asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to place an immediate ban on the import into the United Kingdom of anthracite and coal from South Africa.

Such a ban would not be consistent with our international obligations, but the Government have agreed that the National Coal Board should seek to reduce all imports of coal to the irreducible minimum.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, since Japanese cars exceeded 10 per cent. of the United Kingdom market in 1980, he will take steps to ensure that the 1981 share is reduced by the amount by which the 1980 target was exceeded.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what effects he expects the planned £400 million expansion of Stansted airport to have on the further development of Manchester international airport; if he or another Minister in his Department will meet the airport authority in Manchester to discuss its view of the effects of expanding Stansted; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have fully demonstrated their commitment to the further development of Manchester international airport as the major international gateway airport outside the South-East of England by their recent approval of a substantial programme of capital investment at the airport. My Department already works closely with the airport authority on such matters and will continue to do so.The proposed development of Stansted airport is designed to meet the forecast growth in demand for air transport in the London area. The implications of these proposals will be considered at the forthcoming public inquiry. It is therefore not necessary, nor would it be proper, for me to discuss the effects—if any—of the Stansted proposals with the Manchester airport authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is his estimate of the total number of petrol pumps in the United Kingdom; how many have digital meters; and how many can price petrol up to (a) 99p only, (b) £1·99 only, (c) £2·99 only and (d) £4·99 only.

[pursuant to her reply, 27 April 1981, c. 336.]: I estimate that there are approximately 100,000 petrol pumps in the country, of which about 30,000 have digital displays. Of the total, approximately 60,000, or 60 per cent., cannot price petrol at more than 99p per gallon without modification. At £1·99, 60 per cent. of the pump population would have to resort to quarter price posting. I regret that the information on pumps capable of coping with petrol at prices up to £2·99 and £4·99 per gallon is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has taken a decision on the number of students to be admitted to courses of teacher training in the Scottish colleges of education in session 1981–82; and if he will make a statement.

My provisional views on the arrangements for intake to teacher training courses in session 1981–82 were contained in a consultative paper which was issued in March to the General Teaching Council for Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Joint Committee of Colleges of Education in Scotland as a basis for discussion. After carefully considering the 'views expressed about the assumptions incorporated in that paper, and in the light of estimates by education authorities of their future secondary school staffing requirements, I have decided that the total intake to pre-service courses of teacher training in session 1981–82 should not exceed 480 students for the primary diploma courses, 100 for the primary postgraduate course and 1,350 for secondary courses—including BEd courses.I am now required to consult the governing body of each college before issuing directions regarding the number of students of different categories to be admitted to the college; and I am proposing to the colleges that for session 1981–82 the allocation of the total intake to pre-service courses of teacher training should be as in the following table:

	Primary Intake		Secondary Intake
College	Proposed diploma course quotas	Proposed postgraduate course quotas	Proposed quotas
Aberdeen	75	18	150
Craigie	55	12	—
Dundee	40	10	95
Dunfermline	—	—	65
Jordanhill	120	22	565
Moray House	95	18	260
Roman Catholic Intake	95	20	215
Total	480	100	1,350

As was envisaged in my reply of 6 August 1980 to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mr. Craigen)—[Vol. 990, c. 87–89]—there will be no further intake to Callendar Park or Hamilton colleges of education, nor will there be a separate intake to Craiglockhart college of education.To ensure that in selecting students for admission to courses of secondary training the colleges have regard to education authorities' likely future needs for teachers of individual subjects I am asking them, in allocating places, to give highest priority to applicants seeking admission to courses leading to a teaching qualification (secondary education) in mathematics, physics and technical education and lowest priority to applicants for training in biology, geography, history and modern studies. In regard to the remaining subjects, I am asking the colleges to give priority to those seeking admission to training in business studies, music and religious education.On the basis of the most up-to-date information available to me, I am advising the colleges that about 30 per cent. of the total intake to courses of secondary training should be students in the subjects of highest priority, but that, in the event of that percentage being exceeded, I shall be prepared to increase the overall level of intake accordingly. In order to guard against the admission of an unduly large proportion of students in the subjects of lowest priority I am asking the colleges to restrict admissions in these subjects to no more than 5 per cent. of the total secondary intake. I am also emphasising to the colleges that they should consult the education authorities in their areas with a view to ascertaining whether any departures from this general advice might be necessary in the light of local school staffing needs.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official duties for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 April.

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

asked the Prime Minister, further to the reply given to the hon. Member for Aberdare on Tuesday 31 March, whether she is now able to make a statement on the progress of her inquiries into the pre-Budget leaks that appeared in Sunday newspapers on 8 March.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 15 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will define the responsibilities of each Government Department which is concerned with the implementation of the arrangements setting up the enterprise zones, announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his 1980 Budget; and what progress is being made in establishing each one.

