asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the annual cost of the Civil Service in current values of money, and also indexed against the fall in value of the £ sterling as measured for the United Kingdom, in 1950, 1960, 1970 and in each year since then; and also what proportion of the total was paid in wages and salaries in each period.

Financial Year	Pay	Employers' National Insurance	Superannuation	Total	Index of internal purchasing power of the pound
	£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million	£
1961–62	558	16	44	618	1·00
1970–71	1,137	*130	92	1,359	1·433
1971–72	1,282	*117	109	1,508	1·569
1972–73	1,415	*108	130	1,653	1·680
1973–74	1,570	*77	152	1,799	1·833
1974–75	1,904	109	165	2,178	2·127
1975–76	2,573	176	257	3,006	2·647
1976–77	2,723	215	316	3,254	3·080
1977–78	2,969	283	392	3,644	3·569
1978–79	3,131	277	457	3,865	3·865
1979–80	3,394	323	538	4,255	4·382
1980–81	4,210	419	708	5,337	5·171
* includes selective employment tax

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if she has taken any steps to rationalise the different methods of financing the pensions of public servants from the categories (a) no contibution and no funds: Civil Service and Armed Forces, (b) contributions but no funds: police, fire service and Members of Parliament, (c) contributions and notional funds: local education authority teachers, National Health Service and United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and (d) contributions and actual funds: local government, public corporations and other public sectors which were outlined in the eleventh report of the Expenditure Committee (1976–77) House of Commons Paper 535I; and what are the differences that index-linked pensions make to the separate categories listed.

The Government have no immediate plans to introduce greater uniformity in these arrangements. The report of the Scott committee provides much useful information, and in studying its recommendations on the valuation of index-linked pensions we shall consider whether institutional changes are needed in any particular area.

The following table shows the relevant Estimates provision for Civil Service pay, employers' national insurance contributions and superannuation set against the index of the internal purchasing power of the pound for each year.

asked the, Minister for the Civil Service if she will publish in the Official Report the official size of the Civil Service in numbers employed in 1950, 1960, 1970 and in each year since then; and if she will list and number any transfers of staff that affect the figures together with a schedule of any changes in numbers of those belonging to organisations transferred out of the Civil Service itself.

The number of civil servants for this period is set out in table 1. Machinery of Government changes occurring during the period are set out in table 2. Manpower in organisations transferred from the Civil Service to other parts of the public sector is a matter for the Ministers in charge of the sponsoring Departments concerned.

Table 1—Number of Civil Servants
Year (at 1 April)	Staff in Post* (Full-time equivalents)
1950	745,700
1960	642,500
1970	700,900

asked the Minister for the Civil Service in which years prior to 1980 the Pay Research Unit was suspended and its findings set aside.

There have been several occasions when the implementation of pay research evidence has been subject to staging or deferment, but the only previous full suspension of the arrangements occurred during the period between mid-1975 and mid-1978 under the last Administration.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects to receive the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on discounts to retailers which was referred in July 1977.

My right hon. Friend has now received the commission's report and I am arranging for it to be published as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the total number of company liquidations within the Borders region for each of the years 1977 to the present; and if he will also indicate the number of new businesses registered in the region for the same period.

I regret that the figures requested are not available for regions.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what Government financial aid has been given to local authority owned airports over the past 20 years; and if he will name the airports that have received such aid.

I regret that the information requested cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost. It is, however, Government policy not to provide direct financial aid to local authority airports; and there are no proposals to do so with the single exception of Birmingham airport, where, under an agreement made in 1960, there is an obligation to pay grant towards a new terminal building. That agreement has recently expired and will not be renewed.

asked the Prime Minister what factors led to the decision to ask Sir Derek Rayner to carry out a review of social security fraud.

No such request has been made, and no such review has been carried out. The hon. Member no doubt has in mind the recently published report on a study of payment of benefits to people who are unemployed, from which a number of newspapers picked up and highlighted one out of 81 recommendations. The main theme of the report is a better system of paying unemployed people the benefit to which they are entitled.

asked the Prime Minister if she will take steps to prevent the premature release from Government sources of information concerning appointments to the bench of bishops.

There should be no premature release of information from any source about senior appointments in the Church.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that the tax relief for blind persons announced in the Budget speech will benefit 13,000 persons from a total of 120,000 registered blind persons, if he will seek to provide by a redistribution in the resources available, or by some other means, to extend some financial benefit to those unaffected by his proposals.

It is estimated that 25,000 blind people will benefit from the increase in the tax allowance announced in the Budget. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services has made it clear that the Government have great sympathy with the problems of blind people, and that the long-term objective is to produce a coherent and comprehensive benefit scheme for all disabled people, including the blind, though the resources to make a start on this are not available at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many blind people will remain taxpayers as a result of the decision not to index-link the tax threshold.

Precise information is not available centrally, but it is thought that the number of blind taxpayers is little affected by the decision not to increase the personal allowances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of registered blind people will benefit as a result of the doubling of the blind person's tax allowance; and what will be the total cost to the Exchequer of this concession.

