asked the Lord Privy Seal if he remains satisfied with the distribution of aid to Kampuchean refugees in Thailand in view of the planned withdrawal by the International Red Cross and United Nations Childrens Fund from the current aid programme.

Yes, since no such withdrawal is planned, to my knowledge. The International Red Cross, the United Nations Childrens Fund, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Fund Programme continue to play their important part in assisting refugees in Thailand. Within Cambodia, UNICEF will remain the lead agency for the United Nations' system through the 1981 phase of the relief operation.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what amounts the Commonwealth Development Corporation has drawn from the Treasury in the last five years; how much it has earned in the same period; and how much it has repaid to the Treasury.

Drawings by the Commonwealth Development Corporation from the aid programme over the last five financial years were:

£ thousand
1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80
18,000	20,000	29.000	18,800	30,000

Gross income earned by CDC from investments and management and other fees in the related CDC financial years was:

£ thousand
1975	1976	1977	1978	1979
25,129	24,840	30,533	31,260	36,902

CDC repayments to the Exchequer in the five financial years were:

£ thousand
	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80
Capital	4,540	3,009	9,464	3,964	6,247
Interest	9,601	8,409	12,498	12,376	6,594
Total	14,141	11,418	21,962	16,340	12,841

asked the Lord Privy Seal when he expects to be able to publish the Rayner report on the Directorate of Overseas Surveys.

The draft report on the Directorate of Overseas Surveys is under consideration and I am not yet able therefore to say whether or when it will be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the numbers of theatres and theatre companies that have closed in each of the last three years.

It is difficult to be precise about this, but, so far as I can ascertain, two theatres closed down in 1979 and one more in 1980. Two theatre companies closed down in 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied that provision for courses for advanced diploma level awards in district nursing at colleges of higher education and polytechnics is adequate.

Yes. If, however, the hon. Member has evidence which suggests the contrary, perhaps he would write to my right hon. and learned Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the first results will be published of the findings of the programme to monitor performance in the English language.

The assessment of performance unit's report of the first survey of reading, writing and attitudes to reading of pupils aged 11 years, conducted in 1979, is due to be published in May. The results of a similar first survey in 1979 of pupils aged 15 years will be published in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what up-to-date information his Department has available regarding enrolment numbers, completions and other progress within the context of the adult literacy scheme.

No estimate is available of the number of adults who have been helped to overcome successfully in the long term their problems in this area. Information collected from local education authorities and voluntary agencies by the adult literacy unit for 1979–80 indicates that the level of demand for tuition remains at about 70,000 adults a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the estimated total annual cost of the adult literacy scheme in each year since it was started.

The Department of Education and Science has made grants to successive central agencies established to promote and support work locally with adult illiterates as follows:

	Year	£
Adult Literacy Resource Agency	1974–75	12,600
	1975–76	707,200
	1976–77	922,863
	1977–78	1,135,000
Adult literacy unit	1978–79	265,773
	1979–80	360,000
Adult literacy and basic skills unit	1980–81	*(437,000 to January 1981)
* Includes grant to be paid by the Welsh Office Education Department.

Information on the total expenditure by local education authorities and voluntary providers on this work in this period is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils left school in 1970, 1975 and the latest year for which figures are available without having attempted O-levels or CSE examinations in English and mathematics.

The numbers of pupils who left English schools in 1969–70, 1974–75 and 1978–79 without attempting O-level or CSE examinations in both English and mathematics were 303,200, 228,900 and 182,700 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when, in view of the urgency, he will be able to announce his decision about the future of Pinner sixth form college.

My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to announce in the very near future his decision on the proposal made by the London borough of Harrow council to cease to maintain Pinner sixth form college.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many cases have occurred in non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible, over the last 10 years, where compensation has been paid to any person who is a part-time member of the body who ceases to be a member otherwise than on the expiry of a term of office where she considered that there were special circumstances making it right that compensation should be paid; how much money was paid on each occasion; and what were the considerations in each case which caused her to make the decision to pay compensation.

None.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service by what percentage average pay in the Civil Service has risen since May 1979.

The increase since May 1979 has been 38 per cent.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what would be the cost to public funds of a pay increase in the Civil Service of 6 per cent. 7½ per cent. and 10 per cent. respectively.

The cost would be about £270 million, £340 million and £450 million respectively.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is her estimate of the total saving achieved by the scrutinies and internal departmental reviews carried out under the guidance of Sir Derek Rayner.

Decisions taken by Ministers on work they have been doing in association with Sir Derek Rayner have so far resulted in recurring savings of about £29 million a year and savings of about £23 million once-and-for-all. Necessary consultations are continuing. Savings will grow as further decisions are taken.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if she will publish details regarding the public sector pensions affected by clause 1 of the Social Security Bill showing the number of pensioners in the various categories of the public sector and the annual saving in each category.

