asked the Lord Privy Seal what steps he will take in order to restore the grants available for development education.

We continue to believe that our resources should be concentrated on direct help to developing countries. Existing grants are therefore being concluded and no new grants are being made.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement about the present extent and administration of United Kingdom aid to Pakistan for the relief of Afghan refugees.

We have so far provided £770,000 in cash or emergency supplies for the work of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for Afghan refugees in Pakistan. We have also provided approximately £1·4 million as our share of the European Community's contribution to the UNHCR's work for these refugees.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what percentage of Scottish Queen's Counsel received an education at independent or grant-aided schools, or direct-grant in England; and what is the corresponding percentage for the Scottish judiciary.

As far as I am aware, no Government Department holds this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many complaints against carelessness by crop spraying aircraft his Department has received in each of the last three years.

As the hon. Member knows from the reply to his previous question on this subject on 26 November 1980, aerial crop spraying is the concern of the Civil Aviation Authority. Any complaints received by my Department would be forwarded to the authority for investigation. In each of the last three years the following numbers of complaints were received in the Department:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will list in the Official Report the number of pilots engaged in aerial crop spraying who have been (a) disciplined, (b) had their licence suspended and (c) had their licence revoked in each of the last three years.

Any follow-up action in respect of alleged irregularities concerning aerial crop spraying is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.The authority has provided the following information. In each of the years 1978 and 1979 one pilot was prosecuted and fined. One case in 1980 is still being investigated with a view to possible prosecution. The authority sent eight cautionary letters in 1978 to operators about incidents which might have reflected on the manner in which pilots conducted operations; nine letters in 1979 and eight in 1980.Licensing action involving suspension or revocation can only be taken on safety grounds and is not intended to be punitive. There has been no suspension or revocation of pilots' licences involving agricultural aviation pilots in the last three years.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what further measures the Government intend to take to help United Kingdom exports to combat offers of unusually soft credit terms by their overseas competitors.

Britain remains an active supporter of international efforts to restrict and eventually to ban the use of unusually soft export credits, typically of the French credit-mixte variety, which distort normal patterns of commercial trading. Until these efforts succeed, our best deterrent to soft credit practices by others lies in an effective matching policy.The aid and trade provision (ATP) is available from the aid programme to provide matching support in pursuit of developmentally sound projects in aid-worthy countries. However, there can be difficulties over judging the developmental soundness of a project in time when decisions on matching terms have to be taken at short notice, and in any case the ATP does not always fit the circumstances. The Export Credits Guarantee Department has powers to provide grants whereby the United Kingdom can match the concessionality of foreign offers in the non-aid field by lowering the effective interest rate to the overseas customer. The operation of these powers is not linked to developmental criteria.Accordingly we have now decided to make a limited and we hope temporary provision for the use of such ECGD powers. They will be available as a defensive measure aimed at improving the United Kingdom's ability to counter foreign offers of unusually soft terms where this would be in the national interest. The new scheme will come into operation on 2 February 1981, and £2 million in 1981–82 and £4 million in 1982–83 have been set aside for the purpose. The scheme will be reviewed in the second half of 1982 or sooner if there is significant progress internationally in restricting these soft credits.I believe that this new scheme, and the existing ATP arrangements which continue to operate, should provide more effective support to our exporters' sales efforts where they are competing with soft credit offers.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects to publish the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the proposed merger between Compagnie Internationale Europcar and the short-term rental business of Godfrey Davis Limited.

My right hon. Friend received the report on 10 December 1980. It is being published today. The commission concluded unanimously that the proposed merger might be expected not to operate against the public interest.The commission considered the effect which the merger might be expected to have on competition both in the supply of cars in the United Kingdom and in the short-term self-drive car rental market in the United Kingdom. It also considered the possible effects of the merger on employment.The commission concluded that there was some possibility of anti-competitive conduct in the supply of cars in the United Kingdom but that the scale would be too small to have a significant impact on competition in that market. Competition for international rental reservations in particular might be expected to increase, and the availability of Europcar's larger financial resources might be expected to facilitate the development of Godfrey Davis/Europcar as a still stronger competitor than Godfrey Davis both in the United Kingdom and international markets. Although, in the commission's view, these advantages would be sufficient for Europcar and Renault—the parent company of Europcar—to ensure that the efficiency and competitiveness of GD/Europcar were maintained, it sought and obtained from Renault the following assurance in order to guard against one particular anti-competitive practice that might be pursued:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will set up a small inspectorate with powers to make random inspections and to investigate prosecutions against inadequate or fraudulent repair work by garages.

