Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Thursday 27 November 1980

Education And Science

Student Unions

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the implementation of the proposed changes in financing student unions.

The new system to be introduced in the academic year 1981–82 will be as stated by my right hon. and learned Friend on 5 February 1980.In order to implement that system and in particular, to ensure that the same amount of money will be made available nationally for student unions next year as would be available if the present system were to continue and that no additional cost falls on the taxpayer, we decided that tuition fees should be increased by the overall average of what student union subscriptions would be in 1981–82 if the present system were to continue. That avarage, for students on full-time courses of higher education, is estimated to be £44 for the current academic year. It will be adjusted by an appropriate percentage to give the actual increase in tuition fees proposed for 1981–82.Financial provision for that year for the maintained sector and for universities will be adjusted to compensate for subscription levels being generally below average in the maintained sector and generally above average in the universities.

Maternity Retention Repayment Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied that the maternity retention payment scheme for school teachers is a satisfactory use of public funds; and what investigations he is making into its operation.

The scheme is set out in codified conditions of service, negotiated between the Association of County Councils and Association of Metropolitan Authorities—represent by the Council of Local Education Authorities—and the main associations representing school-teachers. It is principally for the local authorities to judge for themselves whether the expenditure entailed is positively to their advantage—in the interest of good employer-employee relationship—given the many calls on their rate funds.

Iranian Students

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, and to what extent, Iranian students are being financed from public funds.

In the academic year 1980–81 Iranian students continuing courses begun before 1 September pay tuition fees which on average cover only 40 per cent. of the cost of their courses with the balance of 60 per cent. being met from public funds. Those beginning courses on or after 1 September this year are required to pay fees representing the full cost of their courses.

Independent Colleges Of Education

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many independent colleges of education there are in Great Britain; how many are considered efficient by his Department; and if he will list these.

With the agreement of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales I can state that there are no independent colleges of education in Great Britain offering courses of initial teacher training leading to the award of qualified teacher status or—in Scotland—a teacher qualification.

Overseas Development

Jamaica

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he has entered into discussions with the new Government of Jamaica over the provision of further development aid by the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The British High Commissioner in Kingston has been in touch with the Jamaican Government about their plans for dealing with their current economic difficulties. We are considering what we, together with other donors, might do to help. I cannot however yet make a statement.

Trade

Public Companies (Directors' Fees)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report an estimate of the percentage increase in the fees and other emoluments paid to the directors of public companies which feature in his returns.

I regret that the information requested could not be extracted from company accounts except at disproportionate cost.

Air Ticket Sales

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is satisfied that all possible steps are being taken to prevent the sale of air tickets at illegal discounts; and if he will make a statement.

Paragraphs 15 to 21 of the report of the working party on discounted air fares, published in 1978, set out details of the law in relation to the sale of unauthorised discounted air tickets. In general it is an offence for an airline or an agent knowingly to sell such tickets, but it is difficult to obtain evidence on which to base a successful prosecution. The working party noted that the best interests of all would be served by encouraging legitimate low fares and this is what we are trying to do, particularly with our partners in the European Community and throughout Europe.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is satisfied that he has sufficient sanctions at his disposal to discourage airlines from dumping airline tickets at illegal discounts.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the earlier question he asked today on this subject. The report of the working party on discounted air fares reviewed, in paragraphs 41 to 53, possible further measures to eliminate the harmful effects of unauthorised discounting, including possible further legislation. The working party concluded that new legislation would probably not eliminate discounting and believed that the encouragement of legitimate low fares would be in the best interests of all concerned. I believe that this approach is still valid. The liberal fare regime on the North Atlantic has virtually wiped out illegal discounting in this market.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will hold discussions with international aviation authorities on the desirability of ending the practice of illegal discounting of airline tickets.

I recently met members of the Board of Airline Representatives in the United Kingdom (BARUK) to discuss this difficult issue. I believe that the problem would largely disappear if a range of legitimate low fares were on offer, as they are for the North Atlantic for example. Our discussions with other international aviation authorities, particularly within Europe, are therefore aimed primarily at persuading them to approve the sensible innovative low fares proposed by our airlines rather than at the problem of enforcement.

Eec-Efta (Tariff Arrangements)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what tariff arrangements exist between the EEC and the European Free Trade Association.

There are no tariff arrangements between the Europeean Community and the European Free Trade

year	(a) MPs' salary	Assistant Secretaries' salary		(a) as a percentage of (b)	(a) as a percentage of (c)
		(b) 1st point	(c) Mid-point
	£	£	£
1945	600	1,090	1,245	55	48
1946	600	1,240	1,420	48	42
1947	1000	1,240	1,420	81	70
1948	1000	1,240	1,420	81	70
1949	1000	1,240	1,420	81	70
1950	1000	1,240	1,420	81	70
1951	1,000	1,400	1,650	71	61
1952	1000	1,500	1,750	67	57
1953	1000	1,600	1,850	63	54
1954	1000	1,600	1,850	63	54
1955	1000^*	1,600	1,850	63	54
1956	1000^*	1,700	1,950	59	51
1957	1000^*	2,000	2,300	50	43
1958	1,750	2,150	2,400	81	73
1959	1,750	2,150	2,400	81	73
1960	1,750	2,650	3,000	66	58
1961	1,750	2,650	3,000	66	58
1962	1,750	2,650	3,000	66	58
1963	1,750	2,800	3,150	62	56
1964	1,750	3,300	3,800	53	46
1965	3,250	3,300	3,800	98	86
1966	3,250	3,500	4,000	93	81
1967	3,250	3,500	4,000	93	81
1968	3,250	3,745	4,280	87	76
1969	3,250	3,850	4,400	84	74

Association as such. Agreements were concluded in 1972 between the Community and individual member countries of the EFTA which are available in the House of Commons Library. Broadly speaking, these agreements provide for duty-free trade in industrial goods, which with few exceptions already exists. The remaining duties on these goods will be phased out not later than 1 January 1985. Certain processed agricultural products are subject to preferential tariff rates.

Dumping

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many cases of dumping in the United Kingdom he has examined in the past 12 months; and in how many such cases he found the allegations of dumping proved.

The responsibility for investigating dumping allegations now rests with the European Commission. On 27 November 1979 the Commission had 16 cases under investigation. It has since formally opened 15 further investigations and concluded 14 investigations. In 12 of these cases dumping was established and duties were imposed or price undertakings obtained from exporters; and nine of these cases involved imports into the United Kingdom.

House Of Commons

Members' Pensions And Salaries

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the value of an hon. Member's salary as a percentage of (a) the first point in the assistant secretary's salary and (b) the mid-point in that scale for each year since 1945.

The following table gives the information requested as at 1 January each year since 1945:

year	(a) MPs' salary	Assistant Secretaries' salary		(a) as a percentage of (b)	(a) as a percentage of (c)
		(b) 1st point	(c) Mid-point
	£	£	£
1970	3,250	4,045	4,623	80	70
1971	3,250	5,000	5,650	65	58
1972	4,500	5,350	6,313	84	71
1973	4,500	5,350	6,313	84	71
1974	4,500	6,300	7,319	71	61
1975	4,500	8,260	9,415	54	48
1976	5,750	8,650	9,825	66	59
1977	6,062	8,650	9,825	70	62
1978	6,270	†8,858·80	†10,033·80	71	62
1979	6,897	10,043	11,158	69	62
1980	9,450	14,250	15,625	66	60
1980 (1 July)‡	11,750	16,500	18,000	71	65
^* In addition a £2 per day Sessional allowance was paid from 24 June 1954 until 30 July 1957.
†lncludes the £4 per week supplement paid to civil servants which was in addition to basic pay. The figures quoted are not therefore from a recognised salary scale. The supplement paid to MPs formed part of their basic pay.
‡Current position.

Civil Service

Manpower

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what plans the Government have for reducing the size of the Civil Service.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 13 May that the Government

Department	Staff in Post at 1 April 1979	Staff in Post at 1 October 1980	Target Staff in Post at 1 April 1984 (Rounded to nearest 100)
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	13,956	13,406	11,600
Chancellor of the Exchequer's Departments	126,905	115,938	102,600
Defence	247,660	235,226	200,000
Education and Science	2,647	2,571	2,200
Employment Group	53,652	50,912	49,000
Energy	1,267	1,222	1,100
Environment and Ordnance Survey	56,039	49,360	41,400
FCO/ODA	12,078	11,605	11,100
Health and Social Security	98,369	97,917	87,700
Home Office	33,490	34,924	34,900
Industry	9,514	9,120	7,300
Lord Chancellor's Departments	16,518	16,370	16,000
Lord President's Departments	12,957	12,289	9,100
Scottish Office	11,119	10,911	10,000
Trade, Office of Fair Trading and Export Credits Guarantee Department	9,940	9,458	8,400
Transport	13,908	13,291	10,700
Welsh Office	2,607	2,388	2,200
Other Departments	9,723	10,167	9,700
Contingency margin	—	—	15,000
Totals (rounded)	732,300	697,100	630,000

Northern Ireland

Hunger Strike (Maze Prison)

17.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to influence public opinion about the current Irish Republican Army propaganda campaign surrounding the hunger strikers in Her Majesty's prison, Maze.

My colleagues and I are energetically employing every means at our disposal to get across the facts about the prison system in Northern

intended to reduce the size of the Civil Service to about 630,000 over the next four years. Unforeseen demands are bound to arise over the years ahead, and we are therefore allowing for a contingency margin of 15,000. The Government have now settled manpower targets for individual Departments for 1 April 1984. These figures, and those of the staff in post on 1 April 1979 and 1 October 1980, are given below. Each departmental Minister has his general plans which will be developed in detail over the period as circumstances evolve.

Ireland. Our efforts are directed at exposing the groundless claims of the protesting prisoners for political status and at making clear the Government's firm position on the hunger strike. We have been in contact with community leaders, churchmen, humanitarian bodies and the news media throughout the British Isles in pursuit of this aim.

All Members of this House have already received individual copies of the factual material which has been widely distributed and I can now tell the House that a new publication which shows in pictorial form the reality of the situation in the H-blocks is about to be released. Advance copies have today been placed in the Library and I am again arranging for each Member of the House to receive one.

Overseas, we are also ensuring that the facts of the situation are being put across forcefully, particularly in those parts of the world where there are large communities of Irish origin and where Northern Ireland affairs are followed with interest.

Sheep Exports (Ritual Slaughter)

18.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has concluded an agreement with Libya for the export of carcases of sheep ritually slaughtered without being stunned first; and, if so, what is the value of the contract?

No.

Unemployment

19.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set out the unemployment statistics for men and women under 21 years in Northern Ireland for any convenient date in October 1979 and any convenient date in October 1980?

The information for the under 21 age group is not available. However, between October 1979 and October 1980 the number of unemployed persons under 19 increased from 11,151 to 16,794.Details of Northern Ireland's unemployment statistics are given each month in the Department of Manpower Services' press notices. Copies are available in the Library.

23.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons are now unemployed in Northern Ireland compared with 12 months ago; and how many of these are aged 16 to 18 years.

Total unemployment in Northern Ireland increased from 62,919 in November 1979 to 91,686 in November 1980. In the same period the number of unemployed young persons under 19 increased from 9,448 to 15,366.Details of Northern Ireland's unemployment statistics are given each month in the Department of Manpower Services' press notices, copies of which are available in the Library.

Housing Expenditure

21.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will disclose the total amount which will be made available for housing expenditure in Northern Ireland, to both the Housing Executive and housing associations, respectively, in the financial year 1981–82.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will announce public expenditure plans for Northern Ireland shortly and I will then be in a position to give total planning figures to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the voluntary housing movement. After that I hope to discuss detailed allocation within about three weeks.

Security Forces

22.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with the strength and the deployment of the security forces in Northern Ireland?

Yes.

Terrorism

24.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were killed or injured as a result of terrorism this year; what changes he has made in his security policy during this year; and what further changes he contemplates?

69 persons have been killed and 687 injured as a result of terrorism in Northern Ireland this year.The Government's security policy has always been, and remains, the elimination of terrorism and the extension of normal policing throughout Northern Ireland. This policy is implemented through the steadfast and impartial enforcement of the law by the police, supported as necessary by the Army, and coupled with close professional cooperation between the security forces in the North and those in the Republic. While there is still much to be done before the people of Northern Ireland can live in peace and free from fear, I believe that the continuing reduction in the overall level of terrorist violence so far this year shows that this is the right approach, and I have no plans to change it.

De Lorean Cars Limited

25.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to meet Mr. de Lorean to discuss the future plans of the De Lorean company.

I have no plans for an early meeting with Mr. De Lorean. The company maintains close and regular contact with the Northern Ireland Development Agency and my officials.

Prime Minister (Engagements)

Q4.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 27 November.

Q5.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official engagements for 27 November.

Q6.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q7.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 27 November.

Q8.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q9.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q10.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q11.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q12.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q14.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q15.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q17.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q18.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q19.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q20.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q21.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q22.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q24.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q25.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q26.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q27.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q28.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q29.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q30.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q31.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q32.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q33.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q34.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q35.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q36.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q37.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q39.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q40.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q41.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q42.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q43.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q44.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q46.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q47.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q49.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q50.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q51.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q52.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q53.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q54.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q56.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q57.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q58.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q59.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q60.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 27 November.

Q61.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q62.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

Q63.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 27 November.

I refer the hon. Members and my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick).

Bingham Inquiry

Q13.

asked the Prime Minister what are the terms of reference of the current inquiry by Mr. Tom Bingham into the unauthorised disclosure of information.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member on 25 November.

High Technology Exports

Q16.

asked the Prime Minister if she will institute a policy of using public sector purchasing decisions as a stimulus for British industry to develop high technology, exportable products.

The Government's policy to use public procurement to improve the competitiveness of British industry is described in a memorandum by the Secretary of State for Industry to the National Economic Development Council (NEDC(80)44), a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

European Commission Of Human Rights

Q23.

asked the Prime Minister whether she plans now to renew the right of individual petition to the European Commission of Human Rights.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Derby, North (Mr. Whitehead) on Tuesday 25 November.

