asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made on the gas-gathering pipeline project.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will report progress on the creation of the North Sea gas-gathering system.

On 31 October I received from the gas-gathering organising group an interim report. It confirmed that good progress has been made on land and permit acquisition, engineering design, and related matters; and that completion by 1984–85 can still be achieved. The report contained recommendations, which I have approved, that the organising group work towards the formation of an interim pipeline company by no later than the end of March 1981.Meantime, work is being financed through joint venture arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will discuss with United Kingdom delegates to the fourteenth World Gas Conference in Toronto the conclusions drawn by the conference.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so, but I have been in touch with the British Gas Corporation about this conference and communicated the views of the Government on BGC's representations there.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will use his powers under the Electricity Acts to call for information from the Central Electricity Generating Board as to the methods the board uses to transport nuclear waste products.

No. My right hon. Friend and I receive adequate information on these topics from the board through normal channels, as does my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Transport, who has primary responsibility for the safety of the methods used.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the chairman of the National Coal Board to discuss future investment in the coal industry.

I meet the chairman of the NCB frequently to discuss all aspects of the board's affairs.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to introduce further legislation to provide incentives for energy conservation.

The Government's Energy Conservation Bill received its First Reading in another place on 26 November and was published on 27 November.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress made in implementing the Marshall committee's proposals for combined heat and power.

The Government's programme of work to test the feasibility of combined district heating and power generation in specific locations is progressing well. Relevant information has been provided by the local authorities which have expressed an interest in participating. This is now being evaluated, with a view to an announcement being made in the New Year of the five or six areas where further work will be undertaken.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what adjustment he proposes to make to the planned nuclear power programme, in the light of the reduction in forecasts in electricty demand.

New nuclear capacity of the order that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced last December is expected to be required by the end of the century even on low demand projections. As he said in his statement of last December, the Government believe that there must be continuing nuclear power station orders if our long-term energy supplies are to be secured.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many coal fluidised-bed systems are now operating in the United Kingdom; and how many are being constructed.

There are about 20 fluidised bed boilers and furnaces presently operating in industrial situations in the United Kingdom; some 15 more are believed to be under construction.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is satisfied with the provision made by the electricity supply industries for the decommissioning of retired nuclear power stations.

The CEGB has made a general provision since 1976 to meet the eventual costs of decommissioning its nuclear power stations, and that £25 million was charged to the board's revenue account for this purpose in 1979–80. Decommissioning costs cannot yet be accurately predicted and the provision will be revised as knowledge develops.The electricity supply industry in Scotland is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will seek powers to require the National Coal Board to engage an independent mining engineer to comment upon any proposal to close a colliery, in any case where this is opposed by the trade unions concerned.

No. Colliery closures are a matter for the National Coal Board in consultation with the unions. The NCB and the NUM have a long established colliery review procedure operating at area level, whereby the performance of all collieries in the area is reviewed each quarter, and those collieries which may have to be closed are identified. Before a colliery is closed, the unions are fully consulted through this procedure, and can, if they wish, ultimately appeal to the board at national level.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether his Department has completely discarded the possibility of using in the United Kingdom the Canadian design heavy water reactor CANDU for electricity generation.

The advice that I have received from the nuclear and electricity supply industries is that for the United Kingdom, the CANDU system does not offer any overall advantage as compared to alternative reactor systems. I am satisfied that it would not be in the interest of our nuclear power programme to have yet another change of direction in thermal reactor policy at this stage.

Prices of Petroleum
	Typical retail prices (pence/gallon)						Average industrial fuel prices (£/tonne)
	4 Star*	Derv*	Gas oil†	Standard grade burning oil†	RPI all items (excl. fuels January 1973=100		Heavy fuel oil‡	Gas oil‡	Crude oil (average cif price)	WPI materials (excl. crude oil and carbonising coal)
January 1973	35·0	34·0	10·3	11·4	100·0
January 1974	42·0	41·5	15·4			Q1 1974	23·6	43·2	27·5	100·0
January 1975	73·0	56·0	23·9	23·0	131·4	Ql 1975	38·8	55·0	36·3	106·0
January 1976	77·0	62·0	29·4	29·5	163·4	Q1 1976	41·5	63·0	46·8	131·0
January 1977	80·0	78·0	35·9	37·3	191·1	Q1 1977	53·3	76·1	58·7	167·1
January 1978	76·0	84·0	39·5	39·1	211·0	Q1 1978	52·8	80·6	52·8	160·4
January 1979	79·0	84·0	39·5	39·1	231·7	Q1 1979	51·5	83·4	54·8	179·0
January 1980	120·0	126·0	58·3	58·6	271·5	Q1 1980	88·6	134·7	101·0	196·2
Est. Oct. 1980	129·0	138·0	70·4	71·0	297·8	Q3 1980	91·1	154·9	106·8	191·2
* Department of Energy retail price survey.
† Typical prices in London area for deliveries of 2,275 litres and 900 litres of gas oil and standard grade burning oil respectively.
‡Based on a survey of 800 large industrial consumers which commenced in 1974.
Q1=first quarter; Q3=third quarter.