About 25,000, nearly one-fifth, of registered blind people will benefit as a result of the doubling of the blind person's tax allowance, at a cost in a full year at 1981–82 income levels of about £1 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give his estimate of the number of blind people there are in the United Kingdom and his estimate of the number who will gain by his income tax proposals; and if he will make a statement.

The number of blind people in the United Kingdom is not recorded centrally. However, 130,000 people are registered as blind persons with their local authorities and of these it is estimated that about 25,000 will benefit by the proposal to double the blind allowance.I refer the hon. Member also to my reply to the hon. Member for Brent, South (Mr. Pavitt) today.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his current estimate of the number of invalidity pensioners who have lost more as a result of the 5 per cent. abatement of their benefit than they would pay in tax if invalidity benefit were taxable; and how many such people would pay no tax at all if invalidity benefit were taxable.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of the extension of value added tax reliefs for the disabled, announced in his Budget Statement.

The cost is uncertain, but likely to be small.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why Rolling Transport Systems Ltd. of Beaconsfield, value added tax registration number 212/7067/92, is not being paid the £111,846 owed to it since the end of February by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise; and if he will take steps to enable this company to continue its export business, with its related recovery of value added tax, without incurring a severe financial loss.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the total payments made by operating oil companies to overseas or offshore companies under information required under paragraph 2(a) of schedule 15 to the Finance Act 1973 in each year since the Act was passed.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now give estimates of the effect of his Budget measures on the retail price index and the tax and price index compared with the values they would have if personal allowances were increased in line with section 22(2) of the Finance Act 1977 and excluding the effect of increases in duties.

[pursuant to the reply, 7 April 1981, c. 221]: The tax and price index will be roughly 2 to 2½ per cent. higher than it would have been. There is no difference in the impact on the retail price index.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland whether procurators fiscal are required as a condition of service to take the oath de fideli administratione.

Although there is no requirement to take the oath as a condition of service, procurators fiscal and their deputes do take the oath in each court where they carry out their functions as public prosecutors.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he is satisfied with the present arrangements for forensic pathology in Scotland.

I am not wholly satisfied with the present arrangements and alternative arrangements are presently under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the numbers of non-uniformed staff employed in connection with the Metropolitan Police and separately in the other police forces for 1950, 1960, 1970, and each year since then; and if he will also list the numbers of uniformed men and women for the same years.

We have assumed that by "non-uniformed staff' my hon. Friend is referring to civilian staff employed in the police service, and by "uniformed men and women" to police officers. The figures for forces in England and Wales are as follows:

Civilian Staff
End of year	Full-Time			Part-Time
	Met Police	Other Forces	Total	Met Police	Other Forces	Total
1950	299	3,970	4,269	*	*	*
1960	4,632	6,447	11,079	1,501	*	*
1970	8,186	15,135	23,321	3,352	*	*
1971	7,188	16,465	23,653	3,550	*	*
1972	9,335	17,057	26,392	3,814	*	*
1973	9,326	17,749	27,075	3,566	4,076	7,642
1974	9,903	19,563	29,466	3,570	4,628	8,198
1975	10,439	20,115	30,554	3,549	4,764	8,313
1976	10,439	20,189	30,628	3,247	4,599	7,846
1977	10,390	19,814	30,204	3,293	4,537	7,830
1978	10,817	20,255	31,072	3,338	4,617	7,955
1979	11,175	20,539	31,714	3,379	4,717	8,096
1980	12,344	21,193	33,537	3,486	4,869	8,355
* Figures not available for these years.

Police Officers
End of Year	Met Police			Other Forces
	Men	Women	Total	Men	Women	Total
1950	15,741	327	16,068	45,347	1,018	46,365
1960	16,676	436	17,112	53,125	1,836	54,961
1970	20,597	621	21,218	68,654	2,972	71,626
1971	20,660	631	21,291	71,150	3,200	74,350
1972	20,589	648	21,237	73,690	3,481	77,171
1973	20,152	630	20,782	74,722	3,707	78,429
1974	20,127	723	20,850	75,941	3,983	79,924
1975	20,304	876	21,180	79,619	4,897	84,516
1976	20,937	1,265	22,202	80,105	5,732	85,837
1977	20,544	1,422	21,966	78,391	6,367	84,758
1978	20,473	1,488	21,961	78,661	6,989	85,650
1979	20,794	1,734	22,528	81,566	7,660	89,226
1980	21,492	2,070	23,562	84,026	8,284	92,310

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the needs of hon. Members who may wish to complain about members of the probation service are adequately met in the circumstances outlined in his reply to the hon. Member for Meriden on 31 March, whereby they must seek to obtain the names of the members of the employing authority from the chief probation officer who is an employee of the authority and may himself be the subject of the hon. Members' complaints.

