,789	6·5
1974	27,882	4·8
1973	21,725	4·7
1972	45,125	7·7
1971	44,103	7·9

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what have been the number of job opportunities in each year, broken down for the past 10 years, in the Glasgow area.

The number of vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices in the present Glasgow travel-to-work area and remaining unfilled in October each year since 1971 is shown in the following table. These do not purport to be a measure of all job opportunities in the Glasgow area.

	Unfilled vacancies
	at Employment offices	at Careers offices
October—
1980	3,549	20
1979	5,319	135
1978	5,087	138
1977	4,174	101
1976	4,330	104
1975	4,395	516
1974	5,772	1,845
1973	5,948	2,627
1972	2,629	324
1971	1,911	475

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about the serious impact of gas contract prices upon the competitiveness of Scottish industry; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a small number of representations, particularly from the paper and board industry, to the effect that current gas contract prices are detrimental to the competitiveness of Scottish industry. I recognise the widespread concern on this issue and the Government are giving careful consideration to the representations received. The CBI is undertaking a study of comparative energy prices in the United Kingdom and overseas; I await the results with interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many members of his Department, of whatever grade or specialisation, are engaged whole or part-time in public and press relations, expressing the total in whole-time equivalents; and what is their total annual cost to public funds.

At 1 November 1980, there were 22 information officer group staff and 14 support staff plus five typing grades in my Department engaged in public and press relations: the annual cost of their salaries and employer's national insurance contributions, at current prices, is £347,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give further consideration to the siting of the Scottish national exhibition centre at Ingliston, rather than at either of the Glasgow sites; and if he will make a statement.

When the Scottish Development Agency has completed its further investigations of the leading sites and submitted a detailed proposal for my approval, I shall take the case for Ingliston as well as for other possible sites fully into account.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to announce his approval of the plans for the new Fife College of Nursing and Midwifery.

I have arranged to meet the Fife health board on 15 December to discuss its plans for this college.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to publish official guidelines on the management of laboratory services within the National Health Service.

I do not consider that any changes need to be made in the long standing arrangements under which hospital laboratories are managed by medical consultants or non-medical scientists of equivalent standing as head of department with appropriate delegation of duties to other staff. I am aware that there are local difficulties in Fife and my Department is in touch with the health board about these problems.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the proposed transfer to Glenrothes of the Fife health board headquarters and the transfer of the town's development corporation to Balbirnie House.

I have given approval to Fife health board's proposal to bring together in New Glenrothes House staff at present accommodated in various other offices. This will allow the board to rationalise its use of office accommodation and improve the efficiency of its operations. The development corporation's move to Balbirnie House will enable it to maintain and use effectively a building of architectural and historic interest which it already owns.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the Disablement Income Group about further cuts in public expenditure; and what reply he is sending to its recent telegram.

A telegram from the Disablement Income Group about invalidity benefit has been transferred to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services for consideration since such matters lie in the first instance within his responsibility. The Disablement Income Group (Scotland) has been advised accordingly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the aggregate cost to public funds of revenue deficit grants to housing associations in the current financial year.

The latest estimate of the aggregate cost to public funds of revenue deficit grants in the current financial year is £18·5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the New Forest district council has yet submitted to him a satisfactory scheme enabling its tenants to purchase the houses in which they live.

The right-tobuy provisions of the Housing Act 1980 do not require local authorities to submit schemes for the sale of council houses. They have been in force since 3 October and are being implemented by New Forest district council, so far as I am aware.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the current rate of reduction in the numbers of staff employed by local authorities.

The Joint Manpower Watch figures at June 1980 showed that a larger annual and (seasonally adjusted) quarterly reduction had been achieved than ever before. But I believe that local authorities will need to reduce their manpower at an even faster rate if they are to meet the Government's expenditure targets.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest figures available for the number of local authority houses completed and started in England and Wales, and the number of improvements carried out; and if he will make a statement.