"Real" Prices of Petroleum
	Typical retail prices (deflated by RPI [All items except fuels])				Average industrial fuel prices (deflated by WPI materials [exclusive crude oil and carbonising coal]
	4 Star	Derv	Gas oil	Standard grade burning oil		Heavy fuel oil	Gas oil	Crude oil
January 1973	35·0	34·0	10·3	11·4
January 1974	37·4	37·0	13·7	13·7	Q1 1974	23·6	43·2	27·5

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what funds are now standing in the national oil account; and what is the extent of transfers to the Consolidated Fund during the past year.

The closing balance of funds in the national oil account on 30 November was £219·9 million. Since 1 December 1979 there has been one transfer to the Consolidated Fund of £800 million, on 31 March 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the real price of petroleum for each year since 1973; and what has been the price expressed in money terms.

The following tables show typical retail and average industrial prices for a range of petroleum products and for crude oil (cif price). Retail prices relate to January of each year since 1973. Industrial prices are on a quarterly basis from 1974, when the relevant survey commenced.The retail prices have been deflated by the general index of retail prices for all items excluding fuel to produce a series for 'real' prices. A similar set of real prices for the industrial sector has been produced using the wholesale price index for materials excluding coal for carbonising and crude oil. The overall petroleum product wholesale price index exclusive of duty increased by 266 per cent. from the first quarter 1974 up to the third quarter 1980 at current prices. This increase is equivalent to a 91·3 per cent. increase in 'real' terms.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the percentage of North Sea oil production refined in the United Kingdom in each year since 1974.

	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979
Thousand Tonnes	—	924	8,049	21,673	28,317	38,317
Percentage	—	82·8	69·8	58·1	53·6	49·9

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of total North Sea oil reserves; what percentage this represents of world reserves; what are these estimated total North Sea oil reserves worth at 1980 prices; what has been the output from these fields each year since 1970; what is forecast each year to 1985; and what is the United Kingdom domestic consumption in each of these years.

Remaining recoverable reserves of oil in the United Kingdom continental shelf at the end of 1979 were estimated to be in the range of 2,000 million to 4,200 million tonnes. This represents approximately 1 to 2 per cent. of world reserves. At the current oil price the United KingdomPrimary fuel consumption of petroleum in the United Kingdom was:

1970	103·7
1971	104·7
1972	111·3
1973	113·7
1974	106·4
1975	93·3
1976	92·5
1977	92·9
1978	94·0
1979	94·0
1980	(82·0)
(estimate)

Forecasts of consumption are not available for the period requested.Figures on output are already set out in a written answer to the hon. Member of today.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce which local authorities have been selected for further investigations into their potential as lead cities in a future combineed heat and power district heating scheme.

The disposals to United Kingdom refineries of North Sea crude oil both in tonnage terms and expressed as percentages of North Sea crude oil production follow:

An announcement will be made in the new year.

asked the Sectetary of State for Energy whether, in considering which local authorities to designate as possible sites for possible district heating schemes, he will take into account the commitment to such a scheme of all political parties on Liverpool city council, the high level of unemployment on Merseyside and the advantages of natural geography and land ownership in Liverpool which will assist the laying of mains pipes.

The recommendations of the consultants advising on the selection of five or six areas for further work under the Government's CHP feasibility programme will be based primarily on technical and economic considerations. But the Government will also take into account the factors set out by the hon. Member when making its decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made in the current review of the gas and electricity industies' code of practice on disconnections; and if he will make a statement.

This review is being carried out by the Policy Studies Institute and is sponsored by British Gas, the Electricity Council and the industries' consumer councils. An interim report has now been delivered to the sponsors. The final report will be produced next year. The interim report points out the importance of prepayment meters as a means of helping people to avoid disconnection. It also suggests that the blind, severely sick and disabled are quite often numbered amongst those who have fuel debts or are disconnected. I have already had discussions with the industry on the interim report, and I am glad to tell the House that it has agreed to amend the code of practice to make clear that prepayment meters are now more readily available, provided installation is safe and practical and to emphasise that people who are blind, severely sick and disabled and who have problems with fuel bills, should contact the fuel industries for advice.The report also draws attention to the danger of inadvertent breach of the code when supplies are disconnected from a point outside the consumer's home without a warrant and when no adult is on the premises. The industries will in such circumstances take precautions to ensure that the code is fully observed. More generally, the Government have also asked the fuel industries to ensure that staff at all levels are familiar with the code and observe it fully.The industries have launched a winter advertising campaign about easier payment methods and these will continue during the coming months. The industries emphasise that the best way of avoiding disconnection is to contact them at once if there is likely to be difficulty in paying a bill, and not to wait until the bill arrives.The Department of Energy has published a leaflet giving a quick guide to the various forms of help and advice available on heating costs. This can be obtained through the coal, gas and electricity industries, Citizens' Advice Bureaux and other organisations. Over half a million copies of the leaflet have already been distributed, 100,000 of them in the past week alone. The Department will print more copies as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what conclusions were reached at the meeting of the Council of Energy Ministers on 27 November.

