asked the Prime Minister whether she has any plans to visit Mexico.

Yes. I shall attend the International Meeting on Co-operation and Development at Cancun, Mexico on 22 and 23 October.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on the progress of the Government's policy of enabling council tenants to buy their council houses; and whether all councils in England and Wales are now operating the law in that regard.

The great majority of local authorities are making satisfactory progress with council house sales. A number, however, have been told by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment that he is considering the use of his powers of intervention.The number of council tenants in England and Wales who have now applied to buy their homes under the 1980 Housing Act is more than a quarter of a million.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to Boddam in the constituency of Aberdeenshire, East.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list he official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July,

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 7 July.

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

asked the Prime Minister what steps the Government are taking to relieve poverty amongst the long-term unemployed.

We have every sympathy with the problems faced by those who have been unemployed for a long time. The supplementary benefit scheme is intended to meet basic need and is available to unemployed people who have drawn their full entitlement of unemployment benefit or whose unemployment benefit is unsufficient to meet normal requirements. We must give all the unemployed the hope of worthwhile jobs in the future by tackling the fundamental economic problems which have made our economy especially vulnerable in the recession.

asked the Prime Minister if she will set up a Council for Wales, comprising representatives of the 37 district and eight county councils of Wales, together with the 36 hon. Members and four Members of the European Parliament from Wales, to serve as a preliminary step towards an all-Wales forum to assist in developing Government policy for the good of Wales.

I see no need to add a new forum to the existing arrangements which enable elected Members of the House to participate in the development of Government policy for Wales.

asked the Prime Minister why Her Majesty's Government are prepared to offer military assistance to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Her Majesty's Government are providing St. Vincent and the Grenadines with assistance and training for the establishment of a coastguard. This is a normal requirement for an archipelagic State.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will offer food aid and economic development assistance to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

We have not been asked to provide food aid but are continuing to provide both capital aid and technical co-operation. Expenditure in 1980–81 was about £1¼ million, including £500,000 for hurricane rehabilitation.

asked the Prime Minister whether she is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Department of Industry and other Departments responsible for schemes which affect small businesses, and in particular (a) with the Department of Health and Social Security on the level of earnings subject to national insurance contributions in defining a small firm for the purposes of compensating employers under the proposed statutory sick payment scheme and (b) with the Department of Employment about the minimum number of redundancies necessary before a firm can benefit from the short-time working compensation scheme.

The Department of Industry takes a positive interest in all issues of concern to small businesses. The Government regularly reappraise all aspects of our extensive programme of special employment measures, including the minimum qualifying number of redundancies under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme. My hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. MacGregor) the Under-Secretary of State for Industry, has made clear to small firms representative bodies his interest in, and his willingness to discuss, their views on the proposed employers' statutory sick pay scheme, over and above any dealings they may have direct with the Department of Health and Social Security.

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

I have had no such meetings since 2 July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the percentage increases in 1980 compared with 1979 in (a) homicide, (b) theft, (c) fraud, (d) violence against the person, (e) burglary and (f) riots.

The figures for 1979 and 1980 are published in table 3 of Home Office "Statistical Bulletin 5/81", copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Recorded figures for 1980 are not precisely comparable with figures for previous years because of the introduction on 1 January 1980 of a new, more comprehensive set of counting rules. This is unlikely to have affected appreciably the numbers of offences recorded for homicide, violence against the person, burglary and riot which in 1980 were respectively 1 per cent. lower, 2 per cent. higher, 13 per cent. higher and 100 per cent. higher than in 1979. The numbers of recorded offences of homicide—620 in 1980—and of riot—6 in 1980—are liable to vary considerably from year to year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many borstal trainees have their babies with them in borstal; where they are located; and what is the age of each baby and each mother;(2) what are the offences and sentences of those borstal trainees who have babies with them in borstal.

On 30 June 1981, nine young women sentenced to borstal training had their babies with them in custody in mother and baby units, eight at Styal and one at Holloway. The respective ages of the babies and their mothers at Styal were 11 weeks and 17 years; 26 weeks and 17 years; 6 weeks and 18 years; 9 weeks and 18 years; 1 week and 19 years; 3 weeks and 19 years; 24 weeks and 21 years; 24 weeks and 21 years; and at Holloway, 4 weeks and 18 years. The offences of the mothers were burglary—five—attempted burglary, arson, wounding and theft.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any borstal trainees have had their babies removed from them in the last 12 months; and, if so, what was the reason, the age of the baby and its disposal.

