asked the Lord Privy Seal what was the outcome of the Council of Ministers (Development) meeting held in Luxembourg on 22 June.

The Council reviewed the Community's preparations for further stages in the North-South dialogue, together with work in hand for the UN conference on new and renewable sources of energy and on the least-developed countries, to be held in August and September respectively, and endorsed a report on the dialogue for submission through the Foreign Affairs Council to the European Council.The Council agreed guidelines for concluding investment promotion and protection arrangements between member States and developing countries and for encouraging non-discrimination in the treatment of such investments originating from different member States.The Council agreed to pursue further work on the basis of Commission papers in relation to energy and to the role of women in development.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, during the forthcoming visit of the Venezuelan Foreign Minister to London, he will attempt to promote a renewal of the protocol of Port of Spain, especially given the increased tension between Guyana and Venezuela over the disputed territories.

The Venezuelan Foreign Minister is due to meet my right hon. and noble Friend today. We understand that he will wish to raise this question. The protocol will be deemed to be renewed in June 1982 unless either the Government of Guyana or the Government of Venezuela give to the other Governments parties to the protocol a notice in writing to the effect that they wish the protocol to be terminated. To date no such notice has been received from either Government.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he and his colleagues at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office intend to discuss the disputed territory of Essequibo with the Venezuelan Foreign Minister during his forthcoming visit to the United Kingdom.

The Venezuelan Foreign Minister is due to meet my right hon. and noble Friend today. We understand that he will wish to raise this question.

asked the Lord Privy Seal why the United Kingdom Government, being a signatory to the protocol of Port of Spain of June 1970, supported a project in the World Bank on 7 October 1980 which would function in the Guyanese territory under dispute with Venezuela.

The protocol of Port of Spain does not preclude examination of the development potential of the territories to which Venezuela lays claim. The British Government's attitude to World Bank projects is normally governed by developmental and economic criteria.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will institute a procedure whereby those who prefer can be issued with blue-covered passports without the words 'European Community' superimposed after 1985.

No. This would be inconsistent with the terms of the resolution on the introduction of a common format for national passports of European Community member States, signed on 23 June 1981.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the cost of supporting the children of Members of the European Parliament in educational institutions in Brussels and separately elsewhere in the European Community or Switzerland under the auspices of the European Community and paid for by public funds either of the United Kingdom or the EEC is treated as taxable income by the Inland Revenue in the United Kingdom; and, if not, whether he will give the reasons.

As far as I am aware, no such costs are met out of the public funds of either the United Kingdom or the EEC. The question of taxability does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many offshore and onshore oil contractors have not, because of foreign domicile, placed those employees involved in work connected with the Scottish sector of the North Sea on the pay-as-you-earn method of income tax payment; and whether he has taken any legal action as a consequence.

The most recent evidence is that most employers in the United Kingdom sector of the continental shelf are operating PAYE correctly on their employees' emoluments. A small minority of non-resident employers continue to contest their liability to do so; in a test case, the Inland Revenue has been successful in the High Court. The employer in question has appealed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the request for duty-free status at Liverpool airport made by the Merseyside county council.

The Commissioners of Customs and Excise require an established annual traffic level of 100,000 passengers departing for overseas destinations before granting duty-free shopping facilities at an airport. Liverpool airport does not, I regret, yet meet this criterion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to end the differential treatment whereby non-National Health Service patients whose prescriptions are made up by doctors are charged 15 per cent. value added tax but other patients are not so charged.

There is no difference in the VAT treatment of drugs dispensed by doctors to private and National Health Service patients. In both cases the supplies are exempt from VAT. Doctors dispensing to NHS patients are able to recover the cost of the drugs from the NHS authorities and doctors dispensing to private patients will normally include such costs in their overall charges. Drugs dispensed by a pharmacist to a doctor's prescription are zero-rated from VAT in all circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the aggregate consumption of liquid milk in Scotland in the latest period of 12 months for which he has information; what is his best estimate of the proportions of that consumption represented by doorstep deliveries and by shop sales, respectively; and what were the corresponding figures for the period of 12 months 10 years previously.

