asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the quantity and value of imports of machine tools from Japan in each of the last five years; and if he will take specific action against Japan to safeguard the British machine tool industry.

United Kingdom imports of complete machine tools from Japan in each of the last five years were as follows:

	Quantity (number)	Value (£ million cif)
1976	556	5·7
1977	724	6·6
1978	1,350	13·4
1979	1,830	20·7
1980	2,243	33·5

Following the European Foreign Affairs Council on 17 February, the Commission introduced Community-wide surveillance of certain products from Japan including numerically-controlled lathe and machinery centres. On 23 June, the Foreign Affairs Council agreed that this surveillance should be continued. We and the Commission will be watching levels of imports very carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will give the current volume and value of (a) all trade and (b) oil between the United Kingdom and Iran.

The available information for 1980 is as follows:

United Kingdom trade with Iran 1980
		(£ million)
	Imports cif	Exports fob
All commodities	107·2	393·3
Petroleum, petroleum products and related products	85·7	0·5

Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom [SITC[R2] Sections 0–9 and Division 33], 1981 statistical basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he considers that the purchase of Eric Bemrose Ltd. by the British Printing Corporation may constitute the creation of a monopoly in gravure printing; and whether he intends to refer the matter to the Office of Fair Trading or the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

The Director General of Fair Trading is already considering this merger. In the light of his advice, my right hon. Friend will announce as soon as practicable his decision on whether the merger is 10 be referred to the Commission for investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will introduce legislation to prohibit auctioneers making charges to both buyers and sellers in respect of the same transaction at public sales.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will ask the EEC Commission to investigate, with reference to articles 92 to 94 of the Treaty of Rome, the provision of State subsidies to those Italian knitwear machinery manufacturers, the names of which have been supplied to him by the Bentley Engineering company , on the grounds that they practice unfair trading competition.

The Commission is already investigating this complaint, at the request of the Bentley company, supported by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what progress is being made towards an international convention for the compensation of victims resulting from an incident arising from the carriage of hazardous and noxious substances by sea; and whether any firm date is projected for the signing of a convention.

Discussions on an international convention on liability and compensation in connection with the carriage of hazardous and noxious substances by sea are continuing in the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organisation (IMCO). The United Kingdom is playing a full part. The council of IMCO will decide in mid-1982 whether sufficient progress has been made to enable a diplomatic conference to be convened in 1983, and whether to make appropriate budgetary provision.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what account he is taking of the views of the chemicals industry that the convention on compensating victims of an incident resulting from carriage of hazardous and noxious substances by sea in the form at present under discussion could result in a relaxation of vigilance in safety matters, thereby putting at risk the present good safety record of international carriage of chemicals by sea; and if he will ensure that Her Majesty's Government will consider modifying their attitude in order to meet the chemicals industry's objection.

The chemicals industry and other interested parties have been fully consulted on the draft articles for a convention on liability and compensation in connection with the carriage of hazardous and noxious substances by sea. I know of no good reason why the likely provision for compensation for the victims of a catastrophic incident, with additional shipper liability on top of continuing shipowner liability, would in practice result in a relaxation of vigilance in safety matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he has had any discussions with the Greek Government following Greece's accession to the European Economic Community in order to ensure that the standard of operations of the Greek merchant marine is brought up to European Economic Community levels; and if he will make a statement.

No. As an important European maritime state and as a member of the European Community, Greece participates in a number of fora concerned with maritime safety and the prevention of pollution, including the regional conference of ministers responsible for maritime safety held last December, the Hague working group on port state control and the Inter-governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation as well as in meetings held within the Community framework on those subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has drawn any conclusions about the maritime incidents concerning the "Tiger Bay", the "Pool Fisher" and the "Derbyshire"; and if he will make a statement on actions taken by his Department following therefrom.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish a table showing the value of vehicle imports from and exports to Japan, Germany, France and Italy in the most recent eight-year period for which figures are available.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will consider removing all Government subsidies to the VIP lounges at Gatwick and Heathrow as an economy measure.

No Government subsidies are provided for the provision of VIP lounges at Gatwick and Heathrow. The charges levied by the British Airports Authority aim only at recovery of their costs. About 80 per cent. of the VIPs sponsored by the Government are foreign and Commonwealth Heads of State, members of Royal families, Ministers, diplomats and other dignitaries. The practice overseas is, without exception, to provide special facilities for such foreign visitors.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade which British airports, other than Gatwick and Heathrow, have VIP lounges which receive financial support from public funds; and what is the extent of that support in each case.