Tuc

Q38.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to meet the leaders of the Trades Union Congress.

At the NEDC on 4 February.

Cabinet Documents

Q45.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the security of Cabinet documents.

Procedures for preserving the security of Cabinet documents are kept under constant review. Apparent breaches of document security are investigated, and procedures are revised as necessary in the light of the findings.

Regional Development Grants (Scotland)

Q48.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to transfer responsibility for administration of regional development grants in Scotland to the Scottish Office

To ensure consistency of treatment of all applicants, the Department of Industry is at present responsible for the administration of the regional development grants scheme throughout Great Britain. The Government are still considering the recommendation from the Committee on Scottish Affairs that administration of the scheme in Scotland should be transferred to the Scottish Economic Planning Department.

Macclesfield

Q55.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Macclesfield.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Gross Domestic Product

Q64.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the Government's action to increase the gross domestic product.

It is only by holding to our policies that we can continue to bring down the rate of inflation and create the conditions for a sustained growth in output.

Nuclear Warfare

asked the Prime Minister what administrative machinery exists for co-ordination between the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office in preparedness for nuclear warfare.

There is regular and close consultation between the two Departments.

Textile Industry

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Blackburn on 20 November, Official Report, column 31, on aid to the textile industry in the Netherlands, Belgium and France, if she will provide details of this aid and set out how it is much less than the total already provided to the British textile industry.

The aid proposals by the Governments concerned are as follows:

Belgium

35 billion francs over five years

Netherlands

30 million florins over three years

France

A new guarantee fund allowing financial institutions to make loans up to 500 million francs and easier access to Government loans.

The French and Belgian aids relate to textiles and clothing; the Netherlands to textiles only. Full details of the French proposals are not yet known. The level of aid eventually made available may be affected by any modifications to the proposals sought by the European Commission by virtue of its responsibility under the EEC Treaty to control State aid.

In the financial year 1979–80 the British textile industry received £19 million in Industry Act assistance and £7·3 million in temporary short-time working compensation. The comparative figures for the clothing and footwear sector were £7·4 million of Industry Act assistance and £1·8 million of temporary short-time working compensation. All of these sectors have, of course, benefited from assistance in earlier years. In addition, the textile and clothing industries will also have benefited from the tax savings in respect of capital allowances and stock relief received by industry and commerce.

Financial assistance to the textile, clothing and footwear industries in Northern Ireland in 1979–80 is estimated as £12 million to £15 million paid under the Industries Development (Northern Ireland) Act 1966; £3·6 million paid in capital grants under section 9 of the Industrial Investment (General Assistance) (Northern Ireland) Act 1966; £112,000 paid under energy conservation schemes under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972; and £660,000 under the short-time working compensation scheme.

Scotland

Employment Transfer Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many individuals in each travel-to-work and employment office area in Scotland, obtaining permanent employment beyond normal daily travelling distance of their homes, have been refused assistance under the employment transfer scheme in the last two years listed on a three-monthly basis.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that this information is not available.

Scottish Development Agency (Staff)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the total numbers of staff employed by the Scottish Development Agency on 1 November 1980, 1 January 1980, 1 January 1979 and 1 January 1978.

Scottish Developmnt Agency staff numbers at the dates requested were as follows:

1	November	1980–716
1	January	1980–700
1	January	1979–679
1	January	1978–578

Elphinstone Community Hall

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to make a decision on

		Coronary artery surgery				Heart valve surgery
	Edinburgh	Glasgow	Aberdeen	Dundee	Edinburgh	Glasgow	Aberdeen	Dundee
1978	74	215	31	—	199	251	—	—
1979	32	196	33	—	114	240	9	—

Football Matches (Police Attendance)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the practice of police forces with respect to charging for attendance of officers at football matches; and what information he has as to the level of charges.

Until recently, my right hon. Friend periodically recommended minimum charges which should be made by police authorities for the services of police officers provided to private interests, including football clubs. This practice has been discontinued, and police authorities are now free to fix charges which reflect the costs of the particular service provided. Information about current levels of charges is not available centrally.

Lothian regional council's plan to provide a temporary community hall in the village of Elphinstone in East Lothian.

I am considering this and other projects to which Lothian regional council has now indicated it attaches particular priority and will give my decision as soon as possible.

Heart Surgery

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the waiting period, respectively, in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen for (a) coronary artery surgery and (b) heart valve surgery; and what action is being taken to reduce the waiting period;(2) what is the waiting period overall for (

a) coronary artery surgery and ( b) heart valve surgery.

The latest information readily available centrally relates to the year 1979. The following table shows the average waiting times in days in respect of patients discharged from hospitals during that year. The surgical teams concerned are making every effort to reduce these waiting times, and additional facilities are to be provided in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

1979	Coronary artery surgery	Heart valve surgery
Edinburgh	30	52
Glasgow	113	148
Dundee	—	—
Aberdeen	31	—
Scotland	87	108

Note: Information as to how long a patient has waited for an operation becomes available centrally only when he is discharged from hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many surgical operations for (a) coronary artery surgery and (b) heart valve surgery were carried out respectively, in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, and Aberdeen in 1978 and 1979.

The information requested is given below:

Stonefield Vehicles Limited

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, having regard to the inquiry from New Zealand for the possible purchase of 210 trucks from Stonefield Vehicles Ltd., he will institute action to provide the company with an opportunity to restore its viability.

The New Zealand expression of interest, like many others, is encouraging evidence of the technical attractions of the vehicle. If it can be translated into a firm order this would of course assist the efforts presently being made to find a viable basis on which production could be continued in Scotland.

Schools (Assisted Places Scheme)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now in a position to announce the names of the schools which will participate in the prospective Scottish assisted places scheme.

The following are the schools with which I should be prepared to enter into agreements relating to the remission of tuition fees only, subject to the satisfactory conclusion of discussion on particulars and to the approval by Parliament of my proposals as a whole:

Central

Dollar Academy

Dumfries and Galloway

Benedictine Convent School

Fife

St. Leonard's and St Katherine's School

Grampian

Albyn School for Girls
Robert Gordon's College
St. Margaret's School for Girls

Highland

Fort Augustus Abbey School

Lothian

Daniel Stewart's and Melville College
Edinburgh Academy
Fettes College
George Watson's College
George Heriot's School
Loretto School
Mary Erskine School
Merchiston Castle School
Rodolf Steiner School of Edinburgh
St. Denis and Cranley School
St. George's School for Girls
St. Hilary's School
St. Margaret's Convent School
St. Margaret's School (Newington)

Strathclyde

Belmont House School
Craigholme School for Girls
Fernhill School
Glasgow Academy
High School of Glasgow
Hutchesons' Grammar School
Keil School
Kelvinside Academy
Laurel Bank School
Lomond School
Park School
St. Aloysius' College
St. Columba's School
Westbourne School for Girls

Tayside

Convent of the Sacred Heart School
High School of Dundee
Morrison's Academy
Rannoch School
Strathallan School
Trinity College

Copies of the list have been placed in the Library.

Public Service Pensions

asked the Prime Minister when Sir Bernard Scott's review into index-linked public service pensions is due.

I understand that the inquiry under Sir Bernard Scott's chairmanship expects to report in December.

Home Department

Young Offenders

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether young offenders held in prison whilst awaiting allocation to a place in borstal, whose placement has been delayed as a result of the prison officers' dispute, will have the period which they have spent in prison deducted from their period of borstal training.

Yes. All time spent in custody after sentence will be counted when release dates are set.

Newspaper Advertising (Bugging Devices)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will introduce legislation to make it an offence for newspapers to contain advertisements for devices which may be used for surveillance and bugging;(2) if he is satisfied with legislation prohibiting the use of devices that may be used for private surveillance.

I have no reason to think that the provisions of the Wireless Telegraphy Acts 1949 and 1967 and the relevant subordinate legislation, which prohibit the unlicensed use of radio for aural surveillance and the importation and manufacture of radio surveillance equipment operating on frequencies between 88 and 108 MHz, are unsatisfactory. I have no plans to introduce statutory controls over other kinds of surveillance devices or to make the advertising of surveillance devices unlawful.

Strangeways Prison

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the last 20 cases in which a letter from a prisoner in Strangeways prison, Manchester, was stopped or ordered to be rewritten, stating the offending passage or passages in each case, with names removed if necessary to preserve anonymity.

It will take a little time to collect the information and I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Mentally Disordered Prisoners

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long the two mentally disordered prisoners have been waiting for a hospital place in the North-East Thames region.

The requests for hospital places were made on 11 August and 10 September 1980.

Nuclear Warfare (Survival)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the time which would need to elapse before survivors of a nuclear war would be able to emerge from any shelter in which they had sought protection.

Up to a fortnight, depending on fall-out conditions.

Immigrants (Medical Examinations)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Orpington (Mr. Stanbrook) on 13 November, if he will publish in full the review of Sir Henry Yellowlees into the nature and conduct of medical examinations in the context of immigration control; and if he will state in which areas the report considers further study to be desirable.

Much of the detailed work of the review was carried out by one of Sir Henry Yellowlees' deputies. In reporting the results of the review to me he submitted his conclusions as my chief medical adviser. I included in full in my reply of 13 November those conclusions covering the matters which led my predecessor to institute the review.The areas in which Sir Henry Yellowlees advised me that further study was desirable and on which he made no specific recommendations are about quite different matters in the field of public health. I shall arrange for copies of Sir Henry Yellowlees' full report to be made available to hon. Members shortly.

Football Matches (Police Attendance)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the practice of police forces with respect to charging for attendance of officers at football matches; and what information he has as to the level of charges.

The organisers are required to meet the cost of providing police officers inside the ground. It is for police authorities to determine the charges, which normally reflect the full economic cost of providing the service, and no central record is kept. The cost of providing officers for duty outside the ground is borne by the police authority.

Hospitals (Paging Systems)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of hospitals in the North-West region use the 27 MHz waveband in their paging systems.

I regret that this information could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

Tameside (Police Recruitment)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many males and how many females under the age of 24 years have been recruited to the police force in the Tameside metropolitan borough area in the current year to date; and how many were recruited in 1979 and in 1978.

This information is not available, since recruitment is undertaken on a force basis. In 1979, 373 men and 154 women under the age of 24 joined the Greater Manchester police, which covers the Tameside metropolitan borough. In 1980, up to 26 November, the numbers were 293 men and 125 women.

Woolwich Arsenal

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what negotiations his Department has undertaken about the possible siting of a prison at Woolwich Arsenal, with what results; and if he will make a statement.

The prison department has asked the Property Services Agency of the Department of the Environment to negotiate with the Ministry of Defence the transfer of some surplus land at the Woolwich Arsenal east site. It is understood that the land could not be released for about five years. Its size and location would appear to make it suitable for a new London prison.

Open Channel Radio

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost of filtering interference to television transmissions if open channel were to be introduced in a frequency below 900 MHz.

Filtering would be either ineffective or impracticable as a means of preventing interference to television reception from open channel transmissions in certain frequency bands below 928 MHz. In cases where filtering would be effective the cost would depend on a variety of factors.

Vhf Television Transmissions (Frequency Bands)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is intended to close down the 405 line VHF television transmissions in the frequency bands 41–68 MHz and 174–216 MHz; what is the cost of providing transmissions on these frequencies; what percentage of monochrome licence fees it is estimated are received from viewers still using this system; and if he will reconsider whether the use of these frequencies for this purpose should continue, in view of the fact that the remainder of the spectrum is heavily congested.

On the first and last parts of the question I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) on 20 May and 3 July.—[Vol. 985, c. 93; Vol. 987, c. 663.]I understand from the BBC and the IBA that they estimate that the marginal cost of maintaining their 405-line television transmissions is approximately £300,000 and £500,000 a year respectively; these costs are likely to reduce, though to an extent which it is difficult at this stage to predict, towards the end of the closure period.Information about the number of viewers who are using 405-line television receivers only, and hence about the proportion of monochrome licence fees received from such viewers, is not available, but we think that it is fairly small.

Hospital Fires

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fires in psychiatric and other hospitals were attended by fire brigades in the last five years for which statistics are available; and how many involved fatal and non-fatal casualties, rescues, escapes or evacuations.

Information on numbers of fires in psychiatric and other hospitals and on the number of fatal casualties and non-fatal casualties involved is published annually in "Fire Statistics United Kingdom"—table 24 of the issue for 1978; figures for 1979 are due to be published early in 1981 and figures for 1975 are not available. Full information on numbers of such fires in which casualties, rescues, escapes and evacuations occurred could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

County Councils (Electoral Arrangements)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to specify a date, after which any orders made by him for new electoral arrangements for county councils will not be operative, for the county council elections in May 1981.

I do not intend to fix such a "cut-off" date at this stage as I am anxious to permit as many counties as possible to hold the elections of May 1981 on the basis of new arrangements. If, however, by 15 January it appears that I shall not be able to make an order by 6 February for a county for which the commission has submitted its proposals to me, I shall discuss with the council concerned when its new arrangements should come into effect.

Energy

Fuel Prices

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish for each of. the past 10 years figures indicating the average ex-duty price of (a) four-star petroleum spirit (retail), (b) aviation gasoline (wholesale), (c) aviation gasoline (retail), (d) aviation turbine fuel (wholesale) and (e) aviation turbine fuel (retail).

Typical retail prices of four-star petroleum spirit in January of each year since 1970 are shown in the following table. These approximate estimates are generally representative of prices paid at the pump on or about the 15th of the month. The estimates for the years since 1977 are based upon information provided by oil companies.

Year	Price of four Star petroleum spirit (pence per gallon)
Jan. 1970	33
Jan. 1971	34
Jan. 1972	35
Jan. 1973	35
Jan. 1974^*	42
Jan. 1975	73
Jan. 1976	77
Jan. 1977	80
Jan. 1978	76
Jan. 1979	79
Jan. 1980	120

Source: Energy Trends.Footnote I(1) Effective rates of duty on motor spirit and dates from which they took effect are:—15 April 1969, 22·5p/gallon; 10 April 1976, 30p/gallon; 30 March 1977, 35p/gallon; 8 August 1977, 30p/gallon; 13 June 1979, 36·82p/gallon; 26 March 1980, 45·46p/gallon.