[pursuant to her reply, 15 January 1981]: As my hon. Friend will be aware, the Consumers' Association has recently reported on the services provided by garages. This is a valuable report which I feel sure reflects the experience of many motorists. One must beware of generalisations and some garages provide reliable service but the report shows that there are clearly too many which do not. I hope that the trade will take steps to strengthen its code of practice and to enforce it more effectively as the Consumers' Association recommend. The Director General of Fair Trading is already reviewing motor repairs and servicing and it would be premature to take action until his review is complete.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to meet representatives of local authority associations.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official duties for Thursday 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 January.

I refer my hon. Friends and the hon Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher).

asked the Prime Minister whether she will ensure that the negotiating position of Her Majesty's Government within the European Economic Community regarding the disposal of agricultural products in structural surplus is that the responsibility for the disposal of surpluses should be placed upon the countries where they are created and that those countries should accept the financial consequences.

The reduction in the cost of disposing of agricultural products can be achieved in a number of ways, including the use of the principle to which my hon. Friend refers, and these are likely to be explored in the discussions, to which the Community is committed, aimed at avoiding unacceptable levels of net contribution by any member State.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister (1) what events Her Majesty's Ministers will attend in an official capacity to mark 1981 as the International Year of Disabled People;(2) what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the involvement of Her Majesty's principle Ministers in events associated with the International Year of Disabled People.

It is too early to forecast what events Ministers will attend throughout 1981, but I am sure they will wish to mark the International Year in many ways.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will give the reasons given to her by Mr. Colin Low president of the National Federation of the Blind, for his refusal to accept her invitation to attend the public reception she recently gave to mark the International Year of Disabled People.

A copy of Mr. Low's letter and of my reply have been placed in the Library.

asked the Prime Minister if she has studied the information pack from the International Year of Disabled People Committee (England); and if she will make a statement of the policy of Her Majesty's Government in respect of those parts of the pack which will require Government implementation in order to be effective.

I was glad to receive the information pack. I have made it clear that the Government support the aims of the International Year. We see it as providing a special opportunity to take stock and to discuss the improvements we all want to see when resources become available. Some of the suggestions made in the pack are already being actively considered, and the others will be examined. I should make it clear that the possibility of implementing those involving additional public expenditure is governed by the availability of resources. In relation to action by local government, it is the Government's policy that individual local authorities should be free to allocate their funds in accordance with local needs and conditions.

asked the Prime Minister whether she has received the information pack from the International Year of Disabled People Committee (England); and what measures the Government are taking to implement the aims of the year.

I was glad to receive the information pack. I have made it clear that the Government support the aims of the International Year. We see it as providing a special opportunity to take stock and to discuss the improvements we all want to see when resources become available. Some of the suggestions made in the pack are already being actively considered, and the others will be examined. I should make it clear that the possibility of implementing those involving additional public expenditure is governed by the availability of resources. In relation to action by local government, it is the Government's policy that individual local authorities should be free to allocate their funds in accordance with local needs and conditions. For information about activities already planned by individual Departments, I refer my hon. Friend to replies given by my right hon. and hon. Friends to a number of questions from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris), on 19 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will visit the Northern region.

I have no immediate plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether she has any plans to visit Havana in Cuba.

No.

asked the Prime Minister whether she considers the salaries of top civil servants to be adequate.

I told the House on 7 July 1980 the reasons why we were unable to implement the full rates recommended by the TSRB for top civil servants.

asked the Prime Minister what amounts of public money were spent on research in the fields of (a) defence, (b) energy, (c) health, (d) industrial productivity, (e) environmental and social problems and (f) other areas for each of the last 10 years at constant prices; and what percentage of the total research effort this represented in each case.

Estimates of central Government expenditure on research and development are given below. Data on the same basis of analysis are not available for expenditure on research and development by the total public sector, including local authorities, universities and public corporations, or by the public and private sectors in total.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales which hospitals, both district and community, had part of their complement of beds closed during the past 12 months; and what essential facilities that do not require the patients' overnight admission have been stopped in order that a particular health authority could remain within its cash limits.

These matters are the responsibility of individual health authorities and the information requested is not available centrally. The details are best obtained from the authorities themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when the obstetric and special infant postnatal department at the Singleton hospital, Swansea will be fully functional.

Authority has been given to West Glamorgan health authority for detailed planning work to proceed on its development proposals for Singleton hospital, of which the obstetric provision forms part. It is too soon to say when it will be commissioned.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what child guidance facilities are available to meet the needs of schoolchildren.

Child guidance services are provided on a multi-disciplinary basis. Staff of different disciplines—normally drawn from the NHS child psychiatric service and child health service, local authority social services and the school psychological service of the local education authority—together provide facilities for the assessment and treatment of children and, additionally, consultative services to other agencies. In most areas the services are provided either by a child guidance team collectively identified as such, or by a multi-disciplinary hospital-based child psychiatric team, working in some cases with the school psychological service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report a list of analgesics giving the price paid over the counter for a normal supply when that price is less than the £1 charge if prescribed through the National Health Service.

The decision about the period of treatment for which a prescribed medicine is supplied is one for the prescribing doctor. It is not possible, therefore, to determine what a normal supply of a particular drug, or group of drugs; would be; and whether the over-the-counter purchase price would be less than the statutory prescription charge would depend on the quantity prescribed. However, the Department has recently issued to doctors in the National Health Service, as one of its series of charts illustrating the comparative costs of different versions of the same or similar drugs, a chart on "Simple Oral Analgesics" showing the comparative costs to the NHS of a selection of preparations for seven days' supply using normal adult dosage. I have arranged for a copy of this chart to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will examine the effect of the £1 prescription charge on the volume of medicines prescribed and consequent increase of public expenditure in view of the fact that before the charge increase and average prescription for Tenormin tablets rarely exceded 28 and that it is now the practice to prescribe 112 tablets at a cost to the National Health Service of £31·71; and if he will make a statement.

I have seen a recent letter in the pharmaceutical press about a single prescription for 112 Tenormin tablets, but I have no evidence to suggest that such prescriptions have become general. Prescribing figures following the latest increase in the prescription charge are not yet available, but it is already clear that, following the two earlier changes in the level of the prescription charge in July 1979 and April 1980, the increase in the volume of medicines prescribed by general practitioners was small.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a study of schemes whereby prospective parents insure their children against primary physical or mental disabilities, or those appearing within eight months of birth.

On the evidence available to me, I see no reason for departing from the general principle that personal insurance is a matter for the individual, who may, of course, take professional advice before reaching a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how much money his Department has spent on the provision of (a) footwear and (b) clothing for children of school age in Scotland in 1978,1979 and 1980;(2) how long on average it takes for decisions to be made in respect of claims on the provision of

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to provide that all persons who are entitled to pensions payable from several sources as the result of previous employment shall, above a particular total figure, be entitled only to the highest of these pensions.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what contributions are made by civil servants or public sector employees in regard to the basic State pension; whether these employees pay the same as employees in the private sector; whether they pay a lesser or, in some cases, nil amount; and, in the latter case, if he will give the reasons.

Civil servants and most public sector employees have the same national insurance contribution liability as employees in the private sector with similar earnings. The rate of contribution is dependent upon the individual's age, whether—in the case of married women and widows—they have retained a right to pay reduced contributions, and whether the employment is contracted-out employment. Members of Her Majesty's Forces pay a slightly reduced rate of contribution, but this rebate is a consequence of their exclusion from entitlement to short-term benefits such as sickness benefit and is not related to the basic State pension.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list, for each area health authority, the total budget for 1979–80, indicating the amount underspent or overspent, separating revenue and capital where appropriate.

The Department sets the cash limits of regional health authorities, which in turn set the cash limit of area health authorities. Information on the cash limits set for area health authorities is not normally held centrally, but regional health authorities will be able to provide this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to abolish the earnings rule.

We are committed to phasing out the earnings rule for retirement pensions when resources allow, but the current economic situation precludes any move in that direction at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 17 March 1980, Official Report, column 44, if he has now received the report of Sir Derek Rayner into his Department's validation of national insurance contribution records; and if he will make a statement.

The report is still awaited.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 12 December, Official Report, if he is yet able to make a further statement on his inquiries into the sale abroad of blood plasma through the National heart hospital in London.