The English zone and policy for enterprise zones generally are the the responsibility of the Secretary of State for the Environment. The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland zones are the responsibilities of the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively. The consent of the Treasury is required before a zone is designated.We hope the zones will come into operation as follows:

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the competitive quality of the British telecommunications industry.

The United Kingdom telecommunications industry is continuing to market its equipment and services overseas, especially submarine cables and viewdata. It is also increasingly demonstrating its capability at home in areas such as new system X exchanges, the first installation of which is now in operation in London; and in optical fibres, where the United Kingdom was among the first to set up pilot systems. The industry is also developing further new products in telecommunications and in the broader information technology field for home and export markets. The Government intend to introduce further competition in the home market under the provisions of the British Telecommunications Bill through a phased programme to allow time for the industry to adjust to the new conditions. This will enable the industry to develop further its marketing skills and customer relations both at home and overseas.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a feasibility study of imposing a moratorium on recruitment to all administrative grades of local government; what reductions in numbers would result after a moratorium of one year; and what would be the financial saving.

The Government have no statutory powers to implement a moratorium on local authority recruitment; it is for local authorities themselves to decide how best to meet the spending targets we have set. We have emphasised the importance of manpower economies if the targets are to be met. We have also promoted the widest publication of information about manpower levels, authority by authority and service by service. No information is available centrally about the number and salary grade of new recruits to local government.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a feasibility study of imposing a moratorium on all recruitment to the Civil Service; what reduction in manpower numbers would result after a moratorium of one year; and what would be the financial saving.

Last year some 55,000 left the non-industrial Home Civil Service and in the last two years we have recruited about 48,000 each year. I understand that Departments are recruiting only where they regard it as essential for the maintenance of services. Some Departments have recruited virtually no staff this year. On average the cost of one civil servant, including overheads, is over £10,000 a year at current pay rates.

asked the Prime Minister if, following her visit to Saudi Arabia, she will report on the progress of future air defence sales from the United Kingdom aerospace industry, with particular reference to Tornado and Hawk.

In close conjunction with the United Kingdom aerospace industry, the Government are vigorously pursuing a wide range of potential sales prospects, both in the Middle East and elsewhere. Possible sales of Tornado and further sales of Hawk are amongst these prospects. In general it is not our policy to reveal details of individual sales of defence equipment. But I was delighted that during my visit to Abu Dhabi the Defence Minister announced the Government's intention to purchase Hawk.

asked the Prime Minister if, following her recent visit to India, she is satisfied that the British Aerospace Jaguar deal will go ahead.

The Government of India have given no indication that they wish to alter the terms of the Jaguar deal.

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

I have had no such meetings since 28 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will consider the possibility of introducing proposals to pool all the different allowances now paid to young people aged 16 to 19 years and to redivide the money as a single means tested youth benefit; and if she will make a statement.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services said on 27 April, the Government are keeping the range of financial support for young people under age 19 under review, but have no plans at present for making any changes.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will arrange for the May Day public holiday to be replaced by a public holiday on St. George's Day in England in future years.

Under the existing arrangements, the first Monday in May is a bank holiday. We have considered the possibility of changing the date of that holiday, but have decided not to do so. There would be a number of disadvantages in a move to St. George' Day, not least its proximity to Easter: there will be six years between now and the end of the century when there will be less than a week between Easter and St. George's Day.

asked the Prime Minister why the date of British summer time was changed in the current year; and if she will specify the authority under which this was done.

The change was made under the Summer Time Act 1972 by Order in Council—SI 1980, No. 1089. The reasons for it were set out by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Home Office in the debate in the House on 16 July 1980.—[Vol. 988, c. 1685–1716.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what date the memorial on the British Railways closed shop was lodged with the registrar of the European Court of Human Rights at Strasbourg; to which bodies the memorial was circulated prior to that date and upon what dates; and upon what criteria he chose the bodies to receive such prior copies.

The Government filed their written memorial on the British Rail closed shop case with the European Court of Human Rights on 5 December 1980. The memorial was not circulated to or discussed with any other organisation or individual prior to that date. Following consultations with the Court the Government placed copies of the memorial in the Libraries of both Houses on 19 January 1981 and from the same date made copies available on request to anyone who wished to see them.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list under major heads of expenditure his Department's proposed capital expenditure through 1981–82.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the numbers of European Economic Community nationals resident or working in the United Kingdom and of the numbers of United Kingdom citizens living or working in the European Economic Community.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, in view the fact that under the new arrangements there are three days a year from which young people registering as unemployed can apply for benefit, he anticipates any temporary reduction in their number; and if he will make a statement.