In the 12 months ending 31 May 1981, 10 borstal trainees had their babies placed in the community, either at birth or within 14 weeks' thereof, eight at the mother's own request and two for reasons of the child's safety. Five, including the latter two, were taken into care by the local authority; three went to relatives; and two were adopted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the charges against each of the 11 women who gave birth while in custody awaiting trial or sentence; what happened to each of the babies; and what was the sentence imposed on each of the women.

The information requested, which relates to the year ending 31 May 1981, is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the police are likely to complete their inquiry into the incident at Wormwood Scrubs prison on 31 August 1979.

It is not yet possible to say when the police are likely to complete their inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the degree of legislative supervision of electronic bugging.

The unlicensed use of radio for aural surveillance is prohibited. The importation and manufacture of radio surveillance equipment operating on frequencies between 88 and 108 MHz is controlled, under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts 1949 and 1967; and I exercise my licensing powers to support the prohibition of illicit surveillance. I have no current plans for any flesh legislation in this area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been brought before the courts in respect of misuse of the police national computer for each of the years of its operation.

Such prosecutions are a matter for individual chief officers of police and no separate central records are kept.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider allowing refunds on colour television licences surrendered with an excess of six months to run.

No. The grounds on which refunds may be given must be limited if the licensing system is not to become unmanageable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the escape of the four men under escort when being driven from Canterbury prison to Tunbridge Wells on Wednesday 24 June in a hired minivan; why such a van was hired and at what cost; and what precautions are made to check on the reputations of the minicab firms used on such occasions.

On 24 June 1981, on the M2 motorway, four prisoners from Canterbury prison overpowered the three escorting officers, freed themselves from their handcuffs and took control of the minibus in which they were being driven to Tunbridge Wells magistrates' court. They then drove the vehicle, three prison officers and the civilian driver who had been handcuffed together to South-East London before making off. The prison governor has carried out an inquiry into the incident: there was no suggestion of negligence or collusion by prison staff or civilians involved.Taxis and minibuses are routinely used to convey prisoners to court. Governors have instructions to make careful inquiries of the reliability and reputation of hire firms before letting contracts. The cost of the minibus on this occasion was £31·25.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will ensure that he will not admit into the United Kingdom the Reverend Sun Myung Moon or not do so until first discussing this with the Government of the United States of America to ascertain their views on this question.

Mr. Moon has been advised not to travel to the United Kingdom without first seeking an entry clearance. If he were to apply for an entry clearance, it would be necessary to consider whether leave to enter should be refused on the ground that his exclusion is conducive to the public good. Any relevant information, from the United States or elsewhere, would be taken into account.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain how and in what way Meryn Leroy Phillips an 18-year-old West Indian youth with a perfect health record died suddenly whilst held in custody in Ashford remand centre.

The coroner has been informed and is to hold an inquest.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, as a means of saving expense and increasing the Metropolitan Police manpower, he will take whatever action may prove necessary, including legislation, to amalgamate the City of London Police with the Metropolitan Police.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, and if possible covering the period of the Test matches, Ascot races and the Wimbledon tennis tournament, the number of police engaged on crowd control at these events; and to what extent, and on what basis of charge, private organisations are charged for the costs of the police supplied and used inside the establishments where these events are held.

I understand from the chief officers of police concerned that the information requested that is readily available is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate the reasons why letters sent by Dunham Brindley and Linn, Solicitors, of 16 Bore Street, Lichfield, requesting an oath of allegiance to be signed by Mr. A. Noor of 81 Scotch Orchard, Lichfield, on 3 April, 23 April and 22 May 1981 remained unanswered by the Immigration and Nationality Department at Lunar House, Wellesley Road, Croydon; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Noor's application for registration as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies was approved on 4 March. Her solicitors were informed of this on the same day and Mrs. Noor was asked through them to pay the appropriate fee. The fee was received on 8 April. The next step should have been to send her the form on which she could take the oath of allegiance. However, before the fee was received the papers had been sent to Birmingham in connection with an appeal concerning the entry of Mr. Nesar Ahmed as Mr. Noor's son. We are sorry that as a result the oath form was inadvertently not sent and the solicitors received no replies to their letters.The appropriate form has now been sent to the solicitors. Mrs. Noor's certificate of registration as a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies will be sent to her as soon as she has taken the oath and returned the form to the nationality division.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he intends to take to prevent the transmission by satellite to the United Kingdom of television programmes that would contravene domestic broadcasting regulations.

