asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why there is no telex facility at the House of Commons.

Telex facilities in the Palace of Westminster are very limited. The Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee of the Services Committee has examined a number of proposals for providing a fuller service, but came to the conclusion that none of them could be recommended for implementation.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether De Lorean Motor Cars Ltd. has sought any additional financing following the recent attack on its premises.

Part of the company's office accommodation was destroyed by fire started by a petrol bomb attack on 5 May 1981.No damage was caused to the main factory buildings or equipment, but for some while following the fire manning and productivity levels were severely reduced because of disturbances in the vicinity of the factory. The disruption of production and shipment of cars has adversely affected the company's cash flow.The Department of Commerce has agreed to provide a further time-limited guarantee of £7 million in respect of the additional commercial loans which will be required to overcome the immediate cash flow problem. A claim for compensation is being pursued separately by the company under the criminal damage legislation.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how much, in the most recent convenient year, was expended by his Department in commissioning studies and reports by outside organisations or individuals.

This information is being collected and I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is his latest estimate of the number of jobs created in the United Kingdom per £1,000,000 of official development assistance disbursed.

No official estimate has been made.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is his latest estimate of the number of jobs in Scotland which are dependent on disbursements from the British aid programme.

This information is not available and could not be produced without disproportionate effort.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what progress has been made in the appointment of a director of the population bureau of the Overseas Development Administration; and whether it is planned that the new director will be employed full-time or part-time.

We have decided to appoint a new director. The exact terms of the appointment may need to take account of the circumstances of the person chosen.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many extra civil servants will be required in (a) the Inland Revenue, (b) the Department of Employment and (c) the Department of Health and Social Security to administer the taxation of benefits paid to the unemployed and those involved in trade disputes as proposed in section 27 of the Finance Bill.

On the assumptions set out in the answer which I gave on 14 May—[Vol. 4, c. 316]—to the hon. Member's question about the revenue yield From these measures, and depending also on the detailed procedures adopted at the time they would come into effect and the rate at which claimants would go on to and come off the unemployment register, it is estimated that between 3,500 and 4,000 extra civil servants could be needed, of whom probably just over half would be in the Inland Revenue, most of the remainder in the Department of Employment and the balance in DHSS and DHSS (NI). Only a small proportion of the total staff cost is required to administer the taxation of benefits paid to dependents of those involved in trade disputes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost of tax relief for mortgages on house purchase in each of the last three years; and what is the average sum per purchaser in those years.

The information is as follows:

	Cost of tax relief on mortgages	Average mortgage interest relief per mortgagor receiving tax relief
	£m	£
1978–79	1,110	205
1979–80	1,450	265
1980–81	1,960	355

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any further proposals for reducing the rate of inflation; and if he will make a statement.

I am confident that the policies that we are currently pursuing are those best directed to further reducing the rate of inflation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the difficulty in making payments of income tax because of the closure of local collection offices during the current Civil Service dispute, interest charged on overdue payment of income tax and corporation tax will be waived during the period of the dispute.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will investigate the reason for the delay of the refund of £2,428·37 of value added tax alleged to be due to Mr. Gareth Rose trading as Reflex Windows at 6A Bird Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, value added tax registration number 307336867; and if he will indicate the date by which any refund due will be made.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations have been made to him regarding the payment of interest on outstanding value added tax owed to the farming industry; and whether he will ensure that, where sums of money are owed on value added tax repayments, other tax demands will be offset until the Government manage to repay these moneys.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why he does not intend to introduce legislation giving tenants in the privately rented sector the statutory right to buy their own homes.

Any such legislation would represent a totally unjustifiable interference with long established private rights.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what option for the management of the West of Scotland and North Sea herring fisheries in the event of the limited reopening of these fisheries this year have been proposed to him by representatives of the fishing industry; and if he will make a statement.

A number of proposals for the management of these fisheries, including the limitation of fishing effort and the operation of quotas, have been made by various sectors of the fishing industry. These and other options were discussed recently at a meeting between officials of the fisheries Departments and representatives of the industry. Since, however, there is as yet no agreed scientific recommendation to reopen the fisheries and the extent of any possible fishery this year is therefore not known, these discussions were necessarily of a broad and preliminary nature.

asked the Prime Minister if she will transfer the responsibility for immigration and nationality in Scotland from the Home Office to the Scottish Office once the British Nationality Bill becomes law.

No. The British Nationality Bill does not affect in any way the view taken by successive Governments that responsibility for immigration and nationality matters for the United Kingdom as a whole should rest with the Home Secretary.

asked the Prime Minister what change has been made in the composition of the United Kingdom delegation to the consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.

I have appointed the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Coleman) as a substitute Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what information he has as to the proportion of petrol pumps which are not capable of conversion to prices in excess of (a) £1 per gallon and (b) £2 per gallon by the use of a double transfer wheel.

