asked the Lord Privy Seal why tyres are excluded from the approved list of those British goods to be supplied to Ghana under the £10 million loan signed on 31 March 1981.

The Ghana Government have yet to confirm lists of proposed purchases from the loan prepared after discussion with them. There will be agreed conditions on the use of the loan designed to ensure that the goods go to those organisations which have need of them. Certain categories of goods, however, including tyres, would pose serious difficulties of control for the Ghana Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of applicants registering for work at the jobcentre in the United Kingdom with the lowest number of applications in the last month for which returns are available; how many vacancies were filled through that jobcentre in the same month; how many staff were employed there; and what was the cost of running the centre, including a figure for rent or rent equivalent to be separately stated.

The information requested for the full-time jobcentre with the lowest number of applications in the last month for which figures are available—10 January to 6 February 1981—is as follows:

(a) the number of new registrations for employment was 31.

(b) the number of vacanies filled was 13.

(c) the number of staff employed was one.

(d) the total cost of running the jobcentre was £900.

(This figure is the monthly average over the period April to February 1981).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of spending by local authorities on the careers service in 1980–81; how this compares with the provision for the careers service contained within grants from the Government; and whether he will make a statement.

The information from local authorities on which careers service expenditure estimates are based will not be available in respect of 1980–81 for a few months. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as reliable estimates are available. All posts funded by the specific grants to strengthen the service in its work with unemployed young people were filled at the end of the financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what voluntary organisations in Scotland have applied for grants under the European Economic Community social fund; how many and which of them were successful in their applications; what were the amounts of the grants made; and what reasons were given where the applications were unsuccessful.

Two voluntary bodies in Scotland have so far submitted eligible applications for assistance from the European social fund. One of these, the Scottish Craftsmanship Association Limited, received an allocation in 1977 of £58,979. The other application relates to 1981 and a decision is awaited.Applications to the fund by voluntary organisations in respect of eligible schemes are welcomed, and all of them are forwarded to the European Commission for consideration. However, few voluntary bodies appear to operate schemes which come within the scope of the social fund, since their work is mainly concerned with welfare rather than with training for employment. To be eligible for support from the fund a scheme run by a private body must in most instances also be in receipt of a grant from a public authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his analysis of the relationship between productivity and employment.

Maximising employment levels depends on maximising competitiveness and therefore on the optimum use of all resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration he has given to making use of the experience and services of the Co-operative Development Agency in his plans to promote the community enterprise programme; and if he will keep the Co-operative Development Agency in mind in his plans for the community enterprise programme.

The Manpower Services Commission has discussed with the Co-operative Development Agency the various ways in which the community enterprise programme might be of assistance to co-operative enterprises, and this dialogue will continue as the programme develops.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many personnel in his Department are engaged full-time on internal audit; and, of these, how many are professionally qualified accountants.

There are 73 personnel in the Department engaged full-time on internal audit duties. None of them is a professionally qualified accountant.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many persons aged 18 years who are registered as unemployed in the Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area have been unemployed for over three months, over six months and over 12 months, respectively;(2) how many persons aged 45 years and over who are registered as unemployed in the Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area have been unemployed for over three months, over six months, and over 12 months, respectively.

The following table gives for the Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area the numbers aged 18 years and 45 years and over who at 15 January, the latest date for which information is available, had been registered as unemployed for the lengths of time specified.

	Aged 18	Aged 45 and over
Over 13 and up to 26 weeks	496	2,217
Over 26 and up to 52 weeks	436	1,989
Over 52 weeks	126	2,606

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons, both male and female, were placed in employment by the Workington jobcentre in the last month for which statistics are available.

Workington jobcentre placed 62 people—38 males and 24 females—in employment in the four-week period ending 12 March 1981, the latest for which statistics are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of young people who have registered at careers offices in each of the travel-to-work areas in Cumbria during the last month for which statistics are available.

For young people under 20, registered at jobcentres, employment and careers offices, the figures for January 1981 were:

Furness TTWA	802
Kendal TTWA	256
Whitehaven TTWA	698
Workington TTWA	764
Carlisle EOA	1016
Keswick EOA	39
Penrith EOA	204
Cumbria County	3779

For school leavers under 18, registered at jobcentres, employment and careers offices, at March 1981:

Furness TTWA	136
Kendal TTWA	25
Whitehaven TTWA	133

			Unfilled Vacancies
	Number unemployed	Percentage rate of unemployment	At employment offices	At careers offices
Workington (travel-to-work area)	4,459	14·2	155	1
Cumbria	19,250	9·8	972	33
South-East	548,121	7·2	36,307	2,120
East Anglia	61,969	8·6	3,348	137
South-West	156,510	9·4	8,861	256
West Midlands	286,279	12·3	6,435	510
East Midlands	152,620	9·5	5,525	283

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the rate of unemployment, both male and female, for the Workington travel-to-work area for the last month for which statistics are available.