The latest provisional figures show that between January and September 1980 there were 28,800 starts and 55,800 completions by local authorities in England and Wales. Between January and June 1980, 42,800 local authority dwellings were improved in England. There are no figures available for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an up-to-date statement on his moratorium of all council house building and improvements and on his moratorium on council loans.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply given to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Edge Hill (Mr. Alton) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the effect on council property awaiting rehabilitation work of his circular placing an embargo on local authority housing construction.

Authorities in England have been requested in DOE circular 19/80 not to enter for the time being into further contracts for building works for housing purposes, or to authorise direct labour organisations to start further capital housing projects. Works covered by contracts entered into or DLO projects authorised before the circular was received may continue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to complete his review of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Frend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now take steps to create an enterprise zone in Stoke-on-Trent.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 29 October that the Government had chosen Dudley and Corby as the locations of two enterprise zones in the Midlands. We do not propose to choose any further sites in the Midlands at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to amend the Water Act 1973, with a view to providing water authorities with powers to grant rate relief to charitable bodies.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to protect housing for the elderly and disabled, in the light of the recently announced moratorium on all further local authority capital expenditure on housing.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for South Ayrshire (Mr. Foulkes) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about availability of grants in Stockport metropolitan borough for home insulation.

I invite the hon. Member to get in touch with the local authority for information on the availability of grants under the homes insulation scheme in its area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement as to the composition of the partnership committees concerned with urban revitalisation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement as to the composition of the partnership committees concerned with urban revitalisation.

Partnership committees comprise Government Ministers, elected members of local authorities and members of area health authorities. I am anxious to keep their size, and supportive bureaucracy, down: but I intend to ensure that local authority minority parties are represented where this is not already the case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider greater relaxation of local authority capital expenditure whilst retaining tighter controls on local authority revenue expenditure.

No. Programmes are separately identified under capital and revenue heads shortly before the year to which they relate and in the light of the latest circumstances. The capital expenditure proposals in Part VIII of the Local Government, Planning and Land (No. 2) Bill already incorporate a substantially increased measure of freedom for local authorities to determine their own priorities for capital expenditure subject to a ceiling on the aggregate capital expenditure by local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to meet the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to discuss violence at football matches.

Football hooliganism is primarily a law and order matter which falls to the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department. But obviously I am involved as the Minister with responsibility for sport. A number of initiatives to try to combat hooliganism are currently taking place by the various football authorities concerned, and these inevitably involve consultation with police forces generally rather than just with those in the Metropolis. Since I keep in close touch with these initiatives I therefore see no reason separately to meet the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement regarding the progress of the urban development corporation in Liverpool.

The shadow Corporation has a chairman, deputy chairman and chief executive appointed and further appointments are now being considered. Consultation on the area of the UDC with local authorities and other local bodies is in hand. Subject to the primary legislation receiving Royal Assent, orders to establish the corporation and define its area, will be laid early in the next session of Parliament. The corporation's detailed work programme is now being prepared.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how he plans to link allocation of finance to individual housing associations to each housing association's past achievement.

I expect the Housing Corporation in deciding upon allocations to individual associations to take account of monitoring reports and of other indicators of an association's development and financial performance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the probable number of public sector housing starts for England and Wales in the years 1981–82, 1982–83 and 1983–84.

Public sector housing starts in future years will depend on what proportion of their capital allocations local authorities and the Housing Corporation choose to devote to new building.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many academic lecturers from the United Kindom have taken appointments in Algeria, Morocco and Libya over the past 10 years; and how many have had cause to seek the assistance of the Foreign Office or the respective embassies to help resolve disputes regarding contracts of employment.