There are about 60,000 petrol pumps not able to operate above £1 per gallon, unless they are modified. Many pumps operating on half-price posting have been fitted with double transfer wheels to enable the correct price-to-pay to be displayed; there is no easy way to determine how many pumps are fitted with such wheels, but the majority could be modified in this way. Above £2 per gallon the only practicable solutions are to fit a new computing head or sell by quantity.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many officers there are (a) in the Regular Army Reserve of Officers and (b) in the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers; how many schoolteachers are officers in the Combined Cadet Forces; how many instructor-officers there are in the Army Cadet Force; and in each of these four categories, how many are below the age of 35 years.

There are 21,059 officers in the Regular Army Reserve of officers and we estimate that about 1,000 are under 35 years of age. The Territorial Army Reserve of officers was incorporated into the Regular Army Reserve of officers in 1967.There are currently 5,800 officers in the Territorial Army, of whom 2,764 are under the age of 35.We do not keep records of the occupations of Combined Cadet Force officers, but it is likely that a high proportion of the 1,793 CCF officers are school teachers. There are 2,543 Army Cadet Force officers. The exact number of Regular Army Reserve of officers, CCF and ACF officers below the age of 35 cannot be readily obtained.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many North Atlantic Treaty Organisation land-based tactical nuclear missiles are sited in Western Europe with a range capability of reaching the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as contrasted with how many such missiles are estimated to be sited in central Europe under the control of the Warsaw Pact with a range capability extending to the United Kingdom.

NATO has no land-based tactical nuclear missiles sited in Western Europe with the capability of reaching the USSR. France, which is not part of NATO's integrated military structure, has 18 missiles capable of reaching the USSR. The Soviet Union has currently about 250 SS20 missiles based in the USSR, of which approximately two-thirds are so located that they are capable of striking the United Kingdom. In addition there are some 380 SS4 and SS5 missiles, also based in the USSR, which have the range to strike the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs being advertised at jobcentres in Glasgow, Govan have remained unfilled for (a) three months, (b) six months, and (c) 12 months.

The number of vacancies registered on 21 May 1981 at Govan employment office—the Manpower Services Commission's only local employment office in Glasgow Govan—was 31, of which one had been on the books for three months, and two for over a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish, for those Departments for which the number of civil servants and local government employees is known on a regional basis, the proportion of total employment in each region of England and/or Wales and Scotland, which these employees represent.

The readily available information relates to those employed in Public Administration—Order Group XXVII of the 1968 Standard Industrial Classification, excluding Her Majesty's Forces.

Employees in public administration as a percentage of all employees in employment by region: December 1980
	per cent.
South-East	8·0
East Anglia	5·6
South-West	7·4

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what assistance officials of his Department are giving to those involved in the industrial dispute at the Camden Journal and Hornsey Journal; and if he will make a statement.

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has been in touch with the employer and is ready to give any assistance which the parties may seek towards resolving this dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the profit to the Road Transport Industry Training Board from the sale of training materials in the last financial year.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 May 1981, c. 10]: The Road Transport Industry Training Board's total receipts from the sale of training material in the 1980–81 financial year were £148,000.Training materials are produced by training boards to meet the training needs of industry and not for profit. I understand that the Road Transport Industry Training Board calculates prices to cover the cost of materials and a substantial profit is not expected.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, pursuant to his answer of 25 February, Official Report, column 369, whether negotiations are yet taking place with a view to the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Albania; and whether he will make a statement.

We have had no talks with the Albanians since I gave my answer of 25 February.—[Vol. 999, c. 369.] Our position remains that we are ready for talks without preconditions.

asked the Lord Privy Seal when Her Majesty's Government last protested to the Chilean Government about human rights issues in Chile through (a) the British ambassador in Chile and (b) the Chilean ambassador in the United Kingdom; and with what results.

Our concern about the human rights situation in Chile continues to be made known to the Chilean authorities in the course of the regular contacts we maintain with them both here and in Santiago. The Chilean Government have been left in no doubt of our close interest in seeing that improvements are made.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement on the current situation in the passport offices.

The selective industrial action by the Council of Civil Service Unions has affected the processing of passport applications at all passport offices.The Passport Office is doing everything it can to provide a service with applications being given the priority required by each applicant's date of travel. The following arrangements have been made in an attempt to ease the situation.Applications for renewal of passports can be dealt with by an endorsement on the current or expired passport extending the validity temporarily. This arrangement applies to travel to all countries.Following discussions with the United States authorities, it has been agreed that, for the purpose of travel from the United Kingdom to the United States, we are prepared to regard United Kingdom passports which expired fewer than five years previously, and have not been cancelled, as valid travel documents. For their part, the United States authorities have agreed similarly to regard these passports as valid. The arrangement between the two countries will come into effect on 25 May 1981.It will last for three months in the first instance, that is until 25 August 1981, and will lapse on that date unless further extended.Consultations with a number of other countries are taking place to see whether similar arrangements can be made with them. If they can, announcements will be made. Nobody should, of course, regard an expired passport as valid for travel to any other country or in any other circumstances than those described.Travel associations and airlines are being informed.In addition, travellers to certain European countries and Canada may apply to main post offices for British visitors' passports valid for one year.The industrial action is affecting delivery and collection of mail at the Passport Offices and it is therefore necessary for applications for full passports to be lodged personally by the applicant or on their behalf.Arrangements can also be made for temporary passports to be issued in urgent cases where an existing application is trapped in the post. In these cases the applicant should go to the passport office to which the application was sent taking proof of an urgent need to travel, two new photographs and evidence that the passport fee has been paid.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will take steps to help persons who have paid non-returnable deposits on holidays but appear to be unable to obtain passports to enable them to take those holidays.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield and Tamworth (Mr. Heddle) today. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office cannot compensate members of the public who are prevented from taking holidays because of industrial action by the Council of Civil Service Unions.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many applications for passports are now awaiting attention at Liverpool.

There are about 99,000 applications for passports awaiting processing at the Liverpool passport office. There is in addition an unknown quantity of postal applications which the Post Office has been unable to deliver because of the Civil Service industrial action.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he intends to give financial approval to plans to implement the recommendations of the report produced by Dobie and Partners about the improvement of flood defences at Chiswell in the Isle of Portland; and if he will make a statement.

I shall be making an announcement on this next week.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement concerning the disposal of structurally surplus agricultural products arising within the European Economic Community;(2) if he will guarantee that future European Economic Community food surpluses will be used for the benefit of member countries.

It is our aim that priority be given to disposal of surpluses within the Community, where this is possible. The Community operates a number of schemes which subsidise the consumption or processing within the Community of products in surplus in the following sectors: milk products, sugar, fruit and vegetables and wine. But given current supply and demand relationships and the marginal costs of different methods of surplus disposal, subsidies on export sales are likely to remain a necessary part of the Community's policy on disposal of surpluses.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any new proposals for the reform of the common agricultural policy.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham (Mr. Moate).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide figures of trade statistics for 1978 and 1979 similar to those given for 1980 in his answer to the hon. Member for Northampton, North, Official Report, c. 363–64 on 15 May 1981.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 2 December 1980 and to the reply given by my hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Newham, North-East (Mr. Leighton) on 19 November 1979.—[Vol. 995, c. 201–5; Vol. 974, c. 82–84.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been charged by the police with the offence of obstruction for distributing leaflets of a political character outside sports grounds in the Metropolitan Police area and in each police authority area in the last 12 months.

The information requested is not available; information collected centrally does not distinguish the circumstances of the offence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out separately for each London borough the total amount collected in rates, showing how

	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)
Estimated proportion of rates met by:—
	Estimated amount collected through rates	GLC precept net of grant	ILEA Precept Net of grant	Met police precept net of grant	Estimated balance [col. (1) less cols. (2)-(4)]	Domestic Ratepayers	Commercial and Industrial Ratepayers	Other Ratepayers
(1)	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m	Per cent.	Per cent. Per cent.
City of London	282·3	44·1	147·7	0	90·5	0·5	88·3	11·2
Camden	185·3	19·7	65·3	11·0	89·3	22·4	53·7	23·9
Greenwich	43·4	5·9	19·7	3·3	14·5	51·2	29·5	19·3
Hackney	60·6	6·3	22·1	3·8	28·4	46·2	41·5	12·3
Hammersmith	48·2	6·3	20·8	3·5	17·6	43·6	35·2	21·2
Islington	79·2	9·5	31·4	5·3	33·0	33·6	50·2	16·2
Kensington and Chelsea	79·9	12·9	42·4	7·1	17·5	47·4	35·9	16·7
Lambeth	100·4	10·0	33·9	5·5	51·0	40·2	28·4	31·4
Lewisham	52·0	6·1	20·5	3·5	21·9	61·8	27·3	10·9
Southwark	95·9	10·1	33·9	5·7	46·2	35·0	42·4	22·6
Tower Hamlets	69·9	7·8	26·2	4·3	31·6	30·4	54·1	15·5
Wandsworth	44·5	7·7	25·8	4·3	6·7	56·1	29·5	14·4
Westminster	348·0	58·0	191·5	32·7	65·8	12·9	64·6	22·5
Barking	37·4	2·8	0	1·0	33·6	43·5	44·3	12·2
Barnet	62·5	10·5	0	5·7	46·3	63·6	25·7	10·7
Bexley	39·1	5·2	0	2·9	31·0	57·9	27·8	14·3
Brent	86·0	9·2	0	4·8	72·0	47·9	39·9	12·2
Bromley	49·1	8·7	0	4·7	35·7	63·6	25·4	11·0
Croydon	58·9	12·2	0	6·5	40·2	47·1	38·6	14·3
Ealing	67·1	10·1	0	5·4	51·6	46·1	43·2	10·7
Enfield	57·5	8·5	0	4·8	44·2	50·6	37·9	11·5
Haringey	69·4	6·2	0	3·4	59·8	55·3	33·3	11·4
Harrow	47·9	6·2	0	3·3	38·4	62·2	25·5	12·3
Havering	46·9	6·3	0	3·6	37·0	58·7	31·0	10·3
Hillingdon	71·4	10·4	0	5·6	55·4	36·4	39·2	24·4
Hounslow	75·2	8·7	0	4·6	61·9	37·2	49·6	13·2
Kingston-upon-Thames	31·0	5·0	0	2·8	23·2	48·7	34·8	16·5
Merton	31·5	5·5	0	2·9	23·1	55·5	34·7	9·8
Newham	65·4	60	0	3·4	56·0	43·2	40·1	16·7
Redbridge	40·0	6·2	0	3·5	30·3	61·7	28·0	10·3
Richmond-upon-Thames	28·0	5·6	0	30	19·4	57·1	27·4	15·5
Sutton	29·2	5·2	0	2·7	21·3	59·3	28·5	12·2
Waltham Forest	53·2	5·2	0	2·9	45·1	58·7	30·3	11·0