This fuel became liable to value added tax as follows: 10 per cent. with effect from 1 April 1974; 8 per cent. with effect from 29 July 1974; 25 per cent. with effect from 18 November 1974; 12·5 per cent. with effect from 12 April 1976; 15 per cent. with effect from 18 June 1979.

Footnote II

^* Maximum retail prices were imposed by order during the period 15 December 1973 to 20 December 1974.

Wholesale and retail prices of aviation gasoline and aviation turbine fuel are not available. However, published schedule prices may be taken as a proxy for wholesale prices, but do not incorporate any rebates or discounts that may be negotiated with a particular purchaser. Typical schedule prices for January of each year since 1970 are shown in the following table.

Typical prices inclusive of tax; exclusive of VAT^ (pence per litre*)
	Aviation Gasoline	Aviation turbine fuel
	(100L)	(Jet A-1)
January 1970	7·3	1·7
January 1971	7·7	2·1
January 1972	7·7	2·1
January 1973	7·9	2·3
January 1974	9·2	3·4
January 1975	12·7	5.8
January 1976	13·4	6·8
January 1977	17·7	8·5
January 1978	17·7	9·0
January 1979	17·7	9·0
January 1980	32·6	16·6
^* The tax included in the above figures is:
Aviation gasoline 1970 to 1976, 4·9 p/litre; 1977 to 1979, 6·6 p/litre; 1980, 8·1 p/litre.
Aviation turbine fuel 1970 to 1977,0·2 p/litre; 1978 and 1979,0·5 p/litre and 1980 0·7 p/litre.
The VAT excluded in the above figures for aviation gasoline was nil prior to 1975; 1975 and 1976, 25 per cent.; 1977 to 1979, 12·5 per cent.; 1980, 15 per cent. For Aviation turbine fuel the rate is nil for all years.

Electricity And Gas Disconnections

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied that the present stated terms of the code of practice are being observed by all area electricity boards and gas regions.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply on 26 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Bowden).

Nuclear Power Installations

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all the faults and cracks detected in nuclear power installations in the last 10 years, the date of the detection, the installation involved and the action taken on each occasion.

Incidents of significance for safety which occur at licensed nuclear installations are reportable, under the provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, to the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate. From 1977 details of these have been included, together with those of minor incidents of lesser significance, in the executive's published Quarterly Statements of Incidents at Nuclear Installations. My answer of 10 July to the hon. Member for Merioneth (Mr. Thomas)—[Vol. 998, c. 306]—and a note subsequently placed in the Library of the House listed incidents of significance for safety which occurred between 1974 and 1977. Equivalent information for the period prior to 1974 is not readily available, but the incidents reported to the inspectorate under the Nuclear Installations (Dangerous Occurrences) Regulations 1965, in the period 1970 to 1973 inclusive, were two in number, at Oldbury power station on 6 February 1970 and at Wylfa power station on 27 August 1970. Both involved the release of carbon dioxide—reactor coolant—gas. Neither involved injury to persons.I also refer the hon. Member to my reply yesterday to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley).

Industry

Regional Development Grants

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) whether it is the policy of his Department to delay the payment of regional development grants for four months from the date of approval; how long it takes for payment to be made; what is the average time taken; and if he will make a statement.(2) what is the average length of time taken by his Department to approve a regional development grant; what is the maximum and minimum time taken; and if he will make a statement

The decision to defer payment of approved grant for four months was announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget speech of 12 June 1979.—[Vol. 968, c. 247.]Information about the maximum and minimum time taken to deal with grant applications is not available. But an estimate based on the number of applications outstanding for examination and the rate at which cases are decided indicates that the average time between receipt of an application and payment of grant is about three months plus the four months' deferment period. The time taken to deal with applications has recently fallen. The administration of the scheme has been reviewed by a team under Sir Derek Rayner. Changes in procedures which they recommended and which are now being implemented should further improve the efficiency with which applications for grant are handled. I shall continue to keep a close watch on the situation.

Special And Training Grants

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he proposes to simplify the documentation leading to special grants and for training grants; and whether he will issue guidance to enable the level of grant to be predetermined by applicants.

Regional assistance under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 is provided on a selective basis towards projects which satisfy published criteria. The information and documentation sought from companies is the minimum consistent with the need to assess the projects' eligibility for assistance. The amount of assistance provided towards the capital costs of the project is negotiated in each case as the minimum necessary for the project to go ahead and cannot, therefore, be determined in advance. Section 7 training grants cover a fixed 40 per cent. of eligible training costs and attract a matching contribution from the European social fund.

Manufacturing Industry

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will bring up to date the information on the profits of manufacturing industry published in the Official Report in response to a written question from the hon. Member for Grimsby on 11 February.

More recent information is not available from the analysis of company accounts, on which the answer of 11 February 1980 was based. An alternative series for pre-tax gross trading profits of manufacturing companies is available from the national accounts, and recent figures are given below. The figures are not comparable with the company account series, in particular because they relate to companies of all sizes whose main activity is manufacturing and they include only profits arising in the United Kingdom. Nor are the figures below any indication of real profitability (note ^*)

Manufacturing companies' gross trading profits^*
	£ million
1975	8,009
1976	9,830
1977	10,983
1978	11,948
1979	13,948
^* before allowing for stock appreciation, capital consumption, interest and tax payments.

Tameside

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received from firms in the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency on the withdrawal of assisted area status from the Tameside metropolitan district.

I have received representations about a firm in his constituency from the hon. Member, to whom I will be writing shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much was spent on schemes to help industry in the Tameside metropolitan borough area with its research and development in the financial year 1979–80; how much has been spent in the current year to date; and how much is still available.

Details of expenditure by the Department of Industry to encourage industrial research and development in the Tameside metropolitan area could be made available only at disproportionate cost. A list of relevant schemes with expenditure in 1979–80 and in the current year was given in answer to a question from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 13 November.—[Vol. 992, e. 324–27.] Some money is still available for suitable projects. Officials in the Department's Manchester office can advise potential applicants in the North-Western region.

Capital Goods

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will bring up to date the information published in the Official Report on 11 December 1979 in reply to a written question from the hon. Member for Grimsby concerning trade in capital goods.

The information requested, together with revisions to data given earlier, is as follows:

Lengths of Export Order Books of Capital Goods in Terms of Sales
	1979	1980
	Q3(R)	Q3
Engineering Products: Ratio of export orders-on-hand to export sales (in terms of average monthly sales)^*	9·6	║8·9
United Kingdom Shipbuilding: Ratio of export orders-on-hand to export sales (in terms of average monthly sales)^*	20·6	7·2
Combined Index Engineering and shipbuilding together in index form†(1970=100)	64	46
West Germany Capital Goods Industries Ratio of index of the value of export order books to the index of export sales (1970=100)	99	║114
^* Ratios for United Kingdom engineering products are derived from valuations at 1975 prices. For United Kingdom shipbuilding, ratios are based on gross registered tonnages of merchant ships—100 gross tons and over.
† The engineering and shipbuilding series have been weighted together using 1975 export sales and the resulting series rounded and re-centred upon 1970=100.
‡ Estimates have had to be used for the third quarter of 1980.
║1st two months.

National Enterprise Board

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has yet received the latest National Enterprise Board corporate plan, 1981–83; and how much public money the plan requires up to 1983.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply on 25 November.

Stalybridge, Hyde And Glossop

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will consider modifying the criteria for regional development assistance, in view of the rapid change in the employment prospects in the Stalybridge, Hyde and Glossop areas over the past 12 months.

No. I am satisfied that the criteria set out in the Local Employment Act 1972, as amended by the Industry Act 1972, for the designation of assisted areas take into account all relevant circumstances.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

British Embassy, Jordan

asked the Lord Privy Seal, further to his reply of 22 October 1979, whether he will confirm that the British Embassy in Jordan is now connected to telex communication.

Telex has been installed and the Jordanian authorities expect to connect it for use from 30 November.

El Salvador

asked the Lord Privy Seal if Her Majesty's Government will support the motion expected to emerge from the General Assembly of the United Nations under section 12 condemning the violation of human rights in El Salvador and calling for a United Nations investigation.

The matter is under consideration.

Middle East

asked the Lord Privy Seal when he expects to meet representatives of the new United States Government to discuss the Middle East.

President-elect Reagan will not be inaugurated until 20 January 1981. Until then, the Administration of President Carter continues in office. We maintain regular contact with the United States Administration on policy towards the Middle East. We are also in touch with members of Mr. Reagan's staff.

Falkland Islands

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that the United Kingdom will in no foreseeable circumstances relinquish full sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.

The British Government are in no doubt about the United Kingdom's sovereign rights over the Falkland Islands and the Falkland Islands dependencies. It remains our intention to seek a solution to the sovereignty dispute which is acceptable to all parties. We have made it clear that any proposals for a settlement would have to be acceptable to the islanders and would be laid before the House.

Employment

Employment Transfer Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many individuals in each travel-to-work and employment office area in the North-West region obtaining permanent employment beyond normal daily travelling distance of their homes have been refused assistance under the employment transfer scheme in the past two years listed on a three-monthly basis;(2) how many individuals in each travel-to-work and employment office area in the Northern region obtaining permanent employment beyond normal daily traveling distance of their homes have been refused assistance under the employment transfer scheme in the past two years listed on a three-monthly basis;(3) how many individuals in each travel-to-work and employment office area in the North-East region obtaining permanent employment beyond normal daily traveling distance of their homes have been refused assistance under the employment transfer scheme in the past two years listed on a three-monthly basis.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that this information is not available.

Unemployment Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what research is currently being done to establish what are the true figures on unemployment and jobs vacant and to establish an estimate of jobs in the black economy.

I am satisfied that the present methods of counting the registered unemployed and notified vacancies provide adequate estimates of their totals, trends and a range of characteristics. Additional information on characteristics and also on the unemployed who do not register is available from household and other surveys. From a survey of firms, it has been estimated that notified vacancies account for about one-third of the total. In the nature of things, it is not practicable to make a satisfactory estimate of the number of people engaged in the black economy.A full review of all these matters was published in the May 1980 issue of

Employment Gazette, which is in the House of Commons Library.

Merseyside

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of job vacancies on Merseyside at the latest date; and how many there were in May 1979.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for unemployed school leavers on Merseyside; and how this compares with other special development areas.

At 9 October, the latest date for which unemployment figures are available for all special development areas, there were 8,245 school leavers under 18 years of age registered as unemployed in the Merseyside special development area. This compared with 23,275 in all other special development areas at the same date.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the increase in unemployment in Merseyside since May 1979 to the latest available date; and what these figures mean in percentage terms.

At 13 November 1980, the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in the Merseyside special development area was 102,680. This was 19,309, or 23 per cent., higher than the corresponding figure at 10 May 1979. The figures include school leavers, numerically greater in November than in May. Moreover, they are not adjusted for seasonal influences, which normally lead to unemployment being higher in November than May. Additionally, the figures are not strictly comparable because of the introduction, in September 1979, of fortnightly attendance and payment of benefit. Estimates of this effect are not available below regional level, but for the country as a whole the monthly unemployment figures from October 1979 are about 20,000, or 1½ per cent., higher than under weekly attendance.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers are working short time on Merseyside at the latest available date.

During the week ended 13 September there were 62,200 operatives on short time working, either for the whole or part of the week, in the North-West region. Information for parts of regions is not available. The information relates only to operatives in manufacturing industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to increase job prospects for the unskilled unemployed on Merseyside.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures on Merseyside.

At 13 November 1980, the provisional number registered as unemployed in the Merseyside special development area was 102,680. This includes school leavers and is not adjusted for seasonal variation.I fully accept that these figures are far too high, and the Government remain committed to doing all they can to reduce the current level of unemployment on Merseyside. Our determination is reflected in my right hon. Friend's recent announcement that an extra £250 million is to be allocated to the 1981–82 programme of special measures to help the unemployed, from which Merseyside can be expected to benefit substantially. Priority is being given to young people fresh from school. Merseyside will, of course, also continue to be eligible for the highest levels of regional assistance.In the longer term, however, prospects on Merseyside, as elsewhere in the country, are dependent upon our success in the battle against inflation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest number of unemployed construction workers on Merseyside to the latest available date; what is the percentage; and how these figures compare with other special development areas.

At 14 August, the latest date for which an industrial analysis of the unemployed is available, there were 12,371 registered unemployed people in the Merseyside special development area who last worked in the construction industry. This figure represented 12·0 per cent. of all unemployed in the area. The corresponding figures for all other special development areas were 39,194 and 13·4 per cent. respectively.

School Leavers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the increase in unemployed school leavers on Merseyside since May 1979 to the latest available date.

At 13 November 1980, the provisional number of school leavers under 18 years of age registered as unemployed in the Merseyside special development area was 6,748. This was 2,697 more than the corresponding figure at 10 May 1979. It should be noted, however, that the figure for May 1979 would not have included that year's summer school leavers and that the figure for November 1979 was 5,211.The youth opportunities programme is available to help unemployed young people, and I announced on 21 November 1980 that the Government have decided to expand YOP from 250,000–260,000 places on the current year to 430,000–440,000 places in 1981–82. The programme will focus particularly on the groups of young people in the immediate post-school years.

Liverpool

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the unemployment figures for the Liverpool travel-to-work area at the latest date; what the percentage figures are; and what the figures were in May 1979.