Only 35 academic lecturers and school teachers have been recruited by the British Council during the last five years for appointments with the Algerian, Moroccan and Libyan Governments. The majority of such lecturers and teachers have been recruited directly by the Governments concerned without any involvement by Her Majesty's Government. We are, therefore, unable to provide the statistics for which the hon. Member asks.During the last three years we have been approached by four British academic lecturers for assistance over their contracts of employment with the Libyan, Moroccan and Algerian Governments. Eight British school teachers in those countries have also approached us for assistance during that period.Information for earlier years is not readily available, and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to sign and ratify the European convention on the legal status of migrant workers in the near future.

No. In a number of important respects the convention does not take account of the particular circumstances of the United Kingdom.

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) what reciprocal arrangements exist between the United Kingdom and France in connection with the prodution of landing cards by visitors from the one country visiting the other;(2) which EEC countries still require landing cards to be filled in by visitors from another EEC country.

[pursuant to his reply, 4 November 1980, c. 520]: There are no reciprocal arrangements between the United Kingdom and France in this connection. France and Italy require all foreign visitors arriving by air—whether European Community nationals or others—to fill in a landing card. No other European Community country, including the United Kingdom, requires landing cards to be filled in by visitors of another European Community country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has directed that the prison rules shall be modified in their effect in approved places within the meaning of section 1 of the Imprisonment (Temporary Provisions) Act 1980.

Yes. In the Prison Rules 1964 (Modification for Approved Places) Order 1980, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House, I have directed, in pursuance of the power conferred on me by section 1(5) of the Act, that the Prison Rules 1964 shall, in their application to approved places generally, have effect with the following modifications:In paragraphs (4) and (5) of Rule 33, paragraphs (1) and (2) of rule 37, paragraph (3) of rule 37A, paragraphs (1) and (4) of rule 39, paragraphs (2), (3), (12) and (13) of rule 47, paragraph 1(

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on progress in recapturing Charles Richardson, who escaped from Springhill prison on 24 May.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metopolis that efforts have been made to locate Mr. Richardson but that these have not so far been successful: the efforts are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the outcome of the Under-Secretary of State's meeting with representatives of the Royal British Legion and the Association of Jewish Ex-Service men about the proposed march to the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday by the organisation calling itself the European Remembrance and Reconciliation Association; what action is being taken; and if he will make a statement.

The representatives expressed their members' revulsion at this proposed march. My noble Friend explained the legal and factual background and emphasised that my right hon. Friend fully shared their concern.The right hon. Member will know that the organiser subsequently cancelled the proposed march.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent more advanced breath testing equipment is available at police stations, thus simplifying procedures there.

Two electronic breath test screening devices have been approved under section 12(1) of the Road Traffic Act 1972 to enable pilot studies on them may be carried out in three police forces. In reply to questions by the hon. Member for Battersea, South (Mr. Dubs) and my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mr. Mills)—[Vol. 991, c. 1275–77]—on 5 November my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport indicated that he would be bringing forward legislation to allow for the introduction of evidential breath testing devices.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statistical evidence is available to his Department regarding the incidence of suicide following decisions to prosecute for minor offences, including shoplifting.

The only information available to the Home Office relates to court proceedings discontinued because the defendant committed suicide. Information is not collected centrally on suicides before court proceedings begin or after the court has made its decision. Of the four cases shown in table 1(a)(i) of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 1978" (Cmnd 7670, page 212) in which proceedings at magistrates' courts in England and Wales were discontinued in 1978 because of the suicide of the defendant, one had been proceeded against for murder, one for an offence of shoplifting, one for an offence against police regulations, and one for speeding. Information for 1979 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the Government's attitude towards the various proposals of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (Recommendations 799 (1975) and 841 (1978)) concerning the granting to immigrants of the right to vote in local elections.