Official pensions within the meaning of the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971 are increased at the same time and by the same amount as the additional component of State retirement benefits. These will be affected by clause 1 of the Bill, as will pensioners of other bodies, including most nationalised industries, the rules of whose schemes require increases in line with official pensions. Details are not available centrally about pensions in the wider public sector, but there are currently about 1·6 million official pensions in payment. It is estimated that clause 1 will save nearly £10 million on these pensions in 1981–82 and £26½ million in a full year. Approximate details for each service are as follows:

	Pensions in payment 000's	Approximate Exchequer saving in full year (£ million)
Civil and Diplomatic Services	385	6
NHS	205	3½
Local Government	328	3½*
Teachers	187	5½
Police and Fire	132	2
Overseas	60	1 ½
Armed Forces†	295	5
TOTAL	1,592	26 ½‡
NOTES:
* A further saving of about £2 ½ million is expected on expediture borne by local authorities.
† Although not covered directly by the 1971 Act. armed forces pensions are increased in line with official pensions.
‡ Figures do not total because of rounding.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the attitude of Her Majesty's Government to participation by the European Economic Community in the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention.

As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State told the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) on 27 October, Her Majesty's Government consider it important that provision should be made in the proposed Law of the Sea Convention for participation by the European Community.—[Vol. 991, c. 93]

asked the Secretary of Stale for Energy if, in the light of rising fuel costs, he will take further steps to reduce the present level of disconnections from supply.

I recognise there is concern at the level of disconnections. As I told the House on 8 December, I have discussed this with the deputy chairmen of the Electricity Council and the British Gas Corporation. They agreed changes in the code of practice, including the easier availability of prepayment meters. I am continuing to keep in close touch with them about the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the interim report of the review of the disconnections code of practice carried out by the Policy Studies Institute will be published, and if not (a) for what reason and (b) if he will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library.

I am arranging for a copy of the report to be placed in the Library of the House. Publication is a matter for the sponsors of the review—the industries and the gas and electricity consumer councils—and I am asking the chairmen of the British Gas Corporation and the Electricity Council to write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to help industrialists to convert oil-burning equipment to coal.

Existing fuel price relativities give clear incentives to industrialists to substitute coal for oil in many uses. In addition, the Government provide a wide range of information and advisory services. Nevertheless, we are continuing to keep under review the need for further encouragement for the substitution of oil by coal.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on progress to harmonise the energy prices paid by industries within the European Economic Community as a whole in order to avoid discrimination against United Kingdom industries.

The Council of Energy Ministers in May 1980 agreed resolutions which recommended that member States observe economic-energy pricing principles; and that they pursue appropriate energy pricing policies aimed at achieving the Community energy policy guidelines for 1990. Progress on economic energy pricing in the Community will be pursued in the Council of Energy Ministers next week, where a review by the Commission of attainment of energy objectives for 1990 is likely to be tabled.Where there is evidence that artificially low price levels are being maintained through subsidies, the Government will press the Commission to act against the offending party.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the prices per therm under current contracts for oil, gas and electricity supplied for industrial use.

The latest available survey information is for the third quarter of 1980, when the average price for the gas was 17·8p/therm, for heavy fuel oil 22·4p/therrn, and for electricity 68·0p/therm.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made in the programme for producing oil from coal; what plans he has for speeding up this programme; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's appraisal of the NCB oil-from-coal development programme is at an advanced stage and a decision can be expected shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any plans to meet the chairman of the National Coal Board and the representatives of the National Union of Mineworkers to discuss the future of the coalmining industry.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy told the House on 19 February, there was a Tripartite meeting of the coal industry on 18 February, and another is arranged for next Wednesday 25 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many persons are now employed, and how many collieries are currently operated, by the National Coal Board.

The National Coal Board tells me that at the end of September 1980 there were 287,386 employees. It is currently operating 211 collieries.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is satisfied with progress towards the development of a European Economic Community energy policy.

The Community is developing a valuable role in international energy discussions and in taking action on appropriate matters of shared concern. The United Kingdom is playing a full part in this process. However, the main responsibility for energy developments rests with member States' national energy programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement regarding the negotiations between his Department and Norway on gas-gathering systems.

My Department is in close contact with the Norwegians on gas-gathering. We have made it clear that the United Kingdom is flexible on options for landing Norwegian gas here—for instance we would consider the possibility of Norwegian Statfjord gas coming to the United Kingdom for the early years only. We confirmed our willingness to examine any proposal the Norwegians may put forward on possible re-export to the Continent of new supplies of Norwegian gas landed in the United Kingdom. I understand that the Norwegian Government have not yet taken a decision on disposal of Norwegian Statfjord gas. In my view, sale to the United Kingdom would be the most economic option.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce his proposals for the injection of private capital into the British National Oil Corporation.

As my hon. Friend will be aware, a Bill which includes powers to permit the introduction of private equity into BNOC's oil exploration and production business is currently before Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are his Department's priorities within its programme of support for the benign alternative energy technologies.

The purpose of my Department's research and development programmes on wind, wave, tidal, solar and geothermal energy is to establish the extent to which these sources might be exploited economically in the United Kingdom. The technologies involved are insufficiently developed to allow these sources to be ranked in order of relative priority.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take further steps to encourage the conservation of energy.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has for further encouraging energy conservation.

The Government keep all aspects of their conservation policy under review with the object of improving its effectiveness. In the coming financial year my Department will increase its spending on energy conservation demonstration projects. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has already announced that the allocation for the homes insulation scheme will be increased by 30 per cent. in real terms in 1981–82. The Second Reading of the Energy Conservation Bill is being debated by the House today.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will consider a special scheme to compensate area electricity boards and the Central Electricity Generating Board for the additional costs of ordering plant ahead of schedule so that manufacturers can keep their employees more fully occupied.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has plans to increase the access of United Kingdom industrial companies to their own gas supplies direct from the North Sea.