Aggregate consumption of liquid milk in Scotland in the years ended 31 March 1970 and 31 March 1980 was 616 million litres and 642 million litres, respectively.Information about the proportion of milk consumption represented by doorstep deliveries and shop sales is available from the comprehensive surveys of milk purchases by households in Scotland that have been carried out by the milk marketing boards in Scotland in 1969, 1974 and 1980. These showed that 74 per cent. of milk purchases by households were delivered to the doorstep in 1969 and 51 per cent. in 1980: shop purchases were 24 per cent. and 47 per cent. respectively, and about 2 per cent. of household milk purchases were from farms, etc.It is estimated that about 90 per cent. of consumption of liquid milk is comprised in sales to households, the remaining 10 per cent. being sales to institutions, etc.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider making financial assistance available to further the work of the Alzheimer's Disease Society; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, I am ready to consider this. Representatives of the society met officials of the Department on 28 May to discuss the aims and objectives of the society and the possibility of grant-aid under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968. An application from the society with relevant financial information is now awaited.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the total cost known to his Department for the training of medical, nursing and ancillary staff borne by private hospitals in the latest year for which figures are available.

Information about staff training costs borne by private hospitals is not kept by the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what effect the Civil Service dispute is now having on payment of child benefit.

I very much regret that, as a result of the Civil Service dispute, the issue of child benefit order-books from the child benefit centre at Washington has been stopped since 8 June. Arrangements have been made for mothers whose order-books run out to carry on receiving child benefit at post offices if a new book is not available. Changes in circumstances should be reported to the local DHSS office, but I regret that there will be delay in making payment for new babies. A notice explaining this was placed in all the national newspapers on 11 June and a poster with similar information is being displayed in post offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he will take to amend the social security regulations to provide single homeless claimants with a supplementary benefit entitlement sufficient to meet the increasing costs of eating out in cafés and commercial establishments.

Benefit rates for single homeless claimants, as for other recipients of supplementary benefit, will be increased in November. We have no plans for any change in the way their benefit is assessed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate how many children in the summer leavers category are without jobs and do not have the right to claim social security benefit.

Insufficient information is available to make a valid estimate and I am unable to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Mr. Foster) on 20 May 1980.—[Vol. 5, c. 94.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will institute research within the National Health Service to establish whether the increased number of school leavers without jobs is leading to any increse in the emotional difficulties in that age group.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are currently claiming family income supplement; and what is the total cost.

I assume that the hon. and learned Gentleman has in mind the number of families receiving family income supplement. There were 100,000 such families on 27 January 1981, the latest date for which figures are available. The total cost of FIS in the financial year concerned, that is 1980–81, is not yet known but it has been estimated at £45 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department has any evidence to show that when employees are claiming family income supplement employers tend to hold wages down.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for screening programmes to detect congenital hypothyroidism in newborn babies; and whether he will make a statement.

It is widely accepted that early detection and treatment of babies with congenital hypothyroidism, a deficiency of thyroid hormone, is likely to result in a better prognosis for their intellectual and neurological development. A health notice has today been issued to health authorities in England drawing their attention to a report by the joint standing committee on screening in medical care, which sets out the evidence in support of screening for this condition, and asking them to incorporate such screening into their priorities for preventive medicine. It also says that the Medical Research Council has agreed to set up a committee to coordinate the early stages of development of the service, particularly with regard to the uniformity of methods and standards in the screening laboratories.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he is taking to maintain surgical services at the Royal London homoeopathic hospital.

The health authorities are waiting for a report from an independent microbiologist who has been asked to advise on the safety of the theatres. If the report recommends that surgery must cease at the Royal London homoeopathic hospital for the time being, alternative facilities will be made available at a nearby hospital. This situation in no way affects the Government's commitment to retain the Royal London homoeopathic hospital as a general and homoepathic hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the number of young people likely to leave school at the end of the summer term.

Projections indicate that about 710,000 young people are likely to leave school in England in the summer term of 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, following his decision to make refugee immigrants eligible for home student, fees, he is satisfied that they experience no difficulty in obtaining mandatory grants from local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

By virtue of regulation 5 of the Education (Mandatory Awards) (Amendment) (No.3) Regulations 1980, the normal three year period of ordinary residence in the British Islands required for entitlement to a mandatory award is waived in the case of a convention refugee who is not, since he was recognised as such, been ordinarily resident elsewhere.It is further proposed that in the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1981, shortly to be laid before Parliament a convention refugee shall not be disqualified from an award by reason of his having made an application after the normal deadline of the end of the first term of the course, if the application reaches the authority before the end of the first term commencing after 1 September 1981 or, if later, after the date on which he was recognised as a refugee. This latter provision covers students recognised as refugees while already in attendance on their courses in the United Kingdom. For all students, including refugees, making late applications it will also be made clear that previous attendance on the course to which the application relates does not of itself disqualify them from mandatory support.In common with all other applicants for awards, refugees who have previously undertaken advanced study for more than a term in their native countries or elsewhere are not in most cases entitled to mandatory awards. To provide otherwise would put them in a more favourable position than home students with previously study.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated total cost borne by the education budget of the education and training of medical, nursing and ancillary occupations in 1981–82.

