asked the Lord Privy Seal what contribution Her Majesty's Government will make to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in 1981; and how this compares with 1980.

The United Kingdom has pledged £5 million to the agency for 1981 compared with £4·5 million for 1980.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what contribution will be made by Her Majesty's Government to the United Nations fund for Namibia in 1981.

We have no plans to contribute directly to this fund in 1981, but we contribute to it indirectly through allocations from the United Nations' regular administrative budget and through our contributions to the United Nations development programme.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what assistance by way of food or money has been offered by the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community to the People's Republic of China to help alleviate the famine in parts of that country caused by natural disasters.

The Community is offering 8,000 tonnes of rapeseed oil and 2,000 tonnes of dried skimmed milk. The Government have no plans at present to make a bilateral contribution. A formal appeal has only just been launched.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has received about the dangers from fire of certain plastic furniture fillings; and if he plans to introduce further legislation to control these.

I regularly receive representations calling for a ban on the use of plastic foam as a filling in upholstered furniture because of the risks of fire and smoke it presents. However, as I made clear during the debate on 22 May 1980 on the Upholstered Furniture (Safety) Regulations 1980, I do not consider such a ban to be justifiable. The regulations deal with the risk of furniture catching alight, a risk which banning foam would not prevent. Other fillings might price furniture out of the reach of many consumers and all fillings used in domestic furniture carry risks of fire and toxic smoke. As long as these considerations apply I see no reason to legislate for the control of plastic foam fillings, but my Department is keeping in touch with technical research into safer foam.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the United Kingdom share of total trade within the EEC in 1973 and in the latest year for which figures are available.

The information is as follows:

United Kingdom value share. of European Community* trade
	Imports†	Percentage Exports‡
1973	4½	5½
1979	6	7

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what have been the volumes and values of electrical appliances such as washing machines, dryers, refrigerators and cleaners imported so far in 1981; and from which countries they came.

The available information is as follows:

Imports of specified electrical appliances January 1981
	Weight (tonnes)	Number	Value £ thousand (cif)
Washing machines (domestic)	2,980	N/A	*4,378
Clothes drying machines, non-centrifugal	228	5,224	†506
Clothes drying machines, centrifugal (domestic)	73	6,293	‡158
Refrigerators (domestic), whether or not containing a deep-freezer compartment	2,131	35,892	**3,647
Vacuum cleaners (domestic)	387	50,548	††1,049

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, pursuant to his reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe on 19 March, Official Report, column 142, about the crash of the Dan-Air Boeing 727 at Tenerife in April 1980, if he has now discovered why the Spanish authorities failed to keep their undertaking to supply his Department with a copy of the definitive text of the report of the commission of inquiry into the crash by the end of the week commencing 19 March; if the report has now been received and translated; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the Spanish authorities concerning the accident to the Dan-Air Boeing 727 which occurred in Tenerife on 25 April 1980 has been completed and is now awaiting approval by the appropriate Spanish Minister. It is anticipated that the text of the report in Spanish will be available in the United Kingdom for translation in the near future. When it has been translated into English and studied it will be submitted to the Secretary of State for Trade. It is not known why the report was not sent to the United Kingdom by the end of the week commencing 19 March 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will now seek to amend the Companies Act to require the identification of individual company directors receiving in excess of £50,000 for loss of office; and if he will make a statement.

Under section 191 of the Companies Act 1948 any proposed payment by a company to any director by way of compensation for loss of office, or as consideration for or in connection with his retirement from office, must be disclosed to members of the company and approved by the company.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the decline in output in manufacturing industry in the Glasgow travel-to-work area in the last 12 months.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what provision has been made in the Dunfermline area for nuclear shelter for (a) local government officials and (b)the elected members of local authorities; and what is the location of such shelters.

Local authorities have not been advised to provide nuclear shelters as such for elected members or officials. They have, however, been asked to provide protected accommodation for their wartime headquarters to enable essential local government services to continue in time of war. Detailed arrangements in the Dunfermline area are a matter for Dunfermline district council.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the officials who will be responsible for civil defence in the Dunfermline area in the event of a nuclear attack, together with their exact responsibilities.

Primary responsibility would rest with the chief executive of Dunfermline district council, in association with a small emergency committee of about three elected members. His tasks would be to assess the situation locally, to determine priorities, to identify and co-ordinate the deployment of resources and to exercise the functions of the district council. Support would be provided by those key local authority staff required to maintain essential services, with advice from staff of Government Departments, nationalised and other essential industries, the police, fire and Armed Services. Detailed arrangements in the area are a matter for Dunfermline district council.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total value of landings of fish by United Kingdom vessels in Scotland in each year from 1974 to 1980 in cash terms and in real terms taking 1974 as a base.

The information is a follows, with the general index of retail prices—all items—being used to calculate the value of landings in real terms.

United Kingdom vessels landing in Scotland
	Value of landings in cash terms	Value of landings in real terms at average 1974 prices
	£ million	£ million
1974	64·1	64·1
1975	59·3	47·7
1976	85·8	59·3
1977	117·1	69·8
1978	122·2	67·3
1979	122·2	59·3
1980	113·6	46·5

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the figures for expenditure on health and personal social services for the years 1978–79, 1980–81 and 1981–82 as included in table 2.15 of Cmnd. 8175, exclusive of local authority expenditure.