I cannot yet add to my reply to the hon. Member on 12 December 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 4 November 1980, Official Report, column 549, if he is now able to announce his review and proposals on plans to change the present limited policy of providing National Health Service treatment for foreign visitors.

I shall announce the results of my review as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department has completed its review of the take-up of child benefit increase; and if he will make a statement.

Based on the latest available figures (November 1979), it is estimated that take-up remains at about 60 per cent. of those who stand to gain by claiming child benefit increase—the premium, worth £3 per week, paid to one-parent families.This is a disappointing conclusion, since a wide variety of measures are taken to bring CB(I) to the attention of lone parents including a number introduced during the last year. Nevertheless, on 26 November 1980 there were 438,000 recipients of CB(I), with some 10,000 new claims a month over recent months. This compares with 377,000 recipients on 28 November 1979 and 306,000 on 1 December 1978. I hope that the increase in numbers indicates that publicity measures are increasingly effective.Having reviewed the position, my right hon. Friend has decided that a change of name should be made to bring CB(I) to the attention of potential beneficiaries. We propose, therefore, to change the name from "Child Benefit Increase" to "One Parent Benefit". The change will take place in April 1981 by which time the necessary changes to forms, leaflets and order books etc. should have been made. I hope this change will make it clear that the extra £3 per week is for lone parents, and that they will realise more readily that they may be entitled to the benefit, and should claim it.A further stimulus will be provided by the recently published Green Paper on the taxation of husband and wife, which is expected to give rise to much public discussion. Chapter 9 of the Green Paper discusses the question of whether the additional personal tax allowance (APA) for lone parents should be converted into a cash benefit in the form of a higher rate of child benefit increase. This will naturally help to focus additional attention on child benefit increase.I shall keep the take-up of CB(I) under review. Any further initiatives, to publicise the benefit will be considered in the light of the response to the Green Paper discussion and of the subsequent decision as to whether or not to convert the APA into a cash benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, to mark the International Year of Disabled People, he will take steps to encourage research into the prevention of strokes and heart disease; and if he will publish in the Official Report the amount of public expenditure allocated for these fields during the current financial year.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 January 1981]: This Department already encourages research in these fields. The Department is supporting a long-term heart disease prevention study costing some £10,000 in 1979–80 and £⅓million overall; and Medical Research Council (MRC) hypertension trial and regional heart study at the Wolfson research laboratories to the extent of about £40,000 per annum. The main Government support for research in these fields is, however, through funds at present provided by the Health Departments and the Department of Education and Science to the MRC. I understand from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science that in 1979–80, the latest year for which firm figures are available, the council spent some £96,000 and £2,151,000 respectively on research involving prevention of strokes and heart disease. We recognise the opportunity offered by the International Year of Disabled People and are ready to consider whether additional research can be commissioned within the availability of financial and scientific resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, to mark the International Year of Disabled People, he will seek to increase public expenditure on research into brain trauma induced disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply 12 January 1981]: The Medical Research Council is the main Government-funded body supporting research into brain trauma induced disabilities, from support by the Department of Education and Science and the Health Departments. The council is currently supporting an extensive programme of research relevant to these conditions, but we recognise the opportunity offered by the International Year of Disabled People and are always ready to consider whether additional research can be commissioned within the bounds of availability of financial and scientific resources.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will take whatever action may prove necessary to ensure that hon. Members receive redundancy allowances on a basis not less than, or better than, those applied to steel workers and others in public service.

No. The House decided on the appropriate level of severance pay for hon. Members when it voted for the existing arrangements on 4 March 1980.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the price currently charged for bacon in the catering outlets of the Refreshment Department; what was the price charged one year ago on the same basis; and what account has been taken of the fact that the wholesale and retail price of bacon is now cheaper than one year ago.

I have been asked to reply.The price currently charged for a portion of English bacon in the cafeterias is 49p, the price charged one year ago was 43p. Any fluctuations in suppliers' price will be taken into account when all catering prices are next reviewed.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what estimate he has made of the United Kingdom's contribution to the International Energy Agency's commitment to reduce members' demand for oil by 2·2 million barrels a day; and how he intends to achieve that contribution.

The United Kingdom oil industry has been asked to make maximum use of stocks in the coming months in order to reduce pressure on world oil markets. Forecasts are that United Kingdom stock drawdown in the first quarter of 1981 will be greater than normal. We expect that this, combined with the continuing buildup of North Sea production and a declining level of consumption, will make a significant contribution to the IEA's commitment. Current estimates indicate that in the first quarter of 1981 United Kingdom demand for oil on the world market pay be about 250,000 barrels per day less than in the corresponding period last year.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of primary energy demand within the international Energy Agency countries was covered by oil in 1975 and 1980; and what estimate he has made of that percentage for 1985.

The latest available figures relate to 1978. In that year petrolum accounted for 51·5 per cent. of total energy requirements in the member countries of the International Energy Agency. The comparable figure for 1975 was 50·8 per cent. Forecasts contained in "Energy Policies and Programmes of IEA countries—1979 Review" indicate that the proportion will fall to 47 per cent. in 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what statement or indication he gave at the International Energy Agency's meeting in December as to the proposed level of the United Kingdom oil production between 1981 to 1985.

I did not give any such statement or indication at the meeting, nor was one sought. A projection of United Kingdom oil production in 1985 has been given to the IEA secretariat on a confidential basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether, for 1981, he will list the countries to which United Kingdom oil was exported; what quantities went to each country; what percentage of total United Kingdom production went in exports; and what percentage went to the European Economic Community and what to countries represented in the International Energy Agency.

Figures of exports for the full year 1980 are not yet available, but provisional figures covering the period January to November 1980 are tabulated below. In this 11 month period, 50 per cent. of total United Kingdom production was exported; 64 per cent. of total exports went to the European Community—excluding Greece—and. 90 per cent. to the countries represented in the International Energy Agency.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy to what extent British exports of oil and oil products are affected by membership of the European Economic Community.

The Government have made it clear that they expect those countries exporting North Sea oil to do so in the markets of our IEA and EC partners except where there is an existing pattern of trade. On relations between the level of oil exports and Membership of the European Community I have nothing to add to the reply of 16 December provided to the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what estimate he has made of the percentage reduction in the use of energy in the United Kingdom in 1979 and 1980 over the usage in 1973 in the following categories (a) transport, (b) industry and (c) domestic.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the actual, or estimated, United Kingdom production, net imports and consumption in million tonnes oil equivalent of (a) coal, (b) oil, (c) gas and (d) nuclear power in 1979 and 1980; and what assumptions he is making or the years 1981 to 1985.

The information for 1979 and 1980 is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of North Sea oil is currently refined in the United Kingdom.

Disposals of North Sea oil to United Kingdom refineries during the 11 months January to November 1980 were 50 per cent. of total United Kingdom North Sea crude oil production.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what further progress has been made by the Severn Barrage committee subsequent to the publication of the interim report.

The Severn Barrage committee is now concluding its work and will be reporting to me shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish the agenda and minutes of the six meetings of the committee set up to examine the North Sea's marginal fields.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent talks he has had with representatives of the fishing industry on fishing policy within the European Economic Community.

We have had discussions with representatives of the fishing industry before, during and since the Council of Fisheries Ministers on 15–17 December 1980.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the terms offered to the United Kingdom at the last Council of Ministers meeting on fishing are acceptable to the British fishing industry.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland reported to the House on 18 December 1980, it became apparent to the Commission and the Presidency at the meeting of the Fisheries Council on 17 December that the inflexible attitude of one delegation on the question of access would not allow the Commission to put forward generally acceptable proposals. Accordingly, no terms for a revised common fisheries policy were on offer at any stage.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the level of potato stocks in the United Kingdom.

At the end of November 1980, the latest date for which figures are available, potato stocks on farms and with merchants and processors in the United Kingdom amounted to an estimated 4·4 million tonnes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will propose new initiatives to ameliorate the deteriorating condition of farmers on marginal land.

The Government are well aware of the difficulties facing marginal land farmers and this is why we have started on a survey to identify those areas currently outside the less favoured areas line which might meet the requirements for designation as less favoured, as set out in European Community directive 75/268.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to provide less favoured area assistance for marginal land farmers; and whether he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Bodmin (Mr. Hicks).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current levy per pound on imports of butter from New Zealand and other non-EEC countries, respectively.

The net levy on imports from New Zealand of butter with an 80 per cent. fat content is currently 15p per lb; for imports from other non-European Community countries, it is 57p per lb.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement about the future of the existing cane sugar refineries in the United Kingdom.

