asked the Lord Privy Seal what have been the costs of membership of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property for each of the last five years.

Payments to the centre for the last five years were:

1976	£22,461
1977	£28,027
1978	£26,153
1979	£31,463
1980	£29,351

In addition, we meet the travelling and subsistence costs of representatives when they attend meetings of the organs of the international centre.

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) why he has withdrawn from membership of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make a statement on the work of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property.

I refer the hon. Lady to the reply given on 18 December 1980 to my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Budgen).—[Vol. 996, c. 336.]Our notification of withdrawal from the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property was a matter of financial priorities. It did not indicate any dissatisfaction with the organisation's performance.

asked the Lord Privy Seal which countries are currently members of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property; and how many of them have decided not to renew their membership in the current year.

The information is as follows:

• Albania
• Algeria
• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Brazil
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Chile
• Colombia
• Cuba
• Cyprus
• Dem. Kampuchea
• Denmark
• Dominican Rep.
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• France
• Gabon
• Germany, Fed. Rep.
• Ghana
• Guatemala
• Guinea
• Honduras
• India
• Iran
• Iraq
• Israel
• Italy
• Japan
• Jordan
• Korea, Rep. of
• Kuwait
• Lebanon
• Libya
• Luxembourg
• Madagascar
• Malaysia
• Malta
• Mexico
• Morocco
• Nepal
• Netherlands
• Nicaragua
• Nigeria
• Norway
• Pakistan
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Somalia
• Spain
• Sri Lanka
• Sudan
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Syria
• Thailand
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Vietnam
• Yugoslavia

I am not aware of any other country having given notice of withdrawal after the current year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will consider taking unilateral action on tariffs or the introduction of technical barriers to trade against electrical products imported from Eastern Europe where delay by the European Commission in processing anti-dumping claims is generating redundancy and short-time working in domestic manufacturing industry.

Such action would be contrary to our obligations under the Treaty of Rome and, in the case of technical barriers to trade, the relevant provisions of the GATT. Several complaints involving imports of electrical appliances from East Europe are currently being prepared by the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances with the assistance of my officials but none has yet reached the stage where it would be possible for the Commission to begin a formal investigation under the appropriate Council regulation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has received from manufacturing industry as to overloading in the European Commission of anti-dumping claims by United Kingdom manufacturers against Eastern European producers.

While complaints are sometimes received that the Commission's anti-dumping services appear to be overloaded, I am not aware that any has related particularly to cases involving East European producers. In general, however, I strongly support the Commission's request for more staff resources to be devoted to this essential area of its activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade which companies have made representations to his Department on the uncompetitive marketing practices of East European producers of electrical products in the United Kingdom.

Allegations have been made by a number of companies that domestic electrical appliances imported from certain East European countries are being dumped. It would not be appropriate to publish the names of the individual companies which have made representations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in view of the abuses occurring in professional wrestling and other sports, he will seek to amend the law relating to misrepresentation so as to facilitate the easier prosecution of promoters of professional sports who advertise minor promotions as official British or world championships.

No. It is already an offence to make a false statement about the provision of services. I have no evidence of any need to change the law in the way my hon. Friend suggests.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many people from the United Kingdom paid visits to each of the other member States of the European Community, and how many visitors came to the United Kingdom from each of these States in every year since 1973.

This information is published in Business Monitor MQ6—"Overseas Travel and Tourism", in the issue for the third quarter 1980, which can be obtained from the House of Commons Library.Final figures by country for 1980 are not yet available though provisional estimates for the European Community as a whole—excluding Greece—are:Visitors to the United Kingdom from the rest of the European Community, 6,270,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what discussions have been held between his Department and the relevant outside interested parties, including various promoting organisations, to try to ensure that the staging of major industrial and commercial fairs and exhibitions at the main sites in the United Kingdom do not clash awkwardly with the holding of similar occasions in the rest of Europe.

No such discussions have been held, but the Department publishes quarterly a guide to the principal future trade events both in the United Kingdom and overseas. The staging and timing of trade fairs is very much a matter for industry sectors and commercial organisers. The crowded exhibition programme in Western Europe, including the United Kingdom, inevitably cause difficulty in mounting new events. Organisers in their own interest seek to minimise duplication and overlap.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans the Northern Ireland Police Authority now has for the Royal Ulster Constabulary training school in Enniskillen.