At 13 November 1980, the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in the Liverpool travel-to-work area was 72,670 and the unemployment rate was 15·2 per cent. The corresponding figures at 10 May 1979 were 57,060 and 11·8 per cent. The figures include school leavers, numerically greater in November than in May. Moreover, they are not adjusted for seasonal influences, which normally lead to unemployment being higher in November than May. Additionally, the figures are not strictly comparable because of the introduction, in September 1979, of fortnightly attendance and payment of benefit. Estimates of this effect are not available for local areas, but for the country as a whole the monthly unemployment figures from October 1979 are about 20,000, or 1½ per cent., higher than under weekly attendance.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated level of unemployment in the Liverpool, Scotland Exchange constituency.

At 13 November, the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in the Liverpool employment office area, which closely corresponds to the Liverpool, Scotland Exchange parliamentary constituency, was 19,334.

Jobcentres

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the operation of jobcentres; and if he will made a statement.

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

Special Temporary Employment Programmes

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of places allocated under the special temporary employment programmes in the travel-to-work areas as development areas and special development areas for the years 1979–80 and 1980–81.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that information is not held in the precise form requested. Estimated STEP occupancy in special development areas, designated areas and designated inner urban areas for end March 1979, and March 1980 and forecast occupancy at end March 1981 is set out below. It is not possible to separate out occupancy within the designated inner urban areas.

March 1979	8,800
March 1980	9,800
March 1981	12,500

Redundancy Fund

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present surplus in the redundancy fund.

At 31 October 1980 the fund had a surplus of £102·5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Enployment if he will increase rebates made out of the redundancy fund.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

Youth Opportunities Programme (Tameside)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much money from the European social fund allocation of 1980 will be apportioned to the cost of the youth opportunities programme in the Tameside metropolitan borough area.

The United Kingdom's allocation from the European social fund towards the costs of the youth opportunities programme were in respect of the United Kingdom's "youth priority regions"—Scotland, North and North-West England—and Wales. It is not possible to give separate figures for the Tameside metropolitan borough area.

Stalybridge, Hyde And Glossop

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many vacancies are registered for jobs in the Stalybridge, Hyde and Glossop employment office areas, and in what categories.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the Stalybridge, Hyde and Glossop employment office areas have been unemployed for over 12 months; and what is the average age of those persons.

At 9 October, 577 unemployed people in the Stalybridge, Hyde and Glossop employment office areas had been registered for more than 52 weeks and the median age was 46 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the Hyde, Stalybridge and Glossop employment office areas are currently being supported by the temporary short-time compensation working scheme; and if he will also give the figures for January 1980 and April 1980, respectively.

In the Hyde, Stalybridge and Glossop employment office areas 1,885 potentially redundant employees were supported under the temporary short-time working compensation (TSTWC) scheme in October 1980.I regret that the statistics for January 1980 and April 1980 are not available below standard regional level.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many males and how many females who left schools and colleges in April and July 1980, respectively, are registered as unemployed in the Stalybridge, Hyde and Glossop employment office areas.

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

Textile Workers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many textile workers are currently unemployed in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) Tameside and (c) the Stalybridge, Hyde and Glossop employment office areas.

The following table gives for 14 August, the latest date for which an industrial analysis of the unemployed is available, the numbers registered as unemployed in the areas specified who last worked in the textile industry:

(a)	United Kingdom	48,034
(b)	Tameside^*	620
(c)	Stalybridge, Hyde and Glossop employment office areas	357
^* The employment office areas of Ashton-under-Lyne, Denton, Hyde, Mossley and Stalybridge, which closely corresponds to the Tameside Metropolitan Borough.
† Standard Industrial Classification Order XIII.

Redundancy Payments

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been paid out in redundancy payments for each month since May 1979 to redundant employees in (a) Wolverhampton, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Great Britain as a whole.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 November 1980]: Information is not available for Wolverhampton or the West Midlands. The total amount paid in statutory redundancy payments in the Midlands region and Great Britain in the period requested was as follows:

Midlands
1979–80	£ million
May	4·0
June	3·6
July	3·0
August	3·4
September	2·3
October	3·9
November	4·8
December	2·9
1980
January	4·0
February	5·0
March	5·2
April	6·0
May	5·1
June	7·8
July	7·0
August	6·2
September	9·1

Great Britain
1979–80	£ million
May	19·5
June	21·9
July	15·8
August	19·8
September	15·7
October	22·6
November	24·3
December	18·1
1980
January	21·3
February	27·1
March	28·6
April	27·2
May	39·2
June	35·6

1979–80	£ million
July	38·0
August	41·8
September	49·3

Wolverhampton And The West Midlands

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

[pursuant to his reply, 25 November 1980]: At 10 May 1979 the numbers of people registered as unemployed in the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area and in the West Midlands region who last worked in manufacturing industries were 2,797 and 41,552, respectively. The corresponding figures at 14 August 1980, the latest date for which an industrial analysis of the unemployed is available, were 5,536 and 70,847.

Rehabilitation Centres

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many rehabilitation centres, and where, are currently run by the MSC and if he will give an assurance that none of these will have to close in the next financial year.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 November 1980]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it currently runs 27 employment rehabilitation centres. These are listed below. The commission is currently undertaking a review of its role in employment rehabilitation, and the future size of the ERC network will therefore have to defend on the commission's assessment of the needs to be met in relation to the resources available. Specifically, the commission is expected to consider early next year whether two rather than three ERCs would suffice to meet the rehabilitation needs in the North-East of England.

Employment Rehabilitation Centres currently run by MSC

Dundee
Glasgow
Bellshill
Edinburgh
Leeds
Hull
Sheffield
North Staffordshire (Hanley)
Bristol
Garston Manor (Watford)
Perivale
Egham
Killingworth
Felling
Billingham
Preston
Liverpool
Manchester
Long Eaton
Leicester
Birmingham
Coventry
Port Talbot
Cardiff
Waddon
Portsmouth
Plymout

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what have been the numbers of unfilled vacancies at employment offices and careers offices in (a) Wolverhampton and (b) the West Midlands for each of the past 10 years.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 November 1980]: The following gives the numbers of vacancies

	Wolverhampton employment office area		West Midlands region
	At employment offices	At careers offices	At employment offices	At careers offices
November each year:
1971	180	141	7,506	2,934
1972	341	267	11,811	4,355
1973	740	820	29,267	14,394
1974	^*	^*	^*
1975	155	107	5,679	1,926
1976	^*	^*	†7,800	^*
1977	357	60	10,148	2,034
1978	548	79	14,324	2,309
1979	423	70	13,904	1,901
1980 (provisional)	208	8	5,157	485
^* Not available
†Estimated.

Social Services

Death Grant

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the range of average costs in England of the most economy-conscious funeral, using the most up-to-date figures available, and the average cost, if different, against which a death grant of £50 has been determined; and if he will make a statement.

Funeral costs vary widely according to locality and other factors. However, it is estimated that, on average, costs are in the range £250–£300. When the death grant was increased to its current level of £30—not £50—in 1967, the estimated average cost of funerals was between £80 and £90. Then, as now, there was no requirement to relate the level of the death grant to the cost of funerals. We have for some time been considering the whole question of the death grant and we shall make an announcement about our conclusions as soon as possible.

Unemployment Pay And Supplementary Benefit

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the actual and real levels and percentage increases in unemployment pay and long-term supplementary benefit for a married person with two children, including child benefit effects, for each year since 1970; and if he will show the increases both on a year-to-year basis, cumulatively throughout, and cumulatively on a rolling three-year and five-year band.

I regret that the information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Blind Persons (Disability Allowance)

how much it would cost if the disability allowance was paid to all registered blind people; and if he has any plans to do so. remaining unfilled at employment offices and careers offices at November 1980 and, where available, at November each year from 1971. Vacancies notified to employment offices are estimatied 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.

The cost would depend on the rate of such an allowance. If, as is sometimes suggested, a benefit equivalent to the mobility allowance were paid to all registered blind persons, the cost would be nearly £100 million a year. Resources are not at present available to finance new benefits.

Overseas Visitors (National Health Service Treatment)

what consultations he has had concerning ways of reducing the cost of National Health Service treatment to overseas visitors; and whether he will make a statement.

I hope to be in a position to make a statement soon.

Residential Care

what is the current weekly cost of keeping a child in residential care.

The estimated weekly cost to local authorities in England of keeping a child in residential care in 1979–80—the latest year for which information is available centrally—is £110. This figure includes both running costs and capital charges before deduction of parental contributions and excludes associated administrative and field social work costs.

Expenditure

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he proposes to counter the backlog of essential work needed in hospitals and in services such as community care, preventive medicine and the care of the mentally ill and mentally handicapped and the elderly in view of the effects on these areas of reductions in expenditure by local authority social service departments.

It is for health and local authorities to determine their expenditure priorities according to local needs and circumstances, in consultation with each other through the established machinery for collaboration and joint planning.

Geriatric Patients

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will carry out an inquiry into the problem that family medical practitioners cannot get a patient admitted to a geriatric department without the patient being seen at home by a consultant, in the light of the probability of such difficulties increasing as the numbers of elderly increase by about 2 per cent. per annum.

The decision whether to carry out a domiciliary assessment prior to admitting an elderly person to hospital is for the consultant concerned. Practice varies widely, and I am not aware of problems which would warrant an inquiry.

Family Income Supplement

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the amounts spent in advertising the family income supplement scheme for each year since its introduction; and if he will also rework the data in 1971 prices.

The amounts spent on advertising family income supplement in the press and on television since the introduction of the scheme are as follows:

Financial Year	Amount spent	Revalued in 1971 prices (based on RPI movements)
	£	£
1971–72	326,000	^* 326,000
1972–73	310,000	†289,000
1973–74	161,000	136,000
1974–75	124,000	89,000
1975–76	91,000	52,000
1976–77	176,000	88,000
1977–78	244,000	105,000
1978–79	256,000	102,000
1979–80	294,000	101,000
1980–81	‡333,000	‡98,000
^* Launch: 3 campaigns.
†Launch: 2 campaigns.
‡ Estimated.

Polyurethane Foam (Fire Risk)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the coroner's finding at the inquest into the fire at Woolworth's store in Manchester in May 1979 that in the case of fires involving polyurethane foam there is less than two minutes in which to escape, he will now set a date for banning the use of polyurethane foam in hospital mattresses and furniture; and if he will make a statemant.

No. The realistic short-term approach to reducing potential fire hazards from the use of polyurethane foam in hospital mattresses and furniture is for health authorities to provide covering materials—such as counterpanes and blankets—which have fire-retardant properties. This advice was given to health authorities in 1976 and repeated in August 1980. As an additional precaution, a fire-retardant mattress cover is being developed for use in hospitals. In the longer term, I am hopeful that current investigations will lead to the development of fire-retardant materials suitable for mattress cores for hospital use.

Index-Linked Pensions

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how the system of index-linking retirement pensions operates.

My right hon. Friend is required by the provisions of the Social Security Act 1975, as amended, to carry out a review of retirement pension rates in each tax year, to determine whether they have retained the value which they had at the time of the last uprating of pensions in relation to the general level of prices. If they have not, he is required to increase them by at least as much as he thinks will be necessary to restore their value. The increase must come into effect not later than the end of the month in which the first anniversary of the previous uprating falls.The review is normally carried out shortly before the Budget Statement and the resultant increases are put into payment in the following November. For the purpose of determining the amount of the increases, it is therefore nesessary to make an estimate of the likely movement of prices over the period between the two upratings.As my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer told the House in his statement on 24 November, it is proposed to amend the statutory provisions to provide that the increase in pensions at the 1981 uprating will take account of the fact that this year's increase in pensions was more than was necessary to restore their value. A similar abatement will apply to other benefits.

Medical And Ancillary Staff

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of medical staff and ancillary staff, in both cases full-time equivalents, in the hospital services overall and per head of population on 1 June 1960, 1 June 1965, 1 June 1970, 1 June 1975, 1 June 1978, 1 June 1979 and 1 June 1980.

It is not possible to answer the question in the precise form requested because of lack of information on junior hospital medical staff for 1960 and on ancillary staff for 1960 and 1965 and serious problems of coverage and comparability. The earliest year for which consistent information on medical staff is available is 1965 and for ancillary staff working anywhere in the NHS is 1970. The latest year for which information is available is 1979. Figures at 1 June are not available. The table below sets out the best available information.

Whole-time equivalent staff England as at 30 September
	1965	1970	1975	1978	1979
Hospital medical staff^*†	17,899	21,387	26,922	29,293	30,356
Hospital medical staff/100,000 population	40	46	58	63	65
Ancillary staff‡	N.A.	160,566	167,726	172,082	¶170,157
Ancillary staff/100,000 population	N.A.	347	362	371	¶367
N.A.=Not available.
^* Includes hospital medical staff except locums, hospital practitioners and part-time medical officers.
† The figures for 1965 and 1970 are not comparable with those for later years. Prior to 1971, the whole-time equivalent counted for consultants known to hold maximum part-time contracts was 0·8, whereas from 1971 such staff are counted as 1·0.
‡Figures related to all health authority staff and not just to those located in hospitals. Figures for 1970 relate to ancillary staff employed by regional hospital boards, hospital management committees and boards of governors; those for 1975, 1978 and 1979 relate to employees of regional and area health authorities. Following NHS reorganisation on 1 April 1974, staff previously employed by local health authorities were transferred to area health authorities, so that figures since 1974 are not directly comparable with those prior to 1974. Those ancillary staff employed in the community health service cannot be separately distinguished from staff in the hospital service. However, the numbers of ancillary staff employed other than in hospitals are relatively small (around 1 per cent.).
¶Provisional estimate.

Heart Surgery

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the waiting period overall for (a) coronary artery surgery and (b) heart valve surgery.

Specific Information on waiting times for coronary artery surgery and heart valve surgery is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate expense. In 1978, the mean waiting time in England and Wales for all operations on heart and intrathoracic vessels, based on a 10 per cent. sample, was 12·5 weeks. This figure does not include any time spent waiting for an out patient appointment.

Birmetals (Dispute)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, dated 25 September, on the subject of the families of persons involved in the Birmetals dispute in Birmingham.

I replied to the hon. Member on 25 November. I regret the delay in replying.