The information requested is as follows:

	Million
	£
1978–79	1,078
1980–81	1,078
1981–82	1,114

To bring the figure for 1978–79 to the same basis as the figures for later years as a measure of volume provision, it should be reduced by ·10 million to take account of net balances held by health authorities at the beginning and end of that year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the reply which he gave to the hon. Member for Renfrewshire, East in the Official Report, dated 31 March, c. 38, what steps he proposes to take to increase the dog licence fee to at least cover the cost.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 April 1981, c. 162]: Possible changes in the level of the licence fee are discussed in the 1976 report of the working party on dogs, on which the Government have not yet announced decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what purposes the capital levy deducted from milk producers' returns is used; and what sums have been collected by the Milk Marketing Board in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

The purpose of the capital contribution by producers is to fund the Milk Marketing Board's capital development programme to the extent that other funding sources are insufficient to do so.The sums raised by way of the levy are published annually in the board's annual report and accounts.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Bill are not at present covered by Northern Ireland legislation; and whether it is planned to extend such cover to Northern Ireland.

The provisions in the Wildlife and Countryside Bill for the protection of animals and plants and on public rights of way are not at present covered by Northern Ireland legislation. It is, however, planned to include similar provisions in two Orders in Council on wildlife protection and access to the countryside.

asked the Prime Minister if she was consulted before the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Ireland made a statement to the effect that Ireland can be united as one nation in perhaps five years' time; and if she will make a statement.

The answer to the first part of the question is "No". As far as a statement is concerned, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 26 March to the hon. Member for Down, North (Mr. Kilfedder) and to the statement issued on 23 March by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which said:

"Remarks attributed at the weekend to the Foreign Minister of the Irish Republic, Mr. Lenihan, may give rise to misunderstanding. The joint studies commissioned by Mrs. Thatcher and Mr. Haughey are intended to examine matters of common interest between the United Kingdom and the Republic and to improve relations between the two countries. The studies have nothing to do with, nor have they touched on, nor will they touch on, the internal government of Northern Ireland or its constitutional position. The Government and the Prime Minister have repeatedly made this clear".

asked the Prime Minister whether she is satisfied with the arrangements for detecting any plans to subvert the elected Government; and if she will make a statement.

I draw the hon. Gentleman's attention to the directive to the director general of the Security Service, reproduced in paragraph 238 of Lord Denning's report in 1963, and to Lord Denning's observations in that section of his report on the functions of the Security Service.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will quantify as a percentage the average increase in the amounts payable under the Civil List Acts for 1981; what considerations have led to the increase; and what regard was paid to the extent to which staff paid from these amounts are paid in accordance with Civil Service linkages and the present 6 per cent. limit on pay increases within the Civil Service.

The total amount payable under the Civil List Acts in 1981–82 is £4,355,000, an increase of 10 per cent. over the corresponding figure of £3,959,000 for 1980–81. The amounts payable to individual Royal Households were set out in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Halesowen and Stourbridge (Mr. Stokes) on 10 March 1981.— [Vol. 1000, c. 304–5.] In line with other public service cash limits, the figures provide for an increase in prices of 11 per cent. between 1980–81 and 1981–82 and, on pay, for a 6 per cent. increase in staff earnings from due settlement dates, together with provision, equivalent to a further 2 per cent., for the full year costs of settlements in 1980–81.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the yield if pension funds were subject to tax on their investment income on the same basis as life insurance companies.

I regret that the information necessary to make such an estimate is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his reply of 23 February to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill and his announcement in his Budget Statement of the small businesses venture capital scheme, what provision has been made for co-operative enterprises; and if he will make a statement.

Co-operative enterprises are eligible for loans under the loan guarantee scheme. They are also, in principle, able to take advantage of the business start-up scheme. But the latter is designed to encourage "outside" investment in the ordinary share capital of new corporate bodies starting up certain trades: it follows that not all co-operative enterprises may come within its purpose or scope.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will employ, on a temporary basis, qualified computer operators who are not members of the Civil Service unions to keep computerised tax collection centres working normally during the current Civil Service pay dispute.

Specialist computer operators form only a small proportion of the total staff required to keep the computerised tax collection centres operational. The present alternative arrangements have so far resulted in payment to the Exchequer of a substantial proportion of the revenue falling due; the present position would not necessarily be improved by attempts to employ clerical specialist staff with no directly relevant experience on the scale which would be required.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now give his best estimate of the effect so far of the Civil Service pay dispute on the Government's income.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the quantity of gold currently held in reserve by the International Monetary Fund; and what its total value is at the international traded price ruling on 31 March 1981.

The current quantity of gold held by the International Monetary Fund is 103·4 million ounces. Its total value on 31 March, on the basis of the London afternoon gold fixing of $513·75 per ounce, was $53,122 million.Source: "International Financial Statistics", March 1981.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of those receiving family income supplement currently pay income tax; and what are the percentages for each year since 1970.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what percentage the income tax for (a) a single person and (b) a family with two children has risen as between 1964, 1970, 1974, 1979 and the latest date.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements are being made for the publication of a collected version of the oil taxation Acts.