The Council of Energy Minsters had a useful exchange of views about the oil supply situation and other energy issues.On the oil supply situation, Ministers concluded that there was no overall shortfall and that price increases in the oil markets were unjustified in present circumstances. Minister expressed their determination to do everything possible to prevent tension on the oil markets in the coming months. Provided other industrialised consumer countries did likewise, the member States undertook to ask oil companies to use stocks in excess of regular reserve obligations; to take all necessary measures, in conjunction with oil companies, to prevent import prices varying from normal prices, or to ask the oil companies to refrain from making abnormal purchases; to encourage adjustment of supplies to correct imbalances posing particular problems for some member states; to encourage oil saving and oil substitution; and to support domestic production at a high level.Ministers noted a Commission communication on oil product spot markets which assessed studies made on spot market transactions in 1978 and 1979. After discussion, it was agreed there should be further consideration of a Commission proposal to extend regulation on the registration of crude oil and oil product imports.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if the full benefits of high standards of thermal insulation will be taken into account in his studies on combined heat and power.

The studies already published relating to the work undertaken for energy paper No. 35 either assumed high but achievable levels of insulation or attempted to identify the economic optimum level of insulation. The CHP feasibility programme will estimate the heat load for specific uses in actual buildings, and consider how increased levels of insulation might affect this load.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in the Official Report those documents which he has released under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act within the 30-year time limit.

I have no power under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act to release documents within the 30-year period.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the number of exploration wells which have been or will be drilled in British territorial waters in 1980 and the number drilled in each of the last 10 years.

Between 33 and 35 exploration wells are estimated to be drilled or started on the United Kingdom continental shelf in 1980. The number of exploration wells drilled on the United Kingdom continental shelf in each of the last 10 years is as follows:

1970	22
1971	24
1972	33
1973	42
1974	67
1775	79
1976	58
1977	67
1978	37
1979	33

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how much he estimates it costs to keep a count of the representations made to his Department on a specific subject; and why it should be disproportionately expensive to announce the number of such representations;

Since June this year over 750 representations have been made to my Department on energy prices. This number does not include letters replied to at official level or indirectly referred to me by other Departments. Taxation matters are, of course, a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer and I have received only five representations which make fuel Excise duty their main concern. Many representations refer to several types of energy or fuel products and cross-referencing each case to each subsidiary subject would be a disproportionately costly use of limited staff resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what have been the annual depleton rates for offshore oil and gas each year since 1970; what is planned each year to 1985; and what estimate is made of how long the oil and gas will last.

Offshore oil and gas production from 1970 to date is as follows:

	oil million tonnes	natural gas billion cubic metres
Total to end
1970	—	18·6
1971	—	18·3
1972	—	26·5
1973	—	28·9
1974	—	34·8
1975	1·1	36·3
1976	11·6	38·4
1977	37·3	40·3
1978	52·8	38·5
1979	76·5	39·2
1980 (expected)	(80)	(38)

Latest forecasts of oil production (including onshore) are:

	million tonnes
1981	85 — 105
1982	90 — 120
1983	95 — 130
1984	95 — 135
1985	Not available

Gas production forecasts are not available.Production of oil and gas from the United Kingdom continental shelf is expected to last: well into the next century.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many new oil and gas finds have been made each year since 1970.

The numbers of significant^* oil and gas discoveries in each year since 1970 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State, for Energy what sums have been borrowed against future oil revenues each year since 1970; and what sums are expected to be borrowed against these revenues each year to 1985.

Several private sector oil companies have financed the development of North Sea fields by borrowing against future oil revenue. Information about such borrowings is usually available in the company's annual accounts.Within the public sector, the British National Oil Corporation raised $825 million under a forward oil purchase agreement with Britoil Inc in 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the average price of oil each year since 1970.

The following table gives typical retail and average industrial prices for a range of petroleum products and for crude oil (cif price). Prior to 1974 the price of heavy fuel oil for industrial consumers was obtained from a variety of sources and may not be consistent with the results of a quarterly departmental survey which commenced in 1974. Gas oil prices to industry prior to 1974 are not available.