I am informed by the Police Authority that as part of a continuing exercise to ensure that maximum use is made of available accommodation the authority has, in consultation with the Chief Constable, been examining the use being made of the accommodation at Enniskillen, bearing in mind the operational requirements of the area. However, I am advised that the examination is at an early stage and that no plans for change have been formulated as yet.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why officials from the Northern Ireland Development Agency and the Department of Commerce were not present at the meeting between himself and Mr. J. De Lorean in August 1980 when a loan of £14 million was agreed.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1981, c. 315]: My right hon. Friend's purpose in meeting Mr. De Lorean was to inform him of the Government's decision to make available a loan of up to £14 million, if suitable conditions could later be agreed between officials and Mr. De Lorean's advisers. The Parliamentary Undersecretary of State and an official also attended the meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will place in the Library a copy of the reports provided by McKinsey and Company on the De Lorean Car Company.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1981, c. 315]: No. The reports contain commercially confidential information.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how attempts to raise further money by the issue of shares will affect the Government holding in the De Lorean Car Co. Ltd.; and what is the relationship between the Northern Ireland company and the De Lorean Car Co. Ltd. of America.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1981, c. 315]: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on 10 February.—[Vol. 998, c. 326.] The United States registered De Lorean Motor Company is the owner of the ordinary share capital of the Northern Ireland registered company De Lorean Motor Cars Limited; it provides full technical support to the Northern Ireland company and has an exclusive arrangement to sell the De Lorean cars in North America.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many employees of the Lotus Car Co. Ltd. are working on the development and production of the De Lorean DMC 12; and what is the value of the contract with the Lotus Car Co. Ltd.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1981, c. 316]: These are matters for the companies concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many houses have been provided for executive and managerial staff of the De Lorean Car Co. Ltd. and at what cost.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1981, c. 316]: I understand that seven houses in Northern Ireland have been purchased by the company and leased to members of staff. The cost is a matter for the company.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what fees are received by Mrs. De Lorean, and what services are provided by her for the De Lorean Car Co. Ltd.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1981, c. 316]: This is a matter for the company.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who employed the consultants A. Kearney in examination of the De Lorean project.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1981, c. 316]: I understand that A. T. Kearney Inc. was commissioned to analyse the De Lorean Motor Company's business plan by the Economic Development Administration of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how the payment of public funds to political parties operates; and to what extent the political parties in the House have had payments from these public funds over stated periods.

Financial assistance to Opposition parties in Parliament is governed by the resolutions of the House of Commons of 20 March 1975, 13 February 1978, and 12 November 1980. The substantive resolution of 1975 provides (a) that it shall be a condition of qualification for such assistance that a party must either have at least two Members elected to the House as members of that party at the preceding general election or that it has one such member and received at least 150,000 votes at that election, (b) that any party wishing to claim such assistance shall make to the Accounting Officer of the House a statement of the facts on which this claim is based; (c) that the cost of this provision shall be borne on the House of Commons Vote and (d) that parties making claims shall be required to certify to the Accounting Officer of the House that the expenses in respect of which assistance is claimed have been incurred exclusively in relation to that party's parliamentary business. From 1 July 1980 the formula for determining the annual amount of financial aid to any Opposition party in the House of Commons is as follows:

£962·50 for each seat won by the party concerned plus £l·92½ for every 200 votes cast for it at the preceding general election provided that the maximum payable to any party shall not exceed £290,000.

Payments made to date in respect of the years ended on 31 December 1979 and 1980 are as follows:

	1979 £	1980 £
Labour Party	139,698·00	227,50000
Liberal Party	29,457·08	40,941·84
Scottish National Party	5,402·92	5,325·50
Plaid Cyrnru	1,893·53	914·10
Ulster Unionist Party	2,750·00	5,704·00
Ulster Democratic Unionist Party	1,352·15	2,039·40
Conservative Party	55,585·00	—
Social Democratic Labour Party	371·25	—
United Ulster Unionist Council	1.400·00	—

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the average growth rates of the six original members of the European Community between 1960 and 1972 and of the United Kingdom over the same period; and how this compares with the average annual growth rates achieved by the Six and the United Kingdom between 1972 and 1979.

The information is shown in the following table:

Gross Domestic Product at Constant Market Prices*
	Average annual growth between 1960 and 1972 per cent.	Average annualgrowth between 1972 and 1979 per cent.
France	5·6	3·3
Germany	4·5	2·8
Netherlands	5·0	2·9
Italy	5·2	3·2
Belgium	4·8	2·8
Luxembourg	3·8	2·2†
United Kingdom	2·7	2·2
* Source: National Accounts ESA—Aggregates 1960–79 (SOEC). United Kingdom Estimates for 1979 adjusted to take account of later information.
†1979 not available; average relates to period 1972–1978.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the proportion of public expenditure represented by debt interest in the current financial year.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1981, c. 303]: Gross debt interest as a percentage of the planning total plus gross debt interest in 1980–81 is estimated at 12 per cent. The ratio using net debt interest is estimated as 5¼ per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what, for the latest available date, is (a) the average household income for all households in England and (b) the average household income for council houses in England.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1981, c. 304]: The average gross normal income recorded in the family expenditure survey in 1979 for households in England was £116 per week. For households in local authority housing the average was £94 per week.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland how many prosecutions there have been in Scotland in the last 12 months arising out of domestic violence.

I regret that the figures sought by my hon. Friend are not recorded separately.

asked the Prime Minister to what extent the number employed in her office has increased or decreased since she assumed office; and what the costs of these staff were then and are at present.

The staff of the Prime Minister's office at 10 Downing Street are part of the Civil Service Department. At 1 May 1979 there were 81 such full-time staff and 16 part-time staff in post at an annual cost of £692,000. The comparable figures for 1 March 1981 are 79 full-time staff and 14 part-time staff at an annual cost of £816,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will update the analysis of lengths of sentences and the index of average lengths of prison sentences given in tables 6 and 7, appendix C of"Prisons and the Prisoner 1977".

We shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give at the latest and most convenient stated date the total amounts of fines imposed which have not been paid; in how many of these cases the time for payment has lapsed without payment having been completed within periods of three months, six months, 12 months and more after the imposed time limit; and in how many cases further penalties have been imposed for default.

The provisional total amount of sums reported by magistrates' courts in England and Wales—excluding inner London—as payable to the Secretary of State and outstanding at 30 September 1980 is £31,529,000. This figure includes fines imposed but not yet due for payment. Information on the time that unpaid fines have been outstanding and the number of cases in which detention or imprisonment in default of payment has been imposed is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will ensure that procurement policies for police and fire brigades' radio communication equipment will be based upon a system of tendering that will ensure that all suitably qualified firms are able to compete;(2) whether the new radio communication systems throughout the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland for police and fire brigades which have been proposed by his Department will be compatible with one another; and if not, what steps are to be taken to ensure that efficient co-operation between neighbouring services is not impaired.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question by him on 10 March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate the extent to which the new attendance system for prison officers has the result of curtailing the periods for which prisoners can be out of their cells; how this affects different types of prisons; and what plans he has to remedy the situation.

No agreement has yet been reached on a new attendance system. The general effect on regimes of any change in shift patterns is one of the factors which is being taken into account in negotiating a new system, but the extent to which any particular aspect of the regime is affected will depend on the way in which staff are deployed in individual establishments rather than on the system itself.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report details of the research project his Department is carrying out aimed at persuading courts to reduce the prison population.

I expect that the hon. Member has in mind the research project referred to in a report published in The Guardian on 2 March. This project relates primarily to Hampshire and has been planned with the close co-operation of representatives of the judiciary, the police, the probation and after-care service and the social services department in that county. It is not intended to persuade anyone of any predetermined conclusion, but to test out various ways—suggested mainly by the courts and probation officers themselves—of providing more effective alternatives to custody and otherwise enabling its use to be reduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce his plans for road equivalent tariff for shipping to the Scottish islands.

The responses to the consultation paper issued last year have brought out a range of widely differing views which raise difficult issues which require further careful examination. Meanwhile, I announced on 17 February substantial increases in the assistance the Government give towards the island services, as I did not think it right that the islanders should be denied the benefits of these increases while we were considering longer-term options.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the latest situation in the fishing industry.

The industry remains in difficulty and we are urgently examining the case for further financial assistance. We hope to make an announcement soon. The team of industry representatives and officials which we set up to look at allegations of illegal imports has begun its work and should report in a few weeks' time. Meanwhile, I am glad that the fishermen have heeded the advice of their leaders and returned to sea.As regards the fisheries negotiations in Brussels, from which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I have just returned, a statement was made after Question Time today.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to alert Scottish industry to expanding opportunities in the field of information technology and to ensure that Scotland's capability in research, development and manufacture of microelectronic equipmemt is more widely recognised; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are aware of the exciting opportunities opening up for industry in information technology, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry is currently formulating our response to the recent report by the Advisory Council for Applied Research and Development. The strength and diversity of Scotland's electronics industry is already well recognised and leaves us wery well placed to take a substantial share of growing international markets.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether in the light of representations from the governing bodies of Hamilton and Callander Park colleges of education, he will now review his intention to close these colleges.

No. I very much hope that discussions will soon begin about the implementation of our decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will be in a position to announce his decision on the report of the Select Committee for Scottish Affairs regarding inward investment to Scotland.

As my hon. Friend will be aware, the Government's response to the Select Committee's report was published on 5 March 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will bring forward proposals to bring new employment into the Maryhill area of Glasgow, in view of the impending closure of the Bryant and May matchmaking factory.

I share the hon. Member's concern about the impending closure of Bryant and May. As Maryhill is part of a special development area, full Industry Act support is available for viable investment projects. My officials are ready to enter into discussions with potential investors.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in what sectors of industry he expects jobs to be created in Scotland in 1981 and 1982.

Since the beginning of last year offers of selective financial assistance have been made to companies in a wide range of industrial sectors in Scotland. Many of the 16,700 new jobs associated with these offers will be created this year and next, and the main sectors involved include: instrument and electrical engineering, 6,500 jobs; mechanical engineering, 2,300 jobs; textiles, leather and clothing, 2,300 jobs; other manufacturing industries, 3,100 jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why he decided not to include the site at Barry Buddon in the list of preferred sites in Scotland for the possible location of the proposed Nissan-Datsun plant.

Barry Buddon did not meet the requirement laid down by Nissan's consultants that a suggested site should be available for purchase and completion of other legal formalities in time for site preparation and plant construction to start before the beginning of 1982.

asked the Secretaiy of State for Scotland if he will dismiss the chairman of the South of Scotland Electricity Board.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many companies and jobs he estimates there to be in Scotland in the electronics industry; and how this compares with the position 10 years ago.

There are just over 100 electronics companies in Scotland, employing some 40,000 people. The operations and employment within companies have been significantly affected by the change from electro-mechanical to micro-electronic technology. Electronics employment was 37,200 in 1971. In addition, substantial numbers are employed in companies providing goods and services to the industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the prospects for economic growth in the Scottish economy.

The prospects for the Scottish economy are dependent to a large extent on those for the United Kingdom as a whole, and the measures announced yesterday will contribute to the long-term health of both.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future of urban aid in Scotland.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave on 4 February 1981 to my hon. Friend the Member for Renfrewshire, East (Mr. Stewart).—[Vol. 998, c. 134–35.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the unemployment relative increase between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom over the last six months.

In the latest six months the proportionate rise in Scottish unemployment has been less than in the United Kingdom overall. Consequently the unemployment relative—which expresses the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Scotland as a percentage of the comparable United Kingdom rate—fell from 132 in September 1980 to 120 in February 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what industrial development priorities he has identified for special development areas in Tayside.

Under regional policy, Industry Act assistance is available for viable industrial projects in assisted areas of Tayside. My officials bear in mind the advantages of Tayside for potential inward investors.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take steps to reduce substantially the current 22·3 per cent. level of male unemployment in the Levenmouth area.

Unemployment on 12 February in the Kirkcaldy travel-to-work area, which includes Levenmouth, was 12·9 per cent. A lasting solution to the problem of unemployment here and elsewhere will be found only through the success of the Government's policies for reducing inflation and restoring competitiveness, but Leven benefits through its status as a development area and through the activities of the Scottish Development Agency, and the Government are expanding the programme of special measures for those unable to find employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has received a request for the setting up of a commission on the future government of Shetland; and if he will make a statement.

The Shetland Islands council has conveyed to me the terms of a motion approved on 27 February requesting the early setting up of a commission to examine Shetland's constitutional status. I have not yet received the detailed submission and memorandum which, I understand, the council expects to present to me in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current percentage unemployment figure for males in North Staffordshire.

At 12 February the male unemployment rate in North Staffordshire was 11·7 per cent. For the purposes of this answer North Staffordshire has been taken as the area covered by the employment offices of Biddulph, Burslem, Cheadle, Hanley, Kidsgrove, Leek, Longton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent and Uttoxeter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those members of the Manpower Services Commission who represent the views of the smaller business.

In accordance with section 1 of the Employment and Training Act 1973,1 have appointed three members of the Manpower Services Commission following consultation with the Confederation of British Industry as the organisation which represents employers generally.The Government are concerned to ensure that the services operated by the commission take full account of the needs of smaller businesses.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of jobs being supported by the temporary short-time working compensation scheme for (a) the Workington travel-to-work area, (b) Cumbria and (c) the Northern region during the last month for which statistics are available and the percentage of the total insured working population in each area each figure represents and if he will give the same figures for January 1980.

In January 1981, 1,075 potentially redundant jobs were being supported under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme in the Workington travel-to-work area, 1,858 in Cumbria and 13,264 in the Northern region.The percentage of the total insured working population in each area is 3 per cent., 1 per cent. and 1 per cent., respectively.The number of potentially redundant jobs supported by the scheme in January 1980 was 630 in the Workington travel-to-work area, 1,235 in Cumbria and 3,475 in the Northern region. The percentage of the total insured working population in each area was 2 per cent., 0·6 per cent. and 0·25 per cent., respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to end the practice of jobcentres of requiring unemployed persons to have been unemployed for a minimum period before they can be offered jobs.

Other than vacancies notified to jobcentres under the provisions of the special temporary employment programme, which is designed specifically to provide temporary employment for adults who have been without work for a long time, there is no minimum period of unemployment which job seekers must satisfy before they can be submitted to vacancies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment;, further to his reply to the hon. Member for

Number of redundancies reported as due to occur
	(a) North-West Region	(b) Merseyside Special Development Area	(c) KirkbyEmployment Office Area	(d) Ormskirk Employment Office Area
1980	97,825	19,282	2,117	353
January to February 1981*	15,237	4.152	451	—
Pending*	10,728	1,614	315	—
*Provisional figures

Separate statistics of the number of firms reporting redundancies involving closure are not available prior to 1981. The numbers of firms who have reported to the

Number of redundancies reported as due to occur
	(a) North-West Region	(b) Merseyside Special Development Area	(c) KirkbyEmployment Office Area	(d) Ormskirk Employment Office Area
January to February 1981	68	12	1	—
Pending	16	3	—	—
*Provisional figures

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of job vacancies in May 1979 in (a) the North-West, (b) Merseyside, (c) Kirkby, and (d) Ormskirk; and what is the current number in each area.

Previous earnings provide only a general guide in the identification of job opportunities which might be suitable for people who register for work, and information of this kind is not regularly collected for this reason. I do not believe that it would help to speed up the placing of people in jobs if this information was automatically available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what was the number of workers made redundant in 1980 in (a) the North-West, (b) Merseyside, (c) Kirkby and (d) Ormskirk;(2) what is the number of workers involved in redundancies pending in (

There are no comprehensive statistics of redundancies. However, I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the numbers of redundancies, involving 10 or more employees, reported to it as due to occur in the requested areas in 1980 and 1981 are as follows:Manpower Services Commission redundancies, involving 10 or more workers, which are due to occur because of closures, in the requested areas in 1981, are as follows:

The following table gives the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at employment offices and at careers offices in the areas specified at May 1979 and February 1981. The figures, which are not seasonally adjusted, relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices. Vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication the figures for employment offices and careers offices should not be added together.

	Notified vacancies remaining unfilled
	May 1979		February 1981 (provisional)
	At employment office	At careers office	At employment office	At careers offices
North-West Region	21,771	2,601	7,742	242
Merseyside Special Development Area	4,019	152	2,139	15
Kirkby employment office area	110	4	47	—
Ormskirk employment office area	74	12	20	4

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to obtain figures of the numbers of unemployed disabled people (a) required to register for employment normally, (b) required to register for employment only quarterly and (c) not required to register; and if he will then divide each category by length of unemployment.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what special instructions have been issued to officers in his Department to consider how the numbers of people registered for unemployment may be reduced; what action he has taken; and with what effect.

Officers of my Department are charged at all times to keep the Government's measures for alleviating unemployment under constant review.On 21 November 1980 my right hon. Friend gave details of the special employment measures for 1981–82. The results of these measures will be seen in due time. However, at the end of January 1981 it is estimated that 926,000 people were covered by the Government's special employment and training measures, and it is further estimated that at the same date about 310,000 people were being kept off the unemployed register as a result of these measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people he estimates are currently working with (a) flour, (b) animals and insects in laboratories, (c) platinum salts, (d) resins, (e) isocyanates and (f) proteolytic enzymes.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive the report from the Committee on Safety of Medicines of the Meade panel and Dudgeon panel on pertussis vaccine; when this particular investigation began; what form it has taken; when the committee received the first draft; when he first expected to receive the report; why there has been a delay; and if he will publish the report and the names of those who prepared it.

I have received the report of the Committee on Safety of Medicines together with the reports of the panels chaired by Professor Dudgeon and Dr. Meade. These reports relate to the data submitted to the CSM on suspected adverse reactions to pertussis vaccine by the Association of Parents of Vaccine Damaged Children in April 1977 together with additional data processed by Professor Stewart of Glasgow university and adverse reaction reports submitted directly to the CSM. The CSM established an advisory panel chaired by Professor Dudgeon in May 1977 to review urgently the best documented cases on pertussis vaccine. The panel reported to the CSM in June 1978. The CSM established a second panel chaired by Dr. Meade in November 1977 to undertake an analysis by epidemiological methods of all the data available to it on suspected serious reactions to pertussis vaccine. I had hoped to be able to publish the CSM's report and the report of the panels in the first half of 1980, but, because of the complexity of the task and the difficulty of drawing agreed conclusions from a retrospective analysis of the kind of data available, the Meade panel took far longer than had been anticipated to complete this work. A first draft of its report was considered by the CSM in December 1979 but its final report was only submitted to the CSM in October 1980. The CSM submitted its report to me on 11 December 1980.I am arranging for the reports of the CSM and the two panels to be published as soon as possible, together with the names of those persons who are members of the panels. I am also arranging for the report of the National Childhood Encephalopathy Study relating to pertussis vaccine and a commentary by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to be published at the same time.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing how many people were made redundant in the National Health Service in 1979 and 1980, the total cost of redundancy payments and the minimum, maximum and average payments made in each case.

Information is available as follows, in respect of employees who received a redundancy payment:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to whom the updated British National Formulary has been circulated; and how he is ensuring that ordinary consumers buying medicine over the chemists' counter are made aware of which medicines in the freely available category are not recommended for use because I hey have little effect or cheaper, simpler alternatives are available.

The British National Formulary has been distributed free of charge within the NHS to doctors, pharmacists, nursing staff and other Health Service personnel who have need of it; it has also been issued to medical schools, schools of pharmacy and nursing schools.The formulary, which is published by the Joint Formulary Committee of the British Medical Association and the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, can be purchased by members of the public. However, the information and advice the BNF contains is intended for the professional user; it is not and should not be regarded as a"consumers' guide". My right hon. Friend has a responsibility under the Medicines Act to ensure that all medicinal products, including those on sale to the general public, have been licensed to proper standards of safety, quality and efficacy. I do not seek to direct an individual in the exercise of his choice of preparations available over the counter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, further to the reply to the hon. Member for Eccles on 20 January, Official Report, c. 142, he will estimate the cost of extending the long-term rate of supplementary benefit to people required to register for employment only quarterly on the assumption that they, like all other claimants, would have to have spent one year on the short-term rate before qualifying for the long-term rate.

As I said in my reply to the hon. Member on 20 January, the estimated cost would approach £20 million; a decision that an unemployed person need register for work only quarterly is taken only after benefit has been received, at the short-term rate, for at least a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many copies of"Help for Handicapped People" have been printed; if he will arrange for a copy to be delivered to each handicapped person in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

:"Help for Handicapped People" is issued jointly by DHSS and the Welsh Office. The total number of copies printed so far is 300,000 and arrangements are in hand for the printing of a further 500,000.The booklet has received a wide distribution in England and Wales. It would not be practicable to deliver it to every handicapped person, but copies have been made available through DHSS local offices, regional offices and national insurance offices, area health authorities, community health councils, family practitioner committees, social services departments and citizens advice bureaux. It has been well publicised and I am satisfied that the arrangements which have been made ensure that it is readily available to the public.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of people who suffered from the adverse effects of the drug Eraldin; what steps he has taken to see whether all of them have been paid compensation; and what discussions he has had with the drug company concerned.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many (a) men and (b) women are estimated to be suffering from asthma.

There are no central statistics of the number of persons suffering from asthma. I understand that the Asthma Research Council estimates that there are about 2,000,000—men and women—in the United Kingdom as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportions of (a) men and (b) women are estimated to have contracted asthma as a result of their work.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make arrangements for an exhibition relating to the Royal National Institute for the Blind to take place in the Upper Waiting Hall.

Arrangements have been made for an exhibition relating to the RNIB to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 16 to 20 March. I have accepted an invitation to open the exhibition on the afternoon of 16 March.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will consider allocating part of the money that has been set aside for use by various organisations to foster and nurture the Welsh language to improve the various means of preparation amongst the authors and script writers that will ensure a high standard of material being available for Welsh language television.

No, but I expect the substantial increase in the grants to Bwrdd Ffilmiau Cymraeg and the Welsh Books Council to provide incentive and opportunity for Welsh language authors and script writers.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing average rents, including private sector rents, in each of the main Welsh regions and average domestic rates charged by each of the Welsh local authorities.

The average gross weekly unrebated rent of council tenants in Wales in 1980–81 was £8·13. The average domestic rate bill in Wales in 1980–81 was £127 and the figures for each local authority are given in the following table. Figures are not available for private sector rents.

	Average domestic rate bill for 1980/81 £
Alyn and Deeside	167
Colwyn	143
Delyn	166
Glyndwr	134
Rhuddlan	167
Wrexham Maelor	150
Carmarthen	97
Ceredigion	98
Dinefwr	84
Llanelliv	99
Preseli	95
South Pembrokeshire	107
Blaenau Gwent	102
Islwyn	109
Monmouth	148
Newport	161
Torfaen	140
Aberconwy	140
Arfon	91
Dwyfor	102
Meirionnydd	109
Ynys Mon	114
Cynon Valley	85
Merthyr Tydfil	103
Ogwr	131
Rhondda	74
Rhymney Valley	118
Taff-Ely	125
Brecknock	97
Montgomery	89
Radnor	88
Cardiff	148
Vale of Glamorgan	138
Afan	140
Lliw Valley	116
Neath	126
Swansea	168
WALES	127

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the numbers employed by local government in Wales, distinguishing between the main categories of employment, together with total wages and salaries costs at constant prices and compared with the retail price index and the index of average earnings in 1960, 1970, each year since 1975, and including estimates for 1980–81.

This information could not be provided, save at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has of the number of local authorities in Wales which, having sold council dwellings to sitting-tenants, have been obliged to repurchase dwellings because the mortgagee cannot fulfil his obligations.

The information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether the increasing demand for community or general practitioner beds to be made available in Wales will delay the starts at any of the district general hospitals that were expected to be made within the next two years.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average bed occupancy of community hospital beds in each of the area health districts.

The figures for 1979, the latest year for which complete information is available, are given below:

Health District/Authority	Percentage occupancy
Clwyd North H.D.	62
Clwyd South H.D.	61
Ceredigion H.D.	74
Carmarthen/Dinefwr H.D.	96
Llanelli/Dinefwr H.D.	97
Preseli—South Pembrokeshire H.D.	71
North Gwent H.D.	89
South Gwent H.D.	64
Gwynedd H.A.	63
Ogwr H.D.	77
Rhymney Valley H.D.	71
East Glamorgan H.D.	71
Merthyr and Cynon Valley H.D.	57
Powys H.A.	75
South Glamorgan H.A.	72
Swansea H.D.	100
Neath H.D.	*
* No community hospital beds.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales in what sectors of industry he expects jobs to be created in Dyfed in 1981 and 1982; and if he will make a statement.

It is not possible to estimate future employment creation in Dyfed in terms of particular sectors of industry. Every effort will continue to be made, using all the inducements available, to promote new employment for Dyfed in various industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he now expects the target date of June 1981 for the opening of the Bridgend bypass to be achieved.

As indicated in"Roads in Wales 1980", I expect the road to be opened in the summer this year. The precise date will be influenced by the weather in coming months.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many posts are to be abolished in the legal department of his office; and what saving will be made as a result;(2) what will be the cost of employing private solicitors to carry out conveyancing work on behalf of his Department.

With minor exceptions, the only conveyancing work undertaken by the legal division of the Welsh Office is that carried out on behalf of the area health authorities in Wales, for whom other legal work is also undertaken. The possibility of employing private solicitors to undertake some or all of the work done for the area health authorities is currently being studied, and no decision will be taken without full consultation with those authorities. Present indications are that the cost of employing private solicitors for the conveyancing work might be some £55,000 per annum at current rates, although there would, of course, be an offsetting saving in staff salaries and so on.The complementing of the legal division of the Welsh Office is currently under review but no decisions have been taken regarding the abolition of posts.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the arms and ammunition and other devices which the Royal Ulster Constabulary is seeking to buy in the United States of America; and what are the reasons why this equipment is not being sought from British manufacturers.

It is not in the interests of security to publish details of equipment purchased, whatever its provenance. Wherever practicable, British equipment is purchased.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the expenditure on arms and ammunition by the Royal Ulster Constabulary in each of the past three years: and what percentage of these acquisitions was purchased in the United Kingdom.

It is not in the interests of security to specify the expenditure on arms and ammunition. I understand that Police Authority expenditure on accoutrements, within which arms and ammunition are included, was as follows:

	£000's
1978–79	898
1979–80	1,245
1980–81	735

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what are the numbers of load limiters installed in domestic households by each of the electricity boards from their introduction into the United Kingdom to date;(2) what information he has as to whether load limiters on the electricity supply are being installed in new council house building; and, if so, which local authorities have authorised the use of these devices.

Data are not available on the numbers of load limiters installed since the introduction of these devices. Numbers currently installed by four area boards are as follows:

South Western	65
East Midlands	10
Merseyside and North Wales	12*
Yorkshire	142
* Part of a trials sponsored by the board's consultative council, limited to a total of 20 devices.

As these figures show, load limiters are not widely used and they are installed only with the consent of the consumer. They are intended to limit electricity consumption to help reduce or avoid debt and the type of housing involved is not a factor.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the state of co-operation between the United Kingdom and France on fast reactor technology.

Fast reactor policy, including the possibilities for international collaboration, is being actively considered by the Government. A key issue is how soon we need to move to a commercial demonstration fast reactor.None of our existing agreements would commit the United Kingdom to international collaboration in the industrial exploitation of fast reactor technology, such as would be involved in the construction of a CDFR. However, close contact with technical work on fast reactors is maintained with France and other major fast reactor countries through the United Kingdom's participation in the international working group on fast reactors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, by regular international conferences on various aspects of fast reactor design, safety and operation, and on the fast reactor fuel cycle, and through Community committees and meetings. There is specific collaboration between the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique on fast reactor fuel testing to improve understanding of the safety of power fast reactors.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the nature and extent of collaboration with the French authorities on work on the fast breeder reactor and on the total expenditure involved.

Fast reactor policy, including the possibilities for international collaboration, is being actively considered by the Government. A key issue is how soon we need to move to a commercial demonstration fast reactor.None of our existing agreements would commit the United Kingdom to international collaboration in the industrial exploitation of fast reactor technology, such as would be involved in the construction of a CDFR. However, close contact with technical work on fast reactors is maintained with France and other major fast reactor countries through the United Kingdom's participation in the international working group on fast reactors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, by regular international conferences on various aspects of fast reactor design, safety and operation, and on the fast reactor fuel cycle, and through Community committees and meetings. There is specific collaboration between the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique on fast reactor fuel testing to improve understanding of the safety of power fast reactors. This involves the exchange of information arising out of existing fuel development and testing programmes. It is not therefore possible to separate out the cost as a special item.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will set out the circumstances under which pre-payment meters are made available to customers requesting them and the circumstances under which they are refused; and if he will define the meaning of safe and practicable, in relation to the provision of pre-payment meters.

Prepayment meters are installed where consumers have requested them, provided it is safe and practical to do so. Each individual case is considered on its merits and there are, therefore, no hard and fast rules governing the interpretation of"safe and practical". Among the factors taken into consideration are the physical location of the meter for access and security, the presence of gas or electric central heating and the suitability of other easy payment methods.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to make it illegal for a fuel board to disconnect supply without first obtaining a court order to do so and to make it obligatory for a fuel board seeking such a court order to show that it has complied fully with the code of practice.

No. The fuel industries exercise their powers to disconnect supply with due care and discretion under the code of practice they have voluntarily adopted. The code is currently being reviewed and, as I have made clear, I am maintaining a close interest both in the progress of this review and in the manner in which the boards operate the code.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will issue a general direction to the gas and electricity industries that the code of practice on disconnections is sent to every consumer who is given a final notice prior to disconnection.

No. I understand the industries already ensure that the provisions of the code of practice concerning disconnections are drawn to the attention of all consumers concerned in advance of disconnections being carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the maximum debt currently accepted by each gas and electricity board for inclusion in the fuel direct scheme.

I understand that the industries do not generally impose a maximum debt which they will accept under this scheme, but this is a matter for them and I am asking the chairmen of the Electricity Council and the British Gas Corporation to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether incentives to produce more coal are to be maintained.

That is a matter for the NCB, but I understand that the board has found the operation of the incentive scheme very satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the likely impact of the recent revocation of the pit closure programme on the opencast mining industry, in view of the reduced market for coal.

This is a matter for the National Coal Board to consider in the first instance.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list for each of the 23 pits outlined for possible closure (a) the volume of coal reserves remaining to be mined, (b) whether the reserves are economically accessible, (c) whether serious geological faulting exists and (d) whether there is water or mining hazard present.

These are questions for the National Coal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the average retail price of petrol for the year 1980 in the United Kingdom.

The following table shows typical retail prices for two star petrol, four star petrol and derv related to the 15th of each month during 1980. The overall annual average price for the United Kingdom is not available.

	2 star	4 star	Derv
January	118	120	126
February	119	121	128
March	121	123	130
April	131	132	135
May	130	132	135
June	133	135	138
July	132	134	138

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the value of contracts for work on the United Kingdom continental shelf placed with companies incorporated in the following countries during 1980: Netherlands Antilles, Bermuda, Bahamas, Panama, Switzerland, France and Italy.

The figures for the total value of orders placed for oil and gas developments on the United Kingdom continental shelf in 1980 have not yet been finalised; they will be published in due course. No record is kept of the country of incorporation of individual companies winning contracts on the United Kingdom continental shelf, but it is to be expected that the majority of the companies are registered in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will seek to harmonise with other European partners the growing practice of regarding the postal delivery between these countries as internal mail, from the standpoint of the cost of postage to the public.

The Government are sympathetic to the motives underlying this practice, but postal tariffs are a matter for the Post Office, for which the implementation of such a scheme would entail a substantial loss in revenue.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he is satisfied with the availability of reasonably priced rented accommodation in Hong Kong, particularly as it affects lower-paid Government staff affected by redevelopment of older blocks of flats which are then no longer subject to the landlord and tenant ordinance.

Housing must inevitably be a problem in Hong Kong, which has a population of about 5,150,000 on a land area of only 1,061 square kilometres, much of which is uninhabitable. Nevertheless, the Hong Kong Government have made great advances in increasing the stock of rented accommodation in Hong Kong, which we applaud.The Hong Kong Government have introduced measures for controlling rents. I know of no representations to that Government by Civil Service unions on the point at the end of my hon. Friend's question.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what was the total cost to public funds in the last two financial years of United Kingdom contributions to the Council of Europe Assembly, the Assembly of the Western European Union and the North Atlantic Assembly and of hospitality and other activities for Members of the delegations, their wives and other participants, arranged by Her Majesty's diplomatic representatives abroad in connection with visits, conferences, and so on under the auspices of the three Assemblies or any other official intra-parliamentary visit by hon. Members and parliamentary officials.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 6 March to my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall).—[Vol. 1000, c. 204.]Additional information is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. I can say, however, that any hospitality offered by Her Majesty's diplomatic representatives abroad would be met from within their existing allowances, and that any other services provided would be at little extra cost to public funds.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, further to his answer of 12 January, what civil rights are enjoyed in each of the countries listed by citizens of the United Kingdom who owe their citizenship to their connection with a former colony.

[pursuant to his reply, 28 January, c. 423]: Generally speaking, the Commonwealth countries listed, not uniquely, reserve civic rights such as the right to vote in parliamentary and local elections, membership of Parliament, entry to the permanent Civil or Armed Services and in some cases the practice of certain professions to persons who are citizens of that country.All the Commonwealth countries listed limit the franchise and membership of the legislature to their own citizens. In Singapore, Zambia, and Zimbabwe there is no bar to enter the Civil Service—though in Zimbabwe non-citizen entrants to the Civil Service are expected to become citizens—but in the other Commonwealth countries listed non-citizens are not permitted to join the permanent Civil or Armed Services. There is considerable variation in the practice amongst the countries listed relating to certain professional activities. India does not permit non-citizens to engage in some professional activities, but the countries generally appear to allow non-citizens to practice in most professional activities.If a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies also has citizenship of the country concerned, as many do, he will not be debarred from any of these rights; otherwise there is no apparent difference in respect of such rights between citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies who owe that citizenship to their connection with a former colony, other citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies or citizens of third countries.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what consultation took place with authorities of the House before the recent announcement by the Central Office of Information on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration was broadcast as a public information item by the BBC.

None. The announcement was made as part of the Central Office of Information's co-operation with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in responding to the Select Committee's encouragement to publicise the existence and purpose of his office.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if it is her policy that all publications by Her Majesty's Stationery Office should be published at an"economic price", that is, without subsidy from other publications of Her Majesty's Stationery Office publications; and what estimate he has made of the effect of this on the cost of the Official Report.

The policy aim is that the publishing business of Her Majesty's Stationery Office should not be subsidised by other Her Majesty's Stationery Office activities, but it would be quite impracticable to apply this policy to each of the thousands of separate publications issued by the office each year. The Official Report is accounted for quite separately and receives a direct subsidy from Voted funds to compensate Her Majesty's Stationery Office for the inescapable loss which is incurred in producing it overnight to the tight timetable required.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what instructions she has issued to Her Majesty's Stationery Office in regard to tendering for reprographic work for such public bodies as local authorities and nationalised industries.

The reprographic units of Her Majesty's Stationery Office are all at liberty to undertake work for such organisations in order to take up immediately spare capacity.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if she proposes to run down the reprographic services at present provided by Her Majesty's Stationery Office; if so, how many redundancies would result; and what saving in cost there would be to Government Departments.

Present plans are for the withdrawal of Her Majesty's Stationery Office from the operation of common service reprographic units outstationed in other Government Departments, and for a reduction in service to offset a fall in demand. It is too early to say how many staff will be surplus or what the savings will be.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what steps have been taken to permit Government Departments to purchase such goods and services from private firms as were formerly supplied by Her Majesty's Stationery Office; and if he will make a statement on untying.

Since the establishment of a trading fund for Her Majesty's Stationery Office the traditional arrangements for the tying of Departments to Her Majesty's Stationery Office for supplies of stationery and printing have been reviewed, and Departments are now free to purchase books from commercial booksellers. Beyond this, there will not be any general relaxation of tying before 1 April 1982. I am, however, devising arrangements with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment for the immediate untying of about one-third of Her Majesty's Stationery Office publishing and procurement for his Department. We believe that this will help to test the efficiency of Her Majesty's Stationery Office by providing comparative cost information.In addition, four other Departments—Industry, Trade, Defence, and Agriculture, Fisheries and Food—will be free in certain limited areas to withdraw business from Her Majesty's Stationery Office before 1 April 1982 if they can show, on an equitable comparison of costs, that there is advantage to themselves, no intolerable detriment to Her Majesty's Stationery Office and no overall damage to the Exchequer interest or the objectives of public purchasing policy.During 1981 Her Majesty's Stationery Office will seek to reach an agreement with each of its customers on the range of goods and services which will be obtained from Her Majesty's Stationery Office from 1 April 1982. The agreements will indicate any specific types of business which Departments propose to withdraw from Her Majesty's Stationery Office. The agreements will be assessed in draft to ensure that the overall interests of the Exchequer are not damaged and that, taken together, they do not create unreasonable difficulties for the efficient operation of Her Majesty's Stationery Office as a Government trading fund.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what representations she has had from private publishing companies that they should be invited to tender for work at present carried out by Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

None.