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what, in the most recent year for which figures are available, was the estimated total unspent much is precepted by the Inner London Education Authority, in the case of inner London, the Greater London Council and the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police, and how much is raised by each borough authority; and how much of the rate burden is paid by non-voting commercial and industrial businesses and how much by the domestic ratepayer.

I am able to give estimates based on recent returns made by local authorities. The estimated amount to be raised from the rates is given in col. (1), and the estimated precepts made by the GLC, ILEA and the Metropolitan Police, in each case net of the initial—percentage close-ended—calculation of block grant, are shown in cols. (2)-(4). Col. (5) shows the balance of (1) available for borough purposes before London equalisation, which redistributes resources between inner London boroughs. Cols. (6)-(8) show the estimated proportions of the rate burden met in 1981–82 by domestic, commercial and industrial and other ratepayers.revenue for

As I said in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 18 May 1981—[Vol. 5, c. 24]—it has been estimated that in the mid-1970s, 400,000 people were getting less help than they were entitled to because they had made the wrong choice between benefits. However, the amounts which they were losing are not known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dwellings were completed in 1980–81 per 1,000 population in England; and if he will publish the comparative figures for Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Holland and Denmark.

In the year 1980–81 4·3 dwellings were completed per 1,000 population in England. Below are the latest available figures for the other countries:

New dwellings completed per 1,000 population: 1978
England	5·2
Denmark	6·6
Netherlands	7·6
Norway	9·2 (1977)
Sweden	6·5
Switzerland	5·4

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will detail the industrial training undertaken by his Department; what is its cost; and if he will make a statement.

My Department's training for its own industrial staff, mainly employed in the PSA, includes apprenticeship schemes and specialised courses; the cost of calculating the information requested would be disproportionately high. Apart from small amounts of training arranged locally for individuals, in the six months beginning 1 September 1980 2,380 days of training were given to industrial staff at the Department's residential centre at Cardington at a cost of £104,720.Courses ranged from two to four weeks in length, the vast majority of them being concerned with boilerhouse practice and other energy conservation measures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which environmental measures have been enacted by the European Community since 1973; what benefits the United Kingdom has derived from these; and whether any of these directives were the result of British initiatives.

A list of the environmental measures adopted by the Council since 1973 is attached.A significant proportion of the directives have been made under the programme for the removal of technical barriers to trade. As such, they are contributing to the improvement of the operation of the common market from which all member States, including the United Kingdom, benefit. Most of the remainder set quality objectives and standards at community level for environmental protection, the attainment of which will not only improve environmental quality in the Community but ensure that there is some consistency in the environmental goals to be met by each member State.The United Kingdom has particularly welcomed the benefits which should result from the implementation of the directive for conservation of wild birds, which will bring some other Community countries into line with the stricter requirements in force in the United Kindom for many years. The regulation on common rules for the importation into the Community of whale products was the direct result of a United Kingdom initiative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the main draft directives before the European Community Council of Ministers; what are the main provisions of each; and whether the Government expect any of the drafts to make progress during the period of the British Presidency.

The main draft directives derived from the European Communities' environment action programme which are before the Council of Ministers and their main provisions are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff, funded by the Property Services Agency, are employed in the United Kingdom permanent representation to the European Community in Brussels, the United Kingdom delegation to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in Brussels, the United Kingdom delegation to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris and the embassies in The Hague, Brussels, Copenhagen, Bonn, Athens, Paris, Dublin, Rome and Luxembourg, respectively.

The agency employs the following staff:

	United Kingdom based	Locally engaged
Brussels	—	11
Paris	1	7
Bonn	—	3
Athens	1	4
Rome	1	8

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many time-expired schemes, duly resubmitted by local authorities, were rejected by his Department when considering the latest annual applications under the urban aid programme.

Local authorities were asked to reconsider long-running projects which had become time-expired: in value terms 17 per cent. of these were not resubmitted. Of the projects that were resubmitted, the Department rejected 9 per cent. in value terms, and gave only part approval to 22 per cent. The effect of these decisions was to release some £3·4 million of resources for new schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement concerning the rejection by his Department of urban aid programme funds for supporting the continued work of the Tottenham community project.

The Tottenham community project application submitted by Haringey borough council for a further period of urban aid grant was given very careful consideration. It had already received central Government support under the urban programme for 10 years and, given the relative priority attached by the local authority to the project, the costs applied for, and the keen competition for funds, the decision was not to approve this particular project. Nevertheless, Haringey secured approval to 10 out of its 14 time-expired projects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the right hon. Member for Brent, East on 1 May, Official Report, c. 475, how much actual expenditure, as opposed to allocations, there has been for the three years since 1979–80 or the Docklands, Hackney, Islington and Lambeth inner area partnerships.

I shall write to the right hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to total expenditure on redundancy payments to local government personnel in 1979 and 1980.

I have nothing to add to the repliers which I gave to my hon. Friend on 6 March—[Vol. 1000, c. 230]—1 April—[Vol. 2, c. 127]—and 1 May—[Vol. 3, c. 473]—of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give instructions to the Housing Corporation about the making of profits on purchases by housing associations in the light of the purchase and subsequent sale of 38 to 42 Churchill Street, Heaton Norris, by the Northern Counties housing association.

No. I am satisfied with the operation of the housing association improvement for sale scheme, under which these properties were purchased, improved and sold and for which appropriate housing association grant was paid.

Progress under the Energy Conservation programme and homes insulation scheme: England: 1979 and 1980
			Homes Insulation Scheme
Local authority: energy conservation programme: work completed			Number of grants paid		Payments
	Dwellings ('000)	cost (£million)	Public sector tenants* ('000)	All ('000)	All (£million)
1979
1st quarter	130·3	6·2	—	130·7	5·1
2nd quarter	102·7	4·2	—	79·4	3·1
3rd quarter	96·7	4·5	—	64·0	2·4
4th quarter	144·9	6·3	—	114·9	4·0
1980
1st quarter	208·1	9·7	4·6	118·1	4·6
2nd quarter	51·1	3·1	5·6	63·9	2·8
3rd quarter	45·6	2·7	3·5	41·0	1·9
4th quarter(Provisional)	74·4	†	7·7	80·2	4·5
* separate information for private sector tenants is not available. The Scheme was extended to public sector tenants in November 1979.
†not available.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will give the number of civil servants earning in excess of £13,950.

Taking account of the increases for senior civil servants announced by the Prime Minister on 15 May—[Vol. 4, c. 343–48]—14,200 civil servants at present receive salaries in excess of £13,950.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if his Department will take steps to encourage the installation of pay phones in Government offices for the use of staff wishing to make private calls during working hours.

Departments are encouraged to install pay phones in Government offices where they are satisfied that these would be financially self-supporting.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list in the Official Report the number of dwellings in which conservation work was completed under the homes insulation scheme, and also the costs incurred, for the four quarters of 1979 and 1980 respectively;(2) if he will list in the

Following are the available estimates:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made in setting medium-term financial targets for the National Bus Company

I have today informed the National Bus Company that I have set it a target of achieving a current cost operating surplus, before interest, of £18·5 million at 1980 outturn prices by 1985.In setting this, I have taken account of the company's present trading position, the opportunities for improvement and the desirability that it should earn a sufficient surplus to cover the cost of capital employed.The National Bus Company expects to have made a current cost operating loss in 1980 of the order of £18 million and already has in hand vigorous action to improve their financial position. I am discussing with the chairman what further steps it will need to take to improve performance and efficiency and cut costs to ensure that steady progress is made. The target the Government have set will mean that the NBC, like other operators, must fully cover its costs.I have also set the company a performance aim for 1981 in terms of a reduction in operating costs per vehicle mile of 3 per cent. in real terms. That is designed to focus management action in 1981 on the day-to-day costs of operation and I shall be reviewing it with the NBC at the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the Davy Design Engineering Group on the use of methyl tertiary butyl ether as a substitute for tetra ethyl lead in providing anti-knock systems in petrol; and if he will make a statement.

Representatives of the group recently met officials from my Department and from the Departments of Energy and Environment to discuss the use of this petrol additive. MTBE is already used in some European countries to raise octane levels in low lead petrol and could be used for the same purpose here if it could be produced in sufficient quantities. But lead-free petrol with an MTBE content would still be unsuitable for the majority of existing cars used in this country because MTBE does not replace the lead's lubricating qualities.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what limitations exist in the powers of the Post Office to issue vehicle excise duty licences for motor vehicles; what is the reason for such limitations; and if he will make a statement.

In the past in Great Britain the Post Office was able to renew vehicle licences only over the counter and when the applicant was using the reminder form issued by the driver and vehicle licensing centre. The Government have now arranged for it to deal with virtually all relicensing whether the reminder form is used or not and whether the application is made in person or by post. The exceptions to this amount to only a tiny percentage of all renewals. They are:

• (a) if the applicant uses the non-computerised renewal form but cannot produce a registration document;
• (b) if the non-computerised form is used for a goods vehicle over 1,525 kgs (30 cwt) unladen;
• (c) if there have been changes to the tax class of the vehicle;
• (d) if the vehicle is subject to customs restriction or concession.

The work involved in these transactions is more complicated and the Post Office does not wish to take it on, at least for the time being. Applications for the first licensing and registration of new cars are also still handled at my Department's local vehicle licensing offices.We have also arranged for the number of post offices issuing licences over the counter to be increased in the first instance from 2,000 to 3,000.In addition postal applications can now be made to most head post offices. We will expand this network of services at post offices if it proves that the new arrangements do not provide an adequate service to the public.These changes provide a much more local and convenient service for motorists and are contributing to savings of £7 million a year and over 1,000 Civil Service posts.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received in favour of passing responsibility for vehicle testing to the private sector.

The majority of the representations which I have received about my proposals are from private sector companies interested in becoming involved in testing under the new arrangements. Besides these, five individuals have written supporting my proposals and I have received a number of representations giving no firm opinion on the principle of transfer to the private sector, but making useful detailed comments and suggestions on the way it should be done.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to sell off vehicle testing stations to the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

I outlined my proposals in the policy paper "New arrangements for testing heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles" which I published in August 1980.Since then I have been discussing the details of the new arrangements with the industry. I hope to introduce the necessary legislation in the next session of Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in view of the general public concern, he will now hold an inquiry into the transport of irradiated nuclear fuel through London.

No. I am satisfied that public safety is fully protected under the present arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in view of the fact that British Railways' workshops are about to begin a four-day working week, he will now announce his decision in relation to the modernisation programme of British Railways.

I am at present studying the Railways Board's corporate plan 1981–85, which bids for substantial increases in investment above present levels. I am also studying the findings of the joint British Railways Board—Department of Transport review of future main line electrification. I will make a statement as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is yet able to make a statement on the introduction of a Carfax service; and what further consideration has been given as to how a public service could be operated and funded.

We have had considerable discussion both with the public and private sectors concerning the Carfax service. The BBC has not yet committed itself but I understand that it is considering the matter urgently. Discussions are at present continuing on the allocation of a permanent national frequency; this is a major issue that must be resolved before the introduction of any service.I have agreed with the Department of Industry to explore ways in which the Government might facilitate the introduction of Carfax. We hope it will prove practicable to establish this imaginative British system and provide a useful and significant information service for motorists.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider splitting off the waste management section of the National Freight Corporation when he decides to implement the privatisation measures established by the Transport Act 1980.

No. It remains my firm intention to sell the National Freight Company as a single entity.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many local authorities in the United Kingdom operate concessionary travel schemes for senior citizens and what are the names of these authorities and the nature of the schemes.

Concessionary fare schemes are for individual local authorities to decide and the Department does not collect details.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how much, in the most recent convenient year, was expended by his Department in commissioning studies and reports by outside organisations or individuals.

In 1979–80 about £7 million, of which just under £5 million was for extra-mural research work and £2 million for design work on roads.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will withdraw the 70 miles per hour, 60 miles per hour and 50 miles per hour (Temporary Speed Limit) (Continuation) Order 1978.

No. The order raised the national speed limits to 70 mph for dual carriageway road, and 60 mph for single carriageways. I receive only a few requests for change and they are divided between requests for raising and lowering of the limits.

Name	Location	Date of Incident
Cpl. Owen McQuade (Regular Army)	Londonderry	11 November 1980
Oliver Walsh	Sturgan Bray near Crossmaglen	12 November 1980
Peter Valente	West Belfast	14 November 1980
Thomas Orr	West Belfast	19 November 1980
Norman Henry Donaldson (UDR)	Co. Fermanagh	25 November 1980
Mrs. Heather Pollock	Strabane (died 27 December 1980)	9 December 1980
Colin Hartley Quinn (UDR)	West Belfast	10 December 1980
WOII H. McGinn (TAVR)	Armagh	27 December 1980
William Cecil Burns (Prison Officer)	East Belfast	30 December 1980
Constable Lindsey McDougall (RUC'R')	Belfast City Centre (died 14 January 1981)	9 January 1981
Major William Toombs (UDR)	Warrenpoint	16 January 1981
Morris Edward Gilvarry	Border Crossing near Forkhill	19 January 1981

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why the exit from the M1 leading to the A57 has been blocked off for two weeks; when he expects it to be opened; and why there are no signs at earlier junctions telling motorists the exit is closed until they are actually on the M1.

As a result of repairs to the southbound carriageway of the M1, southbound traffic from the M1 is being diverted onto the northbound carriageway from which it is not possible to leave the motorway at junction 31.Southbound traffic feeding in from the M18 can use the junction. Diversion signs have been erected but we will look at them again to ensure that they are as clear as they can be. Repairs are expected to be completed in late July.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the new non-departmental public bodies which have been established on his authority since May 1979; and what is their total cost.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 21 May.—[Vol. 5, c. 137–39].

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dwellings were completed in 1980–81 per 1,000 population.

Final figures for the year ending 31 March 1981 are not yet available, but it is estimated that 4·2 new dwellings per thousand population were completed in 1980–81.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those people killed by terrorists in Northern Ireland since 1 November 1980, together with the dates and locations of their murders.

The deaths of the people in the following list are believed to have been caused by terrorists since 1 November 1980:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration has been given by the Northern Ireland Development Agency to the possibility of establishing local production of building materials which are currently imported; and if he will make a statement.

This suggestion, which is in line with the recent recommendations of the Northern Ireland Economic Council report on the Northern Ireland construction industry, is being considered by the Northern Ireland Development Agency in the context of its general activities. The agency already encourages the manufacture of a wide range of goods including materials for the construction industry, which are currently imported, where this is technically and commercially viable. Specific proposals investigated in relation to the construction industry have encompassed mini-cement works, insulated building blocks, timber framed houses and plastic window frames. The agency currently has investments in six companies whose products are either used by, or closely allied to, the construction industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were employed in the building materials industries, excluding merchants, at the latest convenient date; and how this compares with the figures for each of the previous five years.

Based on the figures from the quarterly employment inquiry for December 1980, it is estimated that, at that time, 4,550 people were employed in the main building materials industries—namely, bricks, pottery, glass and cement; separate figures are not available for employees in other building materials industries such as timber and metal frames. Information for earlier years is contained in the Department of Manpower Services Gazette No. 3 issue 1979, copies of which are in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what support has been forthcoming from the European Community to finance the development of alternative energy sources; how many projects it has funded within member States; which projects have benefited from Community support in the United Kingdom; and if he is satisfied that British projects have benefited from the funds available as fully as possible.

The Community has two support programmes relevant to alternative energy sources The second four-year programme of energy R and D wilt make 72 mEUA—about £38 million—available for such work, and the new sources demonstration projects scheme, which started in 1979 and has a five-year life, 95 mEUA, about £50 million. Contracts are still being let for these programmes and it is not yet possible to give details of the overall pattern of support. However, the first four-year programme of energy R and D, ending in 1979, resulted in 681 support contracts, worth about £30 million, throughout the Community, of which 100, worth about £3 million, were with United Kingdom organisations. Details of these contracts are published in "Status Report 79: Energy Research and Development Programme", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. I am satisfied that United Kingdom research organisations are in general making good use of the opportunities available to them within these programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total sum that the United Kingdom has received in each of the years since accession to the European Community in respect of energy projects; and if he will specify the general categories involved.

The general areas of support by the Community for energy research, development and demonstration are nuclear power—including fusion—energy savings, alternative energy sources and projects in the hydrocarbons sector. United Kingdom organisations have been among those receiving support in all these areas, but no analysis of United Kingdom receipts by year is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if it is planned to establish a joint venture of British Gas and the British National Oil Corporation to market liquid petroleum gas.

The British Gas Corporation and the British National Oil Corporation are in the process of establishing a formal partnership to dispose of the natural gas liquids acquired by them and delivered through the proposed gas gathering pipeline. These natural gas liquids will include liquid petroleum gas.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the Government plan to introduce private capital into the British Gas Corporation and reduce the scale of the gas monopoly established under the Gas Act 1972.

I have no plans at present to introduce private capital into the BGC. The Government are considering the possibility of changes to the British Gas Corporation's gas monopoly.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in the Official Report the oil production interests of the British Gas Corporation on shore and upon the continental shelf; and if he will give his estimate of the current value of the several assets involved.

The British Gas Corporation hold the following licence interests in oil fields currently under production or development on the United Kingdom mainland and on the United Kingdom continental shelf:

	(a) Offshore
Field	Block	Licence No.	Per cent. Interest
Beryl A	9/13a	P. 139	10
Beryl B	9/13a	P. 139	10
Fulmar (extension)	30/11b	P. 185	25·77
N. W. Hutton	211/27	P. 184	25·77
Montrose	22/17a	P.019	30·77
Montrose (extension)	22/18a	P.020	30.77

	(b) Onshore
	County	Licence No.	Per cent. Interest
Wytch Farm	Dorset	PL 089	50

(Source: Department of Energy, Development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom, 1981).The question of the value of these interests is a matter for the corporation, and I will ask the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the relative proportions of United Kingdom expenditure on research relating to alternative sources of energy, such as solar, wind, tidal, geothermal and wave power for the most recent year for which figures are available.

The forecast outturn of expenditure on my Department's non-nuclear research and development budget for alternative sources of energy in the financial year 1980–81 is as follows:

	£ million
Wave	3.3
Geothermal	2·2
Tidal	1·4
Solar	0·8
Wind	0·8
Biofuels	0·3

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what specific nursing qualifications are required for any individual opening a rest home for elderly persons.

No specific qualifications are laid down for the registration under the Residential Homes Act 1980 of a person carrying on an old persons' home. It is for the local authority, as registration authority, to decide, subject to appeal to the courts, whether a person is not fit, whether by reason of age or otherwise, to run such a home.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many maternal deaths in England and Wales in 1979 and 1980, respectively, were due to abortion of all types; and how many other maternal deaths there were in each of those years.

Based on death registrations, the numbers of deaths due to abortion and other maternal deaths in England and Wales in 1979 and 1980—January-September were as follows:

	1979	1980 (January-September)
Abortion	5	4
Other maternal deaths including ectopic pregnancy	69	48

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the deaths in England and Wales recorded in (a) 1978 and (b) 1979 as due to abortion were from abortions induced for medical or other legal reasons; how many were from spontaneous abortion; how many were from other causes, including illegal abortion; and in how many cases death followed a main diagnosis of illegal abortion or the abortion was recorded as induced but not otherwise specified.

The available information from death registration for England and Wales is as follows:

Type of Abortion	Number of deaths
	1978	1979
Legal	5	2
Spontaneous	—	1
Illegal	—	—
Unspecified	—	2
TOTAL	5	5

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will list the names and addresses of those places approved by him in England and Wales under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967 that have special permission to terminate pregnancies of more than 20 weeks' duration; and what prices were charged to patients for terminating pregnancies of 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 weeks gestational periods that were performed at each of the places in the years 1975 to 1980, respectively;(2) if he will list the names and addresses of those places in England and Wales approved to terminate pregnancies under the Abortion Act 1967 of which he required information and assurances regarding prices paid by patients before giving approval; if he will detail against each the cost to the patients before giving approval; if he will detail against each the cost to the patients at 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 weeks of pregnancy, respectively, and whether there can be extra costs; how many approved beds each has; how many abortions were performed by each in the years 1975 to 1980, respectively; and what were the periods of gestation for operations performed in the years 1975 to 1980, respectively;(3) if he will list the names and addresses of those places in England and Wales approved to terminate pregnancies under the Abortion Act 1967 in which he does not require assurances about the prices charged for abortion operations; how many approved abortion beds each has; how many abortions were performed by each in the years 1975 to 1980, respectively; and if he will give all available information about the prices charged to patients.

The 60 places listed below are currently approved for the purposes of section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967 for treatment for the termination of pregnancy. Places approved for the termination of pregnancies of more than 20 weeks' duration and those required to give information on fees charged to patints are indicated on the list. The remainder of the information requested could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

Premises	No. of Approved Beds
Fitzroy Nuffield Nursing Home 10–12 Bryanston Square London W1H 8BB	4
Welbeck Private Clinic 27 Welbeck Street London W1*	5
London Private Hospital 31–35 Langham Street London WIN 6LE*†	50
Park View Clinic 87 Mattock Lane Ealing London W5†	30
Royal Masonic Hospital Ravenscourt Park London W6 0TN	4
The Avenue Clinic 12 Avenue Road St. John's Wood London NW8 6BP†	25
Brentwood Nuffield Nursing Home Shenfield Road Brentwood Essex	2
Fairfield Nursing Home 88 Russell Road Buckhurst Hill Essex†	29
North London Nuffield Hospital Cavell Drive Upland Park Road Enfield EN2 7PR	2
"Rosslyn" 15–17 Rosslyn Road East Twickenham Middlesex TW1 2AR†	37
New Victoria Hospital, 184 Coombe Lane West Kingston-upon-Thames Surrey KT2 7EG	2
Woking Nuffield Nursing Home Shores Road Woking Surrey	2

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many abortions in each of the years 1970 to 1980, respectively, have been performed in National Health Service premises in England and Wales that have involved payment by the patient; in how many of these procedures an overnight stay in a pay bed was involved; and in how many it was out-patient treatment.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of total health costs in the National Health Service is spent on accident victims; and how this compares with the amount spent on coronary heart disease and cancer.

The best estimate available is that about 2 per cent. of NHS current spending goes on treating victims of road accidents and accidents at home and at work. I regret that no information is available on the costs of treating other types of accident, and no reliable recent comparative information is available for the amount spent on treating coronary heart disease and cancer.