This matter is being considered also by a European Community working group on special rights. I think it would be premature for the Government

£million at 1980 survey prices
		Prisons	Police	Other	Total	Percentage of law enforcement budget*
1970–71	…	—	2·980	1·516	4·496	0·60
1971–72	…	—	3·728	1·667	5·395	0·67
1972–73	…	0·080	4·231	1·725	6·036	0·67
1973–74	…	0·220	4·662	1·728	6·610	0·63
1974–75	…	0·227	5·641	1·487	7·355	0·69
1975–76	…	0·183	6·159	1·524	7·866	0·66
1976–77	…	0·175	6·802	1·596	8·573	0·68
1977–78	…	0·162	5·674	1·473	7·309	0·56
1978–79	…	0·142	6·224	1·428	7·794	0·62
1979–80	…	0·142	5·906	1·407	7·455	0·57
1980–81	…	0·134	5·797	1·796	7·727	0·56
The figures—which are published each year in the Chief Secretary's Memorandum on the Supply Estimates—cover intra-and extra-mural research and staff costs.
*i.e. total Vote-borne expenditure by the Home Office on police, probation, courts and prison services, including specific grant in support of the police, courts and probation services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made with the study which the Home Office research unit is carrying out in Manchester into the ways in which people in the ethnic minorities, compared with other groups, suffer from criminal acts, how they report them to the police and how they use the services of the police; and if he will make a statement.

Field work for this study has been successfully completed and analysis of the information gained is in hand.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on research and development in the field of law enforcement for each year since 1970 at constant prices; what percentage of the law enforcement budget this represents in each case; and if he will break the figures down to show the amounts spent on (a) prisons, (b) the police, (c) probation, (d) crime prevention and (e) administration of justice.

Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The table below shows estimated expenditure by the Home Office on research and development in the field of law enforcement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the frequency and duration of visits which may be made to prisoners in Frankland prison; how those arrangements compare with those for prisoners in prison service establishments; and how potential visitors may be informed of them.

Prisoners at Frankland may receive a visit of one hour, starting between 9.45 and 1.45 am or 2 and 4 pm on any day including Saturdays and Sundays, once every four weeks. The minimum allowance for convicted prisoners in prison service establishments is one visit of half an hour once every four weeks. On arrival at Frankland each prisoner is given an information note which includes an account of the arrangements for visits, a visiting order, and writing paper and an envelope which he may use to invite visitors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he proposes to make to the Mental Health Act 1959, in the light of the ruling by the European Commission on Human Rights that he has violated article 5 of the European Convention of Human Rights.

The Commission's report in this case has been referred to the European Court of Human Rights. Decisions about future action must await the judgment of the court.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if in his further study of the problems relating to deductions of pay from British officer prisoners of war, he will also take into consideration the same problems for other rank prisoners of war.

I can confirm that in considering whether additional assistance could be made available to former prisoners of war, as described in my answer of 31 October 1980 to the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) we shall be taking into account other ranks as well as officers.—[Vol 991, c. 390–3].

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, respectively, of whatever rank or specialisation, are engaged whole or part-time in public and press relations, expressing the total in whole-time equivalents; and what is their total annual cost to public funds.

The number of Service personnel of the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force regularly engaged whole or part-time in public and press relations is 37, 68 and 16 respectively. This represents a total of 112 whole-time equivalents at an annual cost of £1,341,000—calculated on standard capitation rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of his Department, of whatever grade or specialisation, are engaged whole or part-time in public and press relations, expressing the total in whole-time equivalents; and what is their total annual cost to public funds.

The number of civilian staff in my Department engaged directly in information services to the media and general public at 1 November 1980 was 109 together with 57 supporting staff. The approximate cost based on annual average salaries and employer's national insurance contributions was £1,742,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what estimate he has made of the annual cost to his Department of operating the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act; and how much of this is attributable to the steps that have had to be taken in relation to military firing ranges or danger areas in the United Kingdom;(2) how many members of the general public have been killed or injured on military rifle ranges or danger areas in the United Kingdom in each of the past 20 years; and how many of these accidents have occurred at a time when the range in question was being used by a civilian rifle club;(3) how many military rifle ranges in the United Kingdom have had to be closed as a result of the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act; which of these are to be reopened, and when; how much money has had to be spent to meet the provisions of the Act in each case; and how many members of the general public have been killed or injured in shooting accidents at these ranges in each of the past 20 years.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act placed upon the Ministry of Defence general duties which embraced previous obligations for health and safety. The costs arising specifically from the Act therefore cannot be differentiated readily from the costs of health and safety generally. The costs attributable to measures concerned with health and safety for defence activities in general, and to safety measures on ranges in particular, are not separately identifiable. Similarly information on range closures and on the numbers of members of the general public who have been killed or injured on military rifle ranges or danger areas in the United Kingdom in the past 20 years is not held centrally and is therefore not readily available..