An international plan for direct broadcasting by satellite—DBS—in Europe was agreed at the world broadcasting-satellite administrative radio conference of the International Telecommunications Union in 1977. Each country is free to use the channels assigned to it for DBS services as it chooses provided that the transmissions conform to the plan, which is based mainly on the provision of national services with the minimum possible overspill of these services into neighbouring countries. There is no provision in the plan for the broadcasting of services from one country to another, though at the request of certain countries limited provision has been made for services covering more than one country—for example the Nordic group of countries.The implications of the unavoidable overspill of one country's DBS transmissions into another are discussed in the report "Direct Broadcasting by Satellite: A Home Office Study", which I published on 19 May and on which I invited comments by the end of July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to reclassify most motoring offences as contraventions punishable by fixed penalties rather than as crimes, as recommended by the Justices Clerks Society.

We are naturally anxious to consider means of reducing the pressures on the courts. The Government, as indicated in the foreword to the report of the inter-departmental working party on road traffic law, have already accepted the principle of extending the fixed penalty system to a wider range of motoring offences. We are giving careful consideration to the proposals which the Justices Clerks Society has made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many parents from the Indian Sub-continent have been refused an entry certificate to visit their children in the United Kingdom; and if he will give the figures for each of the last five years for each high commission.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards parents from the Indian Sub-continent seeking entry certificates to visit their children legitimately settled here; and what proportion of applications are rejected in the belief that their intention is to become permanent residents.

Entry certificates, which are optional for visitors, enable Commonwealth citizens who are in doubt to check in advance on their eligibility for admission to the United Kingdom. Applications to British representatives overseas are determined in accordance with the relevant paragraphs of the immigration rules. I regret that the information requested in the second part of the question is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to make it a statutory right for parents and foster parents to be present or represented at any probation case conference at which their child's future is to be discussed.

Children are generally supervised by the probation service in pursuance of the decision of a court in criminal or domestic proceedings. I consider it right for the probation officer responsible for supervision to have discretion to decide whether parents or foster parents should be invited to take part in any discussion he may have with colleagues about the child; any further decision about the child's future would be taken during court proceedings, which parents may attend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letter of 9 April from the hon. Member for Falmouth and Cambourne, conveying the observations of Mrs. L. Bevington on citizens band radio.

I have now written to my hon. Friend. I regret the delay in replying.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of the delay in the issue of test and development licences to potential manufacturers and importers of citizens band radio equipment, he will speed up the issuing.

Applications for licences for testing and development and for more general evaluation of citizens band radio equipment are now being processed as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the extent of representations that he has received from those supporting AM wavebands for citizens band radio; and what consultations he plans to hold with such bodies;

A number of organisations and many individuals have pressed us to introduce a 27 MHz citizens band service using AM. However, we cannot ignore the mounting evidence of the interference caused by illicit citizens band AM transmissions and we remain committed to introducing a 27 MHz FM service in the autumn. We will shortly be taking the advice of the advisory committee established under section 9 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 on the regulations we propose to introduce to control interference from citizens band equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now correct the reply given to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 21 January 1980, Official Report, column 16, that Benperidol was first used in prisons in 1971.

The reply I gave on 21 January 1980—[Vol. 977, c. 16]—is correct.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the drug Benperidol was first administered to prisoners in Wormwood Scrubs prison.

Benperidol was first prescribed for a prisoner in Wormwood Scrubs in 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will set up an inquiry involving both the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Independent Broadcasting Authority into the effects of violence on television with a view to establishing policy guidelines which would establish effective control over the showing of violent scenes on television; and if he will make a statement;(2) to what extent he regards it as his function, and to what extent that of the broadcasting authorities, to monitor the social effects of television, on the level of crime, violence or other social evils; and if it is his practice to discuss these matters with the broadcasting authorities;(3) if he has studied the recent research by Dr. William Belson on the subject of violence on television; and if he will make a statement on any conclusions he has drawn from this research;(4) if he will make a study of the effect on children under 15 years of age of violence on television.