There is already scope for direct access under the provisions of section 8 of the Energy Act 1976.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why he will not move to appoint a Select Committee called the Freedom of Information Committee with terms of reference to include examination of documents and papers to ascertain whether or not these should be made freely available to hon. Members.

Because I do not consider that this function would be appropriate to a Select Committee. The Government's policy is to make available as much official information as possible. But it must be for Ministers, accountable to Parliament as a whole, to decide whether particular official documents or papers should be made public, whether to a Select Committee or to the House generally.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the steps taken to co-ordinate the work of the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Employment, concerning the special problems of children who leave school unable to read or write sufficiently well to be able to take up employment; and if she will make a statement.

The Department of Education and Science is in regular contact with the Department of Employment and also the Department of Industry over the important issue of the education service's contribution to preparing young people for employment.The education service is concerned to help young people with learning difficulties, and special remedial provision is available not only in schools but in many colleges of further education and adult education institutes. The education service makes a substantial contribution through the MSC's youth opportunities programme for the young unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 14-year-old boys were remanded in custody in 1979.

In 1979 about 360 boys aged 14 were received on remand in custody in prison department establishments in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider whether to propose a Speaker's Conference on possible changes to the electoral system; and what are his proposals for discussing reform of the electoral system.

My right hon. Friend hopes to be able to make a statement about these matters before long.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current actual strength of the police in England and Wales; what is the current average annual inclusive cost per officer; how many detective officers and uniformed officers there are; and how many police officers are engaged full-time on crime prevention advice duties.

On 31 December 1980 the total strength of the police service in England and Wales was 117,423. There were just over 14,500 officers in force criminal investigation departments, as well as a number of officers whose work provides support for the CID and 838 officers attached to regional crime squads. There were 550 officers and a number of civilians deployed on duties in crime prevention departments; in some forces these duties are undertaken by other departments.The total cost of the police service in the financial year 1979–80, divided by the average total strength over the year, produces an average annual inclusive cost of £13,250 per officer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many homes were burgled in 1979 and 1980; what was the value of property stolen in each year and what was the value of property recovered; and what was the average value of property stolen per burglary and the average value of property recovered.

The information available on the number of offences of burglary in a dwelling recorded by the police in England and Wales in 1979 and the total value of property stolen and recovered is published in table 2.6 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1979"—Cmnd. 8098. For all recorded burglaries in a dwelling in 1979—including those where the value of property stolen was nil—the average value of property stolen was £282 and the average value of property recovered was £14. Information relating to 1980 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will update his reply of 3 July 1980 to the hon. Member for Ormskirk on the running of custodial establishments, Official Report, Vol. 987, c. 657, to cover the year 1979–80 and to include the average cost for all establishments.

The average cost of keeping a person in custody in 1979–80 was £7,110. The averages for different types of establishment in the same period were:

Establishments for males	£
Category A/B dispersal prisons	15,818
Other closed training prisons	6,977
Local prisons and remand centres	6,353
Open prisons	5,253
Borstals and YP centres	7,823
Detention centres	6,505
All female establishments	8,570

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest figure for the unit capital cost per place of (a) prisons in categories A, B and C, respectively and (b) converted places in probation hostels, hostels for alcoholics, and day centres, respectively.

There are no exclusively category A prisons designed or costed. The capital cost limits per inmate at first quarter 1980 prices, prepared by the Property Services Agency, for complete new prisons to category B and category C security standards were between £40,000 and £43,000 and between £27,000 and £32,000 respectively. There are no comparable figures for hostels and day centres.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have occurred in non-departmental bodies for which he is responsible, over the last 10 years, where compensation has been paid to any person who is a part-time member of the body who ceases to be a member otherwise than on the expiry of a term of office where he considered that there were special circumstances making it right that compensation should be paid; how much money was paid on each occasion; and what were the considerations in each case which caused him to make the decision to pay compensation.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish in the Official Report the number of convictions recorded for each of the last five years for offences against the Protection of Animals Acts 1911 to 1964;(2) if he will publish in the

The information from records available to us is shown in the following table. However, because some prosecutions may have been brought other than by the police the information may be incomplete.

Offenders found guilty of offences under various Acts
England and Wales	Number of offenders
Act under which proceedings were taken	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979†
Protection of Animals Acts 1911 to 1964	735	752	707	701	679
Protection of Birds Acts 1954 to 1976	130	152	115	130	146
Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act 1975	—	—	—	1	—
Riding Establishments Acts 1964 and 1970	2	8	3	2	—
Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963	—	1	2	—	3
Pet Animals Act 1951	11	2	3	4	3
Breeding of Dogs Act 1973		7	1	6	3
Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976	*	*	—‡	—	—‡
Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976	—	—	1	—	—
* Not applicable.
† Figures for 1979 exclude offenders receiving a more severe penalty on another count and are therefore not strictly comparable with those for earlier years.
‡ Evasion of the import and export restrictions imposed by this Act is liable to proceedings under Customs and Excise legislation; there was one finding of guilt under such legislation in 1977 and one in 1979.
.. Not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the standard of civil defence preparedness of all local authorities in England and Wales is adequate.