The Inland Revenue is today publishing a book containing the collected oil taxation Acts and some related provisions, up to and including those in the Finance Act 1980. The form follows that adopted for other tax legislation by the "Taxes Acts", that is to say, textual amendments to the legislation, with footnotes giving the reference to the amending enactment and, where necessary, the previous wording. Footnotes also indicate where an enactment has been modified without specific amendment of the original words. I hope that publication of this book now will facilitate consideration of the oil taxation provisions in the current Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the position regarding repayments of value added tax to the trading community in view of the strike of computer—(data processing)—staff at the Customs and Excise computer centre in Southend; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that, because of this strike, it has not been possible to continue making repayments of value added tax. The size of the operation, about 10,000 repayments claims a day received in random order, rules out any question of making the repayments manually, even on a selective basis. Nor is there any valid means of distinguishing between claims in order, for example, to deal separately with claims from a particular class of trader of those where hardship exists. Once the industrial action is over, Customs and Excise will do all it can to see that repayments are resumed as quickly as possible.However, although value added tax is distinct from income tax and national insurance contributions collected under pay-as-you-earn arrangments, collectors of taxes will have regard to difficulties facing businesses because repayments of VAT are being delayed. They will not take precipitate action to collect pay-as-you-earn payments falling due where there is a genuine temporary difficulty about paying in cases of this kind. Futhermore, in order to ease the cash flow problems of retail chemists, arrangements are being made where necessary for an enhanced payment on account of the amounts due to be paid to them in respect of National Health Service dispensing.

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 April 1981, c. 98]: If the first question is intended to relate to civil servants who are on strike, the answer is "None"; the answer to the second question is "Yes".

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much it is costing the Inland Revenue to hire from Mitchell Self Drive the Ford Transit, registration number DRS 488T, and from Swan National Van Hire the Ford Transit, BUD 359V, which are currently being used by senior officials to circumvent the Council of Civil Service Unions strike at Cumbernauld accounts office; how many other vehicles have been hired for this purpose; from which firms; and at what cost each.

[pursuant to his reply, 31 March 1981, c. 63]: Because the Post Office drivers will not cross picket lines at Cumbernauld accounts office the vehicles referred to have been hired at normal commercial rates. Six other vehicles have been hired for varying periods, also at normal commercial rates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will set out tables showing the present rates of remuneration and average take-home pay for the different grades of (a) senior officers and (b) assistant governors in the prison service.

The following table shows the gross annual salaries plus appropriate emoluments of the more senior prison officer grades, assistant governors—formerly designated assistant governors II—and governors IV—formerly designated assistant governors I—on the maximum of their salary scales. It is not possible to give details of take-home pay since this will vary in accordance with individual officers' income tax assessments.The rates shown assume, for senior officers and principal officers, an average of 13 hours overtime a week and five-to-six hour shifts on alternate week-ends, for which they receive overtime pay and weekend premium pay respectively. They are also paid a shift allowance in recognition of their liability to work night duty and variable daytime shifts. Chief officers do not receive premium pay or overtime, but they are paid a long hours gratuity for weekend duty credits and excess hours of work. The rates shown assume an average of 10 excess hours a week, including alternate weekend working. For all prison officer grades earnings vary according to hours actually worked and there are considerable individual variations. Assistant governors and governors IV have no set hours of work and therefore are not eligible for overtime or weekend premium pay, but their basic salary scales have been constructed to take account of their liability for extra hours and for evening and weekend attendances.

	Basic Pay	Shift Pay	Premium Pay	Overtime	Total
	£	£	£	£	£
Governor IV	10,750	—	—	—	10,750
Assistant Governor	8,950	—	—	—	8,950
Chief Officer I	8,486	1,069	1,843		11,398
Chief Officer II	7,850	989	1,715		10,554
Principal Officer	6,450	813	738	3,144	11,145
Senior Officer	5,749	725	664	3,095	10,233

In addition to these earnings, all these grades are provided with rent-free accommodation or an allowance in lieu.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take following the report from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants on the special voucher scheme in India; and if he will make a statement about the report.

We have no present plans for action following the report, but its detailed recommendations on the administration of the scheme are being studied. The allocation of vouchers to particular countries, including India, is kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many United Kingdom citizens have (a) been bound over; (b) deserted from Her Majesty's Armed Forces and been handed over to escorts, (c) been detained for mainland police forces and (d) remained in custody unsentenced at the end of the year in the Channel Islands during 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980.

The information requested is not readily available. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement about the current performance of BL.

The company's recent market performance has been encouraging—in the first 20 days of March BL's domestic market share was 23·9 per cent., which is a substantial imrovement on last year's level.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to finalise plans for the loan guarantee scheme; and when he expects the scheme to be implemented.

Our intention is to have the scheme in operation some time in May.

asked the Secretary of State, for Industry if he expects the volume of industrial investment and production to increase during 1981–82.

I expect manufacturing output to start recovering in the second half of this year continuing in the first half of 1982, while there are indications of some recovery in the volume of manufacturing investment in 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what criteria he uses in deciding in which industries he seeks to invest taxpayers' money; and if he will make a statement.

Applications for selective financial assistance from private industry are dealt with in accordance with a number of criteria, including the industrial benefits obtained. In the case of nationalised industries and publicly owned companies, the Government have inherited an unwelcome responsibility of supplying, in some cases, almost all their cash needs. Before providing funds, we require to be satisfied about the objectives that the industries will by pursuing, including, in the case of the loss-makers, their plans for returning to enduring profitability.

asked the Secretary for Industry what estimate he has made of the proportion of public purchases within the control of his Department which are of British manufacture.

Most of the computer equipment used by the Department for administrative work has been purchased from ICL; word processing equipment purchased recently is all of British manufacture; and a significant proportion of the general office machinery and supplies in use within the Department comes from British sources.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what safeguards for the interests of the taxpayer will be built into the arrangements for mergers of British Steel Corporation assets with private sector assets under the Phoenix I and Phoenix II restructuring plans.

The BSC makes a careful commercial evaluation of the prospects for any assets which it proposes to transfer to joint ventures. My right hon. Friend's prior consent to the BSC taking shares in any company is also required under section 3 of the Iron and Steel Act 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will seek to limit the downstream activities of the British Steel Corporation.

The development of independent joint companies with the private sector will significantly limit the BSC's downstream activities. The BSC is also transforming some of its other downstream activities into separate Companies Act companies, which will help pave the way for privatisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received concerning the current state of the hosiery and knitwear industries in the city of Leicester.

We have received a number of representations about difficulties facing the hosiery and knitwear industries in many parts of the country, including Leicester.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps are being taken to resolve, maintain and improve the manufacturing sector of the United Kingdom economy.

We are persevering with our existing policies of reducing the rate of inflation and improving the supply side of the economy by creating incentives and removing barriers to enterprise. The merits of these policies will become increasingly clear as the recession bottoms out. But this must depend ultimately on vigorous professional management and realistic co-operation by the work force.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, further to his reply of 9 March, Official Report, c. 604, what evidence he has that regional industrial aid is now more effective.

The more widely regional assistance is spread the less the benefit to any particular area. By reducing the size of the assisted areas, which had gradually been extended to cover nearly half of the employed population, and by adjusting the rates of assistance outside the special development areas, we have concentrated on the places where the need for help is greatest.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much in grants, loans and taxation allowances on plant has been made available since 1970 to H. D. Lees and Co., now Vanity Fair International, in respect of its factory at Larkfield industrial estate, Greenock.

I regret that because the information is commercially confidential I am unable to provide the information requested about grants and loans. Taxation allowances are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has had from industries, particularly in the Sheffield area, whose energy costs are a high percentage of total costs; whether he is now satisfied that they are at a severe disadvantage compared to their overseas competitors; and what steps he is taking to assist these industries.

We have received many representations from industry about energy costs, including some from the Sheffield area. The report by the NEDC energy task force on comparative energy prices in the United Kingdom and elsewhere found that whereas the large majority of industrial consumers pay no more than average European prices, large industrial users could be paying significantly higher prices for energy supplies than their Continental competitors. The Government recognise these difficulties, and a £168 million package aimed particularly at helping large industrial users was announced by my right hon. and learned Friend in the Budget.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what assessment his Department has made of the eventual effect of the microchip upon the consumption of paper in the United Kingdom.

The Department has made no such assessment. More widespread application of such technology is likely to have some influence on the pattern of paper consumption, but because of the inherent uncertainties involved in quantifying the eventual effects any such assessment would have only doubtful practical value.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the principal materials giving rise to static electricity; and whether he has figures of the damage attributable to its presence and rapid discharge.

Almost any material can give rise to static electricity, but the principal materials of concern are plastics and powders, and liquids which give off inflammable vapours.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will introduce measures to restore the industrial economy of Cumbria.

As the recession clears, industry in West Cumbria, as elsewhere, will benefit from the Government's successful efforts to reduce inflation. We have also recognised the special problems of the area by maintaining its eligibility for the full range of regional industrial aids.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what estimate he has made of the loss of industrial output that will be incurred on 29 July 1981; and how this compares with the output lost on 14 May 1980.

No estimates are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the Official Report those travel-to-work areas of England which are designated special development areas and the current percentage of unemployment in each.

Following is the information, the rates being the provisional March 1981 figures:

	Per cent.
Birkenhead	15·8
Consett	23·9
Falmouth	20·3
Hartlepool	17·8
Liverpool	16·1
North Tyne	11·1
*Ormskirk	17·8
Peterlee	14·3
Redruth	16·1
South Tyne	15·5
Wearside	17·1
Widnes	14·2
* Only Skelmersdale new town has SDA status: the remainder of the TTWA is an IA due to become a non-assisted area on 1 August 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what further sites are being considered for medium-sized wind-powered generators; and if he is considering the development and construction of offshore sitings for wind turbine generators in addition to the current land-based programme.