As trustees of the public interest in broadcasting the BBC and the IBA are responsible for maintaining the standards of the programmes they broadcast. Research into the effects of their programmes also properly falls to them to undertake. We do not intervene with the broadcasting authorities in the discharge of this responsibility, but the importance which the Government attach to the question of programme standards is on public record and is well known to them. In carrying out their responsibility each authority has drawn up and keeps under review a code relating to the portrayal of violence on television, their present codes being contained in a joint publication issued in February 1980. I am aware of the research study by Dr. William Belson, published in 1978, on television violence and the adolescent boy, and it would have been available to the broadcasting authorities when they last reviewed their codes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report any countries which to his knowledge have reduced or restricted either the hours of, or days on which, television is shown, due to the adverse social effects engendered by excessive television viewing.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces in the United Kingdom have tactical firearms units; which they are; what is the range of equipment they use; in what circumstances it is intended that they should be used; by what written code of instruction they are controlled; by what authority they have been established; and which police authorities have been consulted about their being created.

Most forces have units trained in the tactical use of firearms for incidents where a threat to life may require their use. Details are not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the British Broadcasting Corporation has had any discussions with him about the financial consequences of the extra costs it will incur should it introduce breakfast television to compete with the service to be introduced by Independent Television; and if he will make a statement.

It is for the board of governors of the BBC to decide how to allocate the corporation's resources, and there have been no discussions with the corporation about the financial consequences or any other aspects of its plans for breakfast television.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the introduction of breakfast television.

Seven opposing its introduction in addition to the representations from my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors led to the investigation which led to doubts about Dr. Clift's work as a forensic scientist for the Home Office.

Doubts about some of Dr. Clift's work resulted from a review of laboratory case work undertaken as part of the quality assurance schemes, which I described in answer to a question by the right hon. Gentleman on 1 July 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is Home Office specification BR14 as applied to police radar equipment; to what it is applied; and to what purpose.

The Home Office leaflet BR14 sets out the technical and operating conditions relating to the use of radio frequencies for low power, non-speech devices as part of the overall framework of radio regulation which is designed to ensure the efficient use of the radio spectrum and to prevent as far as possible the risk of interference between different users of radio. Police radar equipment using the 10·587 GHz band must meet the conditions appropriate to the use of that band as set out in the leaflet.

asked the Attorney-General if he will place in the Library a copy of the transcript of the case In re W (a minor) heard in the Divisional Court on 15 June.

The decision was that of the Court of Appeal. A transcript of the judgment has been placed in the Library.

asked the Attorney-General if he will make an estimate of the cost to the State of broken marriages in terms of the cost of legal aid granted in matters concerning marriage breakdown.

No separate figures for marriage breakdown are available. The gross cost of legal aid for all matrimonial proceedings in the High Court and county courts in the financial year 1980–81 was £30·16 million.The net annual cost of legal advice and assistance in connection with divorce and judicial separation for the financial year 1980–81 was £7·59 million.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the value of bilateral or multilateral British aid to Vietnam, Laos and Kampuchea for each year from and including 1975.

United Kingdom bilateral aid—including food and relief aid—was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what has been the number of bankruptcy cases dealt with by county courts in (a) the Northern region, (b) Durham county and (c) Bishop Auckland parliamentary constituency for each of the last five years, and for the first six months of 1981; what has been the percentage change in each year for each area; and what has been the percentage change in each area in the first six months of 1981 compared with the same period in 1980;(2) what has been the number of bankruptcies and insolvencies in England and Wales for the past five years, and for the first six months of 1981; what has been the percentage change in each year; and what has been the percentage change in the first six months of 1981 compared with the same period in 1980.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take environmental factors into consideration when considering whether to allow an operating permit under the Hovercraft (General) Order 1972.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Wales on what dates his Department received letters from Arfon borough council concerning the Bodlondeb, Cwm-y-glo, compulsory purchase order 1980; on what dates responses were sent; and if he will make a statement on the latest position.

