asked the Secretary of State for Trade what surveillance of oil pollution off the Norfolk coast has been carried out by his Department in the past week.

My Department's standing arrangements under which British ships and aircraft, both civil and military, are instructed to report all sightings of oil and vessels discharging oil to Her Majesty's Coastguard, apply.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many new trading companies have been registered in each of the various regions in each of the past four quarters.

The available information about company incorporations is as follows:

Region	January to March	April to June	July to Sept.	October to Dec.
England and Wales	18,004	16,297	15,550	16,253
Scotland	725	960	648	937
Northern Ireland	179	148	164	117

No further regional breakdown is maintained and I regret that it is not possible to say how many of these companies are actually engaged in trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the bodies, statutory and otherwise, for which he is responsible, which sell a good or service, or whose activities have a direct bearing on the prices charged for goods and services, or which have any responsibility for monitoring any prices.

The principal relevant bodies for which I am responsible are:

• British Airports Authority
• British Airways Board
• British Film Fund Agency
• British Hallmarking Council
• British Overseas Trade Board British Tourist Authority
• Civil Aviation Authority
• English Tourist Board
• General Lighthouse Authorities:
• Trinity House
• Northern Lighthouse Board
• Commissioners of Irish Lights
• Monopolies and Mergers Commission
• National Film Finance Corporation
• Office of Fair Trading
• Pilotage Commission
• Consumer Consultative Bodies:
• National Consumer Council
• Nationalised Industries Consumers' Councils (43)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list in the Official Report the current treaties and agreements on trade, technology, shipping, exchange of scientific knowledge and mutual co-operation between the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union.

The following is the information:1. Temporary Commercial Agreement—16 February 1934 Treaty Series No. 11/1934 Cmnd 4567.2. Agreement concerning Air Services (for amendments see Treaty Series No. 35(1969), Cmnd 1077; Treaty Series No. 2(1961), Cmnd 1262; Treaty Series No. 25(1970), Cmnd 4354 and Treaty Series No. 42(1970), Cmnd 4388)—19 December 1957 Treaty Series No. 58(1959) Cmnd 798.3. Agreement concerning the Settlement of Mutual Financial and Property Claims—5 January 1968 Treaty Series No. 12(1968) Cmnd 3517.4. Agreement for Co-operation in the Fields of Applied Science and Technology—19 January 1968 Treaty Series No. 59(1968) Cmnd 3710.5. Treaty on Merchant Navigation—3 April 1968 Treaty Series No. 67(1972) Cmnd 5008.6. Protocol to the 1968 Treaty on Merchant Navigation—1 March 1974 Treaty Series No. 104(1977) Cmnd 7040.7. Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation of Air Transport Undertakings on their Employees—3 May 1974 Treaty Series No. 32(1975) Cmnd 5917.8. Agreement on the Development of Economic, Scientific, Technological and Industrial Co-operation—6 May 1974 Treaty Series No. 43(1975) Cmnd 5659.9. Agreement on Co-operation in the Field of Environmental Protection—21 May 1974 Treaty Series No. 58(1974) Cmnd 5778.10. Agreement on Co-operation in the Field of Medicine and Public Health—17 February 1975 Treaty Series No. 79(1975) Cmnd 6062.11. Agreement on Relations in the Scientific, Educational and Cultural Fields for 1981–1983—23 March 1981 (Text not yet published.)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what progress he has had in discussions with the professional associations representing accountants following the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the supply of accountancy services with reference to restrictions on advertising.

The Director General of Fair Trading has informed me that following discussions he has been holding with the accountancy profession about action to follow this report the four professional associations have decided to amend their rules to permit their members to advertise their professional services in the local press from 1 October 1981. The associations concerned are The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales; The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland; The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland; and The Association of Certified Accountants.The effect of the amendments will be to permit any member of these bodies, by means of an announcement in a local newspaper or newspapers—or other local publication—circulating in the area or areas in which he practises, to inform the public of the professional services provided by him. The councils of these bodies will set guidelines for the medium, form and content of such announcements, and will also monitor such announcements to secure compliance.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what changes have been made in his Department's arrangements for dealing with marine pollution emergencies.

The responsibilities of the Marine Pollution Control Unit—MPCU—the Marine Survey Service and Her Majesty's Coastguard are being re-aligned from 1 April to reflect the development of the MPCU and to take advantage of the 24-hour a day availability of Her Majesty's Coastguard.The MPCU, whose tasks include taking charge of operations at sea in the event of a marine pollution emergency and developing contingency plans to deal with such incidents, has been strengthened by the recruitment of eight marine pollution control officers. They are based in the marine survey districts and act locally for the director of the MPCU.Her Majesty's Coastguard is being given additional responsibilities. It will now make the initial assessment of reports of marine pollution threats and inform the MPCU of the situation. If for any reason it is unable to establish contact rapidly, it will have delegated authority to commit reconnaissance and dispersant-spraying resources in cases where urgent action is needed.Principle officers in the marine survey districts will therefore no longer have a direct operational responsibility for assessing and acting upon reports of pollution threats passed to them by Her Majesty's Coastguard, nor for the preparation of contingency plans. It will still be available, with other members of the Marine Survey Service, to provide the MPCU with professional advice and assistance as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what action he now proposes to take under article 19 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, following the failure of the European Commission to come to a satisfactory agreement with the United States Government on unfair trade practices resulting from artificially low energy prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement about the failure of the talks between the European Economic Community and the United States of America concerning problems arising from the upsurge of textile imports from the United States of America; and if, in that statement, he will refer to his statement of 15 December 1980, Official Report, Vol. 996, c. 49–50, and his intention to use options under article XIX of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will now take unilateral and immediate action to deal more effectively with the unfair competition in textile and clothing entering the United Kingdom from the United States of America in accordance with the assurance given in the House on 15 December 1980, Official Report, Vol. 996, c. 49–50.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1981, c. 3–4]: I do not think it is right to say that there has been failure in the talks between the Community and the United States. At the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Community held on 17 March the Commission presented a report of its recent discussions. Since it took up office in January the new United States Administration have deregulated oil prices and have announced their intention to remove export controls on certain types of naphtha. In addition, they have undertaken to pass on to the United States industry the views of the Community about the serious situation created by surges of exports of certain textile products to the Community.The Council of Foreign Ministers agreed unanimously that this issue should be kept high on the agenda of EC/US relations. In particular, it invited the Commission to pay special attention to maintaining pressure for the deregulation of gas prices and to the damage being caused by the high level of United States exports to the United Kingdom. Further high level discussions are planned in the coming weeks, and I expect a further report from the Commission at the April meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers.In the meantime, we are considering whether there is a case for unilateral action by the United Kingdom under article XIX of the GATT.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has received concerning the number of companies who have not yet received their business registration numbers as a result of the Civil Service dispute; if he will publish details of any such companies in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply 30 March 1981 c. 3]: There has been no disruption to the processing of registrations of new companies in the companies registration office.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequerwhat was the cost in lost revenue of section 58 of the Finance Act 1980, which delayed the updating of the composite rate of tax applicable to building societies.

About £200 million of additional composite rate tax would have been payable in 1980–81 if section 58 of the Finance Act 1980 had not deferred the use of information from that survey in calculating the rate.However, the net loss of revenue would have been less. To the extent that any additional composite rate tax reduced building societies' cash flow their liability to corporation tax would have been reduced. To the extent that the societies acted to recoup the effect on their cash flow through increasing interest rates charged to borrowers or reducing interest rates paid to lenders, there would be a consequential loss of revenue in the form of an increase in the cost of mortgage interest relief or a reduction in the amount on which the composite rate of income tax was payable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated revenue in Northern Ireland from the increased duty on beer, wines and spirits and the increased tax on motor fuel.

It is estimated that the additional revenue from the excise duty increases borne by residents of Northern Ireland will be about £40 million a year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the estimated receipts of excise duty for 1980–81 on spirits, wines, made wines, beer and cider and perry, respectively, which together make up the total estimated outturn of £2,600 million shown in the Financial Statement and Budget Report; and what are the forecast receipts for 1981–82 on the same items, respectively, which together make up a total forecast of £3,200 million shown in the report.

The components of the estimated outturn in 1980–81 were:

	(£ million)
Spirits	1,160
Wine	346
Made-wine	40
Beer	1,040
Cider and perry	14
Total	2,600

The components of the forecast receipts for 1981–82 were:

	(£ million)
Spirits	1,275
Wine	415
Made-wine	52
Beer	1,440
Cider and perry	18
Total	3,200

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will confirm that the full amount of rebates provided for in the agreement of 30 May 1980 in the Council of Ministers to be paid by 31 March has now been paid; and when he anticipates that the remaining rebates for the calendar year 1980 will be paid.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on 25 March to my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, South (Sir W. Clark).—[Vol. 1, c. 329–32.] I can confirm that the payment of £276·2 million referred to in that reply was received on 27 March. Further instalments are expected in the summer, when we have certified that the expenditure programmes in 1980–81 attracting support under the supplementary measures scheme proceeded according to plan, and later in the year, when the Commission has updated its estimates of our entitlement under the financial mechanism and supplementary measures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total amount paid to the European Economic Community since the United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community; what has been the total amount received in grants and subsidies; and if he will express these sums as a ratio.

Gross payments made by the United Kingdom to the Community from 1 January 1973 to 31 December 1980 amounted to £6,720 million. Receipts from the Community in the same period amounted to £3,651 million. The difference expressed as a ratio is 1·84:1. This ratio makes no allowance, however, for the refunds in respect of the 1980 budget which we are receiving during 1981.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements are being made to distribute to individual civil servants' mail addressed personally to them at Cumbernauld accounts office, which is currently being diverted to Post Office Box No. 1000, Glasgow; and whether senior management personnel have removed such mail from the Post Office Box.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Finance Bill will be published.

The Finance Bill will be published on Friday 3 April.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates to be the annual amount of revenue gained from the sales in licensed premises in Scotland prior to, and after, the increase in the Budget.

[pursuant to his reply,31 March 1981, c. 63]: The information needed to make such estimates is not available.

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.

[pursuant to his reply,27 March 1981, c. 445]: The fall in company trading profits, as far as the last few years are concerned, relates essentially to home industrial and commercial companies, excluding North Sea oil and gas activities. Their mainstream corporation tax liabilities on profits arising in 1980 are estimated as about £200 million—10 per cent.—lower than for the previous year. It is not possible to trace the indirect effect of falling profits on other taxes paid by these companies.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether she will set out in tabular form the number of staff in post for each Department on (a) 1 March 1979, (b) 1 March 1980 and (c) 1 March 1981, divided in each case into industrial and non-industrial grades; and if he will briefly indicate the legislative or policy reasons which caused variations in manpower between those dates, wherever applicable.

Information in this form is collected quarterly on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October, and is published in the summary quarterly staff return, copies of which are available in the Library. I am sending the relevant summaries to my hon. Friend. Information about the reasons for the variations in manpower between the dates in question is not held centrally, but I refer my hon. Friend to the statements made by my predecessor on 22 May 1979 and 6 December 1979, and by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 13 May 1980 about reductions in Civil Service manpower, which will have affected staff numbers in the period mentioned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, the numbers of persons tried and found guilty of espionage or for related offences, together with those under suspicion but not charged; how many were educated at public schools and the universities; and how many had not progressed past the State non-scholarship schools.