The Government have already announced plans to support the construction of both a large and a medium-sized wind generator on Orkney. At present no further sites are being considered for Government-funded medium-sized wind-powered generators. However, the CEGB announced in January that it has selected a site at Carmathen Bay power station, Burny Port, Dyfed on which it plans to build a medium-sized wind-powered generator subject to obtaining statutory consent. It also intends to investigate three further possible sites for its first large-scale machine. These sites, all owned by the board, are at Wigsley near Lincoln, Bradwell, Essex, and Richborough power station, Kent.With regard to the second part of the question, my Department has supported some preliminary studies into the feasibility and economics of exploiting wind energy offshore and is expecting to commission further work in this area in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total amount of plutonium which has been produced in the United Kingsdom; and what amounts have been (a) put to what civilian uses and (b) sold abroad.

The current stock of plutonium available for civil use in the United Kingdom is approximately 12 tonnes. In addition, about six tonnes of plutonium have been utilised in the fast reactor research programme. These amounts do not include the plutonium contained in irradiated fuel from civil power stations that is awaiting reprocessing. A small quantity of plutonium has been exported subject to the application of IAEA safeguards.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the circumstances and dates from 1965 to date when Vulcan bombers have crashed, including casualties if any.

Details of Royal Air Force Vulcan bombers which have crashed since 1965 to date, including casualties, are as follows:

Circumstances	Date	Casualties (K = Killed) (I = Injured)
		Service	Civilian
During asymmetrical approach for landing at RAF Scampton, the aircraft drifted to the left of the runway and crashed while attempting an overshoot, due to asymmetrical thrust and loss of control	25May 1965	Nil	Nil
The aircraft flew into high ground during a low level navigational exercise and crashed 20 miles North-East of Swansea	11 Feb. 1966	5K	Nil
The undercarriage collapsed on the ground during engine start up at Finningley	18 Feb. 1966	Nil	Nil
The aircaft was destroyed by fire at RAF Scampton following an explosion in No. 1 engine at the start of the take-off run. Debris from the engine ruptured fuel tanks	6 Apr. 1967	Nil	Nil

Circumstances	Date	Casualties (K = Killed) (I = Injured)
		Service	Civilian
A fire in No. 2 engine led to turbine disc separation. The disc entered the bomb bay, severely damaging flying controls. The aircraft was rendered uncontrollable and crashed at	30 Jan. 1968	4K	Nil
RAF Cottesmore. Pilots ejected, but the rear crew were unable to escape
During climb out from a low-level exercise No. 1 engine exploded and port fire warning lights illuminated. Fire persisted, and the aircraft control became difficult. The aircraft was abandoned and crashed in County Durham	8 Jan. 1971	21	Nil
Port undercarriage failed to lower and the aircraft landed on a foam strip, but veered off the runway, tearing off starboard and nose undercarriage legs (at Shiraz, Iran)	23May 1973	Nil	Nil
The aircraft undershot the runway during approach, struck ground and bounced back into the air with accompanying structural failure and fire. The pilot ejected, but rear crew unable to escape (at Luqa, Malta). The civilian casualties were on the airfield	14 Oct. 1975	5K	1K 31
Fire in the bomb bay area spread to the port wing. The pilot ordered abandonment. Aircraft crashed ten miles North-East of RAF Coningsby	17 Jan. 1977	1I	Nil
The pilot lost control of the aircraft during a manoeuvre in practicing for display in USA	11 Aug. 1978	4K	Nil

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about progress on the development project Boxer.

The Boxer system is nearing the end of its project definition phase.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number and total value of contracts over the past 10 years with the following companies, stating the nature of goods or services supplied: Sperry Univac Ltd, British Manufacturing and Research Co. Ltd., and Huntington Engineering Ltd.

I regret that it would require a disproportionate amount of time and effort to provide the details asked for of numbers and values of contracts placed over the past 10 years with these companies.Figures for the last four years of the total headquarters payments made in respect of direct Ministry of Defence contracts are more readily available, and the average of these are as follows:

	Average Annual Payments £ million
Sperry Rand Ltd. (separate details are not available for Sperry Univac)	34·0
British Manufacture and Research Co. Ltd.	1·5
Hunting Engineering Ltd.	50·7

The companies provide service and equipment in the navigation, guidance, communication and control; ammunition and components; and armament and weapons system fields respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions nuclear weapons held by British forces have been accidentally damaged or been at risk of accidental damage.

No accidents have occured involving damage to nuclear weapons held by British forces, and because of the stringent safety precautions that are taken at all times the risk of such damage is minimal.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Service personnel are stationed on Diego Garcia; and what function is fulfilled by them.

Approximately 2,200 United States Service personnel and 30 Royal Navy personnel are stationed on Diego Garcia. Their function is to run the United States support and communications facility on the island. A small portion of the Royal Navy party is responsible for the civil administration of the island.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what property and buildings on Diego Garcia are in the ownership of the Crown.

The island of Diego Garcia is Crown land. The Crown owns the former copra plantations, and also the British Service club on the island.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the source of electrical power for the establishments on Diego Garcia; and what fuel it burns.

Electrical power on Diego Garcia is provided by diesel generators.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total of public expenditure on chapels and other such religious buildings, including their repair and maintenance (a) in the Army and (b) elsewhere within the budget of his Department in 1980–81; and how this compares with each of the previous five years.

