asked the Prime Minister what reply she has sent to the letter sent to her by President Brezhnev concerning a summit meeting.

It is important that there should be effective consultation between East and West, and I shall be replying to President Brezhnev after a careful examination of the points in his letter.

asked the Prime Minister what part Her Majesty's Government are prepared to play in a summit meeting between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

The question of a summit meeting between the United States of America and the USSR is a matter for the Governments of those two countries. However, President Reagan has made it clear that he wishes to consult America's allies and we shall play our full pant in any process of consultation. It is the Government's view that a summit should be very carefully prepared if it is to succeed as we would wish.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the expected total cost of the Portaferry sewage scheme; how much is due to the alteration of the pumping station; and how much was lost as a result of the change of contractor.

Total estimated cost of the scheme is £328,000. Relocation of the pumping station and control panel has cost £26,000. The change of contractor has led to additional costs estimated to be £26,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether in view of the circumstances surrounding the Tynan Abbey murders of Sir Norman Stronge and his son James, he will now set up a public, sworn inquiry so that the truth about these murders may be fully known.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will publish the number of coal mines closed in Wales since vesting day to date; and what is the number still open;.

These are matters for the National Coal Board. I have asked the chairman of the board to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will list the latest available comparisons of retail prices, expressed in £ sterling, of petrol and heavy fuel oil for Belgium, Denmark, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, both exclusive and inclusive of tax and duty, and taking account of the measures announced in the Budget.

The latest available estimates of indicative consumer prices are as follows:

	Retail petrol* (penceI gallon)		Heavy fuel oil† (£/tonne)
	Net	Inclusiveof taxand duty	Net	Inclusive of duty
Belgium	77	159	109·3	109·3
Denmark	70	158	108·2	‡136·2
FR Germany	73	131	108·3	111·5
France	71	154	102·6	102·7
Ireland	69	140	102·1	114·6
Italy	68	175	99·2	99·6
Netherlands	73	143	101·4	104·3
United Kingdom	69	151·5	94·9	102·9
* Estimated model price.
† Estimated average price small industrial consumers—up to 24,000 tonnes per annum.
‡ In Denmark heavy fuel oil duty is rebated in full to VAT-;registered traders. The net price is the effective consumer price.

.Sources: United Kingdom estimates by the Department of Energy. Other estimates from EEC Commission.Difficulties arise in making international comparisons in times of changing prices and currency fluctuations. There can, moreover, be a wide range of prices within countries, and methods of collating data may not always be similar.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will compare United Kingdom liability for foreign debt at 19 May 1979 with the figure for the latest date available.

Official external debt outstanding at end February 1981 totalled $18 billion, compared with $22·2 billion outstanding at end-April 1979.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the increase in the number of taxpayers in 1981–82, arising from his decision not to propose any rise in personal tax allowances, as compared with the position as it would be under section 22(2) of the Finance Act 1977.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what information he has about the United States penetration of the microelectronics industry in the United Kingdom, France and the Federal Republic of Germany.

United States-based multinational companies make a substantial contribution to the United Kingdom's capacity to manufacture microelectronic devices. They form a significant but smaller proportion of the industry in France and the Federal Republic of Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what sums of regional aid were paid to which companies in West Cumbria in the last month.

The following assistance was made available in February 1981 under the Industry Act 1972 to undertakings located in West Cumbria:.

	£
Payments of Regional Development Grant in amounts over £25.000	2,081,000
Offers of Regional Selective Assistance under Section 7	40,000

.It is not the practice to disclose details of such assistance other than in accordance with the arrangements announced by the then Secretary of State for Industry on 31 July 1974. Appropriate details of the above assistance will be published in

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many new-starter manufacturing operations have been set up in the Workington travel-to-work area, in the county of Cummbria and the Northern region with either financial or other support from his Department during the last month.

Four offers of assistance under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 were made in February 1981 for new projects in the Northern region. Two Government factory units in the Northern region were occupied in February by new tenants. None of this assistance related to projects in Cumbria or the Workington travel-to-work area.I regret that the corresponding information relating to payments of regional development grant could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

the Secretary of State for Industry when he will announce further appointments to the board of British Shipbuilders.

Mr. John Parker, deputy chief executive of British Shipbuilders, has accepted the Secretary of State's invitation to serve a further term of three years from 1 February 1981; and Dr. Peter Milne, currently managing director for the corporation's new engineering division, has accepted the invitation to become member for engineering and engine building for a term of three years from 4 March 1981.

the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list those organisations which have, in response to Cmnd. 8106, recommended that all parents should have the right to weekly child benefit payments if they so wish;.(2) how many indviduals and organisations have submitted views on the proposal to pay child benefit monthly; and what proportion of these were in favour of all parents being free to choose weekly benefit payments.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the need to attract medically qualified personnel into a branch of community medicine, he will make a statement as to his policy towards the promotion of occupational or preventive medicine.

The Department has just published"Care in Action", a handbook setting out the Government's strategy on preventive medicine and on health and social services in England generally. This urges health authorities to develop well-organised preventive programmes. Community physicians will play a part in this but health education should be the concern of all who work in the health service. Occupational health in the workplace is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what he estimates will be the saving from ceasing to publish an annual report in relation to war pensions.

£14,000 in staff costs and a further £11,000 on the purchase of copies.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that postgraduate specialist medical courses are not closed as a result of fewer applications from overseas students.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. and learned Friend can take no such steps. The provision and financing of postgraduate medical courses is a matter for the universities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the acknowledged defects of the quota scheme under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 and the information now emerging under the Companies Act Regulations 1980, he will take steps to expedite the recommendations of the Manpower Services Commission arising out of that body's 1979 discussion document.

I expect to receive the Manpower Services Commission's recommendations on the quota scheme within a few months. I shall give these recommendations very careful consideration before coming to a conclusion.It is too early to assess the information on company policy towards the employment of disabled people which will emerge as a result of the Companies Act regulations, as these apply only to directors' reports prepared for financial years which began on or after 1 September 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when Mr. Harold Soref may expect the substantive reply to his letter of 19 November last, acknowledged on behalf of the Minister of State by Mr. Stuart Gordon of Professional and Executive Recruitment on 7 January.

Two full replies were sent to Mr. Soref: one from Professional and Executive Recruitment, dated 26 January; and one from the statistics division of my Department, dated 27 January. These replies were acknowledge separately by Mr. Soref; he was also telephoned immediately about a point in his first acknowledgement.

asked the Secretary of Slate for Employment when he proposes to issue new diving regulations; and if he will make a statement.

I have signed the Diving Operations at Work Regulations 1981 and they will be laid in the House shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest employment activity rate for England.

The latest estimate of economic activity ratesߞemployed plus unemployedߞof the population over 16 in England is 62 per cent, for 1979. Corresponding percentages for males and females are 78 and 47 respectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food how quickly consumer prices of food have risen over the last 10 years (a) for products covered by the common agricultural policy and (b) for products not covered by the common agricultural policy; and what proportion of increases noted under (a) he considers to be attributable to factors unrelated to the common agricultural policy itself.

Between January 1971 and January 1981 food items in the retail price index rose by 293 per cent.Separate information for products covered by the common agricultural policy and products not covered by it is not available. The effect of the common agricultural policy on food prices is currently estimated to be about 8 to 10 per cent, and it can therefore be deduced that roughly 90 per cent of the increase in food prices since January 1971 is attributable to factors unrelated to the common agricultural policy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the net benefit to the United Kingdom from the operation of (a) the Community sheepmeat regime and (b) the beef suckler premium since these schemes came into operation.

The only European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund expenditure so far under the sheepmeat regime has been on variable premium payments in the United Kingdom; these amount to about £45 million, which, after allowing for our budgetary contribution, will give a net benefit of about £36 million.Expenditure on the suckler cow premium scheme up to the end of 1980 is estimated by the Commission at about £25 million, of which about £11 million had been spent in the United Kingdom. These figures represent claims processed by the end of the year and it would be misleading to show a net benefit on the figures so far available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the following information for each Scottish local authority (a) for 1979–80: expenditure need implicit in the needs element distribution formula; expenditure guideline, local authorities' budgeted expenditure, outturn expenditure, (b) for 1980–81: expenditure need implicit in the needs element distribution formula, expenditure guideline, local authorities' budgeted expenditure and (c) for 1981–82: expenditure need implicit in the needs element distribution formula and expenditure guideline.

The following table gives for all authorities guidelines, budgeted expenditure and estimated outturn for 1979–80 at November 1978 prices and budgeted expenditure for 1980–81 at November 1979 prices. As for calculation of guidelines for 1980–81 and 1981–82, 1 have nothing to add to the information given on 30 June 1980 and on 26 January 1981 in reply to questions from the hon. Member for Dundee, West (Mr. Ross), and the right hon. Member for Glasgow, Craigton (Mr. Millan).ߞ[Vol. 987, c. 406–7; Vol. 999, c. 290–9.}. I am not aware of, and cannot therefore comment on, the implications for guidelines of the needs element distribution formula used by the previous Administration in the rate support grant settlement for 1979–80.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria are adopted in the appointment of justices of the peace in order that a proper balance of political and religious representation is retained.