Prices of oil
	Typical retail prices (pence gallon)
	4 star*	Derv*	Gas oil†	Standard grade burning oil†
January 1970	33	32	8·0	8·9
January 1971	34	33	8·7	9·5
January 1972	35	34	9·8	10·7
January 1973	35	34	10·3	11·4
January 1974	42	41·5	15·4	15·4
January 1975	73	56	23·9	23·0
January 1976	77	62	29·4	29·5
January 1977	80	78	35·9	37·3
January 1978	76	84	39·5	39·1
January 1979	79	84	39·5	39·1
January 1980	120	126	58·3	58·6
Estimate October 1980	129	138	70·4	71·0

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time the annual, quarterly or other convenient stated period the actual or estimated increased earnings on a national basis; and what the salary of hon. Members would be to date if their salaries had increased on the same national percentage basis.

For the decade to 1980 the increases in national average earnings, based on full-time male employees in the new earnings survey, have been as follows:

Average weekly earnings of men aged 21 and over in full-time employment whose pay was not affected by absence
	percentage increase over previous April
April 1971	10·9
April 1972	11·4
April 1973	14·1
April 1974	13·9
April 1975	27·4
April 1976	18·1
April 1977	9·5
April 1978	13·2
April 1979	13·7
April 1980	22·4

If the cumulative percentage increase between 1970 and 1980 is applied to the 1970 parliamentary salary of £3,250—inclusive of expenses—it becomes £13,620.Changes in average weekly earnings will, however, reflect factors other than changes in basic rates of pay, such as changes in overtime working, payments from incentive and bonus schemes, and changes in the structure of employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those reports from Royal Commissions, official departmental committees or from ad hoc advisory groups established by his Department which have been published during the past 10 years by his Department—either totally or jointly with other Departments—and which have yet to be debated in the House.

The number of reports falling into these categories and published during the last 10 years are too numerous to list in the Official Report, and I shall be writing to the hon. Member to provide him with the information. Whether each of these many reports has been debated in the House could not be ascertained without incurring disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures for the North-West.

At 13 November the number of people registered as unemployed in the North-West region was 311,952.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what adjustments would be needed in each of the limits listed in the draft statutory instrument, the Employment Protection (Variation of Limits) Order 1980, to restore them to their values at the time of introduction.

The weekly earnings limit for redundancy payments was fixed at £40 in 1965. An increase to approximately £180 would be necessary to keep in line with increases in the retail price index to September 1980. The earnings limit for the insolvency provisions and for basic awards under the unfair dismissal provisions of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 has, since their introduction, been the same as that applied to redundancy payments.The limit for guarantee pay was fixed initially at £6 per day in February 1977. Based on the RPI increase to September 1980, a current figure of £9 would have the same value.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report details showing the number of male and female persons, respectively, aged over and under 18 years registered as unemployed in each of the regions of the United Kingdom; and what percentage these figures represent of the insureable population in each region.

The following table gives the numbers of males and females aged 18 years and over and under 18 years registered as unemployed in each region of Great Britain and in Northern Ireland at 9 October, the latest date for which an age analysis is available. It also gives percentage rates of unemployment for males and for females of all ages, but rates are not available regionally for the separate age groups specified.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report those documents which he has released under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act within the 30-year time limit.

My right hon. Friend has no power under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act to release documents within the 30-year period; and the Lord Chancellor has not been requested to release any documents within that period.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will give the dates over the last three years when allowances paid to training opportunities scheme trainees have been increased;(2) when he intends to increase allowances payable to trainees under the programmes for which he is responsible;(3) whether he proposes to keep the allowances payable to trainees for which his Department is responsible in line with the increase in social security benefits announced on 24 November.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission—MSC—that allowances paid to trainees under the Training Opportunities Scheme—TOPS—have been increased in November in each of the last three years at the same time as benefit rates. However, since last year the allowances paid under TOPS have been under review by the Manpower Services Commission and in the light of this review the Commission has decided to introduce a new simplified structure of allowances, which will come into operation in April 1981. Under the new scheme, MSC will continue to offer levels of allowance which will be higher than unemployment benfit, to which training allowances have specifically been linked in the past; but the new structure lays particular emphasis on setting rates which reflect training priorities. The existing scheme will be maintained for all trainees entering training before 1 April 1981. The allowance paid to those supported on the Youth Opportunities Programme—YOP, which commenced in April 1978, was also increased in November 1978 and November 1979. It is not proposed to increase the allowance paid to young people on the YOP programme, which next year will be focussed on 16-and 17-year-olds, and it remains at £23·50

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, for each of his training programmes, what was the net saving in the financial year of not increasing allowances payable to trainees in line with the rates of increase given over the past three years.

The savings which will accrue if allowances paid under the training opportunities scheme are not increased this financial year in line with unemployment benefit, as has been the case in the last three years, are estimated at about £2·2 million between November 1980 and April 1981.The saving in 1980–81 from not increasing the YOP allowance in line with the previous rate of increase is £2·8 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what measures are planned under the Government youth opportunities programme for job creation for young people in (a) Wolverhampton and (b) the West Midlands in 1981.

