asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment in Dundee and what plans he has for attracting new industry to the city.

The Government share the hon. Member's concern about the level of unemployment in Dundee, which on 11 December 1980 was 12,814–13·1 per cent. The priority given to attracting new industry to Dundee is shown by the fact that the city enjoys the highest category of assisted area status, and the Scottish Development Agency is widely active in the city.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce a considerable expansion in the number of places being made available at the Dundee skillcentre in view of the announcement of 340 redundancies at the Camperdown jute works in Dundee.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the planned level of training provision at Dundee skillcentre, which has been substantially increased in the current year and is being maintained at this enhanced level in 1981–82, should be sufficient to meet any additional demand arising from the redundancies at the Camperdown jute works.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the title and date of all items of legislation enacted since 1955 which contained provisions affecting the functions, powers and services of local government in Scotland; and if he will indicate by item of legislation so listed whether the legislation required local authorities to increase their staff levels or whether it did not.

I regret that this information is not readily available and could not be obtained and analysed without disproportionate staff effort and cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of expenditure on defence in 1980–81 and 1981–82.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement I made on 20 January—[Vol. 997, c. 149–51].

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is now in a position to announce when he expects to be able to publish the October survey on school dinners.

This information will be available shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of children claiming school meals in each year since 1948; and if he will present these data as a percentage of (a) all schoolchildren and (b) the number taking school dinners.

The information requested is as follows:—

Take-up of Free School Meals: England
		Free School meals taken by pupils as percentage of
Year (October)	numbers('000)	Pupils Present	Pupils taking Meals
1953	217	3·9	8·7
1954	212	3·7	8·1
1955	193	3·3	6·8
1956	191	3·2	6·6
1957	195	3·4	7·3
1958	213	3·5	7·3
1959	227	3·7	7·5
1960	222	3·6	6·9
1961	216	3·5	6·4
1962	237	3·9	6·9
1963	265	4·3	7·3
1964	257	4·1	6·7
1965	281	4·5	6·8
1966	301	4·7	6·9
1967	369	5·6	8·1
1968	778	11·6	16·4
1969	547	7·9	11·2
1970	580	8·1	11·9
1971	746	10·2	16·9
1972	789	10·6	16·4
1973	737	9·6	14·4
1974	694	8·9	12·9
1975	728	9·2	13·1
1976	779	9·8	14·2
1977	927	11·8	19·1
1978	1,074	13·9	21·1
1979	899	11·9	18·5

The information relates to the Autumn term in each year.Information for years prior to 1953 is not available, and information for 1980 will be available shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the take-up of free school meals for each year since 1948.

Estimates for the number of children eligible to receive free school meals are not made on a regular basis. Estimates, based on family expenditure survey data, suggest that the take up of entitlement in 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976 was of the order of 80 per cent., 80 per cent., 70 per cent. and 80 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children would be eligible to claim free school meals if entitlement was restricted to those at the supplementary benefit/family income supplement level only.

This information is not available within my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish an updated version, so far as is possible, of table 4 of the Department's annual report for 1979.

Percentage of maintained primary and secondary school classes with 31 or more pupils
	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980
Primary schools
Registered classes†	54·9	50·1	46·5	43·5	40·1	—	—
Taught Classes*	—	—	—	36·5	33·3	28·5	24·7
Secondary schools
Taught classes*	18·5	16·9	16·0	14·7	13·4	11·7	10·2
†Excluding middle schools deemed to be primary.
* Including middle schools as deemed primary or secondary.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what reports are still in progress from the now defunct Centre for Information and Advice on Educational Disadvantage; and when he expects these reports to be published.

Activities at the Centre for Information and Advice on Educational Disadvantage ceased at its closure on 31 October 1980. The Department has received a request for financial support from one of the former field officers who plans to produce a report based on work done at the centre, and this proposal will be judged on its merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the pupil-teacher ratio in secondary schools for the coming year; and if this estimate assumes any change in the proportion of pupils staying on beyond the minimum school leaving age.

The pupil-teacher ratio in secondary schools in January 1981 is expected to be very close to the 1980 figure of 16·6. It is not yet possible to say how, in the light of the expenditure plans shortly to be published, local education authorities might distribute available resources among different types of school in 1981–82. No marked change is being assumed in the proportion of pupils staying on.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will publish the number and proportion of pupils staying on in full-time education beyond the minimum school leaving age for each year since 1969;(2) if he will list his Department's estimate of the number of children who will be staying on beyond the minimum school leaving age in the coming year; and if he will present this figure as a percentage of all pupils in this age group.

This information will be available shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish an updated version of table 13 of the Department's annual report for 1979.