At 9 April the provisional rates of unemployment in the Workington travel-to-work area for males and females were 14·2 and 14·3 per cent., respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many places made available under the special measures programmes of the Manpower Services Commission were sponsored by the Allendale district council during the last month for which statistics are available.

Allendale district council sponsored 13 new places for unemployed young people under the youth opportunities programme and 14 new places for unemployed adults under the special temporary employment programme in March 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of persons unemployed, the percentage rate of unemployment, the total number of vacancies and the ratio of vacancies to unemployed for (a) the Workington travel-to-work area, (b) Cumbria and (c) each region of England for the last month for which statistics are available.

The following table gives the total numbers registered as unemployed, the percentage rates of unemployment and numbers of vacancies remaining unfilled at employment offices and at careers offices in the area specified at April 1981. The figures are provisional. The vacancy statistics relate only to those notified to employment offices and careers offices; vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of this, and of possible duplication between the separate figures for employment offices and careers offices, the two series should not be added together and cannot be used to provide the ratios requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of jobs supported by the temporary short-time working compensation scheme for (a) the Workington travel-to-work area, (b) Cumbria and (c) the Northern region for the last month for which statistics are available and the percentage of the total insured working population in each area each figure represents; and if he will give the same figures for February 1980.

In February 1981, 1,091 potentially redundant jobs were being supported under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme in the Workington travel-to-work area, 2,809 in Cumbria and 21,120 in the Northern region.The percentage of the total insured working population in each area is 3·5, 1·4 and 1·5 per cent. respectively.The numbers of potentially redundant jobs supported by the scheme in February 1980 were 874 in the Workington travel-to-work area, 1,545 in Cumbria and 4,316 in the Northern region.The percentage of the total insured working population in each area was 2·8, 0·8 and 0·3 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he intends to make any alteration in the quota for the employment of disabled people.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 April 1981, c. 235]: The Manpower Services Commission's review of the quota scheme is nearing completion and the MSC will be reporting its recommendations to my right hon. Friend shortly. The Government will give very careful consideration to the issue before reaching a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the effect on the unemployment register for the United Kingdom for each month from January 1979 to date of the special employment and training measures.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 April 1981, c. 235]: Estimates are made only for Great Britain. In February 1981 it was estimated that the direct effect on the unemployed register, was about 370,000. Estimates for earlier dates on a comparable basis are not available. However, in early 1979 it was estimated that the effect was about 160,000 and in early 1980 an estimate of about 190,000 was made.The estimates indicate only the order of magnitude of the effect on the unemployed register since they depend on a number of uncertain assumptions which are changed from time to time. The estimates cannot therefore be regarded as a series and they are not retrospectively adjusted.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his reply, Official Report, 7 April, c. 260, how many of those persons aged 45 years and over who are registered as unemployed in (a) the West Midlands, (b) the Black Country and (c) the Walsall travel-to-work areas have been unemployed for over three months, six months and 12 months, respectively.

[pursuant to his reply, 15 April 1981, c. 165]: The following table gives, for the areas listed, the numbers of unemployed people aged 45 years and over who had been on the register at April 1979 and January 1981 for the lengths of time specified.

	Over 13 and up to 26 weeks	Over 26 and up to 52 weeks	Over 52 weeks
West Midlands region
April 1979	5,179	7,077	17,049
January 1981	16,097	13,448	21,568
Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area
April 1979	591	865	1,577
January 1981	2,217	1,989	2,607
Wolverhampton travel-to-work area
April 1979	286	471	1,021
January 1981	1,076	1,092	1,583
Walsall travel-to-work area
April 1979	345	533	1,436
January 1981	1,084	1,046	1,869

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of households and the rate per 1,000 population in each local authority which received assistance, with the provision of aids in 1979–80.

The information requested is as follows:

Cases of assistance with the provision of aids in 1979–80
	Number	*Rate
Clwyd	1,972	5·12
Dyfed	2,170	6·66
Gwent	2,429	5·57
Gwynedd	1,765	7·80
Mid Glamorgan	2,538	4·72
Powys	752	7·02
South Glamorgan	340	0·87
West Glamorgan	806	2·20
Wales	12,772	4·60

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of households containing disabled children and the rate per 1,000 child population in each local authority which received assistance with the provision of aids in 1979–80.

The information requested is as follows:

Cases of assistance in 1979–80 with the provision of aids where the person assisted was aged under 16 years
	Number	Rate*
Clwyd	108	1·21
Dyfed	29	0·42
Gwent	33	0·32
Gwynedd	32	0·63
Mid Glamorgan	9	0·07
Powys	5	0·22
South Glamorgan	17	0·19
West Glamorgan	18	0·22
Wales	251	0·39
* Rate per 1,000 population aged under 16 at 30 June 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of households and the rate per 1,000 population in each local authority which received assistance with the installation of telephones in 1979–80.