The youth opportunities programme provides work experience and training schemes rather than job creation. Area plans for 1981–82 will not be finalised until the new year, but the range of scheme types available nationally under the programme in 1980–81 will continue to be offered on a larger scale in 1981–82. Plans are not broken down below special programmes area level.The following types of scheme are currently available in Wolverhampton and the West Midlands:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what sums will be allocated to (a) Wolverhampton and (b) the West Midlands for each of the job creation schemes run by his Department in 1981; and how this compares with the sums for the current financial year.

Annual plans for special programmes for the unemployed—the special temporary employment programme for certain unemployed adults and the youth opportunities programme for unemployed young people—are prepared by the 28 area boards which cover convenient geographical areas. These are not properly described as job creation schemes.I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the Birmingham area board, which has jurisdiction over the West Midlands, has in common with all others throughout Great Britain, no budget of its own. Budgets were allocated to area boards as part of the planning process during the first year of operations of special programmes. For the second and subsequent financial years area boards have been asked to prepare plans which would meet the needs of unemployed young people in terms of both scale and type of provision. No financial limitations are imposed at area level. The plan submitted by the Birmingham board for 1980–81 was approved, and revised plans have been submitted. Area boards have not yet submitted plans for 1981–82.The Community Industry—CI—scheme, which is separate from YOP and STEP but which provides temporary employment for disadvantaged young people, has no unit in Wolverhampton. However, the scheme has two units — areas — in the West Midlands, one at Birmingham and the other covering Coventry-Nuneaton. It is estimated that the cost of running the Birmingham unit during 1980–81, excluding those costs borne by the local authority in the provision of accommodation, tools ind equipment, will be some £450,000. The estimated cost of the Coventry-Nuneaton unit for 1980–81, excluding local authority expenditure, is £390,000. Thus, the estimated cost of CI in the West Midlands for 1980–81 is some £840,000.The Secretary of State has announced plans to increase CI's national complement by 1,000 places, from 6,000 to 7,000 places. CI has yet to make its proposals to the

Full-time manual employees in production industries (excluding coal mining) and some services*
	Average weekly earnings (£)
	October 1948	October 1979	Increase over period (per cent.)	Average annual rate of increase (per cent.)
Men aged 21 and over	6·90	96·94	1,305	8·9
Women aged 18 and over	3·71	58·24	1,470	9·3
* Transport and communication (except railways and sea transport), certain miscellaneous services and public administration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the total number of registered unemployed in the Walsall travel-to-work area and the percentage of unemployed each year from 1971 onwards, including the figures so far for 1980.

The following table gives for the Walsall travel-to-work area the numbers registered as unemployed and the percentage rates of unemployment, where available, at November each year.

November each year	Number	Percentage rate
1971	6,144	4·1
1972	5,423	3·5
1973	3,201	2·0
1974	*	*
1975	8,459	5·5
1976	*	*
1977	9,532	5·6
1978	9,404	5·6
1979	10,037	5·9
1980	19,347	11·4
*Not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of registered disabled persons in the (a) Walsall travel-to-work area and (b) West Midlands region who are unemployed; and what were the figures for May 1979.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current surplus in the maternity pay fund.

At 31 October 1980 the fund had a surplus of £47·7 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the overall increase in average earnings since 1948.

The available information is as follows:introduction 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 his Department's estimate of the number of people out of work in the latest unemployment figures who have been unemployed for one full calendar year; and what is his Department's estimate of the number of people contained in this figure who generally could be described as being in the process of changing jobs.

At 9 October, the latest date for which an analysis by duration is available, there were 401,114 people in the United Kingdom who had been registered as unemployed for over 52 weeks.Whilst some of these people may be expected to obtain jobs in due course, they would not generally be thought of as being in the process of changing jobs. This would apply much more to the unemployed of short duration. For example, on 9 October there were 176,394 people who had been unemployed for up to 2 weeks and 341,116 unemployed for up to 4 weeks. A substantial proportion of these people could be expected to obtain jobs quickly. In all some 265,000 people currently leave the unemploymnent register every month, mostly for jobs or training. However, there would also be a significant proportion who would remain unemployed for a longer period.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently employed in the following industries in the Macclesfield constituency as an average for 1980 so far: (a) man-made fibres production, spinning, doubling and weaving and filament yarn processing, (b) woollen and worsted, Knitting, (c) carpets, (d) finishing, (e) clothing and (f) other textile sectors.

This information is not available. Employment information for local areas was not collected in 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the percentage of the British work force working in the sector of textiles and clothing at the latest convenient date.