Local authorities have a statutory obligation to make plans against hostile attack. Their standard of civil defence preparedness continues to be kept under review following the statement on civil defence on 7 August last year. The additional resources available from 1 April will enable considerable progress to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the practice is regarding the solitary confinement, or segregation for any reason, of mothers with small children in prison; and on how many occasions in the last year for which figures are available mothers have been seperated from children.

All female inmates in prison department establishments are subject to the disciplinary provisions of the rules governing the establishment, but separation of a mother and child is avoided wherever possible; and even when a mother is segregated, she is allowed to see her child daily. Mothers were separated from their young children in prison department establishments under the rules on 13 occasions in 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he now intends to publish the Diplock report into telephone tapping.

The report will be published on 3 March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer of 3 February, Official Report, column 71, concerning the possibility of disciplinary action against two police officers, what further action the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has now taken.

I understand that the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is still considering what further action, if any, he should take. We shall inform the hon. Member of the outcome as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration appeals cases were referred to him and other Ministers by hon. Members in 1980; what were the figures for the previous five years; and what percentage was successful in each case.

The information is not available in the form requested. In 1980, however, almost 11,500 letters about immigration and nationality matters were received from hon. Members, most of which related to individual cases. It is not possible to identify how many of these cases were the subject of an appeal to the immigration appellate authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration appeals were brought by (a) immigrants and (b) his Department in 1980; how many in each category were heard by (i) an immigration appeals adjudicator and (ii) the Immigration Appeal Tribunal; in each of these four categories how many appeals were successful; and what were the figures for successful appeals in each of the four categories in each year since 1975.

The information in the following tables shows the total number of appeals disposed of in each year since 1975 by adjudicators and the Immigration Appeal Tribunal and the number of these which were successful. Appeals to the tribunal by immigrants and by this Department are shown separately. All appeals to adjudicators are by immigrants.The table of appeals to adjudicators relates to the number of appeals by individuals, whereas the tables of appeals to the tribunal relate to the number of cases disposed of—where one case can involve more than one appeal.

Appeals to Adjudicators
Year	Total Disposals	Number of Appeals Allowed
1975	10,937	1,302
1976	12,412	1,297
1977	11,671	1,273
1978	11,455	1,355
1979	13,176	1,566
1980	16,599	2,007

Immigration Appeal Tribunal
Appeals by Immigrants (appeals at first instance or against Adjudicator's decision)
Year	Total Disposals	Number of Appeals Allowed
1975	190	34
1976	603	98
1977	257	39
1978	342	37
1979	311	46
1980	392	79

Immigration Appeal Tribunal
Appeals by Home Office against Adjudicator's decision
Year	Total Disposals	Number of Appeals Allowed
1975	58	22
1976	136	56
1977	70	40
1978	95	49
1979	74	40
1980	80	26

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the present working of the immigration appeals system; what are his plans for the future of the system; if he plans to set up an independent review of the system; and if he will make a statement.

An internal review of the immigration appeals system has been carried out. A report will be published in due course, in the form of a discussion document, and sent to interested organisations for comment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient period up to and including 1 February 1981, the number of reports of the offence known generally as mugging having occurred in the London borough of Newham; in how many cases arrests and charges have been made; to what extent the prosecutions which have ensued have proved successful; and whether he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 February 1981, c. 90–91]: Mugging is a term with no legal definition. I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information available is as given in the following table. Information is not readily available on the court proceedings for persons charged.

Certain offences of robbery of personal property* London Borough of Newham
	1978	1979	1980
Offences recorded by the police	130	113	93
Offences cleared up†	16	16	14
Persons arrested and charged†‡	30	22	17
Persons arrested and referred to a juvenile bureau†‡	6	1	4
* Offences of robbery of personal property following a sudden attack in the open, there having been no previous association between the assailant and the victim.
† The offence may have been recorded in a previous year.
‡Excluding persons who were charged or referred to a juvenile bureau but who had been arrested for another offence.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will authorise the building of a footpath and a bus bay on the section of the A494 Ruthin-Mold trunk road between Bryn Celyn and the Moel Fammau road junction at Tafarn-y-Gelyn, Llanferres, Mold, Clwyd.

Clwyd county council as agents has been asked to look into the implications of these proposals. I shall write to my hon. and learned Friend again when investigations are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has received any representations from local education authorities in Wales with regard to the difficulties they are facing because of financial restraints in purchasing an adequate number of books for students.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number unemployed by order of the standard industrial classification and the number of vacancies in each of the employment offices in West Glamorgan for the latest available date.

Information is not readily available in the precise form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, information for West Glamorgan as a whole is set out below and relates to November 1980. The vacancy figures relate only to those notified to employment offices and careers offices and understate the level of total demand in the economy. Duplication between the separate figures for employment offices and careers offices mean that the two figures cannot be added together.