Incapacity For Work (Evidence)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the evidence of incapacity for work referred to in paragraph 2 of SI No. 615 (1976) can be withheld from a person claiming benefit by the family practitioner and sent direct to his Department by the family practitioner; and if he will make a statement.

It has always been the intention, and is almost invariably the practice, that the evidence of incapacity for work referred to in paragraph 2 of SI No. 615 (1976) should be issued to the patient or his personal representative by the family practitioner and not sent direct to the Department.Section 29(2)(

d) of the National Health Service Act 1977 part II refers.

Disabled Persons (Mobility Benefits)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency area were in receipt of each of the mobility benefits for the disabled at the latest date for which figures are available.

This information is not available.

Benefits

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all the social security benefits where the cash increase in November 1980 is less than in November 1979.

The information requested is as follows:

Unemployment benefit
Sickness benefit
Maternity allowance
Child's special allowance
Invalidity pension
Invalidity allowance (and equivalent payable with unemployability supplements)
Unemployability supplements to war pensions and industrial injuries benefits
Adult dependency increases with short-term benefits and invalidity benefit
^* Increases for dependent children
Guardian's allowance
War pensions for motherless or fatherless children
War pensions comforts allowance
^* The rates of these increases take account of the increase in child benefit.

Prescriptions

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of prescriptions was covered by exemptions in the last financial year.

The information requested is set out below and relates to England for the period April 1979 to March 1980.

Total prescription items dispensed: 303·5 million
	Millions	Per cent.
Dispensed free-of- charge—exempted categories	183·0	60·3
Dispensed free-of-charge—contraceptive items	4·1	1·4
Dispensed to holders of prepayment certificates ("season tickets")	11·7	3·9

Pensioners (Stalybridge And Hyde)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pensioners in the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency area are currently receiving supplementary benefit.

At August 1980, the latest date for which information is available, 9,000 people were receiving supplementary pension from the two local offices within the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency. However, this number may include people from areas outside the constituency boundary.

Rent And Rates (Rebates And Allowances)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the likely impact on expenditure on rent rebates and allowances and rate rebates if the real value of supplementary benefit were cut by 5 per cent. in 1981–82, assuming that the needs allowances for rebates were uprated in line with inflation.

I have been asked to reply. A number of speculative assumptions and subsequently costly calculations would have to be made to provide an estimated figure. I consider that the cost of providing an estimate would be too great to justify undertaking the work.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the extra expenditure on rent rebates and allowances and rate rebates which is likely to result from the 5 per cent. abatement in national insurance benefits in 1980–81.

I have been asked to reply. The abatement in the uprating of certain national insurance benefits will lead to extra expenditure of probably under £1 million on rent rebates and allowances and rate rebates in 1980–81.

Transport

Midland Link Motorways

asked the Minister of Transport if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr on 28 October, any further cases of dropped steel beams on the elevated sections of the Midland link motorways have been discovered.

No further cases of dropped beams have been discovered on the elevated sections of the Midland link motorways since I replied to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr on 28 October.In that reply I listed a total of 44 cases of dropped steel beams on the elevated sections of the Midland link motorways. Since then our agent, West Midland county council, has reported that full information had not been passed to the Department and that the number should have been 57. Apart from the two cases at Gravelly Hill, the resulting damage to the deck slabs is only slight.

Liverpool

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make a statement on his visit to Liverpool; and what discussions took place on the future of the Liverpool inner ring road.

I was in Liverpool on Friday 14 November to chair a meeting of the regional annual consultative committee. At the invitation of Merseyside county council, I also met the leader and chief officers of the council to hear about progress on the inner ring road project.

Lead In Petrol

asked the Minister of Transport on what date in 1981 the new maximum permitted level of lead in petrol will come into force; and if steps have been taken to see that stocks of petrol with the current permitted lead level will be used before that date.

1 January 1981. We have kept in close touch with the petroleum industry and understand that it began to reduce the addition of lead to the new level of 0·40 grammes per litre from the beginning of last month. I have no reason to believe that there will be any stocks of petrol left with the old lead level when their sale and use becomes illegal. Checks on lead content will, as now, be made by local weights and measures authorities.

Road Construction Units

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to reach final decisions on his proposals of 2 October for the phasing-out of Road Construction Unit sub-units and on his proposals for the future status of local authority staff at Road Construction Unit headquarters.

We are considering the responses of county councils and staff to my firm proposals for RCU sub-units. I expect to be in a position to announce very soon final decisions on the allocation of schemes between county councils and consultancy. In the light of our final decisions, the Department and the RCU staff clearing house will follow up the preliminary proposals submitted by individual firms of consultants. This will take some little time, and we propose to deal first with schemes in Eastern region. We are also planning to announce soon final decisions following consultations about our proposals for the future arrangements at RCU headquarters, including the position of staff, but the time scale is likely to be a little longer.

Environment

Pentachlorophenol

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to review the widespread use of the chemical pentachlorophenol (PCP).

The Department has recently reviewed the potential environmental effects of commercial PCP. It was concluded that PCP is a valuable biocide. Its environmental behaviour is fairly well understood, and its use does not appear to be displaying adverse environmental effects. This view was endorsed by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides when it reviewed the relevant uses of this substance. Further research has started on the importance of various impurities and combustion products.

Radioactive Waste

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he adheres to the view he expressed to the House in an answer to the question of the hon. Member for Loughborough (Mr. Dorrell) on 24 July 1979, c. 216, that a plan to manufacture glass blocks containing vitrified nuclear waste by processes developed in the United Kingdom will be in operation by about 1990.

I understand that British Nuclear Fuels Limited now expects to begin the manufacture of glass blocks containing nuclear waste some time before 1990. The first production plant will, subject to the outcome of satisfactory commercial negotiations, be based on the French AVM process, which offers worthwhile advantages. Its use will, of course, be subject to the necessary safety authorisations being granted.

Bridleways

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that commercial riding establishments are not precluded from the use of bridleways in any forthcoming legislation; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have no intention of disciminating, either legislatively or otherwise, between commercial riding school and other equestrian use of bridleways.

Park Lane Special Hospital, Maghull

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why holdups are being caused on the work on building the Park Lane special hospital at Maghull due to lack of drawings and information from the Property Services Agency; and if he will make a statement.

It has proved necessary to review the drawings of two major buildings forming part of the hospital development. Construction work on these

Description	Cash Block	Change	Revised Cash Limit
		£ million	£ million
Royal Palaces, Royal Parks, Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and the National Heritage	Vote VIII, 6	-0·389	44·997
Central Administration and Environmental Research (DOE)	Vote VIII, 9	-2·340	154·058
Office and General Accommodation Services	Vote XIV, 1	-0·306	416·109
Administration and Miscellaneous Services (PSA of the DOE)	Vote XIV, 2	-0·617	224·271
	Vote XVII, 1A
Rate Support Grants (1979–80) to Local Revenues, England and Wales	(New Vote)	—	215·000
			(New cash limit)
Capital expenditure by local authorities on derelict land and coast protection	DOE/LA4	+1·000	39·900
Urban Programme	DOE/LA5	-1·000	205·100
The approval of the House will be sought for the new cash limited Vote which will cover payments resulting from the Rate Support Grant (Increase) (No. 2) Order 1979.
The reductions on Votes VIII, 6, XIV, 1 and XIV, 2 offset small overspends in 1979–80. The reduction on Vote VIII, 9 is consequential on classification changes.
The increase in DOE/LA4 would permit increased capital expenditure on coast protection by local authorities to allow for urgently needed works to protect residential property following the extensive storm damage last winter. It would be offset by an equivalent saving on the urban programme.

Home Insulation

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to improve the availability of home insulation for citizens whose needs are apparent and can be easily proven, in an effort to reduce hypothermia.

To help those most obviously in need, grants of 90 per cent. of the cost of loft insulation up to a maximum of £90 have been introduced under the homes insulation scheme for the elderly on low incomes.

Housing (London)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what study he has made of the pamphlet

buildings has been suspended, but—where not already complete—continues elsewhere on the site. The Property Services Agency recently engaged a major new firm of consultant architects to supervise this work, and every effort is now being made, in consultation with the hospital authorities and the contractors, to bring the project to a satisfactory conclusion.

Older Properties (Repairs)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much public money if to be made available to local authorities to enable them to make grants for the repair of older properties in accordance with the Housing Act 1980.

Under both the housing investment programme (HIP) arrangements for the current year and the new system of capital allocations to be introduced on 1 April 1981, local authorities can decide for themselves what proportion of their allocation to use for repair grants.

Dapartmental Cash Limits

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes are proposed in the cash limits set for his Department in 1980–81.

With the agreement of my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, I propose the following changes:published by members of the London Boroughs Association on the subject of the housing problems of London.

I have read the report and will be discussing it with the London Boroughs Association.

Countryside Commission

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated budget for the next financial year for the Countryside Commission; and if he will make a statement on the Government's policy regarding the work of the commission.

I am considering the commission's financial requirements for next year and its future work but have no statement to make at present.

European Community

Spain

asked the Lord Privy Seal what discussion took place at the EEC Council held in Brussels on 24 to 25 November concerning the Spanish accession to the EEC; and if he will make a statement.

There was no substantive discussion at the Foreign Affairs Council. But the sixth negotiating session at ministerial level with the Spaniards was held in the margins. It was largely a formal meeting.

Membership Benefits

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether in future, in considering the trading benefits or otherwise of EEC membership, he will take care to pay particular attention to the underlying trend in trade and manufactures.

The Government will continue to take account of all aspects of trade, including that in manufactures, in considering the benefits of membership of the European Community.

Her Majesty The Queen (Visit)

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he gave advice to Her Majesty the Queen on the content of her remarks during her official visit to the European Economic Community Commission; and if he will make a statement.

Speeches by Her Majesty on official visits are made on the advice of her Ministers. The Government fully approved the text of the speech delivered during her visit to the European Commission.

Northern Ireland

House Building

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will release details of new build and rehabilitation housing schemes which will commence between the present and the end of March 1981 under the auspices of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Northern Ireland housing associations; and if this information can be provided on a housing regional basis as defined by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

The details of new build and rehabilitation housing schemes which will commence between the present and the end of March 1981 under the auspices of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive are a matter for the executive, and I have asked the chairman to reply to the hon. Gentleman.Approval has been given to registered housing associations for work to commence on site by 31 March 1981 on 17 new build schemes for 480 units and 23 rehabilitation schemes for 194 units as follows:

	New Build		Rehabilitation
NIHE Region	Schemes	Units	Schemes	Units
Belfast	5	168	17	160
North East	3	93	2	5
South East	4	114	—	—
South	2	27	3	11
West	2	45	1	18
North West	1	33	—	—

In addition, the Northern Ireland Co-ownership Housing Association Ltd. hopes to acquire by 31 March 1981 another 275 dwellings throughout Northern Ireland for disposal on an equity-sharing basis.

General Practitioners (Obstetric List)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision exists at present for general practitioners on the obstetric list in Northern Ireland to undertake refresher courses during their careers.

A refresher course in obstetrics is organised once a year by the Northern Ireland Council for Post Graduate Medical Education, but the main method for continuing education for general practitioners in obstetrics is by attachments of approximately two weeks' duration to a consultant obstetric unit. These attachments can be arranged at any time throughout the year in most units.

Young Persons (Detention Centres)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young persons held in detention centres in the Province have not been convicted of a criminal offence.

There are no detention centres in Northern Ireland; 24 untried young persons are currently held on remand in training schools and a further 23 in the young offenders centre.

Maternity Units

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many rationalised maternity units in Northern Ireland have a properly equipped special baby care unit staffed by experienced personnel.

The hon. Gentleman appears to be referring to paragraph 7.14 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality and Handicap in Northern Ireland, which defines rationalised maternity units as dealing with at least 1,500 births a year. There are six such units in Northern Ireland and each of these has properly equipped and staffed facilities for babies requiring special care.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of consultant maternity units in the Province, and their location.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to appendix 12 of the report of the Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality and Handicap in Northern Ireland, which was published on 28 October 1980, a copy of which is in the Library.

Unfit Homes (Rehousing)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action, if any, has been taken to require the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to ensure that families with infants living in statutorily unfit homes are rehoused as a matter of priority.

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

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Pentachlorophenol

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether there is any evidence that pentachlorophenol (PCP) or any product containing it is contaminated with tetrachlorodibenzodioxin or other dioxins; and to what extent pentachlorophenol is entering the food chain.

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) has been detected in meat and fish and sporadically in other foods. A major source of these residues is likely to be the use of treated wood used as shavings in bedding for farm animals and poultry. The traces of PCP detected are slight since PCP is readily broken down in soil and by animals.Commercial preparations of PCP may be contaminated by hexachlorodibenzodioxins, heptachlorodibenzodioxins and octachlorodibenzodioxin. There are no reports of the detection of 2, 3, 7, 8,-tetrachlorodibenzo p dioxin in PCP formulations.

(pence per pound)
	Home-killed
Week ending	Leg	Loin chops	Shoulder	Leg	New Zealand Loin chops	Shoulder
1980—
25 October	129	141	83	114	111	70
1 November	125	137	80	114	111	70
8 November	122	133	78	114	111	70
15 November	118	129	76	111	110	69
22 November	116	127	75	111	109	69
1979—
27 October	123	134	80	105	103	65
3 November	123	133	79	105	104	65
10 November	123	134	80	105	103	65
17 November	123	133	80	105	104	65
24 November	123	133	79	105	103	65
Source: Meat and Livestock Commission.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will bring up to date the table circulated in the Official Report in answer to a question concerning production &c. of sheepmeat in other European Economic Community countries.—[Official Report, 1 November, c. 234–6.]

	Indigenous production^*	Sheepmeat Imports (carcase meat only)†	Exports	Consumption‡
1978—
West Germany	18	29	9	46
France	147	47	1	202
Italy	37	18	..	67
Netherlands	18	2	13	5
Belgium/Luxembourg	4	15	..	19
United Kingdom	237	226	42	398

Fruit And Vegetables (Surplus)

askd the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the lists of nonprofit-making bodies, to be offered surplus fruit or vegetables free of charge in times of glut, are compiled.