At June 1980, the latest date for which information is available, 3 per cent. of all employees in employment in Great Britain were employed in the textiles and clothing industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the fact that many smaller companies are unable to take advantage of the temporary short-time working scheme, he will seek to reduce the minimum threshold for qualification from the intention to make 10 or more workers redundant to five or more; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what representations he has received regarding the allocation of non-working days under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will change the rules of the temporary short-time working compensation scheme to make it more flexible with regard to allocating non-working days in specific divisions of four/four and five weeks;(3) what study he has made of the difficulties that are being caused to some firms by his Department's insistence that the allocation of non-working days under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme must be used in specific divisions of four/four and five weeks; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs are estimated to have been produced as a result of North Sea oil production each year since 1970.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers in the onshore private sector of the gas industry have been made redundant during the past three years.

[pursuant to his reply, 4 December 1980]: The information requested is not available. I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the number or redundancies so far confirmed as due to occurr in the gas industry as a whole between December 1977 and November 1980 is 359. These figures related to redundancies involving 10 or more employees at establishments engaged in the production and distribution of gas.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether the Government's 6 per cent, cash limits for public servants' increases in incomes will apply to the pensions drawn by former Prime Ministers, former Speakers, former Lord Chancellors and those drawn by former hon. Members who are now Members of the House of Lords; whether this 6 per cent, will apply to other payments drawn by these persons from public funds; and whether he will make a statement.

Public service pensions were increased by 16·5 per cent, on 24 November 1980, subject, in the case of former Prime Ministers, Speakers and Lord Chancellors, to a limit of the present office-holder's prospective pension. Any increases in other payments from public funds would reflect what is agreed to be appropriate in the light of the circumstances of the time.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will take steps to arrange for the earnings rule cut-off as applied to national insurance pensions to be applied to all pensions paid out of public funds and commence on the basis of this being applied to former hon. Members, Prime Ministers, Lord Chancellors, former Speakers and ex-civil servants.

Such a provision is not a feature of general occupational pension policy and I see no reason to include it in the abatement arrangements for public service pensioners. Pension practice in the private sector is a matter for individual employers.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when copies of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act will be available to hon. Members and the public.

Publication is expected to take place in London on 10 December 1980.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if, pursuant to the Official Report, 23 July, c. 494, he will make a statement on his efforts to look for improvements in the way in which Civil Service pay is determined and the future of the Pay Research Unit.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Lord President of the Council opened discussions with the Council of Civil Service Unions on 1 August about the Government's proposed improvements to the Civil Service pay research system for the longer term. The Civil Service pay agreement has been suspended for the 1981 pay settlement, but the Government have told the unions that they want the discussions to continue. We shall be considering the future work of the unit in the light of decisions on Civil Service pay for the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will circulate in the Official Report a list showing the substantive legislation within his sphere of responsibility which has been enacted under section 2 of the European Communities Act and which would cease to have effect if that section were to be repealed.

The current statutory instruments made under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 for which the Department of Trade has responsibility are:

• The Authorised Unit Trust Schemes Regulation 1976 (SI 1976/195)
• The Insurance Companies (Classes of General Business) Regulations 1977 (SI 1977/1552)
• The Insurance Companies (Solvency: General Business) Regulations 1977 (SI 1977/1553)
• The Insurance Companies (Authorisation and Accounts: General Business) Regulations 1978 (SI 1978/720)
• The Lloyd's (General Business) Regulations 1979 (SI 1979/956)
• The Insurance (Transfer of General Business) Regulations 1980 (SI 1980/956)
• The Calibration of Tanks of Vessels (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1975 (SI 1975/2125)
• The Units of Measurement Regulations 1976 (SI 1976/1674)
• The Alcoholometers and Alcohol Hydrometers (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1977 (SI 1977/1753)
• The Measuring Container Bottles (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1977 (SI 1977/932)
• The Pre-packaging and Labelling of Wine and Grape-must (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1978 (SI 1978/463)
• The Units of Measurement Regulations 1978 (SI 1978/484)
• The Taximeters (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1979 (SI 1979/1379)
• The Units of Measurement Regulations 1980 (SI 1980/1070)
• The Measuring Instruments (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1980 (SI 1980/1058)
• The Units of Measurement (No. 2) Regulations 1980 (SI 1980/1742)
• The Aerosols Dispensers (EEC Requirements) Regulations 1977 (SI 1977/1140)
• The Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties (Postponement of Collection) Regulations 1978 (SI 1978/77)
• The Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties (Postponement of Collection) (Amendment) Regulations 1978 (SI 1978/598)

If section 2 were repealed, all these regulations would fall.The following statutory instruments were made partially under section 2:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the total value of textile imports and exports for the years 1970 to 1980.

The available information is as follows:

United Kingdom Trade in Textiles
	£ million
Year	Imports cif	Exports fob
1970	274	465
1971	346	488
1972	400	522
1973	557	706
1974	751	891
1975	733	830
1976	977	1,093
1977	1,200	1,358
1978	1,541	1,411
1979	1,794	1,540
January-October 1980	1,377	1,340

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will make a statement on Anglo-Taiwanese trade; and how the representation of British industry there compares with that of other countries.