The information requested is as follows:

Cases of assistance with the installation of telephones in 1979–80
	Number	Rate*
Clwyd	62	0·16
Dyfed	103	0·32
Gwent	255	0·58
Gwynedd	†80	0·35
Mid Glamorgan	666	1·24
Powys	7	0·07
South Glamorgan	213	0·55
West Glamorgan	52	0·14
Wales	†1,438	0·52
* Rate per 1,000 population at 30 June 1979.
† Includes one transfer fee.
Information for 1979–80 is available only for the number of cases receiving assistance, which, in general, will be for one person rather than for a household.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of households and the rate per 1,000 population in each local authority which received assistance with the payment of telephone rentals in 1979–80.

The information requested is as follows:

Cases of assistance with the payment of telephone rentals* in 1979–80
	Number	Rate*
Clwyd	583	1·51
Dyfed	572	1·76

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of households containing disabled children and the rate per 1,000 child population in each local authority which received assistance with the payment of telephone rentals in 1979–80.

The information requested is as follows:

Cases of assistance with the payment of telephone rentals* where the person assisted was aged under 16 years
	Number	Rate†
Clwyd	10	0·11
Dyfed	3	0·04
Gwent	20	0·20
Gwynedd	21	0·41
Mid Glamorgan	58	0·45
Powys	1	0·04
South Glamorgan	6	0·07
West Glamorgan	15	0·18
Wales	134	0·21
* Those rentals for which the local authority was currently responsible at 31 March 1980, including rentals for telephones installed during the year.
† Rate per 1,000 population aged under 16 at 30 June 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of households containing disabled children and the rate per 1,000 child population in each local authority which received assistance with the installation of telephones in 1979–80.

The information requested is as follows:

	Cases of assistance in 1979–80 with installation of telephones where the person assisted was aged under 16 years
	Number	Rate*
Clwyd	1	0·01
Dyfed	0	0·00
Gwent	4	0·04
Gwynedd	3	0·06
Mid Glamorgan	26	0·20
Powys	0	0·00
South Glamorgan	1	0·01
West Glamorgan	1	0·01
Wales	36	0·06
* Rate per thousand population aged under 16 at 30 June 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the numbers of households and the rate per 1,000 population in each local authority which received assistance with adaptations to the home in 1979–80.

The information requested is as follows:

	Cases of assistance with adaptations to properties* in 1979–80
	Number	Rate†
Clwyd	263	0·68
Dyfed	68	0·21
Gwent	118	0·27
Gwynedd	99	0·44
Mid Glamorgan	868	1·61
Powys	37	0·35
South Glamorgan	180	0·46
West Glamorgan	239	0·65
Wales	1,872	0·67
* Includes only those cases where the whole cost was met by the social services department. Adaptations carried out by housing authorities are not included.
† Rate per 1,000 population at 30 June 1979.
Information for 1979–80 is available only for the number of cases receiving assistance, which, in general, will be for one person rather than for a household.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of households containing disabled children and the rate per 1,000 child population in each local authority which received assistance with adaptations to the home in 1979–80.

The information requested is as follows:

	Cases of assistance in 1979–80 with adaptations to property* where the person assisted was aged under 16 years
	Number	Rate†
Clwyd	22	0·25
Dyfed	4	0·06
Gwent	3	0·03
Gwynedd	2	0·04
Mid Glamorgan	16	0·12
Powys	7	0·31
South Glamorgan	10	0·11
West Glamorgan	10	0·12
Wales	74	0·12
* Includes only those cases where the whole cost was met by the social services department.
† Rate per thousand population aged under16 at 30 June 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of people and the rate per 1,000 population in each local authority which received assistance with holidays in 1979–80.

The information requested is as follows:

	Cases of assistance with holidays* in 1979–80
	Numbers	Rate†
Clwyd	124	0·31
Dyfed	246	0·76
Gwent	988	2·27
Gwynedd	164	0·72

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the population of each of the proposed health districts in Wales.

My right hon. Friend envisages that, in general, health districts will be replaced by smaller health units. The units proposed by health authorities in Wales have been described in terms of their coverage of hospitals and community services, and information on unit populations is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newham North-West on 13 April, Official Report, c. 15, why, as there were only two police involved, he is unable to give the information required by calculation of officers' wage scales, the time spent, and the number of vehicles which were used; and whether he will make a statement.

In his question answered on 13 April the hon. Member asked about three separate incidents each involving two police officers. The information that would be required to calculate the cost of the police involvement in the incidents is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) foreign nationals and (b) Commonwealth citizens were deported following conviction within the Metropolitan Police area during 1980; and what offences they committed;(2) if he will give a breakdown by ethnic category of the foreign nationals and Commonwealth citizens who were deported following conviction within the Metropolitan Police area during 1980.

I regret that information in the form requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Metropolitan Police effected the deportation of a total of 322 Commonwealth citizens and 357 foreign nationals in 1980. Not all these deportations followed a conviction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what decision he has made on the request by the Bedfordshire police authority to increase its establishment by three sergeants and 30 constables in the year 1981–82.

We have informed the Bedfordshire police authority that we are prepared to approve an increase of 15 posts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Government will make additional funds available to the Bedfordshire police force to bring its numbers up to 1,158 as recommended by the Chief Constable in his annual report for 1980.

The authorised establishment of a force is fixed by the police authority, subject to the Home Secretary's approval. No request has been received from the Bedfordshire police authority to increase the force establishment to 1,158. Police grant at the rate of 50 per cent. is payable for expenditure incurred by the police authorities on approved establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of the successful juvenile crime prevention scheme operated in Bedfordshire, the Government will make additional funds available to extend crime prevention schemes throughout the community.

Crime prevention panels such as the junior panel at Luton make a valuable contribution by involving the community in crime prevention work. These panels are funded mainly by local police forces from money provided by central and local government for general police expenditure. It is for individual police authorities to decide the extent of this funding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many counties in England and Wales other than Bedfordshire the figures for crimes of violence, robberies and burglaries rose and the detection rate fell in 1980.

Five police force areas. However, it is not possible to estimate to what extent the recorded changes between 1979 and 1980 reflect the introduction on 1 January 1980 of new counting rules for serious offences recorded by the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether women police officers undertook the same duties in the Brixton riots as their male colleagues.

Yes, except that they were not deployed in protective shield serials.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to set up a special paramilitary riot police to enable existing police forces to concentrate on normal policing work.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table indicating the area, in square miles, covered by each of the parliamentary constituencies in the United Kingdom.

The area of each constituency in the United Kingdom is given in hectares in table 1.5 of the latest annual reference volume "Electoral Statistics 1980" (Series EL No. 7) published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in February 1981. The areas are the same in 1981. The publication is available in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any recruits to police forces in Great Britain are sent abroad for training; if so, how many; for how long; to which countries; and for what purpose.

Recruits are not sent abroad for training.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation, or discuss with interested parties and those concerned, the possibility of changing the electoral law so that no person who is in prison serving a sentence at the time when nomination papers for general or by-elections have to be delivered, can be a properly nominated person.

My right hon. Friend is considering this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 3,719 persons who left Zimbabwe in the first two months of 1981 came to the United Kingdom; and how many of this number were Zimbabwe and British citizens, respectively.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sites he has considered or is considering in addition to that at Woolwich Arsenal for the location of a new London prison.

The Department, with the help of the Property Services Agency, has been looking for two sites for new London prisons, one either side of the river and preferably to the east. So far the only vacant site, south of the river, of suitable size and location, which is known to be available at about the right time, is at Woolwich Arsenal. The search south of the river has embraced the boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham, Greenwich, Bexley and Bromley. It has extended also into Kent, where a new prison for sentenced inmates is being planned on the Isle of Sheppey.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest available figures for members of the police force who originate from coloured ethnic communities; and what percentage of the total this represents.

On 28 February 1981, 297 police officers in England and Wales—0·25 per cent. of the total police strength—were members of the ethnic minorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the position of material witnesses wishing to give evidence before the Scarman inquiry in relation to the incidents in Brixton on the weekend of 11 to 12 April and who themselves face prosecution; in particular, whether such witnesses will continue to be prosecuted and may, therefore, be debarred from or advised against giving evidence; and whether, in such cases, their evidence will be taken at the conclusion of such prosecutions.

The question of any assurances for witnesses before Lord Scarman's inquiry is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present weekly wage of a man who has served for 15 years in (a) the police force and (b) the fire brigade; and what were the rates prevailing in 1974.

After 15 years service the basic weekly pay of a police constable is £150.43, and of a qualified fireman £131.92; the comparable figures for 1974 were £49.03 and £57.34.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing the number of electors on the current electoral register in each of the 37 district council areas in Wales.

The information requested was published on 14 April by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in the OPCS monitor "Electoral Statistics—local government" (Reference EL 81/1). Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many crimes of violence were committed by people on bail in 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980 in (a) England and Wales and (b) Greater London;(2) how many burglaries were committed by people on bail in 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980 in (a) England and Wales and (b) Greater London;(3) how many people committed further offences whilst on bail in 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980 in (a) England and Wales and (b) Greater London;(4) how many people with previous records for crimes against persons or property were granted bail for similar offences in 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980 in (a) England and Wales and (b) Greater London.