In general, school leavers who register as unemployed during each of the three main school holidays, or the preceding term, will not be entitled to benefit until the beginning of the following term. They will, nevertheless, be counted in the figures of unemployed from the date they register, whether or not receiving benefit. Under these new arrangements, the absence of benefit until September for this summer's school leavers may have an effect on the numbers registering as unemployed, but it is not possible to estimate the likely numbers affected or the timing.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide figures showing the number of non-claimants of unemployment benefit, the number of severely disabled persons and the number of unemployed sick, as defined by international recommendations for counting the unemployed, who were not included in the latest unemployment count available.

Non-claimants to unemployment benefit who register at employment and careers offices are included only if they are seeking full-time work; those seeking part-time work are excluded and numbered 21,000 at 12 February. At 12 March there were 12,000 disabled people not included in the unemployment count who were registered as unemployed but who were unlikely to obtain employment except under sheltered conditions. Figures for unemployed people who are not on the register while receiving sickness benefit are not available, but it is estimated that their number could add less than 1 per cent. to the unemployment total.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many (a) construction workers and (b) building material workers were unemployed at the latest convenient date; what percentage of the total unemployed this represents; and what were the comparable figures for May 1979.

The following table gives the numbers of people registered as unemployed at May 1979 and February 1981 in the United Kingdom who last worked in the industries shown and expresses these as percentages of all those registered as unemployed. The figures are not seasonally adjusted.

Standard Industrial Classification 1968	May 1979	February 1981 (latest available)
Construction (Order XX)	174,656	370,894
As a percentage of all unemployed	13·4	15·1
Bricks, pottery, glass, cement etc. (Order XVI)	11,473	26,772
As a percentage of all unemployed	0·9	1·1

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current figure for long-term unemployment in (a) Wolverhampton and (b) the West Midlands; and what were the comparable figures in May 1979 and January 1980.

Duration analyses of the numbers registered as unemployed are made quarterly in January, April, July and October. The following table gives the numbers registered as unemployed for over 52 weeks at April 1979, January 1980 and January 1981 in the areas specified. The figures are not seasonally adjusted.

	April 1979	January 1980	January 1981
Wolverhampton employment office area	1,944	2,074	2,923
West Midlands	34,154	33,685	48,766

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of registered unemployed at King's Lynn, Fakenham, Hunstanton and Swaffham offices for April each year from 1970 to 1981, inclusive.

The following table gives the number of people registered as unemployed in the employment office areas at the dates specified:

	Kings Lynn	Fakenham	Hunstanton	Swaffham
April each year
1970	879	186	242	164
1971*	1,199	277	385	290
1972*	1,384	329	376	313
1973	801	226	250	238
1974	576	177	179	202
1975	1,143	293	451	437
1976	1,329	407	602	510
1977	1,866	457	702	616
1978	1,951	421	686	548
1979	1,886	426	577	463
1980	1,871	442	565	430
1981	3,430	680	794	705
* The figures for 1971 and 1972 include small numbers of adult students not present in the figures for other dates.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the comparative figures per thousand civilian working population between Wolverhampton and (a) the West Midlands and (b) the South-East of school leavers unemployed at the latest convenient date.

In the following table the provisional numbers of school leavers under 18 years of age registered as unemployed at 9 April are expressed per 1,000 of the total numbers of employees, employed and unemployed, in the respective areas.

	Unemployed school leavers per 1,000 employees
Wolverhampton travel-to-work area	4·8
West Midlands	3·3
South-East	1·3

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of registered unemployed school leavers at the King's Lynn, Fakenham, Hunstanton and Swaffham offices for April each year from 1970 to 1981, inclusive.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the Health and Safety Executive was consulted by the Shell Oil Company throughout tests at Maplin, Essex, on the behaviour of liquefied gas clouds when ignited; whether the executive is making an independent assessment of the lessons learnt; and whether those responsible for making the tests have had any discussion about them with the chief fire officer for Essex in the last six months.

The Health and Safety Executive was consulted by Shell UK Ltd., throughout the trials at Maplin Sands, Essex, on the behaviour of liquefied gas clouds when ignited. The executive is making an independent assessment of the lessons from the trials, and a preliminary meeting was held on 31 March to discuss the results so far available with representatives of Shell. It is likely that the full results will not be known for some considerable time. I understand that there have been no discussions on the trials in the last six months between Shell and the chief fire officer for Essex.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if the British Gas Corporation has now complied with the last of the three enforcement notices served by the Health and Safety Executive on its methane gas terminal at Canvey Island in April 1980; and whether he is satisfied that all safety devices at this installation are now working satisfactorily.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend a s soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the annual numbers of people in the King's Lynn, Fakenham, Hunstanton and Swaffham office areas who have benefited from special employment measures introduced by his Department for each year from 1970 to 1981, inclusive.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action has been taken by the Manpower Services Commission in the past year to publicise among disabled people the advantages of the quota scheme; and what action the Manpower Services Commission will be taking to promote the scheme during the remainder of 1981.