An updated version of the table specified, including the latest available information for January 1980, is as follows:

This information cannot be obtained in the time available. I shall publish the figures as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list his estimate of the pupil-teacher ratio in nursery schools and classes for the coming year: and whether this assumes a decrease in the numbers of children in full-time equivalent places in these schools.

The ratio of qualified teachers to full-time equivalent pupils in nursery schools and classes was 22·8 in January 1980. No estimates are currently available for 1981 or 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many unemployed (a) teachers and (b) other workers, qualified for help to retrain as secondary specialist teachers for each year since 1978; and if he will list the proportion of successful applications who were registered unemployed teachers prior to announcement of the training course.

The scheme for training and retraining teachers was introduced in 1977 as a measure to alleviate the serious and persistent shortage of secondary school teachers of mathematics, the physical sciences and craft, design and technology. Under the scheme, which is operated through the Manpower Services Commission, training awards are available both for people with suitable academic qualifications who wish to take initial training to teach subjects covered by the scheme and for qualified teachers wishing to retrain in these subjects. The number of training awards given in each year to date are as follows:

	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	*1980–81
For initial training	415	340	216	338
For retraining	158	166	124	186
	573	506	340	524
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list (a) the number of teachers unemployed in the September of each year since 1974 and (b) the numbers trained each year who were unable to gain jobs on completion of their courses.

The following is the information requested:

asked the Prime Minister what discussions she has had, or intends to have, with the chairmen or members of pay review bodies; and for what purpose.

I have met the chairmen of the three pay review bodies and in an exchange of views have emphasised the Government's belief that national economic circumstances should be taken into account in reaching their decisions.

asked the Prime Minister how she now considers public sector pay should be determined; and what is the generally desirable level for such settlements.

The level of pay increases throughout the economy must be significantly reduced if international competitiveness is not to be further eroded. Individual pay settlements are a matter for management: within the public sector, they must be contained within the financial constraints set by cash limits and external financial limits.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to a written question from the hon. Member for Newham, North-East on 30 November 1979, concerning EEC legislation, what steps were subsequently taken by the President of the Commission to cut down the work of the Commission.

As I said in my reply of 30 November 1979, it is for the Commission to take its own decisions. I also said that the former President of the Commission had indicated that he took a similar view to mine on the areas appropriate for Community legislation. It was for him to ensure that his views were respected.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government will reconsider their attitude to the action taken by the EEC Assembly on the budget and join with the majority of the EEC member States in limiting the United Kingdom contribution to one-twelfth of what was agreed by the Council of Ministers.

No. The Government see no good reason to challenge the view of the Commission, which is shared by six other member States, that the Community budget for 1981 and the supplementary budget No. 2 for 1980 were adopted legally.

asked the Prime Minister whether she considers the action of the President of the EEC Assembly in declaring an enlarged budget for 1980 and 1981, adopted contrary to the wishes of one or more member States, was either "advisory" or "supervisory" within article 137 of the Treaty of Rome.

The President of the European Parliament exercised the powers conferred on her by article 203 of the European Community Treaty. We see no reason to believe that the budgets were not validly adopted.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the payment of fees by family practitioner committees to members of doctors' families.

I am writing to the hon. Member about the case which he has brought to my attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much was paid out by each social services department in England under section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1963 during each of the last five years for which figures are available; and how much was for help with fuel bills in each case.

Details of expenditure by individual authorities under section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1963 in the year ended 31 March 1976 were given in "Children in Care of Local Authorities, Year ending March 1976, England"—AF/76/12—issued by the Department of Health and Social Security. This information is no longer collected by the Department, but since 1977–78, "Personal Social Services Statistics", published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, has included it. Copies of these publications are in the Library of the House. Expenditure on help with fuel bills is not separately recorded.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has yet received the publication entitled "Suicide and Deliberate Self-Harm" produced by the Office of Health Economics; if so, what study has been made of it; and if he will make a statement.

No, though my Department's library has it on order. I understand it was only published four days ago. When I have had an opportunity to study it, I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will clarify the entitlement, or otherwise, to receipt of supplementary benefit of Easter school leavers who register for the benefit and who subsequently, during the summer, return to school to take (i) CSE examinations or (ii) O-levels and the 16-plus.

Supplementary benefit entitlement for pupils eligible to leave school at Easter who return to school for any period depends on their child benefit position. If they are regarded for child benefit purposes as in full-time education their entitlement to supplementary benefit is deferred until the fixed date at the end of the summer holidays. It is for the independent adjudicating authorities to decide, having regard to the circumstances of the individual case, whether the person is undergoing full-time education. CSE candidates are required to be in full-time attendance at school at the time the examination is taken. There is no similar requirement for O-level candidates. The single system at 16-plus is not an immediate issue in this context.My hon. Friend will reply to the hon. Member's letter shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration has been given to the use of troops in the National Health Service in the event of an industrial dispute by the ancillary workers within the hospital service.