No such estimate is available.

asked the Prime Minister what will be the total wage increase received by the Civil Service as a result of the Government's current pay offer and the effect of incremental pay scales; and on what basis her estimate of an 11 per cent. increase was calculated.

The total increase in pay for the non-industrial Civil Service in 1981–82 as a result of the 7 per cent. offer and the net effect of increments will be contained within the 6 per cent. provision for pay in the cash limit by savings in staff and administrative costs.The 11 per cent. figure relates to the average increase in pay of individual civil servants, assuming a 7 per cent. increase in rates from 1 April, an additional 2·3 per cent. due to the average value of increments and a further 1·4 per cent. due to the effects of the deferment of the 1980 settlement on the average salary received this year compared with last year.

asked the Prime Minister if she will ensure that revenue accruing from the Scottish sector of the North Sea is earmarked specifically for projects benefiting Scotland.

The United Kingdom continental shelf is not divided into sectors which can be attributed to mainland regions. Allocation of resources from a general consolidated fund has, in any case, enabled identifiable public expenditure per head in Scotland to run at some 120 per cent. of that for the United Kingdom as a whole over recent years.

asked the Prime Minister whether the speech of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the New York Chamber of Commerce on 22 June represents Government policy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the caseload of the probation service the supervision of people on parole accounts for; and what percentage of the caseload of the probation service the supervision of people on parole would account for if prisoners serving between six months and three years received automatic parole.

Information on the composition of the caseload of the probation and after-care service at 31 December is published annually in "Probation and after-care statistics, England and Wales". (Tables 3 and 4 of the volume for 1979). The latest information relates to 31 December 1979, when the number of persons on parole accounted for 2 per cent. of the persons supervised by the probation and after-care service. It is estimated that if early release on licence had previously been available to prisoners serving sentences of between six months and three years this proportion might have been as high as about 7 per cent.

My right hon. Friend's speech was a reflective analysis of the dangers of the coming decade. As such, it was in no way at variance with Government policy, though it was not intended to be a formal policy statement.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report details of the additional and supplementary salaries for each member of the official Opposition in both Houses of Parliament who is in receipt of a salary by virtue of the office which he held in May 1979 and in June 1981, showing the percentage increase in each case.

The total remuneration divided between office-holders salary and parliamentary salary of members of the official Opposition in receipt of a salary by virtue of their office in May 1979 and June 1981 is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he now expects to announce his decisions on the third report of the local radio working party.

I am still considering the recommendations in the third report in the light of the many comments I have received, and am not yet in a position to say when I shall announce my decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take action to prevent the European Commission circulating documents to prisoners that Home Office rules do not permit for circulation by United Kingdom sources.

As signatories of the European agreement relating to persons participating in proceeding of the European Commission and Court of Human Rights, the Government are bound to deliver, without undue delay or alteration, correspondence from the Commission to petitioners. If any other person wishes to send to a prisoner documents published by the Commission we carefully consider if it is advisable to allow the prisoner to have access to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what initiative; are being taken by Taiwan to overcome the problems of counterfeiting, following his discussions on 22 June with the Vice-Minister of Trade.(2) what initiatives are likely to be taken by Taiwan towards inward investment in the United Kingdom, following his discussion on 22 June with the Vice-Minister of Trade.

No formal discussions have been held with any representative of the Taiwanese authorities. I understand that in Taiwan the penalties for counterfeiting are to be increased. While I welcome this indication of intention to suppress fraudulent practices, I repeat that we will not be satisfied until they have been stamped out. I am not aware of any new Taiwanese initiatives on inward investment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether any financial or other support is proposed to be given in the near future to promote trade with Chile.

The normal British Overseas Trade Board export promotion services are available for Chile. The Birmingham engineering and building centre is sponsoring a mission later this month with BOTB support and other proposals are currently being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentage of the United Kingdom's gross national product was accounted for by exports in the last 12 months or latest 12-month period for which figures are avilable, compared with the previous 12 months.

In 1980 United Kingdom exports of goods and services were equivalent to 28 per cent. of GNP at market prices, slightly lower than in 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, in view of the economic state of the airline industry, he is yet in a position to confirm that the aviation security levy will remain at £1·50 as from April 1982.

