asked the Lord Privy Seal what amount of development assistance has been offered to Honduras; and for what purposes.

The Government of Honduras have recently accepted our offer of a loan of £5 million for development purposes. Possible projects in the health, water supply and agricultural sectors are now being examined. In addition, we are providing the services of British experts in forestry and fishery development and training for Honduras students in Britain under technical co-operation arrangements at a cost in 1980–81 of about £420,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the United Kingdom sells oil to Israel, directly or indirectly; and whether there is any authority to prevent this trade.

I have asked the companies exporting United Kingdom North Sea oil to do so in the markets of our partners in the International Energy Agency and the European Community except where there are existing patterns of trade. This precludes direct sales of United Kingdom North Sea oil to Israel. I cannot monitor indirect trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what were the increases in prices between November 1975 and November 1980 for (a) coal and smokeless fuels, (b) gas, (c) electricity and (d) fuel and light; and what was the increase in the retail price index over the same period.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects the Health and Safety Executive to publish the report of the team appointed to review the arrangements for the management of safety at British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.'s Windscale site; and if he will make a statement.

The Health and Safety Executive has today published the review team's full report. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.I welcome this valuable report, which describes the very thorough review conducted by the team into all aspects of the arrangements for the management of safety at Windscale, including procedures for design safety assessment and those for surveillance of safety in operating plants and during maintenance. It is comprehensive, constructive and balanced, covering the whole spectrum of safety organisation from management systems down to shop floor safety procedures. It makes it clear that BNFL and its employees at all levels co-operated fully with the team and that throughout the review a constructive dialogue was maintained between the team, the company, the Nuclear Installation's Inspectorate and the Radiochemicals Inspectorate.The report shows that serious deficiencies have existed in the past and that it has taken time to overcome these. However, in the course of its review the team identified a number of important areas where safety systems and procedures still needed improvement and managerial responsibilities required clarification. Accordingly, a series of detailed recommendations have been made. Of these, the main matters identified as needing attention relate to the review and updating of procedures; the strengthening of technical support groups on the site; the developing and strengthening of the quality assurance organisation; and the implementation of a particular system of safety audit.Because the Government attach great importance to safety at Windscale, I have discussed the report and its recommendations with the HSE, together with the executive's plans to follow up the report's conclusions. It has assured me that, as the report records, BNFL's management at Windscale and the company's Risley headquarters have made strenuous efforts to improve arrangements for achieving a high standard of safety. Some of the conclusions reached had already been considered by Windscale's management and were being implemented while the team was at work. The team communicated others to the company and the NII as they arose during the course of the review. Consequently, most of the report's recommendations have been, or are in the process of being, implemented. The HSE is satisfied with the company's plans for the orderly implementation of the remaining recommendations and will maintain close contact with the company on their progress.I have also discussed the report's conclusions and recommendations with BNFL, emphasising the importance the Government attach to early implementation of these and the maintenance of effective control over safety at Windscale. It, too, accepts the report as fair and constructive and has thought it right to publish its formal response to the report. I welcome this and have arranged for copies to be laid in the Library of the House.As to the future, BNFL, recognises the importance of line management responsibilities for safety at all stages of a plant's design, construction, operation and maintenance, and that primary responsibility for the safety of all its operations rests with the company. Its policy is one of positive self-regulation in safety matters rather than reliance on meeting conditions imposed by regulatory bodies. In developing and extending this policy it will continue to take full account of the review team's recommendation particularly in relation to internal safety audit systems, the strengthened role of the Directorate of Health and Safety and the provision of technical support. It has assured me that it sees no difficulty in providing adequate resources for this purpose.I understand that the HSE has proposed, as an important part of the follow-up, that BNFL shall provide the executive, in six months' time, with a full report on progress towards implementation of the review team's recommendations. This will be published. At the same time, the NII, which attaches great importance to its surveillance role at Windscale, will take full account of the review team's findings during normal inspection work relating to the site's activities.I draw attention to the HSE and review team's respective conclusions that Windscale should not be regarded as a dangerous place at which to work or near which to live and that it sees no reason, on safety grounds, why the programme for the development of the Windscale site should not continue. The Government welcome this authoritative reassurance. I am satisfied that such of the report's recommendations as have not so far been implemented will be implemented by BNFL as a matter of priority and that the HSE has devised effective arrangements for the independent monitoring of this follow-up to the report. I also have full confidence in the ability and capacity of BNFL's and Windscale's management to control effectively the safety of operations at the Windscale site.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) if she will ensure that any new Civil Service pay review machinery is able to consider differential percentage wage increases for different categories and different grades of civil servants;(2) if she will ensure that any machinery to examine outside comparisons for the purpose of determining civil service pay is wholly independent of the Civil Service;(3) which features of the system of pay determination for civil servants hitherto used the Government consider unsatisfactory.