Plans to maintain essential, life saving services in the National Health Service are of longstanding and are reviewed from time to time. Details must remain confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money Sheffield area health authority will have left for new developments in 1980–81 and 1981–82 assuming an inflation level of 15 per cent. and 13 per cent. in each year, respectively, and assuming the authority has to find the revenue consequences of committed capital schemes.

This information is not available centrally and the hon. Member may wish to approach Sheffield area health authority for it.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will examine the report of the health advisory committee on Middlewood hospital, Sheffield, which draws attention to the need to improve facilities for the mentally ill; and if he will estimate the likely cost of implementing its proposals.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to a report on Middlewood hospital recently circulated for local discussion by the Northern Sheffield community health council. The Sheffield area health authority is responsible for the hospital's management but has not yet received a copy of the report.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what costings his Department has made of the items listed in paragraph 4(1) of the Supplementary Benefits (Requirements) Regulations 1980.

None. Successive Governments have considered it right that beneficiaries should have the freedom to decide for themselves how to allocate their resources on those items which the scale rates are intended to cover. This reflects the fact that people have widely varying needs and priorities which makes it unrealistic to apportion expenditure on individual items. The scale rates are, of course, uprated annually.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to introduce legislation to make the changes in the constitution of the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work which he announced on 12 December 1980.

I regret that there is now little possibility of introducing legislation on this in the current Session. A number of other matters in the field of health and personal social services, which I had hoped we might cover in such a Bill, will accordingly have to wait until a later Session.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what would be the annual saving to Exchequer funds if all members of the House of Lords were debarred from drawing any salaries or expenses from public funds other than daily attendance allowances.

The information is not available centrally and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. There is no question of paying peers who undertake public duties anything other than the proper rate for the job.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will give at the latest and most convenient stated date the number of hon. Members who were not drawing their parliamentary salaries, either wholly or in part.

As at 31 December 1980 one hon. Member had elected to receive a reduced parliamentary salary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he considers the present duration of time for sheep dipping to be satisfactory; what representations he has received on the timing of dipping; and whether he will make a statement.

Tests carried out at the central veterinary laboratory have shown that sheep dipped for sheep scab must be immersed in an approved dip for not less than one minute if all sheep scab mites are to be killed.We received no representations on the timing of compulsory dipping during the past season.We shall be considering in the coming months what, if any, action should be taken in relation to compulsory dipping in the light of the incidence of the disease.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost to the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund of selling sugar with the aid of export restitutions by the European Economic Community to countries outside the Community in each year since 1975–76.

For the period requested the figures are as follows:

Year	£million
1975	15·5
1976	38·5
1977	267·4
1978	425·2
1979	485·0
1980	*186·4
* Estimated.

Source: European Community Commission.This expenditure is partly offset by a levy on sugar producers, and by a levy on exports when world prices are above Community prices, as in much of 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the current annual cost of heating a medium-sized living room and providing hot water for a family of two adults using (a) standard electricity tariff, (b) off-peak electricity and (c) gas.

The cost of providing hot water for a family of two and heating a medium sized living room varies according to many factors, including consumer habits, the level of heating, type of house, insulation and local conditions. However, an indication of annual fuel costs for heating a living room 12 hours per day and providing 150 gallons of hot water per week under representative conditions in London can be obtained from the following estimates:

	£ per year
Annual fuel costs using:
(a) Standard domestic electricity tariff (excluding standing charge)	250
(b) Off-peak electricity (including extra standing charge)	150
(c) Gas (including the whole of the standing charge and extra cost of initial units which may however be paid already if gas is used for other purposes)	100

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish in the Offical Report the annual load factor of the Dounreay PFR for the most recent 10 years.

The load factor figures for PFR since it first generated electricity during 1975 are set out in the following table. As stated in the UKAEA's last annual report, despite good performance by the reactor itself, electrical output has been constrained by problems with other parts of the plant and the needs of the experimental programme.

Prototype Fast Reactor Annual Operating Statistics:
Year	Percentage of Time Reactor Operational	Electrical Load Factor % (i.e. actual electrical output as a percentage of design output)
1975	88·1	8
1976	83·2	20
1977	79·8	29
1978	54·6	33
1979	56·5	27
1980	84·9	21

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what estimate his Department has made of the size of the increase required in United States' domestic oil prices to achieve the agreed International Energy Agency objective that national oil prices should reflect international prices.

Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Allocations Act of 1975, all authority to control the price of indigenous crude oil and domestic oil products expires on September 30 1981.Under the Act's discretionary powers, President Carter began a phased programme of decontrol of domestic crude oil prices on 1 June 1979. As a result nearly 60 per cent. of previously controlled production has now been moved to world market price; by October 1981 at the latest, all crude production is to be at world market prices. Latest figures available on United States prices indicate that the cost to United States refiners of domestic crude oil in September 1980 was about 28 per cent. below international levels. The composite prices of domestic and imported crude was then about 19 per cent. below international levels.Gasoline and propane, the only products still subject to price control, are also to be deregulated under the 1975 Act by September 1981. Retail gasoline prices have roughly doubled since 1978 but after decontrol will still remain significantly lower than in other IEA markets—with the exception of Canada—unless sales taxes are increased.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of employees in the Calderdale metropolitan district working short-time under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme during November and December 1980.

In the Calderdale metropolitan district there were 3,802 potentially redundant employees being supported under the temporary short-time working compensation—TSTWC—scheme in November 1980 and 5,144 in December 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals have been made for future support under the training opportunities scheme for diving training.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much support has been given during each of the last five years to diving training through programmes run under the training opportunities scheme.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the numbers of persons trained in basic air diving training under the training opportunities scheme for the financial years 1975–76 onwards were as follows:

	Number of Trainees starting courses	Number of Trainees Completing Courses
1975–76 (Scotland only)	58	55
1976–77	127	114
1977–78	158	127
1978–79	143	115
1979–80	156	127

Note: The information for the year 1975–76 relates to training in Scotland only; I regret that information about training at diving training establishments in the rest of Great Britain is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to receive the report of the Manpower Services Commission on voluntary registration; 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 if he will, during the International Year of Disabled People, take steps to ensure that private employers fulfil the 3 per cent. employment quota for the registered disabled, and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 January 1981]: Employers of 20 or more workers, except Crown bodies, have a duty to employ a 3 per cent. quota of registered disabled people under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944. It is not an offence to be below quota, but employers in this situation have certain statutory obligations concerning the recruitment and retention of registered disabled people. I am informed by the Manpower Services. Commission (MSC) that it will continue to remind employers of their obligations during the International Year of Disabled People.However, the number of registered disabled people has declined in recent years to such an extent that it is no longer mathematically possible for all employers with a duty under the scheme to employ the full quotas of registered disabled people.The scheme is being reviewed by the MSC and I shall consider the commission's recommendations carefully before reaching a conclusion on its future.Whatever the legislative framework I am convinced that the way to achieve major advances in the employment of disabled people will come through a greater and well-informed understanding by employers of the real potential disabled people have to offer. It is for that reason that I fully support the MSC's initiative to promote more and better job opportunities for both registered and unregistered disabled people through its "Fit for Work" campaign, which emphasises the need to look for ability first.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the statement in the Manpower Services Commission's corporate plan 1981–85 that the employment service will lose over 800 staff, mainly in the jobcentres, but also in services for disabled people, he will indicate which services for disabled people are to be lost; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 January 1981, c. 93]: My right hon. Friend has received the Manpower Services Commission's—MSC—corporate plan and is studying the proposals.The plan does not envisage that any services for disabled people are to be lost. However, it does emphasise the importance of the services provided by jobcentres to all MSC's clients, including disabled people. The MSC considers that it is in the interests of those most likely to have difficulty in finding jobs that the employment service should so far as possible maintain its share of vacancies. In addition, the self-service provided by jobcentres offers equal facilities to all job seekers.My right hon. Friend has yet to reply to the commission's proposals as set out in its corporate plan.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the projected reduction in services to disabled people set out in the Manpower Services Commission's corporate plan 1981–82, he is satisfied that adequate provision will exist to enable disabled people to be given all possible help to obtain employment.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 January 1981, c. 93]: My right hon. Friend has received the Manpower Services Commission's corporate plan and is now considering the proposals for disabled people contained in it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the proportion of (a) exports and (b) imports of goods and services in gross domestic product in 1945, 1959, 1960, 1970 and 1980.

The available information is as follows:

	Percentage of gross domestic product at market prices
	Exports of goods and services	Imports of goods and services
1946	14·3	18·2
1959	20·2	20·3
1960	20·2	21·7
1970	22·6	21·8
1980 (January to September)	28·8	27·1

Comparable estimates of gross domestic product and exports and imports of goods and services are not available for 1945.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the tax liability of those in receipt of transitional allowances paid to retiring officials of the European Commission.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the answer given to the hon. Member for Braintree (Mr. Newton) on 10 November 1977, Official Report, Vol. 939, c. 185–86 relating to the social wage.

I have nothing to add to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Birkenhead on 1 November 1979.—[Vol. 972, c. 633].

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will update the answer given to the right hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson) on real take-home pay given on 30 January 1978, Official Report, Vol. 943, c. 27;(2) if he will update the answer on personal incomes given to the hon. Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. Howell) on 28 February 1978,

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of each 1 per cent. increase in 1981–82 in each of the higher rate tax bands.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the index of longer-leading indicators is yet pointing to an upturn in economic activity.

Yes. The longer leading index has been rising—though with a fluctuation last spring—from a turning point in November 1979. On average over the last five cycles, turning points in this index have occurred 15 months before the corresponding turning points in economic activity. If the interval on this occasion conforms with this average relationship, the trough of the present recession will be reached in the spring of this year. However, the intervals in the past have varied around this average length: the longest has been 23 months. An interval as long as this would place the upturn much later in the year.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement about the funding of the Commonwealth Development Corporation.

The review of the Commonwealth Development Corporation is almost complete. It includes the question of funding and an announcement will be made as soon as decisions have been reached.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the grants made to the Commonwealth fund for technical co-operation for the current year, for the previous five years and the projected figure for next year.

We have traditionally aimed to cover 30 per cent. of net annual expenditure, though shortfalls in receipts from other donors resulted in our providing nearly 40 per cent. in 1979–80. For the fund's current year, 1 July 1980–30 June 1981, we have pledged a minimum of £3 million and up to £3·36 million, together with a separate contribution of £180,000 for the fund's newly established industrial development unit—IDU.Our contributions for the five previous years were:

	£
1975–76	1,332,161
1976–77	1,800,000
1977–78	3,000,000
1978–79	3,600,000
1979–80	*3,750,000
* Plus £36,000 for the IDU.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what proportion of the aid currently being given to the Turks and Caicos Government is being used to build an international airport and resurface roads on the island of Providenciales.

It is estimated that the TCI will receive £1·12 million in aid this financial year. The disbursements of aid for the Providenciales projects will not start until next financial year and are expected to continue up to 1982–83.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many students there are from developing countries which have

	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	Total
Algeria	—	—	1	—	1
Antigua	—	1	—	—	1
Argentina	4	—	—	—	4
Bangladesh	19	18	7	1	45
Brazil	2	1	3	4	10
Cameroon	—	2	1	2	5
Chile	—	1	1	1	3
Colmbia	5	5	3	2	15
Cyprus	3	7	9	4	23
Dominica	—	1	—	—	1
Ecuador	—	1	1	—	2
Egypt	29	31	29	15	104
Fiji	—	—	—	1	1
Ghana	4	5	6	1	16
Guyana	—	—	2	2	4
Hong Kong	54	51	53	30	188
India	43	39	31	20	133
Indonesia	—	2	4	2	8
Jamaica	—	—	1	—	1
Jordan	15	25	30	12	82
Kenya	4	3	1	—	8
Korea	—	1	2	2	5
Lebanon	8	7	5	2	27
Malawi	—	—	—	1	1
Malaysia	45	60	103	26	234
Malta	—	—	1	1	2
Mauritius	5	2	9	1	17
Mexico	3	1	2	1	7
Morocco	—	1	1	—	2
Nigeria	—	—	52	17	69
Pakistan	32	20	21	8	81
Peru	—	—	1	1	2
Portugal	1	2	4	3	10
Senegal	—	—	—	1	1
Sierra Leone	—	1	—	2	3
Singapore	23	19	37	9	88
Sri Lanka	29	21	25	10	85
Sudan	1	2	6	8	17
Syria	—	1	1	—	3
Teazania	1	—	1	—	2
Thailand	12	8	3	6	29
Trinidad/Tobago	3	—	1	2	6
Turkey	13	8	16	6	43
Uganda	—	—	—	3	3
Zambia	2	—	—	1	3
Total	361	346	476	212	1395
The main classes of subjects studied have been engineering, natural science, social sciences, medical science and agriculture.

The ODA fee support scheme provides awards to selected privately financed postgraduate students from developing countries who are enrolled on courses of development value and who after arrival in Britain have suffered financial hardship. In view of the nature of the latter criterion, it is not possible to estimate how many students are eligible but applications have in most years been of the order of 500.Since the scheme began in the academic year 1977–78 the countries of origin of students to whom new awards have been made has been as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the offence of the 15-year-old girl sentenced to borstal in 1979,.

In 1979, 24 girls aged 15 were received into prison department establishments in England and Wales on sentence of borstal training. The readily available information about the offences for which these girls were sentenced is given in the following table:

Receptions of girls aged 15 under sentence of borstal training into prison department establishment in England and Wales: by offence group
Offence group	Number of receptions
Violence against the person	2
Sexual offences	—
Burglary	10
Robbery	2
Theft, handling, fraud and forgery	9
Other offences	1
Total	24

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give as much detailed information as may be readily available showing for the longest and most convenient period of time the number of unconvicted persons in prison awaiting trial, the costs of such imprisonment. And the period of time such incarcerations have been in operation.

Information about the number of persons held on remand awaiting trial in prison department establishments in England and Wales in recent years is given in the following table. A further table gives estimates, for the latest available date of the numbers of such prisoners held for various lengths of time; these numbers are not typical because those held in police cells are not included, comparable information not being available in respect of them.Details of the cost of maintaining an inmate in custody in the financial year 1978–79 are published in appendix No.4 of the "Report on the Work of the Prison Department 1979"—Cmnd. 7965.

Table 1
Prisoners awaiting trial in prison department establishments in England and Wales on 30 November: 1976–80
Date	Number of persons
30 November 1976	3,506
30 November 1977	3,860
30 November 1978	3,811
30 November 1979	4,109
30 November 1980*	2,222
* On 1 December 1980 2,433 persons were awaiting trail in police cells because of industrial action by prison officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been or are awaiting trial for alleged offences for the longest stated period of time; how many of these have been or are in prison awaiting trial and for what periods of time; and what are the costs of such imprisonment

The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of the comments made by the judge on Thursday 8 January at Snaresbrook concerning the case of Miss Cunningham of Butlers Avenue, Chingford, he will issue a circular to all police forces reminding them of the need to avoid trivial prosecutions.

No. Prosecution decisions are a matter for chief officers of police in consultation as necessary with the Director of Public Prosecutions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will undertake a study of what types of non-custodial sentences were imposed by petty sessional and Crown courts on offenders sentenced during the prison officers' industrial action for offences which normally carry custodial sentences.

Information on sentencing by the courts in England and Wales during 1980 is being examined carefully as it becomes available. In addition, my right hon. Friend is considering the possibility of one or more special studies of sentencing patterns in the Crown court during the period which my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will undertake a comparative study of those who, during the prison officers' dispute, were given non-custodial sentences for offences which normally carry custodial sentences and of offenders, sentenced before the beginning of the dispute, who received custodial sentences for similar offences.

Any attempt to identify offenders given non-custodial sentences during the prison officers' dispute who might in other circumstances have been given a custodial sentence would involve subjective judgments which would make it difficult to obtain reliable results. We doubt whether the value of such a study can be assessed until sentencing patterns during 1980 have been studied.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the cost to public funds of the recent Prison Officers' Association dispute.

No final estimate of costs is yet possible. Provision was taken in a Supplementary Estimate for £13 million to cover the cost of the prison officers' dispute, on the assumption that it would be possible to resume normal working sooner than has proved to be the case. Estimates of the cost of the dispute are now being revised in the light of events.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, as the Metropolitan Police have decided to hold an onslaught on illegal parking, he will ask the police to extend this action to include dealing with the offence of failure to have and exhibit a current road fund licence disc.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that, in the course of dealing with parking offences in this exercise, officers will also report to the Department of Transport any instances of failure to display a valid vehicle excise licence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he has any plans to increase the fees for firearms certificates in the current year.

A review of the basis of calculation of firearms fees should be completed in the spring, when the level of fees will be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what have been the results of the negotiations with officials of the Government of the Republic of Ireland with the aim of preventing interference with UHF television coverage as a result of the proposed increase of power of the Carlingford transmitter at Cleremont Carn.

The Government of the Republic fully accept that the power transmitted from the Claremont Carn transmitting station in the direction of Northern Ireland should be restricted to protect the development of the United Kingdom UHF television network there. Technical means for achieving this are still under discussion.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated expenditure for 1980–81 and 1981–82 on the measures to protect civilians, other than Government Ministers, in the event of nuclear attack.

The purpose of Civil Defence is to protect the civilian population and enhance their prospects of surviving an attack. The total estimated expenditure by the Government on Civil Defence in the United Kingdom in 1980–81 is approximately £21·6 million. Estimated expenditure in 1981–82 will be published in the Supply Estimates for which parliamentary approval will be sought in due course; they will include a proportion of the additional £45 million for Civil Defence over the next three years which my right hon. Friend announced on 7 August 1980.—[Vol. 990, c. 790–804.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to introduce legislation concerning citizens band radio.