[pursuant to his reply, 28 April 1981]: Disablement resettlement officers have continued to discuss the quota scheme during interviews with disabled people. The commission's leaflet on registration as a disabled person under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Acts 1944 and 1958, which is widely distributed among disabled people, identifies the quota scheme among the employment provisions which apply only to registered disabled people. In addition, the series of fact sheets for disabled people produced to support the recent joint MSC/BBC Radio "Able to Work" week includes information about the scheme.The commission is currently reviewing the scheme and is due to submit recommendations shortly to my right hon. Friend. The MSC therefore has no plans to take any additional initiatives to promote the quota scheme at the present time, though it will continue to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people in all aspects of employment through its "Fit for Work" campaign.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list under major heads of expenditure his Department's proposed capital expenditure through 1981–82.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 April 1981]: The major heads of capital expenditure for the Department of Employment group are set out in Supply Estimates Class IV within the following Votes:

• Vote 13 Labour Market Services Subheads B2, B4(1) and B4(3)
• Vote 16 Manpower Services Commission Subheads A6(3) A6(4) B1 and B5(3)
• Subheads subject to limitation of amounts specified in footnotes Al(2) A2(2) A5(2) B4(2) B4(3) B6(2) B8(2) C1 C2(2) and D1(2)
• Vote 17 Administration Subheads A7 and A8
• Vote 20 Health and Safety Commission Subhead (3)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the numbers of European Economic Community nationals resident or working in the United Kingdom and of the numbers of United Kingdom citizens living or working in the European Economic Community.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 April 1981]: It is estimated that in May 1979, the latest date for which information is available, there were 620,000 nationals of other European Community countries, aged 16 or over, living in the United Kingdom and that of these 410,000 were in employment. Citizens of the Republic of Ireland account for nearly three-quarters of European Community nationals living and working in the United Kingdom.For United Kingdom citizens employed in other European Community countries, the available figures for the various countries relate to different periods between 1975 and 1979. The total of these figures gives an estimate of 72,000 employees, excluding those working in the Republic of Ireland, for which corresponding information is not available. Based on partial information for the Republic of Ireland, it is estimated that the total for all other European Community countries would be very approximately 80,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what costs are incurred in the administration and supervision of ships' radio licences where small vessels are involved.

The costs incurred are those of administering the licensing system, of paying the Post Office for work done on our behalf, and of paying the Department of Trade for inspecting ships' radio installations and for allocating and maintaining a register of ships' radio call signs. In addition, following a review of the radio regulatory department as one in the series of reviews of Government Departments carried out in consultation with Sir Derek Rayner, my right hon. Friend decided that, as an interim measure, private radio licence fees should meet the cost of 20 per cent. of the unallocated costs of the Department, and maritime licences bear their appropriate share of these.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate why a letter sent to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West, on behalf of Lord Belstead, on 21 April asked for information already supplied; and why the envelope bore a 14p stamp as well as being officially franked.

The hon. Member's own letter dated 1 April did not indicate when or to whom any previous letter on this subject might have been sent, and a check of our records and those at New Scotland Yard failed to reveal a previous letter. The letter in question has now been traced, by the Metropolitan Police, as having been sent by the hon. Member to the officer in charge of Holloway police station on 16 May 1980. The Home Office implemented with effect from 1 April 1981 a new postal system which is being adopted over a period of time by all Government Departments. From that date the "official paid" marking ceased to have any significance for Home Office correspondence. The envelope was stamped to ensure that the letter could be forwarded to the hon. Member during the recess.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the London boroughs have requested him to provide speakers on the British Nationality Bill; what arrangements he has made; and if he will make a statement.

The London borough of Brent requested a speaker on the British Nationality Bill to address a meeting of the council's race relations sub-committee. It was not possible to provide such a speaker, but we undertook to answer any specific points on the Bill which the sub-committee might wish to make in writing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the high commissioners from the New Commonwealth who have made representations about the British Nationality Bill; and if he will make a statement.

The following high commissioners from the New Commonwealth have made representations on the British Nationality Bill:

• High Commissioner for Bangladesh;
• High Commissioners for Barbados and St. Lucia (on behalf of Caribbean High Commissioners);
• High Commissioner for India.

