asked the Lord Privy Seal what was the value of development assistance from the United Kingdom and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and what was the value of exports from developing countries to the United Kingdom and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in the latest year for which figures of both are available.

The latest year for which information is available on OECD aid and trade with developing countries is 1979. The information is as follows:

	United Kingdom	$ million
		OECD Total
Net official development assistance to developing countries and multilateral agencies	2,067	*22,375
Imports (c. f. f.) from developing countries**	20,044	348,562
of which from OPEC countries	(6,467)	(166,430)
* Net flows from members of the development assistance committee of the OECD: excludes Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and Turkey.
** Import statistics have been given in the absence of export statistics from all developing countries. Greece, Portugal, Spain and Turkey are classified as developing countries. The total therefore includes imports from them and excludes imports by them.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade with which five countries the United Kingdom had the largest visible trade surplus and the largest visible trade deficit, in 1980.

In 1980 our five largest crude trade surpluses were with Nigeria, Republic of Ireland, Netherlands, Australia and Iran, and our five largest crude trade deficits were with the United States of America, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Canada and Norway.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement on the Northern Ireland prison situation.

The Government's policy on the regime in Northern Ireland prisons was set out in detail in my statement of 4 December. That policy remains unchanged. The Government will not accord "political" status to men convicted by the courts of acts which they claim were committed for political motives. In taking this stand the Government, backed by both sides of the House, have enjoyed widespread support from the community in Northern Ireland and in Great Britain, from the United States and from fellow members of the European Community.The Government are also committed to the maintenance of a humane prison regime and to its improvement, where appropriate, and where the requirements of security and the availability of resources permit. They have shown by their actions that they take account of responsible views—for example, those of the European Commission on Human Rights. They have shown by the access they have afforded to the Maze prison and by the information that they have made available about the regime that they have nothing to hide. Details of that regime were laid in the Library of the House of Commons last December and they have been available ever since. In view of the continuing interest in Northern Ireland prison conditions, I have recently had prepared in a more compact form the information assembled last December and it is now being published. A copy is being laid in the Library of the House and individual copies sent to Members.The Government have made it clear that they are opposed to violence in whatever form, including that practised by the hunger strikers and the other protesting prisoners against themselves. It remains their hope that: the time has come to end the prison protests so that all prisoners can take advantage of what the regime affords.The situation at the Maze is that four prisoners remain on hunger strike. They are all in the prison hospital. Their condition remains as I described it yesterday in answer to a question by the hon. Member for Hackney, North and Stoke Newington (Mr. Roberts)—[Vol. 3, c. 125.]. 418 other prisoners at the Maze are continuing to refuse to work, take exercise or wear prison-supplied civilian clothing, and six more otherwise conforming prisoners are refusing to work in sympathy with the hunger strike 29 women prisoners in Armagh are refusing to work.Yesterday, the Maze prison authorities were asked by the protesting prisoners to issue beds, chairs and lockers. Such furniture has not been issued since the dirty protest ended on 2 March because of the risk that, as on 27 January and on two previous occasions, it might be destroyed and used to cause serious damage to the cells. Furniture is being issued to prisoners who now say that they do not intend to abuse it. The process will start today and resume after Easter.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will give details of successful applications for trade restrictions under articles XII and XIX of the general agreement on tariffs and trade for each year since 1960, specifying the applicant country in each case.

Information in the form requested could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. The GATT publications in the annual series "GATT Activities" contain reports on the use by individual GATT contracting parties of their right under article XIX to introduce import restrictions, and on consultations within the GATT in respect of import restrictions introduced under article XII. These publications are available in the House of Commons Library.

European Community Trade in 1979
	Exports		Imports
	$ billion	Per cent.	$ billion	Per cent.
Belgium/Luxembourg	56·1	10	60·2	10
Denmark	14·3	2½	18·4	3
France	98·0	17	106·7	18
Federal Republic of Germany	171·4	30	157·7	26
Greece	3·9	½	9·6	1½
Irish Republic	7·2	1	9·9	1½
Italy	73·2	13	76·5	13
Netherlands	63·4	11	66·9	11
United Kingdom	90·5	16	102·5	17
Total EC(10)	578·0	100	608·4	100

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the United Kingdom's (a) visible exports and (b) visible imports as a proportion of total production of goods, as compared with each member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in the latest year for which figures are available.

The available information on as comparable a basis as possible is as follows:

Country	Year	Imports (cif)*/Production† (Per Cent.)	Exports (fob)*Production† (Per Cent.)
United Kingdom‡	1979	67	59
Australia	1977	¶34	36
Austria	1979	65	50
Belgium║	1978	108	102
Canada	1979	¶63	66
Denmark	1975	81	68
Finland	1979	62	64
France	1979	48	44
Germany	1979	40	44
Greece	1979	61	24
Iceland		NA	NA
Ireland	1973	96	73
Italy	1979	48	45
Japan	1978	17	22
Luxembourg║	1977	166	143
Netherlands	1977	107	103
New Zealand	1978	45	48
Norway	1978	70	61
Portugal	1976	54	23
Spain	1978	29	20
Sweden	1978	62	66
Switzerland		NA	NA
Turkey	1978	17	9
United States	1978	23	18
Yugoslavia	1978	31	18
* Imports and exports figures relate to all inward and outward moving goods excluding monetary gold and currency.
† Production is defined as the contribution to gross domestic product of the agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing, mining and quarrying,

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the value and proportion of visible trade within the European Economic Community attributable to each member State during the latest year for which figures are available.

