asked the Prime Minister when she expects to reply to the letter dated 12 March from the secretary of the Methodist Church division of social responsibility about aid for El Salvadoran refugees in Honduras.

A reply was sent on my behalf by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on 25 March.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will press for an inquiry at the highest possible level into the sale of over 100,000 kilos of European butter to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in the last 12 months.

The Government have consistently made clear at all levels their opposition to subsidised sales of butter to the Soviet Union, and will continue to do so. While I deplore the high level of such sales that occurred in 1980, the pressure we have exerted has resulted in a tightening of the Community's export arrangements for milk products, and no refunds are available at present on butter going to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. In the circumstances, I do not think an inquiry of the sort suggested by my hon. Friend would be fruitful.

asked the Prime Minister if she will arrange for an investigation into the source of the information given to Mr. Chapman Pincher regarding security matters.

An investigation is being made. Any relevant evidence will be submitted to my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General.

asked the Lord Privy Seal for how many refugees in El Salvador the European Economic Community is providing aid; and where these refugees are to be found.

The Community is contributing towards programmes of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross to help about 100,000 displaced persons. Some 16,000 of these are in Honduras and the rest inside El Salvador.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what assessment he has made of the effect on other members of his decision to withdraw the British contribution to the International Centre for Cultural Property; and what consultations he had with the various United Kingdom conservation organisations before taking this decision.

I assessed the likely effect on other countries of our withdrawal from ICCROM and considered that it would be understood as a facet of the Government's well publicised policy of reducing Government expenditure. No conservation organisations outside the Government were consulted because the decision was concerned with overall financial priorities, and not with an assessment of the quality of the work of the organisation.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what will have been the income lost to hon. Members by 13 June 1981, when the third stage of the salary increases recommended by the Boyle committee report and approved by the House two years ago will be paid; and what was the longest delay in implementing a previous award and the amount similarly lost.

Had the recommendation in the Top Salaries Review Body's report No. 12 been fully implemented in June 1979, without staging, and updated by 9·6 per cent. in June 1980, hon. Members would have received £3,950 more than they will have actually been paid by 13 June 1981 when the third stage of their 1979 settlement is implemented.No previous recommendations on hon. Members' pay have been staged. They have been implemented in full with the exception of the rate recommended by the review body in June 1975, which was only partially implemented. The salary of £8,000 then recommended was not overtaken by the actual pay of hon. Members until 13 June 1979 and the amount not received by Members as a consequence, calculated on the same basis as above, was £8,601.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he provides any information, over and above that available from public sources, to Burnaby Communications and Information Services Ltd., or to Parliamentary Communications Ltd.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average rent payment to (a) supplementary benefit recipients and (b) unemployment benefit recipients at the latest available date.

The hon. Member will be aware that it is not possible to distinguish the amount of supplementary benefit paid for housing costs in general, or for rent in particular.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take action in response to the report from the Birth Control Trust that in many areas family planning services are very depleted, with long waiting lists for male and female sterilisation.

Action by my right hon. Friend would not be appropriate. I am sure the report will be widely read and taken into account by those concerned with the operation and development of family planning services in health authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total amount collected in Wales in national insurance contributions in 1980.

Separate records are not kept of national insurance contributions collected in Wales but we estimate nearly £700 million, including the national insurance surcharge, in 1979–80.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many retirement pensioners in Wales were in receipt of supplementary pensions in each of the years 1975 to 1980.

Following is the information:

	Thousands
December 1975	88
December 1976	90
November 1977	90
November 1978	90
November 1979	92
December 1980 (Provisional)	87

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what percentage of expectant mothers had after-effects following the use of pain-killing Drugs during labour;(2) what guidance is given from his Department to the hospital service on the use of pain-killing Drugs when an expectant mother is in labour.

I am advised that the indications for pain-killing Drugs vary in each individual case depending on the physical and emotional needs of the mother; this was discussed in "Reducing the Risk". It is for the doctor or midwife attending each birth to decide whether painkilling Drugs are needed, the nature of the Drug, the timing and the dosage required, and it would not be appropriate for the Department to give guidance on clinical matters of this kind.The percentage of mothers who experience adverse effects from these Drugs during labour is not known. I understand, however, that those adverse effects that do occur are usually transient and are not generally severe.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost of the publication and distribution of "Care in Action" and why, having regard to the practice of previous Secretaries of State, he has not given clear advice on priorities in health care expenditure.

