asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many appointments he has made to statutory and other committees and bodies in Wales since 1 June 1979; and if he will list all the bodies for which he has the responsibility for appointing some or all of the members.

Since 1 June 1979 my right hon. Friend has made 394 appointments to non-departmental bodies in Wales. The following are the bodies for which he has responsibility for making all or a majority of ministerial appointments:

• Agricultural Dwelling House Advisory Committees.
• Agricultural Wages Committees.
• Agriculture Advisory Panel for Wales.
• Ancient Monuments Board for Wales.
• Area Health Authorities
• Committee for the Welsh Scheme for the Development of Health & Social Research.
• Committee on Agricultural Valuation.
• Community Health Councils.
• Court and Council of the National Library of Wales.
• Cwmbran Development Corporation.
• Development Board for Rural Wales.
• Forestry Commission Reference Committees.
• Historic Buildings Council for Wales.
• Housing Management Advisory Panel.
• Land Authority for Wales.
• Library Advisory Council for Wales.
• Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales.
• National Park Committees.
• Place Names Advisory Committee.
• Rent Tribunals and Rent Assessment Committees.
• Saundersfoot Harbour Commission.
• South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee.
• Sports Council for Wales.
• Wales Tourist Board.
• Welsh Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.
• Welsh Committee for Post Graduate Pharmaceutical Education.
• Welsh Development Agency.
• Welsh Health Technical Services Organisation.
• Welsh Industrial Development Advisory Board.
• Welsh Nurse Training Committee.
• Welsh Scientific Advisory Committee
• Welsh Water Authority.
• Welsh Water Authority Regional Land Drainage Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to install traffic lights at the Alltami village crossroads, Buckley, Clwyd; and if he will make a statement.

Following the investigations of which the hon. Member is aware it has been decided that traffic lights should be installed at the Alltami crossroads. The equipment has been ordered but is likely to take three months for delivery. I expect installation before the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many local education authorities in Wales were seeking contributions from parents to provide essential equipment for teaching purposes.

I am not aware that any local education authorities in Wales seek contributions from parents for the provision of essential equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide special funding to local education authorities in Wales to counter the difficulties experienced by them in purchasing adequate numbers of books for students.

No. It is for local education authorities themselves to determine their expenditure priorities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update for 1980–81 the information on the proportion of income paid in income tax by a married couple with two children aged under 11 years given in his replies of 22 January 1980, Official Report, c. 183–84 and 29 February 1980, Official Report, c. 177.

The figures for 1979–80 and 1980–81 are as in the following table. The figures for 1979–80 have been revised now that the results of the new earnings survey for April 1980 are available. The updated figure used for earnings in 1979–80 is the average of the figures obtained in the new earnings survey of the average weekly earnings of full-time adult male manual workers at the April of the beginning and end of the year. For 1980–81 the estimated level of earnings in October 1980 has been used as the best estimate at present for 1980–81. This has been obtained by updating the figure in the new earnings survey for April 1980 of average earnings of full-time adult male manual workers, taking account of the movements in a centred three-month moving average of the monthly index of average earnings of all employees covering the whole economy. The figures of income include child benefit in addition to earnings. National insurance contributions are at the not-contracted-out rate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Northampton, North on 21 January, why he did not give figures in respect of a married householder with an average mortgage commitment earning between £4,500 and £11,500.

As I indicated in my reply to my hon. Friend on 21 January, I was not entirely sure that I had correctly understood his question. I thought it best therefore to limit my reply to the lowest and highest income levels.The figures for the other income levels on the same basis as before are as follows:

Percentage of Gross Earnings
Earnings £	Sept 1979 Per cent	Sept 1980 Per cent	Difference Per cent
4, 500	17.6	19.4	1.8
5,000	19.5	21.1	1.6
5,500	21.1	22.5	1.4
6,000	22.3	23.7	1.4
6,500	23·4	24·7	1·3
7,000	24.4	25.6	1.2
7,500	24.8	25.9	1.1
8,000	25.1	26.1	1.0
8,500	25.4	26.4	1.0
9,000	25.6	26.6	1.0
9,500	25.9	26.7	0.8
10,000	26.1	26.9	0.8
10,500	26.3	27.1	0.8
11,000	26.4	27.2	0.8
11,500	26.6	27.3	0.7

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Disablement Income Group about the abatement of benefits for disabled people and, in particular, of invalidity benefit in the current year's uprating; what reply is he sending; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will update the reply given to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 6 March 1980, showing the percentage of income tax paid by taxpayers with earnings less than the average male manual earnings and those with less than half the overall male manual earnings in 1979–80; and what is the estimated percentage for 1980–81;(2) pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North on 19 January 1977,

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money was paid out in aid to nationalised industries, including the writing off of debts, in 1978, 1979 and 1980, respectively.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of overall Government expenditure in 1978, 1979 and 1980, respectively, was represented by (a) social security and all other welfare benefits and (b) aid to nationalised industries, including the writing off of debts.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a list of capital outflows from the United Kingdon as a result of North Sea oil and gas production for each year since production started.

[pursuant to his reply, of 25 February 1981, c. 365]: The only capital outflow directly associated with North Sea oil and gas production is repayment of foreign currency debt by United Kingdom companies. This flow is not separately identified. Identifiable overseas investment in the United Kingdom continental shelf has shown a net inflow. The figures are as follows:

	£ millions
1973	+65
1974	+231
1975	+946
1976	+1,142
1977	+1,508
1978	+833
1979	+694
1980 (first three quarters)	+611

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total amount of corporation tax paid by the following North Sea oil and gas-related industries, in each year, since the Continental Shelf Act was passed in 1964: (a) companies holding North Sea production licences, (b) companies holding North Sea exploration licences, (c) North Sea drilling rig operators, (d) companies fabricating modules and skid mounted equipment and (f) North Sea diving companies.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 February 1981, c. 365]: For corporation tax revenues from North Sea oil and gas production I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 10 December 1980. These revenues will have been paid by companies holding North Sea production licences. The further information requested is not readily available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the applicability of the five-year limit upon restriction of relief for losses in farming and market gardening under section 168 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1970 in the light of present economic circumstances; and if he will make a statement about the Inland Revenue's administration of the exemption from such restriction contained in subsection (3) of section 180 of the 1970 Act.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 February 1981, c. 441]: I have noted this suggestion, but I am not aware of any evidence that the restriction on the setting off of losses is causing difficulties for the genuine farming community. Farming activities, such as the breeding of pedigree livestock, which by their nature cannot reasonably be expected to show a profit within the statutory period are specifically provided for by subsection (3) of section 180.Since each case must be looked at in the light of its own facts, I should be glad to examine any particular cases which my hon. Friend may have in mind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the portion of transitional allowances not assessed as taxable income is calculated for former members of the European Commission.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 February 1981, c. 442]: The calculation of tax charged by the European Community is not a matter for the United Kingdom Government. The Community's income tax system is administered by the European Commission and its provisions are set out in Council regulations No.260(68)—Official Journal of the European Communities 4.3.68. No. L56/8. However, I understand that family allowances and certain other amounts are deducted in arriving at the amount on which the tax is calculated.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the text of the statement made to the meeting of defence representatives in Munich by the Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Air Force.

A copy of the speech was placed in the Library on 24 February 1981.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what considerations he has given to limitations on catching methods which may be applied when herring fishing reopens in the North Sea.

No decision has yet been taken on when the North Sea herring fishery can be allowed to reopen. Whether any restrictions on catching methods will need to be applied to this fishery when it does reopen will depend to a considerable extent on the permissible size of the fishery.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what specific aid is being offered by the French Government to their poultry farmers which Her Majesty's Government are unable to give British farmers; and if he will make a statement.

The French Government have announced aid to farmers which includes direct income aid for poultry farmers. We believe these income subsidies to be incompatible with Community rules. The Commission has opened proceedings against the French Government under the State aid provisions of the Treaty of Rome.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why he did not include agricultural assistance given by the West German Government in the assessment of contraventions of terms of the common agricultural policy given in his answer of 19 February, Official Report, c. 227.

I have no evidence of State aid to German farming which is in conflict with Community rules. Interest rate subsidies are acceptable within the Community if they fall within the rules laid down in the relevant directive. If my hon. Friend has any evidence of aid which might contravene the Treaty of Rome, I should be very glad to receive it.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, pursuant to his reply of 18 February, Official Report, c. 137, how many employees of British Steel received over £18,000 in 1979; what was the highest amount paid to any one employee; and how entitlement to redundancy payment is calculated.

The redundancy payment is based on the statutory scheme which relates the payment to age and length of service. The corporation supplements this statutory entitlement in two ways—by a percentage supplement and by not imposing the upper limit on reckonable earnings. In addition, an extra payment has been negotiated at major works which have closed since 1977. The payments have varied at different locations and have been related to the extent to which the closure in question had been advanced from previously announced commitments to continue operation.The sum of these payments exceeded £18,000 for only two employees in 1979, and the highest was £19,779.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 19 February, what figures he has as to the amounts spent by Governments in France, Germany, Japan and Italy on motor industry research and development.

Because of the different accounting methods used it is extremely difficult to make any accurate comparison between countries. However, the latest international statistics—1977—available from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development list Government expenditure for research and development in the motor industry as:—millions of US dollars—Federal Republic of Germany 16, Japan 1, France 4. Figures for Italy are not available.

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) if he will make a statement on past, present and potential aid for refugees and to relief organisations in El Salvador;(2) if he will make a statement on United States representations concerning British or EEC aid for relief for refugees in El Salvador.

The United States Administration have expressed concern that European Community aid to Salvadorean refugees might fall into the hands of guerrillas, whose purpose is to overthrow the Salvadorean Government. The European Community is currently considering aid worth about £950,000 to Salvadorean refugees to be channelled through the International Committee of the Red Cross. A decision however has not yet been taken. Her Majesty's Government take the view that it is right to channel aid to refugees through neutral and disinterested agencies such as the Red Cross. But all possible precautions must be taken to ensure that it does not fall into the wrong hands. Her Majesty's Government's share of European Community aid is some 20 per cent.No bilateral United Kingdom aid has been given for Salvadorean refugees: but we shall keep the whole question under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences involving the use or possession of explosives have occurred in England and Wales in each of the years since 1965.

The only information available relates to offences currently recorded as homicide since 1967 where the method of killing was an explosion; these figures are published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—table 10.5 of the volume for 1979, Cmnd. 8098. The information collected centrally on other offences recorded by the police does not separately identify those offences involving the use or possession of explosives.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons in England and Wales have been convicted of offences involving the use or possession of firearms (a) from 1946 to 1965 and (b) in each of the years from 1965 to the present date.

Information in the form requested is not collected centrally. Information since 1969 on the numbers of serious offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been involved, and on the numbers of persons found guilty of offences triable summarily under the Firearms Act 1968—where this was the principal offence—is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—tables 3.1, 3.11, l0(a) and 10(b) of the volume for 1979, Cmnd. 8098.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been convicted of murder in England and Wales of (a) police officers and (b) prison officers in each of the years since 1965.

The information is given in the following table.

Persons convicted of the murder of police or prison officers on duty in England and Wales
Year of Conviction	Number of Persons Convicted of the Murder of Police Officers	Number of Persons Convicted of the Murder of Prison Officers
1965	1	1
1966	4	—
1967	—	—
1968	—	—
1969	—	—
1970	1	—
1971	2	—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what request he has received from solicitors representing Mr. Frank Herbert, deceased, who died in custody at Brixton prison on 2 July 1980; when any such request was received; what replies have been sent and on what dates; and what investigations he has made.

The solicitors representing Mr. Frank Herbert, deceased, wrote to the prison department on 2 December 1980, asking for details of the procedures which should be adopted when a prisoner is received into prison custody; further letters were sent on 7 January and 4 and 19 February. An interim reply was sent by the Home Office in January, and a substantive reply will be sent as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to bring into effect the electoral arrangements orders for counties for which such orders have not yet been made.

Counties for which electoral arrangements orders have not yet been made can expect

	Single Person				Married Couple
Date*	Standard rate of UB/SB	Standard rate of UB/SB plus ERS‡	Col (1) as percentage of net average weekly earnings‡	Col (2) as percentage of net average weekly earnings‡	Standard rate of UB/SB	Standard rate of UB/SB plus ERS†	Col (5) as percentage of net average weekly earnings‡	Col (6) as percentage of net average weekly earnings‡
	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)
	£	£	٪	٪	£	£	٪	٪
July 1948	1·30	—	22·6	—	2·10	—	—	—
February 1958	2·50	—	24·2	—	4·00	—	—	—
October 1967	4·50	8·54	28·4	53·8	7·30	11·34	43·4	67·4
November 1969	5·00	9·97	27·7	55·3	8·10	13·07	42·7	68·9
September 1971	6·00	12·72	27·2	57·8	9·70	16·42	42·1	71·2
October 1972	6·75	13·75	25·7	52·3	10·90	17·90	39·8	65·4
October 1973	7·35	14·35	24·8	48·4	11·90	18·90	38·7	61·5
July 1974	8·60	16·35	26·7	50·7	13·90	21·65	41·2	64·2
April 1975	9·80	18·35	26·6	49·9	15·90	24·45	41·1	63·2
November 1975	11·10	19·65	27·6	48·9	18·00	26·55	42·8	63·1
November 1976	12·90	22·65	28·6	50·3	20·90	30·65	44·1	64·6
November 1977	14·70	25·83	28·9	50·8	23·80	34·93	43·9	64·5
November 1978	15·75	27·36	27·2	47·2	25·50	37·11	41·5	60·4
November 1979	18·50	30·37	26·4	43·4	29·95	41·82	40·6	56·7
November 1980 (provisional)	20·65	33·34	25·7	41·5	33·40	46·09	39·4	54·3

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a list of the percentage uplift of oil that the British National Oil Company has taken of the total production of each North Sea oilfield in each year since the agreements were formalised.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 February 1981, c. 376]: The percentage uplift by the British National Oil Corporation from each field is commercially confidential. In aggregate the British National Oil Corporation lifted, under the terms of its participation agreements with licensees, 4·7 per cent. of the total crude oil production from the United Kingdom continental shelf during the year 1978, 22·2 per cent. during the year 1979 and 16·4 per cent. during the year 1980. The decrease in the proportion of participation crude oil taken during 1980 as compared with that during 1979 arose because an increased amount was lifted directly by BNOC's customers and because royalty was taken in kind throughout 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing (a) the standard rates of unemployment and sickness benefit and (b) the standard rates plus earnings-related supplement, as percentages of net earnings for single people and married couples earning average male manual earnings in 1948, 1958, 1967 and each year thereafter.

Following is the information requested:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were for 1979 and 1980 (a) standard rates of unemployment and sickness benefit, (b) standard rates of unemployment and sickness benefit plus earnings· related supplement, (c) standard rates of retirement pension and (d) child support for one child and three child families, all in relation to average male manual earnings in October of each year.

	Benefits expressed as a percentage of average gross earnings*
				Child support‡ for:
		Single Person	Married Couple	1 child	3 children
A
Standard rates of unemployment/sickness benefit	October 1979	16·2	26·3	4·8	13·4
	October 1980||	16·3	26·4	4·9	13·6
Standard rates of unemployment/sickness benefit	October 1979	28·5	38·5	4·8	13·4
plus ERS¶	October 1980||	27·5	37·6	4·9	13·6
Standard rates of retirement pension	October 1979	20·1	32·2	9·3	25·7
	October 1980||	20·6	32·9	9·5	26·6
B
Standard rates of unemployment/sickness benefit	November 1979	18·8	30·4	5·6	15·5
	November 1980||	18·0	29·1	5·0	14·0
Standard rates of unemployment/sickness benefit	November 1979	30·8	42·4	5·6	15·5
plus ERC¶	November 1980||	29·1	40·2	5·0	14·0
Standard rates of retirement pension	November 1979	23·6	37·8	10·8	30·1
	November 1980||	23·7	37·9	10·3	28·5

	Benefits expressed as a percentage of average gross earnings+
				Child support‡ for:
		Single Person	Married Couple	1 child	3 children
A
Standard rates of unemployment/sickness benefit	October 1979	22·8	35·0	6·3	17·2
	October 1980||	23·2	35·6	6·5	17·8
Standard rates of unemployment/sickness benefit	October 1979	40·0	51·4	6·3	17·2
plus ERS¶	October 1980||	39·2	50·7	6·5	17·8
Standard rates of retirement pension	October 1979	28·3	42·9	12·2	33·1
	October 1980||	29·3	44·4	12·6	34·7
B
Standard rates of unemployment/sickness benefit	November 1979	26·4	40·6	7·3	19·9
	November 1980||	25·7	39·4	6·7	18·2
Standard rates of unemployment/sickness benefit	November 1979	43·4	56·7	7·3	19·9
plus ERS¶	November 1980||	41·5	54·3	6·7	18·2
Standard rates of retirement pension	November 1979	33·3	50·6	14·3	38·8
	November 1980||	33·8	51·2	13·7	37·1

NOTES:

Part A of the table below gives the information requested by my hon. Friend, on the basis of earnings and benefit rates in October 1979 and October 1980. Part B of the table gives corresponding information on the basis of earnings and benefit rates in November of those years, following the uprating of national insurance benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the new social security agreement to be signed between the Western European Union and the United Kingdom Government will allow members of the staff to be affiliated with effect from 1975 to class 1 of the British national insurance scheme on the same basis as staff of other diplomatic missions, that is, without contributions from the member Governments as employers; and whether, in the case of the Western European Union staff members exempted from class 1 affiliation, the contributions paid by the employer and employee since the introduction of a new scheme in 1975 will be refunded.

It is expected that the social security agreement between the Western European Union and the United Kingdom Government will follow established principles for agreements between the United Kingdom Government and international organisations. The exact arrangements are currently the subject of discussions between the Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the one hand and the Western European Union on the other. I am unable to say what the outcome of these discussions will be.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many psychosurgery operations were performed in 1979 and in 1980; and whether this figure includes operations performed in psychiatric units as well as in non-psychiatric units;(2) if all the costs of psychosurgery operations performed in the United Kingdom in 1979 and 1980 were provided by the National Health Service; whether there was any additional funding such as research grants or private donations; and, if so, what were the amounts involved;(3) if any of the patients who received psychosurgery operations in 1979, 1980 or to date in 1981 were detained at the time of their operations under a section of the Mental Health Act 1959;(4) if all patients who received psychosurgery operations in the United Kingdom in 1979 and 1980 were citizens of the United Kingdom; if not, what were their nationalities; and whether the operations were paid for by the National Health Service.

The total number of psychosurgery operations performed within the NHS in England and Wales in 1979 was 70— 66 in England and 4 in Wales. Details for 1980 are not available centrally. All the operations in 1979 were performed in neurosurgical units, including one such unit situated in a psychiatric teaching hospital; two of them were performed, with the patients' consent, on patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1959.I have no information about operations outside the NHS. There is no central information on financial aspects of individual operations. Information about the nationality of those undergoing NHS operations is not available centrally. I have asked my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland to let the hon. Member have further information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has approved the registration of the Clementine Churchill hospital, Harrow, as a maternity home; if he will list in the Official Report the number and designations of medical staff, nursing staff and professions supplementary to medicine at the hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Responsibility for the registration of private hospitals under the Nursing Homes Act 1975 is delegated to area health authorities. The Clementine Churchill hospital, Harrow, is registered with Brent and Harrow area health authority as a nursing home. I understand that the authority is currently considering an application from the hospital for the premises to be registered also as a maternity home. Information on the numbers and designation of staff employed in the hospital is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the latest information available about the frequency of child benefit encashments, showing the proportions cashing the benefit every one, two, three and four or more weeks.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Dr. McDonald) on 5 December.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what financial help is available to school leavers to help them seek work, for example with travel expenses, suitable clothing and subsistence.

The Manpower Services Commission operates the job search scheme which can, in certain circumstances, provide assistance to school leavers and other unemployed people to travel to a pre-arranged interview or to look for work in another part of the country. Where there is entitlement to weekly supplementary benefit, help can be given, in specified circumstances, with fares to interviews or to seek work, including overnight lodging where appropriate; fares on starting work; and clothing, basic tools and so on which are prerequisites of taking a job.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the figures for premature births in the Greater Manchester area for the period 1978 to 1981.

Figures for premature births are not available, but figures relating to live and stillbirths of low birthweight babies—that is, babies weighing 2,500 grams or less—born in the Greater Manchester area in 1978 and 1979 are given in the following table, Information on the years 1980 and 1981 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money was paid out in social security and all other welfare benefits in 1978, 1979 and 1980, respectively.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will order the publication of the report "Information Services for Trade Unionists" commissioned by the British Library research and development department written by Mr. Roger Backhouse.

This is a matter for the British Library board.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what computation is made by the Burnham machinery in calculation of teachers' salaries of the benefit received by teachers from free school meals; and, in circumstances where free meals are given in return for duties performed, what duties are required.

The Burnham machinery is concerned only with teachers' remuneration and not with other

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report statistics relating to death at birth, after three months, after six months and after 12 months between 1978 and 1981 in the Greater Manchester area.

The latest information is as follows:conditions of service. The question of the provision of free school meals has never been a factor in the committees' calculations of salaries.Free meals may be provided to those teachers who voluntarily undertake supervision during the midday break. The precise duties are not defined, but can include such activities as supervision of the dining hall, of school clubs or of the playground.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received evidence that pupils who are eligible to do so leave school at Easter without completing the whole year in order to qualify for unemployment benefit.

The current regulations governing entitlement to supplementary benefit came into force in November 1980. It is too early to assess their effect upon school leaving patterns.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many complaints have been made to him by parents' groups that expenditure cuts by their local education authorities have brought them in breach of the Education Act 1944 and inviting his intervention; and what response he has made.

Records of letters from parents and others are not kept in a form which would enable a full answer to be given to the first part of the hon. Member's question except at disproportionate cost. Currently I am considering a complaint from a group of parents relating to the expenditure policies of Northamptonshire local education authority which asks me to take action under the Education Act 1944. While I possess certain powers under section 99, I can exercise those powers only if I am satisfied that an authority is in default of a relevant statutory duty. I could only be so satisfied where there is clear evidence of a breach. As with all such complaints, the allegations of the Northamptonshire parents are being investigated and a reply will be sent to them once those investigations are complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the present number of people employed within Her Majesty's education Inspectorate in Eingland and Wales; what proportion of these are graduates in (a) chemistry, (b) physics, (c) engineering or technology, (d) mathematics, (e) geography or geology and (f) biology, botany and zoology: and what proportion of these are graduates of (i) Oxford or Cambridge, (ii) London, (iii) the redbrick universities, (iv) the new universities, (v) the polytechnics and (vi) the Open University.

On 1 January 1981 there were 414 members of Her Majesty's Inspectorate in England, and 58 in Wales on loan to the Welsh Office. Information is not available in the form requested in the remainder of the question.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is now in a position to announce the remaining arts grants for 1981–82.

I am pleased to announce the following allocations, subject to parliamentary approval:

	1981–82 Estimate (£m)
Institution	Total	General Expenses	Purchase Grant
British Museum	11.116	9.424	1.692
Imperial War Museum	3.844	3.734	0.110
National Gallery	5.697	2.767	2.930
National Portrait Gallery	1.606	1.304	0.302
National Maritime Museum	3.622	3.444	0.178
Tate Gallery	4.708	2.914	1.794
Science Museum	6.448	5.936	0.512
Victoria and Albert Museum	8.850	6.690	2.160
Wallace Collection	0.671
Sir John Soane's Museum	0.153
National Film School	0.740
Area Museum Councils	1.730
British Library	38.463
British Institute of Recorded Sound	0.440
Royal Geographical Society	0.045

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will now bring up to date the detailed information about non-departmental public bodies contained in Cmnd. 7797, published in January 1980.

The detailed information in appendix A of Cmnd. 7797 has now been brought up to date and the results will be published shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentage of Soviet exports of gold and platinum have been imported into the United Kingdom.

I am not aware of a source for this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the total cost of imports of oil exploration and production and equipment over the last years on a balance of payments basis.

Imports of goods for the United Kingdom continental shelf oil and gas programme are provisionally estimated at £144 million (value fob) in 1980. Information for earlier years is published in table 9.1, United Kingdom Balance of Payments, 1980 edition, which is available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will continue to be responsible for glue sniffing.

Until now I have taken lead responsibility for co-ordinating the Government's response to this problem in England and Wales as part of my responsibility for the safety of consumer products. However, glue sniffing is the deliberate misuse of otherwise safe household products and experience has shown that there is no effective way of preventing their misuse without interfering with their normal use.The only practicable approach to the problem appears to be through alerting and educating all concerned to the dangers, principally to the health of those who misuse it. That is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Social Services and for Wales, who will, with the Prime Minister's approval, take over co-ordinating responsibility in future in England and Wales respectively.My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland will continue with lead responsibility in Scotland and Northern Ireland. I will retain particular responsibility for questions about the supply of any products which can be misused in this way where they fall within my general responsibility for the safety of goods for the consumer. Other Ministers will be involved as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the schools in Northern Ireland which have been provided with sports halls.

Sports halls have been provided at the following schools in Northern Ireland:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what steps are taken to ensure that employers and employees do not falsify wages documents in order to facilitate claims for family income supplement;(2) how many families in receipt of family income supplement cease to be entitled on renewing claims after 12 months because gross income during the 12 months has exceeded relevant limits;(3) what was the average annual number of family income supplement claims expiring in Northern Ireland in the period 1978 to 1980; and, over the same period, what was the average number expiring in each month in the year;

The answers to the hon. Gentleman's questions are as follows:

1. It would be most imprudent of me to reveal details of the measures which are taken to prevent this type of fraud. I can, however, assure him that appropriate steps are taken as far as possible to ensure that wages documents are not falsified.

2. During the year ended 31 December 1980, 623 families who made renewal claims ceased to be entitled to family income supplement because at the date of renewal their gross income exceeded the prescribed amount.

3. During the period 1978 to 1980, an average 2,906 family income supplement claims expired each year and the average number expiring each month was 242.

4. During the period 1978 to 1980 an average of 12,174 claims for family income supplement were received each year and the average received each month was 1,014.

5. The information—based on a 30 per cent. sample of the register at 28 October 1980—is as follows:

Number of children	Number of families
2	1,513
3	1,483
4	1,433
5	833
6	537
7	290
8	117
9	63
10 and over	40

6. Since the inception of the scheme in May 1971 until the end of 1980, nine persons were prosecuted for making false claims to family income supplement. Fines were imposed in seven cases, one person was given a suspended prison sentence and the remaining case was dismissed.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will consider suitable amendments of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act so as to make it illegal for public funds to be used by way of grant-aid in support of organisations whose rules discriminate against sections of the population on grounds of race, religion or occupation.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses have been sold by local authorities under the right-to-buy legislation in Tonbridge and Mailing, South Oxfordshire, Manchester and Liverpool; and what other information he has on the numbers of council houses which have been sold to tenants.

The relevant statistical returns from the Tonbridge and Mailing and South Oxfordshire councils indicate that no sales had been completed by either council under the right to buy up to 31 December 1980. The relevant information is still to be provided by Liverpool and Manchester.Information on sales of council houses up to the end of 1979 is contained in table 11 of Local Housing Statistics (No. 53), a copy of which is in the Library. Information for the period January-September 1980 will be published in Local Housing Statistics in May. For information on sales under the right to buy I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Ardwick (Mr. Kaufman) on 12 January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent the system of pipe jacking, under which pipe is thrust through the ground by hydraulic pressure as opposed to cut and cover techniques, is used for sewerage in the United Kingdom.

The technique of pipe jacking is a well-tried system of installing underground pipes and conduits. It is used by the water industry where site circumstances and local subsoil conditions are favourable, but no separate records are maintained of the proportion of water main or sewer pipeline lengths constructed by this method.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his decision in respect of the planning appeal made by Mr. D. A. Couch of Lostwithiel, APP/ S169/A/80/12419, which was the subject of a site visit in December 1980.

Mr. Couch's planning appeal, which was transferred to an inspector for determination, was allowed, subject to conditions, on 25 February 1981. The decision was considerably delayed as both parties to the appeal submitted various representations after the site visit was held on 5 December 1980, the last such representation coming from the appellant on 5 February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the hon. Member for Havant and Waterloo may expect a reply to his letter of 4 February, on the policy implications of Mrs. Jean Lawrence's eviction from her house.

I wrote to my hon. Friend on 26 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a table in the Official Report comparing the inflation assumptions made when setting the cash limits for the Roads, England Vote and the actual inflation rate for each year since the cash limit system was instituted.

The cash limits for 1976–77 and 1977–78 were derived by adjusting the provision for those years, expressed at the average price levels of 1974–75 and 1975–76 respectively, by an amount representing estimated inflation over the intervening two years. The assumed percentage increases affecting the roads cash block were:

	1974–75 to 1976–77	1975–76 to 1977·78
Road construction	60·4	23·3
Land	–11·2	28·4
Other current expenditure on goods and services	40·7	34·3

The cash limits for the years 1978–79 to 1980–81 were derived by adjusting the provision for each year, expressed at the average price level of the preceding year, by an amount representing estimated inflation over the intervening year. The assumed percentage increases were:

	1977–78 to 1978–79	1978–79 to 1979–80	1979–80 to 1980–81
Road construction	7·0	15·3	16·4
Land	12·0	10·7	15·0
Other current expenditure on goods and services	6·5	8·2	14·0

The following are the actual percentage inflation rates affecting the main elements of the programme from November to November of the relevant years—figures for November 1974 to November 1975 are not readily available:

	Nov. 1975 to Nov. 1977	Nov. 1977 to Nov. 1978	Nov. 1978 to Nov. 1979
Motorway and trunk road	*28'4	19·5	†29·4
construction	*38·8
Land	55·0	32·9	34·3
Motorway and trunk road maintenance	38·8	8·9	19·7
*Tender Prices.
†Provisional.

The inflation assumptions are applied to the estimated pattern of expenditure, whereas the actual price movements apply to the actual pattern.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what weight limits have been imposed on the use of the Severn bridge; when these limits were introduced; and if he has considered the position in the light of the recommendations of the Armitage report.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he proposes to change the limit on the weight of lorries which are allowed to cross the Severn bridge in the context of any decision to implement the recommendation of the Armitage committee.

A 32-ton weight limit was imposed on 26 January 1977. Also a 1 ½-ton weight limit was imposed for peak periods whilst rocker strengthening work was carried out in 1977–78. The 32-ton weight limit was retained after rocker strengthening was complete as an additional control over vehicles in excess of 32 tons travelling under the special types general order regulations. This causes no inconvenience to normal private and commercial traffic complying with the construction and use regulations. Under normal traffic flow conditions, the heavier vehicles recommended in the Armitage report would be acceptable.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any information on the country of origin of goods vehicles inspected mechanically by his Department as outlined in his answer to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Lewis) on 2 February 1981, Official Report, c. 44.

During the co-ordinated checks on foreign goods vehicles held during the period 5 to 10 October 1980 vehicle origin by country was as follows:

	Per cent.
France	32
Holland	24
Spain	15
Germany	7
Denmark	5
Belgium	4
Hungary	3
Eire	2
Italy	2
The remaining 6 per cent. came from Austria, Cyprus, Greece, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Yugoslavia.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will seek to introduce a requirement that registration log books for motor vehicles shall state the ownership of the vehicle and, on transfer, the registered mileage.

I appreciate the objectives which I think the hon. and learned Gentleman has in mind. There are practical difficulties in his specific suggestions, and in recognition of these the Director General of Fair Trading's recent report "Consumer Difficulties in the Used Car Sector" recommended against such requirements. My Department is, however, considering with his office other relevant recommendations in that report.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has completed his reconsideration of the A590 Dalton-in-Furness bypass scheme; and if he will announce in March 1981 the reinstatement of the scheme in the roads programme.

I have written to the right hon. Member. I regret I could not justify resuming work on this scheme before I have considered its priority in relation to a number of other suspended schemes as part of my review of the programme later this year.

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

The total of increasing the allowance paid to trainees on the youth opportunities programme in Great Britain to £27 from November 1980 would be £8 million in the current financial year, and about £30 million in 1981–82 for the scale of programme my right hon. Friend announced in November.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many registered disabled persons are registered at employment offices within the London borough of Brent; and what percentage of the unemployed those disabled represent.

On 15 January 1981, the latest date for which information is available, there were 110 registered disabled persons registered as unemployed at employment offices within the London borough of Brent, representing 1·3 per cent. of the total number of unemployed people.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people within the area of the London borough of Brent are (a) registered at careers centres, (b) engaged in youth opportunities schemes and (c) seeking full-time employment.

At 15 January the number of young people registered as unemployed at the Wembley and Willesden careers offices was 475. The statistics do not distinguish between those seeking full-time and part-time employment. Information about the numbers of young people currently engaged in youth opportunities schemes in the London borough of Brent is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will ensure that the employment rehabilitation centre in Denton, which serves disabled people in Stalybridge and Hyde will not be adversely affected by the Manpower Services Commission's review of such centres.

I attach great importance to maintaining a suitable rehabilitation service for disabled people generally, including the Stalybridge and Hyde area. A recent Manpower Services Commission report suggests a number of experimental developments designed to improve its employment rehabilitation service for disabled people. The commission's proposed corporate plan for 1981–85 makes proposals for the provision of employment rehabilitation in the future. These proposals have not yet been approved by my right hon. Friend, who is giving particular consideration to this aspect.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many (a) men and (b) women are at present unemployed in the London borough of Wandsworth; and how many persons under the age of 21 years are included in these figures.

At 15 January, the latest date for which an age analysis of the numbers unemployed is available, there were 6,866 males and 2,481 females registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Clapham Junction and Tooting employment offices, which closely corresponds to the London borough of Wandsworth. The numbers of young people under 20 years of age included in these figures were 1,040 males and 694 females. Information for the precise age range specified is not available. 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 whether all the activities promoted under the youth opportunities programme are specifically aimed at job experience; and whether he is satisfied that attendance at lectures on social studies, the nuclear deterrent and other broad fields of study is calculated to promote relevant job experience.

Morrison: The content of all youth opportunities programme schemes is designed to give young people a sound preparation for working life. This includes training to give them an understanding of work and society. Discussion of current affairs may contribute by helping to improve young people's ability to communicate and thereby improving their performance at job interviews and at work. I am concerned to ensure that training under the youth opportunities programme is relevant and effective.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers in Wolverhampton were still without work in September 1980 who had (a) left school at Easter and (b) left school in the summer.

The statistics do not indicate how many school leavers who were registered as unemployed in September 1980 left school at the previous Easter or summer school-leaving dates. The following table gives the numbers of unemployed school leavers under 18 years of age in the Wolverhampton employment office area in March, before the Easter leaving date, in May, before the summer leaving date, and in September 1980.

13 March 1980	286
8 May 1980	473
11 September 1980	2,416

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers in Wolverhampton were newly registered as unemployed at Easter 1980 and September 1980; and what are the comparable figures for the same months of 1979.

The statistics do not indicate how many unemployed school leavers are newly registered in particular periods. The following table gives the numbers of unemployed school leavers under 18 years of age in the Wolverhampton employment office area at a number of monthly count dates in 1979 and 1980. The last count before Easter was for April in 1979 and for March in 1980.

	1979	1980
March	—	286
April	235	379
May	424	473
June	1,468	1,413
July	2,402	2,961
August	2,227	2,930
September	1,502	2,416

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 what estimate he has made of the cost of securing the pension rights of the staffs of industrial training boards; and what safeguards exist to protect the pension rights of any board staff whose employment is terminated on the winding-up of a board.

The Manpower Services Commission is currently conducting a sector-by-sector review of training in industry, including the role of industrial training boards. Until decisions have been reached about the future of the boards following this review it is not possible to estimate the cost of any redundancy payments to staff, including those relating to pension rights.Pension rights of staff who are members of the industrial training board pension scheme are protected by the rules of the scheme, which form part of their conditions of service.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what the cost would be of winding up the industrial training boards, with an estimate for each individual board; and what size of levy would be necessary for each individual board under the provisions of section 9(3) of the Industrial Training Act 1964.

The information is not available.The cost of winding up industrial training boards would have to be assessed by the boards themselves taking into account the terms and conditions applicable to their staffs, their ages, length of service, salaries and so on, and individual circumstances relating to the boards operations.The necessity for the size of any terminal levy under the provisions of section 9(3) of the Industrial Training Act 1964—as amended—would depend on the outstanding liabilities of the particular boards and the amount of their financial resources, including reserve funds, which may or may not be sufficient to cover the liabilities.The Manpower Services Commission will be considering these matters with the individual boards during the next few months as the sector-by-sector review of the arrangments for promoting industrial training progresses.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what levy will be required by each individual industrial training board to maintain its present level of activities and meet its own operating costs.

That is for each board to assess in the light of its future levy exemption policies and the opportunities it may find for making economies or introducing charges.Information about the amount of levy—on the basis of a proportion of payroll—which each board would have to raise to finance its operating costs is contained in table 22 of the report "Outlook on Training: A review of the Employment and Training Act 1973". A copy of this report is held in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for employment if he will specify the provision for North Staffordshire to be made this year from the Government's programme of special employment and training measures.

I regret that specific information requested is not available for North Staffordshire. I am, however, able to say that from the commencement of the current financial year 1980–81 to 31 January 1981 the estimated cost of the current special employment and training measures and the approximate numbers of people covered by the measures at the end of January 1981 for the Midlands region—unless otherwise stated—is as follows:

	Estimated cost in current year 1980–81 to 31 January 1981£m.	Number of people covered at end of January 1981
Temporary short-time working compensation*	70·5	209,100
Job release scheme*	10·6	5,311
Youth opportunites programme†	24	25,700
Special temporary† Employment programme	4·4	695
Community Industry‡	see below
* The figures given relate to West Midlands.
† The figures given relate to the areas covered by the Birmingham and Wolverhampton area office of the Manpower Services Commission.
‡ There is no community industry unit in North Staffordshire. However, there are units at Birmingham, Coventry and Nuneaton, Corby, Leicester, Derbyshire NE (Chesterfield) and Nottingham.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums of section 7 assistance under the Industry Act 1972, above and below £10,000, respectively, were disbursed in each region in 1979 and 1980; and how many successful applications were involved.

Information in the form requested is not readily available. The number and value of offers of section 7 assistance on which a first payment was made during 1979 and 1980 were as set out below:

	Offers of £10,000 or more		Offers of less than £10,000
	Number and value		Number and value
Borders
1979	9	£342,052	nil
1980	6	£415,150	nil
Central
1979	10	£615,935	nil
1980	13	£922,368	nil
Dumfries and Galloway
1979	7	£903,620	nil
1980	2	£70,110	nil
Fife
1979	11	£540,925	1	£7,600
1980	8	£1,156,275	nil
Grampian
1979	11	£909,350	nil
1980	17	£862,989	nil
Highland
1979	nil		nil
1980	1	£950,000	nil
Lothian
1979	18	£816,472	nil
1980	21	£2,596,650	nil
Strathclyde
1979	57	£5,724,427	nil
1980	77	£12,019,693	1	£7,500
Tayside
1979	12	£1,010,415	1	£3,195
1980	12	£2,585,400	nil
Island Areas
1979	nil		nil
1980	nil		nil

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent developments have taken place in relation to the range and availability of tuition in Scottish history in primary and secondary schools; and if there are any changes proposed in the criteria.

The report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate on Learning and Teaching in Primary 4 and Primary 7, which was published in August 1980, suggested various ways of improving the teaching of Scottish history and local studies. The Scottish committee on environmental studies of the Consultative Committee on the Curriculum is producing a series of short courses on environmental studies for the use of teachers, which include topics on Scottish history.The Scottish Central Committee on Social Subjects has recently reviewed the place of Scottish history in the secondary curriculum and the publication of discussion papers is under consideration. A joint working party of the Consultative Committee on the Curriculum and the Scottish Certificate of Education Examination Board has recently completed a study of O-grade history and its report has been submitted to the parent bodies. A third field of study in Scottish history has been introduced for the certificate of sixth year studies for 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of electricity in Scotland is currently generated by nuclear means; what contribution each nuclear reactor makes: and what was the level of efficiency of each reactor in the last year.

These are matters for which the Scottish electricity boards are primarily responsible. 1 shall ask the board chairmen to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current projected demand for electricity in Scotland in each year to the year 2000; what relationship these bear to economic forecasts; and if it is intended to review these forecasts.

The weather-corrected maximum demand on the Scottish system in 1979-80 was 6127MW. Over the subsequent decade the Scottish electricity boards' latest load forecasts envisage an average annual growth of maximum demand of just over 1·5 per cent. per annum with lower increases in the early years and higher later in the period. For longer term planning purposes the boards estimate that on average the latter tendency will continue.The boards review their load forecasts annually in the light of the prospects for economic activity and other factors such as the price of competing fuels. There is no simple relationship between economic activity and electricity demand.

Provision of Enactment Creating the offences	Description of offence	Penalities for First Offence		Penalties for Second and Subsequent Offence
		English Tweed	Scottish Tweed	English Tweed	>Scottish Tweed
The Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1868 (C123)
Section 15(8)	Contravention of any byelaw	£5 + £2 per salmon	£100	£5 + £2 per salmon taken	>£200
Section 18	Buying, selling or possessing salmon roe	£2 and forfeiture of roe	£50	£2 and forfeiture of roe	£100
Section 19	Buying, selling or possessing young salmon; disturbing spawn etc.	£5 + forfeiture of fish and gear	£50	£5 + forfeiture of fish and gear	£100
Section 20	Buying, selling, taking or possessing unclean or unseasonable salmon	£5 per fish plus forfeiture of fish	£50	£5 per fish plus forfeiture of fish	£100
The Freshwater Fish (Scotland) Act 1902 (C29)
Section 1	Fishing for or having possession of trout in close season	£5	£50	£5	£100
The Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Protection) (Scotland) Act 1951 (C26)
Section 1	Fishing for salmon without legal right or written permission	£10	£50	£10	£100
Section 2	Fishing by illegal methods	£20	£100	£50 and/or 3 months	£200