The information for 1979 is as follows:manufacturing, electricity, gas and water and construction industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the United Kingdom's share of visible exports to each member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in the latest year for which individual figures are available.

Information, in terms of the United Kingdom's share of OECD countries' imports, is given in the table below. The figures relate to 1979, the latest year for which complete information is available.

United Kingdom's share of OECD countries' imports
	Percentages 1979
Australia	11
Austria	3
Belgium/Luxembourg	8
Canada	3
Denmark	12
Finland	8½
France	5½
Federal Republic of Germany	6
Greece	5½
Iceland	11
Irish Republic	50
Italy	4
Japan	1½
Netherlands	7½
New Zealandr j	15
Norway	14
Portugal	9
Spain	5
Sweden	12
Switzerland	7½
Turkey	4½
United States of America	4

Sources:New Zealand: IMF-Direction of Trade.All others: OECD statistics of foreign trade Series 'A' (March 1981).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will list the volumes of bottled, bulk blended and bulk malt Scotch whisky respectively, exported to each of the 10 countries producing the 10 largest export markets for each product in each of the last five years;(2) which 10 countries provided the largest export markets for Scotch whisky last year; for what proportion of total whisky sales each national market accounted; and what were the corresponding proportions five and 10 years ago, respectively;(3) what volume of Scotch whisky was exported in each of the past five years; and if he will give breakdowns for each year according to bulk malt, bulk blended and bottled whisky.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, in view of the fact that in the terms of the European Economic Community code of conduct the following companies: Associated Engineering, Berec, British Insulated Callender Cables, Cape Industries, Coats Paton, Delta Metal, Dickinson Robinson Group, Dunlop Holdings, Eagle Star, General Electric Company, Gestetner Holdings, Glynwed, International Distillers and Vintners, subsidiary of Grand Metropolitan, Lonrho, Lopex, Low and Bonar, Mitchell Cotts, National Employers Mutual, Roussel Laboratories, Simon Engineering, Thomas Tilling, operating in South Africa and are paying 2,000 of their African workers wages below the poverty datum line, he will make representations to the chairman of each company to encourage its compliance with the poverty datum line standard in future.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, pursuant to the answer of his hon. Friend the Minister of State for Trade on 15 December 1980, Official Report, columns 49–50, the European Economic Community Commission initiative on textile imports from the United States of America has failed, or in what respects it has been successful; and whether he is now giving consideration to action under article XIX of the general agreement on tariffs and trade, or by other means.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what additional measures he proposes to introduce to protect consumers from the recent increase in imports of dangerous electrical appliances, particularly defective electric hair curlers, from Far East sources.

[pursuant to her reply, 10 April 1981, c. 385]: All domestic electrical appliances must comply with the requirements of the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1975, as amended, whether they are imported or manufactured in this country. My Department has recently received reports from local authorities that some hair-styling brushes imported from Hong Kong do not comply with these regulations. It is, of course, the duty of local authorities to enforce the regulations. However, my Department is asking importers, where they can be identified, for their assistance in dealing with this problem. I am glad to say also that the office of the Hong Kong Government in London has asked its Government to do what they can to prevent further exports to this country. I am issuing a public warning advising anyone who may have bought one of these brushes to have it checked for safety by his supplier or a qualified electrician before using it. I am not aware of any recent increase in imports of other dangerous electrical domestic appliances, but if the hon. Member has any examples I should like to know of them.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to pay an official visit to Liverpool.

I have no immediate plans to do so

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on her recent visit to Merseyside.

I was glad to be able to visit the Wirral on 10 April and to open the Marconi torpedo factory at Neston.

asked the Prime Minister what is the estimated cost of her forthcoming visit to India; who will accompany her; what is the object of the visit; and what are the places to be visited.

I shall be visiting India from 15 to 19 April at the invitation of the Prime Minister of India. I expect to have wide-ranging discussions, and hope to agree on ways of expanding and strengthening friendly relations between the United Kingdom and India. I shall visit Delhi and Bombay. I shall be accompanied by a party of 22 including officials and support staff. My husband and daughter will also be travelling with me. It is too early to give a figure for the cost of the visit to India.

asked the Prime Minister if she can now say what have been the results of the inquiry she instituted into the leak of Budget secrets; and what action has been taken to prevent any recurrence.

The investigation has been completed and has given no positive indication of the source. It has drawn attention to certain points about procedures which will be considered for the future. I cannot give further details.

asked the Prime Minister whether she is satisfied that the measures to reduce the level of unemployment in the Govan area of Glasgow, referred to in her answer of 10 April, Official Report, column 355, are adequate to meet the special needs of the shipbuilding industry.

In deciding that the West of Scotland should receive the highest priority for Government assistance we took account of needs arising from the contraction of employment at Govan Shipbuilders and other yards on the Clyde.

asked the Prime Minister what changes have been made in the composition of the United Kingdom delegation to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.

