asked the Secretary of State for Trade what drift there has been of shipping from the United Kingdom

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what was the value of British imports from the Soviet Union in 1980;(2) what was the value of British exports to the Soviet Union in 1980.

Details of the United Kingdom's trade with the Soviet Union in 1980 are published in tables II register to flags of convenience during the past decade; and what are the reasons for losses from the United Kingdom register.

There is no generally accepted definition of a flag of convenience. Information on transfers to all other flags for further trading is attached; this is only available from 1978 to end-November 1980. Information on the reasons for flag transfers is not available, but the great majority of these transactions can be expected to involve normal sales for commercial reasons. It is not possible to distinguish the minority of transfers in which the former owner retains an interest in the ship. These figures are gross and take no account of accessions to the United Kingdom register. The future size and nature of the United Kingdom fleet will depend on its international competitiveness.(imports) and V (exports) of the December 1980 Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, copies of which are in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many cases 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.

To the best of our knowledge, during the past four years, there have been no such cases. Information is not readily available for the period in question and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the total volume and value of bicycle imports and any other similar form of transport machine for the years 1976 to 1980 inclusive.

Details of imports of unmotorised cycles—including delivery tricycles—are given in table III of the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, under SITC(R2) sub-group 785.2—for 1978 onwards—and SITC(R2) Item 733.11—for the earlier years. Copies of these publications are in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make representations to the Greek Government in respect of measures which will not enable Scotch whisky producers to receive the full price for their exports and prevent importers of Scotch whisky from obtaining a realistic profit margin.

The Greek measure which, from my Department's frequent and regular contacts with the Scotch Whisky Association, I believe my hon. Friend has in mind, are to be abolished in stages by 1 January 1986 in accordance with the terms of Greece's accession to the European Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the cost of the review of administrative forms used by his department.

The cost of the review of administrative forms undertaken for my Department by two firms of consultants in 1979 was £24,500, including VAT.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what improvements in staff inspection have been devised and promulgated by his department since May 1979, referred to in Cmnd. 8170, February 1981, paragraph 14c.

Following a thorough review of staff inspection in late 1979 and early 1980, measures for strengthening it were promulgated by CSD in August 1980. These include close involvement of senior management in the planning of the staff inspection programme, in providing support to the inspectors and in monitoring their performance; improving the rate and speed of implementing recommendations in staff inspection reports; greater attention by inspectorates to examining the necessity for work to be done and to drawing attention to the scope for wider functional or organisational studies; closer liasion between and management of staff inspection and other instruments for improving efficiency, especially management services units. Through its staff inspection and evaluation division, the CSD is assisting Departments to strengthen staff inspection in these and other ways. The need for further measures will be kept closely under review in the light of progress.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the number of civil servants, by grade, of the level of principal and upwards who are employed in the following assistant secretary divisions of the Civil Service Department: Ml, M2, M3, OR, MD, AFA, MG, FP1, FP2, Chain of Command, SIED, CT(P), CT(S), CT(TS).

The number of civil servants of the level of principal and upwards employed in the divisions specified, as at 1 February 1981, are shown in the following table:

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the number of civil servants, by grade, of the level of principal and upwards who are employed in the Central Statistical Office.

The number of civil servants of the level of principal upwards employed in the Central Statistical Office, as at 1 February 1981, are shown below:

Gardiner asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on sales and therefore on revenue of reducing duty on wine; and, pursuant to the Minister of State's statement on 3 December 1980. Official Report, c. 576, what reduction to ensure a fiscally neutral effect could be made in wine duty to secure a three to one ratio between the duties on wine and beer if duty on beer was left unchanged.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to prison governors about the withholding of books and publications from prisoners.

A governor has authority to withhold a book or publication if in his opinion its content could pose a threat to the maintenance of good order or discipline of his establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the governor of Wandsworth prison has prevented prisoners from reading the November/ December issue of "Rights", the newspaper of the National Council for Civil Liberties.

The governor considered that the publication could present a threat to good order or discipline in his establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons the November/ December edition of the newspaper of the National Council for Civil Liberties, entitled "Rights" and dealing with prisons, has been withheld.

The information requested is not readily available and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report details of all the members of boards of prison visitors.

We are not persuaded that it would be right without their consent to publish details of the 1,500 or so members of boards of visitors who give their service in this way.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete the inquiry into racist organisations.

I cannot yet give a date for this, but I intend the inquiry to be pursued vigorously.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total balance of the teachers' superannuation account for England and Wales on 31 March 1976; and how much the surplus of receipts was over payments from the fund in each financial year from 1976–77 to the present.

The balance in the notional fund on 31 March 1976 was £3,138,566,000. The annual surpluses since then have been:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the size of the educational maintenance allowance budget is taken into account when setting the rate support grant.

The Government's expenditure plans, embodied in the annual rate support grant settlement, assume a level of expenditure nationally on pupil and student support: this includes expenditure on educational maintenance allowances. It is, however, for each local authority to determine its own pattern of expenditure in the light of local needs and circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total cost at the latest available date of educational maintenance allowances.

Maintenance allowances to pupils over 16 in England under section 81 of the Education Act 1944 amounted to about £3·3 million in the financial year 1979–80 at outturn prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many educational maintenance allowances are currently in payment; and if he will present this information (a) by each relevant local education authority, (b) the numbers of male and female students claiming grants and (c) the average grant per local education authority.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the cost of exempting from the home fee the 16,000 full-time and sandwich students in universities and on advanced courses at maintained, assisted and grant-aided establishments in the United Kingdom, excluding overseas students and post graduates, who are supported neither by local education authorities, the Scottish Education Department nor education and library boards in Northern Ireland.

About £12 million at current prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he anticipates any additional design use for the Rolls-Royce Pegasus engine at present fitted to the Harrier.

Further development of the Rolls-Royce Pegasus engine is being considered within the planned Harrier improvements programme, but no application is at present foreseen beyond Harrier-type aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to place any further orders for the Rolls-Royce Olympus aero engine.

The MOD has no plans to order further Olympus aero engines, which are fitted in Vulcan aircraft.Rolls-Royce also manufactures a marinised version of the Olympus engine which is fitted to anti-submarine carriers, type 42 destroyers and type 21 and type 22 frigates. Further orders of the marinised Olympus engine are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the disappearance of radioactive material from Rosyth; and what steps have been taken to ensure the safety of the civil population in East and Central Scotland.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Dunfermline (Mr. Douglas).—[Vol. 999, c. 653–55.]

asked the Lord Privy Seal what protest has been made by Her Majesty's Government about the harassment of unarmed United Nations observers in Houle and Alma-ash-Shab in South Lebanon by the militia under the control of Major Haddad.

Harassment of United Nations observers is a continuing problem. We have often made clear to the Israeli Government our concern at their support of Major Haddad and our belief that UNIFIL would be better able to execute its mandate if it were not subject to harassment by the militia under his control.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he plans to meet the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission to discuss training opportunities for young people in the defence industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on any proposals he is considering for providing training in military service for young unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he anticipates any change in the numbers of school leavers being given work experience in the defence industries.

Short asked the Secretary of State for Employment, further to his reply to the hon. Member for York (Mr. Lyon), Official Report, 4 February, c. 138, if he can now make a statement on the Ministry of Defence's participation in the youth opportunities scheme.

I understand that the Ministry of Defence provides a large number of apprenticeships for young people and also sponsors 97 schemes in the youth opportunities programme. The Ministry of Defence is considering what additional help it might offer unemployed young people and I would expect any proposals to be discussed with the Manpower Services Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made in the trend of employment in smaller sized firms.

My Department has not prepared such an estimate but the Government fully appreciate the important contribution that small firms make in generating new and replacement jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the effectiveness of Government measures to reduce unemployment in the North-West region.

I am satisfied that the Government's special measures have made a useful contribution to reducing unemployment in the short term.The only way, however, to attain a substantial and lasting improvement in employment levels in the North-West and in the country as a whole is to get the economy on to a sound footing. This is what the Government's policies aim to achieve.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will meet representatives of appropriate trade unions to discuss the introduction of greater flexibility in the rules governing apprenticeships.

My right hon. Friend already does this from time to time. We also hope in the next few months to publish, jointly with the Manpower Services Commission, a document which will provide the basis for further such consultation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the latest figures for the number of people unemployed; if he will give the percentages of the working population unemployed for men and women, respectively, divided as between the age groups 16 to 19 years, 20 to 29 years, 30 to 49 years, 50 to 54 years, 55 years and over and if he will make a statement.

At 12 February, the provisional number of people registered as unemployed was 2,463,294 in the United Kingdom. The male unemployment rate 12·3 per cent. and the female rate 7·1 per cent.Unemployment rates expressing unemployment as a percentage of the working population are not available for the United Kingdom, but at 15 January 1981, the latest date for which the quarterly age analyses is available the estimated unemployment rates by age expressing unemployment as a percentage of the employed population (both employed and unemployed) for Great Britain were:

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

The seasonally adjusted increase of 79,000 for the United Kingdom, announced today, is lower than for some months, and I am naturally encouraged by this. However, it is too soon to say that the rate of increase is slowing down and we must be deeply concerned still at the rapid increase and the high levels.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures of unemployment in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure of the number of people unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest number of people registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of those now registered unemployed in the United Kingdom.

At 12 February, the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom was 2,463,294.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures of unemployed; and what they were in February 1979.

At 12 February 1981, the provisional number of people registered as unemployed m the United Kingdom was 2,463,294 compared with 1,451,877 at 8 February 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much unemployment has increased since May 1979.

Between May 1979 and February 1981 the number of people registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted and excluding school leavers, increased by 1,007,200. The figure is provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of registered unemployed people in the United Kingdom; and what is his estimate of the number of non-registered unemployed.

At 13 February, the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom was 2,463,294.Concerning the estimate of the non-registered unemployed I have nothing to add to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member on 27 January 1981.—[Vol. 997, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to set up training centres for persons over 40 years of age who are at present unemployed in order to fit them for work in the new technological industries.

The Manpower Services Commission makes provision for the training of unemployed adults in a broad range of skills including those needed in new technological industries. At the end of 1980 some 13 per cent. of trainees under the training opportunities scheme were aged 40 years and over.The Government are considering with the Commission how opportunities for adults to undertake training or retraining may be improved and hopes to publish proposals shortly as a basis for consultation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many 18-year-olds have not yet had a full-time job in (a) the North-West, (b) Merseyside, (c) Kirkby, and (d) Ormskirk.

At 12 February, the following numbers of school leavers aged 18 years, who had not been in employment since completing full-time education, were registered as unemployed in the areas specified.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will establish a code of best practice in the field of school-to-work transitional training schemes.

The Government are concerned that many young people still enter the world of work without adequate vocational preparation. We are considering with the Manpower Services Commission proposals for substantially improving the position. I hope these proposals will be published for consultation in the next few months and that they will go some way to meet what my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that employers' preference for adult trainees as against four-year apprenticeships is the best way of achieving the highest levels of skill in the engineering industry.

I am not aware of employers' preference for adult trainees, but I believe there is a place for both young and adult trainees who can achieve the necessary skill standards in the engineering and other industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements he will make to fill places in skillcentres which fall vacant owing to lack of employer support.

The filling of places in skillcentres is not dependent on specific employer support, but regard must be had to the general prospects of employment at the end of the course.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration he has given to the introduction of a legal requirement that existing closed shops be revalidated periodically by ballot of all employees at the place of work concerned.

The possibility of a legal requirement that all closed shop agreements be subject to a periodic review of support among the employees they cover is discussed in paragraphs 276 to 279 of the Green Paper on trade union immunities (Cmnd. 8128). This and other possibilities for changing the law in respect of the closed shop will be considered by the Government in the light of responses to the Green Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the operation of closed shop agreements since the Employment Act 1980.

The Government have repeatedly stated their opposition on grounds of principle to closed shop agreements. The closed shop provisions of the Employment Act 1980 and the code of practice on closed shop agreements and arrangements have only been in effect since 15 August and 17 December, 1980, respectively.When representative bodies in industry have commented upon the Green Paper on trade union immunities (Cmnd. 8128) we will be in a better position to assess the overall impact of these measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of people employed in 1950 compared to 1980.

The following table gives estimates of the numbers of employees in employment in the United Kingdom at June 1950 and June 1980. The census of employment, introduced in June 1971, measured employees at a new level. Allowance has been made for this and other differences in a continuous series of employment estimates which is available from June 1959. In comparing the figures for June 1950 and June 1980, account should be taken of the difference between the estimates at June 1959 (a), which is on the old basis, and June 1959 (b), which is from the new series.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to ensure that there are sufficient trained personnel available to staff key skilled jobs in industry in the event of a recovery in the level of industrial activity.

Training to meet skilled manpower needs is primarily the responsibility of employers, assisted by the industrial training boards and other industrial training organisations. The Manpower Services Commission's training for skills programme and training opportunities scheme also assist. The Government and the MSC are currently considering what further action might be needed to help industry to improve its skill training.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many days were lost through strikes in the first six months of 1980; and how many were lost in the first six months of 1979.

The number of working days lost through industrial stoppages in the first six months of 1980 is provisionally estimated to be 11,020,000, out of the nearly 12 million for the year as a whole. For 1979 the corresponding figures were 8,689,000, out of the 29½ million for the whole year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has plans further to extend exemptions from training board levies.

Clause 4 of the Employment and Training Bill which received its Second Reading in the House on Monday 9 February seeks to exclude an employer from liability to pay an industrial training board levy in respect of an establishment in an enterprise zone. The Government have no other proposals which would entail extending exemption arrangements for those in scope to an industrial training board, although clause 3 of the Bill also seeks to alter the statutory provisions concerning exemption.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the future of the construction industry training board.

My right hon. Friend has asked the Manpower Services Commission to undertake a review of the future training needs of each sector of industry, so that he may have a sound basis on which to take decisions this summer about particular boards, including the construction industry training board. No decision will be taken until after my right hon. Friend has received the Commission's review.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the recent employment trends among small firms in the principal cities.

The information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the amount allocated by the European social fund to the youth opportunities programme in the United Kingdom.

In 1980, the Manpower Services Commission's youth opportunities programme in Great Britain was allocated £47,034,567 from the European Social Fund; the Northern Ireland programme run by the Department of Manpower Services was allocated £11,526,860.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons are in recognised trade unions; and whether the trend is towards an increase or a decrease in numbers.

No statistics are compiled or recorded on the number of individuals belonging to trade unions which are recognised by their employer for collective bargaining purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he plans to lay before this House regulations giving effect to the European Economic Community rules, on guaranteed rights for employees in mergers and transfers.

I hope to lay the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations in the near future. These regulations will implement the Directive (77/187/EEC) relating to the safeguarding of employees' rights in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of business.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled persons are currently unemployed nationally, and in each region.

The number of unemployed disabled people as at 11 December 1980, the latest date for which national figures are available, nationally and by region is:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give further details of the steps being taken through the Fit for Work campaign to encourage the employment prospects of disabled people.

The Manpower Services Commission will be encouraging employment opportunities for disabled people through their "Fit for Work" campaign in a number of ways.My hon. Friend knows of the MSC' s annual fit for work award scheme. For the past two months individual local presentations of Awards have been made to those employers who won in 1980, and, with their co-operation, the MSC has been using the occasions to obtain maximum publicity at local and regional level for the aims of the campaign. Applications are now coming in for this year's Awards.The MSC is also taking advantage of the stimulus provided by the International Year of Disabled People (IYDP) to highlight one particular IYDP aim, that of integrating disabled people into employment, and to bring to employers' attention the campaign's message about the abilities and potential of disabled workers. To this end the MSC is using the appropriate media—TV, radio, press, conferences and exhibitions—to reach employers and others with influence in the employment field.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) when he intends to appoint a chairman to the National Advisory Committee for the Employment of Disabled People;when he intends to re-appoint the members of the National Advisory Committee for the Employment of Disabled People or appoint new members;when the National Advisory Committee for the Employment of Disabled People last met; when it will next meet and with what agenda.

My right hon. Friend intends to appoint the chairman and members of the National Advisory Council on Employment of Disabled People very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of firms who are not complying with the 3 per cent. employment of disabled; how many prosecutions for failure to comply with the 3 per cent. quota occurred in each year since 1951; and what was the total value of fines imposed for failure to comply with the 3 per cent. quota in each year since 1951.

On 1 June 1980, the latest date for which information is available, the number of employers who had a duty under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 and who were not employing their full quota of registered disabled people was 30,228.It is not an offence to be below quota. Employers can, however, be prosecuted if they are below quota and engage anyone other than a registered disabled person without a permit to do so. They can also be prosecuted under the quota provisions of the 1944 Act for dismissing a registered disabled person without reasonable cause if they are below quota, or if, by that dismissal, they would be below quota, and for failing to maintain or produce appropriate records.Information about prosecutions which have been brought since 1951 in connection with the provisions of the quota scheme is given in the table below:The council last met on 23 October. The date of the next meeting and the agenda are for agreement with the new chairman.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage of British employers who are subject to legislation in respect of the employment of the disabled; what percentage of those as subject are currently not complying with the legislative requirements; what steps he is taking to improve the situation; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 February 1981, c. 134]: Information in the precise form requested is not available. However, on 1 June 1980, the latest date for which information is available, 46,566 employers (those with 20 or more workers, excluding Crown bodies) were subject to the quota provisions of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944. Of these, 16,340 (35·1 per cent.) satisfied quota and 22,001 (47·2 per cent.) were below quota but had been issued with permits authorising the engagement of people who are not registered as disabled. The remaining 8,225 employers (17·7 per cent.) were below quota and had not been issued with such permits but were not necessarily infringing the 1944 Act unless they had made unauthorised engagements.The MSC regularly reminds employers of their obligation regarding the employment of disabled people, through contacts by disablement resettlement officers, and an annual programme of inspections of the records which employers are required to keep under the Act. Only registered disabled people count towards quota and registration is voluntary Many disabled people choose not to register and the number of registered disabled people has declined to such an extent that it is no longer mathematically possible for all employers with a duty under the scheme to employ the full quota of registered disabled people. The scheme is being reviewed by the MSC and I shall consider the Commission's recommendations very carefully before reaching a conclusion on its future.Regulations under the companies Act introduced in 1980, require employers with over 250 employees to make a statement, in their annual director's report, of the company policy towards employment of disabled people.Irrespective of any legislative provisions, the need to promote the employment abilities of disabled people through education and persuasion will continue. I therefore fully support the MSC's "Fit for Work" campaign which encourages equality of employment opportunities for both registered and unregistered disabled people.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to establish arrangements by which jobcentres could assist secondary schools in ensuring a smooth transition for young people from school to employment.

The statutory duty to provide a careers service to work with schools and assist young people in the transition from school to work lies with local education authorities. There are arrangements for cooperation between careers office and jobcentre staff of the Manpower Services Commission, whenever this is to the advantage of young persons. My right hon. Friend will continue to monitor this matter carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons registered as unemployed are over the age of 60 years.

At 15 January, the latest date for which the quarterly age analysis is available, there were 186,406 people aged 60 years and over registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for each region the number of people in part-time work.

The numbers of people (males and females combined) in part-time work in each region are available from the census of employment which was last conducted in June 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people he estimates will be on youth opportunities programme courses at the end of 1981.

It is not possible, at this stage, to give a precise estimate of the number of young people who will be participating in the youth opportunites programme (YOP) at the end of December 1981.However, we have expanded the programme to enable 440,000 unemployed young people to take part in YOP schemes over the financial year 1981–82. It is estimated that a programme of this size will mean on average between 160,000 and 180,000 filled places in 1981–82.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the operation of measures to reduce unemployment in South Shields.

At the end of January 1980 it is estimated that the number of people covered by the Government's special employment measures in South Shields, was (unless otherwise stated) as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his meeting with Joanna Harris, on her dispute with Sandwell council over its closed shop agreement.

On 9 February, my right hon. Friend met Miss Joanna Harris and three other employees of Sandwell metropolitan borough council who had been threatened with dismissal if they did not join a trade union. My right hon. Friend reaffirmed his support for their refusal to give in to the council's threats, restated his condemnation of the council's intolerant policy, and noted that NALGO is also disregarding the TUC's own guidance on the closed shop which urges tolerance. He explained how the law now operates since the passage of the Employment Act 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number and percentage of unemployed in the Preston travel-to-work area.

At 12 February, the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in the Preston travel-to-work area was 14,507 and the unemployment rate was 9·8 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people will complete training opportunities programme courses in 1980–81 and 1981–82.

The numbers of people expected to complete courses under the training' opportunities scheme in 1980–81 and 1981–82 are 67,600 and 61,000 respectively. The fall is due to reductions in clerical and commercial completions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people under the age of 18 years were registered as unemployed in Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush in January 1979 and December 1980.

An age analysis of the numbers registered as unemployed is made in January, April, July and October. In the Hammersmith employment office area, which includes the Hammersmith and Shepherds Bush areas, there were 239 people aged under 18 years registered as unemployed at January 1979. The corresponding figure at January 1981 was 378.The hon. Member will know that last November my right hon. Friend announced a major expansion of the youth opportunities programme to help unemployed young people.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many textile workers have been made redundant since 1 January 1981 in the North-West region of England.

The number of workers involved in redundancies of 10 or more so far confirmed as due to occur in the textile industry in the North-West region in January and February 1981 is 1,741.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the Council of Ministers of the European Community to make progress upon the harmonisation of employment law.

Work is proceeding within the European Community on a variety of measures designed to harmonise law covering different aspects of employment. It is not possible at this stage to say when those measures which have not yet been considered by the Council of Ministers will be submitted to them.The measures currently being considered or on which progress has been made are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of married women who came on to the labour market during the 1970s.

Estimates of the numbers of married women entering the labour market are not available, but the net increase in married women in the labour force in Great Britain between 1971 and 1979 is estimated to have been about 900,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest numbers of unemployed, adult and young persons, in the county of Durham.

At 15 January, the latest date for which an age analysis is available, there were 31,796 people aged 18 years and over and 2,362 aged under 18 years registered as unemployed in the county of Durham. The hon. Member will recall that last November my right hon. Friend announced a major expansion of the youth opportunities programme to provide up to 440,000 opportunities for the young unemployed in 1981–82.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will review the boundaries of employment exchange and travel-to-work areas in Northumberland and Tyne and Wear.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to make the services of jobcentres available to those wishing to find jobs as employed salesmen in posts which are technically classified as self-employed.

My right hon. Friend has asked the Manpower Services Commission to review the policy under which jobcentres; and employment offices do not handle vacancies, including those for salesmen, which offer self-employment terms and conditions of service.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what effect he considers the Macfarlane report on sixth form provision will have on training matters within his responsibilities.

The Macfarlane report urges that the existing links between the further education sector and the training opportunities scheme and industry training boards should be made more effective through closer collaboration between those directly involved at local level in particular training issues and problems. Following a recommendation of the Manpower Services Commission's (MSC) report on the review of the 1973 Employment and Training Act, the MSC is at present considering ways of ensuring that educationists become more closely involved in training policy and programmes, especially at local level.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he next plans to meet the Trades Union Congress general secretary to discuss the Government's Green Paper on trade union immunities.

No specific meeting has yet been fixed. But my right hon. Friend is ready to meet the TUC at any time to discuss the Green Paper on trade union immunities.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he plans to meet the Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the Government's proposals on trade union immunities.

My right hon. Friend hopes to discuss the Green Paper on trade union immunities with the CBI when it has had an opportunity to consult its members about it. As part of those consultations my right hon. Friend has been invited to address a CBI conference on the Green Paper on 25 March.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has had from the Trades Union Congress on the Green Paper on trade union immunities.

The general secretary of the TUC wrote to my right hon. Friend on 4 February asking him to extend the period for consultation on the Green Paper until after the TUC annual congress in September. My right hon. Friend has replied that the period of nearly six months set aside for consultations is already longer than usual in cases of this kind and that it has been accepted by the other bodies concerned, including the CBI. He is, therefore, unable to extend the consultation period beyond the present deadline of 30 June. While it is recognised that the TUC may not be able to submit final comments until after its congress, we should, of course, welcome any views they can let us have before 30 June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to appoint trades union representatives to the Merseyside urban development corporation.

I am currently considering appointments to the board of the corporation and hope to announce my decisions in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list in the Official Report the licensed waste disposal pits in England and Wales.

The licensing of waste disposal sites is a matter for the waste disposal authorities concerned—county councils and the GLC in England, district councils in Wales—which are required to maintain a register of licensed sites. In view of the several thousand sites involved, the information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to announce his decision on the result of the Gedney Drove End public inquiry which was held in Spalding almost 12 months ago.

My right hon. Friend expects to announce a decision in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing percentage increases from measured consumers—including standing charges, volume charges and trade effluent charges—for each of the water authorities in England and Wales for the period from the inception of the authorities to the current year.

I regret that information concerning average increases in charges to measured consumers is not available in the form requested.However, information concerning rates of charges made by water authorities to measured consumers, for water supply and sewerage services, including trade effluent, have been published for the last three years by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in its annual publication "Water Services Charges Statistics". I shall send my hon. Friend a copy of the latest edition and arrange for copies to be placed in the Library in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the numbers of enterprise zones so far allocated to each planning area of the United Kingdom.

The proposed enterprise zones, and the economic planning regions they are in, are as follows:

• Newcastle-Gateshead—Northern
• Hartlepool—Northern
• Salford-Trafford—North West
• Speke (Liverpool)—North West
• Wakefield—Yorkshire and Humberside
• Corby—East Midlands
• Dudley—West Midlands
• Isle of Dogs (London Dockland)—South East
• Lower Swansea Valley—Wales
• Clydebank—Scotland
• Belfast—Northern Ireland

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost, and what were the savings, from the Rayner study of energy conservation on the Government estate.

The cost of the Rayner study on energy conservation in the Government estate was £4,600 when the report was issued in October 1979.The report reinforced the energy conservation policies practised by PSA. These have produced an estimated saving of some £195 million over a seven-year period up to and including 1979–80 at September 1979 prices, on the Government's civil estate. It is too early to assess the saving in 1980–81.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost, and what were the savings, from the Rayner study of the management of the Civil Office estate in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey.

The study cost approximately £12,000. It was concerned primarily with questions of organisation and management rather than with particular properties to which specific savings could be attributed. Eighteen of the 26 recommendations have been implemented and action on the remainder is in hand.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will list those projects and industries which have completed or are completing the process of fuel substitution from oil to coal since May 1979; how many such new projects are likely to start in 1981; what has been the capital cost of the projects since 1979 and what Government financial assistance has been available for such projects; how many tonnes of coal were substituted for oil under such projects in 1980; and what is the estimated tonnage for 1981.

Under the Department of Industry's energy conservation scheme which ran from June 1978 to June 1980, grants have been made available for 38 projects involving the replacement of oil-fired equipment by coal fired plant. If all these projects were to go ahead, 181MW of coal-fired capacity burning an estimated 80,000 tonnes of coal per annum would be involved. Energy conservation scheme grants would total £1·4 million and capital costs about £5·6 million. Details of selective financial assistance showing the names of the company and the amount of the offer are published quarterly in the Department of Industry's journal "British Business", copies of which are available in the Library of the House.Full details of oil to coal conversions in the period from May 1979, but outside the energy conservation scheme are confidential to the industries and equipment suppliers concerned and are not held centrally. Interest in coal use in industry is, however, very high and I understand from the NCB that it has received over 1,000 inquiries regarding conversion to coal and replacement and extension of existing coal-fired plant. If all these proposals were implemented, 5 million tonnes of coal consumption per year would be involved by 1986.

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

[pursuant to his reply, 8 December 1980, c. 430–32]: The real price of 4-star petrol for January 1980 is 44·2 pence/gallon and not 42·2 pence/gallon as published.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her public engagements for 24 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 24 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 February.