These lists are compiled from information supplied by local authorities and by nonprofit-making bodies.

Sheepmeat

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the new sheepmeat regime was introduced; and if he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing the weekly average price of home-killed and New Zealand sheepmeat since that date compared with the corresponding figure in 1979.

The European Community sheepmeat regime came into force on 20 October 1980.The following table shows estimated average weekly retail prices in England and Wales of home-killed and New Zealand lamb from the beginning of the regime compared with the same period in 1979:

I presume that the hon. Member is referring to the Official Report, Vol. 974, c. 234–6. The completed 1978 table and provisional figures for 1979 are as follows:

	Indigenous Production^*	Sheepmeat Imports (carcase meat only)†	Exports	Consumption‡
Irish Republic	41	..	15	31
Denmark	..	3	—	3
Greece	80	12	—	92
1979—
West Germany	18	34	9	48
France	159	42	1	206
Italy	35	17	..	68
Netherlands	21	2	13	5
Belgium/Luxembourg	3	16	..	20
United Kingdom	240	208	39	394
Irish Republic	34	..	13	27
Denmark	1	3	..	3
Greece	80	12	—	92
^* Excluding meat equivalent of imported live animals but including that of exported live animals.
†Excluding re-exports.
‡Net domestic utilisation.
Source: European Commission.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the agreed ceiling for imports of New Zealand sheepmeat; and how this compares with imports in each of the three years immediately preceding United Kingdom membership of the European Economic Community.

Under the voluntary restraint agreement between the New Zealand Government and the Community, New Zealand will limit her annual sendings of sheepmeat to the Community to 234,000 tonnes. This figure will rise to 245,000 tonnes after Greek accession.The average level of the Community's imports from New Zealand in the last three years was 225,500 tonnes.New Zealand's exports to the nine countries now comprising the Community between July 1970 and June 1973 were as follows (1):

1970–71	318,839
1971–72	306,837
1972–73	278,702

(1) These figures are taken from official New Zealand statistics which are based on July-June marketing years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will bring up to date the figures circulated in the Official Report on 21 November 1979, columns 237–40, concerning sheepmeat prices.

The 1979 and 1980 (January to October) figures are as follows:

United Kingdom	1979	1980 (Jan-Oct Average) (a)
Average Market Price (£/tonne) (i)	1,392	1,376(b)
Wholesale Price (£/tonne) (ii):
Home Produced	1,428	1,398
New Zealand	1,149	1,237
Landed Price (£/tonne) (iii):
Irish Republic	1,160	1,030
New Zealand (c)	1,068	973
Retail Price Index (1970=100) (iv):
Mutton/Lamb	403	420
All items excluding foodstuffs	291	345
Consumption per head of mutton and lamb (1970=100) (v)	82	89(d)

Notes:

(a) Provisional.

(b) January-August only.

(d) January-June only

Sources:

(i) Average market price under Fat Sheep Guarantee Scheme (estimated dressed carcase weight).

(ii) Smithfield prices. Reuters quotations.

(iii) United Kingdom Trade Statistics.

(iv) Retail Price Index, Department of Employment.

(v) National Food Survey

Eggs

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what would be the cost of altering the rules on importing eggs into the United Kingdom to the effect that all eggs so imported should be stamped with the country of origin so that the consumer can differentiate between home-produced and imported eggs; and if he plans to discuss such an alteration with other European Economic Community countries.

The Community regulations relating to the marketing of eggs require cartons of eggs produced and graded within the Community to indicate the packing station at which they were packed. The cost of altering the rules would depend amongst other things on the number of eggs subsequently traded and could vary from one packing station to another. I have no plans at present to discuss alterations on the lines suggested with other member countries of the European Community.

European Community (Currency Units)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will circulate in the Official Report a table bringing up to date the figures circulated on 21 November 1979, Official Report, c. 229–30, concerning the difference between the green market rates for each currency.

The percentage differences, based on exchange rates on 24 November, are set out below. These are not the same as those used in the calculation of the monetary compensatory amounts.

	per cent.
Germany	+7·25
Netherlands	+0·95
Belgium/Luxembourg	-1·20
Denmark	-1·48
Ireland	-3·82
France	-1·31
Italy	-4·75
United Kingdom	+8·76
NOTE. Where a country has more than one green rate in operation, the most general one has been used.

Thames Flood Barrier

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his most recent estimate of the cost of, (a) the Thames flood barrier and (b) the associated wall raising; and when he expects each to be completed.

the June 1980 estimates were:

(a) Thames barrier £409·5 million.

(b) Other defence works £267·8 million.

The barrier is expected to become operational by December 1982 and the majority of bank-raising schemes and other associated works should also have been completed by that date.

Fishing Vessels (Fuel Subsidy)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now make arrangements to pay a fuel subsidy to United Kingdom fishing vessels on the lines of the fuel subsidy paid by the French to their industry.

The Government remain of the opinion that, since oil is a scarce resource, economies in its use should be secured by allowing the market to determine prices.

	1977 £ million	1978 £ million	1979 £ million	1980 (January-October) £ million
(a) European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (Guidance Section: Grants)	2·0	6·1	2·5	5·8
(b) European Social Fund (Grants)	7·9	4·6	6·8	9·9
(c) European Regional Development Fund (grants)	6·5	17·1	21·7	32·6
(Percentage of United Kingdom Quota)	(12%)	(17%)	(13%)	(22%)
(d) European Coal and Steel Community:
(i) Conversion loans	1·0	80·4	13·7	25·1
(ii) Housing loans	—	0·7	—	—
(iii) Industrial loans	—	16·0	—	—
(iv) Readaptation grants	1·1	3·4	1·6	7·8
(v) Research grants	0·2	0·2	—	—

Rural Areas (Designation)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales which local authorities asked for all or part of their areas to be considered as rural areas under secton 19 of the Housing Act 1980; and which of those areas which were specifically requested to be designated as rural areas by the local authories he did not designate as such.

In addition to the authorities specified in my reply of 24 June to the hon. Member, Swansea CC and Ogwr BC also applied for designation.—[Vol. 987, c. 121.1 No part of any area

Wales

Employment Transfer Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many individuals in each travel-to-work and employment office area in Wales obtaining permanent employment beyond normal daily travelling distance of their homes have been refused assistance under the employment transfer scheme in the past two years, listed on a three-monthly basis.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information is not available.

European Community (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for the last three years for which figures are available the amount of European Community funds spent in Wales from (a) the agricultural guidance section of the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund, (b) the European social fund, (c) the European regional development fund, stating also this figure as a percentage of the total United Kingdom quota, and (d) the European Coal and Steel Community, stating the figures for conversion schemes, housing schemes and industrial projects.

Identifiable Community assistance to projects in Wales which has been committed in each of the last three full calendar years and in the first 10 months of 1980 is given below. In addition, Wales has benefited from assistance committed from these sources to national schemes from which the regional element cannot be separately identified.Following is the information:requested for designation by a local authority was so designated outside the districts of Preseli, South Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Aberconwy, Arfon, Dwyfor, Ynys Mon and Meirionnydd, and within those districts the following requested areas were not designated:The communities of Fishguard and Goodwick, Haroldston St. Issells, Narberth, Pembroke, Aberystwyth, Llanbadarn Fawr, Lampeter, Cardigan, Ysbyty Ystwyth, Gwnnws Issa, Upper Gwnnws, Lower Lledrod, Upper Lledrod, Caron-Uwch-Clawdd, Caron-Is-Clawdd, Llanddewi Brefi, Blaenpennal, Llangeitho, Llanbadarn Odwyn, Gwynfil, Betws Leucu, Nantcwnlle and Gartheli, Llandudno, Bangor, Llanfairisgaer, Caernarfon, Lianrug, Bethesda, Pwllheli, Porthmadog, Penrhyndeudraeth, Holyhead, Llangefni and Barmouth; those parts of communities of Llanfairfechan, Penmaenmawr, Conwy, Llanrwst, Ffestiniog and Tywyn which are not within the Snowdonia National Park and that part of the community of Menai bridge which is not within the Anglesey area of outstanding natural beauty.

Student Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report, on a yearly basis since 1973, the Welsh figures in the following categories: (i) the number of pupils leaving school, (ii) the

	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79
Number of pupils leaving school	39,660	40,080	40,850	43,560	44,145	44,875
Number of leavers who sat GCE 'A'—level examinations	6,820	6,680	7,260	7,410	7,280	7,600
Number of leavers entering full-time further and higher education^*:
Teacher training courses	1,310	1,370	750	490	325	410
Other full-time courses	6,790	8,020	8,910	9,735	9,505	9,810
^* Includes entrants to advanced and non-advanced courses at universities, polytechnics and further education establishments.

National Mobility Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had regarding the establishment of a national mobility scheme.

A national mobility scheme already exists. The employment transfer scheme provides grants and allowances to people who are unemployed or under threat of redundancy and who move beyond daily travelling distance of their homes to take up new employment.

Unfit Dwellings

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many unfit houses were (a) repaired and (b) renovated in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979 and for the three quarters of 1980.

The classification requested is not available, but the number of unfit dwellings made fit in Wales is given below:

1976	1,244
1977	789
1978	585
1979	650
1980 (first 9 months)	374

One-Parent And Single Households

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of households in Wales is one-parent or single households; and what proportion is projected for the years 1986 and 1991.

It is estimated that 21 per cent. of households in Wales are one-parent or single person households. Projections on a comparable basis are not available.

Households (Age Statistics)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of households in Wales is over 65 years; and what proportion is projected for the years 1986 and 1991.

number of pupils leaving school after sitting the G.C.E. A-level examination, (iii) the number of students entering polytechnics, universities and colleges of higher education, excluding those entering for teacher training and (iv) the number of students entering teacher training courses, excluding the postgraduate certificate in polytechnics and colleges of higher education.

The available information is as follows:

It is estimated that 28 per cent. of heads of households in Wales are over 65 years old. Projections on a comparable basis are not available.

Language Unit

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff worked in the Welsh Office's language unit a year ago; how many work there now; and what responsibilities those officials who have been moved from the Department had.

The Department has no "language unit". Five staff were employed in the Welsh Office translation unit on 1 November 1979 and on 1 November 1980.

Housing Stock

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the latest figures for (a) the total housing stock in Wales, (b) the total number of dwellings that are unfit, expressed both numerically and as a percentage of (a), (c) the total number of dwellings, in addition, which lack basic amenities, expressed both numerically and as a percentage of (a), (d) the number of new dwellings that used to be constructed in order to replace dwellings which have reached the end of their habitable life, in the current year, and (e) the number of new dwellings that are being started in the current year.

The figures are given below:

(a) 1,060,000 dwellings (at the end of March 1980).

(b) 100,000 dwellings representing 10 per cent. of the stock (from the 1976 Welsh house condition survey).

(d) Not available.

(e) 6,171 dwellings were started in the first nine months of 1980.

Loft Insulation

Thomas asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in the Official Report the allocation made to each local authority in Wales for the purpose of loft insulation grants for those in special need, as laid down in paragraph 13 of circular 12/80 and 27/80.

The allocations made to individual local authorities are as follows:

	£
Aberconwy BC	7,000
AfanBC	5,000
Alyn & Deeside DC	6,000
Arfon DC	6,000
Blaenau Gwent DC	8,000
Brecknock BC	4,000
Cardiff CC	28,000
Carmarthen DC	5,500
Ceredigion DC	7,000
Colwyn BC	8,000
Cynon Valley BC	7,000
Delyn DC	5,000
Dinefwr BC	4,000
Dwyfor DC	4,000
Glyndwr DC	5,000
Islwyn DC	6,000
Llanelli BC	9,000
Lliw Valley BC	7,000
Meironnydd DC	4,000
Merthyr Tydfil BC	6,000
Monmouth DC	6,000
Montgomery DC	5,000
Neath BC	7,000
Newport BC	12,000
Ogwr BC	11,000

Children in care at 31 March 1979
County	Under 1	1–4	5–9	10–15	16–17	Over 17	Total
Clwyd	11	59	102	253	135	21	581
Dyfed	12	43	58	162	79	2	356
Gwent	22	58	109	354	191	5	739
Gwynedd	8	41	63	118	79	4	313
Mid Glamorgan	22	125	166	501	258	10	1,082
Powys	2	8	15	34	16	1	76
South Glamorgan	12	84	195	485	264	4	1,044
West Glamorgan	6	73	118	312	177	5	691
WALES	95	491	826	2,219	1,199	52	4,882

Foster Children

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many privately fostered children there were in each of the counties of Wales for the latest available year.

The number of privately fostered children in Wales as at 31 March 1980, the latest date for which information is available, is as follows:

Clwyd	28
Dyfed	10
Gwent	3
Gwynedd	4
Mid-Glamorgan	17
Powys	29
South Glamorgan	40
West Glamorgan	1
Wales	132

Boundary Commission (Special Community Review)

asked the Secretary for State for Wales for which local government districts in Wales the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales has completed its special community review in accordance with schedule 10 to the Local Government Act 1972.

	£
Preseli DC	7,000
Radnor DC	2,000
Rhondda BC	9,000
Rhuddlan DC	7,000
Rhymney Valley DC	8,000
South Pembs DC	4,000
Swansea CC	19,000
Taff Ely BC	7,000
Torfaen BC	8,000
Vale of Glamorgan BC	10,000
Wrexham Maelor BC	10,000
Ynys Mon BC	6,000
Total	279,500
The remaining £21,500 of the £0·3 million allocation is available to meet the claims of local authorities for the administrative costs incurred in carrying out the scheme.

Children In Care

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many children were in care in each of the counties of Wales; and what was the age structure of such children for the latest available year.

The information is as follows:

for the districts of Aberconwy, Afan, Arfon, Cardiff, Colwyn, Cynon Valley, Dwyfor, Glyndwr, Islwyn, Llanelli, Merionnydd, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath, Newport, Ogwr, Radnor, Rhondda, Rhuddlan, Swansea, Taff-Ely, Vale of Glamorgan, Wrexham, Maelor and Ynys Mon—isle of Anglesey.