All major United Kingdom airports have some provision for VIPs. None receives financial support from the Exchequer other than, as at Heathrow and Gatwick, when Government Departments are charged for their use.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will give the latest estimate for the total cost of the VIP lounges at Gatwick and Heathrow Airports in the current financial year.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 July 1981]: The VIP facilities at Heathrow and Gatwick are the responsibility of the British Airports Authority, which charges for their use. The total cost to Government Departments in the current year for those VIPs they sponsor is estimated at £650,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the persons who currently have an automatic right to the use of the VIP lounges at Gatwick and Heathrow Airports; and what is the basis on which the list is complied.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 July 1981]: My right hon. Friends, the Secretaries of State for Trade and for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs are responsible for advising the British Airports Authority on those to whom the Government consider it appropriate to accord special facilities at Gatwick and Heathrow airports. Those currently entitled to request VIP facilities include members of Royal families; presidents and Heads of State; Her Majesty's Ministers and senior Ministers from other countries; ambassadors, high commissioners and other senior diplomats; the Speaker, leaders of the parliamentary parties and United Kingdom delegations to the Council of Europe and European Assembly; heads of Government Departments, the armed services and certain international organisations; the Archbishops of Canterbury and Westminster and the Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom; and guests of the Government. This list is kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to compensate British Airways for the loss of revenue arising from the Government's dispute with the Civil Service unions.

No. Air navigation services are not provided by Her Majesty's Government, but by the Civil Aviation Authority pursuant to the Civil Aviation Act 1971. By virtue of section 28(3) of that Act no right of action lies for failure by the authority to provide the services.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, whether, following the failure of the recent prosecution, he will now seek to amend the Auctions (Bidding Agreements) Acts of 1927 and 1969.

I recognise that the recent unsuccessful prosecution has increased the anxiety felt by some that the Acts may not be as effective as they might be. Another prosecution is, however, proceeding in Swansea Crown court. I shall await the results of that prosecution before deciding whether and if so what changes are necessary in the Acts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his statement to the Birmingham chamber of commerce on Friday 26 June on a 4½ per cent. wage and salary target will be applied by the Government to the pay of judges, peers, admirals, air marshals, generals, police and top civil servants.

My speech to the Birmingham chamber of commerce on 26 June drew attention to the fact if we are to see output and employment grow, we must have pay settlements in both the public and private sectors which are considerably lower than we have had in the current pay round. No doubt the various review bodies will take account of the economic situation when formulating their proposals.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advantages to, and obligations for, the United Kingdom would occur as a result of membership of the European monetary system under the correct conditions.

If the United Kingdom were to join the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system, our main obligation would be to keep sterling within a band about its central rate. We would also take part in the very short-term financing arrangements. This would oblige us to lend sterling when necessary to other participants for short periods to help them intervene in support of their currencies. We would have a corresponding right to borrow foreign currency for short periods when necessary for our own intervention.The consequences of participation in the exchange rate mechanism would depend on the circumstances at the time. But in the correct conditions we would benefit from a more stable exchange rate against other Community currencies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the pre-tax real rate of returns on capital employed by (a) United Kingdom industrial and commercial companies, (b) these companies but excluding capital employed in North Sea oil and gas, (c) the nationalised industries as a whole and (d) each nationalised industry and public corporation individually.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the level of public expenditure on capital goods and services by (a) central Government, (b) local government and (c) the nationalised industries and public corporations, in each year since 1973–4, expressed in constant prices; and what forecasts are available for future years.

I refer my hon. Friend to table 1.10 of the Government's expenditure plans 1981–82 to 1983–84—Cmnd. 8175—which shows public expenditure on capital goods and services by central Government, local authorities and certain public corporations for the years 1975–76 to 1981–82. The planning total of public expenditure, as defined in Cmnd. 8175, is not available for years prior to 1975–76. As stated in paragraph 30 of part 1 of the White Paper, it is not possible to extend table 1.10 into the later years. Table 3.2 of Cmnd. 8175 gives the capital requirements of the nationalised industries for the years 1975–76 to 1983–84.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the level of new borrowing by Her Majesty's Government from the International Monetary Fund in each year since 1974; and how much of each year's borrowing has yet to be repaid.

The information is as follows:

	SDR million
1974	—
1975	—
1976	*1,000
	†700
	‡700
1977	**1,640
1978	—
1979	—
1980	—
1981	—
* (oil facility)
† (reserve tranche)
‡ (first credit tranche)
** (standby)

With the exception of SDR 437·5 million outstanding under the oil facility, which is scheduled to be repaid in seven quarterly instalments of SDR 62·5 million until January 1983, all the 1976 and 1977 borrowing was finally repaid last year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report the voting strength of those countries, members of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, stating what is the current working and absolute majority needed in each institution, indicating the changes that have been made in the last year.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the measures taken by the Government since entering office to reduce the amount of money and number of people involved in the administration of tax.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the amount of revenue which will be raised for each of the 13 individual increases in the duties as set out in press notice 684, 2 July 1981, paragraph 3 of the notes to editors;

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current level of bank lending to industry as between (a) funds repayable on demand or within two years, (b) funds repayable between two and five years and (c) funds repayable in excess of five years; what is the equivalent figure for West German lending to German industry for a term in excess of five years; and what are the equivalent percentages of United Kingdom and West German gross national products represented by bank lending to industry for terms in excess of 10 years.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 July]: I regret that figures in this form are not available.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if any civil servants have been dismissed during the current pay dispute.

None for reasons concerning the dispute.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants have received more than the average 48 per cent. pay increase in the last two years.

About 185,700 non-industrial civil servants are currently in grades which received more than a 48 per cent. cumulative increase in average pay rates from the combined effects of the 1979 and 1980 pay settlements.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what has been the total cost to public funds of index-linking public service pensions since 1971.

I regret that the total cost of all public service pensions increases in each year since 1971 is not available centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Prime Minister what were the average earnings of married women in 1978, 1979 and 1980; and how these compare with the average income tax paid by married men in each of these years.

The only source which distinguishes the employment income of married women is the Inland Revenue's survey of personal incomes, which relates to financial, not calendar, years. The 1978–79 figures given in the first column of the following table are taken fron the results of the survey for that year and the remaining figures are estimates drawn from these. Since the survey is based on a sample of taxpayers' records, and there is no requirement for earnings below a certain level to be reported to the Inland Revenue, women with low levels of employment income have not been taken into account in calculating the averages. Hence they are higher than would be expected for the earnings of all married women.Under the present structure of the income tax system, the tax due on a married man's own income cannot be distinguished from that due on his wife's. The figures in the second and third columns of the following table are estimates of the average income tax liability on the combined incomes of husbands and wives, showing the figures for all married couples—column 2—and for couples where the wife has earned income—column 3.

	Average earnings, net of expenses, of married women whose earnings are covered by tax records	Average Income Tax
		All married couples	Married couples where the wife has earned income
	£	£	£
1978–79	1860	1170	1240
1979–80	2180	1310	1390
1980–81	2510	1590	1680

asked the Prime Minister how many invitations from tobacco companies, or to events sponsored by such companies, have been received by members of her administration since May 1979; to which Ministers they were made; to which events; and how many were accepted, by which Ministers, and to which events.

I have no idea. Such records are not kept and I have no intention of wasting time and money to keep them.

asked the Prime Minister what criteria she uses in advising members of the Royal Family about overseas visits.

The basis of advice to the Royal Family is confidential. A visit should promote the interests of the United Kingdom, be welcome to the hosts, and in keeping with the duties and dignity of the Royal Family

asked the Prime Minister what steps she is taking to ensure that Her Majesty's Government's position on Northern Ireland is effectively made known in the United States of America.

The ambassador and his staff in the United States of America are making vigorous efforts to explain our policy on Northern Ireland by television and radio appearances, letters to the press, dissemination of ministerial statements and personal briefings. Visiting ministers and senior officials have contributed to these efforts.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to encourage the replacement of coal imports with indigenous coal.

In the tripartite talks with the National Coal Board and the mining unions the Government have agreed to support action to reduce coal imports this year towards the irreducible minimum, subject to considerations of coal quality and the need to honour existing contracts. The National Coal Board has been negotiating with BSC and CEGB to this end.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what work is being funded by his Department on solar electric energy; and at what annual cost.

Because of the relatively low intensity and the variability of direct sunshine in the United Kingdom, solar electric energy is not expected to provide an economic source of power generation. My Department is not therefore supporting work in this area, although its prospects are kept under review. The Department of Industry, however, funds some work and the EEC also supports some projects in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when next he plans to discuss oil and energy problems with his counterparts in the European Economic Council of Energy Ministers.

The date for the next Energy Council has not yet been fixed. The last Council of Energy Ministers met on 24 June. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave to the hon. Member for Enfield North (Mr. Eggar) on 25 June reporting the outcome.—[Vol. 7, c. 166–67.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether recent trends of energy consumption in (a) the industrial and (b) the domestic sectors indicate a move from oil to coal.

In April 1981, for the first time in that month for eleven years, coal was the United Kingdom's main source of primary energy. If coal is to maintain this position, the coal industry must continue to improve productivity and contain its costs to stay competitive.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the anticipated increase in the consumption of coal is large enough to absorb further increases in production.