Letters form Arfon borough council concerning the Arfon borough council, Bodlondeb (Cwm-y-Glo) compulsory purchase order 1980 were received by the Welsh Office on 11 August 1980, 16 September 1980, 15 December 1980, 12 February 1981, 13 April 1981, 8 May 1981 and 18 June 1981.Responses to the council were made on 17 September 1980, 16 December 1980, 21 January 1981 and 14 April 1981 and 2 July 1981.A decision on the order might be held to prejudice litigation which concerns the order land. The Welsh Office is attempting to reach agreement with the parties concerned on how to proceed to a decision in advance of the High Court action.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales with what frequency he meets with the Council for the Principality; who determines the agenda; and what matters are discussed.

The Council for the Principality and the Welsh Counties Committee are represented on the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance which meets as necessary under my chairmanship. There were six meetings during 1980.The agenda, which is determined jointly by the Welsh Office and the two local authority associations, comprises matters concerning local government finance in Wales, such as rate support grant, current and capital expenditure and manpower statistics.I also met representatives of both associations in December 1980 when unemployment was discussed at their request.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales why much of northern, hilly areas of north Carmarthen have not been added to the European Economic Community less-favoured areas.

A substantial part of north Carmarthen already lies within the less-favoured areas. The case for any extension is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report for each health area in Wales the number of

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if, in future appointments, he will give greater representation to the interests of the consumer within the Welsh water authority area.

My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Trade and I are giving further consideration to the matter of consumer representation in the water industry. In doing so we shall bear in mind the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's recent report on the Severn-Trent water authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales by what percentage the level of unemployment has risen in the Neath travel-to-work area since May 1979.

88·5 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now make a statement in relation to Gwynedd county council's proposals for the construction of a bypass at Llanystumdwy.

As I told the hon. Member in my letter of 11 June, provided the scheme is given high priority by the county council in its next transport policies and programme submission, it will be given favourable consideration for support through transport supplementary grant within, of course, the limits of the funds available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is now in a position to indicate when, and in what form, the Government's policy will be announced in relation to the report of the Select Committee on the national heritage and capital taxation.

The education, Science and Arts Select Committee's interim report on works of art—HOC 275—raises important issues which merit careful consideration. The Government will publish a full response as soon as practicable.

The information is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the state of broken marriages in terms of tax relief granted in periodical payments orders.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost of minting the Royal Wedding crowns and the unit cost of (a) the plastic wallets and (b) the presentation cases.

It is not the practice to give information relating to production costs which could be of value to the Royal Mint's competitors.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures the Government have taken in the past two years to encourage schemes of employee share ownership in industry; if he will publish figures to illustrate this; and what percentage of the schemes involves voting shares.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 June 1981, c. 249]: In last year's Finance Act we expanded the tax reliefs available for profit sharing schemes approved under the Finance Act 1978 and introduced a new relief for employees who participate in approved savings-related share option schemes. It is difficult to gauge the effect of last year's measures precisely, but the level of applications for approval of schemes continues to be encouraging. The Inland Revenue estimates that more than 90 per cent. of the schemes involve voting shares.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 July 1981]: It is estimated that the increases will yield additional revenue as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount of revenue raised for (a) each 1p of duty per litre of derv, (b) each £1 per 1,000 cigarettes of duty and (c) each £1 per kilogram of duty for (i) cigars, (ii) handrolling tobacco and (iii) other smoking and chewing tobacco, (d) each 1 per cent. of betting duty other than on-course bets and (e) each 1 per cent. of bingo duty on stakes.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 July 1981]: It is estimated that the average yields in a full year at the revised rates announced on 2 July will be as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Government intend to pursue changes in the European Economic Community common agricultural policy in the near future; and if it is current Government policy to insist on a freeze on common agricultural policy prices for products which are in structural surplus.

I refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave on 21 May to my hon. Friends the Members for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) and for Faversham (Mr. Moate).—[Vol. 5, c. 408, and c. 130.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Government aims to devalue the green pound in the near future.

The Government have no plans to alter the value of the green pound in the near future.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the threat to United Kingdom producers of the offering for sale of processed strawberries from Eastern European States at prices substantially below the costs of production within the Community and the United Kingdom, he will press the Commission to institute, under the sensitive products surveillance system, a minimum import price.

I recognise the growers' concerns, but a minimum import price system would not be a practical or appropriate means of meeting them. I shall monitor the situation closely in consultation with the Commission, in the interests of producers, processors and consumers.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is responsible for approving the redundancy payments made to chairmen and board members of nationalised industries and public corporations for which he is responsible.