The information requested is not available. However, an analysis is being prepared of re-offending by persons first given bail by magistrates' courts in the first six calendar months of the operation of the Bail Act 1976, that is May to October 1978; the results of this analysis are expected to be published later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were charged with breach of bail conditions in 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980 in (a) England and Wales and (b) Greater London.

The breaching of bail conditions does not, in itself, constitute a criminal offence. Information on the number of persons brought before the courts following a breach of bail conditions is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to amend the Criminal Law Act 1967 to provide that criminals convicted of serious offences are disqualified from membership of the House.

My right hon. Friend is considering whether the present grounds of incapacity for membership of the House of Commons should be extended in this way and how best this might be achieved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if European Economic Community nationals convicted of shoplifting in the United Kingdom, and subsequently deported, enjoy the right to be readmitted to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement describing the current training requirements prescribed by the Metropolitan Police in the field of community relations; and whether he has any plans to review these.

Community relations training in the Metropolitan Police is an integral part of courses at all levels, ranging from those for new recruits, to those for senior officers. In the case of recruits some 10 per cent. of the initial 15-week training course is devoted to social studies, including community relations. In addition, subsequent street duty courses under the guidance of specially selected, experienced officers are being introduced to help probationers with practical police work. They last four weeks and are geared to policing problems in the area, and include training in establishing good relationships with the public, including ethnic minorities.The aim of all such training is to create an understanding of the concept of policing by consent, and its implications for the role of the individual police officer. Responsibility for the training of Metropolitan Police officers rest primarily with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, who keeps the content of courses under review to ensure that they reflect changing needs Following a comprehensive review of all training, the content of community relations training for recruits is being reviewed now, in co-operation with the Commission for Racial Equality and other agencies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representation he has received from Superintendent John Keyte on behalf of the Superintendents Association concerning an investigation into allegations made about police treatment of persons in custody; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

Chief Superintendent Keyte wrote to me on 17 March. My private secretary replied on my behalf on 8 April. The text of the reply is as follows:

"The Home Secretary has asked me to thank you for your letter of 17th March about recently reported comments on the police complaints system.

The Home Secretary has noted your views. You will be aware from his reply to a Parliamentary Question on 18th March how matters stand on the report of the Working Party on the establishment of an independent element in the investigation of complaints against the police. The Home Secretary said that in the light of the report, and against the background of the general considerations mentioned in the Police Complaints Board's triennial review report, he will be considering further, in consultation with the Police Advisory Board, what changes, if any, may be necessary in the present arrangements for dealing with complaints against the police. As you know, a meeting of the Police Advisory Board has now been arranged for 15th July. You may also know that in an Adjournment Debate in the House of Commons on 20th March Mr. Meacher raised the subject of injuries sustained by persons in police custody. In rejecting Mr. Meacher's call for an inquiry, the Minister of State, Mr. Mayhew, took the opportunity to draw attention to the principal findings of the Home Affairs Committee inquiry into deaths in police custody and to emphasise that the police are also entitled to be treated fairly.

With regard to Mr. Meacher's dossier of cases, Ministers have made it clear in Parliament and in correspondence with him that allegations against police officers can be dealt with only in accordance with the statutory procedures and that it would not be appropriate for the Home Secretary to intervene in these arrangements or to comment on the merits of individual cases."

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons from the United States of America were refused entry into the United Kingdom during 1979 and 1980 as visitors; what proportion of all arrivals from the United States wishing to visit the United Kingdom were refused entry in the two years mentioned above; and how many of those refused entry as visitors were aged 75 years and over;(2) how many persons from Pakistan were refused entry into the United Kingdom during 1979 and 1980 as visitors; what proportion of all arrivals from Pakistan wishing to visit the United Kingdom were refused entry in the two years mentioned above; and how many of those refused entry as visitors were aged 75 years and over;(3) how many persons from India were refused entry into the United Kingdom during 1979 and 1980 as visitors; what proportion of all arrivals from India wishing to visit the United Kingdom were refused entry in the two years mentioned above; and how many of those refused entry as visitors were aged 75 years and over.

The information available is given in the following table. Statistics of people subject to immigration control are classified by citizenship or nationality, not country of origin. Figures of admissions and refusals by citizenship/nationality are published annually in the Command Paper "Control of Immigration Statistics"; the issue for 1979 was Cmnd. 7875 and that for 1980 will be published next month. Information on the age of those refused admission is not collected centrally.

Refusals of entry to certain citizens/nationals
	1979		1980
Citizenship/Nationality	Refused leave to enter*	Refusals as percentage of arrivals†	Refused leave to enter*	Refusals as percentage of arrivals†
United States of America	654	0·03	649	0·04
Pakistan	1,133	1·26	1,040	1·24
India	1,206	0·65	1,239	0·66
* Including some refusals, for example on medical grounds, of those seeking admission other than as visitors.
† Those admitted plus those refused leave to enter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of passenger refusals in 1979 and 1980 when hon. Members contacted his office to make representations; and if he will give a breakdown of the countries of the passengers concerned.

No formal statistics are readily available. The best estimate I can offer is that in 1980 there were around 1,300 passenger refusals where hon. Members contacted my office and that of my right hon. Friend to make representations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department will be actively cooperating with the Commission for Racial Equality in its review of the Immigration Service.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the statutory provisions which relate to offences for the unauthorised interception of telephone calls or mail, distinguishing any which apply only to employees of British Telecom or the Post Office; and if, for each offence, he will indicate the maximum penalty provided.

The following provisions relate to the interception and disclosure of telecommunications messages, and after the relevant provisions of the British Telecommunications Bill become effective the references to an employee of the Post Office will apply to an employee of British Telecom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is still considering the recommendations contained in the report of the Working Party on Vagrancy and Street Offences, paragraphs 96 to 100; and when he expects to announce his conclusions.

The Criminal Law Revision Committee, which is carrying out a comprehensive review of the law on sexual offences in consultation with the Policy Advisory Committee on Sexual Offences, has just embarked on a study of the law on prostitution, which will include the problem of "kerb-crawling" discussed in paragraphs 96 to 100 of the working party's report. My right hon. Friend will wish to await the outcome of that review before reaching conclusions on the need for legislation in this field. It is too early to say when the review is likely to be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum in the United Kingdom have been received in each of the previous five years; and how many applications have been granted.

Comprehensive statistics on such applications were not kept before 1 January 1979. In 1979, 1,550 individual applications were received; 708 of these were granted in that year and 619 were under consideration at the end of the year. In 1980, 3,044 applications were received; 1,413 applications were granted; and 1,566 applications remained under consideration at the end of the year.The above figures do not include people admitted under the special programmes for Vietnamese and Latin American refugees. In 1979, 5,094 Vietnamese refugees were granted asylum in the United Kingdom; the figure for 1980 was 6,953. 60 people were admitted in 1979 under the special Latin American refugee programme and 96 in the first part of 1980; this programme was closed at the end of 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were brought by local authorities in England and Wales during 1979 and 1980 under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977.

Records available show that during 1979, 13 persons were proceeded against at magistrates' courts in England and Wales for offences under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977; these records do not distinguish how many of these were prosecuted by local authorities. As such prosecutions may have been brought other than by the police, the information may be incomplete. Information for 1980 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been against unauthorised persons for intercepting telephone calls or the mail without a warrant from the Home Secretary during the past five years; and in how many cases private individuals have instituted these proceedings in each of these years.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the age, sex, length of remand, locality and eventual disposal of each of the 10 schoolchildren on remand in prison for three months or more.

[pursuant to the reply, 30 March 1981, c. 6]: The information requested is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the meetings held between his Department and its Norwegian counterpart.

My Department and its Norwegian counterpart hold regular meetings, covering a range of energy issues in which we have mutual interests. I shall in fact be having discussions with Mr. Harold Norvik, the State Secretary of the Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy, during the course of this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from the foundry industry about the price disadvantages it is experiencing in relation to European competitors; and if he has any plans for assisting by subsidy or otherwise users of foundry coke.

I have received a number of representations about the differences between foundry coke prices here and in other European countries. I am considering carefully whether something can be done.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his Department's assessment of the potential for energy conservation due to microprocessors (a) in transportation and (b) in combustion.

(a) We estimate that microprocessor technology, if used to its maximum extent and applied to vehicle systems in conjunction with developed sensors and allied equipments—air/fuel optimisation-electronic ignition, continuously-variable transmission—has an overall energy conservation potential of some 5 million tonnes of oil per annum. In the short term, the wider application of microelectronics and automatic control in both the vehicle and traffic control fields might produce a lesser but nevertheless worthwhile reduction of roughly 2 million tonnes of oil per annum. Total oil consumption by road transport at present is some 25 million tonnes.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he proposes to revise the National Coal Board's capital programme in the light of lower projections in electricity demand and contracting markets for coal.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 15 April—[Vol. 3, c. 142]—to his question about revised forecasts of electricity demand. Actual consumption of coal at power stations, and in other markets, will depend on a number of factors, including the availability and price of coal in competition with alternative fuels.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the current authorised establishment of the Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary; what is its actual strength, rank by rank, at the latest available date; if he will list, year by year, annual expenditure on the AEA Constabulary since 1976; what is the projected annual expenditure for the new financial year; if he will list the sites in the United Kingdom at which the AEA Constabulary maintains full-time duty; what is the current pay structure for members of the AEA Constabulary; and how this compares with pay for Home Office police forces;(2) how many disciplinary cases involving members of the Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary have been dealt with and with what outcome, year by year, since 1976; and how many complaints have been made and with what outcome, year by year, against members of the AEA Constabulary since 1976;(3) what proportion of the current strength of the Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary are trained to use firearms; how long their initial training is; and how frequently, and for how long, they receive refresher training;(4) on how many occasions, year by year since 1976, firearms have been issued to officers of the Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary for off-site duties; how many times, year by year since 1976, firearms have been fired; and on how many occasions since 1976 officers of the AEA Constabulary reported the criminal use or possession of firearms in connection with any of their duties;(5) whether the Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary is equipped with CS gas; if so, how many officers are training to use it; how they are trained; whether it has ever been used operationally; and what operational advice is given regarding its use;(6) how many offences have been reported and cleared up by the Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary, year by year since 1976, offence group by offence group;(7) why the annual report of the Atomic Energy Authority Constabulary chief constable is not made publicly available.

The AEAC maintains full-time duty at the UKAEA establishments at Dounreay, Harwell, Risley, Winfrith and the London headquarters; the BNFL establishments at Capenhurst, Chapelcross, Springfields and Windscale; and the URENCO premises at Marlow. The AEAC's current strength is 586 and its complement 614. The annual expenditure since 1976 is as follows:

	£ million
1976–77	2
1977–78	2·5
1978–79	2·8
1979–80	4·4
1980–81	6·2
The predicted expenditure for 1981–82 is £6·5 million.

Under the chief constable and a deputy chief constable, the AEAC comprises the ranks of superintendent, chief inspector, inspector, sergeant, and constable, each of which has an incremental scale related to years of service in the rank. The pay and conditions of the AEAC, along with those of other non Home Department police forces were considered by a committee of inquiry appointed by the Lord President of the Council. Its report was published as Cmnd. 7623 in July 1979. It recommended that the pay relativity of the Ministry of Defence police with Home Department forces should, in general, be set at a figure of 95 per cent.; and a long and established pay link with the

	1976		1977		1978		1979		1980
	Reported	Cleared up	Reported	Cleared up	Reported	Cleared up	Reported	Cleared up	Reported	Cleared up
Offences against the person	2	2	1	—	3	3	—	—	—	—
Offences against property with violence	29	3	22	6	3	—	9	2	3	—
Offences against property without violence	276	111	309	97	417	171	336	129	460	185
Malicious injuries to property	30	19	12	4	12	5	16	1	16	2
Forgery and offences against the currency	3	3	3	—	3	3	9	8	1	1
Other offences not included in above classes	—	—	1	1	5	2	4	1	3	1
Total	340	138	348	108	443	184	374	141	483	189

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the report of the "Alexander Kielland" disaster; and if he is now satisfied with the safety of other North Sea oil installations of similar design.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Dunfermline (Mr. Douglas) on 8 April.—[Vol. 2, c. 299.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will place in the Library copies of working papers 1, 2 and 3 which are referred to in the introduction to the interim report on the review of the code of practice which he recently placed in the Library.

This is a matter for the sponsors of the review—the gas and electricity industries and consumer councils—and I am asking the chairmen of the British Gas Corporation and Electricity Council to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether, in order to prevent the substantial current imports arising from the differential in energy prices between the United Kingdom and the Continent, he will introduce special measures which will make it possible for industry to continue to be a large consumer of coal and with the object of closing the differential between indigenous and imported coal of about £10 per ton.

As agreed in the tripartite discussions between the Government, the mining unions and the National Coal Board, the coal industry is seeking to reduce imports towards the irreducible minimum, by price realignment where necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish his proposed timetable for feasibility studies on combined heat and power systems, stating the order in which tests on each of the test cities will be started.

On 12 March I announced the nine areas which will be the subject of more detailed feasibility work. My Department is currently in the process of appointing consultants for each of these nine locations to assist the lead consultants to complete the first stage of the programme by undertaking engineering and marketing surveys. This stage of the work is scheduled for completion by this autumn. The work will be undertaken simultaneously at all nine locations.—[Vol. 1000, c.385.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he expects to take steps to reduce the level of North Sea oil production in line with the falling level of United Kingdom oil consumption.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement on the Government's oil depletion policy made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy on 23 July 1980 in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave).

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest forecast of energy prices over the next 12 months.

I am unable to predict oil price movements over this period, which remain subject to considerable uncertainties and have an important influence on the prices of other fuels. United Kingdom prices for these fuels are a matter for the energy supply industries concerned.It is not yet clear when the National Coal Board will be reviewing coal prices during the coming year, but domestic coal prices will be subject to a summer discount. Details will be announced shortly.British Gas has announced that the levels at which industrial gas contracts are being renewed are being held until 1 December. For domestic consumers, prices rose by 15 per cent. on 1 April and there will be a further increase of 10 per cent. in October.Electricity prices were increased with effect from 1 April and no further increases are at present planned. As a result of that price revision, domestic prices will increase by an average of 11 per cent. over the next full year. The industrial price increase averages nearly 7·5 per cent. on basic rates, with a further 8 per cent. likely to be added during 1981–82 through the operation of the fuel cost adjustment. The industrial price increase quoted does not take account of the additional flexibility being offered by area boards to some of their large consumers.

Roberts asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, in view of the evidence supplied to him of the failure of British Gas to supply houses in Redhill Road, Chadsmoor, Cannock, he will take steps to amend the standard conditions of gas supply as related in the Gas Act 1972; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to amend the British Gas Corporation's obligation to supply. I am not aware that the corporation has refused a gas supply in this case.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all known instances of industrial sabotage at British civil nuclear installations.

There have been no known instances of sabotage at civil nuclear installations operated by the CEGB, the UKAEA, BNFL or the radiochemical centre. Responsibility for the civil nuclear installations operated by the SSEB lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, but I understand that there, too, there have been no known instances.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will consider holding some special events within the United Kindgdom to mark the forthcomimg Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

There will be a number of significant events in the United Kingdom during our forthcoming Presidency: in November a meeting of the European Council will bring to London the Heads of State and Government of our European partners; Foreign Ministers will meet here in political co-operation, both formally in October and informally in September; and there may well be other meetings at ministerial level in the United Kingdom during the six months concerned. Our purpose at these meetings will be to strengthen the Community and to advance the interests of Europe as a whole. We would wish our Presidency to be marked by success in this important endeavour.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how much was paid by the European Economic Community by way of pensions and other allowances to former members of the European Economic Community Commission in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; how many former Commissioners were in receipt of such pensions and allowances; what were the highest, lowest and average payments made to individual former Commissioners; if the pensions will be index-linked; and if he will provide the information in the £ sterling equivalent of European units of account.

The appropriation in the 1981 budget for pension payments to former members of the Commission and their dependents is £733,841—1,166,000 ECU. Details of the number of former Commissioners receiving pensions and of the size of individual payments are not available. The pensions are not index-linked, but are revised at the same time as staff salaries in accordance with Council regulation 1546/73 (OJ No. L155 of 11.6.73).

asked the Lord Privy Seal if the pensions received by former Commissioners of the EEC are contributory; and if he will make a statement.

Pensions received by former Commissioners are non-contributory and are as laid down in Council regulation 422/67/EEC of 25 July 1967.

asked the Lord Privy Seal at what age a former Commissioner of the EEC becomes eligible for pension; and if he will make a statement.

A former Commissioner is entitled to a pension from the age of 65, but the pension may be paid at a reduced rate from age 60, in accordance with Council regulation 422/67/EEC of 25 July 1967 (OJ 187 of 8:8:67).

asked the Lord Privy Seal how much was spent by the European Economic Community Commission on providing tropical clothing for its staff in the most recent year for which figures are available; and if similar allowances and payments are made to Foreign Office staff.

There are no fixed allowances for providing tropical clothing for Community staff, but reimbursement of actual expenditure is allowed up to a maximum of approximately £180 over two years for senior staff. This expenditure is included in the budget appropriation for special equipment for missions, which for 1981 totals some £20,700. Climatic clothing allowances are paid to members of Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service at fixed rates up to a maximum of £300 for senior married staff, on appointment to a qualifying post and provided, except in the case of transfer from a hot to a cold post, or vice versa, more than three years have elapsed since the last payment of this allowance.

asked the Lord Privy Seal which countries possess the technological capability of building and detonating a nuclear device.

The United States, USSR, United Kingdom, France, China and India have demonstrated this capability. The production of a nuclear explosive device could probably be undertaken if sufficient effort were devoted to it by any country with a developed industrial base. Most such countries have of course renounced the option.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the policy of the European Community towards the World Peace Council; and if he will make a statement.

The Community as such has not adopted a policy on the World Peace Council, but we have no reason to believe that our partners' national views about the council are much different from our own.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the World Peace Council; and whether he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government have on a number of occasions made known their view that the World Peace Council is a disguised instrument of Soviet foreign policy. They did so most recently at the session of the United Nations Committee on Non-Governmental Organisations on 9 to 19 February which considered the World Peace Council's application for consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The World Peace Council was seen to have withheld information from the Committee about its activities and its financial dependence on communist sources, and thereupon withdrew its application. The full text of the United Kindom delegation's statement is available in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will seek to amend the Industry Act 1972 in order to provide regional development grants for research laboratories and facilities where these are not directly attached to a manufacturing plant.