Tate and Lyle has announced today that the cane sugar refinery at Liverpool will be closed in the near future. The company says that closure has been brought about by a combination of factors: the decline in its traditional export business; the expansion of domestic beet production under successive Governments; the impact of imports of white sugar from other countries of the European Community; a steady fall in the United Kingdom demand for sugar. The structure of its refining business is of course a matter for the company. But I fully expect that the company will have the capacity to refine all except 60,000 tonnes of the 1,160,000 tonnes of ACP sugar that it has been refining, and that it will assist the ACP countries in ensuring that this will be refined elsewhere in the Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he plans to have following his recent meeting with the Tate and Lyle action committee, Liverpool.

I was glad to meet the members of the Tate and Lyle action committee, Liverpool, and recognised their concern about the future of the refinery there. My hon. Friend the Minister of State and our officials have also been in touch with other parts of the United Kingdom sugar industry which have an interest in this country's refining capacity for both beet and cane. However, the decision on whether to retain the Liverpool refinery is for Messrs Tate and Lyle.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if any further modifications are planned to the operation of the European Economic Community sheepmeat regime.

A review of the Community's sheep export policy is to take place before 31 March 1981 and I shall be seeking further improvements in relation to our export trade.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the clawback arrangements for the export of sheepmeat to other members States of the European Economic Community are allowing this trade to proceed satisfactorily.

Our export trade has picked up from the very low levels experienced immediately following the start of the regime in October. A lower level of exports to Belgium and West Germany has been offset by a rise in exports to France. Exports to third countries have resumed since we succeeded in getting the clawback suspended on these exports at the beginning of December.We shall continue to keep the matter under close review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to discuss further the renegotiation of the common agricultural policy with Ministers from other European Community countries.

Improvements in the policy will probably be discussed at the next meeting of the Agriculture Council.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals Her Majesty's Government have for the reform of the common agricultural policy.

For products in structural surplus, the Government's policy is to re-establish a proper balance between supply and demand, particularly with a view to reducing the cost of agricultural support to the Community budget.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further action has been taken to bring about fundamental reform of the common agricultural policy; and if he will make a statement.

Opportunities to improve the common agricultural policy arise mainly at the annual negotiations on support prices. These will be starting shortly and I shall aim to build on the improvements made during the last two years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the progress he has achieved to date in reforming the common agricultural policy.

Since I took office, common support prices have risen by only 3 per cent. per year on average, compared with 7½ per cent. per year under the last Government. This is one of the reasons for food prices rising far less than retail prices in the non-food sector of the economy. I have also negotiated a Common Market organisation for sheepmeat, which is good for the producer, the consumer and New Zealand.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that there are sufficient openings for young people to enter the farming industry through the tenanted sector.

No, there are not.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide British glasshouse growers with direct assistance to enable them to compete on an equal basis with other glasshouse growers within the European Economic Community who enjoy access to cheaper supplies of fuel.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further progress he has made in ensuring that the United Kingdom glasshouse horticultural industry is not disadvantaged by energy subsidies being awarded to its competitors within the European Economic Community.

I have continued to impress upon the European Community Commission the urgency of eliminating practices contrary to the competition rules of the Rome Treaty. I understand the Commission has received a response from the Netherlands Government and is now considering the next step in its legal action to secure removal of the Dutch preferential gas tariff.

asked the Minister of Agriculure, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to promote co-operative enterprises in agriculture; and if he will make a statement.

During the past year the Government have done a great deal to promote co-operation in agriculture. The life of the co-operative grant scheme has been extended and rates of grant have been increased substantially. The Central Council for Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation has been re-organised to improve its effectiveness in encouraging co-operation and we have increased the funds available to the central council.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimate for 1980–81 of the total annual rent paid by tenants of agricultural holdings.

Estimates made for annual review purposes show that the gross rent paid for agricultural land in the United Kingdom in 1980 was £241 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will report on the progress of his consultations with others, including local authority associations, the agriculture industry and other professions and organisations interested in development, concerning changes in the classification and grading of agricultural land.

I have nothing yet to add to the reply which I gave my hon. Friend on 30 October 1980.—[Vol. 991, c. 673.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in view of his recent statement of Government policy on forestry, what steps he proposes to take to ensure the integration of forestry and farming.

Government policy already takes account of the need for new afforestation to be integrated with all other aspects of countryside management. The Forestry Commission and agricultural departments, through their advisory services, ensure that the appropriate objectives are included in forestry plans of operations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now make a statement on the findings of the Binder Hamlyn inquiry into milk industry costings.

The Government are currently holding discussions with the dairy trade and other interested organisations on the recommendations in the two reports which Binder Hamlyn submitted last year. I hope to make a further statement shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the fishing industry in Hull.

We are seeking agreement to a common fisheries policy which meets the essential needs of the United Kingdom fishing industry. If a settlement is reached, it will then be possible for the fishing industry and those concerned with the provision of port facilities at Hull and other ports to assess the opportunities open to them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what items he expects to be on the agenda of the next meeting of the Agriculture Council of the European Economic Community.

Likely items are: a discussion on the Commission's paper "Reflections on the Common Agricultural Policy" or, if they are available, the Commission's 1981–82 farm price proposals; New Zealand butter; revision of the sugar regime; beef imports; and controls on the use of hormones in livestock production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the measures agreed to secure the United Kingdom's sugar supply.

United Kingdom sugar supplies are secure. Home production of sugar from beet and imports of raw cane sugar under the sugar protocol of the Lomé Convention each meet nearly half our needs. The small balance is imported from other European Community countries. In addition, the Community has a minimum stock scheme under which beet sugar producers and cane sugar refiners hold 8 per cent. of their annual production in reserve.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends to take in order to provide a means of compensation for sheep farmers who sustain losses to their flocks arising from their harassment by domestic pet dogs.

None. The general question of harassment of livestock by dogs was considered by the interdepartmental working party on dogs in its 1976 report. The working party noted that there was scope for insurance against losses of this kind; and it concluded against any compensation provision.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current size of the national sheep flock.

The latest published data, based on the June 1980 census, show that the number of sheep and lambs in the United Kingdom at that date was 31,445,942.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that intervention stocks of bread-making wheat will be of sufficient standard to satisfy the requirements of United Kingdom flour millers.

While the Intervention Board operates a minimum standard for the bread-making wheat that it buys, market conditions at the time of sale will determine how much of the stock is bought for milling.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to encourage imports of food from areas of low cost production such as New Zealand.

I shall continue to oppose unnecessary restrictions on imports of food into the Community from any source; and where arrangements have been made for access for imports on preferential terms, as in the case of butter from New Zealand, I shall insist on their retention.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the average net farm income in 1979–80; and if he expects this to be increased significantly in the current year.

Information is not available to show the average income on all farms. Total farming income in the United Kingdom is forecast to have fallen from £1,144 million in 1979 to £1,025 million in 1980. Further information is set out in the White Paper—Cmnd. 8132—presented to Parliament yesterday. It is too early to make any reliable forecast of farming income in 1981.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report the chemicals which have not been cleared for aerial application under the pesticides safety precautions scheme.

Clearance for aerial application under the pesticides safety precautions scheme is confined to those pesticide products as listed in The Aerial Application Certificate (CAP 414), a copy of which is being placed in the Library of the House. A revised list is to be published by the Civil Aviation Authority shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why West London magistrates' court was closed to the press and the public on Monday 12 January; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that procedings at West London magistrates' court were open to the press and public on Monday 12 January, except that ex parte applications to the court were heard in private, as is customary. The case which, I believe, the hon. Member has in mind is that of an unsuccessful applicant for the postponement of the issue of a warrant of commitment in respect of an unpaid fine.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account was taken of the interests of public security when deciding, in principle, in favour of the introduction of a personal short-range radio system in the United Kingdom, as outlined in the Green Paper on Open Channel.

The decision to favour in principle the introduction of Open Channel radio was taken after consideration of all the relevant factors affecting the public interest.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the name of the chairman of the Welsh Broadcasting Authority, and the names of the other four appointed members.

I have today appointed the chairman and members of the Welsh Fourth Channel Authority.Sir Goronwy Daniel has accepted the position of chairman and I have appointed as members Mr. Alwyn Roberts, the BBC's national governor for Wales, Professor Huw Morris-Jones, the IBA's national member for Wales, Dr. Glyn Tegai Hughes, who is a member of the IBA's Fourth Channel subsidiary, and Mr. D. Ken Jones, a businessman from South Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce the necessary

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the new measures his Department is taking to promote the aims of the International Year of Disabled People.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to a similar question by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 19 January 1981.—[Vol. 996, c. 72.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are his current criteria for approving section 12 notices for school closures.