Coal's future lies in the industry's ability to compete in the market. What matters is not any particular forecast of an uncertain future, but the efforts of everyone in the industry to find and retain markets, by imroving productivity, containing costs and keeping prices competitive.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any further plans for depriving British Gas of its profitable or other undertakings.

I cannot anticipate the statement which my right hon. Friend the Minister for Consumer Affairs is to make on the Government's response to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report on domestic gas appliances and any impact this may have on British Gas' appliance retailing activities. My right hon. Friend has laid before Parliament a draft direction requiring the corporation to dispose of its interest in the Wytch Farm oil licence and we are considering the question of its other oil interests.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce the appointment of a new chairman and the restructuring of the National Nuclear Corporation.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Members for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Thomas) and for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor).

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what expenditure was incurred by his Department in support of research and development into alternative forms of energy during each of the last three years; and how much he expects to be devoted to such purposes in the current year.

The expenditure incurred by my Department in support of its R and D programme into renewable energy sources for each of the last three financial years is as follows:

Year	£ million
1978–79	2·3
1979–80	6·5
1980–81	8·9

For the current financial year, the sum is estimated to be £15·4 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what estimates he has made of total United Kingdom oil production for the next 12 months.

My Department's latest forecast for United Kingdom oil production in 1981 is 80 million-95 million tonnes. Technical and geological considerations will play an important part in determining actual production in the year. For 1982, the forecast is 85 million-110 million tonnes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, under the Nationality Bill, it is intended that different criteria will apply, or different proceedings be required, to determine the eligibility for citizenship of children (a) living with their natural parents, (b) living with adoptive parents, (c) living with foster parents and (d) where parental rights have been assumed by a local authority.

Whether the children concerned were British citizens would depend on whether they were born to parents either of whom was a British citizen or was settled in the United Kingdom; or whether they had as new-born infants been found abandoned in the United Kingdom; or whether they had been adopted by a British citizen by order made by a court in the United Kingdom. Whom the child is living with would not be relevant, nor would the assumption of parental rights by a local authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement clarifying the status of children in the care of local authorities in the United Kingdom under the provisions of the British Nationality Bill with respect to eligibility for British citizenship;(2) whether there is to be any difference in the criteria or procedures used to determine the eligibility for citizenship of children, where local authorities have assumed parental rights

The Bill provides that a child born here after commencement shall be a British citizen if either of his parents is a British citizen or is settled in the United Kingdom; a new-born infant found abandoned is to be deemed, unless the contrary is shown, to have been born in this country to a parent who is a British citizen or is settled; and an adopted child is to become a British citizen if adopted under a court order made in this country and if the adopter—or one of the adopters where the adoption is a joint one—is a British citizen at the date of the adoption.No specific provision is made for acquisition of citizenship where parental responsibilities are taken over by persons or bodies other than the natural parents except in the case of adoptions by court order in this country. Normally a local authority responsible for the child's care should have the details necessary to establish citizenship but where it does not application may be made for the registration of the child under the Secretary of State's discretionary power to register any minor. Each case would be judged on its merits but obviously a major aspect would be whether the child's future lay in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest figure for the police establishment of West Yorkshire; and whether he has received any request for an increase.

The establishment was increased from 5,104 to 5,154 on 24 March 1981. I have not subsequently received any request for an increase.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons sentenced to life imprisonment were released in each of the last 10 years; what was the length of sentence each had actually served; and if any committed further offences after release.

The following is the information, in respect of England and Wales, asked for in the first two parts of the question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons sentenced (a) for murder and (b) to life imprisonment are currently released on licence.

This information is not available because the death of a released life sentence prisoner is not necessarily known to the Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons sentenced to prison for murder have been released in each of the last 10 years; how many committed further offences; what was the nature of the offence; and if any committed murder.

The numbers of persons convicted of murder released from prisons in England and Wales, including persons detained during Her Majesty's pleasure under section' 3(1) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, but not persons who had previously been released on licence and subsequently recalled to prison, were as follows:

Persons convicted of murder released from prison
	Number
1971	21
1972	24
1973	29
1974	35
1975	39
1976	62
1977	52
1978	74
1979	64
1980	35
Total	435

This Department is aware of 136 offences committed after release by people included in the above table. These were as follows:

Offences committed after release
	Number
Murder	1
Manslaughter	3
Assault occasioning actual bodily harm	13
Wounding	6
Common assault	3
Assaulting a police officer	4
Possessing an offensive weapon	3
Threatening behaviour	3
Rape	2
Indecent assault	5
Indecent exposure	1
Robbery	2
Burglary	3
Aggravated burglary	1
Theft	28
Shoplifting	8
Handling stolen goods	4
Arson	1
Offences relating to drugs	6
Drunk and disorderly	6
Damaging property	7
Breach of the peace	1
Motoring offences	25

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to bring forward any proposals to reform either sections 1 or 2 of the Official Secrets Act.

My right hon. Friend has no present plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the numbers who have been awarded compensation following a period of false imprisonment for each year since 1970; and if he will state the amounts awarded in each instance.

The numbers and amounts of payments of compensation for detention in custody other than a few small payments for a prisoner's detention beyond his release date, are as follows. In many of the cases legal costs in connection with the claim were also reimbursed.

Year	Number of Payments	Amounts
1971	3	£750; £1,250; £2,250
1972	—	—
1973	—	—
1974	1	£17,500
1975	2	£1,500; £2,000
1976	5	£1,000(3)*; £5,000; £10,000
1977	2	£1,100; £2,550
1978	5	£160; £987; £1,500; £9,500; £10,000
	12	£750; £1,109; £1,469; £1,854; £4,575;
		£6,500; £9,170; £10,050; £10,710; £10,915;
1979		£15,575; £21,020
	14	£750; £1,000; £1,500; £5,000; £5,230;
		£5,690; £7,500(3); £8,000; £13,050; £13,100;
1980		£13,500; £14,417
1981 (to date)	5	£180; £9,950; £18,000*; £22,000*; £25,000*
* The three persons who received payments of £1,000 each in 1976 also received further payments in 1981 as indicated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish details of his communication with the chief constable of the West Midlands concerning racial disturbances over the last six weeks.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had concerning the allocation of a frequency for a Carfax service; what progress is being made in this direction; and if he will make a statement.

;: The hon. Member for Northampton, South (Mr. Morris) and representatives of Radiomobile Ltd. came to see my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State recently about the need for an early decision on a permanent frequency for any Carfax service that might be introduced.Discussions between the Government and the BBC are continuing as a matter of urgency as to ways in which a Carfax service might be established and are covering the questions of a frequency and of finance. Some progress has been made on the frequency question, but I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mentally disordered persons were in prison at the latest available date.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 26 March 1981.—[Vol 1, c.397.] The figures for 30 June 1981 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if, having regard to the present political situation in Iran, he will ensure that no deportation orders are made in respect of Iranians who may be put in serious jeopardy if they are compelled to return to Iran;(2) how many Iranian citizens who are alleged to have overstayed in the United Kingdom are currently remanded in custody in prisons or remand centres in the United Kingdom awaiting deportation to Iran; and what action he proposes to take in connection with them.

	Males				Females
	Unemployed over 6 Months	Percentage of Total Males Unemployed	Unemployed over 12 Months	Percentage of Total Males Unemployed	Unemployed over 6 months	Percentage of Total Females Unemployed	Unemployed over 12 Months	Percentage of Total Females Unemployed
	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)
Wales	53,727	51·4	25,313	24·2	19,657	45·7	7,451	17·3
Mid Glamorgan	10,135	53·0	5,037	26·3	4,115	45·2	1,489	16·4
Footnote: Figures in columns (3) and (7) are included in columns (1) and (5).

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are his Department's population and employee

On 3 July 1981, nine Iranians were detained in a prison or remand centre in the course of deportation proceedings, eight of them following a recommendation for deportation made by a court after conviction of a criminal offence.Each case is considered on its merits. In accordance with the convention and protocol relating to the status of refugees, an Iranian is not deported to Iran if he is unwilling to go there owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular group or political opinion.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many new jobs will be created, and over what time scale, by the new factories occupied by (a) Alpha Electrostatic Flocking Ltd. at Bridgend, (b) Metal Improvement Company Incorporated at Deeside and (c) Morris Cohen (Underwear) Limited at Caerphilly; and what the number of new jobs created in each of these firms is as a percentage of the current unemployment figures in their respective employment areas.

The information is as follows:

Firm and Employment Exchange Area	New Jobs	New Jobs as Percentage of Unemployed (Percentage)
Alpha Electrostatic Flocking Ltd., Port Talbot	70	1·4
Metal Improvement Co. Inc., Shotton	60	2·0
Morris Cohen (Underwear) Ltd., Blackwood	80	4·8

All the new jobs are expected to mature within three years.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many men and how many women have been unemployed in (a) Wales and (b) Mid-Glamorgan for (i) more than six months and (ii) more than 12 months at the latest available date; and what percentages these represent.

The latest available information relates to 9 April 1981 and is as follows:population projections for each district council area in each of the regions of Wales for the years 1981, 1983, 1987 and 1990.

Such projections are not made.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what funding is available for National Health Service artifical insemination by donor in Wales.

South Glamorgan health authority's annual allocation includes provision of £6,500 for an artificial insemination service for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what recent consulations he has had regarding the potential location of the proposed Nissan Datsun car plant in the United Kingdom; what prospects there are for the location of the plant in North East Wales; when a company statement on Nissan's intentions will be made; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to what I told the hon. Member in the House on 15 June.—[Vol. 6, c. 713.]

asked the Attorney-General what are the current pay and allowances of a circuit judge.

The current salary of a circuit judge is £23,250 a year. Travel, subsistence and other similar allowances, based where appropriate on those paid to civil servants, are paid against expenses actually incurred.

asked the Attorney-General if he will take steps to have included in the guidance issued to community law centres the instruction that such centres may not act for or formally represent (a) trade unions in any circumstances, (b) the parties in an employment dispute or (c) political parties.

All law centres which receive financial support from central funds must observe the Lord Chancellor's guidelines, dated November 1978, under which a law centre's primary objective should be to provide a legal service for people living or working in its catchment area and it should not engage in party political activity. It has not been found necessary to impose further restrictions. If my hon. Friend has any specific cases in mind, I would grateful if he would write to the Lord Chancellor.

asked the Attorney-General if he is satisfied with the working of his guidelines on jury checks dated 31 July 1980.

I am generally satisfied with the working of the new guidelines. It is my policy, and that of the Director of Public Prosecutions, to limit strictly the number of cases in which checks requiring my authority under paragraph 7 of the guidelines are made. So far there have been only two applications for my authorisation of such checks. Both related to terrorist offences and both were granted, but the amount of information supplied to Crown counsel was strictly limited by the director, whose policy it is to make full use of the discretion given to him in the guidelines in respect of the information revealed as a result of the authorised checks, and counsel did not find it necessary in either case to make use of any of the information supplied.As regards checks conducted on the files of criminal record offices, which do not require my authority, I am assured by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary that the Association of Chief Police Officers fully accepts the need for chief constables to exercise their discretion when deciding in accordance with the association's recommendations annexed to my guidelines whether to authorise checks on criminal records and what information should be passed to Crown counsel following such a check. The practice is to restrict the information passed to prosecuting counsel by the police to details of those previous convictions of potential jurors which relate to their qualification or suitability to sit on a jury, and of any charges of a serious nature which may be awaiting trial and which may be relevant to their suitability.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many Government-sponsored foreign visitors were shown the industrial potential of the North-West region in 1979 and 1980; how many such visits are planned for the North-West region in 1981–82; and if he will take action to ensure that more Government-sponsored foreign visitors, visit the North-West region.

The number of foreign visitors, sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and interested in the industrial scene in the North-West region in 1979 and 1980 was 45 and 42 respectively. The number to date in 1981 is 19; it is expected that the figures for the rest of 1981 and for 1982 will be similar. Efforts are made to arrange as many visits as possible to the North-West. The number of inquiries about industrial sites made to the North-West regional office of this Department, resulting in officially accompanied visits by overseas industrialists were as follows: 1979, 20; 1980, 26; 1981 (to date) 13. In some cases a visit involved more than one company and-or more than one individual. The financial incentives available and the other attractions of the North-West are drawn to the attention of overseas industrialists by the Invest in Britain Bureau and staff in the United Kingdom diplomatic posts overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what measures he is taking to expand industry on Merseyside.

Industrial expansion depends, primarily on the ability and willingness of managements and work forces to increase the competitiveness of their companies. The Government's policy of reducing inflation and controlling public expenditure will help create the conditions for industry to expand in all parts of the country, including Merseyside which is eligible for the full range of regional aids, and is receiving substantial sums of public money to assist its regeneration each year.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received from industry on the effect of supplementary rates on industrial competitiveness.

No specific representations have been received about the effect of supplementary rates on industry, but there has been increasing concern and a large number of complaints from businessmen about the burden imposed by non-domestic rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects the Council of Ministers to approve funding for social measures for early retirement in the steel industry; and to what extent the United Kingdom may be expected to benefit from such an agreement.

At its meeting on 24 June the Council of Ministers agreed that ECSC aid should be given towards the cost of early retirement and of short-term working directly linked with restructuring. It took note of a political undertaking by member States to contribute, subject to national parliamentary procedures, an initial 50 million ECUs towards the financing of this aid. The Government expect the United Kingdom to derive a net financial benefit as a result of this agreement but the exact amount cannot yet be determined.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the current steel making capacity of each of the European Economic Community member countries.

The latest readily available information is as follows:

Crude Steel Capacity at 1 January 1980*
	Million tonnes
Belgium	19·7
Denmark	1·1
France	30·7
Germany F.R.	68·5
Ireland	0·2
Italy	37·3
Luxembourg	7·3
Netherlands	8·6
United Kingdom	28·4
Greece	†1·3
Note:
At the beginning of 1981 the United Kingdom's crude steel capacity was 25·4‡ million tonnes.
Sources:
* European Coal and Steel Community.
† Estimate by OECD.
‡ The Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) how many new starter manufacturing operations have been set up in West Cumbria and the county of Cumbria with offers of assistance made available under Industry Act provisions;(2) how many of the applications for information of an industrial or service development nature which his Department, through its regional offices, referred to the Cumbria county council over the last 12 months has been turned from an inquiry into a decision to proceed with a commercial or industrial project in

As previously explained to the hon. Member, Cumbria has been the responsibility of the Department's North-West regional office since 1 April. The information which follows therefore relates where relevant to the North-West region and not the former Northern region.Further to earlier replies on this subject, in June 1981 no offers of assistance under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 were made to companies in Cumbria; five offers totalling £4·85 million were made towards projects in the North-West region. 502 enquiries of an industrial or commercial development nature were received of which 92 related to selective financial assistance. One of these was specifically referred to the Cumbria county council industrial development unit. Although it is standard practice to ensure that any inquirer is aware of the services provided by the Cumbria county council industrial development unit, the Department has no information on the number of inquiries to that organisation which resulted in companies deciding to proceed with a project.It is not possible to identify precisely the time at which new starter manufacturing operations assisted under section 7 of the Industry Act are set up. However records of offers of assistance made each month are kept, although none were made in June 1981 with respect to Cumbria.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total area of industrial floor space allocated for industrial or service trade occupancy by the English Industrial Estates Corporation in each of the travel-to-work areas in (a) Cumbria, (b) the Northern region and (c) the North-West region for the last month for which statistics are available.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what stage the European Commission's proposals for a scrap and build programme for the shipbuilding industry have reached; when this was last discussed in the Council of Ministers; and if it is his intention to seek progress on this matter during the British Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

We do not intend to raise scrap and build during the United Kingdom Presidency. Scrap and build was last discussed at the Council of Ministers on 20 November 1979 and it was clear that the majority of EEC member State did not support it. Since then there has been some recovery in the shipbuilding market and subsidies throughout the Community are being reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, pursuant to the reply by the Lord Privy Seal, of 5 May, Official Report, c. 39, if he will specify the sensitive industrial sectors of the United Kingdom economy which suffer from Japanese export penetration and thereby lead to job losses in the United Kingdom.

At the present time the most sensitive industrial sectors in which Japanese import penetration causes particular concern are cars, light commercial vehicles and certain consumer electronic products. In these sectors, the Japanese manufacturers voluntarily restrain the level of imports into the United Kingdom after consultation with the appropriate industrial sectors here. There is increasing concern at the rising trend of Japanese imports in a number of other areas including advanced machine tools and other high technology industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what arrangements his Department has made with British Telecom to allow Government Departments facing strike action to delay the payment of telephone bills; if he is satisfied that such arrangements will not result in increases in domestic consumers' bills; and if he will make a statement.

I have made no such arrangements. The limited delays which have occurred should not result in any increase in domestic consumers' bills.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much public financial assistance the Burmah Oil Company and its United Kingdom subsidiaries have received in connection with the establishment and subsequent operation of its oil refinery at Ellesmere Port; and how much public financial assistance the company has received in total in each of the last 10 years.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 July, c. 401]: The Following assistance was made available under the Industry Act 1972 to the Burmah Oil Company in connection with its oil refining activities at Ellesmere Port:

	£
Payments of Regional Development Grant	3,423,370

Grant has also been paid to the company under the Investment Grant scheme, which was discontinued in October 1970. Information on the amount of grant paid is no longer available.No offers under sections 7 or 8 of the Act were made available to the company at Ellesmere Port specifically, but the following assistance was offered in total to Burmah Oil Company generally under section 7 of the Act:

Year	£
1973	17,820
1975	12,000

No section 8 assistance has been offered to the company.In view of the large number of subsidiaries and the diverse nature of the company's activities, a statement of the total amount of regional development grant paid to the Burmah Oil Company and its subsidiaries could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much financial assistance from the European Economic Community Regional Development Fund has been given to the town of Warrington, Cheshire, in each year since 1975.

[pursuant to his reply, 2 July, c. 456]: I regret that this information is not available and could not be produced except at excessive cost. Commitments to the North-West region from the European regional development fund in respect of industrial and infrastructure projects have been as follows:

	£ million
1975	3·03
1976	6·85
1977	5·36
1978	19·81
1979	34·33
1980	29·94

asked the Lord Privy Seal what estimate he has made of the profit made by the Soviet Government through their trading and retail operations by selling imported EEC foodstuffs and wine to its consumers at prices in excess of the import prices; and if he will make a statement.

It is not possible to estimate what profit, if any, the Soviet Government make on the sale of European Community foodstuffs and wine. The Soviet Government pay for these products in hard currency, but sell them for roubles and there is no reliable exchange rate .

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make representations to the Government of Pakistan on the need to uphold human rights including the right to belong to a trades union in Pakistan.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent over the past two years, social security, State pensions and other benefits have kept in line with price rises; and if he will publish figures.

The level of price rises as measured by the general retail price index between November 1978 and November 1980 was 35·4 per cent.^* By way of illustration the amount and percentage increase of some of the principal personal weekly benefits at those dates was:

Benefit	Weekly rate at November 1978	Weekly rate at November 1980	Percentage Increase (1978–80)
	£	£
Retirement and Widow's Pension (standard basic rate)	19·50	27·15	39·2
Unemployment and Sickness Benefit (standard basic rate)	15·75	20·65	31·1
Invalidity Pension	19·50	26·00	33·3
Supplementary Benefit Short Term: single House-holder	15·55	21·30	37·0
Long·Term: single House-holder	19·90	27·15	36·4
Family Income Supplement†	46·00	67·00	45·7
Mobility allowance	‡10.00	14·50	45·0
Child Benefit	**3.00	4.75	**58·3
Notes:
*Between the uprating dates of 13 November 1978 and 25 November 1980 this is estimated to be the equivalent of 35·6 per cent.
† Prescibed amount for a 1 child family.
‡ Rate introduced in July 1978.
** Child tax allowance in force, which for standard rate tax payer's child aged 11 or under, was worth approximately £0·63 per week. If the value of these is taken into account in 1978, the rate of child support becomes £3·63 and percentage increase between November 1978 and November 1980 is then 30·9 per cent. Child tax allowance for children aged 11–15 and 16+ were worth £0·86 per week and £1·05 (approximately) respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the light of his Department's commitment to the development of the primary care contribution to an improved mental health service, how much money is currently being contributed by the Department to research in this area; and what are its plans concerning the expansion of such research.

The cost of the three projects listed in my reply to my hon. Friend on 15 June [Vol. 6, c. 266–7] is estimated at £141,400; and the Department's support for the general practice research unit at the Institute of Psychiatry amounted to £146,800 in 1980–81. Much more is of course spent on research on specialist services in this area. The question whether additional research in this field can be commissioned must depend on the availability of financial and scientific resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the basis for his estimate of £4·50 as the average weekly cost of fares to work.

The estimate was made for the purposes of the April 1981 tax-benefit model tables. As my hon. Friend knows, these tables illustrate the financial position of hypothetical families. The tables have been published and a copy placed in the Library of the House.The estimate was based on information collected in the family expenditure survey and the 1978–79 national travel survey. The figure produced was then updated to its 1981 equivalent, using the fares sub-component of the retail prices index.It is important to note that the estimate of £4·50 relates solely to the weekly cost of travelling to and from work on public transport for those heads of households, in full-time work, who use public transport for at least seven journeys a week. Thus it is not an average for all workers. It does not include those who are not heads of households, or those who use other forms of transport or those who incur no travelling expenses.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in the light of the recent report from the Greenwich community health council on psychosurgery, there will be an independent inquiry into the efficacy of psychosurgery.

The Greenwich community health council has not, as far as I am aware, issued any report on psychosurgery, but has sent a letter to my hon. Friend on this subject. This does not propose an independent inquiry and my right hon. Friend has no plans to set one up. We are studying the points raised by the council.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what figures he has as to the success rate of psychosurgery operations over the last five years.

Statistics on success rates are not collected centrally for any type of operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue guidelines to regional health authorities on the funding of psychosurgery units

No. It is for health authorities to decide how to use the resources allocated to them in the light of national priorities and local needs.

asked the secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to publish the second stage of the review of the supplementary benefit scheme with particular reference to homeless persons, resettlement units, special offices and voucher payments.

As I said in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Cheltenham (Mr Irving) on 20 May [Vol. 5, c. 93], I am at present considering, in the light of recent legislative changes and other developments since 1978, how best to carry forward the proposals of the supplementary benefits review team for a review of various aspects of policy on people without a settled way of life.