SIC		(1)	(2)	(3)
I	Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing	74	—	—
II	Mining and Quarrying	324	1	—
III	Food, Drink and Tobacco	251	3	—
IV	Coal and Petroleum Products	93	4	—
V	Chemicals and Allied Industries	263	8	—
VI	Metal Manufacture	3413	1	—
VII	Mechanical Engineering	240	4	4
VIII	Instrument Engineering	188	8	—
IX	Electrical Engineering	174	3	1
X	Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering	56	1	—
XI	Vehicles	193	10	—
XII	Metal Goods not elsewhere specified	648	13	—
XIII	Textiles	119	—	—
XIV	Leather, Leather Goods and Fur	11	—	—
XV	Clothing and Footwear	508	30	—
XVI	Bricks, Pottery, Glass, Cement etc.	73	1	—
XVII	Timber Furniture etc.	205	7	—
XVIII	Paper, Printing and Publishing	119	5	1
XIX	Other Manufacturing Industries	543	1	—
XX	Construction	3197	41	2
XXI	Gas, Electricity and Water	50	6	1
XXII	Transport and Communications	661	6	—
XXIII	Distributive Trades	1761	127	2

SIC		(1)	(2)	(3)
XXIV	Insurance, Banking, Finance and Business Services	269	43	—
XXV	Professional and Scientific Services	678	63	—
XXVI	Miscellaneous Services	1610	106	1
XXVII	Public Administration and Defence	1238	24	—
	Unclassified by Industry	4748	—	—
	Total	21707	516	12
(1) Numbers registered as unemployed on 13 November 1980.
(2) Unfilled vacancies at Employment Offices on 7 November 1980.
(3) Unfilled vacancies at Careers Offices on 7 November 1980.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost of the interest bill on commercial debt (a) excluding and (b) including loans for land purchases, as a percentage of fanning income in each of the last five years.

Estimates of farming income and interest on commercial debt, excluding loans for land purchase, are given in table 21 of the White Paper "Annual Review of Agriculture 1981" (Cmnd. 8132). Estimated interest, including that on loans for land purchase, is as follows.

	£ million
1976	185
1977	199
1978	248
1979	391
1980	556

It would not be proper to express interest as a percentage of farming income since interest, excluding that on land purchase, has already been charged in that calculation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he will press for a more stable European Economic Community regime for beef to prevent United Kingdom livestock producers suffering severe financial difficulties; or if not, what other steps he intends to take;(2) if he will press for a 15 per cent. increase in beef prices above the European Economic Community price review;(3) whether he will press for an increase in the variable premium on beef production from 7·23p per kilogram to 20p per kilogram in order to avoid a substantial shortfall for the farmer;(4) whether he will implement the payment of a further £12·37 under the beef suckler cow premium scheme.

Decisions on the level and pattern of support for the beef market in the coming year will be taken by the Council of Agriculture Ministers in the annual price-fixing negotiations. I assure the hon. Member that we are well aware of the needs and the concern of livestock producers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases have occurred in non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible, over the last 10 years, where compensation has been paid to any person who is a part-time member of the body who ceases to be a member otherwise than on the expiry of a term of office where he considered that there were special circumstances making it right that compensation should be paid; how much money was paid on each occasion; and what were the considerations in each case which caused him to make the decision to pay compensation.

There have been no such cases in the non-departmental public bodies for which I am now responsible. For bodies no longer in existence information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish as soon as possible the names of those he has invited to serve on the committee from the fishing industry' and elsewhere to look urgently into allegations of the dumping of cheap foreign fish; and if he will make a statement.

After consulting the associations concerned my right hon. Friend has invited the following representatives of the catching sector of the fishing industry to join officials from the Fisheries Departments in the team which has been asked to investigate allegations made by the catching sector about unfair and illegal imports: Mr. N. Atkins (National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations), Mr. J. Brown (Scottish Fishermen's Federation), Mr. A. H. Dobbie (United Kingdom Association of Fish Producers' Organisations), Mr. A. Laing (British Fishing Federation Ltd.), Captain the right hon. W. J. Long, J.P. (Ulster Sea Fishermen's Society), and Mr. I. MacSween (Scottish Fishermen's Organisation Ltd.).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has the right of veto on the new EEC sugar regime due to commence on 1 July 1980; and if he will make a statement.

In theory the new sugar regime could be adopted by a qualified majority decision of the Council, but in practice matters of this importance are agreed unanimously. If agreement was not reached, quotas would lapse unless, as last year, existing arrangements, which involve higher United Kingdom and total Community quotas than the Commission has proposed, were extended.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether any further restrictions are planned for the mackerel fishery off the South-West of England.

With effect from 1 March we are suspending fishing for mackerel in ICES areas VI, VII and VIII by licensed United Kingdom vessels subject to weekly quotas. We are doing this having regard to the level of catches so far this year and the need to reserve adequate quantities of mackerel for the vessels concerned to take later in the year. We are also lifting the suspension of licensed United Kingdom fishing for mackerel in the North Sea.In addition, the Community conservation regulation (2527/80) provides that the use of small mesh nets and purse seines in fishing for mackerel is prohibited from 1 March until 15 November in an area of some 4,000 square miles off Cornwall. The prohibition applies to vessels of all nationalities and is designed to reduce catches of immature mackerel.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the European Economic Community social fund is spent in the United Kingdom in respect of immigrant workers (a) from the European Economic Community countries and (b) from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan.

In 1980 a total of £1·2 million was allocated from the European social fund to schemes in the United Kingdom for immigration workers. The great bulk of this was in respect of workers from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan and Vietnamese refugees, but it is not possible to give precise figures since a breakdown on the basis requested cannot be provided for some of the schemes in question.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will now introduce a scheme of employment subsidies for young people; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to introduce an employment subsidy scheme for young people. However, he announced on 21 November 1980 a major expansion of the youth opportunities programme to provide 440,000 work experience and training places for unemployed young people.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures in the following areas: Consett, Hartlepool, North Tyne, Peterlee, South Tyne, Wearside, Birkenhead, Liverpool, Ormskirk, Widnes, Falmouth, Redruth, Arbroath, Ayr, Cumnock, Dumbarton, Glasgow, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Lanark, North Lanarkshire, Paisley, Sanquhar, Bargoed, Ebbw Vale, Holyhead, Port Talbot, Shotton and Wrexham.

The following table gives the numbers registered as unemployed at 15 January in the areas specified:

Area	Number
*Consett	7,458
Hartlepool	7,675

Area	Number
*NorthTyne	30,070
*Peterlee	3,926
*SouthTyne	28,061
*Wearside	23,956
*Birkenhead	24,830
*Liverpool	76,626
*Ormskirk	5,293
*Widness	8,027
Falmouth	2,269
*Redruth	3,432
Arbroath	1,704
*Ayr	6,435
Cumnock	2,406
*Dumbarton	5,286
*Glasgow	84,276
*Irvine	8,518
Kilmarnock	5,372
*Lanark	2,590
*North Lanarkshire	27,939
Paisley	12,217
Sanguhar	450
*Bargoed	4,457
*Ebbw Vale	5,164
*Holyhead	3,278
*Port Talbot	11,531
*Shotton	7,633
*Wrexham	7,903

Married Man with Dependent Wife
	Working 4 days + I day TSTWC
Rate of Pay	4 days Pay	Tax	NI	Net for days Actually worked	TSTWC for 1 day	Gross total days worked + TSTWC	Tax	NI	Net for days worked + TSTWC
£60	48·00	1·80	3·24	42·96	6·00	54·00	3·60	3·65	46·75
£90	72·00	9·00	4·86	58·14	9·00	81·00	11·70	5·47	63·83
£120	96·00	16·20	6·48	73·32	12·00	108·00	19·80	7·29	80·91

Married Man with Dependent Wife
	Working 3 days + 2 day TSTWC
Rate of Pay	3 days Pay	Tax	NI	Net for days Actually worked	TSTWC for 2 days	Gross total days worked + TSTWC	Tax	NI	Net for days worked + TSTWC
£60	36·00	—	2·43	33·57	12·00	48·00	1·80	3·24	42·96
£90	54·00	3·60	3·65	46·75	18·00	72·00	9·00	4·86	58·14
£120	72·00	9·00	4·86	58·14	24·00	96·00	16·20	6·48	73·32

Married Man with Dependent Wife
	Working 2 days + 3 day TSTWC
Rate of Pay	2 days Pay	Tax	NI	Net for days Actually worked	TSTWC for 3 days	Gross total days worked + TSTWC	Tax	NI	Net for days worked + TSTWC
£60	24	—	1·62	22·38	18·00	42·00	—	2·84	39·16
£90	36	—	2·43	33·57	27·00	63·00	6·30	4·25	52·45
£120	48	1·80	3·24	42·96	36·00	84·00	12·60	5·67	65·73

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report figures for a married man earning £60, £90 and £120 a week and working (a) a five-day week, (b) a four-day week, (c) a three-day week, (d) a two-day week and (e) a one-day week showing in each case (i) the net pay for the days worked and (ii) the net money received when his net pay for the days worked is topped up for the days not worked by the temporary short-time working compensation scheme.

The following table shows the figures requested:

Married Man with Dependent Wife
	Working a 5 day Week
Rate of Pay	5 days pay	Tax	NI	Net Total
£60	60·00	5·40	4·05	51·55
£90	90·00	14·40	6·08	69·52
£120	120·00	23·40	8·10	88·50

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether workers who are put on short-time working under the Government's temporary short-time working compensation scheme will suffer any loss of redundancy pay as a result of their drop in wages, should they nevertheless eventually be made redundant; and, in particular, whether the following categories of workers would be adversely affected; (a) those whose pay varies with the amount of work done and (b) those who have normal working hours, but who are required under their contract to work those hours on days of the week, or at times of the day, which differ from week to week or over a longer period.

A statutory redundancy payment is calculated by reference to the rate of pay which is payable by the employer under the contract of employment in force on the calculation date. This rate is not prejudiced by the operation of the temporary short-time working compensation scheme, provided the contract is not otherwise varied.Where the remuneration under the contract varies in the two ways indicated, the week's pay is derived from the average hourly rate during the 12 weeks prior to the calculation date, taking account only of the hours during which the employee works, multiplied by the number of normal working hours specified in the contract.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment which member States of the European Economic Community operate a quota scheme for the employment of disabled people; and if he will provide similar information in respect of the United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

[pursuant to his reply, 20 February 1981, c. 245]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that at the time of its last inquiry in 1978 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Eire and the Netherlands had quota schemes in some form. Denmark and the United States of America had no quota schemes. Brief details of all these countries" measures were set out in the MSC's discussion document on the quota scheme, a copy of which is in the Library. The MSC

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the new measures announced by the Manpower Services Commission to help the long-term unemployed will include specific provision to help chronically sick and disabled people who are disproportionately represented among the long-term unemployed.

[pursuant to his reply, 20 February 1981, c. 245]: The community enterprise programme, which will replace the special temporary employment programme on 1 April, will create temporary job opportunities for adults who have been without a job for a long time. No separate provision is being made for specific groups, but for disabled people the eligibility conditions for recruitment have been relaxed to allow them to enter the programme earlier than would otherwise have been the case.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take account of public opinion, as reflected in the recent Gallup survey for New Society and the BBC, when considering the MSC's proposals on the future of the disablement quota scheme.

[pursuant to his reply, 20 February 1981, c. 245]: My right hon. Friend has received details of the response to the question on employment of disabled people which was included in the Gallup survey commissioned by New Society and the BBC. We have also drawn this to the attention of the Manpower Services Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has issued any guidance to the careers service about its involvement in the youth opportunities programme.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 February 1981, c.31]: Under the terms of the Employment and Training Act 1973 guidance to local education authorities on the careers service in England is issued by my right hon. Friend. The latest ministerial guidance is given in the memorandum issued by my right hon. Friend in November 1980. The guidance says that local education authorities should seek to ensure that the staff of the careers service co-operate with the local staff of the Manpower Services Commission's special programmes division and training services division, and other agencies, in identifying the needs of unemployed young people and encouraging them to take part in special programmes or training opportunities.Staff are also expected to co-operate with staff of the local employment service division offices of the Manpower Services Commission, so that information about vacancies and opportunities can be shared and used to the best advantage of young people. Supplementary advice to the guidance describes in detail how the careers service should be involved in the youth opportunities programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report for each local housing authority in Scotland (a) the guidelines for rate fund contributions to housing revenue accounts for 1981–82 which he has issued and (b) the level of rate fund contributions to housing revenue accounts per house should such guidelines be implemented.

I have not given guidelines to local authorities for rate fund contributions for 1981–82. What I have done is intimate to each authority what is the maximum allowable figure for its rate fund contribution if a reduction in its capital allocation for that year is to be avoided. For the figures I refer the hon. Member to the second column in the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Renfrewshire, East (Mr. Stewart) on 29 January.—[Vol. 997, c. 460-62.] Expressed as amounts per house the figures for each authority are as follows:

Authority	Maximum rate fund contribution per house 1981–82* (estimated outturn prices)
	£
Berwickshire	74·20
Ettrick and Lauderdale	79·95
Roxburgh	67·96
Tweeddale	102·03
Clackmannan	60·36
Falkirk	51·58
Stirling	73·01
Annandale and Eskdale	82·25
Nithsdale	76·51
Stewartry	103·46
Wigtown	74·11
Dunfermline	65·56
Kirkcaldy	68·25
North East Fife	96·02
Aberdeen	64·42
Banff and Buchan	75·36
Gordon	121·81
Kincardine and Deeside	134·30
Moray	90·40
Badenoch and Strathspey	104·59
Caithness	74·80
Inverness	94·22
Lochaber	69·89

Authority	Maximum rate fund contribution per house 1981–82* (estimated outturn prices)
Nairn	115·42
Ross and Cromarty	86·11
Skye and Lochalsh	166·89
Sutherland	90·70
East Lothian	57·94
Edinburgh	96·27
Midlothian	77·16
West Lothian	73·21
Argyll and Bute	91·34
Bearsden and Milngavie	257·53
Clydebank	52·67
Clydesdale	70·47
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth	180·68
Cummock and Doon Valley	53·15
Cunninghame	71·84
Dumbarton	71·95
East Kilbride	615·38
Eastwood	311·66
Glasgow	53·44
Hamilton	56·20
Inverclyde	61·91
Kilmarnock and Loudoun	53·33
Kyle and Carrick	72·90
Monklands	45·74
Motherwell	44·85
Renfrew	65·94
Strathkelvin	94·71
Angus	76·27
Dundee	56·77
Perth and Kinross	87·52
Orkney	147·26
Shetland	223·64
Western Isles	144·82
SCOTLAND	69·66
* House numbers used are the Secretary of State's estimates of the numbers of houses to which the housing revenue accounts of the authorities as at 30 September 1980 relate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will list in the Official Report the licensed waste disposal pits in Scotland.

I do not have this information. Under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 responsibility for the licensing of waste disposal sites in Scotland lies with islands and district councils.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to announce the value of housing support grant for each local authority in 1981–82.

A table showing the estimated amount of housing support grant payable to each authority for 1981–82 was provided in annex C to the report presented in accordance with statutory requirements along with the draft Housing Support Grant (Scotland) Order 1981. The draft order and report were laid before the House on 12 January 1981 and approved by it on 22 January.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the number of convictions recorded for each of the last five years for offences against the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Acts 1912 to 1965.

The offences in question are not separately classified in returns made to my Department. The information asked for is therefore not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will review the income scale to be applied in calculating parental contributions in connection with the assisted places scheme should any of the participating schools increase its fees following the withdrawal of grant-aided support;(2) if he has any powers to limit or veto increases in fees charged for education at grant-aided schools or independent schools in respect of those schools participating in the assisted places scheme.

The function of the parental income scale, which will apply equally to all families with children in assisted places irrespective of the school they attend, is to determine a contribution which represents the amount that a family at any given point in the scale can reasonably be expected to afford. Fee increases would not affect this amount and no adjustment of the scale in respect of fee increases would therefore be appropriate. Such increases would, however, affect the amount of fee remission payable by the Government and I propose, therefore, to reserve a right to limit fee increases in relation to assisted pupils. This is provided for in new section 75A(8) contained in clause 5 of the Education (Scotland) (No. 2) Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the decision by Dundee high school to include an entrance examination for an assisted place is in accordance with the arrangements for considering the eligibility of those for an assisted place.

The proposal is that schools which participate in the assisted places scheme will be free to make the arrangements they consider appropriate in the light of their own circumstances for the admission of children to assisted places.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the level of grant to the Scottish Sports Council for 1978, 1979 and 1980; what is the proposed grant for the coming year; what is the number of people employed by the council; and by whom the secretary of the council is employed.

Grant-in-aid for 1978–79, 1979–80 and 1980–81 was £2·5 million, £2·8 million and £3·24 million, respectively, and the proposed grant for 1981-82 is £3·51 million. There are 147 staff employed by

Date of approval	Grants	Loans	Special contribution to research and development	Total
	£	£	£	£
12 February 1976	10,000	15,000	—	25,000
1 December 1977	20,000	25,600	—	45,600

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements there are for the representation of Scottish sport in international discussions at all levels in all sports.

At international meetings on sport held at Government level Scottish sport is represented, where appropriate, by a representative of my right hon. Friend attending as part of a United Kingdom delegation. Non-governmental interests may also be represented on these occasions; the four advisory bodies—the Central Council for Physical Recreation, the Scottish Standing Conference of Sport, the Sports and Games Association of Wales and the Northern Ireland Council for Physical Recreation—collectively nominate a representative.Details of representation on other international occasions are not held centrally. Individual governing bodies of sport in Scotland are generally affiliated to the appropriate European or world organisation either directly or through the British body concerned. The Scottish Sports Council offers financial assistance to enable Scottish governing bodies to be represented at international meetings.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will set up an inquiry to investigate the use of financial assistance given by the Highlands and Islands Development Board to Savo Electronics Ltd., Inverness, in the light of the firm's use of a Swiss company to handle overseas receipts and of its having been placed in the hands of a receiver.

I have no plans to do so. The Highlands and Islands Development Board has undertaken an inquiry by commissioning professional accountants to carry out a financial investigation of the affairs of Savo Electronics Ltd. This investigation has produced no evidence to suggest that the firm's commercial difficulties have arisen from the contacts between it and the Swiss company.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will list the amounts of public money paid to Savo Electronics Ltd. through the Highlands and Islands Development Board, giving dates on which the grants were made and indicating what other assistance was rendered.

Grants and loans provided by HIDB are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations his Department is holding with a view to securing employment for those persons whose jobs are placed at risk by the receivership of Savo Electronics Ltd., Inverness; and if he will make a statement.

My officials are maintaining contact with the Highlands and Islands Development Board, which is keeping a close watch on the position of Savo Electronics Ltd. I am hopeful that the prospects for survival of the company's operations in Inverness will be improved as a consequence of the receivership, and that the risk to jobs will be minimised.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any proposed financial assistance to PX Nuclear Ltd. has been delayed or withheld; whether any assurances as to the continuation of the business were given by his Department; and what representations he has received from firms which have traded with PX Nuclear Ltd.

Grant-aid which would otherwise have been payable in November 1980 was not issued because of the company's failure to observe the conditions in its selective assistance agreement with the Department of Commerce. No assurances relating to the continuation of the business were given by the Department of Commerce. Creditors have sought information from the Department about its agreements with the company and a copy of a discussion document prepared recently by an ad hoc committee of creditors has been received by the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what would be the cost of increasing the allowance paid to youth opportunities programme trainees to £27 per week from the date when other national insurance and welfare benefits were raised to the end of the present financial year and the next full year if all the places available were taken up.

The cost of increasing the youth opportunities programme allowance to £27 per week from 24 November 1980 would be as follows:

	£
1980–81	165,000
1981–82	940,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that the lack of any obligation by owners of sites of special scientific interest to notify the Nature Conservancy Council in advance of any proposed changes which would be harmful to the site provides adequate safeguards against the loss of various species of wild life.

My right hon. Friend is urgently considering the views which were expressed on this question in another place during the Committee stage of the Wildlife and Countryside Bill. As my hon. Friend is aware, the arrangements relating to grant-aid make it a pre-condition of any approval of grant that the owners shall have given the NCC such prior notification.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the recent agricultural operations upon a major part of the Horton Common site of special scientific interest have damaged the scientific interest; and if he will make a statement.

Recent agricultural reclamation has substantially reduced the scientific interest on the major part of the Horton Common site of special scientific interest. I hope future management will enable the remainder of the site to continue to be of scientific interest.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which protected species of flora and fauna listed in appendices I and II of the Berne convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats were known to occur upon the Horton Common site of special scientific interest.

No species of flora listed in appendix I of the Berne convention were known to occur in Horton Common site of special scientific interest. The species of fauna included in appendix II to the convention known to occur in Horton Common are:

Fauna
Smooth snake	Coronella austriaca
Dartford warbler	Sylvia undata
Hobby	Falco subbutes
Nightjar	Caprimulgus europaeus
Green woodpecker	Picus viridis
Stonechat	Saxicola torquata
Yellowhammer	Emberiza citrinella
Linnet	Carduelis cannabina