Britain's trade with Taiwan is small but growing and British business men are becoming increasingly interested in this market. Many British firms have representatives in Taiwan, and the role of the ATTC with offices in London and Taipei is to promote bilateral trade primarily by assisting visiting British business men. The scale and effectiveness of British business representation compares favourably with other European countries but is smaller than the corresponding American and Japanese organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the total number of bankruptcies in England and Wales, and Scotland, respectively, in each quarter since June 1979, and breaking down the figures into appropriate industrial classifications.

Figures of bankruptcies in England and Wales, including such industrial analysis as is available, are published regularly in British Business, the latest article being in the 24 October issue, pages 359 to 361. Total figures for Scotland are given below. I regret that no industrial classification is available.

Awards of sequestrations*
1979
3rd quarter	30
4th quarter	37
1980
1st quarter	50
2nd quarter	33
3rd quarter	29
* sequestrations apply to individuals and partnerships and are roughly equivalent in Scottish law to bankruptcies in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will consider making an exemption for ships of less than 500 tons from the compulsory use of Trinity House pilots and where the competence of their masters in navigation and a knowledge of the coastal waters they sail in can be established.

Under the Pilotage Act 1913 and the Merchant Shipping Act 1979, pilotage authorities, of which Trinity House is one, may promote byelaws making pilotage compulsory for certain vessels. Trinity House is currently promoting byelaws with such provisions for several of the pilotage districts for which it is the authority. These byelaws will require my consent before they come into effect, but first I will seek the advice of the Pilotage Commission on their merits. It would be wrong for me to consider amendments to the byelaw proposals before I have had that advice.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many orders for ships were placed by British shipowners in 1980; and what has been the annual order rate for the past 10 years.

The information is as follows:

Merchant ships (100 gross registered tons and over) ordered for United Kingdom registration
	Number of ships	Gross registered tons 000s
1970	345	8,113
1971	127	2,862
1972	157	2,633
1973	288	6,207
1974	220	1,433
1975	69	338
1976	90	499
1977	102	434

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the cost in July 1980 in respect of a single mid-morning landing and subsequent take-off by a Boeing 747, assuming a passenger load of 365 and including all landing, handling, navigation, security and any other charges, at the following airports: (a) London (Heathrow), (b) London (Gatwick), (c) Charles de Gaulle, (d) Frankfurt, (e) Amsterdam (Schipol), (f) Brussels, (g) Copenhagen, (h) Rome (Finicino) and (i) Zurich.

It is not possible to provide the information requested, as some of the charges will vary according to the commercial arrangements the airline concerned has made for such matters as ground handling. For a notional comparison of traffic charges at most of these international airports, I refer my hon. Friend to the material provided on pages 68 and 69 of the annual report and accounts of the British Airports Authority, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list in the Official Report those documents which he has released under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act within the 30-year time limit.

My right hon. Friend has no power under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act to release documents within the 30-year period; and he has not requested the Lord Chancellor to release any documents within that period.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how much pentachlorophenol (PCP) has been imported into the United Kingdom on an annual basis in the last five years.

I have been asked to reply.The following quantities of pentachlorophenol (PCP) have been imported into the United Kingdom during the last five years:

Year	Kg.
1976	5,005
1977	85,945
1978	261,245
1979	796,598
1980 (January to September)	506,436

asked the Attorney-General if he will list those reports from Royal Commissions, official departmental committees or ad hoc advisory groups established by his Department or the Lord Chancellor's Department which have been published during the past 10 years by his Department—either totally or jointly with other Departments—and which have yet to be debated in the House.

No reports were published by my Department in the years 1971 to 1980. The reports published in the same period for which the Lord Chancellor's Department is responsible and which have not been debated in the House of Commons are:

• Ormrod Committee on Legal Education (Cmnd. 4595) March 1971;
• Hutton Committee of Inquiry into the Public Trustee Office (Cmnd. 4913) March 1972;
• Faulks Committee on Defamation (Cmnd. 5909) March 1975;
• Cantley Working Party on Personal Injuries Litigation Procedure (Cmnd. 7476) March 1979;
• Benson Royal Commission on Legal Services (Cmnd. 7648) October 1979.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make available the Telex facilities at present existing in the Palace of Westminster to hon. Members for incoming services only; and if he will list the number in the Library in order that it can be used by hon. Members.

I regret that it is not possible to extend the very limited Telex facilities available, for the reasons which have already been sent to my hon. Friend earlier this year by the Chairman of the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many former Prime Ministers, Lord Chancellors and former Speakers are drawing pensions from public funds; what is the total amount so drawn at the latest stated date; and whether any of these recipients also draw payments from public funds additional to these pensions.