In the first case, written representations were made which were subsequently discussed at official level. In the second and third cases, representations were made orally at meetings with me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers employed by the Metropolitan Police have ethnic origins in the Caribbean.

The Metropolitan Police has 114 officers from the ethnic minorities. Of these, 36 were born in the Caribbean and 35 were born in the United Kingdom—some of West Indian descent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many retailers in England and Wales were prosecuted under section 7 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 for selling tobacco to children under the age of 16 years during each of the past 10 years for which figures are available; and how many of these resulted in conviction.

The information available is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—offence classification 144 in table 1(a) of the volume for 1979, Cmnd. 8098; information on the circumstances of these offences is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that Mr. Bhutto, the son of the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, admitted during the BBC radio programme "World at One" on 19 April that he has been connected with terrorists and is in favour of using bombs, bullets and force in support of his aims, whether he will prevent this person from entering the United Kingdom for the stated purpose of university studies.

Recent events, including the statements referred to by the hon. Member, will be taken into account should Mr. Bhutto seek entry to the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances he proposes that British citizenship should be available as of right (a) to children born overseas to British by birth parents who are working overseas in commerce or industry and (b) to the children of those in category (a).

Under the British Nationality Bill, children born overseas to parents who are British citizens by birth in the United Kingdom will automatically be British citizens at birth. Children born overseas to British citizens by descent will have an entitlement to British citizenship on application where one parent has certain links with this country principally through employment or if they come to this country and reside here with their parents for at least three years. They will automatically be British citizens at birth if one parent is in Crown service under Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom at the time of birth or in service designated as closely associated with Her Majesty's Government's activities overseas, his or her recruitment for the service in question having taken place in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Poorang Shahabi, a convicted criminal student from Iran, was allowed out of prison to marry an English woman after he had been recommended for deportation by the judge who imposed the conviction; and whether this marriage will affect the implementation of the deportation order.

The immigration rules provide that a man admitted in a temporary capacity who marries a woman settled here will not be granted permission to stay on account of a marriage which took place after he had been recommended for deportation. The court's recommendation was not a reason to withhold permission for the marriage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to deport Iranian student Poorang Shahabi, a convicted criminal, in accordance with the recommendation of the judge who made the conviction.

My right hon. Friend is considering the recommendation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete his consultations on prisoner transfer treaties.

I cannot at present add to the information given to the House on 16 April.—[Vol. 3, c.495–500.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many otherwise Stateless people have been registered in each year since 1964 as citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies under the British Nationality (No. 2) Act 1964; in which countries they resided; and how many of them would become British citizens under clause 9 of the British Nationality Bill when passed.

The number of persons registered in each year since 1964 as citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies under the British Nationality (No. 2) Act: 1964 is as follows:

1964	5
1965	50
1966	38
1967	67
1968	42
1969	49
1970	68
1971	75
1972	73
1973	60
1974	99
1975	73
1976	48
1977	60
1978	81
1979	112

Final figures for 1980 are not yet available.Precise information as to the countries in which these people resided at the time of their registration could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Some indication however is given by the place of registration. Of those registered between 1964 and 1979, 718 were registered in the United Kingdom, which includes applications made from foreign countries, 101 in a dependent territory and 181 in a Commonwealth country by a high commissioner.It is not possible to say how many of those concerned will become British citizens under clause 9 of the British Nationality Bill, since this depends in most cases on the status of their mothers or the length of their residence, if any, in the United Kingdom when the Bill comes into force and information is not available on these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in 1980 officers of the Metropolitan Police were armed with guns, excluding members of the diplomatic protection group and special sections of the force who are armed as a matter of course; and how this figure breaks down by police division.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 April 1981, c. 372]: The number of occasions in 1980 on which firearms were issued to officers of the Metropolitan Police for particular incidents involving criminals or other persons known or believed to be armed was 5,968. It is not the practice to break this figure down by police division.

asked the Attorney-General if he will list the offences with which those involved in riotous assemblies can be charged; and whether he is satisfied that, given the nature of such riots, the police are able satisfactorily to gather evidence in furtherance of such charges, and that objective juries can be enlisted.

There are numerous common law and statutory offences with which persons, involved in circumstances which may also amount to riot, can be charged and have been so charged and convicted. There are often difficulties in obtaining evidence in a confused situation but the many successful prosecutions for such other offences which have followed such situations show that these difficulties are not insurmountable. I am satisfied that the prospects of obtaining an objective jury to try charges of riot are generally no less than they are for the trial of any other offence when there are several defendants.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many postgraduate medical centres in Wales based upon district general hospitals are fully funded by his Department; what is the average attendance at symposia, meetings and so on, arranged at these centres; and what is the annual cost of each centre to the Department over each of the past five-year periods that they have been in existence.

No hospital-based post-graduate medical education in Wales is fully funded by the Welsh Office. Facilities are however provided at district general hospitals by area health authorities and these are supported by the Welsh Office which makes annual contributions to the central organiser of such activities, the director and dean of post-graduate studies at the Welsh National School of Medicine. Records of expenditure at each centre are not available centrally but postgraduate medical education in Wales has been funded by the Welsh Office through the post-graduate dean to the following extent:

Year	Expenditure funded by Welsh Office
1977–78*	81,300
1978–79	100,991
1979–80	132,089
1980–81†	169,575
* The first year for which complete figures are available.
† Provisional.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants at the latest and most convenient stated date have resigned since the industrial dispute in the Civil Service to take up employment in private industry; and how many of these have given as their reasons the salaries and working conditions being inferior to those which they are able to enjoy in their new private employment.

The number of civil servants who have resigned since the start of the industrial dispute is not yet known. Information is not held centrally on the reasons for resignation.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many statisticians are currently employed in the Civil Service and in which Departments; and what were the comparable figures for May 1979.

The following table shows the number of staff in post in the statistician group by Department at 1 January 1981 and 1 April 1979. There are no figures available centrally for May 1979.

	Staff in post (full-time equivalents)
Department	1 April 1979*	1 January 1981†
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	18	17
Cabinet Office	63	45
CSD	17	14
Defence	32	34
Education and Science	15	15
Employment Group	43	40
Energy	13	15
Environment/PSA	67	61
Health and Social Security	41	39
Home Office	23	24
Industry	76	70
Inland Revenue	19	21
OPCS	23	25
Scottish Office	24	23
Treasury	13	15
Welsh Office	12	9
Other Departments	30	30
Total	529	497
Notes:
*1 April 1979—nearest date to "May 1979" for which this information is readily available.
† 1 January 1981—latest date for which figures are available centrally.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many researchers are currently employed in the Civil Service and in which Departments; and what were the comparable figures for May 1979.

The following table shows staff in post in the research officer category by Department at 1 January 1981 and 1 April 1979. These statistics do not include staff in other occupational groups who are engaged in research work.

	Staff in Post (full-time equivalents)
	1 April 1979*	1 January 1981†
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	28	30
Defence	71	67
Employment Group	32	37
Environment/PSA	134	124
Home Office	41	46
Industry	26	29
Overseas Development	18	15
Scottish Office	33	33
Welsh Office	17	15
Other Departments	36	27
Total	436	423
Notes:
*1 April 1979—nearest date to May 1979 for which figures are available.
† 1 January 1981—latest date for which figures are available centrally.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is her assessment of the reasons why Civil Service pension payments have increased from less than 8 per cent. of payment costs in 1961–62 to over 18 per cent. in 1981–82; and whether she has comparative figures for (a) the private sector of industry, (b) all other occupations and (c) all occupations excluding the Civil Service.

A detailed assessment has not been made, but the number of pensioners, including widows and other dependants, has gone up over the period from 200,000 to 380,000—by 90 per cent.—while staff in post, excluding Post Office staffs, have increased by less than 10 per cent.; basic benefits were brought up-to-date in 1972; and the average length of service reckoning for benefits has increased. Comparative figures for the private sector or for other occupations outside the Civil Service are not available.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what has been the cost of (a) the Civil Service and (b) Civil Service pensions for each of the last 20 years, divided in each case by the retail price index and the wages index.

The information for Supply Estimates provision which I gave to my hon. Friend on 13 April—[Vol. 3, c. 72]—divided by the index of average earnings where available, is as follows:

Total provision (£ million) divided by index of average earnings*
Financial year	Pay†	Superannuation
1963–64	697	53
1964–65	681	52
1965–66	687	49
1966–67	708	55
1967–68	736	54
1968–69	‡741	57
1969–70	‡744	59
1970–71	‡750	54
1971–72	751	59
1972–73	710	61

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how the new submarine building complex being considered at Vickers Shipbuilders in Cumbria will be funded.

British Shipbuilders is considering what capital investment is needed in order to build the Trident submarine; I understand that the corporation hopes to make a proposal to my Department in the near future. Meanwhile, no decision on funding has been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the estimated value of the lost production likely to be incurred as a result of the one-day public holiday on 29 July.

No estimates are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make representations to the European Economic Community to prevent the implementation of article 58 in a way prejudicial to British steel producers, in the light of the case of the steel firm of Darlington and Simpson's rolling mills; and if he will make a statement.

The steel production quota system established by the Commission with Council approval under article 58 of the ECSC Treaty provides for flexibility in its application by the Commission to deal with exceptional difficulties.In the last quarter of 1980 and the first quarter of this year Darlington and Simpson's difficulties were resolved by an additional allocation from the Commission and by the transfer of surplus entitlements from United Kingdom producers. I understand that efforts are well in hand to see whether a satisfactory solution can again be found.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether the Government have played any part in the arrangements whereby International Computers Ltd. secured an additional £70 million of borrowing facilities to the Government's £200 million loan.

The £70 million of borrowing facilities mentioned by the hon. Member which the banks have made available to ICL is an integral part of the Government's loan guarantee facility. The Government are guaranteeing borrowings of up to £200 million which ICL makes from its banks in excess of £70 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, as well as guaranteeing loans to International Computers Ltd. of up to £200 million under the Industry Act 1972, he has given guarantees directly or indirectly to support the extra £70 million of borrowing facilities made available to International Computers Ltd. by its banks.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the light of the large amount of money paid in salaries and allowances to the top paid of the officers in the census division, if he will take action to reduce the numbers employed and the cost of this department in accordance with the Government's economy drive.

The census in Great Britain is one of the cheapest among the developed countries; for example, the cost per head is only half that in the United States census. Nevertheless, economies are constantly being sought. The cost of this census has already been reduced by 16 per cent. as part of the economy drive. Current plans provide for a rapid rundown of the census staff as their tasks are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the fees charged by general practitioners are retainable by them when received from overseas visitors or whether they must be returned to his Department.

A general practitioner is entitled to retain any fee received from an overseas visitor ineligible for NHS treatment whom he has agreed to treat as a private patient.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give additional payment to general practitioners or approve and pay for additional clerical staff in areas where there are large concentrations of ethnic minorities in order to monitor the effects of charging fees (HN(81)13) to overseas visitors.

No. General practitioners will be expected to treat any new patients not ordinarily resident in this country, or otherwise eligible for NHS treatment, as private patients and thus outside NHS arrangements for payments to general practitioners. Guidance to assist them to identify visitors who are eligible for NHS treatment is under consideration and will be the subject of consultation in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will conduct a survey as to the extent to which retailers are complying with the law forbidding the sale of tobacco to children under the age of 16 years; and if he will take steps to make the legal requirements better known in the interests of health.

A survey of 50 tobacconists in Scotland was carried out recently for the Scottish Committee of Action on Smoking and Health by the Opinion Research Centre: 43 of these tobacconists sold cigarettes to a child who was manifestly under the age of 16. Under the voluntary agreement with the tobacco industry announced on 21 November 1980, the industry will be supplying the retail trade with material on the law regarding sales of cigarettes to children and inviting the retail trade to display such notices.I am keeping in close touch with the arrangements which the industry is making and shall be interested to see what effect the display of the notices has.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of people on hospital waiting lists in (a) the North-West region and (b) Mersey regional health authority on 31 December 1979 and 31 December 1980.

Figures at 31 December 1980 are not yet available. The number of people awaiting in-patient admission to NHS hospitals on the dates shown were:

	North-Western Regional Health Authority	Mersey Regional Health Authority
31 December 1979	70,000	38,000
31 March 1980	*69,000	*37,000
* Latest available figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has decided the rate of the therapeutic earnings limit for invalidity pensioners from November 1981.

Yes. The therapeutic earnings limit will be increased from its present level of £15 a week to £16·50 a week, with effect from November 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of benefit over payments arising from the Civil Service strike he expects to recover.

I am unable to make any such estimate. However, as I explained in my reply to my hon. Friend on 9 April—[Vol. 2, c. 337]—our procedures during the present industrial action are designed to restrict the possibility of overpayment to a small proportion of the total number of cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the revenue and capital allocations for each health service region and overall per head of the population for 1981–82.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Dean) on 26 February.—[Vol. 999, c. 429–30.] Regional health authorities have since been notified of their cash limits for 1981–82. These cash limits, per head of population without any weighting to reflect relative health care need, are as follows:

	£ per head
	Revenue	Capital
Northern	157	14·30
Yorkshire	152	14·00

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why nearly 30 per cent. of the capital expenditure in the Oxford regional health authority in 1979–80 was committed to professional fees, salaries and wages; and how this compares with comparable private sector capital expenditure schemes.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his best estimate of the Muslim population of the United Kingdom; and what is its ethnic derivation.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the research programme into deprivation will he finished; and if he will make a statement.

The programme of research into the possibility of a cycle of deprivation, financed by my Department and managed by the Social Science Research Council, was started in 1974 and is due to end early next year. The programme has included a considerable number of substantial research projects in various social policy areas. It is expected that the programme as a whole will make an important contribution to understanding of the causes of some forms of deprivation, and of some of the ways by which such deprivation may have been transmitted from one generation to another.The Social Science Research Council has arranged for individual reports on several of the major research projects to be published by Heinemann Educational Books Ltd. as part of a special series under the title "Studies in Deprivation and Disadvantage". The first volume, a survey of existing research findings, was published in 1976 and the second report in this series, incorporating entirely new empirical material, was published on 23 March this year. Where the reports on research projects are not suitable for publication as individual volumes, accounts of them will be included in summary publications in the same series, and the originals will be lodged in the British Library (Lending Division).A report summarising the research programme as a whole is in preparation. It, too, is expected to be published in due course by Heinemann.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received the reports of the working parties on observation and assessment and on control and discipline in community homes.

I recently received these two reports by working parties set up to look at aspects of the work of community homes, one chaired by Professor Norman Tutt on observation and assessment and the other by Mr. Bill Utting on control and discipline. I am most grateful to the chairmen and members of the working parties for making their experience and expertise available. Both reports have now been published, and copies have been placed in the Library of the House. They are being circulated widely, and I am confident that they will make a valuable contribution to the development of services for young people.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has yet consented to award a seat on the Burnham Further Education Committee to a representative of the Association of Polytechnic Teachers; and if he will make a statement.

No decision has been taken by my right hon. and learned Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of children in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools within (i) Wolverhampton and (ii) the West Midlands (1) have free school meals, (2) pay for school meals and (3) bring packed lunches at the latest available date and at the end of May 1979.

The following is the information requested, the latest available being the census returns for October 1980:

	October 1980		May 1979
	Primary	Secondary	Primary	Secondary
	Per cent	Per cent	Per cent	Per cent
Wolverhampton
(1) Free Meals	14·1	11·1	12·3	6·3
(2) Paid Meals	39·2	22·3	39·5	10·5
(3) Packed Lunches	16·5	25·4	N/A	N/A
West Midlands
(1) Free Meals	15·5	10·6	15·7	10·2
(2) Paid Meals	40·2	27·1	49·9	25·1
(3) Packed Lunches	18·5	22·0	N/A	N/A

Percentages refer to the proportion of pupils present on the day of the consuses who were in the relevant categories.Figures for May 1979 were distorted by the effects of industrial action in Wolverhampton schools on the census day.Information about the numbers of pupils bringing packed lunches was not sought from LEAs in May 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will take steps to ensure that traditional British culture is infused equally throughout the curriculum of all schools in the United Kingdom irrespective of the ethnic derivation of the pupils.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no evidence that schools in England are neglecting the history, culture and traditions of the United Kingdom, but their curricula should also take account of the greater dversity of cultural heritage. Responsibility for education in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland lies with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for those parts of the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many and what percentage of all 17-year-olds were, in January 1980 (a) in full-time education in schools, (b) in full-time non-advanced further education, (c) in part-time day non-advanced further education, (d) in advanced education, (e)in employment and not receiving part-time day non-advanced education, (f) registered unemployed and (g) on youth opportunities programme courses;

	16 number		17 number		18 number		16–18* number
	thousands	per cent.	thousands	per cent.	thousands	per cent.	thousands	per cent.
Population	814	100	800	100	779	100	2,393	100
Full-time education in school	226	28	143	18	14	2	383	16
Full-time non-advanced further education	114	14	71	9	34	4	219	9
Part-time day non-advanced further education †	100	12	125	16	101	13	326	14
Advanced education‡	0	0	2	0	70	9	73	3
Registered unemployed	50	6	51	6	57	7	157	7
Employed without part-time day education* *	324	40	409	51	503	64	1,235	52
* Those who at 31 August 1979 had attained the age of 16, but had yet reached their 19th birthday.
† Mainly day release but includes those not on day release.
‡ Includes university education.
** Includes 70,000 YOPS students for whom no age detail is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish, in addition to the information provided in his Department's "Statistical Bulletin 4/81: Enrolments of Overseas Students", a breakdown by country of origin of overseas students enrolled on further and higher education courses in 1980–81.

Some provisional information in respect of the main countries of origin of overseas students in the current academic year was provided in the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Barnett) on 14 April.—[Vol. 3, c. 121.]The Baroness Young gave an undertaking in the other place on 19 February that the Department would publish more information than that provided in statistical bulletin 4/81 when the final figures for the current year become available. The Department plans to publish a further