Rural Areas

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what criteria he uses in the designation of a "rural Area", as termed in section 19 of the Housing Act 1980; and if the incidence of spoken Welsh in a particular area is a criterion which is considered in the designation.

No statutory criteria are laid down. My first priority was to make the right to buy as unrestricted as possible, and particular attention was paid to the continued viability of rural communities, many of which are predominantly Welsh speaking.

Welsh Health Council

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether the members of the Welsh Health Council referred to in paragraphs 40 to 44 of "The Structure and Management of the National Health Service in Wales" will be chosen by the Secretary of State and appointed so as to represent various sections of expertise in the National Health Service;(2) whether the membership of the proposed Welsh Health Council will include democratically elected persons from local government in Wales; and, if so, how many;(3) what will be the relationship between the proposed Welsh Health Council and his Department; and what machinery will exist to ensure that the influence of the new body upon policy making in his Department will be effective.

Decisions on the proposed Welsh Health Council and its composition, method of appointment and relationship with the Welsh Office will be taken after my right hon. Friend has considered the comments received on "The Structure and Management of the National Health Service in Wales".

Alcoholism And Alcoholic Psychosis

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were admitted to mental illness hospitals and units with a primary or secondary diagnosis of alcoholism or alcoholic psychosis in each area health authority in the last year for which figures are available.

The ninth revision of the International Classification of Diseases replaced the broad term "alcoholism" by two more specific groups—alcohol dependence syndrome and non-dependent abuse of alcohol. It seems likely that the latter will identify cases not previously recorded under "alcoholism", making comparisons of these figures with earlier years impossible.The numbers of admissions to mental illness hospitals and units in Wales in 1979 with the stated primary or secondary diagnosis, were as follows:

AHA	Alcoholic psychosis, alcohol dependence syndrome	Non-dependent abuse of alcohol	Total
Clwyd	194	93	287
Dyfed	84	1	85
Gwent	131	24	155
Gwynedd^*	—	—	—
Mid-Glamorgan	131	19	150
Powys	8	14	22
South Glamorgan	153	18	171
West Glamorgan	75	14	89
Wales	776	183	959
^* There are no mental illness hospitals or units in Gwynedd.

Education And Science

School Governing Bodies

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when it is his intention to implement the sections of the Education Act 1980 enabling parents to be appointed to school governing bodies; and if he will make a statement.

The provisions of the Education Act 1980 relating to school government, including the representa- tion of parents and teachers on school governing bodies, will be brought into effect in the early part of 1981. They will apply initially to new schools and to schools for which a new instrument of government is made after the appointed day.

Maternity Retention Pay

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers have claimed 12 weeks' maternity retention pay.

The information is not centrally available, and its assembly would involve inordinate cost.

Teachers (Contracts Of Employment)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will seek statutory powers to change the contracts of employment of teachers and head teachers.

Contracts of employment of teachers are essentially for agreement between their unions or associations and their employers—principally the local education authorities. My right hon. and learned Friend does not employ teachers.

Burnham Committee

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if it is his policy that the level of representations of trade unions in the Burnham committee should reflect as far as possible the level of membership in unions representing members of the teaching profession; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend considers that numbers of members in employments within the purview of the Burnham committees are important, but not paramount.

Teachers (Salaries)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 12 November, if he will state which two schools have teachers whose salaries are paid for by parental contributions; what are the teachers' duties in each case; what is the cost to the parents in each case; in what circumstances the parents decided to pay the teachers' salaries; and if he will make a statement.

The schools are Lewknor county primary school in Oxfordshire and Eastry county primary school in Kent. The teacher at Lewknor is a full-time primary school teacher. Following a drop in pupil numbers in 1979, the school's staffing entitlement fell from a head teacher plus two teachers to a head teacher plus 1·3 teachers. A trust was set up, financed by parents, a local firm and a national magazine, to pay 0·7 per cent. of the cost of employing a second teacher on a full-time basis. The annual cost to the trust is £4,340. At Eastry, the teacher is a music teacher working 3½ hours per week. The post was cut from the beginning of the current school year and the teacher is now paid privately from money raised by the parent teacher association. The cost to individual parents is not known in either case.

Overseas Students

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what effects the revised scales of fees have had on the numbers of overseas students (a) continuing their training in the United Kingdom and (b) embarking upon new courses in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that information is not yet available. However, my Department is carrying out a special exercise to collect early statistics on overseas students in the maintained sector of further and higher education in England and Wales for the academic year 1980–81, the first year in which full-cost fees apply. The results of this exercise are expected by the end of the year and should provide separate estimates of new entrants and continuing students. A parallel exercise in respect of the universities is being carried out by the University Grants

Teaching Staff in Local Education Authorities
	Numbers (thousands)			Per thousand FTE school pupils
Year	Full-time	Part-time	Full-time equivalent	Full-time	Part-time	Full-time equivalent
1960	277	14	284	40	2	41
1965	304	32	319	42	4	44
1970	340	47	362	42	6	45
1975	443	50	466	49	5	51
1978	466	39	483	51	4	53
1979	472	39	489	52	4	54
1980	469	39	487	53	4	55

The figures are not completely comparable throughout the period and include elements of estimation for earlier years. The derived ratios therefore give indications of trends rather than provide precise measurement.

Ancillary Staff

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the numbers of full-time, part-time and total full-time equivalent ancillary staff in the maintained sector of education overall and per pupil in the

Non-Teaching Staff in Local Education Authorities
Year	Numbers (thousands)			Per thousand FTE school pupils
Year	Full-time	Part-time	Full-time equivalent	Full-time	Part-time	Full-time equivalent
1965	144	254	N.A.	20	35	N.A.
1970	181	370	N.A.	22	46	N.A.
1975	222	490	433	24	54	47
1978	213	497	427	23	54	47
1979	214	503	430	24	56	48
1980^*	201	483	409	23	55	46
^* Provisional.

Certificate Of Secondary Education

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the effect of social security provisions on the number of candidates who take certificate of secondary education examinations; what replies he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

Committee. The results of these exercises will provide stastistical comparisons with the academic year 1979–80, but any differences observed may not be due solely to the effect of the revised fees.

Teaching Staff

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the numbers of full-time teaching staff, part-time teaching staff and total full-time equivalent teaching staff in maintained schools overall and per pupil in maintained schools on 1 June 1960, 1 June 1965, 1 June 1970, 1 June 1975, 1 June 1978, 1 June 1979 and 1 June 1980.

Relevant figures are available only for January in the years stated. These are given below. They refer to maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in England and Wales.maintained sector of education on 1 June 1960, 1 June 1965, 1 June 1970, 1 June 1975, 1 June 1978, 1 June 1979 and 1 June 1980.

The following is the available information, which is in respect of England and Wales. The non-teaching staff numbers include staff employed in further education establishments, while pupil numbers relate to schools only. Consequently, the ratios per thousand pupils are higher than is appropriate to schools only. It is estimated that the difference would now amount to about four in the last column of the table.

The Department has recently received a number of letters on this subject. Before replies are sent, my noble Friend the Minister of State is considering whether there is any action which the Department could usefully take at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will take steps to alter the CSE regulations to allow the examinations to be taken by those who have left school at Easter, bringing them into line with the regulations for O-level examinations.

Regulations for CSE examinations are in the first instance the responsibility of regional examining boards. My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to suggest changes at present, but consideration will have to be given to reconciling differences before the introduction of a single system of examinations at 16-plus.

Defence

Army Reservists

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the 48,000 Army reservists who have been asked to report to military centres under the scheme to speed up the time for mobilising the country's immediate reserves in an emergency have been issued with arms and live ammunition.

None.

Chiefs Of Staff (Powers)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will specify the nature of decisions which may be made by the military Chiefs of Staff and those which require his endorsement as Secretary of State.

The Chiefs of Staff, as members of the Defence Council and senior professional military advisers, are among those who contribute to decision-making in the Ministry of Defence and to whom I delegate according to the nature of particular subjects and activities. But I am ultimately responsible for all decisions made in my Department.

Military Personnel (Transportation)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent large-scale transportation of British forces is dependent on American or other foreign military equipment not directly under their control.

British forces are not dependent for large-scale transportation on American or other foreign military equipment.

Rapier Missiles

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what support he has given to British efforts to sell Rapier missiles to Japan; and what prospects he sees of success.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertford and Stevenage (Mr. Wells) on 25 November.

Woolwich Arsenal

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what negotiations his Department has undertaken about the possible siting of a prison on land at Woolwich Arsenal; what has been the outcome; and if he will make a statement.

The Property Services Agency has told the Ministry of Defence of the Prison Department's interest in acquiring land for a new prison in the eastern part of Woolwich Arsenal, but no decisions have yet been made on this matter.

Menwith Hill, Harrogate (Member's Visit)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why he has refused permission to Mr. Duncan Campbell to accompany the hon. Member for Keighley on a proposed visit to Menwith Hill, Harrogate.

The hon. Member for Keighley was given a personal invitation to visit Menwith Hill as a special facility for a Member of Parliament. It is not normal practice to include Members' guests in such invitations.

Defence Expenditure

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the £200 million savings on defence expenditure announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 24 November.

Decisions have not yet been taken on how the £200 million reduction is to be effected.

Sting Ray

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what overseas markets are being examined for possible sales of Sting Ray torpedoes; and what restrictions exist to such sales so that the claimed advantages of Sting Ray are confined to British forces and their allies.

It is not the practice to reveal details of individual defence sales or potential sales, but a number of possible overseas markets for the Sting Ray torpedo are being explored. Security considerations are among the many factors which will be taken into account before any sales of Sting Ray are permitted.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that the financial risk being carried by Marconi Space and Defence Systems Ltd. in the development of the Sting Ray torpedoes will not prevent this development.

The terms of the contract concluded with Marconi Space and Defence Systems Ltd. in November 1979 were negotiated with this in mind.

Manpower

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the reduction of civil servants in the Ministry of Defence from May 1979 to date expressed in numbers and as a percentage.

During the period 1 May 1979 to 1 November 1980, the number of United Kingdom-based civil servants employed by the Ministry of Defence—including Royal ordnance factories—was reduced by 13,152 or 5·3 per cent. There was also a reduction of 1,872 or 5·0 percent. in the number of locally engaged civilians overseas during the period 1 May 1979 to 1 October 1980, which is the latest date for which this information is available.

General Sir Harry Tuzo

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether General Sir Harry Tuzo sought permission to join Marconi Space and Defence Systems Ltd.; what conditions were laid down before permission was granted; and to what extent General Tuzo was involved with advice, development and policy decisions on the company's Sting Ray torpedo when he was a serving officer.

General Sir Harry Tuzo applied for permission to join MSDS after retirement from the Army. Permission was granted by the then Prime Minister, the right hon. Member for Cardiff, South-East (Mr. Callaghan), after the application had been considered by his advisory committee under the chairmanship of Lord Diamond. Since Sir Harry's Service appointments had been of an operational nature and he had not been involved with procurement, design, or any other equipment matters, it was not considered necessary to lay down any conditions.

National Finance

Stamp Duty

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he proposes to take in the light of the extra expense being incurred by those currently seeking to purchase their council houses by reason of the fact that stamp duty falls to be ascertained on the pre-discount value of the dwelling and not the post-discount price thereof; and whether he will make a statement.

Following the discussions of which my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction spoke in replying to a question on 12 November, we accept that the stamp duty law should be changed so that those buying public sector dwellings at a discount—either under the right to buy provisions of the Housing Act 1980, or the Tenants' Rights etc. (Scotland) Act 1980, or under a consent issued by the appropriate Secretary of State—should pay stamp duty on the actual price—that is, post-discount—they pay for their house. My right hon. and learned Friend intends to include a provision to that end in next year's Finance Bill for the approval of the House. It is intended to give effect to the change as soon after next year's Budget day as is practicable. As the duty is payable on the document which completes the transaction, people will be able to make an application to buy their house before Budget day and still benefit from the change.

Public Sector and Non-Financial Private Sector Borrowing
Public sector borrowing requirement^ Of which*
	Total	Central government		Local authorities
	£ million	£ million	(Percentage of PSBR)	£ million	(Percentage of PSBR)
1975
First quarter	1,506	956		523
Second quarter	3,089	2,391		604
Third quarter	2,483	2,253		205
Fourth quarter	3,406	2,745		297
1975	10,484	8,345	(80)	1,629	(15)

Money Supply And Prices

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table bringing up to date the quarterly information concerning increases in the money supply and prices in the principal industrial countries circulated in the Official Report on 27 November 1978 in response to a question from Mr. Bryan Gould.

The basic information required to revise and update the figures of money supply and prices supplied on 27 November 1978 to Mr. Bryan Gould can be obtained from the publications described below.Money supply. For the United Kingdom—sterling M3—the latest estimates are given each month in table 7.1 in

Financial Statistics. For the other countries, the latest estimates based on the IMF's M2 definition are given each month in the individual country pages in International Financial Statistics, (Money (row 34) plus quasi-money (row 35)).

Wholesale and retail prices. The latest estimates for all countries are given in International Financial Statistics (rows 63 and 64 respectively of the individual country pages).

The qualifications regarding the use of the data in making comparisons between countries given in the previous answer still apply.

Government Expenditure

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of total Government expenditure has been devoted to defence, education, health and social security, respectively, at five-year intervals from 1950–51 to date, including the planned outturn for 1980–81.

