asked the Secretary of State for Trade what proportion of world trade is accounted for by member States of the European Community both including and excluding intra-Community trade; and what proportion of world trade is accounted for by the United States of America, the Soviet Union, Comecon, the European Free Trade Area and Japan.

Shares of world trade are normally measured in terms of export values. On this basis, the available information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many years' supply of C39 franked envelopes is held at Companies House, Cardiff.

On the present level of usage, some two and a half years' supply of C39 franked envelopes is held at Companies House, Cardiff. Arrangements have been made with the Post Office to ensure that no wastage of present stocks of franked envelopes takes place with the cessation of offical franked postal facilities on 1 April 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is to happen to supplies of forms 6A and notices of amendments to annual return forms A6 currently held at Companies House, Cardiff.

A new form 6a, incorporating amendments required by the Companies (Annual Return) (Amendment) Regulations 1979, has been issued by the Companies Registration Office since February 1981, when supplies of the previous print had been fully exhausted. Remaining copies of the note of amendment which had been issued with the previous form 6a have been recycled.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many bankruptcies there have been in each of the last five years; and how many company registrations.

Figures of company liquidations arising from insolvency and figures of bankruptcies of individuals and partnerships are given in table 1 of the article on insolvencies in England and Wales in British Business, 23 January 1981, page 178.The 1980 total for England and Wales is 4,000 for bankruptcies plus deeds of arrangement and 6,876 for company liquidations—voluntary and compulsory. Figures of new company registrations up to 1979 can be found in

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report the value of foreign telecommunications equipment imported during 1979 and 1980.

The value of total imports of telegraph and telephone apparatus and equipment—the products of minimum list heading 363 of the Standard Industrial Classification 1968—was £61·1 million in 1979 and 70·1 million in 1980. Comparable volume figures are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the total value of United Kingdom imports of oil from the European Economic Community and the rest of the world, respectively.

The value of United Kingdom imports of oil, from the rest of the European Community and in total, is published against divison 33—petroleum, petroleum products and related materials—on pages 1 and 2 of table II (imports) of the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, copies of which are in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the outcome of the EEC Council of Energy Ministers of 3 March.

The Council of Ministers (Energy) of the European Community met on 3 March.The Council discussed the oil situation and a review by the Commission of the Community's energy objectives for 1990. There was general agreement that the measures agreed by the Council on 27 November 1980 and the increased production by certain OPEC countries had led to a singificant improvement in Community oil markets. But the situation should be kept under close review and the Commission would examine whether there were any specific and effective action which could be taken if supply problems recur. The Commission will report on this remit to the June meeting of the Council. I said that we would participate constructively but without commitment in the study, and stressed the need for parallel work in the International Energy Agency so as to involve the United States and Japan.In the discussion of 1990 objectives I emphasised the importance we attached to the implementation by all member countries of the principles of economic energy pricing agreed by the Council in May 1980. The Commission will shortly submit to the Council a communication on pricing policy which we asked should include material on the extent to which disparities in prices between the United Kingdom and some Continental countries are justified by disparities in costs. I also made clear the Government's regret that so little progress had been made in developing a Community policy for coal and that the Commission had not responded effectively to my letter of 4 October 1979 to Commissioner Brunner urging Community support for coal production. The Council recognised the importance of indigenous primary sources of energy, including coal, and asked the Commission to propose any necessary measures to achieve the agreed objectives.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he now expects to receive firm proposals for the financing of a gas-gathering pipeline from the consortia; and when he expects work to begin on the gathering pipeline.

A great deal of work on the pipeline, including the conceptual engineering designs offshore and for the St. Fergus terminal, has already been done. On financing, the gas-gathering organising group expects to receive proposals fairly soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the Government's latest forecasts of petroleum production.

The latest assessment by my Department forecasts petroleum production in the years 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984 as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received the sixth annual report of the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement.

The report has been published today and copies have been laid before Parliament. It covers the period from 1 November 1979 to 31 October 1980.The report makes recommendations and observations on the workings of emergency legislation in Northern Ireland. It also contains a substantial section on data protection, setting out the conclusions which the commission have reached, following a close examination of the subject. Other matters included in the report are a survey of developments following the commission's seminar on a Bill of Rights and some comments on the law relating to homosexuality.I should like to take the opportunity to thank the commission for its efforts during the year covered by the report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of convicted prisoners held in Her Majesty's prisons at the latest convenient date; and by how much the total has risen since the ending of the prison officers' dispute.

The number of convicted prisoners held in prisons in England and Wales has risen from about 29,500 on 9 February, just before the delegate conference at which the suspension of industrial action was confirmed, to about 30,300 on 23 February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will postpone the introduction of the fourth television channel.

The IBA has made considerable progress towards its intended starting date for the fourth television channel in the autumn of 1982. My right hon. Friend is not persuaded that there are grounds on which he should intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the Commission for Racial Equality is still a necessary non-departmental public body.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality to discuss the planning of future race relations legislation.

No. Neither the Government nor the commission has proposals to amend the Race Relations Act 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the remaining obstacles that are delaying the introduction of proposals to legalise citizens band radio.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make a statement about the legalisation of citizens band radio.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be in a position to make a definitive statement of Government policy on citizens band radio.

As my right hon. Friend announced in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall) on 26 February, we intend to introduce a licensed citizens band service on 27 MHz FM. Licences will also authorise the use of equipment operating on a band around 930 MHz.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to explore other ways of increasing BBC revenue in addition to the television licence fee.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) on 5 February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to grant an amnesty for the handing in of shotguns and other firearms.

asked the Secretary of Stale for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Middleton and Prestwich (Mr. Callaghan), Official Report, 16 January, column 672, why he does not intend to tighten the controls over the possession of firearms.

My right hon. Friend is not persuaded of the need for an amnesty. Nor is he persuaded that further controls on firearms would have a significant effect on the level of crime.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what administrative co-ordination exists between police forces to enforce the law relating to illegal possession of firearms in cases where offences have been committed by nationally organised extremist groups.

To ensure the proper investigation of alleged crime chief officers of police maintain the closest co-ordination between forces.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the need for greater protection for members of ethnic minorities against armed assault in the context of his study of the activities of racist organisations.

The study will embrace all aspects of the activities of racist organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the representations he has received on the Williams report on obscenity and film censorship.

I have received a substantial volume of correspondence expressing widely different views about the report. The Government are not yet in a position to announce their conclusions on the Committee's recommendations, but we have already said that we see no early prospect of general Government legislation on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has now considered the report by Lord Diplock on the interception of communications; and what conclusions he has now reached.

I welcome Lord Diplock's report, which was published on 3 March. I note his conclusion that

"the procedures for the interception of communications are working satisfactorily and with the minimum interference with the individual's rights of privacy in the interests of the public weal".

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received about the implementation of the Diplock report on the interception of communications.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received from hon. and right hon. Members against immigration decisions by his Department since he took office; and how many representations led to a change of decision.

I regret that the information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate expense. Letters from hon. Members about immigration and nationality matters are received at an average rate of nearly 1,000 a month. In 1980 about 85 per cent. of such letters were about immigration matters. Not all of them are representations against decisions taken by the Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his proposals for reform of the Police Complaints Board.

As I said in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Newham, North (Mr. Lewis) on 16 February—[Vol. 999, c. 21–22]—I have received the report of the working party that I set up, under Lord Plowden's chairmanship, to consider how the recommendation in the first triennial review report of the Police Complaints Board for an independent element in the investigation of complaints against the police might be implemented. In the light of those reports I shall be considering further, in consultation with the Police Advisory Board, what changes, if any, may be necessary in the present arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will hold discussions with representatives of local authorities to discuss means of extending opportunities for community service for young offenders.

Discussions have already been held with the local authority associations on the Government's proposals, published in the White Paper on young offenders (Cmnd. 8045), to enable the courts to require young offenders to undertake specified activities which could involve service to the community. The Government also propose to extend the community service order, which is administered by the probation service, to young offenders aged 16.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for which counties he has made electoral arrangements orders since 1 January.

Since 1 January I have made electoral arrangements orders for Avon, Cumbria, Durham, Essex, Hampshire, Humberside, Kent, Lancashire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Wiltshire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the adequacy of present arrangements for transferring mentally disturbed prisoners from prisons to mental hospitals.

When my right hon. Friend is satisfied, on the evidence of reports from two doctors, that a prisoner is suffering from mental disorder of a nature or degree which warrants detention in hospital for medical treatment, every effort is made to obtain a suitable hospital place so that a transfer direction can be given under section 72 of the Act. For a variety of reasons these efforts are not always successful. My right hon. Friend would profess himself as satisfied with the situation only if hospital treatment were invariably provided for prisoners whose conditions warranted it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to pay an official visit to the Merseyside Community Relations Council to discuss race relations in that area.

My right hon. Friend has no such plans at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy in relation to parole for prisoners convicted of offences connected with the Irish Republican Army.

Prisoners convicted of offences believed to have been connected with Irish republican organisations are considered for parole in accordance with the same criteria as other prisoners, which take account of the degree of risk to the community entailed by the prisoner's release.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to abolish Coroners' Courts.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in his review of the public order Acts and of the offence of incitement to racial hatred, he will study the activities of Right-wing extremist groups in using educational and similar establishments for recruiting purposes.

I intend that my current study of racist organisations should cover such activities when undertaken by any extremist groups.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the operation of the prison hostel service for prisoners about to complete their sentences.

The pre-release employment scheme is inevitably suffering from the general shortage of available jobs, acute in some areas, and offenders who have served long sentences are at a disadvantage. Of the 195 places available in the 13 hostels, 122 are occupied, and 104 of the residents are in work. The scheme is under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the present situation relating to the prison officers' dispute.

Following the suspension of national industrial action by the Prison Officers' Association, detailed negotiations on the introduction of a new duty system are proceeding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans for improving the reception of domestic broadcasts in those parts of the United Kingdom where there are reception difficulties.

The coverage of their broadcasting services is primarily the responsibility of the broadcasting authorities.The BBC and the IBA are engaged on a joint engineering programme to extend UHF television coverage to communities with permanent populations of 500 or more. My right hon. Friend has given approval to a further engineering programme to extend coverage to groups of less than 500 wherever it is reasonably practicable for this to be done. This further programme will begin as the present programme tails off.The broadcasting authorities are constantly seeking to improve the reception of their respective radio services and a number of improvements are in hand but the possibilities are severely limited by a shortage of frequencies for sound broadcasting.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had about the British Nationality Bill since 6 February.

The Government have not initiated any consultations on the Bill since 6 February although my right hon. Friend and I have had discussions with various interested groups at their request.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to reduce the overcrowding at Holloway prison, Islington, to the certified number of 253; and if he will make a statement.

Some level of overcrowding is unavoidable at Holloway during its redevelopment and while the female population in prisons remains high. Some relief should be provided by additional accommodation coming into use at Cookham Wood prison in Kent in the next few months and by the opening of a new wing at Holloway at this end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for Newham, North-West together with the letter from the general secretary of the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers' Association and its booklet"Whither the Future?"; what study he has made of the booklet; and what steps he proposes to take.

We have received the hon. Member's communication and are studying the letter and booklet to which he refers, but we are not yet in a position to make any statement.

asked the Attorney-General what is the total number of holders of judicial appointments and retired holders of judicial appointments who have had, or are entitled to have, their pensions calculated on a basis which includes an accrual rate of one-fortieth of annual salary.

On 27 February the holders of judicial appointments whose pensions fell within the general responsibility of the Lord Chancellor and who were eligible to have their pensions calculated on the basis referred to were as follows:

asked the Attorney-General if he will seek to make legal aid available to allow patients appearing before mental health review tribunals and for parents whose children have been put into care to be represented; and if he will make a statement.

There are insufficient funds at present available for providing such legal representation. Should additional funds become available such representations will have to be considered together with competing claims on such funds. Legal advice and assistance short of representation is already available.

asked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the total salary bill for the Refreshment Department in the last year for which figures are available; and how many staff were employed in that period.

I have been asked to reply.For the financial year 1979–80 the Refreshment Department salaries and wages bill for the staff of 242 amounted to £1,160,494—subject to audit.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

I refer the hon. Members and my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Newham, North-East (Mr. Leighton).

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit the borough of Poole.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when next she intends meeting the leaders of the Trades Union Congress.

I have no immediate plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will visit North Reddish, Stockport.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Wales.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to visit Wales.

I hope to visit Wales later this month.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on her recent meeting with the President of the United States of America.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made in the House on 2 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list in the Official Report the occasions during her visit to the United States of America when she gave public statements or lectures or featured in television or radio interviews; and if she will place transcripts of any such lectures, statements or broadcasts in the Library.

I made speeches on 26 February on the White House lawn and at the White House dinner; on 27 February at Georgetown university and at my dinner at the British embassy for President Reagan; and on 28 February at the Donovan Award dinner in New York. I gave interviews on 27 February to CBS Morning News, the NBC Today Show and the United States Public Broadcasting Service McNeil-Lehrer. I gave a press conference at the Washington Press Club on 28 February. Transcripts of these speeches and interviews have been placed in the Library of the House. I also gave interviews on 28 February to the BBC, ITN and ABC. Transcripts of these will be placed in the Library shortly.

asked the Prime Minister what representations she has made to President Reagan about the lifting of the embargo imposed by his predecessors on the shipment of arms to the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 3 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will ensure that Ministers provide such information about a nationalised industry as is essential to decisions which the House may be asked to take involving additional public funds for that industry and that such questions are not referred to the chairman of the nationalised industry concerned.

Yes. Information about Government policy towards the nationalised industries will continue to be provided, as will general statistical information. But questions relating to the day-to-day management of the industries as commercial concerns will continue to be referred to the appropriate chairmen, since such matters are the responsibility of the industries themselves.

asked the Prime Minister if she will issue a general instruction that official statements should describe the Republic of Ireland as such and not as"Ireland".

Under British law it is correct to describe the Republic of Ireland as such, and Government Departments and overseas missions have been advised that this term should normally be used.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will publish in the Official Report a table showing the numbers of petitions and other items handed in by deputations at 10 Downing Street between 1 June 1979 and 31 December 1979, 1 January 1980 and 30 June 1980 and 31 December 1980 and 1 January 1981 and 28 February 1981.

According to our records, the numbers of petitions handed in at 10 Downing Street during the periods specified were as follows:

asked the Prime Minister if she now will set out in detail the policy of Her Majesty's Government in respect of the siting of the neutron bomb in the United Kingdom; and whether she would accept a proposal from the United States authorities to permit such siting.

The Government would wish to participate in Alliance consultations before reaching a final view on any proposals the United States might make on enhanced radiation weapons. As I indicated on 5 February, because this weapon is primarily a deterrent to massed armoured attacks by the Warsaw Pact, it is unlikely that such weapons would need to be based in the United Kingdom.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the number of hon. Members she has seen on matters relating to factory closures since she last answered oral questions; and how many jobs are expected to be lost in the closures discussed.

I met the hon. Member yesterday, to discuss the Distington foundry in his constituency.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement about the chairmanship of the Top Salaries Review Body.

Lord Boyle has tendered me his resignation as chairman of the Top Salaries Review Body, which I have accepted with great regret. He is recovering from illness, and with his other commitments he does not feel that he could at present fully discharge the duties of chairman. I am very pleased that he has nevertheless agreed to stay on as a member of the review body. I am deeply grateful to him for his distinguished contribution as chairman since the TSRB was set up in 1971.I am glad to be able to announce that Lord Plowden, who already has great experience as a member of the TSRB, has agreed to take over the chairmanship from Lord Boyle.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the administrative co-ordination between the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Industry on the generation of new technologies for defence and civil applications in the 1990s and beyond, including cooperation with the United Kingdom's European partners, in order to strengthen the technological and commercial base of European firms, and on joint European approaches in relation to the American markets for defence equipment, research and development in order to make a reality of the United States of America's initiatives for a two-way street in defence business.

Yes. Increasingly, the Ministry of Defence formulates its requirements with a view to maximising commercial expenditure. We are also working closely with our partners in the independent European Programme Group and, bilaterally, with the United States to develop the"two-way street". And, as my hon. Friend will know from the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Honiton (Mr. Emery) on 3 March, I raised this very point with Defence Secretary Weinberger.

asked the Prime Minister what has been the total direct and indirect subsidy by category to coal mining in the last finanial year; which Departments of State have been responsible for paying these subsidies; and what she anticipates the equivalent levels will be in the current year.

The total grant support to the National Coal Board and its subsidiaries, under the Coal Industry Acts, in 1979–80 was £251 million. The amounts of individual social and operating grants are shown in the NCB's annual report and accounts for the year, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The total amount of grants under the Coal Industry Acts available to the board in 1980–81 is shown in the published Estimates, as £253 million. For details I refer my hon. Friend to the published Estimates. The Department of Energy is responsible for paying these grants.In addition, the Department of Industry was responsible for paying regional development grants of £6·7 million under the Industry Act 1972, to the boards's non-mining subsidiaries in 1979–80. The estimated payment in 1980–81 is around £2·0 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the last informal meeting with local authorities took place at which research into aspects of civil defence was discussed; who was present; and when the next meeting is likely to take place.

There are frequent informal meetings with members of local authorities about different aspects of civil defence. If my hon. Friend has in mind some specific subject perhaps he will let me know.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide the dates of the last six meetings at which the local authority associations discussed civil defence with his Department.

The last six meetings took place on:

• 26 February 1980. Association of County Councils.
• 11 March 1980. Association of County Councils.
• 25 April 1980. Association of County Councils and the Association of Metropolitan Authorities.
• 12 May 1980. Association of County Councils and the Association of Metropolitan Authorities.
• 23 October 1980. Association of County Councils.
• 18 February 1981. Association of County Councils.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby on 23 February, if he will outline the means which his Department uses to review the civil defence preparedness of local authorities.

The civil defence preparedness of local authorities is kept under review by means of their regular informal liaison with the Home Office and the Home Defence College.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the light of the report sent to him by the publication"Electronics Today", stating that all electronic communications, including radio and computer networks, would be disrupted or destroyed by the electromagnetic pulse in the event of a nuclear explosion up to a range of 2,500 kilometres, he will amend the booklet"Protect and Survive", which suggests to the public that they should listen for radio messages and instructions.

No. We are advised that domestic transistor radios with internal aerials are substantially immune from damage by electromagnetic pulse. Precautions will be taken to reduce the risk of damage to wartime broadcasting service transmitters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are employed by the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales; and at what current annual cost.

The Charity Commissioners inform us that they currently employ 330 staff at an annual cost—for the current financial year—of approximately £2·5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is his policy that, when shorter licence periods for discharged young offenders are introduced as proposed in the recent White Paper, young offenders will be able to apply for voluntary after-care following the licence period and up to a year after discharge; and whether probation befriending funds will be available during this latter period.

Yes, in all cases where the period of statutory supervision is less than 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his criteria for issuing visas to enable overseas visitors to enter the United Kingdom.

A person seekng entry as a visitor must satisfy the requirements of the immigration rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to extend the rights of United Kingdom citizens living in the Channel Islands by equalising them with those enjoyed by persons born in the Channel Islands living in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The rights of United Kingdom citizens living in the Channel Islands are governed by Island legislation and such United Kingdom legislation as extends to the Islands; those of persons born in the Channel Islands living in the United Kingdom depend on United Kingdom legislation alone. I have no plans to alter these arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make provision for United Kingdom citizens living in the Channel Islands to make objections to the Nationality Bill.

I have already consulted the authorities in the Islands about the Nationality Bill, and I continue to be prepared to consider any representations which individual residents in the Islands might wish to make.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many United Kingdom citizens have been (a) deported and (b) banned from the Channel Islands within the last 12 months.

None. In July 1980, however, three United Kingdom citizens who had pleaded guilty to an offence under Guernsey legislation agreed to a condition of binding over that they would leave the Island and not return for two years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his intention to release in groups the post-appeal conclusions reached by the Parliamentary Boundary Commission; and when he expects to release the most recent commission report for London.

My right hon. Friend has no responsibility for how the Boundary Commission announces its decisions following local inquiries. As for the commission's final proposals for constituencies in London and the rest of England, he intends to lay these before Parliament as soon as practicable after receiving them, which we hope will be by the end of 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received from residents of Gibraltar regarding their future citizenship; and what reply he has sent.

Since the publication of the British Nationality Bill on 15 January the Home Office has received seven representations on the Bill from residents of Gibraltar as at 2 March 1981. There has also been a petition to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister signed by a large number of residents.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he is taking to reduce unemployment in the Northern region.

My right hon. Friend announced on 21 November 1980 that the Government had decided to continue and expand the programme of special employment measures, which will now run until the end-March 1982.We are also continuing to concentrate regional assistance on areas of greatest need, including the Northern region, in order to encourage employers to set up or expand their business there.In the longer term, a substantial reduction in unemployment is largely dependent upon an upturn in world trade. It is the Government's aim to reduce the rate of inflation and improve our productivity so that when this upturn comes we shall be in a better position to take advantage of it.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers in the Greater London area were covered by the temporary short-time working compensation scheme at the most recent convenient date; how many potentially redundant jobs were being saved as a result; and how these figures compare with those at the same date in the previous year.

In the Greater London area at 31 January 1981, 11,409 workers were sharing short-time working under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme in order to save 4,810 potentially redundant jobs.Because of changes made from 1 April 1980 in the method of calculating the number of people helped under the scheme it is not possible to give comparable figures for January 1980. However, at 30 April 1980 there were 818 workers sharing short-time in order to save 631 potentially redundant jobs in the Greater London area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many (a) men, (b) women and (c) young people from ethnic minorities were registered as unemployed for each month since May 1979; what percentages these figures represent in each case; and what were the numbers and percentages for the population as a whole.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he intends to take to stimulate job opportunities among the unemployed in ethnic minority communities.

The steps we are taking to get the economy right will lead to improved job opportunities for all unemployed workers, including those from the ethnic minorities.In the meantime the ethnic minorities will benefit proportionately from the new deal for the unemployed which my right hon. Friend announced on 21 November last, in particular from the expansion of opportunities under the youth opportunities programme and the community industry scheme and also from the new community enterprise programme. In addition we shall continue to do all we can to ensure that the ethnic minorities are helped and encouraged to make full use of the special programmes for the unemployed. As an example of this, I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that, after consultation with the Commission for Racial Equality, it is about to establish a small number of experimental"enabler" posts in the main areas of ethnic minority settlement to help minority groups participate more actively as sponsors of schemes under the programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many 18-year-olds have not yet had a full-time job in (a) Wolverhampton and (b) the West Midlands as at 12 February.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if there were discussions between his Department and Courtaulds Ltd. prior to the announcement of the proposed closure of its Aintree plant; and if he will make a statement.

There were no discussions between Courtaulds Ltd. and my Department about the proposed closure of its Aintree plant prior to the company's announcement that it was to be closed.I very much regret this further closure in Liverpool, but I know that the Manpower Services Commission will do all it can to help the workers affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what have been the pay increase rates negotiated on average over each of the last six months in the public sector and in the private sector.

As there is no obligation for details of pay settlements to be notified to my Department, comprehensive statistics are not available. However, some information is compiled regularly on changes in basic wage rates or minimum entitlements for manual workers where these are the outcome of centrally determined arrangements, usually national collective agreements or statutory wages orders. This information is incorporated in the published index of basic wage rates. In the following table the increases have been recorded against the month in which they become operative, not necessarily when they were negotiated, and expressed as a three-month average as the number of new agreements in individual months may be small.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from organisations seeking the introduction of a non-discrimination clause in contracts of employment affecting the disabled.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost and manpower savings if the composite tax rate system were extended to all financial institutions paying interest to individuals.

The revenue cost would be nil. It is not possible to make a reliable estimate of the manpower savings without mounting a special study.

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

No such cases are known to have occurred in the last 10 years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of the Rayner scrutiny of the procurement functions of the United Kingdom Treasury and Supply delegation in Washington and New York; and if he will confirm its finding that no net change in public expenditure will result from it.

The cost of the Rayner scrutiny of UKTSD procurement fuctions is estimated at £9,370. A breakdown of these costs is shown in annex 1 to the scrutiny report. The procurement section will be transferred to the Ministry of Defence from 1 April 1981 and accordingly the Treasury has reduced its Estimate for 1981-82 by some £¼ million. It is expected, however, that the cost to public funds as a whole of the procurement work covered by the scrutiny will be unaffected by the transfer. In the longer term the transfer should result in the more efficient operation of defence procurement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why former Prime Ministers and Ministers who have cars and drivers supplied and all expenses met by the Treasury' have no tax deducted for notional benefits.

The provision of cars to former Prime Ministers does not give rise to tax liability because such cars are not provided by reason of an office or employment. The provision of cars for higher-paid employees, including office holders such as Ministers, ordinarily attracts liability to tax except where the car is used by more than one employee, its private use is merely incidental to its official use and it is not kept overnight at or near any of the employees' homes. If these conditions are fulfilled, the car is treated as a pooled car and its taxfree provision is based on its not being regarded as freely available for private use.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the loss of revenue to the Exchequer if all retirement pensioners were exempted from the payment of income tax; and what would be the estimated increase in the standard rate of income tax for the working population in order to compensate for such loss.

Estimates relating only to those in receipt of retirement pensions are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The available information relates to all persons aged 65 years and over, from whom the estimated yield of tax on all sources of income is £3 billion, for a full year at 1980–81 income levels.If these persons were exempted from income tax, the estimated increase in the basic rate to compensate for the loss of revenue would be about 4p.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer which member countries of the European Economic Community levy value added tax on stock competition entry fees to agricultural shows.

I regret that full information is not immediately available. I am making inquiries and shall write to my hon. Friend.