"Care in Action" was published and put on sale by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. The cost to my Department of purchasing and distributing copies was £37,000. Her Majesty's Stationery Office costs for publishing and distributing copies for sale will be covered in the normal way from proceeds.The handbook sets out the main policies and priorities which I expect to guide health authorities and social services committees in their work, but recognises that decisions affecting a particular locality, and the way to achieve these, are best made locally. The priorities in the handbook in general follow those of previous Secretaries of State, but I did not consider that authorities would find helpful the illustrative projections of actual expenditure on particular services which appeared, for instance, in "The Way Forward".

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what legal authority the Minister for Social Security has sought to hold up appeals from autistic children against refusal to award them the mobility allowance; and whether he will make a statement.

I assume that the right hon. Gentleman is referring to my reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 9 March—[Vol. 1000, c. 251]—who had asked about the effect on unresolved mobility allowance appeals of the social security commissioner's decision in the case of Paul Campbell. That decision interpreted the Mobility Allowance (Amendment) Regulations 1979 in an unexpectedly restrictive way. If it had become a precedent for future cases it could well have resulted in the disallowance of many claims and appeals from people with a combination of mental and physical disablement whom the right hon. Gentleman had in mind when he made the amending regulations in 1979.As I said in my earlier reply, a number of other appeals on the same point were before the commissioners. We therefore considered it to be in the best interests of the claimants concerned to suggest to medical appeal tribunals that any similar appeals awaiting hearing by them might be adjourned until the commissioners' decisions were known. Since medical appeal tribunals are independent authorities, it was of course open to them to adjourn or not, as they saw fit.Since I gave my earlier reply, one of the appeals to which I referred has been decided by a different commissioner. After an oral hearing the commissioner decided that the regulation in question bears the meaning which the right hon. Gentleman intended it to have. Furthermore, the commissioner who heard the appeal in the case of Paul Campbell has, I gather, concurred in the construction of the regulation now adopted. In the light of this decision, the Department has withdrawn its suggestion for the adjournment of appeals awaiting hearing by medical appeal tribunals.I understand that the chief commissioner has now decided that the decision should be published as a reported decision for the guidance of the determining authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why British women living in Germany as the wives of Service men have no right to apply for a housewives non-contributory invalidity pension because of the residential qualification; and if he will correct this anomaly.

In order to receive a non-contributory invalidity pension, a married woman must have been incapable of work and of her normal household duties for 196 consecutive days, of which 168 must have been spent in Great Britain. She must also have been resident in Great Britain for at least 10 out of the 20 years prior to her claim.I am considering the effect of these rules on the wives of Service men overseas, but any changes would have implications for other benefits for which similar rules exist.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further representations he has received since his answer on 4 February, Official Report, c. 143, on the circular HC(80)11 on allowing hospitals to attract private finance; and if he is now in a position to make a reply to these representations.

I have received representations from a substantial further number of voluntary bodies. I am still considering the best course of action in consultation with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the exact sum recovered through liable relatives procedures with single mothers on supplementary benefit; and what is the total cost of recovery if sharing court costs, salaries and other costs separately.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the sum recovered through liable procedures with single mothers on supplementary benefit; and what is the total cost of recovering it, showing salaries, court costs and other cost separately.

A figure for the exact sum recovered is not available and could not be obtained without considerable cost, but it is estimated to have been in the region of £7 million in 1979 and somewhat higher in 1980.The Department employs about 2,300 staff in work connected with recoveries from liable relatives. These staff do not specialise in particular kinds of cases, so that it is not possible to say how many deal with the cases of single mothers. However, a realistic estimate of salary costs for this part of the work would be around £3 million. The Department incurred legal costs, outside the costs of its own staff, of about £32,000 in 1980 in proceedings under section 19 of the Supplementary Benefits Act 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many cases where a single mother is interviewed by his officers information about her sexual relationships is used in subsequent proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many cases where a single mother is interviewed in connection with the payment of benefit information about her sexual relationships is used in subsequent proceedings.

This information is needed where the Department is taking action to obtain maintenace from the child's father. It is therefore obtained in only a small minority of cases where single mothers claim benefit—that is, in those cases where the father is not already maintaining the child, where the mother is not taking maintenance proceedngs herself, and where she does not object to the Department taking action to obtain maintenance. In 1980 the Department's solicitors prepared 959 such cases for proceedings under section 19 of the Supplementary Benefits Act 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions are given to officers of h is Department making inquiries of mothers seeking supplementary benefit that they are not obliged to answer questions about the father of their child and their entitlement to benefit does not depend upon their answering such questions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why it is not made clear in the instructions to officers interviewing single mothers in connection with the payment of benefit that a mother must be told at the start of the interview that she is not obliged to answer questions about her child's father and that her entitlement to benefit does not depend on her answering the questions which she might consider offensive.