The Secretary of State is responsible for determining any compensation for loss of office as chairman or board members in accordance with the appropriate legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the tonnage for new ships placed by British shipowners (a) with British yards and (b) abroad in the latest available year.

In the year 1980 orders for merchant ships—100 gross tons and over—for United Kingdom registration amounted to 287,000 compensated gross registered tons—cgrts—for United Kingdom yards and 447,000 cgrts for abroad.

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 July 1981]: During the month of May 1981 the English Industrial Estates Corporation allocated the following floorspace, subject to contract:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will carry out a survey covering each industry to establish the numbers of apprentices that were taken on in each of the major industries for each of the last five years; and if he will seek to determine the level of apprenticeships necessary for the creation of a competitive position for United Kingdom industry, and the way in which they are to be trained.

The number of apprentices taken on by industry has fallen over the last five years. Recent levels of apprentice recruitment may be insufficient to meet industry's anticipated future needs. The Government are currently considering whether there is scope for increasing the funds available for the training for skills programme without undermining employers' own efforts. The Government are concerned at the rigidities which surround apprenticeship, which of themselves make both predicting and meeting skill needs very difficult. Through the recent consultative document, "A New Training Initiative" we are seeking to encourage industry to make our skill training arrangements more efficient.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many work permits for non-United Kingdom citizens were issued for the most convenient year to date; and how this figure compares with those for the immediately preceding three years.

The following table sets out the number of work permits issued in the years 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979. The 1980 figures are expected to be available shortly and I shall then write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from employees about the effect of supplementary rates on industrial employment.

I have not as yet received representations from employees on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many small firms are automatically excluded from the scheme by setting the minimum number of redundancies necessary before an employer can benefit under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme at 10; and what would be the figure if number were to be set at five.

The only firms that are automatically excluded from the scheme are those whose total labour force is fewer than 10. The last census of employment suggested that there were 749,356 establishments with fewer than 10 employees. There are 530,871 establishments with fewer than five employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if all Manpower Services Commission funds made available centrally by his Department are used solely for Manpower Services Commission projects in conjunction with local authorities and are within the control of his Department.

Funds made available to the Manpower Services Commission for its grant-in-aid Class IV Vote 16 cover the costs of employment and rehabilitation services, training services, and central and regional manpower services as well as special programmes which provide the grants to youth opportunities programme sponsors. The commission acts as agent for the Department of Employment in providing grants to community enterprise programme sponsors, the funds for which are provided for in the Department of Employment: labour market services Class IV Vote 13. Some sponsors of both the youth opportunities programme and the community enterprise programme are local authorities. The Department of Employment accounts for both Votes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list in the Official Report the number of people (a) in Great Britain and (b) in Cambridgeshire who (i) entered the jobless register in each of the last 12 months and (ii) left the jobless register in each of the last 12 months.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 July 1981, col .446]: The information for the average number of people in Great Britain joining the register at employment offices for the latest 12 months is published in my Department's press notice on unemployment and vacancies for June 1981, a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library. The figures are compiled for four or five weekly periods and are converted to a standard of 4⅓ week month and seasonally adjusted; and because they can be erratic, publication is in terms of averages for three months at a time.The following numbers of people joined and left the register at employment offices in Cambridgeshire. The figures are not comparable with the national published figures as they include "self-service" registrations and are not standardized and seasonally adjusted.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many additional places were sponsored by Allerdale district council under the special measures programmes for the last month for which statistics are available; and what is the total number of places now being supported by that authority.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 July 1981]: Allerdale district council sponsored one new place for unemployed young people under the youth opportunities programme, and no new places for unemployed adults under the community enterprise programme in May 1981. The total number of places now supported by the authority is 252.