As at 24 November 1980, there are eight pensions in payment to former Prime Ministers, Lord Chancellors and Speakers of the House of Commons, at an annual cost of £106,598. These pensions may be subject to abatement if a salary is drawn from public funds, except in the case of former Prime Ministers, and Speakers receiving a parliamentary salary. At present three former Prime Ministers are entitled to draw an abated

Lord Chancellor's Instrument No.	Date	Subject	PRO references
55	April 1980	Royal Commission on Legal Services	LCO 19 pieces 1, 3–103, 116–138

The Lord Chancellor will write to the hon. Member if any documents which are primarily the concern of persons other than Ministers have been released within the 10-year period since May 1979.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list in the Official Report those documents which he has released under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act within the 30-year time limit.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to make a statement on the report of the Library Council (England) on the future development of libraries.

I replied to the Library Advisory Council's first report on this subject, which dealt with the organisational and policy framework for developments, in August. A copy of my reply has been placed in the Library of the House and I am sending a copy to the hon. Member. My office is at present engaged in wide-ranging consultation to follow up my response. I hope to receive the council's second report, which will deal with technological developments in library and information services and with the possibilities for co-operation and coordination, during 1981.

asked the Paymaster General if he will list in the Official Report those documents which he has released under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act within the 30-year time limit.

My Department has not released to the Public Record Office any documents within the 30-year time limit.

asked the Attorney General if he will list in the Official Report those documents which he and the Lord Chancellor have released under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act within the 30-year time limit.

The hon. Member will find listed in replies to other questions asked by him documents which the Lord Chancellor has released within the 30-year period at the request of other Ministers since May 1979. I have made no such request. The Lord Chancellor has released the following documents which fall within his own departmental responsibility:

I have no power under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act to release documents within the 30-year period; and I have not requested the Lord Chancellor to release any documents within that period.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list in the Official Report those documents which she has released under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act within the 30-year time limit.

Since the 1979 general election, the following Cabinet Office records have been released:

Title	PRO Ref. No.
World War I—Military Histories
East Africa, Vol. II:
Miscellaneous Correspondence 1939–52	CAB 45/74
Occupation of the Rhineland:
Comments and Correspondence 1943–57	CAB 45/32
Persia:
Correspondence and Enquiries about Publication	CAB 45/100
Committee on the Preparation of Legislation
Minutes and Memoranda 1973–75	CAB 135/65–78

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much has been paid to the Institute for Contemporary Arts for the current financial year 1980–81.

The Arts Council grant to date to the ICA in the current financial year has been £230,000.

asked the Prime Minister who is to succeed Lord Plowden as chairman of the Police Complaints Board when his appointment expires at the end of the year.

I am glad to say that Professor Sir Cyril Philips, currently chairman of the Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure, has accepted my invitation to become chairman of the Police Complaints Board. He will succeed Lord Plowden with effect from 1 February 1981. Lord Plowden has been chairman since the board was established, and I take this opportunity to pay tribute to his most valuable services.

asked the Prime Minister what representations she has received concerning the impending closure of the Howden glucose factory; and what reply she has sent.

I have received one letter signed by a number of employees at the Howden glucose factory. A reply will be sent shortly.

asked the Prime Minister if she will confirm that on no account will she agree to any further source of EEC own resources financing in addition to Customs duties, agricultural levies and "per cent." value added tax.

The Government are determined that the 1 per cent. VAT ceiling should not be exceeded. Furthermore, we are not prepared to agree to increases elsewhere in own resources which would have a similar effect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the representations received in response to the discussion document on open channel has advocated that the service should be introduced on a frequency lower than 928 MHz; and when he expects to be able to announce his conclusion on the use of a suitable frequency in the light of the representations received.

Of the responses to the discussion document so far analysed, the large majority are in favour of a frequency other than 928 MHz for open channel radio. As to when a final decision will be reached, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to his question on 1 December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff have been employed by the Home Office research department since 1975 in each year; how much it has spent on research in each year; and how much finance it has provided for research in grants in each year.

The table below gives the staffing and the intramural and extramural costs of the research unit for the last five years.

	Staff provision	Intramural cost £	Extramural cost £
1975–76	80	460,000	241,000
1976–77	80	655,410	300,000
1977–78	73	675,000	273,000
1978–79	72	760,000	280,000
1979–80	69	868,000	409,000
1980–81	69	* 1,069,000	*561,000
* Estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the reports that have been produced by the Home Office research department over the last two years; and what action has been taken in respect of each.

Fifteen reports by the Home Office research unit have been published in 1979 and to date in 1980 in the Home Office research studies series; four editions of the Research Bulletin; and a substantial number of contributions to symposia and journals. These reports have dealt with a wide range of matters intended to assist in the formulation of Home Office policy. It is not feasible to identify particular action with the production of a particular report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to make reductions in the staffing levels of the Home Office research department and in its financing on internal reserch and grants; if so, by how much; and how he intends to ensure that such research will be carried on in the future.

The future function, organisation and staffing of the research unit, including the financing of grants for research, are under review.