Our records do not permit the isolation of repair and maintenance expenditure for religious buildings or works expenditure on rooms in other buildings that may be used for religious purposes. Expenditure on building new churches and chapels for the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force was approximately as follows:

	£ million
1980–81	0·127
1979–80	0·087
1978–79	0·003
1977–78	0·102
1976–77	0·019
1975–76	0·010

Army expenditure was nil over this period.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received any representations from (a) Christian organisations and (b) others concerning the public funding of chaplains; and if he will list these together with his response.

The Ministry of Defence has received no representations from either Christian organisations or others concerning the public funding of the Armed Forces chaplaincy service.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the reasons for the delay in placing the order for air defence radar installations for the Royal Air Force; and what are the criteria for such a contract.

Bids for the provision of three air defence radars are currently being examined against the criteria laid down by the NATO international competitive bidding procedures. I cannot, for commercial reasons, comment on progress in the evaluation at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department has had discussions with local education authorities about their withdrawal from the schools museum service; if he will indicate which authorities have withdrawn from this service; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on this matter.

The service is provided for and funded by local education authorities in Wales jointly, and my Department is not involved. I understand that West Glamorgan and Clwyd local education authorities have withdrawn their support and that Powys intends to do so. Those authorities which continue to contribute to and use the service must decide on the level of support that they can make available in the future and the level of service that is acceptable to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many foreign language assistants were employed by local education authorities in Wales in each year since 1974.

The information is as follows:

Number of foreign language assistants employed by local education authorities in Wales.
	Assistants
1973–74	197
1974–75	209
1975–76	211
1976–77	156
1977–78	84
1978–79	138
1979–80	180
1980–81	*158
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report details of capitation at constant prices since 1974 for each local education authority in Wales.

The Welsh Office does not collect information in respect of capitation allowances.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his assessment of the effect on educational provision in schools by local education authorites of the non-replacement of textbooks set out in paragraph 16 of Her Majesty's Inspectorate's expenditure policies report; and what discussions he has had with local education authorities about the additional costs of photocopying necessitated as a result of shortage of books.

I have noted the report's finding that there is little evidance of widespread, inappropriate sharing of books. I have had no discussion with local education authorities about any additional costs of photocopying.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many nursery education places were made available (a) by local authorities and (b) within the voluntary sector in each year since 1974.

The numbers of children aged under 5 receiving education in maintained county and voluntary nursery and primary schools in each year since 1974–75 are published in table 2.01 of "Statistics of Education in Wales" No. 5 1980, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the effect on the curriculum in secondary schools of the decreasing practical involvement for the pupils mentioned in paragraph 18 of the report of Her Majesty's Inspectorate on expenditure policies.

The balance between demonstration by teachers and practical work by pupils is a matter for teachers themselves to decide, and variations do not necessarily affect the quality of the learning experience of pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what he estimates will be the effect on the secondary school curriculum of the additional difficulties faced by schools in replacing outmoded courses referred to in paragraph 16 of the report of Her Majesty's Inspectorate on expenditure policies.

Curriculum development may well be retarded in some cases unless local education authorities adjust their expenditure priorities to prevent this. It is for local education authorities to make the required judgments and decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether the dependence on unofficial local sources for materials in craft departments at secondary schools mentioned in paragraph 18 of the report of Her Majesty's Inspectorate on expenditure policies is in accordance with his policy.

Schools have long used local sources for craft materials to supplement provision from education funds. The arrangements vary between schools and are matters for local decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he proposes to take any new measures to remedy the situation described in paragraph 17 of Her Majesty's Inspectorate's expenditure policies report on the effect of the "severe" reduction in general book provision on rural and bilingual schools.

It is for local authorities to decide how much to spend on fiction and other general books, and I do not intend intervening.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has been notified of any universities in the United Kingdom that are at present in a financially deficient position; and if he will give in each case details of the size of the deficit according to the most recently available figures.

My right hon. and learned Friend has received no such notification.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will publish the expenditure by each university in the United Kingdom in 1975–76, 1977–78, 1979–80 and 1980–81 (a) in estimated outturn prices and (b) in volume terms at November 1980 prices;(2) if he will publish the expenditure by each polytechnic in the United Kingdom in 1975–76, 1977–78, 1979–80 and 1980–81

Details of individual universities' expenditure at outturn prices are given in the annual appropriation accounts; the other figures requested cannot be provided without disproportionate costs, but total expenditure figures for universities and polytechnics are as follows:

Net recurrent and capital expenditure by universities in Great Britain and polytechnics in England and Wales
	Universities		Polytechnics
Financial years	Outturn prices £ million	November 1980 Prices £ million	Outturn prices £ million	November 1980 prices £ million
1975–76	610,814	1,156,291	234,216	441,055
1977–78	622,003	981,003	269,746	424,822
1979–80	824,726	1,046,975	332,687	423,780

Figures for 1980–81 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what effect he envisages (a) the reduction in the number of overseas students, (b) the 3·5 per cent. cut in the Government funding of higher education and (c) the deepening economic depression will have upon the numbers of undergraduate student places available at London medical schools and colleges; and how the staff-to-student ratio at such institutions that continue in existence will be affected.

My right hon. and learned Friend is unable to estimate the effects on staff and student numbers at individual universities, or their institutes, of the Government's expenditure plans for higher education. These will depend in part on the admission policies of the universities, partly on the distribution of grants to individual universities by the University Grants Committee, and partly on the way in which each university allocates its resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total expenditure on education in the Rochdale county district in 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980; what is the figure for 1981; and what is the proposed figure for 1982.

The information is as follows:

Net recurrent and capital expenditure on education—Rochdale metropolitan district
Financial years	£000s (Outturn prices)
1976–77	27,448
1977–78	30,255
1978–79	33,457
1979–80	38,958

Figures of actual expenditure in 1980–81 and proposed expenditure in 1981–82 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the estimated full-time equivalent advanced-level students attending (a) universities and (b) polytechnics in the United Kingdom in each of the next five years.

While there is likely to be some reduction over the period in the number of students admitted to higher education, it is not possible to give any firm estimates at this stage. My Department is currently engaged in discussions with both the University Grants Committee and the local authority associations about the detailed implications of the proposals for higher education expenditure in the recent White Paper "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1981–82 to 1983–84", including what the effect of these proposals might be on student numbers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the cost incurred in 1978, 1979 and 1980 to public funds for the outfitting, equipping and operation of jobcentres.

Details of the costs to public funds of outfitting, equipping and operation of jobcentres, including salaries, are readily available only in terms of financial years.The figures are as follows:

	million
1978–79	£41·2
1979–80	£52·6
1980–81 (estimated outturn)	£66·7

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what investigation is being carried out by the Health and Safety Executive into the incident at the Containerway and Roadferry Ltd. depot, Ripple Road, Barking, on 10 March involving radioactive waste; when he expects the report to be available to him; and whether he will take steps to ensure that workers at the depot and residents on the Scrattons Farm estate are fully protected against the dangers of radioactive waste.

The incident on 10 March 1981 at the depot of Containerway and Roadferry Ltd, Ripple Road, Barking, in which it was thought that two employees had been exposed to a dose of ionising radiations from handling a consignment of used radioisotopes is being investigated by Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive and by the Radiochemical Inspectorate of the Department of Environment. I anticipate that the investigation will be completed by the end of the month and will then write to the hon. Member.Preliminary inquiries have shown that the radioactive material was consigned in drums of adequate construction and contained within those drums in standard lead source containers. Adequate shielding against exposure to ionising radiations for the persons handling these drums was thus provided and accordingly there was no danger to the residents of Scrattons Farm estate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will state the number of registered unemployed women aged 21 years and over in May 1979 and to the most recent convenient date in (a) the West Midlands region, (b) the Black Country travel-to-work areas and (c) the Walsall travel-to-work area;(2) he will state the number of registered unemployed persons of 45 years and over in May 1979 to the most

recent convenient date in

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment of he will state the total number of those engaged in short-time working schemes in May 1979 and the most recently available figures in (a) the Walsall travel-to-work area (b) the Black Country areas and (c) the West Midlands region.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many claims for unfair dismissal were upheld by industrial tribunals in 1980 as compared with the figures for 1979 and 1978.

Figures for 1980 are not yet available. In 1979, 3,187 claims—that is 27·2 per cent. of the total cases heard—were upheld compared with 3,277 claims, or 27·7 per cent. of the total cases heard, in 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of applicants pursuing unfair dismissal claims were represented at industrial tribunals during 1979 and 1980.

Information on representation at industrial tribunals hearings derives from an annual 10 per cent. sample. Figures for 1980 are not yet available. In 1979, applicants were represented in 51·9 per cent. of cases, they were not represented in 42·4 per cent. of cases and in 5·7 per cent. of cases it was not recorded whether they were represented.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the mortality figures for the latest available date attributable to infective and parasitic diseases contracted at the workplace.

Deaths from disease are recorded as attributable to occupational causes only where industrial death benefit is paid—the "prescribed" diseases—or where notification is made under the Factories Act 1961—the "notifiable" disease. In 1977, the latest year for which full information is readily available, there were two deaths recorded from a disease of an infective or parasitic nature, the disease in both cases being tuberculosis.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will arrange for his Department to undertake a comprehensive study on the effects toxic substances used in industry have on male and female workers and their ability to produce healthy children.

The Health and Safety Executive continually monitors all evidence concerning the impact of exposure to toxic substances used in industry and, where there is any suggestion of direct or reproductive toxic effects, specific investigations are conducted and action taken to enforce the executive's policy that exposure to all substances should be kept as low as is reasonably practicable. In the executive's view, a comprehensive study of every potentially toxic substance used in industry to identify the possible impact of exposure on reproductive capacity is neither necessary nor, given the very great number of substances used in industry, practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to introduce legislative controls on microbiological hazards in the workplace and indicate threshold values comparable with those for chemical, radiological and dust pollutants.