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

Borrowing

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the level of borrowing for each month since January 1975 by nationalised industries, local authorities, other specified borrowers in the public sector; and what percentage each of these amounts represented of the public sector borrowing requirement.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 November 1980]: The available information is as follows:

Public sector borrowing requirement^ Of which*
	Total	Central government		Local authorities
	£ million	£ million	(Percentage of PSBR)	£ million	(Percentage of PSBR)
1976
First quarter	1,608	1,414		188
Second quarter	2,922	2,204		274
Third quarter	2,259	1,655		279
Fourth quarter	2,338	1,513		362
1976	9,127	6,786	(74)	1,103	(12)
1977
First quarter	1,00	572		463
Second quarter	2,085	1,803		-256
Third quarter	943	210		269
Fourth quarter	1,967	1,884		-293
1977	5,995	4,469	(75)	183	(3)
1978
First quarter	599	534		709
Second quarter	2,217	2,659		-136
Third quarter	2,297	2,259		154
Fourth quarter	3,218	2,919		-68
1978	8,331	8,371	(100)	659	(8)
1979
First quarter	1,465	247		1,003
Second quarter	3,345	3,797		-267
Third quarter	3,825	2,842		666
Fourth quarter	3,929	3,510		330
1979	12,564	10,396	(83)	1,732	(14)
1980
First quarter	-1,199	-1,950		1,397
Second quarter	4,835	4,587		574

				Non-financial private sector borrowing
	Public corporations		Industrial and commercial companiest†		Personal sector‡
	£ million	(Percentage of PSBR)	£ million	(Percentage of PSBR	£ million	(Percentage of PSBR)
1975
First quarter	27		1,052		355
Second quarter	94		653		835
Third quarter	25		576		667
Fourth quarter	364		1,102		1,515
1975	510	(5)	3,383	(32)	3,392	(32)
1976
First quarter	6		617		960
Second quarter	444		1,610		1,131
Third quarter	325		1,249		1,090
Fourth quarter	463		1,580		1,784
1976	1,238	(14)	5,056	(55)	4,965	(54)
1977
First quarter	-35		1,363		1,090
Second quarter	538		1,596		1,375
Third quarter	464		946		1,289
Fourth quarter	376		1,382		2,160
1977	1,343	(22)	5,287	(88)	5,914	(99)
1978
First quarter	-644		1,579		1,598
Second quarter	-306		1,402		1,961
Third quarter	-116		804		1,762
Fourth quarter	367		1,703		2,487
1978	-699	(-8)	5,488	(66)	7,808	(94)

				Non-financial private sector borrowing
	Public corporations		Industrial and commercial companies†		Personal sector‡
	£ million	(Percentage of PSBR)	£ million	(Percentage of PSBR	£ million	(Percentage of PSBR)
1979
First quarter	215		2,227		2,023
Second quarter	-185		2,507		2,775
Third quarter	317		608		2,853
Fourth quarter	89		1,173		2,809
1979	436	(3)	6,515	(52)	10,460	(83)
1980
First quarter	-646		2,486		1,970
Second quarter	-326		2,589		2,728
^* See Financial Statistics Tables 2.3 and 2.5
†See Financial Statistics Table 9·		October 1980 issue.
‡See Financial Statistics Tables 10.2 and 10.3
+ = Net borrowing.
- = Net repayments.
Monthly information is not available for most of the figures requested. Borrowing information available only for public corporations as a whole (nationalised industries are not distinguished). The sources quoted give details of types of borrowing and other financing transactions; for definitions see the Financial Statistics Explanatory Handbook 1980 edition.

National Debt

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will circulate a table in the Official Report showing the increase in the national debt since May 1979 and the amount of interest paid on this additional debt in a full year in cash terms and as a percentage of gross domestic product.

Details of the national debt in May 1979 were not compiled. The most convenient date to take is 31 March. Total national debt at 31 March 1979 was £86,885 million. The provisional total for 31 March 1980 is £95,327 million. Because of the number, timing and variety of different borrowing instruments that constitute the national debt, it is not possible separately to identify interest paid on all additional national debt incurred during a year. However, an approximate indication of the information sought by the hon. Member is given by our forecast that the interest payable in the current financial year on the national debt outstanding on 31 March 1980 will be £9,885 million, £1,595 million more than the equivalent figure for the financial year 1979–80. This increase represents 0·8 per cent. of the 1979–80 gross domestic product at market prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the monthly total of interest paid on the national debt; and how this figure compares with the same month in each of the past five years.

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

British Petroleum (Shareholding)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the Government's position regarding the purchase in 1975 by the Bank of England of the Burmah Oil Company's British Petroleum shareholding.

The Burmah Oil Company Limited has instituted legal proceedings against the Bank of England for relief in respect of this sale. The Government do not consider it proper to intervene between the two parties to this action and we believe that the legal processes should be allowed to run their course in the normal way.

Royal Mint

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer who are the present members of the Royal Mint advisory committee; when this committee last met and what items were under discussion; how often the committee has met in the last five years; what is the attendance record of members; and what is the annual cost of the committee both in the current year, and during the previous five years.

The members of the Royal Mint advisory committee are at present:

His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh (President)
Dr. D. Gerhard, Deputy Master and Comptroller (Chairman)
Sir John Betjeman, CBE, C Litt
Will Carter Esq.
Sir Hugh Casson, MR, PRA, RDI, FRIBA, FSIA.
Miss E. Frink, CBE, RA
Milner Gray Esq, CBE, RDI, PPSIA, AGI
Professor J. R. Hale, FBA
Sir Robin Mackworth-Young, KCVO
J. Porteous Esq.
Sir Peter Scott, CBE, DFC
Dr. C. H. V. Sutherland, CBE, D Litt, MA, FBA
Sir Anthony R. Wagner, KCB, KCVO, D Litt, MA, FSA

The committee last met on 12 June 1980. Matters under discussion at meetings are considered to be of a confidential nature and it is not appropriate to publish details. The committee has met nine times during the past five years but some work is conducted by post. Members of the committee give their time voluntarily and it is not, therefore, in these circumstances, considered appropriate to reveal details of attendance records. The costs of the committee, both in the current year and in the previous five years, were negligible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a separate Royal Mint report providing the data to coin collectors, dealers and those with an interest in the products of the Royal Mint in the form as last available in 1977.

No. That form of annual report was discontinued with the Royal Mint annual report for 1976–77. Subject to considerations of cost and commercial confidentiality, the Royal Mint will be publishing production data in a new format.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the Commonwealth countries for which the Royal Mint is striking the £1 coins.

The Royal Mint does not disclose details of orders executed for foreign and Commonwealth Governments without approval from the appropriate issuing authorities. It would, therefore, be inappropriate to publish details of the countries for which £1 coins are being struck at the Royal Mint.

Capital Transfer Tax (Agricultural Land)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether, in view of the continuing inflated price of agricultural land, he will consider so amending the law relating to capital transfer tax that the latter shall be assessed upon the productive, and not the open market, value of any such land;(2) whether, in view of the continuing inflated price of agricultural land, he will consider increasing the working farmer relief currently available against capital transfer tax from 50 per cent, to 75 per cent.;(3) whether he will consider the introduction of a new general relief against capital transfer tax in the case of transfers of agricultural land within the same family.

I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestions.

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 17 November.

I attended the Finance Council, which met under Luxembourg presidency, in place of my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.The main business of the Council was to agree a negotiating position for the Community in the forthcoming meeting of participants to the consensus on terms for medium and long-term export credit. The negotiating mandate agreed was based on an immediate increase in minimum interest rates of 1 per cent. for rich and intermediate countries and of 0·6 per cent. for poorer countries, and we agreed to hold further discussions in 1981 on the arrangements for fixing minimum interest rates. Ministers also exchanged views on the economic, financial and monetary issues likely to be raised at the meeting of the European Council on 1 and 2 December.Following the discussion of recycling at the October Council, the Commission presented to the Council a draft regulation amending the Community loan mechanism, the Community's recycling facility. The Council remitted the Commission proposal to the committee of permanent representatives for consideration and will revert to it at a later date.The Commission also made a statement on its communication to the Council on energy and economic policy. The Council will consider the communication at its December meeting.

European Community Budget (United Kingdom Contribution)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the budget of the EEC in (a) the calendar year 1980 and (b) the calendar year 1981.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will show separately all schemes which are partially funded by the EEC under the scheme to refund United Kingdom contributions, showing the amount of EEC funds and United Kingdom Government funds, the date of the scheme first being sanctioned and the date of EEC funds being sanctioned for each specific scheme.

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

Public Sector Pay

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his estimate of the total public expenditure cost of the pay of local authority, Health, Service and central Government employees in the fiscal year 1980–81 on the assumption that all settlements made and implemented between 12 November and 4 April 1981 were at the average rate of (a) 6 per cent., (b) 10 per cent. and (c) 15 per cent.;(2) what is his estimate of the total public expenditure cost of the pay of local authority employees, Health Service employees and central Government employees in the fiscal year 1981–82 on the assumption that all settlements made and implemented between 12 November 1980 and 4 April 1982 were at the average rate of (

a) 6 per cent., ( b) 10 per cent. and ( c) 15 per cent.

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

Clearing Banks (Taxation)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps to impose an excess profits tax on the clearing banks.

As I said during the debate on the Finance (No. 2) Bill on 3 June—[Vol. 985, c. 1282–86]—to introduce a discriminatory tax on the profits legitimately earned of one particular sector of the economy requires a strong case to be made. I was unconvinced of the justification for such a tax during the current financial year, but the possibility remains under review.

Pension Schemes

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will circulate in the Official Report an estimate showing the proportion of (a) manual workers and (b) staff covered by occupational pension schemes in the private sector and in the Civil Service, respectively, in 1950, 1960, 1970 and at the latest available date.

I have been asked to reply.Information is not available in the form requested, but the following estimates of occupational pension coverage may be helpful.

	Millions
	Private sector		Civil Service
	Manual	Staff	Industrial	Non-industrial
1956	2·35	1·95	0·32	0·38
1963	3·90	3·30	0·25	0·41
1971	3·00	3·80	0·20	0·50
1979	6·20	^*	0·16	0·55
^* Separate figures not available.

Shipbuilding Industry

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total sum allocated from public funds to the shipbuilding industry since nationalisation, divided under appropriate headings and separating Harland & Wolff from British Shipbuilders.

	BS	H&W	Private sector	Total
	£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million
Harland and Wolff	—	47	—	41
Intervention fund assistance and other grants	70	—	3	73
Public dividend capital	236	—	—	236
Shipbuilders relief	^*	^*	^*	31
Cost escalation insurance	^*	^*	^*	2
389
^* Division of costs between groups is not readily available.

In addition, payments of £21 million have been made under the shipbuilding redundancy payment scheme. Interest support costs of £118 million have been paid in respect of loans advanced to United Kingdom shipowners under the shipbuilding home credit scheme.

European Community Budget

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the payment of 80 per cent. of the rebates due for 1980 from the European Economic Community by April 1981 is dependent on a fishing agreement being negotiated with the European Economic Community.

[pursuant to his reply, 24 November 1980]: No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what redress is available to the United Kingdom if the appropriate European Economic Community committees do not approve sufficient projects in time to enable 80 per cent., of the rebates due in respect of 1980 to be paid by April 1981; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 24 November 1980]: I would prefer not to speculate about what action we might take in the hypothetical situation my hon. Friend describes, which I believe is very unlikely to arise.

Nationalised Industries (Financial Assistance)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish for each year since 1970–71 the total level of Government support at 1980 constant prices to the nationalised industries, including a forecast for outturn of the year 1980–81.

I have been asked to reply.Between 1 July 1977 and 31 March 1980 the following assistance has been paid to the shipbuilding industry.

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

National Insurance Contributions

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the increase in the standard rate of income tax necessary to match the expected yield from the increase in national insurance contributions announced on 24 November; and what would be the additional income tax payable by a married man with two children and average mortgage payments earning £6,000, £6,500, £7,000, £7,500, £8,000, £8,500, £9,000, £9,500, £10,000, £10,500, £11,000, £11,500, and £12,000 per annum, respectively.

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

Unemployed Persons (Benefit)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current annual cost to public funds of each unemployed worker.

The annual cost to public funds of each unemployed worker depends on a number of factors, including the sex, marital status, and benefit entitlements of the unemployed worker; the level of earnings he would receive if he were in employment; and whether he would be employed in the public or private sector. Without making specific assumptions on these and other factors, it is not possible to provide estimates of the cost.

Volume 994: debated on Thursday 27 November 1980

Written Answers To Questions

Education And Science

Student Unions

Maternity Retention Repayment Scheme

Iranian Students

Independent Colleges Of Education

Overseas Development

Jamaica

Trade

Public Companies (Directors' Fees)

Air Ticket Sales

Eec-Efta (Tariff Arrangements)

Dumping

House Of Commons

Members' Pensions And Salaries

Civil Service

Manpower

Northern Ireland

Hunger Strike (Maze Prison)

Sheep Exports (Ritual Slaughter)

Unemployment

Housing Expenditure

Security Forces

Terrorism

De Lorean Cars Limited

Prime Minister (Engagements)

Bingham Inquiry

High Technology Exports

European Commission Of Human Rights

Tuc

Cabinet Documents

Regional Development Grants (Scotland)

Macclesfield

Gross Domestic Product

Nuclear Warfare

Textile Industry

Scotland

Employment Transfer Scheme

Scottish Development Agency (Staff)

Elphinstone Community Hall

Football Matches (Police Attendance)

Heart Surgery

Stonefield Vehicles Limited

Schools (Assisted Places Scheme)

Public Service Pensions

Home Department

Young Offenders

Newspaper Advertising (Bugging Devices)

Strangeways Prison

Mentally Disordered Prisoners

Nuclear Warfare (Survival)

Immigrants (Medical Examinations)

Football Matches (Police Attendance)

Hospitals (Paging Systems)

Tameside (Police Recruitment)

Woolwich Arsenal

Open Channel Radio

Vhf Television Transmissions (Frequency Bands)

Hospital Fires

County Councils (Electoral Arrangements)

Energy

Fuel Prices

Electricity And Gas Disconnections

Nuclear Power Installations

Industry

Regional Development Grants

Special And Training Grants

Manufacturing Industry

Tameside

Capital Goods

National Enterprise Board

Stalybridge, Hyde And Glossop

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

British Embassy, Jordan

El Salvador

Middle East

Falkland Islands

Employment