Primary legislation would not be needed to introduce open channel radio. As regards final decisions about the introduction of the facility, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South-West (Mr. Butcher) on 18 December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report the costs for internal police disciplinary proceedings, showing the wages of suspended officers, cost of wages and salaries of investigating officers and the estimated cost of loss of productivity of the officers either under suspicion or conducting investigations, excluding the Metropolitan Police force and the City of London force, for the past five years;(2) whether he will publish in the

I regret that this information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, excluding the Metropolitan Police force and the City of London force, he will give the number of cases involving criminal investigation of serving police officers which were conducted by (a) officers of the same police division, (b) officers of the same force but from separate divisions and (c) officers from other forces, over the past five years.

Under the Police (Discipline) Regulations an officer appointed to investigate an alleged criminal or disciplinary offence by another police officer must be from a different division or branch from that of the officer under investigation. Information is not readily available about cases arising from an internal report within the force. But in respect of criminal or disciplinary allegations from members of the public, the available information, for each of the years 1975 to 1979, excluding the Metropolitan and City of London forces, is as follows:

	Total no. of cases	No. investigated by officers from the same force	No. investigated by officers from another force
1975	N/A	N/A	96
1976	N/A	N/A	154
1977	N/A	N/A	157
1978	11363	11267	96
1979	11369	11277	92

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the criteria governing an invitation to a member of an outside police force to investigate charges involving disciplinary or criminal matters against a serving officer of another police force.

Paragraphs 4.11–4.15 of the Home Office guidance to chief officers on police complaints and discipline procedures, a copy of which is available in the Library, draw attention to the need to ensure that the investigation of a complaint should be clearly seen to be absolutely impartial. In considering whether to call in an investigating office from another force, the deputy chief constable is advised to take into account not only the seriousness of the allegations and the rank of the officer against whom they are made, but also the extent to which the incident giving rise to the complaint has been the subject of publicity.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, using the figures he gave to the hon. Member for Northampton, North with regard to those Irish citizens entitled to vote in United Kingdom general elections as being a percentage of the total United Kingdom electorate, how many parliamentary seats have a percentage majority equal to or less than this amount.

I refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to his previous questions on 15 December 1980 and 15 January 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what medical barriers and controls currently exist for would-be migrants or visitors.

The relevant provisions are in paragraphs 70–73 of the immigration rules. Further information on the practice is contained in paragraphs 1·6–1·8, in particular, of Sir Henry Yellowlees' report on the medical examination of immigrants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to his Department over the last full year for which the figures are available of paying travel and hotel bills for the wives and families of inmates of Her Majesty's prisons to visit them in prison.

In the 12 months ending 30 September 1980, £346,711.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in connection with the hardened aircraft shelter contracts in respect of United States air bases in East Anglia, he will confirm that exemption from the NATO international competitive building procedures has been applied for; and when work is expected to recommence under fresh contractors.

Exemption from international competitive bidding has now been obtained from NATO. Discussions are in hand with a number of United Kingdom contractors with a view to an early resumption of work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the title and date of all items of legislation enacted since 1955 which contained provisions affecting the functions, powers and services of local government; and if he will indicate, by item of legislation so listed, whether the legislation required local authorities to increase their staff levels or whether it did not.

I regret that the information requested is not readily available, and that the substantial staff time required to compile and analyse it would not be justifiable.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the approximate total annual cost of running the British embassy in Paris.

The total cost of the embassy in Paris in the financial year 1979–80, the most recent period for which details are available, was approximately £3.77 million.

asked the Lord Privy Seal where there are British consulates in France; and what is the approximate total annual cost of running them.

There are consular posts at Bordeaux, Lille Lyons, Marseilles and Le Havre. Their total cost in the financial year 1979–80, the most recent period for which details are available, was approximately £1.16 million. There are also honorary consular posts at Calais, Boulogne, Dunkirk, Perpignan, Epernay and Nantes which together cost £2,000 in 1979–80.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the approximate total annual cost of running the British embassy in Athens.

The total cost. of the embassy in Athens in the financial year 1979/80, the most recent period for which details are available, was approximately –1.2 million.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the population of Providenciales; and what proportion of the population is at present unemployed.

The total population of the Turks and Caicos Islands was put at some 7,500 in the 1980 census, including 980 residents of Providenciales. At the end of 1978—the latest year for which figures are available—there were 947 persons—12½ per cent. of the population—either totally unemployed or employed as rotation labour under Government relief schemes in the whole territory. On the island of Providenciales there were 40 persons—4 per cent. of the population—wholly or partially unemployed. Because of the lack of employment opportunities in the Turks and Caicos Islands, it is estimated that there are considerably more Turks and Caicos Islanders living and working overseas than in their home territory.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what calculations have been made as to the proportion of benefits from the desalination plant in Providenciales which will go to (a) hotel visitors and (b) the general population.