No. The Health and Safety Commission considers that the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, supplemented by the Health and Safety (Genetic Manipulation) Regulations 1978 and the proposed Health and Safety (Dangerous Pathogens) Regulations, are adequate to deal with microbiological hazards at the workplace. I therefore do not believe that legislative controls or threshold limit values would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the estimated effect on the unemployed register for each month from January 1979 to date for Scotland and the United Kingdom, respectively, of the special employment and training measures.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give an estimate of the additional cost to the chemical industry of its implementing the new regulations concerning the testing of chemical substances, proposed by the Health and Safety Commission.

It is not possible to estimate the overall additional cost to industry of the proposed regulations on the notification of new substances.As explained in the introduction to the Health and Safety Commission's consultative document, published on 18 February 1981, manufacturers, importers and suppliers already incur some costs in testing substances, by virtue of section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which requires that they carry out or arrange for the testing and examination of those substances so that they can ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that a substance is safe and without risk to health when properly used.The draft regulations, which are necessary to implement Community Directive 79/831/EEC, do not impose rigid test protocols in respect of the testing of new substances and it is proposed that the notifier should be free within the concept of an Approved Code of Practice to select the test methods he considers most appropriate.As the nature and extent of the testing of new substances will to some extent vary according to the nature of the substance, the intended use and the quantity produced, it is not possible to provide any realistic indication of the costs of any additional testing which may be required under the proposed regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many reports have been received of the misuse of work experience schemes by employers in the last 12 months; and how many of the complaints have been found to be justified;(2) what checks are carried out to see that work experience schemes for unemployed young people are not used to supplant workers already in employment.

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

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 that they will be maintained at least at their present establishment level.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 March 1981, c. 449]: My right hon. Friend has made clear to the Manpower Services Commission his concern that, despite the need for staff savings, the level of service it provides specifically for blind and other disabled people should be maintained. The commission proposes to review the various services it provides for disabled people, including the resettlement service, and the staff savings in those services envisaged by the commission will not be implemented until the review is complete and it is clear that such savings would not diminish the level of service the commission is able to offer disabled people.

asked the Attorney-General if he will place in the Library a copy of the correspondence between the Lord Chancellor and the hon. Member for Swindon concerning the case of Mr. Malcolm Hancock.

Yes.

asked the Attorney-General in how many cases in the last 10 years the Department of Public Prosecutions has initiated prosecution following a complaint against the police alleging assault.

The Director has readily available only the figures for the numbers of complaints leading to criminal proceedings; he is unable to provide the number of individual police officers prosecuted in each year. The figures for 1980 are not yet available, but I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him of 5 December 1980.—[Vol. 995, c. 425–26.]The figures for the 10 years 1970 to 1979 are:

Year	Numbers
1970	19
1971	27
1972	35
1973	19
1974	30
1975	47
1976	33
1977	40
1978	62
1979	52

asked the Attorney-General when he expects to receive the report of the Law Commission on the law of confidence.

Work on the report is now far advanced, but I am not yet in a position to say when exactly it will be received.

asked the Attorney-General what criteria are used in deciding whether or not to prosecute people suspected of espionage activities.

Similar criteria as may be used in any other decision whether or not to institute criminal proceedings.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what representations he has made to the United States Government over the Clark amendment.

None. The Clark amendment is a matter for the United States Administration and Congress. Her Majesty's Government are in regular touch with the United States Administration about Southern African policies.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he has received any formal request from the Governments of independent islands and associated States in the Caribbean Sea, inviting Her Majesty's Governmentto reassume full sovereignty over them; and, if so, what replies he has made.

No. The Anguilla Act 1980 formalised the dependency status of Anguilla which had prevailed, de facto, since 1967 but Her Majesty's Government had not relinquished sovereignty in the intervening period.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what further recommendations Her Majesty's Government have made concerning the release of Rudolf Hess on humanitarian grounds.

Her Majesty's Government, together with the Governments of France and the United States, continue to favour the immediate release of Hess on humanitarian grounds. My right honourable and noble Friend wrote to the Soviet Foreign Minister in September 1979, but no change in the USSR's negative position resulted. The allied authorities have since approached the Russians at official level, but also without success.

asked the. Lord Privy Seal what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the objective of the new commander-in-chief of the United Nations force in the Lebanon of introducing forces of the regular army of the Lebanon into South Lebanon to ensure the territorial integrity of the country.

The Lebanese Government clearly have the right to deploy their forces on their own territory. The UNIFIL objective referred to is in line with Security Council resolution 425 which gave UNIFIL the task of assisting the Government of Lebanon in ensuring the return of their effective authority in the area. We urge all those involved to co-operate with UNIFIL and with the Lebanese Government to that end.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in the light of United Nations General Assembly resolutions on the matter, Her Majesty's Government will take steps to prohibit the importation of uranium from Namibia.

No. The import of uranium from Namibia does not conflict with any of our international obligations. Her Majesty's Government did not support the United Nations General Assembly resolutions in question, which are not binding upon United Nations member States.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is investigating the allegations that three of the staff of the Argentinian embassy have been involved in torture in Argentina; and if he will make a statement.

The evidence in support of these allegations is now being studied.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he plans to increase the dog licence fee to a realistic figure based on the calculations at 1975 prices from the period of the last increase with further adjustments to bring the fee into line with present-day prices.