My right hon. Friend is advised on the appointment of justices of the peace for each district and islands area by advisory committees. The committees have all been given guidance as to the considerations which they should have in mind in making their recommendations and are aware that the first and most important consideration must be the personal suitability of the candidates, in character, integrity and understanding. Second only to this is the desirability that the commissions of the peace should be drawn from all social classes and be broadly representative of the opinions of the community which they serve.The advisory committees themselves contain recognised supporters of the main political parties and in order to ensure that a proper political balance is obtained on each commission they are asked to have regard to the political affiliations, if any, of the candidates, and to indicate them to my right hon. Friend when making their recommendations. Their recommendations must be unanimous. The political balance of the commission is always considered by my right hon. Friend when new appointments are being made.As regards religious balance, neither religious belief nor the absence of it is a qualification for appointment and, to avoid misunderstanding, candidates are not asked their religious belief. In areas where this could be a sensitive issue, however, advisory committees are expected to satisfy themselves that their recommendations are not open to criticism as being unbalanced in this respect, and to inform my right hon. Friend that this has been done.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest employment activity rate for Scotland.

The latest estimates of civilian economic activity rates, which include both employed and unemployed, are for 1979. These indicate that 63.0 per cent. of the population aged 16 and over were economically active in Scotland in 1979; the correspond ing figures for males and females are 78·5 per cent. and 49·1 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if his Department will take emergency action to deal with the increased damage to bird life caused by oil pollution on the Norfolk coast.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade which of his ministerial colleagues is responsible for directing action against the present oil pollution on the north Norfolk coast in the absence abroad of his noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State.

I am responsible for such matters as Secretary of State. I have delegated certain powers to my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State. During his present absence abroad my hon. Friend, the Department's other Under-Secretary of State, is dealing with these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether European Economic Community rules can prevent the import of Japanese products into the United Kingdom through other European Economic Community countries in the same way as the French have prevented the importation of Japanese television sets.

No. Action by the Commission under article 115 of the Treaty of Rome to authorise a member State to deny entry to goods already in free circulation within the Community can generally be taken only when imports of the same goods direct from the third country concerned are subject to formal quota. The United Kingdom has no formal restrictions on imports from Japan, whereas the French do have long-standing residual quotas on Japanese television sets which they used as a basis for their application for article 115 action. These quotas pre-dated the formation of the Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has had, and from whom, concerning the banning of seal products in the United Kingdom; what consideration he has given to these; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 March 1981, c. 381]: Both the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the International Fund for Animal Welfare have presented petitions for a ban on imports of seal products, and a deep and widespread concern within Parliament has been endorsed by the volume of letters this Department has received on the subject. Our position has been made clear on a number of occasions, most recently by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State whose observations on a petition from the citizens of Leicester were deposited in the House on 1 December 1980 and appeared in the Votes and Proceedings of 4 December 1980. After very careful consideration of all the factors involved the Government concluded that a ban would not be the right response, but that the public should be given the opportunity of deciding for themselves whether or not to purchase goods made of sealskin. Action has accordingly been taken under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 to require all such goods offered for sale to indicate that they are made from seal skin and where the skins come from. These requirements, which were welcomed by the RSPCA, apply to goods imported into or made in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the value of secondhand agricultural tractors and implements exported from the United Kingdom for each of the last 10 years and for the year 1980·81 to date.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 March 1981, c. 381.]: This information is available only in respect of used, wheeled agricultural tractors, the value of exports of which has been as follows:

UNITED KINGDOM EXPORTS OF USED WHEELED AGRICULTURAL TRACTORS
Year	Value £million fob
1971	4.9
1972	5.7
1973	6.5
1974	8.6
1975	16.4
1976	24.8
1977	32.1
1978	23.8
1979	21.5
1980	16.0
January 1981	1.0

(Source: United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics, ex SITC(RI) Sub Group 712.5 and SITC(R2) Sub—Group 722.4).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the average annual deficit or surplus in trade in manufactured goods with the European Economic Community and with the rest of the world, respectively, since the date of the United Kingdom's accession to the European Economic Community; and if he will also publish the average annual deficits or surpluses, respectively, for a comparable period of years before accession.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 March 1981, c. 231]: Because of the impact of inflation, the use of averages over such a long span of years is likely to be misleading. The crude balances for the individual years are as follows:

United Kingdom Crude Balance of Trade in Manufactures* with the European Community† and the Rest of the World
	European Community £ million	Rest of the World£ million
1965	+315	+1,527
1966	+314	+1,606
1967	+206	+1,336
1968	+246	+1,394
1969	+457	+1,662
1970	+462	+1,772
1971	+329	+2,442
1972	+22	+2,082
1973	–416	+1,745
1974	–747	+2,325
	‡
1975	–640	+4,106
1976	–667	+4,799
1977	–910	+6,038
1978	–2,026	+5,664
1979	–3,081	+4,262
1980	–1,766	+5,341

Notes:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take legislative action to restrain site owners from frequently increasing the rents charged for static caravans located on their land; and if he will make a statement.

Where a residential mobile home owner has an agreement under the Mobile Homes Act 1975, it will specify the initial pitch rent payable, and provide for reviews at intervals of not less than one year. We intend to examine the case for and against further mobile homes legislation and decide, well before the end of 1983 when agreements under the 1975 Act begin to expire, whether fresh legislation is needed and, if so, what form it should take.Charges made in connection with static holiday caravans are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the final reports of the Housing Services Advisory Group.

These three reports,"Housing Action Areas and the role of Housing Associations","Organising an Effective Repairs and Maintenance Service" and"Security on Council Estates" were published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to respond to the report of the working party chaired by Lord Montagu,"Britain's Historic Buildings: A Policy For Their Use".

I have written to Lord Montagu today with my response to his report. I have placed copies of my letter in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is now in a position to make a further announcement about the designation of an enterprise zone to Speke on Mersey side.

A statutory invitation under the terms of schedule 32 to the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 was today issued to Liverpool city council to prepare a scheme with a view to designating an enterprise zone of some 340 acres at Speke. Copies of the invitation are being placed in the Library of the House. The statutory procedures of consultation and then the hearing of representations will begin shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what professional advice he sought in establishing trie fair market price for the land he is seeking to sell between Fornham Road and the A45 Northgate intersection in Bury St. Edmunds.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to his question of 9 March.—[Vol. 1000, c. 300.].

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy on the provision of social education and skills training for young mentally or physically handicapped people above the age of 16 years who would benefit from this further provision.

My right hon. and learned Friend believes that as wide a range of opportunities as is practicable should be available to young mentally or physically handicapped people who wish to continue their education alter the age of 16. In discharging their responsibilities towards this group of young people local authorities use a variety of methods, depending on their particular circumstances and the individual needs and circumstances of the young people. Authorities should continue to examine ways of increasing the scale and variety of their provision, in the light of the recommendations of the Warnock report and of the resources available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the salary range of vice-chancellors of universities and principals of polytechnics.

. Vice-chancellors' salaries are determined by individual universities: information on the salaries paid is not available.Directors of polytechnics maintained by local education authorities are paid in accordance with the Burnham scales applicable to the principals of colleges of further education. These range, in accordance with student numbers and the general level of academic work undertaken in any particular institution, between a minimum of £9,996 and a maximum of £21,234.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will take steps to encourage the establishment and development in city areas of comprehensive schools which specialise in particular subjects so that they become centres of excellence, as in the case of the Manchester high school of art.

It is for local education authorities to determine how to organise their schools to provide the curriculum most effectively Authorities may also make such proposals as they wish under sections 12 to 16 of the Education Act 1980. My right hon. and learned Friend will consider any such proposals which fall for him to decide, individually and on their merits.

Short asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 5 March, in which regions regional information teacher training centres will be set up; how many schools will be affected; and if he will set out any further details which are available.

It is intended that the regional centres established under the microelectronics education programme should between them serve the whole of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The precise number and composition of the regional groupings will need to be worked out. in agreement with the local education authorities, but it is expected at present that the number of regions will be about 14.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is now able to make an announcement about university grants for the academic year 1981–82.

The estimates for Class X (Education and Science, Libraries and Arts) Votes published on 10 March, which are subject to parliamentary approval in due course, include provision for recurrent grant and for equipment and furniture grant to the universities. The provision for recurrent grant in the academic year 1981–82 is £979 million. This is a cash limit. This figure provides approximately 3 per cent. less in real terms for home students than in the academic year 1980–81.There is likely to be some reduction in the number of students admitted in 1981–82 but it is hoped that universities will admit, as they have done this year, as many students as they can consistent with their academic judgment. Allowing for the numbers admitted in recent years, the total home undergraduate population in 1981–82 is expected to be about 250,000. Home postgraduate numbers are assumed to remain at their present total of about 30,000. Home students are expected to be divided equally between arts and science.In accordance with the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement in the House of Commons on 24 November 1980, and paragraph 9 of Cmnd. 8175, the grant allowed for increases in earnings of 6 per cent. for settlements from 1 October 1980 onwards, with an appropriate adjustment based on the 6 per cent. factor to allow for the change in the settlement date for academic staff; and price rises of about 11 per cent. in the financial year 1981–82 based on the actual level of prices and rates in the academic year 1980–81.Recurrent grant for the 1980–81 academic year has been reduced by £25·65 million to take account of revised pay and price assumptions for the period 1 April to 31 July 1981 and of the appropriate proportion of the saving of £30 million at 1980 survey prices, in the 1981–82 financial year which I announced in the House on 16 December 1980. A further adjustment for the 1980–81 academic year in respect of capital has been made—see paragraph (

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the annual sum of money for the year 1981–82 that will be devoted to the provision of education for (a) children under 4 years and (b) children under 5 years in each of the Welsh counties, and what these figures will represent as percentages of the total child population, in each county.

It is for individual local authorities to determine the pattern of their expenditure Cmnd 8175 however assumes current expenditure, net of urban piogramme support, in Wales on under-fives of some £17 million in 1981–82 at 1980 survey prices Provision for under-fours is not identifiable separately.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest employment activity rate for Wales.

The latest employment activity rates for Wales relate to 1979 and are provisionally estimated to be 75·1 for males and 41·5 for females.

asked the Lord Pnvy Seal if he will list in the Official Report all current bilateral and multilateral co-operation between the United Kingdom and other Western European countries outwith the framework of the European Communities.

The main organisations, apart from the European Community, in which the United Kingdom co-operates multilaterally with other Western European countries, both members and non-members of the Community, are NATO, the Council of Europe and the Western European Union There is also co-operation in multilateral organisations whose scope goes wider than Western Europe, such as the United Nations, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the International Monetary Fund, and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.The United Kingdom co-operates bilaterally with other Western European countries in a wide variety of fields outside the framework of the European Communities.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what privileges and immunities are accorded by Her Majesty's Government to the Soviet trade delegation in London.

The Soviet trade representative and his two deputies have full diplomatic status and enjoy the concomitant privileges and immunities The other members of the staff of the trade delegation do not enjoy diplomatic status and are not entitled to privileges and immunities.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether his Department will be taking part in the survey of disaster response which the United Nations Secretary General is currently undertaking.

Yes. The Secretary-General is expected shortly to publish a report about co-ordination of disaster relief in the last decade, which will be considered by the United Nations Economic and Social Council in July. Our delegation will join actively in the search for a solution to the problems of co-ordination.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list in the Official Report the names and addresses of buildings in the United Kingdom in respect of which diplomatic immunity has been accorded to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and other Warsaw Pact countries.

Details of the official premises of the countries concerned can be found in the London Diplomatic List, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The only exception is that the chancery and the consular section of the Hungarian People's Republic recently moved into temporary premises at 48 Charles Street, London Wl. Under the provisions of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations the private residences of certain members of the staffs of these missions enjoy inviolability.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether Her Majesty's Government intend to adopt the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation for a passport with machine-readable capability; and whether the new passport will be in a common European Community format.

The Government have taken a decision in principle to adopt as soon as practicable the International Civil Aviation Organisation recommendations for the introduction of a passport in a simplified standardised format which will have machine-readable capability. However, a considerable amount of work is needed to assess the costs and to overcome the technical problems involved, and until this has been done it is not possible for the Government to set a date for the change in the format of United Kingdom passports. Discussions are continuing in Brussels on the implementation of the decision taken in principle by the right hon. Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson) and other Heads of Government at the Eiuropean Council in December 1974, that there should be a common forma) for the national passports of European Community member States. The subject will be discussed at the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 16 and 17 March. The Government's position is that a common European Community format should take full account of the International Civil Aviation Organisation recommendations and that we could only introduce a passport in such a format at the same time as we adopted the International Civil Aviation Organisation recommendations. We believe this will bring real benefits for travellers and immigration authorities.