I have appointed my hon. Friend the Member for Ruislip-Norwood (Mr. Wilkinson) as a full Member in place of my hon. Friend the Member for Woking (Mr. Onslow). I have also appointed my hon. Friend the Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) as a Substitute Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he issues special instructions to immigration officers in respect of South African teams before they are permitted to enter the United Kingdom and participate in sporting events.

No. The immigration rules would be applied as regards individuals subject to immigration control.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many male fiancés from India and Pakistan, respectively, were granted entry permits during 1980; and how this compares with the previous five years.

Numbers of men admitted for marriage are published quarterly in a Home Office "Statistical Bulletin"—Table 7 of issue 4/81 for the fourth quarter and year 1980—and annually, by citizenship/nationality, in the Command Paper "Control of immigration statistics"—Tables la and lb of Cmnd. 7875 of the issue of 1979. The information available on entry clearances granted is given in the following table. The transitional arrangements associated with the new immigration rules which came into force in March 1980 are such that the effect of the new rules may not be reflected in these figures for several years.

Number of entry clearances granted to male fiancés from India and Pakistan
	India	Pakistan
1976	1620	370
1977	2680	360
1978	1360	340
1979	1090	430
1980	1100	450

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will improve the terms available for members of ethnic minorities who may wish to accept repatriation.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to change the present arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions, in exercise of powers under section 30(1) of the Police Act 1964, a report has been required from a chief constable; and if he will give details of such occasions.

I frequently call for reports, for example, to assist me in responding to inquiries from hon. Members. No statistical record is kept.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions, by whom and with what results, referrals to him have been made in exercise of the powers contained in section 12(2) of the Police Act 1964.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to section 12(3) of the Police Act 1964. We know of only one, when the requirement was not confirmed.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is expected to be the impact of the most recent revision of electricity demand upon the coal burn for the years 1982 to 1990.

I am advised by the CEGB that adoption by the electricity supply industry of revised demand forecasts has had no major impact on its expected level of coal burn over the period 1982 to 1990.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the comparable prices of derv in the United Kingdom, Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands in gallons.

Derv is sold through retail channels, under contract between oil marketing companies and industrial and commercial consumers, and, in some countries, by independent wholesalers. The price can vary substantially from case to case. Estimates of derv retail prices in the four countries mentioned are given in my reply to my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Brigg and Scunthorpe (Mr. Brown), to which I refer the hon. Member—[Vol. 2, c. 15.]. It should, however, be borne in mind that in the United Kingdom over 80 per cent. of derv is sold under contract, and that these sales are at a substantially lower price than the retail price. Comparable estimates of the price of derv sold under contract in the four countries are not available for publication.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list those subjects relating to the civil nuclear power programme which would be classified in each of the following categories (a) manufacturing techniques for nuclear materials, (b) stockpile quantities, production rates and costs of fissile materials, (c) storage sites for fissile material including locations and capacities and (d) the movement of fissile material.

Provision of information in the detail requested would represent a breach of classification. Some atomic energy information within the civil field is classified because it relates to the technologies for or the scale or cost of production of those nuclear materials used in nuclear weapons; and to the storage and transport of such materials. Additionally, classification is necessary to honour the United Kingdom's international and treaty commitments to non-proliferation policies and to prevent disclosure of information of potential value to those who might seek to acquire fissile materials illegally or to damage installations or materials in transit. Some unclassified information in the civil field is withheld for commercial reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will announce the date on which he expects the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to begin shipping plutonium by sea from Dounreay to Windscale; what amount in kilograms of plutonium will be included in each shipment; what arrangements have been made in the event of bad weather during shipment, in particular what ports or other places are envisaged as emergency shelters; and if he will place in the Library copies of all the background papers used by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate in the compilation of the report, "The Transport of Plutonium in the Form of Nitrate Solution between Dounreay and Windscale", including the risk assessments made by the Safety and Reliability Directorate of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. and the design safety manual referred to in paragraph 14 of the report.

The first consignment of plutonium nitrate by sea from Dounreay to Windscale will take place during the next few months. The amount of plutonium in each shipment will depend on the Dounreay programme. The design capacity of the container is a few tens of kilogrammes. In the event of bad weather during the voyage, the ship's master will seek refuge in the most convenient area of sheltered waters, retaining steerage and the ability to manoeuvre. It is not intended that the ship will enter any port on the route. An extensive bibliography of background papers used by the NII was included in its report. But the two documents specifically mentioned cannot be released because they are classified, for the reason explained in my separate reply to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the projects falling within his responsibility, which are being supported by the supplementary measures under European Economic Community regulation 2744/80, and to which his Department had not already been committed before that regulation was made; and how much additional money has been allocated for spending by his Department through the supplementary measures scheme.

As explained by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 18 December—[Vol. 996, c. 390–92]—and 25 March—[Vol. 1, c. 329–32]—Community support under the supplementary measures scheme is enabling public expenditure programmes generally in the United Kingdom to be maintained at higher levels than would otherwise have been possible. Expenditure programmes throughout the country are benefiting accordingly. The scheme has not, however, opened the way to increases in domestic expenditure programmes beyond the levels planned earlier. The plans were laid on the assumption that substantial refunds would be received from the Community budget.The Financial Secretary's earlier replies also include a brief description of the programmes receiving Community support. None of these fall within my responsibility.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if she will list for 1979 and 1980 the number of civil servants in the administration group for each Department of State who were retired prematurely on the grounds of (a) inefficiency, (b) limited efficiency, (c)redundancy and (d) discipline.

I am having the information collated and will write to my hon. Friend in due course.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the total income from sales of the Employment Gazette for each of the years 1975 to 1980.

Prior to 1 April 1980, issues to Government Departments were on allied service terms, but the total notional income derived from the face value of copies issued by Her Majesty's Stationery Office was approximately:

	£
1975	138,000
1976	132,000
1977	167,000
1978	174,000
1979	182,000
1980	211,000

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if she will list the places in Cumbria where industrial action has been taken by the Civil Service unions during the present dispute.

I understand that to date industrial action has been taken by civil servants at Workington, Carlisle and Barrow, where rallies and protest meetings have been held.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if she will propose to the Civil Service trade unions a pay increase of 10 per cent. for civil servants earning less than national average earnings and a pay increase of 4 per cent. for civil servants earning more than national average earnings, or any other combination of percentage wage increases which would average 7 per cent. for the whole Civil Service and ensure that lower paid civil servants received higher percentage increases than higher paid civil servants.

I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member on 13 April 1981—[Vol. 3, c. 70.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if she will seek to extend the remit of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration explicitly to include the workings of the Charity Commission.

The Charity Commission is already expressly included in schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 as one of the departments and authorities whose actions in the exercise of their administrative functions are subject to investigations by the Parliamentary Commissioner.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what were the proportions of total Community expenditure devoted to agriculture, regional and industrial development, transport, and social policies in 1980.

The proportions respectively were 69 per cent., 10·5 per cent., 0·01 per cent. and 6 per cent.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make representations to the Israeli Government about Israel's military occupation and civilian settlements in Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza.

The Israeli Government are well aware of our strong views on the need to end the military occupation of territories taken in 1967 and to halt the expansion of settlements in the occupied territories. The Venice declaration also covers these issues. We take every opportunity to make our position clear.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what has been the cost to Her Majesty's Government of the European intitative for the Middle East so far; and what has been the total cost of this to the European Economic Community since the Venice declaration.

European peace efforts in the Middle East are pursued in the context of European political co-operation, which is outside the framework of the treaties. The costs, with the exception of travel expenses for political co-operation meetings, are borne by each Presidency in turn. Meetings of Middle East experts have been more frequent than previously since the issue of the Venice declaration, but there has been no other identifiable extra cost to Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Lord Privy Seal for how many days Mr. Andrew Pyke has been imprisoned in Iran; and if he will make a statement on the prospects for his release.

asked the Lord Privy Seal for how many days Mr. Andrew Pyke has been imprisoned in Iran; and if he will make a statement on the prospects for his release.

Mr. Pyke has spent 232 days in prison. The Iranian authorities have now agreed to regular consular access to him and appear to have dropped the charge of espionage, leaving charges of a financial nature. We are seeking further clarification of these charges and an indication of when Mr. Pyke's case will be resolved.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what communications he has had with the Government of Turkey about a settlement in Cyprus.

The Government support the United Nations' initiative to bring about a settlement through intercommunal talks held under their auspices. To this end we are in regular touch with all interested parties and Governments, including the Government of Turkey.

asked the Lord Privy Seal when he now expects negotiations to resume on the position of Namibia; and what form they will take.

It is too early to say how or when negotiations will be resumed. There will be detailed discussion among the five Western Powers in London on 22 April in the light of the tour of African countries by a senior United States official, Mr. Chester Crocker.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what consultations he has had with the United Kingdom's European partners with a view to formulating a common policy towards the constitutional problems regarding South-West Africa and towards the South West African People's Organisation.

We have been in frequent contact with our European partners, most recently at the political directors meeting on 7 and 8 April.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what was the outcome of Mr. Van de Klaauw's recent trip to the Middle East.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply earlier today to the hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Mr. Mikardo).

asked the Lord Privy Seal what indications Her Majesty's Government or the European Economic Community has received that the Palestine Liberation Organisation is now prepared to accept the existence of the State of Israel and to amend its covenant accordingly.

There have been a number of public and private statements by PLO representatives in recent years which have suggested that the PLO wishes to pursue a peaceful settlement negotiated with Israel. There are also public statements on record which indicate the contrary. We continue to urge the PLO at every opportunity to accept unequivocally Israel's right to a secure and independent existence and to amend the covenant accordingly.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what recent discussions he has had with the United States Secretary of State on joint policy towards El Salvador; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has had no recent discussions with the United States Secretary of State on El Salvador.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the extent to which the recent discussions between his right hon. and noble Friend and the United States Secretary of State concerned the Arab-Israeli dispute.

Mr. Haig briefed my right hon. and noble Friend on 10 April about his recent visit to the Middle East. In a general exchange of views on the Arab-Israeli dispute, it was agreed that there was an urgent need for progress towards a comprehensive peace settlement and that United States and European efforts should continue to be complementary.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement about Spain's continued closure of the frontier with Gibraltar.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeenshire, East (Mr. McQuarrie).

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will report progress at the Helsinki review conference held in Madrid, with particular reference to European security, human rights and freedom of movement within and between countries.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Sproat) earlier today.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what further representations he has made to the Government of the United States of America to introduce a reciprocal waiver of visas for United Kingdom citizens; and if he is satisfied with the progress made since the reply to the hon. Member for Uxbridge on 24 October 1979, Official Report, column 196.