The easiest way in which a complaint or other communication can be made to a probation and after-care committee is by addressing it to "The Secretary of the Probation and After-Care Committee" at the offices of the county council for the area. In inner London, however, the secretary of the committee is the Director of Administration in the office of the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District at New Scotland Yard; in the City of London it is the clerk to the justices. This Department is always ready to help any hon. Member who, for whatever reason, wishes to make more personal contact with a probation and after-care committee or the probation service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to obtain and place in the Library the annual reports of chief probation officers.

These reports are made to local probation and after-care committees; although my right hon. Friend already receives copies he does not think that it would be appropriate for him to put them in the Library of the House. I am sure that a chief probation officer would be glad to send copies of his reports to an hon. Member on request.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received on behalf of the National Deaf Children's Society regarding the possibility of a reduction in the television licence for the hearing-impaired;(2) if he will list in the

I have not received any representations on behalf of the National Deaf Children's Society. The only reduction in the charge for a standard television licence is that available to registered blind persons. There is, however, a special licence for retirement pensioners living in certain types of old people's homes. I have no plans to introduce television licences at reduced cost for any particular group of people such as the deaf.

Class of procession banned	Date ban Commenced	District	Duration
All public processions in connection with the death of James McDade.	20 November 1974	Solihull	1 month
		Birmingham
		Coventry
All public processions.	21 September 1977	Tameside	41 days
All pubilc processions other than those of a religious, educational, festive or ceremonial character customarily held.	24 February 1978	Metropolitan	2 months
		Police District
		City of London
All public processions other than those of a religious or ceremonial character customarily held.	20 April 1978	Leeds	18 days
All public processions other than those of a religious, educational, festive or ceremonial character customarily held.	16 August 1980	Birmingham	30 days
		Dudley
		Sandwell
		Walsall
		Wolverhampton
All public processions other than those of a religious, educational, festive or ceremonial character customarily held.	16 August 1980	Coventry	12 days
All public processions other than those of a religious, educational, festive or ceremonial character customarily held.	5 March 1981	Metropolitan'	27 days
		Police District
		City of London
All public processions other than those of a religious, educational, festive or ceremonial character customarily held.	20 March 1981	Leicester	1 month
All public processions other than those of a religious, educational, festive or ceremonial character customarily held.	21 March 1981	Wolverhampton	14 days

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the grants paid by the Voluntary Services Unit to voluntary organisations in 1980–81; and if he will give estimates for 1981–82.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. Wilson) on 6 March which included details of estimated grants in 1980–81. The final list of grants totals £2,874,940—as opposed to £2,860,725—and shows the following changes:

	£
Festival Welfare Services	13,725
Govan Area Resource Centre	47,498
National Association of Victims' Support Schemes	12,000
Standing Conference of Women's Organisations	2,071
Volunteer Centre	430,625

Supply Estimates for 1981–82 provide a total expenditure by the Voluntary Services Unit of £3,811,000, including grants to voluntary organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all occasions known to his Department since 1 January 1970 when the power to ban processions under sections 3(2) or 3(3) of the Public Order Act 1936 has been used, indicating the length of ban and the class of procession banned in each case.

The information for England and Wales is as follows:

Class of procession banned	Date ban Commenced	District	Duration
All public processions other than those of a religious or ceremonial character customarily held	21 March 1981	Leeds	29 days
All public processions other than those of a religious or ceremonial character customarily held.	22 March 1981	Barnsley	7 days
		Doncaster
		Rotheram
		Sheffield

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many immigrants from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan have been convicted in the courts of overstaying but not charged with or convicted of any other offence, in each of the last four years; how many of these have been recommended by the courts for deportation; how many have been deported; and how many are awaiting deportation;(2) how many immigrants from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan have been convicted in the courts of offences other than overstaying and were also found to be overstaying in each of the last four years; how many of these were subsequently recommended by the courts for deportation; and how many are awaiting deportation;(3) how many immigrants from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan in each of the last four years who

I regret that information in the form requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The available information is as follows:

1. Number of persons recommended for deportation by the courts:—
	New Commonwealth*	Pakistan
1977	464	74
1978	398	38
1979	389	31
1980	414	44
* All Commonwealth countries with the exception of Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

2. The total number of cases (all nationalities) where it was decided not to deport the subject of a recommendation by a court:
1977	181
1978	130
1979	124
1980	126

3. The total number of persons (all nationalities) who were deported following a recommendation by a court:
1977	564
1978	485
979	509
1980	616

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances immigrants from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan, who have been found to be overstayers, but who have been allowed to stay in the United Kingdom, have the right to bring their dependants to the United Kingdom; and whether this situation will be affected by the enactment of the British Nationality Bill.

If an overstayer is allowed to remain, the eligibility for admission of his dependants will depend on their fulfilling the requirements of the relevant immigration rules. The British Nationality Bill will not affect this position.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has issued any guidelines to the courts on recommendations for deportation during the past four years.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to protect the lives of Iraqi students in Cardiff and in other areas of Great Britain who have been threatened with attack by agents of the Ba'athist Government in Iraq.