I understand that records show that in England and Wales in the period 1970 to 1980 inclusive, 14 persons were tried for offences against section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911, of whom seven were found guilty. Information is not collected centrally on the number of persons suspected of committing this offence but who were not subsequently charged or on the educational background of offenders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received a report drawn up by members of the European Parliament on the British Nationality Bill now before Parliament; and, if so, what reply he intends to make.

We are not aware that the European Parliament has considered any report on the British Nationality Bill. The European Parliament recently considered a report on the changes made in the Immigration Rules last year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attenton has been drawn to the remarks of Judge Charles Pitchford of the Appeal Court at Newport on Thursday 24 March concerning the radar equipment known as Muniquip; and whether he will issue a general circular to the police that they should cease to use this instrument, in view of its proven inefficiency and faults.

We are aware of the remarks made by Judge Pitchford. This is a matter for chief officers of police, but I understand that the Muniquip radar meter has performed satisfactorily since 1978, and there is no reason to think that it is inefficient if operated in accordance with the recommended guidelines. Chief officers will, however, be reviewing these guidelines to see whether any amendments are necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 24 March, if he will publish in the Official Report the letter sent to chief officers of police in 1977 concerning welfare bodies at pop festivals.

I am sending a copy to the hon. Member and placing one in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what strength of representation junior hospital doctors will have on the new health management units when they are set up; and whether the junor hospital doctor representatives will be nominated or elected by their colleagues.

My right hon. Friend will be considering the way in which the medical input into the management of health units would most appropriately be arranged after all consultations arising out of the report of the working party on medical professional advisory machinery have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure by local authorities in Wales on loan charges on capital expenditure incurred through the construction of council housing; what was the expenditure incurred in building new units during 1979–80; and what estimate he can provide for these figures in 1980–81.

The information on loan charges is not available in the precise form requested. Total housing revenue account expenditure in 1979–80 by local authorities in Wales on loan charges arising from housing capital investment amounted to £110·9 million at outturn prices. The estimated figure for 1980–81 is £128·5 million at outturn prices. Expenditure on the construction of new dwellings in 1979–80 was £55·5 million. In 1980–81 the estimated expenditure is £55·0 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount paid in rent rebates to local authority tenants, the total expenditure by local authorities on supervision and management and repairs and maintenance of their housing stock, and the gross, unrebated income on the housing revenue account of local authorities from local authority dwellings, for local authorities in Wales in 1979–80; and whether he will provide estimates of these figures for 1980–81.

The information, which has been derived from local authority returns, is as follows:

	£ million (Cash Outturn Prices)
	1979–80	*1980–81
Rent Rebates (including supplementary benefit reimbursements)	24·6	30·8
Supervision and Management	18·6	23·0
Repairs and Maintenance	40·5	49·8
Unrebated rent income	97·4	121·2
* Estimated

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the numbers of young people who have completed a youth opportunities programme course in the last convenient 12 months in Wales; and how many are now unemployed.

Comprehensive information on participation in the programme is available only in relation to the number of entrants. In the 12 months to 6 March 1981, some 29,500 young people entered the programme. The latest available estimates based on sample surveys suggest that in Wales about 24 per cent. were registered as unemployed three to five months after leaving the programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many firms moved into Wales in each year between 1964 and 1980.

The number of manufacturing establishments with an origin outside Wales, known to have opened in each of the years in question and which are still in operation, is as follows:

Year	No.
1964	7
1965	11
1966	6
1967	13
1968	27
1969	41
1970	26
1971	25
1972	17
1973	31
1974	30
1975	17
1976	13
1977	12
1978	31
1979	21
1980	20

asked the Prime Minister what request she has received from the Holdgate committee to re-examine the role of the departmental chief scientists in Government; and what action she has taken to review the role of the chief scientist.

The "Review of the Scientific Civil Service" Cmnd. 8032—said that departmental chief scientists had a central role in ensuring that policies were scientifically well founded and, where knowledge was insufficient, arranging for essential research and for the application of its results. It considered that this, and not the management of R&D, should be the chief scientists' chief role. It recommended that.

"where this is not the case, departments should review the terms of reference and organisation of their Chief Scientists' commands accordingly".

The Government agree with this recommendation; Departments have been asked to review their arrangements accordingly

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the Government Departments which do not have a chief scientist.

The following major Departments do not have chief scientists:

• Civil Service Department
• Her Majesty's Customs and Excise
• Department of Education and Science
• Department of Employment
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• Inland Revenue
• Lord Chancellor's Department
• Northern Ireland Office
• Scottish Departments (other than Home and Health)
• Department of Trade
• Her Majesty's Treasury
• Welsh Office

asked the Prime Minister if she intends to publish a response to the Holdgate report on the Scientific Civil Service.

The Government's response will be published as soon as consultations have reached an appropriate stage,.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement clarifying her own role, in relation to that of Her Majesty's Ministers, and her responsibilities for science in the Government.

I explained the position to the hon. Member in the answer I gave him on 29 October 1979—[Vol. 972, c. 411–12]. It has not changed since then, and I stand ready to play a co-ordinating role in appropriate cases.

asked the Prime Minister what action she is taking to widen the basis of Civil Service promotion in Government Departments to give greater opportunities to those with a training in science.

We aim to promote those who are best able to perform duties at a higher level, taking account of their initial training as well as all the other relevant factors.The "Review of the Scientific Civil Service" emphasised the importance of improving the preparation of scientists for senior posts. We accept this recommendation and Departments will be taking action accordingly.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Keighley of Friday 27 March, who will carry out the investigation into the sources of information given to Mr. Pincher regarding security matters.

The investigation, which is an internal one, will be carried out by officials.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if his programme for the disposal of industrial and commercial assets in new towns is proceeding at the pace he anticipated; and if he will make a statement.

Though the disposal of industrial and commercial assets has proceeded at a lower rate than at first envisaged I am satisfied with the progress that has been achieved in the prevailing market conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has issued to local authorities on the assessment of need of elderly people for purpose-built housing for elderly and disabled people.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has issued to local authorities on the assessment of need of elderly people who are on the waiting list for purpose-built housing for the elderly and disabled.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has issued to local authorities on the assessment of need of elderly people who are on the waiting list for purpose-built housing for elderly and disabled people.

None. The management of council housing, including the allocation of dwellings, is the responsibility of individual local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is proposing to lay down any planning guide lines for enterprise zones.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is proposing to lay down any planning guide lines for enterprise zones.

The developments permitted in a zone are set out in an enterprise zone scheme drawn by the prospective enterprise zone authority. Each scheme will need to reflect local circumstances. We have not laid down central planning guidelines beyond saying that we would like to see planning restrictions kept to a minimum subject to retaining controls needed for health, safety and the control of pollution and, where necessary, some limit on larger scale retail developments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is now in a position to announce Her Majesty's Government's decision on the future of the Ordnance Survey.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 4 March.—[Vol.1,000, c. 261–62.] I am not yet ready to make an announcement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to ensure that council tenants of those councils which are deliberately delaying the sale of council houses will be able to exercise their right to buy.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 4 March.[Vol. 1,000, c. 268.] Since then the department has also taken up formally with the following authorities their rate of progress in implementing the right to buy: Barnsley, Carlisle, Crawley, Hackney, Leicester, Lewisham, Middlesborough, Thamesdown, Wakefield, Walsall and Waltham Forest.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses have been sold since May 1979.

124,000 sales took place in Great Britain between April 1979 and December 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures his Department has so far taken to ensure that the rights of council tenants who will have served right-to-buy forms—RTB 1—before the relevant date of 3 April under the Housing Act 1980 are protected.

The statutory background is set out in the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on March 12.—[Vol. 1000, c. 412.] The Housing Act itself protects the right of all secure tenants with the right to buy, who have served a valid notice by April 3 1981, to purchase their home at a price based on its valuation as at 8 August 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the most recent trends in private housing starts.

I was pleased to note that private sector housing starts in England in the three months November 1980–January 1981 were 20 per cent. higher, seasonally adjusted, than in the previous three month period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the light of the public expenditure White Paper, he will make an estimate for the expected number of local authority council houses in the financial year 1981–82; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Thurrock (Dr. McDonald), Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery) and for Mitcham and Morden (Mr. Douglas-Mann).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much it would now cost to clean the facing of the Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster; and how much it would cost in three years' time.

The current estimate is £770,000. The cost in three years' time would depend on changes in price levels over that period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to announce a further list of local authorities to be required to publish a register of publicly held land.

Thirty-two registers will come into operation shortly. One is already published. I have no immediate plans to designate further areas, but I will consider doing so in the light of experience.

asked the Secretary of State for the environment what factors he is considering in his examination of proposals for a unified housing benefit.

The framework within which the Government consider that any reform must take place is set out in paragraph 6 of the consultative document "Assistance with Housing Costs", a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the Church of England and the Salvation Army concerning their local hostels for single and homeless people.

I discussed hostels problems last November with representatives of both the Salvation Army and the Church Army, and with representatives of other housing associations engaged in the provision of hostel accommodation. I have since visited a number of Salvation Army hostels in London.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the level of local authority staff.

The latest available figures, taken fron the December 1980 return of the Joint Manpower Watch published on 23 March 1981, and available in the Library, are 1,694,585 full-time employees and 910,463 part-time employees, making a total of 2,605,048, or 2,053,079 full-time equivalents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has received as to which local authorities are expected to exceed his expenditure targets for 1981–82.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend gave to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Ardwick (Mr. Kaufman) on 26 March.—[Vol. 1, c. 410.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider instituting a detailed investigation into the continued use of intra-uterine devices as a means of contraception in the light of the high rate of pelvic inflammation that follows prolonged usage.

I am aware of the reports that show a link between the use of intra-uterine devices and pelvic inflammatory disease. I understand that doctors providing a family planning service take these findings into account when advising women on contraceptive methods.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of individual payments made to claimants residing at Princes Lodge hostel, Commercial Road, London E14, for the month of January in respect of board and lodging charges; whether any of these payments were made direct to Namecourt Ltd.; and what was the total amount of the payments made by his Department during that period.

Precise information can be provided only at disproportionate staff costs. It is estimated, however, that 45 claimants at this hostel were paid on a weekly basis during January, that only about six payments were made direct to Namecourt Ltd., and that a total of approximately £2,000 was paid during the period.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money was spent on intermediate treatment (a) by local authorities and (b) in total in the financial year 1979–80 and, if available, the financial year 1980–81.

Direct expenditure on intermediate treatment by local authorities in England in 1979–80 was £4·2 million. The figure for 1980–81 is not yet available.The Department grant-aided voluntary organisations, either direct or through the intermediate treatment fund, by about £0·4 million in 1979–80 and about £0·7 million in 1980–81, to help develop intermediate treatment. The voluntary sector's own expenditure is not known centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to reduce the publishing of details of activities and general facilities at individual National Health Service hospitals and their replacement by summaries as recommended by the Rayner report.

Details of activities and general facilities at individual National Health Service hospitals in England are at present published only in respect of mental health hospitals and units. The review of Government statistical services, conducted under Sir Derek Rayner's oversight, has made proposals for substantial changes in the information collected about both mental health and other hospitals in England. These proposals are at present under consideration by a joint NHS/DHSS steering group, so that the needs of the NHS for information can be taken into account, and a report is expected in the summer, after which the scope and timing of changes will be decided.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will ensure that regional health authorities consider nominations from co-operative societies and other co-operative bodies when making appointments to the new district health authorities.

The National Health Service Act 1977 requires regional health authorities to undertake consultation before they appoint the membership of health authorities, but individual bodies are not prescribed. I do intend to specify which bodies should be consulted since the statutory appointing authorities now have well-established consultation arrangements of their own. In addition, any individual or body is free to submit nominations to the regional health authorities for their consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, when a severely handicapped child is assessed as appropriate for the supply of a communication system of the type supplied under central contract, but has a clear need for a portable system through frequent changes of abode, for example, frequent hospitalisation, his Department would supply alternative or supplementary portable equipment of the types now available in the United Kingdom.

No: but the existing centrally funded equipment can be transported with a patient on a change of abode—for example, for hospitalisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all the directives and guidance issued by the European Commission that relate to public procurement of equipment that might relate to the purchase of communication aids for handicapped people.

The following directives concern public procurement of goods. These could apply to communication aids for handicapped people procured by public authorities.1. Directive 70/32, which applies the principle of free competition to public contracts.2. Directive 77/62, which co-ordinates procedures for the award of public contracts.3. Directive 80/767, which brings procedures under directive 77/62 generally into line with those of the general agreement on tariffs and trade (GATT) agreement on public procurement. This agreement, which also applies to the EEC, lays down anti-discriminatory procedures applying to Government procurement in GATT signatory countries.In February a proposal for a directive relating to free movement of electro-medical equipment within member States, was placed before the Permanent Representatives Committee. The annex to this proposal names a number of types of electro-medical equipment including "aids for the paralysed" and "artificial speech equipment". The proposed directive is based on optional harmonisation, that is that member States can accept equipment made to whatever standards they wish provided there are no barriers to trade for equipment complying with International Standard IEC 601–1.In addition to these measures—Council regulations (EEC) 1028/79 and 2783/79 provide for the importation, free of common custom tariff duties, of articles specially designed for the education, employment and social advancement of handicapped persons. These regulations apply when the equipment is intended for institutions or organisations that are principally engaged in the education of or the provision of assistance to handicapped people.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost to the National Health Service of seconding full-time administrators to fund-raising courses; and how many officials in the National Health Service have been on such courses since the change in the National Health Service Acts.

This information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to amend the law so that young persons committed to care under an interim care order are allocated not by internal decision but openly by means of a magistrates' decision in court.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will allow students to claim an extra week's social security payment in view of the fact that the summer recess has been shortened by one week because of the lateness of Easter.

Students are not excluded from benefit in the short vacations, but, in assessing claims, £19·20 a week is taken into account as a resource available from the student's maintenance grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the drugs which are accepted as contra-indicated during pregnancy; if he will indicate how hospitals, doctors, chemists and the public are made aware of contraindication of such drugs, whether on prescription or purchased over the counter; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 March 1981 c. 367–68]: Before medicinal products are licensed the possibility of their being harmful in pregnancy is considered by the Committee on Safety of Medicines. If it is not fully satisfied the application will be granted only on the strict condition that women of child-bearing potential are excluded from the licensed uses. Any product with a potential risk in pregnancy is restricted to supply only on prescription and specific warnings are included in the data sheet for prescribers. Information is, therefore, given in relation to specific products; the licensing authority has not compiled a composite list of all such products.The Committee on Safety of Medicines has recently reminded doctors that drugs should not be given during pregnancy unless they are essential. Drugs approved for direct sale to the general public are regarded as having minimal risk.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services 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.

[pursuant to her reply, 13 March 1981, c. 430]: The following organisations have included in their comments the suggestion that a switch to four-weekly payments should be optional for all parents:

• Child Poverty Action Group
• CPAG Area Groups at Havant, Leeds, Leicester and Twickenham
• National Federation of Sub-Postmasters
• National Council for Voluntary Organisations
• Citizens Advice Bureaux at Aylesbury and District; Barking and Dagenham; Rickmansworth; Salisbury and Shrewsbury and District
• National Federation of Women's Institutes.
• Burrowbridge Women's Institute
• National Union of Conservative and Unionist Association, Women's National Advisory Committee
• The Labour Women's Committee for Wales
• Women's Liberal Federation
• Welsh Women's Aid
• Women's Aid Groups at Abergavenny, Aberwystwyth, Bangor and District, Cardiff, Harringay, Newcastle, Newport, Rhyl and District
• Labour Party Constituency Branches at Aintree, Caernarvon, Merthyr Tydil and Newcastle
• Family Welfare Association
• Family Service Units
• Health Visitors Association
• Scottish Consumer Council
• Scottish Council for Single Parents
• General and Municipal Workers
• Confederation of Health Service Employees
• Society of Civil and Public Servants
• National Union of Teachers
• Co-operative Political Committee
• Wallasey Branch of Co-operative Party
• The Fawcett Society
• Darlington Society of Visually Handicapped
• The Royal British Legion
• National Pharmaceutical Association

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many individuals and organisations have submitted views on the proposals to pay child benefit monthly; and what proportion of these was in favour of all parents being free to choose weekly benefit payments.

[pursuant to her reply, 13 March 1981, c. 430]; About 550 individuals, organisations and local authorities have submitted views on the proposals in Cmnd. 8106 for the payment of child benefit. Most of these responses have expressed doubts about the acceptability of payment every four weeks; and about a third have suggested that payment at this frequency should be voluntary or that more people should be able to choose weekly payment within a general system of paying child benefit every four weeks.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish in the Official Report a forecast of forthcoming business in the European Community's Council of Ministers.

The usual written forecast was deposited in the House on 31 March. At present four meetings of the Council of Ministers are planned for April.The Finance Council is expected to meet on 13 April for a preliminary discussion of the items on the agenda for the next meeting of the IMF interim committee to be held in Gabon on 21 May: the issues are expected to include the IMF's progress in securing borrowed resources and whether or not a further allocation of special drawing rights is needed. Ministers may also deal with matters arising from the European Council in Maastricht.The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 13–14 April and is expected to consider the Community attitude to the proposed North/South discussions and other discussions of international economic questions. Ministers will also discuss a regulation containing provisions for the management of the Community's food aid programme and preparations for the forthcoming negotiations on post 1981 arrangements for imports of low-cost textiles. There will also be a negotiating meeting with Portugal in the context of Portuguese accession to the Community.The Agriculture Council is expected to meet on 13–15 April to continue discussion of the common agricultural policy price proposals. Ministers are also expected to consider proposals for controlling the use of hormones in domestic animals.The Developing Council is expected to meet on 28 April to discuss action in response to the European Parliament debate on hunger in the world; a draft food aid management regulation; Community co-ordination at the United Nations Conference on the Least Developed and hold a general discussion of North-South issues. Ministers may also consider the results of the international conference on assistance to refugees in Africa and an evaluation of Community aid.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he has received any communications from the Government of the Republic of Ireland about constitutional matters relating to Northern Ireland since the summit in Dublin last December.

The Irish Government's views are well known, but there have been no formal communications to me, nor discussions between this Government and the Irish Government on constitutional matters.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will prosecute the magazine "Stormer" under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1936 as amended by section 70 of the Race Relations Act 1976.

I have seen a copy of this particularly unpleasant publication and have forwarded it immediately to the Director of Public Prosecutions for police inquiries to be made into its authorship, publication and distribution. In due course the Director will consider the result of those inquiries and will decide whether or not he wishes to seek my consent to prosecute any person or persons for offences contrary to section 5A of the Public Order Act 1936.

asked the Attorney-General whether any of the pornographic material found and confiscated in the course of the recent Paedophile Information Exchange case has been supplied to mental hospitals under the scheme described in his reply to the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed on 26 June 1980, Official Report, columns 263–64; or whether he has any plans to make this material available.

No, and no.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of job vacancies at employment offices covering the London borough of Wandsworth as of 1 March 1981, and the figures for the same date in 1980, 1979, 1978 and 1977.

The following table gives, for the count dates in March of each of the years specified, the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at employment offices and at careers offices in the area covered by the Clapham Junction and Tooting employment offices, which closely corresponds to the London borough of Wandsworth.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the percentage of those in the Civil Service and local government who have been made redundant since May 1979; and what is the comparable percentage for redundancies in the private sector.

The statistics of redundancies collected by my Department do not include Crown employees since they are not covered by the statutory provisions relating to redundancies. There are no sufficiently detailed or comprehensive figures available to enable a reliable comparison of redundancies between employees in the public and private sectors to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies there have been in the London borough of Waltham Forest since 1 January 1980 and 1981, respectively; and what have been the comparable figures since 1977.

There are no comprehensive statistics of redundancies. The numbers of redundancies involving 10 or more employees reported to the Manpower Services Commission as due to occur in the London borough of Waltham Forest are as follows:

Redundancies reported in the London Borough of Waltham Forest
Year	Redundancies over 12 months	Redundancies in January and February
1977	259	24
1978	425	164
1979	754	237
1980	1,571	238
1981	..	30*
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the cost incurred in 1978,1979 and 1980 to public funds for the purchase or rental of jobcentre premises.

The purchase and rental costs of jobcentre premises are only readily available in terms of financial years. The figures are as follows:

	£ million
1978–79	5·3
1979–80	6·5
* 1980–81	7·7
* Estimated outturn.

Employees in employment in manufacturing industries (Orders III to XIX of the 1968 Standard Industrial Classification)
	Wolverhampton travel-to work area (000s)	Wolverhampton employment office area (000s)	West Midlands Region (000s)
June 1971	74	66	1,104
June 1976	64	48	979
June 1977	64 (latest available)	49 (latest available)	992
December 1980 (provisional)	..	..	842

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many employees there were in employment in service industries in (a) the

Employees in employment in service industries (Orders XXII to XXVII of the 1968 Standard Industrial Classification)
	Wolverhampton travel-to-work area	Wolverhampton employment office area	West Midlands Region
June 1971	58	54	905
June 1976	63	57	1,013
June 1977	64 (latest available)	58 (latest available)	1,021
September 1980 (provisional)	..	..	1,046

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the ratio of registered unemployed to notified vacancies in (a) the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area and (b) the Wolverhampton employment office area in May 1979 and at the latest date for which figures are available.

Vacancy statistics relate only to those notified to employment offices and careers offices. Because vacancies notified to employment offices are

Wolverhampton travel-to-work area	Number registered as unemployed (including school leavers)	Notified vacancies remaining unfilled
		At employment offices	At careers offices
May 1979	8,181	708	67
March 1981 (provisional)	19,489	180	9

Wolverhampton employment office area
May 1979	6,565	524	67
March 1981 (provisional)	14,818	154	9

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage unemployment rate for the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area at the latest convenient date and two years previously.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many employees there were in employment in manufacturing industries in (a) the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area, (b) the Wolverhampton employment office area and (c) the West Midlands in 1971, 1976 and at the latest available date.

The information is as follows:Wolverhampton travel-to-work area,

The information is as follows:estimated to be only about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole and because of possible duplication between the separate figures for employment offices and careers offices, which prevents the two series being added together, the figures cannot be used to provide the ratios requested.The following table gives the unemployment and vacancy figures for the areas specified at May 1979 and March 1981. The figures are not adjusted for seasonal variations.

At March 1981, the provisional rate of unemployment in the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area was 13·3 per cent compared with 5·8 per cent. at March 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons aged under 25 years were registered as unemployed in (a) the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area and (b) the Wolverhampton city employment office area at May 1979, January 1980 and the latest convenient date; what was the percentage change between each date; and what proportion these totals formed of the total numbers registered as unemployed in these areas.

Age analyses of the numbers registered as unemployed are made quarterly in January, April, July and October. The following table gives the information at April 1979, January 1980 and January 1981 for the areas specified. The figures include school leavers and are not adjusted for seasonal variations.

Unemployed aged under 25 years
	Number	Percentage change	As a percentage of all unemployed in the area
Wolverhampton travel-to-work area
April 1979	3,039	+39·1	37·7
January 1980	4,228·1		+69·0	39·5
January 1981	7,146	38·1
Wolverhampton employment office area
April 1979	2,552	+40·5	39·7
January 1980	3,586		+67·0	43·0
January 1981	5,988	41·6

asked the Secretary of State for employment if publication of his Department's monthly statistics for unemployment, retail prices and average earnings will be affected by civil servants' industrial action; and if so, what alternative arrangements he is making.

It is too early to assess to what degree publication may be affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, whether, further to his reply of 24 March to the hon. Member for Isle of Ely, he will publish in the Official Report the number of employment opportunities to be created by the youth opportunities programme in 1981–82 which will be within the Wisbech employment office area; what percentage of the total jobs under the youth opportunities programme for 1981–82 this represents; and what were the corresponding figures for 1980–81.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1981, c. 13–14.]: The youth opportunities programme does not create employment opportunities. It creates opportunities for young people to prepare for permanent future employment through work preparation courses, and work experience schemes. While on the programme, the young people receive an allowance. Information is not held in the form requested. Plans for the youth opportunities programme are available only down to Manpower Services Commission area office level. The Ipswich area office—which covers Wisbech employment office area—plans for 13,700 entrants to the YOP in 1981–82, which represents 3 per cent of the expanded national total. For 1980–81, Ipswich area office planned for 10,450 entrants, which also represented 3 per cent. of the national total.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration he is giving to increase the present payment of young people undertaking work experience; and when he will make a statement on the outcome of any deliberations that are taking place.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1981, c. 14]: I have nothing further to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 29 January 1981. —[Vol. 997, c. 481.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the present rates of payments of allowances to persons undertaking training opportunity scheme courses.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1981, c. 14]: Allowances paid at present to trainees under the Manpower Services Commission's training opportunities scheme vary according to age and family responsibilities. The following tables show basic payments in detail.

1. Trainees without Dependants
	Living at home	Living away from home
Aged 19	£24·15	£20·00
Aged 20 and over	£32·35	£28·25

2. Trainees with Resident Spouse and no Dependent Children
	Living at home	Living away from home
Spouse's earnings:
Not more than £11·45	£43·80	£42·15
Over £11·45	£32·35	£30·70

3. Trainees with Resident Spouse/Housekeeper and Dependent Children
Number of Children	Spouse/housekeeper's earnings	Living at home	Living away from home
	Not more than
1	£12·30	£45·50	£43·85
	Over £12·30	£33·20	£31·55
	Not more than
2	£13·15	£47·20	£45·55
	Over £13·15	£34·05	£32·40
	Not more than
3	£14·00	£48·90	£47·25
	Over £14·00	£34·90	£33·25
	Not more than
4	£14·85	£50·60	£48·95
	Over £14·85	£35·75	£34·10
(Additional increases in allowances are payable for more than four children)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many live cattle were imported from the Republic of Ireland in 1980; and what were the corresponding numbers for the last four years.

The information requested is as follows:

Live cattle imports into the United Kingdom from Eire by animal type 000' head
	Fat	Store	Breeding	Total
1976	1	228	*—	229
1977	2	302	*—	304
1978	4	349	*—	353
1979	*—	168	*—	168
1980	11	208	*—	219
*Less than half the unit shown.

All figures have been rounded individually and totals may not necessarily agree with the addition of separate figures.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food how many live cattle were imported from Northern Ireland in 1980; and what were the corresponding numbers for the last four years.

Published Customs and Excise figures do not distinguish trade occurring within the United Kingdom. However, returns of cattle movements from Northern Ireland and to Great Britain are provided by the port veterinary officers.Based on these returns total live cattle imported into Great Britain from Northern Ireland were as follows:

000' head
	Fat	Store	Breeding	Total
1976	11	22	*—	33
1977	1	18	*—	19

	Fat	Store	Breeding	Total
1978	—	16	*—	16
1979	—	12	*—	12
1980	1	30	*—	31
*Less than half the unit shown.
Fat: Animals intended for immediate slaughter.
Store: Animals intended for further fattening.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give an assurance that student grants will be increased at least to take account of inflation; and when he expects to reach his decision on the level of grant for 1981–82.

No, I cannot give such an assurance. The level of students' grants is still under consideration and an announcement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current grant for a student on an undergraduate course at university; and what percentage change this represents in real terms since (a)the grant was introduced, (b) 1970 and (c) 1975.

In the present academic year the average mandatory full-value award, including extra allowances, for a university undergraduate is estimated to be £1,500. In real terms the mandatory award has increased by 4·5 per cent. since 1970–71, the first year for which data are readily available, and by 2·6 per cent. since 1975–76.

asked the Secretary of Stale for Education and Science how many applications were made in the current year for places at (a) colleges of further education and (b) polytechnics; how many places were offered; if he will break down the figures to show the subjects concerned; and if he will give the same figures for each of the past five years.

Comprehensive information about the number of applications to or the number of places offered by colleges of further education and polytechnics is not collected centrally, but a limited amount of information is collected by the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in what ways he furthers the Government's policy towards smaller firms through the procurement policy of his Department.

Small firms are treated on the same basis as any other company tendering for Scottish Office business and are subject to the criterion, common to all Government procurement, of obtaining best value for money.In order to assist small firms in identifying possible customers the Department of Industry has issued a booklet called "Tendering for Government Contracts". It is available in Scotland from the Small Firms Information Centre in the Scottish Development Agency and provides information on contact points within Government Departments dealing with public purchasing. By this means, purchasing officers can be made aware of small firms interested in competing for their business; and this should enable them to compete more effectively for Government purchases of goods and services.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the bodies, statutory and otherwise, for which he is responsible which sell a good or service, or whose activities have a direct bearing on the prices charged for goods and services, or which have any responsibility for monitoring any prices.

The bodies for which I am responsible in this category are:

• Central Institutions (11)
• Colleges of Education (10)
• Colleges of Agriculture (3)
• Newbattle Abbey College
• North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board
• South of Scotland Electricity Board
• North of Scotland Electricity Consultative Council
• South of Scotland Electricity Consultative Council
• New Town Development Corporations (5)
• Highlands and Islands Development Board
• Scottish Development Agency
• Scottish Tourist Board
• Scottish Transport Group
• Red Deer Commission
• Scottish Standing Committee for the Calculation of Residual Values of Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs.
• Scottish Community Education Centre
• Scottish Council for Research in Education
• Scottish Council for Educational Technology
• Scottish Technical Education Council
• Scottish Business Education Council
• Scottish National Camps Association
• Scottish Sports Council
• Scottish Special Housing Association
• Rent Assessment Panel for Scotland

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce the fees to be charged to overseas students attending Scottish institutions other than universities in the academic year 1981–82.

The fees for overseas students attending Scottish institutions, other than universities, on full-time courses in the academic year 1981–82 will be as follows. The fees for 1980–81 are shown in brackets.

£
Postgraduate:
course begun before autumn 1980	1,803 (1,525)
other students	Fee to cover the cost of the course
Undergraduate and equivalent:
course begun before autumn 1980	1,389 (1,165)
other students on courses involving substantial use of laboratories, studios, workshops etc.	3,600 (3,000)
other students on classroom-based courses	2,400 (2,000)
Non-advanced courses:
courses begun before autumn 1980	744 (645)
other students on courses involving substantial use of laboratories, studios, workshops etc.	1,950 (1,680)

£
other students on classroom-based courses	1,305 (1,120)

These fees will not apply to students who have been ordinarily resident in a country of the European Communities—including Greece—for at least three years before the start of their courses. Such students will pay the home rate of fees, as will students who are the children of EC migrant workers, are UN Convention refugees, or participate in fully reciprocal exchange programmes as follows:

£
Postgraduate	1,320 (1,105)
Undergraduate and equivalent	900 (740)

A circular will be issued shortly to colleges and education authorities conveying my approval of these fee arrangements under the Race Regulations Act 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry in what ways he furthers the Government's policy towards smaller firms through the procurement policy of his Department.

In its purchasing the Department seeks both to secure value for money and to enhance the competitiveness of its suppliers. To help small firms compete effectively for Government contracts the Department has issued a booklet, "Tendering for Government Contracts, Advice for Small Firms", in the small firms series on 19 January 1981. This booklet includes a list of contact points for small businesses in the major purchasing departments. It is available through the Department's small firms service.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether it is planned to transfer the Liverpool outstation of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist to new premises in Liverpool; and if he will ensure that in any consideration of such a transfer, a comparison between the costs of moving to the Glasgow outstation the work at present carried out in Liverpool, and the move of the Liverpool work to new premises in Liverpool, is carried out.

We are considering the pros and cons of re-using laboratory premises in Liverpool at present used by MAFF, which are due to be vacated in mid-1982. We will, of course, look carefully at the costs of such a transfer in comparison with other options. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to his question on 17 December 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he can yet say when he will publish the Central Policy Review Staff's report on Britain's space programme.

I hope shortly to be in a position to convey to the House the Government's intentions for encouraging the United Kingdom space industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many firms have made representations to him to open new business premises in Carlisle and Cumbria, respectively; and how many new jobs are expected as a result.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 March 1981 c. 21]: 97 firms made inquiries of the Department's Northern regional office between 1 January 1980 and 25 March 1981 about the possibility of establishing new businesses or expanding existing businesses in Cumbria. Of these 29 were particularly interested in Carlisle.Comprehensive information about new jobs likely to result is not available. But the nine firms which have expressed interest in selective financial assistance estimate that about 260 jobs might result, of which about 100 would be in Carlisle.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will abandon any intention to sell any Royal ordnance factory to private industry.