Representations were made to the new Administration during the visit of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to Washington in February. In March the State Department introduced into its Appropriations Bill a clause which would allow the United States Secretary of State to waive tourist visas for nationals of some countries, including the United Kingdom. I understand that this clause will now be separately considered by the Judiciary Sub-Committee which has jurisdiction over immigration matters. Hearings will be held shortly. This is a satisfactory sign of progress.

asked the Lord Privy Seal when next he expects to meet the United States Secretary of State, and what subjects will be discussed.

My right hon. and noble Friend and my right hon. Friend saw the United States Secretary of State on 10 April and my right hon. and noble Friend next expects to meet Mr. Haig at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Council meeting in Rome on 5 and 6 May. Subjects relevant to NATO will be discussed.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will discuss with the Secretary General of the United Nations means of strengthening the effectiveness of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in the Lebanon, UNIFIL.

We are in close and constant contact with the United Nations Secretariat on this and other matters affecting the situation in South Lebanon and UNIFIL's operation there.

asked the Lord Privy Seal which countries and parties to the Arab-Israel conflict the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs intends to visit when he goes to the Middle East.

My right hon. and noble Friend has no immediate plans to make a tour of the Middle East.

asked the Lord Privy Seal when he expects the joint studies between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland to be completed.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. friend the Member for Epping Forest (Mr. Biggs-Davison) earlier today.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the position of British citizens, former mercenaries, now long held in detention in Angola; and what is the expected date of their release.

The seven United Kingdom nationals were convicted in June 1976. Their sentences of imprisonment ranged from 16 to 30 years. They are detained in Sao Paolo prison in Luanda and are now visited regularly by our embassy staff.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will take action through the United Nations with a view to removing Israeli settlements from the West Bank of the Jordan.

We have consistently made clear at the United Nations our strong opposition to the settlements process in the occupied territories, including the West Bank. We voted for Security Council resolution 465 of 1 March 1980 which called on Israel to halt the expansion of the settlements and dismantle existing settlements.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if it remains his policy to pursue through the United Nations the rights of indigenous populations freely to determine their future in those cases where they are at present denied that right.

Yes. Her Majesty's Government support the principle of self-determination of peoples, enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will take the initiative in proposing to end the delay in securing a new strategic arms limitation talks agreement and in opening talks on tactical and medium-range nuclear weapons.

These talks are conducted bilaterally between the United States and the USSR. But the Government have made it clear that they wish to see the strategic arms limitation talks continue, and would also welcome early resumption of talks on long-range theatre nuclear forces which began in Geneva last November.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will seek to make an official visit to El Salvador in view of the current situation there.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement about the recent visit to Hong Kong by his right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

My right hon. and noble Friend visited Hong Kong from 29 March to 1 April. He held discussions with the Governor, officials and community leaders, taking the opportunity to re-emphasise Her Majesty's Government's commitment to Hong Kong. He visited security force units, housing and other developments and the Castle Peak power station site.

asked the Lord Privy Seal why Mr. John Robinson, the United Kingdom ambassador to Israel, has resigned his appointment; and who is to succeed him.

Mr. Robinson's request to take retirement has been made for personal reasons, and has nothing to do with his present mission. He has wanted to leave the Diplomatic Service for some time, but agreed to stay on in Tel Aviv until after the Israeli elections. Details of his successor will be announced shortly. He has been an admirable ambassador and I am sorry that he is leaving the service.

asked the Lord Privy Seal in which of the United Kingdom's remaining colonial territories it is possible for local politicians, acting in an executive capacity in domestic matters, to retain private business interests.

Anguilla, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what information he has received on items 31 and 64 of the preliminary list of the General Assembly of the United Nations Security Council relating to the question of Palestine; and what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards them.

Our position on these agenda items will depend on the circumstances of the debate and draft resolutions put forward. Our general policy towards the Palestinian issue, at the United Nations as elsewhere, stems from our desire for a comprehensive negotiated settlement of the Arab-Israel dispute on the basis of the principles set out in the Venice declaration of 13 June 1980.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North Official Report, 9 March, c. 257, what is his estimate of the yield that would result from making child benefit reckonable for tax in the tax year 1981–82; and what increase in child benefit such yield would represent.

The yield from taxing child benefit would be about £920 million in a full year at 1981–82 income and benefit levels. If this were applied to increasing child benefit, the resultant increase would be about £2·20 per week, taking into account the further income tax yield on this increase.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied with the speed at which clearance applications under the demerger legislation introduced in the Finance Act 1980 are being processed; how many of the applications awaiting clearance on 9 February have now been examined and with what result; and whether he estimates from an examination of the applications which have not been cleared that more business restructuring would be facilitated if the scope of this particular legislation were widened.

Yes. All clearance applications received to date have been dealt with within the statutory period of 30 days from receiving the application of further information. In many cases, however, further information has had to be requested because the application has not contained all details needed to show that the conditions of relief are satisfied.All the 24 applications outstanding on 31 January—those referred to in the reply to the hon. Member for Galloway (Mr. Lang)—[Vol. 998, c. 261–62]—have been dealt with as follows—as at 7 April:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the estimated additonal cost to industry in Wales of the 20p increase in duty on petrol and derv;(2) what is the estimated additional cost to agriculture in Wales of the 20p increase in duty on petrol and derv.

It is estimated that the total additional taxation on petrol and derv borne by the residents of Wales will be about £55 million per annum. I regret that information to subdivide this is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his replies to the hon. Member for Brigg and Scunthorpe, Official Report, 18 February, c. 141, and 30 March, c. 23 and 24, if he will publish a table showing (a) the level of penalty imposed by the courts for failure to make a value added tax return on time or late payments of value added tax in each of the nine cases up to 31 December 1980 when courts imposed penalties which were higher than could have been imposed prior to the Finance Act 1980, (b) the maximum fine which could have been imposed on each of these nine occasions, (c) the maximum prison sentence that could have been imposed on each of these nine occasions prior to the Finance Act 1980 and (d) (a) as a percentage of (b) on each of these nine occasions and, if information is now available concerning cases heard after 31 December 1980, if he will include details of such cases.

The following table shows the relationship of the penalty imposed to the maximum fine which could have been imposed for each of the nine cases concerned:

Penalty imposed	Maximum penalty	Percentage of maximum penalty
£	£
1,847	1,847	100
1,841	1,841	100
598	598	100
1,500	2,265	66·2
1,000	1,684	59·4
600	1,730	34·7
3,500	27,916	12·5
800	6,396	12·5
870	7,174	12·1

The summary offences of failing to furnish a value added tax return or pay tax by the due date are not, and never have been, subject to the imposition of a prison sentence.Information concerning such cases is now available to 28 February 1981. Details of 30 further cases are reproduced in the following table:

Penalty imposed	Maximum penalty	Percentage of maximum penalty
£	£
4,871	4,871	100
2,770	2,770	100
2,723,	2,723	100
1,828	1,828	100
1,424	1,424	100
1,382	1,382	100
1,369	1,369	100

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is considering the imposition of value added tax on foreign holidays; and what is his estimate of the resulting income in a full year.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 April 1981, c. 356]: My right hon. and learned Friend does not propose to change the present VAT position on foreign package holidays. My right hon. and learned Friend has made this clear to the Association of British Travel Agents.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much value added tax which has been claimed back from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise by registered traders has been blocked for more than two months as a result of the Civil Service dispute; how many traders have had their repayments delayed in this way; and whether he will pay interest to those businesses which find themselves making loans to the Treasury in this way for abnormally long periods.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 April 1981, c. 104]: None. The Civil Service dispute did not begin until 9 March. There is no provision in law for Customs and Excise either to pay interest on delayed repayments of VAT or to charge interest on overdue amounts of the tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost to public funds of index linking age allowance for income tax purposes.

If age allowances were increased for 1981–82 by £280 (single) and £440 (married)—that is, by the percentage specified in section 24 of the 1980 Finance Act—the cost would be £205 million in a full year at 1981–82 income levels.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of extending age allowance for income tax relief to widows of between 60 and 65 years of age.

Detailed information on which to base an estimate is not available, but it is thought that the full year cost at 1981–82 income and pension levels of extending the age allowance to widows of between 60 and 65 years of age would be about £30 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the official rate of interest under section 66 of and schedule 8 to the Finance Act 1976 will be changed.

The rate is based broadly upon the rate of interest which a credit-worthy borrower would ordinarily have to pay on a bank overdraft. It is kept regularly under review in the light of changes in interest rates, but there are not at present any plans to alter it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, to assist aviation in the United Kingdom, he will consider a lower tax on aviation gasoline; and what reply he has given to the industry.

All forms of taxation are kept under review. As my right hon. and learned Friend has explained to the General Aviation Manufacturers and Traders Association, there are real difficulties, both of equity and administration, in charging duty on aviation gasoline at a lower rate than that on petrol and other light oils.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the price of Avgas—aviation gasoline—following the Budget; and how the current United Kingdom price of this fuel compares with that prevailing in other European Economic Community member countries.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 April 1981, c. 104]: My right hon. and learned Friend has received letters about the Budget duty increase on aviation gasoline from the General Aviation Manufacturers and Traders Assocation and from about a dozen individual businesses or clubs. I understand that prices of Avgas in the United Kingdom are in general higher than in most other member States of the European Community.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give fiscal encouragement for the further development of the diesel engine in view of its substantially more efficient fuel use than the internal combustion engine.

All forms of taxation are kept under regular review.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list in the Official Report the number of people who used the nomination facility to transfer private savings to their nominee in each of the last five years; and what, if any, were the administrative costs of the facility in each of those years.

The number of people who nominated national savings to pass, on their death, to their nominee in each of the last five years, and the administrative costs of registering and maintaining these nominations, were as follows:

Year	Number	Costs
		£
1976	28,568	83,392
1977	32,566	90,849
1978	34,002	99,852
1979	32,342	124,365
1980	35,051	144,693

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated loss of revenue in a full tax year from a concession whereby spouses who satisfied the Inland Revenue that their separate places of work, being at least 30 miles apart, necessitated separate residences, and on ceasing to fulfil that condition wish to sell their separate residences to purchase one joint residence, were afforded the same concession in respect of capital gains tax as would one spouse under existing tax law when selling the principal residence and expenditure the proceeds on the purchase of another principal residence.