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army reservists have been asked to report to their battalion headquarters for the purpose of registration and to be issued with Army equipment; what is the cost of this exercise; what are the items to be issued; and whether or not the equipment so issued will remain permanently in the care of the reservists.

Some 48,000 Army regular reservists have been asked to report to military centres under a new scheme to speed up the time for mobilising the country's immediate reserves in an emergency. They will be issued with their uniforms, which they will keep at home for as long as they remain members of the Regular Reserve; and will receive their entitlement of a taxable reporting grant of £100 and their travelling expenses. The extra cost of these new mobilisation arrangements is some £3½ million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ensure that the effects of changing local economic circumstances on both local authority rateable value and expenditure requirements will be borne in mind in the rate support grant settlement and his Department's policy towards local spending levels in the next financial year.

The Government take full account of all relevant factors when formulating their policies on local authority expenditure and on the level and distribution of the rate support grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Disablement Income Group about further cuts in public expenditure; and what reply he is sending to its recent telegram.

We received a telegram from the Disablement Income Group urging the avoidance of any abatement of invalidity benefits. This was acknowledged on my behalf on 5 November.

asked the Prime Minister what representations she has received from the Disablement Income Group about further cuts in public expenditure; and what reply she is sending to its recent telegram to her.

I have not received any representations from the Disablement Income Group about cuts in public expenditure nor have I received a telegram from it recently.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient period of time, the number of briefs awarded by the Crown to former Attornies-General and Solicitors-General and the total amount of fees and moneys claimed or drawn.

Since I took office on 7 May 1979 three former Law Officers have received between them a total of six briefs for the Crown. The fees paid to them were paid for professional services by counsel in private practice and it would not be appropriate for me to give details of them. Their fees are assessed and taxed by the courts on the same basis as are the fees paid to all other counsel.

asked the Attorney-General what safeguards exist to prevent magistrates with financial interests dealing with licensing or gaming licence applications and renewals; and whether he is satisfied that these safeguards are universally and rigorously applied.

Section 193 of the Licensing Act 1964 sets out various disqualifications preventing magistrates from acting for any purpose under that Act if they have personal financial or other business interests involved. There are no similar statutory disqualifications in respect of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Acts 1963–68, but as a matter of general principle justices are disqualified from hearing any application in which they have a financial interest. Any breach can be challenged in the courts, and, if any breach is known to have taken place, the matter should be reported immediately to the Lord Chancellor, who would treat the matter as serious and, where appropriate, with severity.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many members of the Office of Arts and Libraries, of whatever grade or specialisation, are engaged whole or part-time in public and press relations, expressing the total in whole-time equivalents; and what is their total annual cost to public funds.

None. The press officers in the Privy Council Office also cover the work arising from my responsibilities for the arts.

asked the Attorney-General if all magistrates advisory committees are secret; and, if not, how many are listed.

With two exceptions, membership of advisory committees on justices of the peace is not generally published, to avoid possible lobbying and harassment. The identity of the secretary of every advisory committee is available and published.

asked the Attorney-General what safeguards exist against magistrates advisory committees being dominated by any single political grouping.

So far as is possible there is at least one recognised supporter of each of the main political parties in the area among the members. It is also a practice whenever possible to appoint one or more members who are politically independent.