The chief constable of the South Wales constabulary tells us that four arrests were made following an incident at University college, Cardiff, on 30 January this year, in which two Iraqi students were injured. At the trial on 26 March, two of the defendants were found not guilty, while charges in respect of the other two were withdrawn and they were bound over for two years. The Government and the police are determined to combat violence from whatever quarter it may come. Any Iraqi student who feels himself threatened should not hesitate to get in touch with the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the total number of firearm and shotgun certificates in existence on 31 December 1980, or the latest date for which such statistics have been completed (a) in England and Wales, and (b) in the Metropolitan Police district.

The latest available information is the number of firearm and shotgun certificates in force on 31 December 1979, and is as follows:

	Firearm certificates	Shotgun certificates
England and Wales	160,086	752,810
Metropolitan Police district	9,504	30,259
Total	169,590	783,069

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has given guidance to chief officers of police concerning the requirement to restrict the use of sporting rifles to specified areas of land and for such restrictions to be stated on firearm certificates.

It is for the chief officer of police to specify the conditions, other than those prescribed in the Firearms Rules 1969, subject to which each firearm certificate is held.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide information, in a similar form to that provided in table 3.12 of "Criminal Statistics for England and Wales 1979", showing the numbers and types of firearms which have been recovered by the police in each of the years 1969 to 1979.

The information requested is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

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

[pursuant to his reply, 11 March 1981, c. 327]:The analysis of the length of prison sentences in table 6, appendix C, of "Prisons and the Prisoner 1977" is brought up to date in the following table 1. Figures for 1980 are not yet available. The index of the average length of prison sentences is now calculated on a different basis, given in the following table 2.

Table 1 Distribution of receptions under sentence by effective length of sentence*
England and Wales	Percentage of Total
Effective length of sentence	1979
Up to two weeks	14·1
Over two weeks up to five weeks	13·5
Over five weeks up to three months	16·7
Over three months up to six months	18·2
Over six months up to 12 months	14·3
Over 12 months up to 18 months	7·8
Over 18 months up to three years	10·6
Over three years up to five years	3·3
Over five years	1·2
Life	0·3

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give the salary and conditions of service of the Registrar General, and the first five senior officers connected with the 1981 census.

The Registrar General has the Civil Service grade of deputy secretary and the Deputy Director of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys has the grade of under secretary; both have responsibilities additional to the supervision of the census. The five senior officers within the census division are chief statistician, senior principal and principal and equivalent. As established civil servants their salaries and conditions of service are standard and are set out in the Civil Service pay and conditions of service code, which is available in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action a taxpayer or person completing a census form should take when he has prima facie evidence that the promises and guarantees as contained on the form have not been observed.

In the first instance he should write to the Registrar General.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why a request for names and addresses has been included on census forms although they will not be used for going through the computer.

Names and addresses signify that the respondent has fulfilled his duty under the law to complete the form; they enable the census offices to check the receipt of those forms that have bypassed the field staff; they enable commonsense checks to be made at the census offices and the right person to be approached when it is necessary to call back to ensure that the information on the form is sound.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which persons and bodies were consulted before the questions were included on the census form; to what extent and on how many occasions he discussed these with representative organisations and others; and whether such discussions included the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry.

Two advisory committees were set up and each met three times: one had representatives of all local authority and health service users, the other representatives of specialist users. Government Departments were also consulted. The census offices wrote directly to a wide range of persons and organisations that were likely to be interested and these included the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry. Additionally, it was announced to the House on 26 July 1977—[Vol. 936, c. 112–13]—that the Registrar General would welcome submissions made to him, with or without invitation, from any source, and that he would consider them most carefully. Finally, the topics to be included in the census were debated in Parliament and indeed were altered as a result of an amendment to the census order.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services for what purpose a question is included on the census form asking where a person was one year ago.

By comparing the present address with the address one year ago it is possible to provide statistics on the number of people who have moved from one area of the country to another. The census is the only source of detailed local information on internal migration.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the census form asks industrial civil servants to give full and complete details of their work and occupations but advises non-industrial civil servants not to give these details but only their rank or grade; and how this was decided.

The occupation of non-industrial civil servants is sufficiently defined by their rank or grade. Industrial civil servants have a much wider variety of duties, and it is necessary to have details of their work so that their numbers by occupation can be correctly added to those of other industrial workers.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what mileage area it was decided that a census enumerator would not be called upon to act where the person or persons may be known to him or residing near to him; and what action a person should take if he is able to produce prima facie evidence that this condition has not been observed.

Wherever possible enumerators have been appointed to work outside areas where they are known, but no minimum mileage has been specified. It is impossible to ensure that enumerators are not known to all households they call upon; if they recognise or are recognised by a householder they are instructed to offer an envelope in which the census form may be sealed and which will not be opened by the enumerator. Additionally, any householder may ask for such an envelope.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many enumerators were employed in the 1981 census; at what cost; and how many hours were worked by these people in distributing and collecting the census forms.

Approximately 103,000 enumerators have been employed in England and Wales. Their total fees and reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses is estimated at £16 million. Payment is for a set task and the time taken will vary between individuals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many staff, and at which grades, are wholly or partly employed in monitoring the prices of domestic and consumer items having a direct impact on either the level of social security benefits provided or the standard of living of those dependent upon Social Security benefits.

None, but we watch some prices, for example in connection with certain additions to supplementary benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, assuming total equality in all other respects, how much more rate support grant is payable to one local authority as against another if the first, at the relevant time, had 100 more children in its care than the second.

The numbers of children in care have been used only indirectly in calculating the personal social services component of grant-related expenditure assessments which underlie the distribution of rate support grant. Detailed information about those assessments is available in two publications "Grant Related Expenditure: How Expenditure Needs of Local Authorities are Assessed in the New Block Grant" and "Granted Related Expenditure: Components of Grant Related Expenditure for English Authorities 1981–82" placed in the Library of the House by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment. Paragraph 1.3.5 of the appendix to the former is particularly relevant.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of restoring the earnings link with invalidity benefit in the tax year 1981–82.

It has not been the practice of this or the previous Administration to reveal estimates of future earnings levels. I regret, therefore, that I cannot supply the information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of restoring (a) the 5 per cent. abatement and (b) the 1 per cent. abatement to invalidity benefit in the tax year 1981–82; and if he will set out the basis of his calculations.

(a) £16 million; (b) £4 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of restoring the full earnings-related supplement to (a) sickness benefit and (b) industrial injuries benefit for the year 1981.

(a) £32 million; (b) £3 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of restoring (a) the 5 per cent. abatement and (b) the 1 per cent. abatement to sickness benefit and industrial injuries benefit in the tax year 1981–82.

Invalidity Pension	(a) Total Benefit after November 1981 £	(b) Value of 1979 benefit at November 1981* £	(c) Difference between (a) and (b) £	(d) Percentage drop in Value
Claimant only	28·35	29·60	1·25	4·2
Claimant and wife	45·35	47·39	2·04	4·3
Claimant, wife and 1 child	58·30	61·49	3·19	5·2
Claimant, wife and 2 children	71·25	75·59	4·34	5·7
Claimant, wife and 3 children	84·20	89·70	5·50	6·1
*This is calculated by increasing the November 1979 benefit rate by 15·5 per cent., the rate of inflation between November 1979 and November 1980—and then by 10 per cent.—the estimated rate of inflation between November 1980 and November 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many and what proportion of invalidity pensioners receive (a) higher rate invalidity allowance, (b) middle rate invalidity allowance, (c) lower rate invalidity allowance and (d) no invalidity allowance; and what would be the weekly gain to an invalidity pensioner in each of these categories as a result of making good the 5 per cent. abatement of invalidity allowance in the November 1981 uprating.

Of the average numbers receiving invalidity pension at any one time—630,000—the numbers receiving invalidity allowance are estimated as follows:

	Numbers	Per cent.
Higher rate allowance	185,000	30
Middle rate allowance	135,000	20
Lower rate allowance	215,000	35
No allowance	95,000	15

The higher, middle and lower rates of invalidity allowance are, respectively, 25p, 20p and 10p above what they would have been if the 5 per cent. abatement had continued.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, at the latest date for which figures are available, how many and what proportion of invalidity pensioners were in receipt of supplementary benefit.

(a) £10 million; (b) £2 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state for a single invalidity pensioner, for an invalidity pensioner with a dependent wife and no children and for an invalidity pensioner with a dependent wife and one, two and three children, respectively (a) the total benefit, invalidity pension plus child benefit where applicable, which will be received after 23 November 1981, (b) the total benefit which would be payable if the benefit were restored to its value after the November 1979 uprating, assuming 10 per cent. inflation in the year to November 1981, (c) the difference between the figures given in (a) and (b) above and (d) the percentage drop in value of total benefit received between November 1979 and November 1981.

The information requested is shown in the following table:

A total of 34,000 in November 1979, representing about 5·5 per cent. of all invalidity benefit recipients. The figure includes supplementary benefit claimants' wives who were receiving invalidity benefit in their own right.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, at the latest date for which figures are available, how many and what proportion (a) of invalidity pensioners and (b) of claimants of any incapacity benefit who were not eligible for weekly supplementary benefit received exceptional needs payments under the supplementary benefits scheme.

These payments, which were awarded by the Supplementary Benefits Commission, were not recorded separately. Since November 1980 only those entitled to supplementary benefit can qualify for such payments.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, at the latest date for which figures are available, how many invalidity pensioners receive (a) mobility allowance and (b) attendance allowance.

I regret that the number of invalidity pensioners receiving mobility allowance is not available. It is estimated that in the region of 35,000 receive attendance allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by how much the increase in (a) invalidity pension for a single person, (b) invalidity pension for a married couple, (c) higher rate invalidity allowance, (d) middle rate invalidity allowance and (e) lower rate invalidity allowance in 1979 and 1980 fell short of the increase in average industrial earnings in those years.

At the 1979 and 1980 upratings the percentage increases in the benefits concerned exceeded (+) or fell short of (-) the percentage increase in average industrial earnings^* by the percentage points shown in the following table:

	November 1979	November 1980
Invalidity pension for single person	+1·0	-4·7
Invalidity pension for married couple	+1·1	-4·8
Invalidity allowance (higher rate)	-0·4	-5·1
Invalidity allowance (middle rate)	+0·7	-5·0
Invalidity allowance (lower rate)	+0·7	-3·4
* Based on seasonally adjusted index—older series—as published by the Department of Employment, which shows the percentage increase of earnings for the 12 months periods November 1978 to November 1979 and November 1979 to November 1980 as 18·5 and 16·3 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what will be the total cost of making good the 5 per cent. abatement of invalidity allowance (a) in the tax year 1981–82, and (b) in a calendar year.

(a) £2 million; (b) £5 million in a full year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost of invalidity allowance as a proportion of invalidity benefit (a) at present benefit rates and (b) at uprated benefit rates from November 1981.

(a) 7½ per cent.; (b) 8 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total amount of supplementary benefit payable to people in receipt of invalidity benefit.

Recent information is not available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, it is estimated that on the basis of payments in a week in November 1978, approximately £16 million in supplementary benefit was paid to invalidity benefit recipients in that year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by how much the increase in (a) higher rate attendance allowance, (b) lower rate attendance allowance, (c) non-contributory invalidity pension, (d) invalid care allowance and (e) 100 per cent. industrial disablement benefit in 1979 and 1980 fell short of the increase in average industrial earnings in those years.

There was no shortfall in relation to average industrial earnings in either year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the percentage upratings in the mobility allowance from November to November in 1978 to 1979, 1979 to 1980 and 1980 to 1981; what were the estimated percentage increase in motoring costs, taking a Mini automatic covering 10,000 miles in a year, or any other small car convenient for the calculation, from November to November in the years 1978 to 1979 and 1979 to 1980; what estimate he has made for the increase in costs of such a car in the year from November 1980 to November 1981; and how this compares in percentage terms with the increase in the mobility allowance announced for the same period.

The increases in mobility allowance are shown in the table below, together with the corresponding increases in the transport and vehicle group index. As the right hon. Gentleman knows, mobility allowance is intended to contribute towards mobility costs, not to meet motoring costs in full.

Percentage increase in mobility allowance rate each November over preceding 12 months		Percentage in- crease in Transport and Vehicle Index for November over preceding 12 months
1979	20·0	22·8
1980	21·8	12·4
1981	13·8*	†
* Proposed
† No separate forecast is made of changes in the transport and vehicle group index

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to the percentage increases from November to November in motoring costs for a Mini automatic covering 10,000 miles a year and leased through the Motability scheme in the years 1978 to 1979 and 1979 to 1980.

As the right hon. Gentleman is aware, Motability is an independent organisation and consequently the Department is not in a position to provide the detailed costing he seeks in relation to a car leased from that organisation. The right hon. Gentleman might like to address an inquiry to the secretary of Motability—The Adelphi, John Adam Street, London WC2N 6AZ—who, I am sure, would try to be helpful.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what research is being carried out by his Department into the supply of better calipers for disabled people; if any new designs or materials are likely to be introduced; and if he will make a statement.

The Department does not itself carry out research in this field, but sponsors and finances promising research projects in establishments with a more direct clinical connection.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide information to the public on remedial measures to reduce blood-lead levels by means of dietary supplements; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the results of his discussions with the tobacco industry about the future advertising of its products.

[pursuant to his reply, 31 March 1981, c. 71]. My right hon. Friend made it clear in his statement to the House on 21 November 1980—[Vol. 994, c. 190–92]—that the agreement did not achieve all we would have wished. That is why the main agreement runs only until 31 July 1982^*.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider allowing those diagnosed, as sufferers from dust diseases of the lungs such as miners pneumoconiosis to appeal annually against adverse decisions of medical tribunals.

I regret that resources of specialist medical manpower do not permit any further extension of appeal rights beyond that foreshadowed in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Dickens) on 16 March.—[Vol. 1, c. 39.] There is, of course, no restriction on the right to make fresh claims for benefit for pneumoconiosis.

asked the Lord Privy Seal which of the functions of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, other than that of issuing United Kingdom passports, involves the exercise of the Royal Prerogative.

The powers to conduct foreign relations, to appoint ambassadors, diplomatic agents, consular and other officers through whom relations with foreign states are conducted, and to make treaties., are vested in the Crown, and are exercised by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under and by virtue of the Royal Prerogative. The Secretary of State also exercises certain powers under the Royal Prerogative in relation to the governance of dependent territories. Among the detailed functions which the Secretary of State exercised under and by virtue of the Royal Prerogative are the following:

(i) the signature of governmental instruments of ratification, accession, acceptance or approval in respect of treaties;

(ii) the issuance of governmental full powers for negotiation and signature of treaties;

(iii) the issuance of credentials for British Government delegates at conferences or other formal meetings or ceremonies abroad;

(iv) counter-signature of the Royal Warrant authorising the use of the Great Seal of the Realm;

(v) counter-signature beneath that of Her Majesty on Commissions, Royal Instructions, warrants and letters patent issued to governors of the dependent territories;

(vi) the counter-signing of exequators and Diplomatic Service and consular commissions; and

(vii) the issuance of despatches to officers administering the government of dependent territories.