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

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

	Single Person Earnings per week				Married with 2 children
Year		Tax	Percentage of earnings taken in tax	Tax	*fam/CB	*Tax less fam/CB	*Percentage of earnings taken in tax less fam/CB
	£	£		£	£	£
1964–65	18·11	3·11	17·2	0·83	0·40	0·43	2·4
1970–71	28·05	6·42	22·9	4·11	0·90	3·21	11·4
1974–75	49·65	12·42	25·0	8·48	0·90	7·58	15·3
1979–80	102·35	23·26	22·7	19·51	8·00	11·51	11·2
1980–81	122·70	28·88	23·5	24·43	8·55	15·88	12·9
	(October)
* Family allowance or child benefit, as appropriate for the year in question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the information on mortgage interest tax relief, retirement annuity relief and life assurance relief given in the answer to the hon. Member for Barking (Miss Richardson) on 6 February 1980, Official Report, column 258–59.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 April 1981, c. 12]: The information for a full year at 1981–82 income levels is as follows:Relief in excess of basic rates:

[pursuant to his reply, 6 April 1981, c. 185]: the increase in tax largely depends on the increase in earnings, but as an example the following figures show the position for a man on average manual earnings in each of the years.The figures of tax for the married man with two children take account of family support, but still are not strictly comparable because between 1974–75 and 1979–80 the system was changed by phasing out child tax allowances—and taxable family allowances—and replacing these by tax-free child benefit.For 1964–65 the average earnings are the average weekly earnings of male manual workers aged 21 and over in manufacturing and certain other industries in October in each year. For 1970–71 to 1979–80 the average earnings figures are the averages of the figures obtained in the New Earnings Survey of the average weekly earnings of full-time adult male manual employees at the April of the beginning and end of each year. For 1980–81 the estimated level of earnings for October 1980 has been used as the best estimate at present. This has been obtained by updating the figure in the New Earnings Survey for April 1980 of average earnings of full-time adult male manual workers taking account of the movements in a centred three-month moving average of the seasonally adjusted whole economy index of average earnings.It has been assumed that the children are aged under 11 years.

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 April 1981, c. 268]; For 1981–82, the standard rate of invalidity pensions receivable over the whole year is above the tax threshold for both single and married persons. The number of cases in which a beneficiary's income for the year is less than his personal tax allowances will therefore be very small, and if the pension were taxable a liability to tax would arise in most cases. However, as was explained to the right hon. Member last year—[Vol. 984, c. 381–82]—the data available do not permit precise estimates to be made of the complete tax positon of recipients of invalidity pensions. In particular, no estimate is available of the numbers losing more through abatement of pension than they would if the pension were taxable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total cost in tax forgone of uprating the incomes ceiling of the age allowance by 15 per cent., and what is his estimate of the number of taxpayers who would be exempt from the incomes ceiling in 1981–82 by such an uprating.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 April 1981, c. 356]: The full year cost at 1981–82 income levels of uprating the income limit for the age allowance by 15 per cent., that is, rounded up to the nearest multiple of £100, to £6,800, is £30 million assuming that the age and all other allowances remain unchanged. About 330,000 taxpayers would pay less tax as a result.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what criteria will be taken into account before a decision is made on his Department's grant for 1981–82 to the Trades Union Congress for education and training purposes; and when he expects to announce that decision;(2) how many trade unionists have taken advantage of public funds for education and training purposes which have been awarded to the Trades Union Congress in each year since such a grant was made;(3) when he expects to receive accounts from the Trades Union Congress of how his Department's grant of £1·67 million for education and training in 1980–81 was spent;(4) if he will place in the Library a copy of the accounts of how the education and training grant to the Trades Union Congress in 1979–80 was spent.

My Department and the Department of Employment have jointly provided grant since 1976 towards the expenditure on trade union education and training incurred by the Trades Union Congress and affiliated independent trade unions.My right hon. and learned Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment have jointly offered £1·84 million to the TUC for this purpose in 1981–82 and they await the TUC's response.The offer was made to provide continuing support for the education and training of workplace representatives in order that they should be better able to undertake their responsibilities in industrial relations, health and safety and other areas of employee involvement. Proposals by the TUC to introduce certain new areas of activity into the grant arrangements for 1981–82 are to be the subject of further considerations.A copy of the audited account showing the TUC's receipt and expenditure of grant in 1979–80 has been placed in the Library. The TUC is required to submit by 31 May 1981 an audited account for 1980–81.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what opportunity Her Majesty's Inspectorate has taken to examine the ways in which public funds, paid to the Trades Union Congress for education and training, are being spent.

Her Majesty's inspectors inspect trade union studies in the public sector as part of their normal duties. Some 80 per cent. of shop stewards' courses take place, by negotiations between unions and LEAs, in colleges of further education. Over one-third of such colleges offering trade union studies were visited as part of a survey by Her Majesty's Inspectorate in 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many postgraduate students there are in receipt of public funds at universities and colleges in England and Wales; and what is their average period of study.