The Government have made it clear that the present review of pay arrangements for the non-industrial Civil Service will cover all relevant factors. The matters raised in the hon. Member's questions will be taken into account.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, within the 7 per cent. cash limit for civil service pay, what percentage increase would be available for civil servants earning more than national average earnings if civil servants earning less than such average earnings received a pay increase of 8 per cent., 9 per cent. and 10 per cent. respectively.

As announced previously, the cash limit for Civil Service pay is 6 per cent., but the Government have offered an increase of 7 per cent. for the April 1981 settlement to be financed through savings in staff and administrative costs. On this basis, the increase available for those earnings more than the national average would be 6 per cent., 5 per cent. and 4 per cent. respectively.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service for what reason permission was granted for the Institution of Professional Civil Servants to hold branch meetings in Government-paid time to decide by show of hands whether or not to strike; and whether this is normal practice.

Permission was given for the Institution of Professional Civil Servants to hold a series of members' meetings between 9 and 20 February 1981. These comprised general meetings at which representatives of the institution's national executive committee passed on information about progress of pay negotiations, and consultative meetings at which members were asked to take decisions. Management wanted to ensure that the meetings were as fully representative as possible, and decided, in line with previous practice, to allow the meetings to be held in working time on official premises.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if any request has been made to the Civil Service unions inviting them to organise a ballot of their members on the Government's pay offer.

No.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants have been suspended without pay since the start of the current pay dispute.

Up to and including 7 April, 96 non-industrial civil servants had been temporarily relieved from duty during the current industrial action for refusing to carry out duties required of them. They are not at work and are not being paid. In temporarily removing them from duty, it was made clear that they are free to return to work immediately just as soon as they are ready to work normally.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many representations have been received from civil servants and others in favour of accepting the increase in pay proposed by the Government.

The Government have received a number of letters from members of the public, and from civil servants themselves, supporting the offer of a 7 per cent. pay increase for the Civil Service.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total number of civil servants employed by the Department of Employment in (a) the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, (b) Tyne and Wear county and (c) the Northern region at the latest available date and in May 1979.

I have been asked to reply.The total numbers of staff employed by the Department of Employment in the area specified were as follows:

	At 1-4-1981	At 1-5-1979
City of Newcastle upon Tyne	348	358
Tyne and Wear county	532	485
The Northern region	1,900	1,716

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants were employed by the Department of Employment in unemployment benefit offices in (a) the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, (b) Tyne and Wear county and (c) the Northern region at the latest available date; and what were the comparable figures for May 1979.

I have been asked to reply.The number of staff employed in unemployment benefit offices in the areas specified were as follows:

	At 1-4-1981	At 1-5-1979
City of Newcastle upon Tyne	196	192
Tyne and Wear county	532	485
The Northern region	1,746	1,546

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give figures for the profits earned by the four major clearing banks, before and after tax, for each of the years 1973 to 1980 (a) on a historic cost basis, (b) on a current cost basis and (c) on a current cost basis in terms of 1973 prices;(2) if he will publish a table bringing up to date table 12 on page 24 of the report of the Price Commission on "Banks: Charges for Money Transmission Services", showing the return on capital adjusted for inflation for the four major London clearing banks;(3) if, in relation to the profits earned by the four major clearing banks in 1980, he will give approximate estimates for

Some of the information requested by my hon. Friend is not available. The only source of the information that is available is the published accounts of the big four clearing banks. Relevant figures taken from these accounts are set out in the following table. These show the pre- and post-tax profits of the big four London clearing bank groups for the period 1973 to 1980. Figures for current cost profits for a similar period have not been published. I emphasise that these figures refer to the whole operation of the clearing bank groups, not just their United Kingdom banking business, that these figures are stated after provision for bad and doubtful debts and that for a variety of reasons, such as the inclusion of deferred tax, the tax figures in published accounts may not indicate the tax actually payable on the year's profits.

Historical cost profits as published in bank accounts of big four clearing bank groups
	Pre-Tax	£ million Post-Tax
1973	580	326
1974	449	205
1975	424	187
1976	700	332
1977	*896	*550
1978	†1,084	†698
1979	1,563	1,072
1980	1,455	1,061

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received from charitable organisations about value added tax relief; and if he will make a statement.

Several hundred letters have been received on this subject. I refer the hon. Member to what my right hon. and learned Friend said about it in his Budget Statement.—[Vol. 1000, c. 770.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state how much revenue would be lost if he were to raise the value added tax registration threshold from his proposed £15,000 to £50,000.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much public money would be saved in administration by Customs and Excise if he were to increase the value added tax registration threshold from £15,000 to £50,000; and how many fewer staff would be required.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the present limit on monthly deposits under the Post Office "Save as You Earn'. scheme was introduced; what would be the equivalent figure at the present time to retain the value in real terms; and whether he will increase the limit.

The current monthly contribution limit of £50 on the Department for National Savings 3rd Issue index-linked "Save as You Earn" scheme came into operation on 1 April 1981. We have no present intention to make a further increase in this limit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will recoup the £2 million per week cost of the Civil Service strike by making corresponding reductions in the cash limits imposed, thereby reducing the pay award offered.

The Governmemt have made it clear that the cost of the Civil Service pay award must be financed within the announced cash limits for 1981–82. There are no plans for changing those limits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the computerised information regarding retirement pensions and graduated retirement pensions available to the Inland Revenue enables an estimate to be made of the extra female taxpayers in 1981–82 between the ages of 60 to 64 years.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the arrangement referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, 3 April, Official Report, columns 136–37, by which the Inland Revenue is notified of pension information, outlining (a) when the arrangement was announced, (b) when it becomes effective and (c) why it was necessary.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if retirement pensioners liable to income tax due to pension increases in November are required to pay the increased income tax before the pension increase is actually received or whether the annual tax due is collected between the date of the increase and the end of the tax year.

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

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 April 1981, c. 185]: Information is not collected in the form requested, but the following table gives, for the dates shown, the estimated percentage of family income supplement recipients who were above the tax threshold when benefit was claimed in the preceding 12 months:

	Percentage
April 1974	20
April 1975	22
April 1976	46
April 1977	56
April 1978	62
October 1979	72
April 1980	75

No more recent information is available. Although the FIS scheme began in August 1971, information prior to April 1974 does not enable an accurate estimate to be made of the numbers above the tax threshold for the early years of the scheme.Estimates are given for April each year except for 1979, when the information was incomplete for that month and a percentage based on October is given instead.In calculating the tax threshold, assumptions had to be made about the ages of the children. In families of up to four children they were all assumed to be under 11. For families with five to eight children it was assumed that four were under 11 and the rest 11 to 16. In families of nine children or more, four were assumed to be under 11, four 11 to 16 and the remainder over 16.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the levels of exemption for income tax have been for each year from 1973–74 to date in respect of Trustee Savings Bank interest on ordinary and special investment accounts, respectively.

[pursuant to his reply, 7 April 1981, c. 221]: Sums paid or credited in respect of interest on ordinary deposits with a Trustee Savings Bank were exempt from income tax in so far as they did not exceed the following annual levels:

	Annual levels
1973–74	£21
1974–75 to 1976–77	£40
1977–78 et seq	£70

Following the winding up of the Trustee Savings Bank "ordinary department" arrangement, this exemption was withdrawn by section 59 of the Finance Act 1980 in relation to interest for periods after 20 November 1979.Interest on special investment accounts has always been liable to income tax in total.

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 April 1981, c. 268]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Eggar) on 6 April 1981.—[Vol. 2, c. 186.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report a list of bans made under section 3 of the Public Order Act 1936 since 1 January 1978 giving date, location, length of ban and class of procession banned.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave yesterday to a question by the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Cunningham).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he is having with bodies representing firemen and fire officers on future policy on fire safety.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I intend that future action on proposals in the Green Paper on future fire policy which are of direct concern to the fire service should be conducted through the established machinery of the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Councils for England and Wales and for Scotland, on which the various fire service organisations are represented. The councils and their constituent committees have already discussed a number of aspects of the Green Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of criminal offences during the last quarter of (a) 1979 and (b) 1980.

Quarterly information on court proceedings is not compiled regularly and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal offences were recorded by the police in the last quarter of (a) 1979 and (b) 1980.

The information available was published in Home Office "Statistical Bulletin" 5/81, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends proposing any amendments to the law regarding the position of those patients in mental hospitals who are not allowed to use the hospital address for electoral registration and are thus disenfranchised.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many work permit holders, or former work permit holders, currently are having their immigration status investigated because of suspected irregularities in the references originally supplied in support of their work permit applications; and how many of them came to the United Kingdom from the Philippines;(2) how many work permit holders, or former work permit holders, had their immigration status investigated in each of the last three years because of suspected irregularities in the references originally supplied in support of their work permit applications; how many

Statistical information about people dealt with as illegal entrants, which includes people who gained entry by means of a work permit obtained by deception, is published annually in the "Control of Immigration Statistics". This information does not, however, identify nationalities or give details of the types of illegal entry involved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the number of post mortems carried out since 1972 under section 21 of the Coroners Act 1887 and Coroners Amendment Act 1926, showing their percentage in relation to the annual death rate and the number of post mortems in each year which indicate violent death, industrial accident, industrial disease, chronic alcoholism, addiction to drugs, lack of care or self neglect, natural causes and causes unknown, respectively.

A statistical bulletin giving the information available for 1970 to 1980 is in course of preparation and will be published in a few weeks' time. A copy of this bulletin will be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many senior officers, principal officers and chief officers in the prison service, respectively, have accepted promotion to assistant governorships in the last three years.

The information is as follows:

• Senior Officers— 2 (1 in 1979 and 1 in 1980)
• Principal Officers — None
• Chief Officers— 2 (1 in 1978 and 1 in 1980)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the latest figures on all payments, paid or proposed, for the purpose of nuclear civil defence, and the recipients of such payments.

The purpose of civil defence is to protect the civilian population and enhance its prospects of surviving hostile attack. Measures specifically for protection against nuclear attack are not separately indentified.Estimated expenditure by the Government on civil defence in the United Kingdom for 1980–81 was approximately £21·6 million. Details of estimated expenditure for 1981–82 are shown in the published Supply Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what authority immigration officers inspect the passports of those leaving the United Kingdom; and if he will publish the text of the authority in the Official Report.

Paragraph 3(1) of schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971 provides that an immigration officer may examine any person who is embarking or seeking to embark in the United Kingdom for the purpose of determining whether he is patrial and, if he is not, for the purpose of establishing his identity. Paragraph 4(2) of that schedule requires a passenger so examined to produce, if so required by the immigration officer, either a valid passport, with a photograph, or some other document satisfactorily establishing his identity and nationality or citizenship.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in the discussions on the European Economic Community price review; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend made a full report to the House on 3 April on the settlement reached last week.

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take on the request from the National Farmers Union for a lime subsidy; and if he will make a statement.

The application of lime already qualifies for grant-aid under the capital grant schemes when it is part of a grassland regeneration programme. Grants of up to 50 per cent. are available on hill land. We have no plans to introduce a further subsidy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he considers that the United Kingdom could establish a satisfactory conservation policy for fish, similar to that achieved by Iceland, without participating in a European common fisheries policy;(2) why he considers that a common fisheries policy is necessary for the establishment of a satisfactory conservation policy.

Fish stocks move among the waters of coastal States without regard to boundaries. Conservation policies will therefore be more effective when based on international agreement. Membership of the European Community offers the best opportunity of achieving this for the waters of Northern Europe.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 30 March, Official Report, c. 17, what information he has as to the reasons for the decline of 400 million tonnes in annual sugar consumption in the United Kingdom since 1972.

I regret that there was an error in the answer referred to: the decline in annual consumption between 1972 and the present is 400,000 tonnes, not 400 million tonnes. There are a number of reasons for this decline, including changes in consumer taste, the fact that the reduction in sales at the time of the sugar shortage in the mid-1970s was not fully reversed and some substitution of glucose for sugar by food manufacturers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) why he has abolished the post of chief scientist at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food;(2) for what reason, either personal or in relation to policy, he has prematurely retired the chief scientist of his Department.

Following a management review of my Department, which included a study of its top structure, I accepted a recommendation that the post of chief scientist at deputy secretary level should be replaced by two posts at under-secretary level—chief scientist (agriculture and horticulture) and chief scientist (fisheries and food). I have appointed the two new chief scientists as my scientific policy advisers and in that capacity they will have direct access to me. New organisational arrangements will help to bring scientific expertise more directly to bear on the process of policy formation and will produce an even closer co-ordination of the research effort between my Department and the Agricultural Research Council.As a result of these changes, the chief scientist at deputy secretary level has retired from the public service.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff are employed in the Manpower Services Commission; and how many staff were employed at each year end, or other convenient dates, since it was started; and if he will schedule the figures so as to clearly demonstrate changes by transfers of staff.

The Manpower Services Commission was set up on 1 January 1974. In the first year of its existence some 17,320 staff transferred from the Department of Employment to the commission. The number of permanent staff employed by the commission on 1 January each year, from 1975 onwards, was as follows:

• 1 January 1975—18,571
• 1 January 1976—20,862
• 1 January 1977—22,911
• 1 January 1978—24,005
• 1 January 1979—24,961
• 1 January 1980—25,367
• 1 January 1981—23,671

These figures include about 175 permanent staff transferred from the Department of Employment during 1977. No other major transfers of staff have taken place.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what are the comparative figures per thousand civilian working population between London and Liverpool of school leavers unemployed in April 1981;(2) what are the comparative figures per thousand civilian working population between London and Liverpool of total registered unemployed in April 1981;(3) what are the comparative figures per thousand civilian working population between London and Liverpool of people unemployed for more than a year in April 1981.

The latest information at present available for the total numbers unemployed and for unemployed school leavers under 18 years of age is for 12 March and the latest for those unemployed for more than a year is for 15 January. In the following table the figures are expressed per 1,000 of the total numbers of employees, employed and unemployed, in the respective areas.

	Greater London	Liverpool travel-to-work area
Unemployed school leavers per 1,000 employees 12 March 1981	1·4	7
Total unemployed per 1,000 employees 12 March 1981	68	161
Unemployed over 52 weeks per 1,000 employees 15 January 1981	10	56

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the cost of the conference held at Loews hotel, Monte Carlo, for Mobil Oil Company dealers, was deductible for training purposes.

The Road Transport Industry Training Board is prepared to accept claims for grants in respect of an employee of an eligible levy-paying company who attended the conference. The grants are available as part of the board's encouragement of management training.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the salary of the chairman of the Road Transport Industry Training Board.

The salary of the chairman of the Road Transport Industry Training Board is £6,910 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the Manpower Services Commission to complete its review of the work of the Road Transport Industry Training Board as part of the sector by sector review of industrial training.

My right hon. Friend has asked the Manpower Services Commission to submit the results of its sector-by-sector review of training arrangements by June. This review will consider the future of all industrial training boards, including the Road Transport Industry Training Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether there is any actual or potential cost to public funds of the conference at Loews Hotel, Monte Carlo, attended by officials of the Road Transport Industry Training Board, in excess of the cost of attendance of these officials;(2) how many officials of the Road Transport Industry Training Board attended a conference held at Loews Hotel, Monte Carlo; at what cost to public funds; and what training was conducted.

One official of the Road Transport Industry Training Board attended a manufacturer's dealer convention held at Loews Hotel, Monte Carlo from 12 to 15 March 1981. At the invitation of the sponsors the board was asked to provide a display of relevant training material and a member of staff to answer questions from delegates. The salary cost of the official concerned was £130. The board says other costs were met from its own sources, including revenue from the sale of training materials, and there is therefore no further cost, actual or potential, to public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies were declared in (a) Newcastle upon Tyne, (b) Tyne and Wear county and (c) the Northern region in each month from May 1979 to the latest available date.

There are no comprehensive statistics of redundancies. The numbers of redundancies, involving 10 or more employees, reported to the Manpower Services Commission as due to occur in each month between May 1979 and March 1981 are as follows:

	Newcastle	Tyne and Wear	Northern Region
1979
May	115	203	1,115
Jun	168	460	2,128
Jul	221	782	1,723
Aug	87	224	745
Sep	306	839	1,348
Oct	37	421	753
Nov	118	756	1,718
Dec	102	339	1,157
1980
Jan	34	620	2,599
Feb	477	1,939	2,540
Mar	78	326	1,571
Apr	68	921	2,150
May	73	975	2,119
Jun	128	430	2,180
Jul	225	1,114	2,625
Aug	218	1,400	3,488
Sep	300	994	5,931
Oct	196	1,918	3,524
Nov	396	2,343	4,252
Dec	210	1,436	2,972
1981
Jan	196	1,069	3,181
Feb*	202	956	4,058
Mar*	261	1,144	3,495
*Provisional

Figures for February 1981 or later are not fully comparable with those for January 1981 and earlier, because of improvements in data collection designed to secure a better coverage of reported redundancies which are actually expected to take place.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many teachers are at present unemployed in each region; and how many have been unemployed in excess of six months and 12 months.

The following table gives, for the areas specified, the numbers of unemployed people registered at employment offices for employment as school teachers at 11 December 1980, the latest dale for which the informaton is available. There is no cross- analysis by occupation and duration.

	Number Registered
South East	3,545
East Anglia	373
South West	1,520
West Midlands	1,047
East Midlands	603
Yorkshire and Humberside	1,186
North West	1,854
North	1,130
Wales	1,079
Scotland	1,642

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many people have been made redundant in West Yorkshire since May 1979; and if he will divide these into specific areas covered by the jobcentres in each locality;

There are no comprehensive statistics of closures or redundancies. The numbers of closures of firms and redundancies, involving 10 or more employees in each case, reported to it as due to occur in West Yorkshire were are follows:

Number of closures and redundancies reported as due to occur
	Closures		Redundancies
Employment Office Area	May l971 to Jan 1981	Feb-Mar 1981*	May 1979 to Jan 1981	Feb-Mar 1981*
Bately	1	—	664	156
Bingley	—	—	217	40
Bradford	10	2	4,558	577
Bramley	2	—	632	69
Brighouse	5	—	884	282
Castleford	2	—	406	275
Dewsbury	5	—	974	92
Elland	—	—	154	42
Halifax	5	—	1,926	154
Hebden Bridge	—	—	53	—
Hemsworth	2	—	261	—
Horsforth	1	—	71	—
Huddersfield	17	—	5,734	572
Hunslet	3	1	1,262	279
Keighley	3	—	1,270	152
Knottingley	—	—	289	—
Leeds	24	—	6,984	766
Morley	—	—	283	49
Normanton	1	—	28	—
Otley	—	—	—	—
Pontefract	—	—	52	99
Rothwell	—	—	44	11
Seacroft	—	—	306	70
Shipley	4	—	798	—
South Elmsall	2	—	282	—
Sowerby Bridge	1	1	428	174
Spen Valley	1	—	1,576	162
Todmorden	—	—	22	—
Wakefield	—	—	55	—
Wetherby	2	1	437	8
Yeadon	2	1	616	104
West Yorkshire Total	93	6	31,266	4,133
* Provisional figures. Figures for February 1981 or later are not fully comparable with those for January 1981 and earlier, because of improvements in data collection designed to secure a better coverage or reported redundancies which are actually expected to take place.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much Government aid has been given to create or maintain employment in the Ince constituency, indicating in each case the jobs saved or created and the cost of each particular scheme; and, expressed as a percentage, what proportion of the working population in each particular group, namely, men, women, and so on are being so assisted.

I regret the information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he plans to alter the wording of short-time working compensation forms seeking, on the first application by an employer, an assurance that the employees covered by the short-time working compensation scheme will not be made redundant at the end of the short-time working compensation.

A change in the wording of the application form for temporary short-time working compensation was introduced with effect from 1 April 1981. The employer is now asked to sign a declaration that he does not expect to have to declare jobs redundant which have been safeguarded under the scheme. This is a way of making explicit what was already seen as the major purpose of the scheme, which seeks to prevent jobs which are thought to have a longer-term future from being lost through short-term difficulties.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now seek to amend the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act to (a) increase maternity pay from six to 18 weeks and (b) raise maternity pay from 90 per cent. to 100 per cent. of total earnings.

I have no intention of increasing the maternity pay period from six to 18 weeks. I am, however, seeking powers in the Social Security Bill now before Parliament to allow me to raise maternity pay from 90 per cent. to 100 per cent. of normal earnings as soon as resources are available.

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 April 1981, c. 201]: I regret that estimates are not available in the form requested. Estimates are made for Great Britain, but not for Scotland or the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has received representations about the proposed sale at auction of the artistic estate of the late Charles Tunnicliffe since his reply of 26 March, Official Report, c. 408, to the hon. Member for Warley, East (Mr. Faulds); and if he will make a statement.

I have received a number of representations both from individuals and national bodies expressing deep concern at the prospect that this important collection could be dispersed. I share this concern and hope that discussions currently taking place with the interested bodies will lead to a satisfactory outcome.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements 'for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 April.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

asked the Prime Minister what her practice is with regard to briefing the press in advance of policy statements to Parliament.

It is not my practice to brief the press in advance of policy statements to Parliament.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on the state of relations between the United Kingdom and Israel; and what proposals she has for improving them.

Our relations with Israel are good and we are constantly seeking to improve them. We share an interest with Israel in peace and stability in the Middle East. We wish to work with her and with her Arab neighbours to help achieve by agreement that common objective.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Southend.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when she next expects to meet the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland.

I expect to have a further bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland in the course of this year but the date has not yet been fixed.

asked the Prime Minister whether the information given to Lady Hollis as a result of which she left the United Kingdom prior to any statement being made upon her late husband was given with her authority.

I have nothing to add to the statement I made on 26 March.

asked the Prime Minister how many hon. Members she has seen on matters relating to factory closures since she last answered oral questions; and how many jobs are expected to be lost in the closures discussed.

I have had no such meetings since 7 April.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in the light of the abolition of the post of chief scientist in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, she is considering the abolition of other chief scientist posts.

As my right hon. Friend has explained in an answer to the hon. Member today, the post of chief scientist at deputy secretary level in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has been replaced by two chief scientist posts at under-secretary level. These arrangements reflect the needs of that Department and have no wider implications.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in future, when making public announcements and declarations of letters and so on that she has sent on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, as in the case of the letter to President Brezhnev on the Afghanistan and Polish problems, she will make an announcement to the House either orally or in writing when the House is in session.

Such matters are for decision at the time in the light of the particular circumstances involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he has yet decided whether to refer the proposed merger between the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Standard Chartered Bank to the Monopolies Commission.

My right hon. Friend will announce his decision as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the share of the United Kingdom import market for manufactures taken by the European Economic Community Six each year from 1970 and each quarter in 1980.

The information is as follows:

Share of United Kingdom total imports of manufactures* coming from European Community(6)
	Percentage
1970	28
1971	31
1972	34
1973	36
1974	38
1975	39
1976	41
1977	43
1978	45
1979	47
1980	44
1980 Ql	46
Q2	44
Q3	42
Q4	44

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he has any evidence that the tighter restrictions on imports into the United Kingdom under the present multi-fibre arrangement have benefited British industry rather than foreign suppliers who are not restricted under the arrangement.

The matter is not one which can be demonstrated since we do not know what the trade flows would have been in the absence of the restrictions. I am quite sure, however, that in the absence of restrictions total imports into the United Kingdom would have been larger and sales which our industry achieved in the period would have been correspondingly smaller.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will give the share of textile and clothing imports into the United Kingdom secured by different suppliers during the present multi-fibre arrangement, distinguishing

Value of imports into the United Kingdom of textiles and clothing from various sources as a percentage of total imports of these products into the United Kingdom
	1974	1975	1976	1977	1974/77 (average)	1978	1979	1980	1978/80 (average)
MFA countries	28	29	34	30	31	27	28	28	28
Other low-cost sources	15	14	10	11	12	11	12	11	11
Developed countries	57	57	56	59	57	62	60	61	61
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the total value of export credit guarantees on trade with Poland in 1980 and to date in 1981.

During 1980 export credit guarantees to Poland other than for short-term business amounted to some £100 million. So far in 1981 further guarantees amounting to some £20 million have been agreed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what specific recommendations have been made, or specific action taken, since 15 April 1980 by the Overseas Projects Board of the British Overseas Trade Board to assist the construction industry; and what further action he envisages.

The Overseas Projects Board has, as part of its work since April 1980, made a close examination of the services provided by ECGD and "aid and trade". These studies have been made in the interests of the project industry as a whole, including the construction industry. The board's conclusions are being followed through, and some have been implemented.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether departmental circular OTM 11/76, issued by the previous Administration, remains in force; if so, whether he will give specific examples of the action taken by diplomatic posts in (a) Bahrain, (b) Baghdad, (c) Amman, (d) Kuwait, (e) Doha, (f)Jedda, (g) Damascus, (h) Cairo, (i) Dubai and (j) Abu Dhabi to meet the recommendations of paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of that circular to assist United Kingdom construction firms regarding market opportunities; and what monitoring procedures he has established to ensure those recommendations are carried out and prospective exporters advised accordingly.

OTM 11/76 remains in force and posts continue to be required to transmit information between the suppliers restricted under the arrangement and those who are not so restricted and comparing these shares with those secured during the first term of the arrangement.

The information requested is as follows:in the specified categories of intelligence—that is, market pointers, calls for tender and successful bidding firms—as with other information, for publication through the export intelligence service.To ask the 10 posts concerned in my hon. Friend's question to report the specific activity undertaken on behalf of the construction industry would not be an effective use of limited staff resources. The number of notices from each of them issued under the consultants' and contractors' services classification during 1980 is as follows:

	Market Pointers	Tenders	Successful Bidders
Bahrain	4	3	2
Baghdad	9	78	2
Amman	19	49	5
Kuwait	25	21	35
Doha	24	14	32
Jedda	41	7	13
Damascus	11	58	2
Cairo	7	74	0
Dubai	3	10	0
Abu Dhabi	18	18	8

In addition to reporting opportunities through EIS, these posts prepare project lists, which are of considerable value to the construction industry, advise business visitors and inform the Department of opportunities where direct action by individual firms is needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, assuming current rates of inflation, what he estimates would be the effect on employment trends of the changing pattern of trade with Europe, based on an increase or decrease in the value of the £ sterling of (a) 5 and (b) 10 per cent. against the other EEC currencies.

It is not possible to make worthwhile estimates on the basis of available information.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many trade delegations from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have visited the United Kingdom in accordance with existing agreements between the two countries since 1968; and what industries they have visited.

Existing agreements relating to trade matters do not themselves provide for the visits of trade delegations to the United Kingdom. Details are not readily available of visits that have taken place since 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what technology, scientific knowledge and know-how has been provided to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in accordance with current treaties and agreements between the two countries; and to what extent this information is of potential use in military equipment.

The Soviet Union has received information on a range of subjects, including standards, plasma physics, coal mining, road and traffic planning methodology, corrosion and astronomy; I have no reason to believe that any of this information was of direct military potential.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what capital plant and equipment has been sold to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics since 1968; and on what terms.

Details of trade in capital plant and equipment with individual countries are not readily available. The terms of sale were a matter for the companies concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the current extent of credit outstanding to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and when and how payment is expected.

I have no information on the total amount of credit made available to the Soviet Union by British lenders. The repayment period would of course depend upon the terms of these loans. It would also be contrary to normal practice to disclose details of ECGD's commitments on an individual market.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many British trade delegations and advisory experts have visited the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in accordance with current treaties and agreements between the two countries since 1968; and what industries they have visited.

Current treaties and agreements relating to trade matters do not themselves provide for the visits of British trade delegations and advisory experts to the Soviet Union. Details are not readily available of visits that have taken place since 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what technology and scientific knowledge have been passed to the United Kingdom in accordance with current treaties and agreements between the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

The United Kingdom has received information on a range of subjects, including the steel industry, electrical supply and transmission, coal mining, nuclear energy, plasma physics, and tribology.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what work has already been completed, and what further long-term programmes have been prepared, by the Permanent United Kingdom/Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Intergovernmental Commission for Co-operation in the Fields of Applied Science and Technology, Trade and Economic Relations.

The main task of the joint commission at each of its meetings has been to review the whole range of co-operation activities falling within its terms of reference. There have been two long-term programmes—Cmnd. 5924—which were drawn up in 1975; these identified items of potential interest to both sides, some of which have led to the exchange of information and to commercial opportunities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish the names of those at present representing the two countries on the Permanent United Kingdom/ Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Intergovernmental Commission for Co-operation in the Fields of Applied Science and Technology, Trade and Economic Relations;i when the commission was established; and how often it meets.

Participation at meetings of the joint commission varies according to the subjects to be discussed and has included British business men as well as Government representatives. At the last session of the joint commission in October 1979, I led the British delegation. Mr. Kuzmin, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade, was the Soviet co-chairman. The joint commission was set up in 1970 and first met in January 1971. It meets at roughly 12-month intervals, alternately in London and Moscow.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will make a statement on British companies' reports for the period 1 July 1979 to 30 June 1980 under the code of conduct for companies with interests in South Africa.

By 31 March the Department had received 184 reports of various types under the code of conduct, for the 12 months ended 30 June 1980. An analysis and summary by the Department of the reports, together with copies of the reports themselves, have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. This material may also be consulted at the Department's headquarters library, and at the British embassy, Pretoria, the British consulates-general at Johannesburg and Cape Town and the British consulate at Durban.The Government believe it is in the interests of British companies with affiliates in South Africa to follow the code, and they will continue to encourage companies to do so. I am grateful to those companies which have devoted their time and resources to preparing and publishing these latest reports.

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