This list is not exhaustive of all the functions which the Secretary of State may perform in exercise of the Royal Prerogative in the field of foreign relations, but is rather intended to be illustrative of some of the principal prerogative functions performed in that field.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make further representations to the Government of Angola for the release of British citizens detained there, having regard to the long period of their imprisonment.

The Angolan Government are fully aware of our concern for the seven former mercenaries in prison in Angola to whom our embassy now has regular access.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many individuals and organisations have so far made representations about the proposal to abandon the traditional format of the United Kingdom passport since his recent announcement; and what proportion of those has been in favour of the proposal.

Since I told my hon. Friend the Member for Ravensbourne (Mr. Hunt) on 13 March—[Vol. 1000, c. 444]—that discussions were continuing on the question of the introduction of a common format passport for member States of the European Community. I have received 34 letters from people and organisations critical of the proposal and one in favour.However, almost all of those critical of the common format for United Kingdom passports have been under the misapprehension that it would be a European, rather than a British, passport and would involve some loss of nationality identity. I have made it clear to them, as I have made it clear to the House, that a British passport in the common format will not be a European Community passport and its issue will remain a national prerogative. Thus this new development involves no change in the nationality or other entitlements of the holder.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if, further to his undertaking to the House on 18 March, he will now make a full statement on the changes proposed for the British passport to take account of the European Community common format and the International Civil Aviation Organisation recommendations for machine-readability.

As I told the House on 13 March—[Vol. 1000, c. 444]—the Government have taken a decision in principle to adopt as soon as practicable the International Civil Aviation Organisation's recommendations for the introduction of a passport in a simplified, standardised format which will have a machine-readable capability. These recommendations, particularly if widely adopted by other countries, will have practical advantages for both travellers and immigration authorities. Machine-readable passports will allow ordinary travellers to pass more quickly through immigration control and will encourage the development of automated port procedures world-wide. This trend has already begun with the recent introduction of machine-readable passports by the United States of America. The machine-readable passport also offers greater security since it is difficult to counterfeit or tamper with.Discussions in Brussels have been continuing intermittently since 1974 on the implementation of the decision taken in principle by the right hon. Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson) and other Heads of Government at the European Council in December of that year, that there should be a common format for the national passports of European Community member States to symbolise their partnership. Passports in a common format will not be Community passports and their issue will remain a national prerogative. Their introduction will involve no change in the nationality or other entitlements of the holder.At the Foreign Affairs Council held in Brussels on 16–17 March this year Ministers agreed on certain details of the implementation of the 1974 decision, including a formula under which member States would each endeavour to issue passports in the common format by 1 January 1985. However, we have said that we intend to introduce the common format passport at the same time as we adopt the ICAO recommendations for a machine-readable passport. A considerable amount of work is needed to assess the costs and the technical problems involved, and until this has been done, it is understood by our partners that we cannot set a firm date for the change in the format of United Kingdom passports.It would be misleading to describe the appearance of the new British passport too precisely at this stage, since some of the details have yet to be worked out. It has, however, been agreed that it will retain the main characteristics of our present passport, such as the name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Royal coat of arms and the rubric

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many placements in new jobs were made in the last month for which figures are available through the jobcentres.

The total number of placings achieved by jobcentres and employment offices during the four-week period 10 January to 6 February 1981, the latest period for which figures are available, was 104,734.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how the Health and Safety Commission will safeguard the confidentiality of the commercially valuable information to be requested as a result of its proposed new regulations on the notification of new chemical substances.

The Health and Safety Commission set out its proposals for regulations on the notification of new substances in a consultative document published on 18 February. The commission recognised that some of the information which manufacturers would be required to provide would be commercially valuable. In devising procedures to safeguard the confidentiality of that information the commission proposes to take account of existing departmental guidance on security classification.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many registered disabled persons on the lists of the Manpower Services Commission secured gainful employment in the years 1979 and 1980 in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Information is not available in the form requested. Manpower Services Commission statistics show by operational year those disabled people who are placed into employment by the specialist disablement resettlement service. Statistics for Northern Ireland are not available.The number of registered disabled people placed into employment by the resettlement service in England, Scotland and Wales in the 1978–79 and 1979–80 operational years are shown below:

	England	Scotland	Wales	Total
1978–79	28,847	3,255	2,146	34,248
1979–80	27,960	3,012	2,020	32,992

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps are taken by his Department to publicise the fact to disabled persons that they should be registered with the Manpower Services Commission.

Registration as a disabled person is voluntary, but the Manpower Services Commission's disablement resettlement officers advise individual disabled people of the benefits of registration. An MSC leaflet is available to unemployed and employed disabled people which sets out the benefits of registration, application procedures and other services available under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many inspections of employers' records were carried out by officers of the Manpower Services Commission concerning the statutory requirement to employ a 3 per cent. quota of the work force from the list of registered disabled persons in the years 1979 and 1980.

2,079 such inspections were carried out in 1979 and 2,181 in 1980 in accordance with the provisions of Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons are on the register of employable disabled at the Manpower Services Commission headquarters in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Information is not available in the precise form requested as the Manpower Services Commission's activities do not extend to Northern Ireland. In April 1980, the latest date for which figures are available, the numbers on the register of disabled people maintained at the employment service division jobcentres and employment offices, and applicable to employable disabled people, are as follows:

England	396,968
Scotland	45,792

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the number of employable disabled persons.

The information requested is not available, as Manpower Services Commission statistics can only identify those employable disabled people who are registered, either as a disabled person or as unemployed.In April 1980, the latest date available, there were 470,588 registered disabled people. In February 1981, the latest date for which unemployment figures are available, there were 173,359 disabled people unemployed, of whom 71,428 were registered.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the proposed closure of Johnson's Controls, Cheney Manor, Swindon, details of which have been sent to him.

My Department has been informed that Johnson's Controls is to close its factory at Cheney Manor, Swindon on 17 April with the loss of 32 jobs, though I understand that the company has offered alternative employment at its other plant in Swindon to 16 of the workers affected.All the facilities of the Manpower Services Commission will be available to help those workers seeking alternative employment or wishing to train for a new skill.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the appropriate redunancy payments office has yet informed his Department of redundancies which have taken at Johnson's Controls, Cheney Manor, Swindon; and whether any such information is in accordance with the effective redundancy dates notified to his Department.

Information given to the Department under the redundancy handling provisions of the Employment Protection Act 1975 and the redundancy payments provisions of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 is given in confidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what procedures are followed by his Department when an employer notifies redundancies under the Employment Protection Act 1975; at what stage information given under the redundancy handling provisions of that Act is no longer regarded as confidential; and at what stage he regards redundancies as having been declared.

Every notification is checked for compliance with section 100 of the Employment Protection Act 1975. It is then copied within my Department to those dealing with the temporary short-time working compensation scheme so that they may advise employers about the scheme and to those dealing with redundancy payments as an advance warning.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that adequate arrangements exist for trade union members who do not have a recognition agreement with their employer to be informed when that employer notifies him of redundancies under the provisions of the Employment Protection Act 1975.

Where there is no recognised trade union there are no arrangements to inform employees of proposed redundancies under the provisions of the Employment Protection Act 1975. The employees will, of

Training year	Engineering	Construction	Road Transport	Hotel	Air Transport and Travel	Food, Drink and Tobacco
1980–81	18,188†	17,340†	6,200†	l,750†	150†	680†
1979–80	22,083	20,783	10,397	1,643	150	976
1978–79	22,505	21,220	13,400	2,299	250	876
1977–78	20,613	19,926	13,000	2,576	280	798
1976–77	20,630	19,259	11,400	2,235	220	710
1975–76	20,187	20,187	10,800	1,961	160	602
1974–75	23,496	23,496	10,000	1,876	140	490
1973–74	*	*	8,700	1,636	134	516
1972–73	*	*	10,100	1,866	260	*
1971–72	*	*	9,900	1,966	357	*
1970–71	*	*	11,500	1,942	350	*
* Not available.
† Estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many trained bricklayers and carpenters or joiners have received training at skillcentres in the West Midlands since they opened: and what information is available as to the percentage of those trained in these crafts who have stayed in the building industry over each year since.

[pursuant to his reply, 7 April, 1981, c. 258]: The statistics of those completing training in bricklaying and carpentry and joinery at skillcentres in the West Midlands are as follows:

Period	Numbers who completed training	Numbers placed in employment using their skills at the end of training
Bricklaying
June–December 1977 (6 months)	65	45
January–December 1978	109	93
January–December 1979	184	177
January–September 1980 (9 months)	146	120
Carpentry and Joinery

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many apprenticeship places were provided by companies in the (a) engineering, (b) construction, (c) road transport and (d) other industrial sectors for each year since 1970; and how many places he estimates will be provided for this year.

[pursuant to his reply, 7 April 1981, c. 258]: Comprehensive statistics on the number of apprentices recruited by employers are not available. However, some industry training boards collect from firms within their scope statistics of recruitment into apprenticeships and other forms of long term training; and these details are provided by training year in the following table.

Period	Numbers who completed training	Numbers placed in employment using their skills at the end of training
June–December 1977 (6 months)	38	24
January–December 1978	100	88
January–December 1979	92	84
January–September 1980 (9 months)	105	83
Figures are available only from June 1977.

Since April 1979 questionnaires have been sent to all trainees three months after completing their training and, for the period April 1979 to September 1980, 71 per cent. of the questionnaires returned in respect of bricklayers trained in the West Midlands and 86 per cent. in respect of carpenters and joiners showed them to be working and using the skills taught on their courses.Figures are not available for the percentage of trainees who remained hi the building industry after a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress he is able to report on the introduction of a road equivalent tariff to the Scottish islands.