Draft regulations to reduce the aviation security levy from its present rate of £1·60 to £1·50 from 1 August 1981 are currently before Parliament. I will consider in November, in the light of revised estimates, whether there is a need for a further change in the levy from 1 April 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list from 1974 the additions to gross national product of oil and gas production arising from the Scottish sector of the North Sea.

I have been asked to reply.The United Kingdom continental shelf is not divided into sectors which can be attributable to mainland regions.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will analyse the reasons why the United Kingdom proportion of trade with the rest of the European Economic Community in 1980 was less than that of Greece prior to membership of the Community.

[pursuant to the reply, 25 June 1981, c. 135]: The United Kingdom has a long history of sizeable trade with many parts of the world. The pattern of its trade has altered from time to time for varied economic and political reasons, the separate influences of which are difficult to disentangle. There is little purpose in comparing our trade links with those of a European country whose history, volume and diversity of trade is so different from ours.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade:, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Northampton., North on 22 June, whether the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances has in any way through delay or inefficiency caused the period for the examination of its cases against dumping of refrigerators and vacuum cleaners to be extended.

[pursuant to the reply, 25 June 1981, c. 135]:There is nothing I can usefully add to my right hon. Friend's reply of 17 June 1981 and my subsequent reply of 22 June.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has any evidence that Japanese manufacturers of integrated circuitry that complies with the new Home Office specifications for citizens band radio equipment are refusing to export that equipment and are insisting that such circuitry can only be part of completed citizens band radio sets for export as such.

[pursuant to the reply, 22 June 1981; c. 3]: No, but I would be ready to consider carefully any such evidence that the hon. Member might wish to send to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the cost of maintaining 1,100 places at Bolton in the youth opportunities programme; what would be the cost of doubling the provision to meet the increase in unemployed summer school leavers; and whether he considers that employers will be able to provide additional places to meet this increased need.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he now expects to be able to make an announcement about future Government funding of the Co-operative Development Agency and the Industrial Common Ownership Movement.

A draft order, subject to affirmative resolution, was laid before the House on Wednesday 24 June to enable the agency to continue for a further period, with funding on a considerably reduced scale. This will give it more time to prove its value, to improve its effectiveness and to become financially independent of Government. The Government have made it clear that they are not committed to support the agency with public funds beyond those contained in the order.A statement on funding of the Industrial Common Ownership Movement was made by my predecessor on 10 November 1980—[Vol. 992, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to be able to publish details of the legislation needed to bring about the merging of the National Development Research Corporation and the National Enterprise Board; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend announced when appointing Sir Freddie Wood to be chairman of NEB as well as NRDC that he had asked him to examine the scope for bringing the two organisations closer together. I am glad to say that good progress is being made to intergrate the operations of the two organisations under their existing statutes. We shall consider legislation in the light of experience of their arrangements and when it has become evident that further legislation is required.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the disposals completed by the National Enterprise Board in 1979, 1980 and to date in 1981, stating the amount obtained for each disposal.

Details of disposals proceeds are published in the NEB's annual report and accounts 1979 and 1980 as follows:

1979: Hird Brown Ltd (£0·4m); ICL Ltd (£37·2m);

1980: Brown Boveri Kent (Holdings) Ltd (2·5m); Barrow Hepburn Group Ltd. (£0·27m); Computer and Systems Engineering Ltd.(£20·16m); Fairey Holdings Ltd (£22·0m); Ferranti Ltd (£54·0m); Middle East Building Services Ltd (nominal sum); Newtown Securities (Northern) Ltd (£0·13m); RR Chapman (Sub-Sea Surveys) Ltd (0·35m);

1981 (to date): Automation and Technical Services (Holdings) Ltd (£0·9m); Negretti and Zambra Ltd (£0·52m); Systems Designers International Ltd (£1·2m).

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give the changes in unit labour costs for the calendar year 1980 for the United Kingdom, West Germany, France, the United States of America and Japan.

Between the fourth quarter of 1979 and the fourth quarter of 1980 unit labour costs in manufacturing industry, calculated in national currencies, rose 23 per cent. in the United Kingdom, 11 per cent. in West Germany, 18 per cent. in France, 11 per cent. in the United States of America and 4 per cent. in Japan. A comparison of unit labour costs can also be made in a common currency, to take into account the effects of exchange rate movements on competitiveness. Expressing all countries' unit labour costs in terms of United States dollars, the index of unit labour costs in manufacturing industry rose 35 per cent. in the United Kingdom, 3 per cent. in West Germany, 10 per cent. in France, 11 per cent. in the United States and 18 per cent. in Japan. It should be noted that the figures for France are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether Triumph Motor Cycles (Meriden) Ltd. has met the terms of its agreement with the Export Credit Guarantee Department; and if so, whether his Department will now write off its loan and accrued interest, as announced last September.