The desalination plant on Providenciales which the Club Méditerranée is to install will be maintained for the benefit of its hotel complex.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what concessions on bed tax and on loan terms for a desalination plant have been granted to the Club Méditerranée to facilitate the construction of a hotel complex on Providenciales.

Under the agreement between Club Méditerranée and the Turks and Caicos Government, $0·50 bed tax per tourist per night will be charged for the first five years of the company's operations. This represents a 50 per cent. concession on existing rates. Thereafter, Club Méditerranée will be charged 50 per cent. of the going rate, which the Turks and Caicos Government set at their own discretion.One million dollars have been set aside out of the project allocation as a grant to the Turks and Caicos Government for use either to "onloan" to Club Méditerranée on ECGD-type terms for the purchase of British goods and/or to set against local costs, or alternatively as equity participation in the local holding company to be set up by Club Méditerranée. The Turks and Caicos Government, in consultation with Her

Scheme	Dates of Inquiry	Inspector's Report Received
A590 High Newton Diversion	3–11 April 1979	27 July 1979
A51 Tarvin South Western Bypass	25–28 September 1979	23 January 1980
A56 Accrington Easterly Bypass (Southern Section)	7–8 October 1980	20 November 1980
M65 Calder Valley Route Whitebirk-hyndburn section	4–6 November 1980	19 December1980
A57 Aston Relief Road	23–24 September 1980	15 October 1980
M42 Bromsgrove Section	19 June-20 July 1979
	13 May-18 July 1980	10 October 1980
A6 Chapel-en-le Frith and Whaley Bridge Bypass	16 January-28 March 1979	9 August 1979
A45 Ipswich Bypass Southern and Eastern Section	8 July-26 September 1980	30 December 1980
M20 Maidstone-Chegworth	10–26 September 1979	12 December 1979
M25 Dorking Road-Reigate	12 February-7 March 1980	5 June 1980
A17 Swineshead Bypass	27–30 March 1979	12 July 1979
A52/A614 Junction Improvement, Nottingham	8–25 January 1980	4 June 1980

asked the Lord Privy Seal which countries have ratified the convention on the reduction of statelessness of 1961.

The following States have ratified or acceded to the 1961 Reduction of Statelessness Convention: Australia, Austria, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, Federal Republic of Germany, Republic of Ireland, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many United Kingdom passport holders are waiting to settle in the United Kingdom under the quota voucher scheme; in which countries they now reside; and how many are living in each of these countries.

Precise figures are not available but it is estimated that at the end of 1980 about 8,400 United Kingdom passport holders who were heads of household had applications outstanding to settle in the United Kingdom from the following countries under the special voucher scheme.

India	6,550
Kenya	890
Tanzania	325
Malawi	230
Zambia	25
Elsewhere	380

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the trunk road schemes awaiting ministerial decision following a public inquiry, showing in each case (a) the date the inquiry opened, (b) the date the inquiry closed and (c) the date the inspector submitted his report.

The atached table sets out the information requested for all schemes for which the inspector's report has been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the annual cost to public funds, in each of the past three years, of the national road traffic census.

Payments by the Department of Transport for data collection for the three national traffic censuses (England) were:

	£'000
1978–79	585
1979–80	605
1980–81	(estimate) 700

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why street lights were erected on the A45 between Weedon and the MI in the absence of any local demand.

The decision to erect street lighting on this length of trunk road was based on the night time accident record.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what is the cost of each type of dwelling erected in the Poleglass housing estate, taking into account the cost of the land, services administration of the project and the actual construction, &c.

This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive but I understand from the executive that since the construction is not yet complete it can indicate only the tender costs, which vary from £14,770 for the 2-bedroom houses to £22,533 for the 3-bedroom split-level bungalows, with an average cost of £17,085. These figures include construction and the cost of serviced building land. Administration costs cannot be separately identified.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many squatters have had court proceedings instituted against them by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for illegal occupancy.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 January 1981]: Responsibility for action in cases of squatting rests with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.I am informed by the executive that action has been instituted in 492 cases of illegal occupancy.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many of the seven Maze prisoners who recently ended their hunger strike were tried in a non-jury type court;

[pursuant to his reply, 22 January 1981, c. 244]: There is no class of terrorist offences known to the courts or to the prison administration. However, all those convicted of scheduled offences under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978 were tried in courts without a jury. This includes all seven of the original hunger strikers. It would not be possible to establish without unjustified expenditure of time how many of those now or previously taking part in the dirty protest at Maze were so tried, but it would be the great majority.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will restore the extra fuel allowance to people in Northern Ireland on supplementary benefit or family income supplement; and if he will give his reasons for his decision.