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

[pursuant to his reply, 6 July 1981]: Two hundred and fifty-seven men and 238 women were placed in employment by Warrington employment office in the period 9 May 1981 to 5 June 1981, the latest period for which statistics are available.The actual number of job vacancies filled in Warrington during the period will have been much greater, as the proportion of all vacancies in the area filled by the Manpower Services Commission is estimated to be about a quarter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers there were in (a) 1980 and (b) 1981 in the West Midlands, broken down according to local education authorities, who still have yet to receive an offer on the youth opportunities programme for the latest available date in accordance with the 1980 school leaver undertaking.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 July 1981]: On 10 April 1980 there were 83 1979 school leavers who had yet to receive an offer of a place on the youth opportunities programme in the Midlands region. It is not possible to provide an analysis of this figure for the West Midlands or for local education authorities in the West Midlands.On 9 April 1981 there were 1,472 1980 school leavers in the West Midlands who had yet to receive an offer of a place on the youth opportunities programme.Information is not available regarding the number of 1979 school leavers still to receive an offer of a place. Currently there are 625 1980 school leavers awaiting an offer in the West Midlands. The following table gives a breakdown by local education authority of the 1980 school leavers yet to receive an offer at 9 April 1981 and those who currently remain.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether she will make a statement on the results of his Department in achieving the Government's policy programme since his predecessor's reply to a similar question by the hon. Member for Melton on 19 June 1980.

The principal objective has not changed since my predecessor replied to a similar question on 19 June last year.—[Vol. 986, c. 590–91.] It remains the achievement of a smaller and more efficient Civil Service, commanding the respect of the public and the pride of those who work in it. The Government's view of the specific priorities of the Civil Service Department are described in the White Paper on the future of the Civil Service Department—Cmnd. 8170. The White Paper on efficiency in the Civil Service—Cmnd. 8293—which was published on 1 July 1981, describes the progress we have made.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the present position with regard to Anglo-Iraqi relations following the Israeli raid on the nuclear plant near Baghdad.

Relations between Iraq and the United Kingdom remain close and harmonious. We were glad to welcome on a successful visit to London last month the Iraqi Trade Minister, Mr. Hassan Ali.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement on the results of his Department in achieving the Government's policy programme since he answered a similar question from the hon. Member for Melton on 18 June 1980.

We have made progress in the following ways in the implementation of our policies.In the past 12 months we have engaged in sustained and successful efforts to consult closely with our partners and allies in the European Community and the Atlantic Alliance.The communiqué issued in Rome in May by the Foreign Ministers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was a signal of the unity and determination of the Alliance. The Allies have held successful consultations on political and economic measures to be taken in the event of external intervention by force in Poland.We have made progress towards closer political co-operation with our European Community partners. The Venice declaration on the Middle East, issued by the European Council last June, has been followed up by consultations with the parties concerned. On the eve of the United Kingdom's assumption of the Presidency, the Ten launched on 30 June a proposal for a two-stage conference about a settlement in Afghanistan.Following the agreement of 30 May 1980 on the United Kingdom's budget contribution, the European Community has embarked on discussion of the restructuring of its budget and a major review of community policies, in particular the common agricultural policy.We have continued our efforts to strengthen our security. Our agreement with the United States to purchase the Trident missile will assure the effectiveness of our independent strategic nuclear deterrent for many years to come. We have fulfilled our commitment to the Alliance to increase spending on deterrence and defence. By the deployment of a naval patrol near the Gulf we have demonstrated our readiness to act with our friends to keep open oil supply routes.The importance we place upon our relations with the developing countries, particularly those in the Commonwealth, is clearly demonstrated by our announcement of an aid programme for the current year, which exceeds £1,000 million. We played a leading role in the successful Zimbabwe aid conference.We have renewed and developed Britain's relations with a very wide range of countries: overseas travel by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. and noble Friend has included visits to India and the Gulf,

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether there has been any change in the Government's policy not to sell defence equipment to Iraq; and if any change in the policy is proposed.

Sales of arms and military equipment are subject to customary licensing procedures. Applications are considered in the light of all relevant circumstances including our relations with the countries involved and, in the case of Iraq and Iran, our neutrality obligations during the present state of hostilities, where Her Majesty's Government's overriding interest is to encourage an early and negotiated settlement. This has been our consistent policy. No change is proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish facts and figures comparing the standards of housing in Northern Ireland with that of other parts of the United Kingdom and other European Community countries.

Statistics on housing conditions in Northern Ireland are published in the Northern Ireland house condition survey 1979. Broadly comparable statistics for England are contained in the English house condition survey 1976 and for Wales in the Welsh house condition survey 1976. Further information is found in the national dwelling and housing survey 1978 and social indicators for the European Communities 1960–78.The three house condition surveys show the following: