asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects the Monopolies and Mergers Commission to have completed its consideration of the proposed acquisition of the British Sugar Corporation by S. and W. Berisford.

I have now received the commission's report. It will be published as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what information he has as to how many ships formerly on the United Kingdom register which were scrapped over the last five years are still in operation under flags of convenience; and what assessment he has made of the effects on the United Kingdom's international competitiveness.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to ships which leave the United Kingdom register for scrapping, but are subsequently operated under other flags. A United Kingdom-owned ship being scrapped is not removed from our register until it is incapable of navigation. No official records are kept of any subsequent use of ships sold to an overseas owner for scrapping.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he received the report on the United Industrial Company Limited by inspectors appointed in accordance with the Companies Act 1948; and how soon he expects to publish and comment on it.

The inspectors' report was received on 12 December 1980 and it will be published within the next 10 days.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps are being taken through the European Economic Community to limit United States imports of knitted fabric socks, underwear and outerwear, to the United Kingdom, which benefit from artificially low American energy prices.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 March 1981, c. 232]: The Government are extremely concerned about the impact of United States energy pricing policies on a wide range of United Kingdom industries, including particularly clothing and textiles. In December last I was able to secure the unanimous agreement of the Council of Ministers of the European Communities to a new and urgent Community initiative covering the whole range of problems. Since then President Reagan has decontrolled oil prices. This is a major step in the right direction. We are continuing to press hard for a similar acceleration in the deregulation of United States gas prices. The Government do not think piecemeal quota action is the best solution to the problem and would prefer to avoid this.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will undertake a study of ways in which institutions of further and higher education could more readily respond to the needs of industry.

My right hon. and learned Friend has consistently recognised that institutions of higher and further education should be responsive to the needs of industry, particularly as these change with rapid technological development. A number of recent reports, including the Finniston report on the engineering profession, have carried this message and pointed to ways in which the responsiveness of the educational system might be improved. We are continuing to look at all the possibilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the provisional estimate of the pupil-teacher ratio in England for January 1981.

With the return from one local education authority still outstanding, the total number of teachers employed in January is estimated at 429,000. This would give an overall ratio of pupils to teachers of 18·6:1.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of the United Kingdom gross national product is spent on education compared with other European Economic Commission countries.

In 1977–78 public expenditure on education in the United Kingdom amounted to 5·6 per cent. of the gross national product compared with an estimated 4·0 per cent. 5·2 per cent. and 5·8 per cent. for Germany, Italy and France respectively. Comparisons of this kind need to be treated with caution because of differences in the education systems and circumstances of individual countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how he expects the reduction in educational expenditure to affect educational provision and standards in the Northern region of England.

My right hon. and learned Friend gave his assessment of the implications for the education service of the Government's expenditure plans, over the country as a whole, in his answer to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 16 December last year. There are no reasons for supposing that the implications in the Northern region will differ from the implications nationally.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received as to the cost of school textbooks.

I have received no representations specifically on this matter. The cost of books has in recent years increased broadly in line with costs generally, for which due allowance has been made in rate support grant settlements.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many private schools have now decided to take advantage of the assisted places scheme; and how many schools which were approached did not accept.

After considering the applications received my right hon. and learned Friend invited 231 independent schools in England to join the assisted places scheme. Of these, 220 schools are now committed to the scheme, a decision is still awaited from one school, and 10 have decided not to join.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made towards developing a full, coherent strategy towards the education and training for 16 to 19-year-olds.

We are pursuing our aim of enabling all young people to participate in education or training. The recent review of education for 16 to 19-year-olds, which was undertaken in collaboration with local authority representatives, was a significant step in encouraging local education authorities to ensure that they provide a full range of opportunities. The Government are currently considering longer-term aspects of industrial training, and it is hoped to publish a consultative paper in the spring.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is prepared to provide financial assistance to enable local education authorities to reorganise education for pupils between 16 and 19 years of age in their areas where this is forced upon them by falling rolls.

It is the responsibility of local education authorities to secure the maximum value for money from the substantial resources which are already available for 16 to 19-year-olds in both schools and colleges of further education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made by his Department towards working out a methodology for better costing of provision of education, in various forms, for 16 to 19-year-olds.

Consultants have been commissioned to devise a methodology which will help local education authorities compare the financial aspects of alternative options. The results should be available later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied with the ways in which local education authorities assess the level of truancy in schools through the measurement of justifiable and unjustifiable absence from school.

My Department does not collect information on the methods used by local education authorities for monitoring school attendances. As my hon. Friend's question implies, the definition of truancy is very difficult and to distinguish between justifiable and unjustifiable absence from school can entail subjective judgments by teachers of educational social workers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his latest estimate of the number of pupils who will be attending State primary and secondary schools in the academic year 1983–84; and how this figure compares with 1979–80.

According to the latest projections there will be 7,256,000 pupils in January 1984 compared with 8,183,000 in January 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisified with the educational provision for mentally handicapped children.

My right hon. and learned Friend is generally satisified with the provision made by local education authorities for these children. If the right hon. Member has any particular case in mind, I should be happy to look into it if he will let me have details.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many workers in the school meals service have been made redundant in the last 12 months.

This information is not available within my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will examine the problems of providing for high ability children in all-ability schools, particularly in a situation of falling school rolls; and if he will make a statement.

It is of great importance that all pupils, including the most able, should be fully stretched by their school work. Her Majesty's inspectors have, in their publications and courses, repeatedly drawn the attention of local education authorities and teachers to this need, and have pointed out the particular problems which may arise at a time of falling school rolls in relation both to the range of ability within teaching groups and the breadth of the curriculum that schools are able to offer.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the total numbers of children aged 3, 4 and 5 years respectively, receiving nursery education in maintained schools and classes in each local authority area.

In January 1980, the latest date for which information is available, there was a total of 215,993 full-time and part-time pupils in maintained nursery schools and nursery classes in maintained primary schools in England. The distribution of these pupils by their ages at 31 August 1979 in each local education authority was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many (a) rural and (b) urban primary schools have been closed in each of the last five years.

I regret that information in the form, and for the period requested by my hon. Friend could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Details of approvals since 1977 for the closure of primary schools are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage reductions have taken place in educational expenditure covering children aged from 5 to 16 years, young people aged 16 to 19 years and post-19 years education; if he will take steps to maintain educational standards in each of these sectors; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if there is any evidence available to his Department that mixed ability teaching for children of secondary school age gives a better education to children than a system of separating the children according to their ability.

Her Majesty's inspectors have found that mixed ability teaching in comprehensive schools, to be successful, requires exceptional professional skills and strong commitment from the teachers involved. Local education authorities and schools must themselves judge the most effective method of organising their teaching groups, but my right hon. and learned Friend believes mixed ability teaching in secondary schools should in general be discouraged.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on progress on the determination of teachers' pay for 1981–82.

The Burnham primary and secondary committee agreed on 2 March 1980, subject to ratification by the teachers' panel, that the pay of teachers employed in maintained primary and secondary schools in England and Wales should be increased by 7½ per cent. from 1 April next.Agreement on the same percentage increase in pay scales for teachers employed by local authorities in the provision of further education was reached in the Burnham further education committee on Monday 9 March 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he proposes to take any

This information is not available in the form requested, but the following table gives the changes in expenditure between 1978–79 and 1979–80 for the relevant sectors of education as well as planned expenditure in 1980–81—as embodied in the rate support grant settlement, grants to universities and provision for student awards:initiatives through changes in the system of higher education to increase the available talent coming into management in future years.

So far as the university sector of higher education is concerned my right hon. and learned Friend looks to the University Grants Committee for advice on the pattern of provision; so far as the public sector of higher education is concerned, the Government are giving urgent consideration to the development of a more effective structure for its management. The Government look to both sectors of higher education to increase their responsiveness to the needs of society.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he proposes to make a decision on the scheme of comprehensive reorganisation which has been submitted to him by Bolton metropolitan borough council.

My right hon. and learned Friend is currently considering these proposals, which the authority published on 3 October 1980, and will announce his decision as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received for the membership by the Association of Polytechnic Teachers of the Burnham committee.

My right hon. and learned Friend is considering the application from the association for admission to the Burnham further education committee, and will make a statement if he decides, after consultation, that it should be admitted.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the relative costs of a two-year course leading to three A-levels for a pupil in (a) a school sixth form, (b) a sixth form college, and (c) a tertiary college.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress is being made towards the establishment of appeals committees as provided for by the Education Act 1980; when he expects local education authorities to have prepared lists of possible members for such committees; and when these committees will come into operation.

The school admission and appeal provisions of the Education Act 1980 were brought into effect last October and will first apply to admissions to schools in the autumn of 1982. Local education authorities and school governors will therefore need to appoint the persons from whom appeal committees will be drawn in time for the consideration, earlier in 1982, of appeals relating to such admissions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many maintained secondary grammar and secondary technical schools there are in England and Wales.

In January 1980, the latest date for which information is available, there were 218 secondary grammar and 17 secondary technical schools maintained by local education authorities in England. Information about schools in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will examine the effects of the increase in overseas students' fees on the working of postgraduate institutions since the increases came into effect at the end of 1980.

My Department will, with the help of the UGC, continue to monitor the effects on the university sector of the introduction, in the current academic year, of full-cost fees for new overseas students.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to Northampton.

Although I have no firm plans at present, I hope that I may be able to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will make an official visit to Northumberland.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

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asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister what are her her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 10 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 10 March.

I refer the hon. Members and my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Streatham (Mr. Shelton).

asked the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to Brussels.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister what progress is being made in co-ordinating a joint Allied response on defence matters to the recent speech by President Brezhnev to the Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

We are still examining President Brezhnev's recent speech with our Allies. Some of the points he made on arms control covered familiar ground. Others were new and will need to be further explained and explored.

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 have had no such meetings since 5 March.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to the reply of the Minister of State, Department of Trade on 19 December to the hon. Member for Waltham Forest, whether replies on statistical information now require hon. Members to calculate percentages from published figures; when this change of policy occurred; and if she will ensure a return to the previous system.

As I told the hon. Member in my answer of 5 February, the position remains that departmental Ministers are responsible for deciding the form of answer to questions addressed to them. There has been no change in this general policy.

asked the Prime Minister, in view of the incident in which she was involved in the City of London on 4 March, if she is satisfied that all Ministers of the Crown have proper and adequate security precautions taken to protect them.

I am satisfied that all reasonable steps are taken.

asked the Prime Minister what measures she intends to take in order to consolidate the principles of peaceful co-existence; what Her Majesty's Government have done to achieve this since May 1979; and what is to be done in the immediate future, despite the unfavourable turn in international relations.

The Government will continue to pursue a threefold policy for enhancing international security. First, we shall maintain with our Allies the capability to deter aggression. Secondly, we shall continue to try to resolve international disputes by means of negotiation, as we did in Zimbabwe. Thirdly, we shall actively pursue East-West negotiations in, among others, the fields of arms control and of security and co-operation in Europe.We hope that other Governments will be prepared to make similar efforts. If the Helsinki Final Act were to be fully implemented by all its signatories and if the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan were to be brought to an end, it would become much easier to make progress with East-West relations generally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the average subsidy from central Government funds towards the weekly rents of council houses in Wales in 1981–82; how this compares with the corresponding figure for 1980–81; and on the basis of what assumption of average weekly rents payable these figures are based.

The amount of central Government housing subsidy to be paid to individual councils in 1981–82 will depend on several variables, mainly the level of their housing investment, the movement in interest rates and whether or not authorities have reached the subsidy floor. Local authorities have not yet been asked to submit their estimates of entitlement for next year and it is therefore too early for any accurate forecast to be made centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out the degree and the locations in which herbicide 2,4,5-T is used in the counties in Wales.

The information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest joint staff watch figures for local authority staffs in Wales; and how the figures compare with those for one and two years previously.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing how many people were made redundant, excluding education and health employees, by the local authorities in Wales in 1979 and 1980, the total cost of redundancy payments and the minimum, maximum and average payments made in each case.

This information is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in the Official Report the projects which have received grants under the European regional fund in Dyfed in each year since 1975.

The numbers and grant commitment value of approved projects is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many children are expected to leave school in West Glamorgan in each of the school leaving periods in the current year; and what assessment he has made of their employment prospects.

About 5,900 in the academic year 1980–81, of whom some 15 per cent. are expected to leave at or before the end of the Easter term. Employment prospects for these young people, as for other age groups, depend ultimately on the restoration of the health of he national economy which the Government's policies are designed to bring about. But in recognition of the special needs of young people the Government have provided resources for a major expansion of the youth opportunities programme in 1981–82. In West Glamorgan 5,000 opportunities will be available compared with 3,500 in 1980–81.

asked the Lord Privy Seal why Her Majesty's Government consider it important that provision should be made in the proposed Law of the Sea Convention for participation by the European Economic Community.

Because the European Economic Community has powers in areas covered by the draft convention, notably fisheries, it is appropriate that it becomes a party to the convention.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to accept that the EEC now has a budget for 1981 agreed under the procedures laid down in the Treaty of Rome and subsequent legislation.

Yes.

asked the Lord Privy Seal which EEC countries have not accepted the 1981 budget as approved by the European Assembly; what action they have taken in consequence; and what is the attitude of Her Majesty's Government to the issues involved.

France and Germany are withholding part of their contributions to the 1981 budget. All other member States, including the United Kingdom, are paying in full. We understand that the German Government have initiated action before the European Court.Her Majesty's Government see no reason to challenge the Commission's decision to implement the budget as adopted.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will seek to add to the agenda of the next meeting of the Council of Ministers of the European Community the need to increase Community provision in support of the International Year of Disabled People.

The Government fully support the principles of the International Year of Disabled People. Community support for the disabled is given by means of social fund provisions which help to finance schemes to rehabilitate, train or retrain disabled people. In 1980 over 77 million ECU (£41·4 million) were spent by the European Community on these schemes. In discussions of the 1981 Community budget we supported proposals for social fund provision for the handicapped to be increased to 90 million ECU (£48·6 million). In these circumstances Her Majesty's Government do not propose to seek to add to the agenda of the Council of Ministers the item suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles in remand centres and adult prisons on 30 June 1980 had been held in custody for (a) one week or more, (b) two weeks or more, (c) one month or more and (d) three months or more.

We will reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons, convicted of capital offences under the Homicide Act 1957, whose sentences were commuted to life imprisonment, still remain in prison having never been subject to recall after release on licence.

On 31 December 1980, four persons were in prison department establishments in England and Wales convicted of capital offences under the Homicide Act 1957, whose sentences had been commuted to life imprisonment and who had not been released on licence subject to recall.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average or median length of determinate prison sentences in 1960, 1970, 1979 and 1980.

The estimated average length of determinate sentences imposed on males aged 17 and over for their principal offence in the period 1969–79 is published in table 6.19 of"Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1979" (Cmnd. 8098); the corresponding average for all courts in 1960 was 10·4 months. However, the average does not show the variation that occurs and I also refer my hon. Friend to tables giving the distribution of the lengths of sentences (tables V, VII, and VIII of Cmnd. 1437 and tables 6.17 and 6.18 of Cmnd. 8098). Information for 1980 is not yet available and median values could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of juveniles, by sex, held by the Metropolitan Police in 1980 in which intimation to a reasonable named person was delayed under section 62 for (a) four hours or more and (b) 24 hours or more; and what were the reasons in each case.

The information which can be made available without disproportionate cost relates to the number of juveniles where, following a request, the intimation of arrest was not conveyed within 24 hours. No such case was recorded in the Metropolitan Police district in 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number, age and sex of those juveniles, by establishment, in (a) prisons and (b) remand centres at the latest available date.

The information requested is shown in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a full list of all those occasions in the last 12 months in which the minimum use of force tactical intervention squad has been employed; where and when it has been employed; for what reasons and in what numbers; and if he will indicate if any prisoners were injured.

MUFTI teams of prison officers have been deployed twice in the past 12 months. At Hull prison on 12 March 1980 a MUFTI team of six officers was made ready when a prisoner who had barricaded himself in his cell two days earlier began to destroy furniture and fittings. One hour later the prisoner voluntarily removed the barricade and emerged without contact with the officers. The prisoner was not injured. At Albany prison on 13 May 1980, a MUFTI team of 20 officers was placed on standby out of sight of 40 prisoners who staged a sit-down demonstration in the sports field for four and a quarter hours before returning voluntarily to their wings. None of the prisoners was injured.At Nottingham prison on 6 November 1980 protective equipment was issued to 10 to 16 officers who brought under control a violent demonstration by 11 prisoners who had armed themselves with bricks and pieces of wood and had barricaded themselves in a television room, but the officers did not form up or act as a MUFTI team. All of the prisoners were medically examined and four were found to have slight scratches or bruises. Two officers incurred minor cuts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of arrests in the Metropolitan area in the last month; what was the total number of cases in which, following a request under section 62, the provision has been applied and the result has been that the arrested person has been detained at the police station or other place of custody for four or more hours without an attempt being made to convey the intimation; and what was the total number of such cases in which the corresponding delay has been 24 hours or more.

The latest information available for the Metropolitan Police district relates to January 1981, when the total number of persons arrested was 28,418, the number where the intimation of arrest was not conveyed within four hours was 14 and the number not conveyed within 24 hours was three. A Home Office statistical bulletin will be published shortly giving data for 1980 corresponding to that for 1979 published in Home Office statistical bulletin 5/80.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to allocate new radio communication channels for police and fire brigades following the World Administrative Radio Conference 1979; and when action will be taken to implement them.

Discussions are taking place to secure suitable frequencies. When these have been concluded, specifications for replacement equipment will be completed and orders placed for those police forces and fire brigades in the Home Office wireless schemes. Forces and brigades remaining outside the Home Office wireless scheme will be responsible for their own equipment. Conversion to the new frequencies is likely to be in stages beginning in the South East in 1985 and finishing in the North in 1989. Planning has already begun. One objective will be to ensure that such inter-communication as is needed by users of the new schemes will be practicable. The methods used will depend on the frequencies allocated and the equipment specified. The Police and fire services and the local authority associations will be kept in touch with progress.Discussions are also taking place with industry. United Kingdom-based industry is strongly represented and has been given full opportunity to study the technical aspects, to make proposals and to explain the wider commercial effect of such proposals. Contracting for equipment by the Home Office will follow Government procurement policies and procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the membership, aims and activities of the multi-national police alliance called Terrorism, Radicalism and International Violence, TREVI;(2) what contribution is made towards the multinational police alliance called Terrorism, Radicalism and International Violence, TREVI, in terms of personnel and finance; for how long this contribution has been made; and if he will make a statement.

Trevi is not an acronym. It is the name by which European Community co-operation against terrorism is known. Following an initiative at the European Council in Rome in 1975 by the right hon. Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson) when he was Prime Minister, European Community Ministers of the Interior and Ministers of Justice with similar responsibilities met in Luxembourg in 1976 and decided to set up arrangements for practical co-operation and exchanges of experience with the aim of improving co-operation against terrorism in Community countries. These arrangements include regular meetings of those directly responsible for countering terrorist activities. Trevi is not itself an organisation and does not have its own personnel or finance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce the names of successful applicants for licences to take part in pilot schemes of subscription television over cable systems for an initial period of two years.

In reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd) on 10 November 1980—[Vol. 991, c. 3–6], I invited applications for licences from those broadcast relay operators wishing to take part in pilot schemes of subscription television to be submitted by not later than 31 December 1980. I have now considered the applications received and have decided to license the following broadcast relay operators to provide 11 subscription television services for an initial period of two years in the following areas:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make provision to ensure that death certificates are not charged for when a person dies in a National Health Service hospital and the next of kin seek cremation of the body.

The fees charged by medical practitioners for the certificates required under the cremation regulations are recommended by the BMA. There is no power to abolish these fees either generally or in particular cases. Proposals for simplifying the regulations are, however, under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made in monitoring the urinary excretion of workers who still handle the herbicide 2,4,5-T by the Employment Advisory Medical Service and the Agricultural Industry Advisory Committee; and if, in view of the increasing numbers of local authorities who have discontinued the handling of the material by employees and the refusal by major unions to allow members to handle it, he is satisfied that there are sufficient individual handlers of the material available to set up a study of health effects.

The position with regard to the monitoring of the urinary execretion of workers handling 2,4,5-T remains as I outlined it to the hon. Member in my letter to him on 18 February 1981. The Health and Safety Executive's employment medical advisory service will consider whether a planned series of checks is desirable.The number of individual handlers of 2,4,5-T is uncertain. The Government's Advisory Committee on Pesticides recently published the results of its thorough review of the herbicide's general health effects.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of school leavers in 1981 in the North-West, Merseyside, Kirkby and Ormskirk together with his estimate of the number in each case that will obtain full-time employment.