The subject of maintenance for the child of a single mother is a quite separate issue from the mother's entitlement to benefit and is dealt with separately. There is no question of benefit being dependent on whether the mother gives information about the father. The instructions to officials already state quite clearly that they should not press the single mother for details of the father, and that if she does not wish to discuss the matter it should not be pursued. The instructions also state that questions about the mother's relationship with the father are to be asked only where she does not object to the Department taking action to obtain maintenance. However, as I have already said in my reply to the hon. Member for Keighley (Mr. Cryer) on 25 March 1981, I am arranging for these procedures to be re-examined urgently and I intend to make a further statement when the outcome is known.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to recommend setting up a Royal Commission on the social security system.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he can now announce the November 1981 increases in those rates of supplementary benefit which are normally uprated by reference to the February value of the retail price index.

Yes. The increases are as follows:

	Current rate(s) £	November 1981 rate(s) £
Non-householder's housing addition	2·15	2·55
Standard non-dependant's housing contribution	4·60	5·40
Modified non-dependant's housing contribution	2·15	2·55
Board and lodging meals allowances:
Breakfast	0·80	0·90
Lunch	1·10	1·25
Dinner	1·10	1·25
Board and lodging extension for residential accommodation	6·00	6·50
Expenses incidental to sub-letting:
Furnished	2·00	2·30
Unfurnished	1·00	1·15
Other (e.g. for garage)	0·25	0·30
Lower rate dietary addition	1·20	1·30
Higher rate dietary addition	2·80	3·05
Dietary addition for dialysis	8·00	8·70

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report the percentage increase over 1980–81 in, and the actual figure for, the board, residence and maintenance charges to new foreign students to be resident in public sector institutes and colleges of higher education for the session 1981–82.

This information is not available as it is for the individual local authorities to decide what to charge.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each English university and polytechnic the numbers of overseas students who attended full-time courses in 1978, 1979 and 1980; what are the estimated numbers for courses during 1981–82; and if he will make a statement.

Reliable information in respect of individual universities and polytechnics for the current academic year is not yet available. Estimates are not made by the Department of the numbers of overseas students in individual institutions for 1981–82. The numbers of overseas students at each English university and polytechnic in the academic years 1978–79 and 1979–80 are given in the following tables. They include postgraduates and are for students on all years of their course.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the cost to Government funds of each university in Scotland.

Details of Government grants to individual universities in the financial year 1979–80 are published in the Appropriation Accounts, HC 98, pages 33 and 34.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will give the numbers of members who are involved in primary and secondary education belonging to the various associations represented on the Burnham committee for primary and secondary education; and if he will make a statement giving the reasons for allocating one seat to the Professional Association of Teachers and one to the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education.

On the question of membership of the teachers' associations, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 February—[Vol. 998, c. 102]—to my hon. Friend the Member for Bedford (Mr. Skeet).My right hon. and learned Friend decided that the Professional Association of Teachers had sufficient of its members employed in maintained schools in England and Wales to justify its being allocated one seat on the committee. Retention of representation of the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education on the Burnham primary and secondary committee is justified by the fact that some matters common to teachers in schools and in further education—notably London allowances—are negotiated only in that committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if in his evaluation of a student loan system he will distinguish between undergraduate and postgraduate education, as recommended in the report of the Education Sub-Committee of the Expenditure Committee in Session 1973–74.

We are considering the respective opportunities and problems presented by loans schemes for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is now able to publish details of the numbers of pupils to be assisted at the music schools referred to in his reply to the hon. Member for Manchester, Withington on 8 August 1980, and the scales of fee remission and other assistance that will be available for such pupils.

I hope shortly to make and lay before the House regulations which will replace the present scheme of fee remission for pupils at the Yehudi Menuhin school and the Royal Ballet school—lower division—from September 1981 and also provide for assistance to limited numbers of pupils entering certain other specialist music schools from the same time. The other schools concerned and the number of pupils to be assisted at each are as follows:

Chetham's School of Music, Manchester—up to 60 entrants a year in 1981–82 and 1982–83 and 55 a year thereafter, with an upper limit of 240;

Wells Cathedral School, Somerset—up to eight entrants a year with an upper limit of 50;

Purcell School, Harrow—up to six entrants a year with an upper limit of 36.

After consultation with the schools concerned I propose that the fee remission scale illustrated in the following table should apply to pupils receiving assistance to attend these schools in the 1981–82 school year.

	Parental contribution to qualifying fees with one child being assisted
Relevant income* £	Day pupil £	Boarding pupil £
4,150	0	15
4,500	0	30
5,000	0	100
5,150	15	130
5,600	60	220
6,000	100	300
6,600	160	420
7,100	210	510
8,000	300	600
9,000	400	700
10,000	500	800
11,000	600	900
13,000	800	1,100
Thereafter	£1 for every additional £10 of relevant income
* Defined as for the assisted places scheme.

Parental contributions will be rounded down to the nearest multiple of £3.Parents with two children being assisted under these arrangements will pay for each only ¾ of the fee they would otherwise pay.Assistance will also be available with some incidental expenses. Assistance with the cost of school clothing will be available on the same basis as under the assisted places scheme, namely, grants in the first year of up to

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take such action as is necessary, including selective import controls, to ensure that souvenirs sold in the United Kingdom to commemorate the forthcoming Royal Wedding are made in the United Kingdom, especially those that sport a Union Jack.

No. I do not think that the use of selective import controls would be appropriate for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if replies on statistical information now require hon. Members to calculate percentages from published figures; when this change of policy occurred; and if he will ensure a return to the previous system.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to him on 25 March.—[Vol. 1, c. 326.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, to assist British exporters, actual or potential, he will publicise the results of the President of Nigeria's recent visit in so far as these relate to the further identification of precise types and quantities of goods and services which Nigeria requires for its development.

The President's visit was primarily a State occasion. It followed closely after the publication in outline of Nigeria's fourth national development plan—in which particular priorities were identified in agriculture, education, infrastructural development, manufacturing, housing and health and which received wide publicity before and during the State visit. I expect these priorities to be refined and identified in greater detail in the full plan which is to be published soon and my Department will ensure that they are widely publicised.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how British car exports last year compared with those from West Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

The following is the information:

	Exports of cars in 1980 (thousands)
United Kingdom	359
West Germany	1,873
France	1,530
Italy	511
Spain	492

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what information he has as to the value of contracts placed in the United Kingdom by the Canadian Federal Government and their agencies in each of the last 10 years for which statistics are available.

I regret that I am not aware of any official statistics which would enable us to identify the information which my hon. Friend seeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the value of United Kingdom exports to Canada in each of the last 10 years for which statistics are available.

The information is as follows:

United Kingdom Exports to Canada
	£ million, f.o.b.
1971	350
1972	380
1973	414
1974	495
1975	544
1976	630
1977	702
1978	737
1979	767
1980	751

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when the Government intend to publish the report on trading cheque franchise services and trading cheque financial services.

My right hon. Friend will publish the report as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects to receive the studies commissioned from United Nations Commission for Trade and Development officials at the last Committee on Shipping, on the issue of flags of convenience.

I expect to receive a copy of this study very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is satisfied with the performance of United Kingdom firms in obtaining contracts for projects financed by the European development fund.

During 1980 United Kingdom firms secured 17·7 per cent. of the contracts awarded to firms from European Community member States, which is not far short of our contribution of 18·7 per cent. to the fourth European development fund—EDF IV. However, the share of contracts won by British firms under EDF IV as a whole—12·08 per cent. up to 31 December 1980—still falls a long way short of the United Kingdom contribution. As the following table shows, the main weakness still lies in works contracts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his estimate of the total sum he hopes to raise in Wales from his new taxation proposals.

From the changes affecting Customs and Excise revenue and vehicle excise duty, about £110 million in a full year. Because of changes in accounting procedures for years after 1978–79, it is no longer possible to attribute net receipts of Inland Revenue duties between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sum was paid in income tax in Wales in 1980 or in the last year for which the figure is available.

About £750 million was payable for the income tax year 1978–79 by individuals resident in Wales—or, in the case of individuals whose main source of income was from self-employment, carrying on business in Wales. No later information is available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount paid in direct and indirect taxes in Wales 1980–81; and what was the total Government expenditure in Wales during that year.

Following changes in accounting procedures, figures for direct taxes attributed to Wales are not available for years after 1978–79. Total indentifiable public expenditure in Wales in 1979–80, the latest year for which figures are available, was £3,613 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long a married man with two children and earning the national average wage would have had to work to earn sufficient money to purchase a gallon of 4-star petrol in April 1970, April 1975, April 1980 and immediately after the 1981 Budget change.

The information requested for the years 1970, 1975 and 1980 is as follows:

	minutes
April 1970	40
April 1975	44
April 1980	38

For 1980 the estimates of average net earnings on which the answer is based include child benefit. I regret that information about average net earnings and hours worked necessary to produce a similar calculation for the period immediately after the Budget is not yet available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give figures separately for each year for 1974–75 up to and including 1980–81 showing capital expenditure by (a) central Government and (b) local authorities, both in England and Wales, first in terms of the figures published in the public expenditure White Paper published immediately before the year in question began, and secondly the outturn figure of expenditure for each year with the necessary price adjustment to make it comparable with the target figure; and if he will also show the percentage excess or shortfall revealed in volume terms by each of these figures;(2) if he will give figures separately for each year for 1974–75 up to and including 1980–81 showing current expenditure by

An analysis of outturn compared with planned public expenditure in 1979–80 was published as Treasury working paper No. 16. A copy of this paper has been placed in the Library of the House. I refer my hon. Friend to table 3 on page 18 of the paper, which shows percentage excess or shortfall in volume terms by economic category and spending authority for each of the years 1972–73 to 1979–80. Separate analyses for England and for Wales are not available because many services are planned for the United Kingdom as a whole. An analysis of outturn compared with planned expenditure in 1979–80 is given on page 13 for programme 16, which includes all expenditure within the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales. Such an analysis is not available for earlier years. Figures for 1980–81 are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the cost of the complete separation of husband and wife for tax purposes;(2) if he will estimate the cost of continuing aggregation of married couples incomes, together with an option for independent taxation;(3) if he will estimate how many additional civil servants would be required if there were complete separation of husband and wife for tax purposes.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates the loss of Government revenue due to the fall in company profits was during the latest available 12-month period compared with the preceding 12 months, both in respect of corporation tax and any other taxes paid by companies for which details are readily available.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will be in a position to answer the recent questions tabled by the right hon. and learned Members for Aberavon on the effects of the Budget in numbers of taxpayers, cost and civil servants; and if he is unable to give accurate figures, if he will provide estimates.

I have now replied.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes in national savings instruments he intends to introduce.

The reduction in the interest rate on the National Savings Bank investment account announced in the Budget Statement will be from 15 to 13 per cent. In addition, the 19th issue national savings certificate will be replaced by a new 21st issue national savings certificate, which will be on sale from Monday 11 May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Her Majesty's Government have any plans to issue a special coin to celebrate the Royal Wedding of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer.

The Queen has been graciously pleased to approve the Master of the Mint's recommendation that a special crown piece be issued. There will be three versions, one of ordinary standard struck in cupronickel and issued at a face value of 25p, another of uncirculated standard in cupronickel in a presentation pack and the third version of "proof' standard specially struck in sterling silver. The latter two versions will be sold at a premium over face value to collectors.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish his recently completed review of electricity supply arrangements in Northern Ireland.

No. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has already announced the Government's central decision arising from this review—namely, to take steps to bring electricity tariffs in Northern Ireland more closely into line with those in England and Wales and to keep them there. Further details will be given in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many projects have been approved, and at what cost, under the various microprocessor schemes for each year since their inception; and how much money is available for the forthcoming financial year.

Of the £55 million available under the microprocessor application project, £28 million has been committed as follows:

	£ million	Projects
Training Courses	4·3	180
Schools Computer Competition	0·3
Feasibility Studies	3·7	1,952
Development Projects	16·4	398

The remaining £3·3 million has been committed on a wide variety of awareness events, including the preparation of supporting literature, films, slides and participation in exhibitions.Estimated spending for the financial year 1981–82 is expected to be of the order of £16 million, including expenditure on projects already approved.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the conditions he intends to impose on International Computers Ltd. in return for Government assistance.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday on this subject to my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, North-West (Mr. Grylls).

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) whether he will seek to introduce legislation to require the British Steel Corporation to pay severance payments as of right to workers after 1 July 1981;(2) what severance pay has been paid to workers of the British Steel Corporation over the last 12 months and what has been the average sum paid; what projections have been made for severance payments to workers of the British Steel Corporation in the next 12 months; and what criteria are used for the calculation of the payments.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how much of the total defence expenditure in 1979–80 and 1980–81 was spent in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and overseas, respectively; and what proportion these figures represent of total expenditure on defence.

Defence expenditure is not accounted for on a regional basis and these figures could not be obtained without disproportionate effort. Details of overseas defence expenditure are contained in tables 2.6 and 2.8 of volume II of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1980."

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the defence budget is spent in Wales; and if he will break down that percentage to show how it is distributed.

Defence expenditure is not accounted for on a regional basis. A very broad assessment made in the mid-1970s suggested that about 3 per cent. of defence expenditure was incurred in Wales and there is no reason to think that this figure has changed significantly.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the acreage of Welsh land used by the Armed Forces; and if he will list the sites owned by his Department in Wales.

In October 1980 my Department held about 53,234 acres of land and foreshore freehold and leasehold for the use of the Armed Forces. Rights for training were held over a further 2,969 acres in private ownership. I shall write to the hon. Member giving him a list of defence sites as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) military and (b) non-military personnel are currently employed by his Department; and what proportion of these are employed in Wales.

The total strength of United Kingdom Service personnel and United Kingdom-based civilians, including staff of the Royal ordnance factories, on 1 January 1981 amounted to 333,900 and 232,800 respectively. Of these figures, 2.1 per cent. Service men and 4.1 per cent. civilians were employed in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how recruiting in the Royal Marines compares with that in other major services.

Although there remain shortages in some areas, recruiting for all three Services is in general going well. In the case of the Royal Marines we expect to meet our requirement in full for 1980–81.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Marines leave the Service before their initial training is completed.

In recent years the wastage of Royal Marine other rank recruits undergoing training, both voluntary and because of medical or course failure, has been running at some 40 to 50 per cent. The equivalent figure for officer recruits is about 35 per cent.These figures reflect in part the very high standards set by the Royal Marines. However, a number of changes are in hand aimed at improving retention.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the numbers of Service men in the Royal Marines now; and what were the numbers in May 1979.

The current trained strength of the Royal Marines is 548 officers and 6,206 other ranks. The trained strength in May 1979 was 518 and 5,958 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what numbers of apprentices he expects to accept in the forthcoming year for training in Her Majesty's dockyard, Devonport; and why he does not intend to maintain last year's intake in the light: of the need to ease the unemployment problems for young school leavers in the Plymouth travel-to-work area.

The question of the number of apprentices to be taken into Devonport dockyard this year is being considered but no decision has yet been taken.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the cost to the Exchequer of selling 175,000 tons of United Kingdom barley to Poland at half price.

As part of a Community programme of food aid for Poland, 175,000 tonnes of United Kingdom barley are being supplied at prices around 15 per cent. below the world level, equivalent to about 70 per cent. of Community prices.The cost to the Community budget of these special sales is about £5 million, just under half of which represents the 15 per cent. discount. The United Kingdom contributes to the Community budget as a whole at a rate of about 20 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the present numbers of (a) men and (b) women registered as unemployed at employment offices covering the London borough of Wandsworth.

At 12 March there were 7,417 males and 2,591 females registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Clapham Junction and Tooting employment offices, which closely corresponds to the London borough of Wandsworth. The figures are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff and at which grades are wholly or partly employed in monitoring price increases of consumer items.

My Department does not monitor price increases.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is in a position to give an assurance that specialist posts for the resettlement of blind people are not to be integrated with the disablement resettlement officer service, and they will be maintained at least at their present establishment level.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what guidance he gives to employers in respect of their obligations to pay severance payments.

Guidance on statutory redundancy payments is available to employers and other inquirers from the local offices of my Department.Severance payments in excess of the statutory entitlement are a matter for individual managements and workers' representatives.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the withdrawal of severance payments by employers.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to publish his consultative document on the "Open Tech".

[pursuant to his reply, 25 March 1981, c. 305]: My right hon. Friend has asked the Manpower Services Commission to consider the idea of an "Open Tech". A consultative document will be issued shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is able to discern particular trends and patterns in the unemployment situation in the Greater London area which differ from the rest of the United Kingdom.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 March 1981, c. 305]: The upturn in United Kingdom unemployment that became evident in September 1979 did not become apparent in Greater London until December 1979. Since then unemployment has increased marginally faster in Greater London than in the rest of the United Kingdom, the difference being entirely due to a faster increase in female unemployment. Male unemployment in Greater London and the rest of the United Kingdom has increased at about the same rate. However, the unemployment rate in Greater London, at 6·8 per cent. in March 1981, remains substantially below the United Kingdom rate of 10·3 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that the careers services base of knowledge of young people is sufficient to devise courses of vocational training in the youth opportunities programme to meet their individual requirements.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 March 1981, c. 295]: The careers service is operated by individual local education authorities. In placing young people into the youth opportunities programme, and when considering possible movement into second or subsequent opportunities within the programme, careers officers will usually be able to Draw upon a wide range of knowledge about the young person's career aspirations, qualifications and abilities. Contact with young people while they are still in full-time education, and close co-operation with the special programmes division of the Manpower Services Commission, places the careers service in a good position to match young people's needs to available opportunities.Individual courses provided under the youth opportunities programme are not devised by the careers service, but are approved by the Manpower Services Commission's special programmes area board staff, who draw on the views of a wide range of interested parties and organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that the administrative arrangements within the youth opportunities programme are adequate to ensure that young people can progress from module to module of the programme accumulating learning and experience.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 March 1981 c. 295]: The degree to which young people can progress from one module to another within the youth opportunities programme is necessarily dependent on the existence of sufficient numbers of suitable opportunities. The administrative arrangements governing progress within the programme are agreed between the Manpower Services Commission and this Department with reference to the resources available, and the objectives of, the programme in particular years. Subject to these constraints, I am satisfied that the administrative arrangements are adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for citizenship were received by his Department for each quarter since May 1979; what was the average time taken in such cases before a decision was reached in the United Kingdom as a whole and in the London area, respectively; how many staff were engaged in this work in May 1979, May 1980 and March 1981; and what steps he will take to avoid undue delays in dealing with applications of the kind outlined in his letter to the hon. Member for Islington, Central on 23 March.

The total numbers of applications for citizenship received for each quarter since May 1979 are as follows:

	Total number of applications received
June–August 1979	14,173
Septemberl–November 1979	14,136
December 1979–February 1980	12,462
March–May 1980	13,196
June–August 1980	11,073
September–November 1980	12,968
December 1980–February 1981	16,887

The average time taken to complete the processing of an application for naturalisation or discretionary registration is 25 months. The average time to complete other applications is 13 months. These periods apply to the whole of the country, including the London area. The number of staff in post was 187 on 1 May 1979, 208 on 1 May 1980 and 215 on 1 March 1981. Every effort is made to avoid undue delays but the greatly increased numbers of applications and the need to restrain public expenditure limit what can be done.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons have been charged in the last 18 months in respect of arson attacks on second homes and similar properties in Wales;(2) how many second homes and similar properties in Wales have been subject to arson attacks over the past 18 months.

The information requested is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the powers available to him under the Housing Act 1980 to ensure that local authorities operate the right-to-buy provisions contained in the Act.

Chapter 1 of part I of the Housing Act 1980 lays down the steps which local authorities are required to take when one of their tenants exercises the right to buy. Sections 23 and 24 would enable my right hon. Friend to intervene and take over a sale where it appears to him that a tenant or tenants have or may have difficulty in exercising the right to buy effectively and expeditiously.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a circular on the powers of local authorities to charge commercial rates on houses that are used as holiday homes.

I have no reason to think that local authorities are not already aware of the powers which are available to them to withhold domestic rate relief from houses and flats used as holiday homes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment from which councils in Gwynedd he has received representations concerning the need to amend the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 in order to give local planning authorities powers in certain circumstances to regard the change of use of a house from a first home to a second or holiday home as material change of use for the purposes of that Act; and what response he has made to these representations.

I received on 25 March a copy of a joint memorandum from Gwynedd county council and four district councils in Gwynedd on this subject. Receipt of the memorandum has been acknowledged and it is now receiving attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will publish in the Official Report details of the redundancy schemes for which he is responsible and now in operation where any public funds are made available to the employing authority.

As I announced in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor) on 17 February—[Vol. 999, c. 85–86]—I have agreed to provide funds for the payment of special supplements, up to £5,500 per man, and available for a maximum period of two months, to registered dock workers in the ports of London and Liverpool who accept severance. The Ports (Financial Assistance) Bill, which will authorise this expenditure, received its Second Reading in the House on 25 March.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, in view of the fact that in 1978 it is known that there was between 7 and 9 per cent. evasion of the road fund licence, why action has not been taken to obtain the figures for 1979 and 1980; and whether he will do so and publish details.

It would be wrong to take the 1978 survey as establishing precise levels of evasion. It recognised the inherent difficulties of doing so. As I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member on 16 March, I am concentrating on efforts to combat evasion directly.—[Vol. 1, c. 41.]

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his reply on tax on road vehicles of 16 March, he will express as a figure the estimated loss to the Exchequer each year since 1978 of an evasion level of 7 to 9 per cent.; and what amounts may be expected under the tax increase proposed on 10 March in the first year to which such increase applies.

The 1978 survey did not purport to estimate evasion precisely; it suggested that evasion for cars could be as high as 7 to 9 per cent. If a similar number of vehicles evaded each year, the relevant figures might be of the order of: 1978–79 £50 million to £63 million; 1979–80 £50 million to £63 million; 1980–81 £60 million to £75 million; 1981–82 £70 million to £88 million. But I have strengthened my Department's enforcement arrangements and I have obtained considerable further assistance from the police in my efforts to cut evasion.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what sums were expended on the electrification of railways from 1974 onwards in Wales, Scotland, and England, respectively.

Expenditure by the British Railways Board on major electrification schemes since 1974 has been as follows:

	Fixed Investment £ million	Rolling Stock £million
England
1. Great Northern Suburban, Kings Cross and Moorgate to Hertford and Royston	27	39
2. Moorgate and St. Pancras to Bedford (Work in progress)	21 (to date)	9 (to date)
3. Merseyside Loop and Link	44	—
Scotland
4. Clyderail	29·5	9

The figures are at outturn prices and are therefore not strictly comparable. In the case of (3) and (4), fixed investment includes work on tunneling and/or station construction.There are at present no electrified lines in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the cost to public funds of the press advertising campaign informing vehicle owners of their obligation to fit and calibrate tachographs; and to which particular section of the public the campaign is directed.

The total cost to public funds was £34,730. The aim is to help those who are not members of a trade association and who do not read the road transport technical press and who might therefore be unaware of their obligations. The first response indicates that the campaign will be successful in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he expects a bypass to be constructed at Ixworth, Suffolk;(2) when he expects to improve the A604 in the immediate vicinity of Haverhill, Suffolk; and if a bypass is included in this scheme.

Highway improvement schemes in the Ixworth and Haverhill localities are the responsibility of the local highway authority, Suffolk county council.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied that the standards of alloy wheels provided through the car accessories market meet adequate safety criteria.

I have no evidence that these wheels are not of a satisfactory standard, but if my hon. Friend has such evidence I should be glad to have the details.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made with the proposal for a footbridge across the A127 at Rayleigh Weir; and, in view of mounting traffic congestion and the opening of a hypermarket, when an early place for the scheme will be provided in his regional programme.

A design has been chosen for a footbridge to be sited to the east of the roundabout. Detailed preparation of the scheme will now proceed. Construction is planned to start in the autumn and should be completed in six months.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what advantages there will be for United Kingdom passport holders in having a common EEC format of passport.

We have said that we will introduce the European Community common format passport only when we are ready to adopt simultaneously the ICAO recommendations for a passport with machine-readable capability. The introduction of the new passport will bring practical benefits to both passport holders and immigration authorities. The worldwide adoption of machine-readable passports in a common format together with automated port procedures will allow travellers to be processed more quickly and effectively. The machine-readable passport also offers greater security since it is difficult to counterfeit or tamper with. The trend towards machine-readability has already begun with the recent introduction of machine-readable passports by the United States of America.The European Community common format will additionally symbolise world wide our membership of the European Community.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement about the new Anglo-Soviet cultural agreement; if he will list the main advantages to the United Kingdom of this agreement; what discussion there was between the Soviet and British representatives when negotiating the new cultural agreement and about the continuing jamming of the British Broadcasting Corporation by the Soviet authorities; and if he is satisfied that the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics has already sufficiently fulfilled the cultural agreement it entered into with the United Kingdom and other countries under the Helsinki agreement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. McMahon) on 23 March.—[Vol. 1, c. 242.] The main advantage for the United Kingdom is that the agreement regulates and facilitates routine exchanges in the educational, scientific and cultural fields. These exchanges are a means of projecting Britain and British values in the Soviet Union. During the negotiations the British delegation made a formal statement reiterating strong objection to the jamming of the BBC by the Soviet authorities. Although generally the Soviet Union has lived up to its obligations under the cultural section of the Helsinki Final Act, the British delegation in Madrid has none the less criticised Soviet performance over, for example, access to archives.

asked the Lord Privy Seal when he expects the Polish Foreign Minister to visit London.

My right hon. and noble Friend has invited the Polish Foreign Minister to visit in June. Mr. Czyrek has accepted.

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) if signature of the proposed law of the sea convention by the EEC will imply any extension of competence to the EEC in those areas where it does not have existing powers;(2) if the EEC Commission has agreed that it would not regard EEC signature of the law of the sea convention as constituting any precedent for extension of its competence into areas where the EEC does not currently have powers.

When the Council of Minister decided in 1976 to start negotiations for the inclusion of a clause enabling the European Community to participate in the convention, the United Kingdom made a statement which was recorded in the Council minutes that this would not

PORT TALBOT TRAVEL-TO-WORK AREA
	Numbers Unemployed		Unemployment Percentage Rate*
Employment Office Area	Male	Female	Male	Female	Total
Port Talbot	3,367	1,377	14·5	12·2	13·7
Bridgend	2,481	1,062
Cymmer	402	234
Maesteg	846	480
Porthcawl	627	245
*Unemployment rates can only be meaningfully calculated on the basis of complete travel-to-work areas.