The available information relates to Great Britain. In 1979–80 there were about 13,700 full-time and sandwich postgraduates in the universities supported by awards from the Department of Education and Science or by the research councils. A further 2,400 postgraduates in colleges of further education were supported from these sources. In the universities a further 12,500 full-time and sandwich postgraduate students were supported by other Government Departments, by local authorities or by the universities themselves. Information is not available on the numbers of postgraduates in colleges of further education supported by these means except for 4,000 students on postgraduate teacher-training courses. The average period of study for all full-time and sandwich postgraduates in the universities from all sources of support is about 1·6 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science for how many village schools in rural communities he has, since taking office, approved proposals for cessation of maintenance, without replacement, by local education authorities.

Since taking office my right hon. and learned Friend has approved proposals by local authorities to cease to maintain 93 primary schools in rural areas. In addition, there have been three determinations by local authorities to implement unopposed county primary school closures in such areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to reach final decisions on the student award regulations for 1981–82.

My right hon. and learned Friend's decisions will be laid before Parliament, in the form of the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1981, later in the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether it remains the policy of Her Majesty's s Government that all those suitably qualified by ability and attainment should have access to higher education.

As was stated in the recent public expenditure White Paper, the Government expect that there could be increased competition for places in higher education. It is not possible to say whether this will mean that any suitably qualified students will be unable to gain access to higher education. The Government expect institutions to admit as many students as they can consistent with their academic judgment.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department plans to issue a model procedure for consultation by all local education authorities when considering the future, including the possible closure, of small schools.

Guidance is already provided in the Department's circulars 5/77 and 2/80, copies of which are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he plans to require local education authorities to publish in full all submissions to his Department for a section 12 closure notice at the time of submission.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the consequences to academic teaching and medical research of the present financial situations of (a) the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, (b) the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, (c) the Institute of Urology, (d) the Institute of Psychiatry, (e) the Institute of Orthopaedics, (f) the Institute of Ophthalmology, (g) the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, (h) the Institute of Neurology, (i) the Institute of Laryngology and Otology, (j) the Institute of Child Health, (k) the Institute of Dermatology, (l) the Institute of Dental Surgery, (m) the Cardiothoracic Institute and (n) the Institute of Cancer Research; and if he will take steps to improve the financial situations of these organisations.

My right hon. and learned Friend has received correspondence on this subject from the chairman of the British Postgraduate Medical Federation and from representatives of the Institue of Laryngology and Otology, the Institute of Dermatology, the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the Institute of Orthopaedics and the Institute of Urology. In addition, he met the vice-chancellor of London university on 6 April to discuss the university's financial situation with particular reference to the postgraduate medical schools and institutes. The distribution of grant to individual universities is a matter for the University Grants Committee, while it is for each university to determine how to allocate the resources available to it between its various schools and institutes. However, £3 million has been made available within the announced grant to the UGC for 1981–82 to assist with problems which have arisen within the universities as result of the removal of the subsidy for overseas students.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the rates of undergraduate student grants for the academic year 1981–82.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have now decided on the rates of grant for 1981–82 for undergraduate awards.The rates for 1981–82 will be, on average, about 7 percent. higher than the rates for 1980–81. This is the outcome of the assessment of the expected rise in living costs; but it also allows for an abatement by about 3 percent. as a contribution to the Government's policy of restraining public expenditure.For undergraduates, the main rates of grant for the academic year 1981–82 will be increased as follows: from £1,695 to £1,825 for students living away from home in London; from £1,430 to £1,535 for students living away from home other than in London; and from £1,125 to £1,180 for students living at home.Increases in supplementary allowances for undergraduates and the rates of postgraduate student grants will be announced later.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the question of introducing a loans scheme for student support.

After studying a number of possibilities and taking into account the experience o other countries which operate a loans scheme for student support, I believe that there would be considerable merit in a system which would replace the present system of grants by a scheme of student support involving a mixture of grants and loans. I am also satisfied that it would be feasible to devise a system which would be suitable to this country's circumstances. However, I consider that an essential element of such a scheme should be the abolition of the parental contribution. To make this change would mean additional set costs in the early years of any new scheme. I also considered, as part of my review, the desirability of extending a loans scheme to include those courses for which students have to rely on discretionary awards, but that would, of course, mean further additional costs. Since in present economic circumstances the Government do not feel able to provide the extra funds that would be entailed by either change, I have concluded that the existing system of student support by means of grants only should be retained.

asked the Attorney-General how many Civil Service man-hours are spent each year in extracting staples, pins and paper clips from official documents which are destined for preservation in the Public Record Office and replacing them with brass staples; and what study has been made of utilising alternative methods for the storage of such documents, such as microfilm.

The information sought in the first part of my hon. Friend's question could be provided only at disproportionate cost. A study of conservation by means of microfilming formed part of the report of the Committee on Modern Public Records, which was published on 31 March 1981, (Cmnd. 8204), and is being considered.

asked the Attorney-General what was the total sum made available to the law centres funded by the Lord Chancellor's Department during the last year for which figures are available; and by what amount the total sum has risen or decreased since May 1979.

The last financial year for which final figures are available is 1979–80. In that year the total sum was £399,885, an increase of £87,790 over the figure of £312,095 for 1978–79. The final figure for 1980–81 is not yet available but is expected to be about £475,000.

asked the Attorney-General whether any guidelines have been issued to the law centres funded by the Lord Chancellor's Department; and if so, what are their main features.