The agreement with ECGD was for the sale of motorcycles financed by Meriden's bank with ECGD support which were stockpiled in the United States and Australia. The sale was to be completed by 31 May 1981 and it was estimated that £1·95 million would be raised for ECGD. In the event, the target has not been met although substantial progress has been made and £1·05 million has been paid to the ECGD by 31 May 1981.A number of factors have adversely affected this plan. The recession has depressed sales of motorcycles in the United States and stimulated price cutting, and the weakness of the yen has made competition with the dominant Japanese manufacturers more difficult. The strength of sterling during most of the period of sale has affected the return in sterling from US sales. The result of the adverse conditions is that there has been a shortfall both in the number of machines sold and in sales revenue per machine.In the light of these difficulties the Government have relaxed the requirements of the agreement and has now agreed to write off the company's loan from the Department of Industry, together with accrued interest if a total of at least £1·3 million is raised for the ECGD by 30 April 1982. On the target being met, the ECGD has agreed as before that it will release Meriden from its obligations to repay to the ECGD the difference between the sterling amount advanced by the bank and that realised from the sale of the stockpile of motorcycles.This arrangement does not commit new financial assistance to Meriden from either the ECGD or the Department of Industry; nor does it prejudice further ECGD recoveries if events made these possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry in what ways his Department carries out the provisions of the Countryside Act 1968.

[pursuant to his reply, 23 June 1981, c. 69]: My right hon. Friend's functions relating to land are limited, but in exercising them he pays full regard to the disirability of conserving the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside in accordance with section 11 of the Act.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in the light of the Faroese refusal to agree to any limitation of its annual salmon catch, he will take steps to ban import of all products of the Faroese fishery until such time as its authorities undertake to enforce a quota system that will provide adequate protection for United Kingdom salmon stocks.

I do not think it would be appropriate to request the European Community to introduce such a ban. Her Majesty's Government will, however, continue to press for the effective regulation of the Faroese salmon fisheries through the European Community—Faroe Islands fisheries agreement and through the draft North Atlantic salmon convention.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the aggregate consumption of liquid milk in England in the latest period of 12 months for which he has information; what is his best estimate of the proportions of that consumption represented by doorstep deliveries and by shop sales, respectively; and what were the corresponding figures for the period of 12 months 10 years previously.

Information about consumption of liquid milk is not available for England alone. However, aggregate consumption of liquid milk for England and Wales was 6,292 million litres in the year to 31 March 1981, and 6,641 million litres in the year to 31 March 1971.Information about the proportions of milk purchases by households which are represented by doorstep deliveries and shop sales respectively is available from surveys carried out periodically by the National Dairy Council. These show that the proportion of milk purchases by households represented by doorstep deliveries was 90 per cent. in both 1969 and 1972, and 89 per cent. in 1980. The proportions for shop sales were 6 per cent., in 1969, 8 per cent., in 1972 and 10 per cent., in 1980. Other sales, from farms etc., in these three years accounted for 4 per cent., 2 per cent., and 1 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if there are any Chilean military personnel training in the United Kingdom; and whether there are any plans for such training in the future.

There are no Chilean military personnel training in Great Britain; any requests for training will be decided according to our normal criteria.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what compensation has been paid out in each of the past five years by his Department to persons making claims for injury and damage for which his Department was responsible.

The sums paid out in compensation in each of the past five years to persons making claims for injury and damage were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the spending on equipment for each of the three Services for each of the last 20 years, showing separately the cost of the original acquisition of the Polaris force.

I regret that the information requested about expenditure by the three Services on equipment is not available as a 20-year series in a standard form. Since 1970–71 the annual Supply Estimates have not related equipment provision to the individual Services but rather to the Ministry of Defence systems controllerates which procure the equipment. The following two tables therefore provide the information on different bases.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Tynemouth of 12 June, why figures for defence expenditure in each year since 1950 are not available in 1981 prices.

Since the year has not yet ended it is impossible to establish what 1981 prices will be.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether nuclear warheads are transported by rail through the city of Leeds; and, if so, what are the risk factors for the inhabitants of that area.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday to a question from the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report the names, units, dates and causes of death of members of the Armed Forces who have lost their lives as a result of service in Northern Ireland since 1969.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 June 1981, c. 36]:The information requested is as follows: