asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state. the total number of staff employed by the Inland Revenue during each of the last five years.

The total number of staff—including staff serving on short-period engagements—employed by the Inland Revenue during each of the last five years is as follows:

	Number of Staff
1 April 1977	84,572
1 April 1978	85,329
1 April 1979	85,503
1 April 1980	78,557
1 April 1981	75,727

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total current expenditure on all services administered by Government Departments in the United Kingdom in each year for 1956 to 1979 at constant prices.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the net outflow of funds from the United

Comparison of tax allowances with supplementary benefit entitlement levels for 1981–82
		Tax thresholds as a percentage of appropriate supplementary benefit entitlement levels with:
	Supplementary benefit entitlement levels 1981–82	Non-transferable allowances	Fully transferable allowances	Partially transferable allowances	Non-transferable allowances and increased child benefit
	£	(Scheme 1)	(Scheme 2)	(Scheme 3)	(Scheme 4)
Single person	1,144·65	145	120	127	113
Married couple (one spouse only with income)	1,859·05	89	147	122	69
			Comparison including child support*
Single person with one child†	1,535·65	195	166	175	128
Married couple (one spouse only with income):
With two children‡	2,641·05	82	123	105	88
With four children§	3,930·85	68	96	84	86
* Child addidons are included with basic supplementary benefit entitlement levels, and child benefit is added to tax allowances.
† Age under 11. In calculating tax thresholds it is assumed that under schemes 1 to 3 the support given to a lone parent family would bear the same relativity to the single person's allowance as the additional personal allowance (APA) does at present. Under scheme 4 the increase in child benefit is taken to compensate single parents for the withdrawal of the APA. The extra child benefit for single parents is included under all four schemes.
‡ Both under 11.
§ Two under 11, two 11–15.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 July 1981]: It is not possible to estimate with any certainty the net outflows directly attributable to abolishing exchange controls.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table for each of the main family types, including single parents, showing the effects upon tax thresholds of the main options put forward in Cmnd. 8093 "The Taxation of Husband and Wife", comparing those tax thresholds with (a) existing tax thresholds and (b) the relevant supplementary benefit entitlement levels.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 July 1981]: The comparison of tax allowances under each of the four main options for independent taxation with existing tax allowances is illustrated in tables 1 and 2 of appendix 6 of Cmnd. 8093. The tables refer to 1980–81 but allowance levels for 1981–82 are the same. The comparison with supplementary benefit entitlement levels for 1981–82 follows. The supplementary benefit rates are the basic rates plus child additions where appropriate. Tax thresholds include the appropriate tax allowances, and in the second part of the table, child benefit. Child benefit is calculated at the existing rates under schemes 1 to 3 in appendix 6 of the Green Paper and at the increased rate under scheme 4. In the case of married couples, the allowance levels are those appropriate for a couple where only one partner has income, as couples where both partners have income are less likely to be entitled to supplementary benefit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, following the response to this week's issue of Government stock, whether he will make the purchase of index-linked Government stock generally available.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 July 1981]: The terms and conditions on which Government stocks are issued to the market are kept under review in the light of changing market conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the value of exports to Brazil over the last five years on an annual basis.

The information is as follows:

United Kingdom Exports to Brazil, 1979–80
	£ million, fob
1976	174·6
1977	255·7
1978	221·0
1979	285·8
1980	217·6

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will prepare a list showing the percentage of total exports which went to each of the top 20 countries in 1970 and in 1980.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 July 1981]: The information is as follows:

Percentage of Total United Kingdom Exports Consigned to Top 20 Export Markets in 1970 and 1980
Per cent.
1970
United States of America	11·5
Federal Republic of Germany	6·3
Irish Republic	4·7
Netherlands	4·7
Sweden	4·5
Australia	4·3
France	4·2
South Africa	4·1
Belgium-Luxembourg	3·6
Canada	3·6
Italy	3·0
Denmark	2·7
Switzerland	2·7
Norway	2·1
Japan	1·8
New Zealand	1·6
Finland	1·6
Spain	1·5
Nigeria	1·4
Soviet Union	1·3
1980
Federal Republic of Germany	10·7
United States of America	9·6
Netherlands	8·1
France	7·6

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentage of United Kingdom exports to the European Economic Community in each of the last seven years has been represented by oil and oil products.

The information is as follows:

United Kingdom exports of oil and oil product* to the European Communityt as a Percentage of Total United Kingdom Exports to the Community
	Per cent.
1974	8
1975	6½
1976	8
1977	10
1978	9½
1979	15
1980	20
Notes
* Taken as SITC Division 33
† Including Greece

Source:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he proposes to appoint a new chairman of the National Nuclear Corporation; and whether he intends to support a capital reconstruction of the enterprise.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 1 July to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Ancram)—[Vol. 7, c. 373]—and to the answer given on 2 July to my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Eggar)—[Vol. 7, c. 438].

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if his Department has carried out an economic assessment of the relative cost-effectiveness of expenditure on energy conservation and nuclear power, as recommended by the first report of the Select Committee on Energy.

In the evidence which my Department presented to the Select Committee it was made clear that the Department has carried out a continuing analysis of the relative costs and benefits of investments in energy conservation and energy supply, although further work is in hand. We will be developing our arguments on this in greater detail in the forthcoming response to the Committee's report.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate for the commencement of the proposed public inquiry into the Sizewell pressurised water reactor.

It is hoped that the inquiry will begin in the latter half of 1982.An announcement will be made in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he hopes to announce the terms of reference for the public inquiry into Sizewell B.

An announcement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of the projected cost of Sizewell B; and how this compares with the projected cost of Torness.

The nuclear industry is developing, for the power station proposed for Sizewell B, a design to provide a PWR in the most cost effective manner consistent with United Kingdom safety requirements. Until this work is complete, it will not be possible to give a precise estimate of cost.The cost of constructing the Torness AGR is a matter for the South of Scotland Electricity Board, for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has ministerial responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects the nuclear installation inspectorate to complete its safety assessment for the Sizewell pressurised water reactor.

The assessment work being carried out by the nuclear installations inspectorate on the safety case for the proposed Sizewell B PWR is proceeding. It is a continuing process with several points at which major decisions are needed. These include the consent to start construction, the consent to load fuel, and the consent to operate at power, under conditions set in the license.The nuclear installations inspectorate will publish an account of its assessment to date before the start of the proposed public inquiry. This account will include special attention to those matters which must be considered before consent can be given to the start of construction work.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the approved formula for calculating the Price of (a) specification gas, (b) ethane and (c) propane (butane) natural gasoline derived from the United Kingdom gas-gathering pipeline.

All these prices will be determined by commercial negotiation.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of contracts, by value, which have so far been accepted for Morecambe Bay developments by the British Gas Corporation were granted in favour of British firms; and if he will give the percentage for foreign companies including the United States of America and Italy.

Details of the value of orders for individual North Sea oil and gas developments are provided to my Department on a commercially confidential basis and they are not available for publication.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if the testing of emergency oil-sharing arrangements carried out by the International Energy Authority in late 1980 has now been evaluated; and, if so, what conclusions have been reached.

The results of the International Energy Agency's third allocation system test were evaluated by the agency's governing board in March 1981. The board concluded that the system could meet its objective of balancing out available oil supplies between IEA members if a severe shortage should occur.

asked the Secretary of State for energy if there will be any detailed review by the International Energy Authority of emergency demand restraint arrangements in the United Kingdom.

As part of a general review of each member State's contingency plans for emergency demand restraint, the International Energy Agency carried out a detailed examination of the United Kingdom's arrangements in March 1979. For the moment, no plans exist for further reviews by the IEA.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will advance the date for the introduction of European Economic Community subsidised school milk to early autumn; and if he will make a statement on the details.

I shall be making a statement about the new arrangements for school milk shortly, as soon as the discussions which my Department is having with the dairy industry regarding the details have been completed. It is, however, my intention that these arrangements should be available as from this autumn.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will give, at the latest most convenient stated date, the numbers of peers of the realm who hold any appointment sponsored by his Department or by that of the Lord President of the Council; what situation or appointment each one holds; how many hours per week are given to the work connected with it; what are the salaries or expenses paid; and how the latter compare with May 1979.

No peers of the realm currently hold appointments sponsored by the Duchy of Lancaster.So far as my right hon. and noble Friend in his Privy Council capacity is concerned, the information is as follows:

Appointment	Number of Peers
Member of the Court of Bath University	1
Member of the Court of London University	1
Member of the Court of North Wales University College	1
Members of the Court of City University	2
Members of the Court of East Anglia University	2
Members of the Court of Manchester University	2
Member of the Council of the Open University	1
Member of the Academic Advisory Committee of the Open University	1
The Visitor of Brunel University	1
The Visitor of Liverpool University	1
Total number of appointments	13

There is no ministerial responsibility for any remuneration or expenses which may be paid to the holders of these part-time appointments and no information is available either about this or about the amount of work that the appointments involve.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many university courses in Great Britain are at present under-subscribed.

This information is not available because universities do not maintain definite entry targets for each course. The annual report of the Universities Central Council on Admissions contains information each year on the numbers of applications and acceptances to study in individual subject areas for all universities combined.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many university courses are duplicated at neighbouring (a) universities and (b) polytechnics and colleges of further and higher education.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many overseas students applied for courses at British universities (a) in the current year and (b) in each of the previous three years.

By 31 March 1981 the Universities Central Council on Admissions had received 13,292 applications from overseas candidates for undergraduate level courses in United Kingdom universities starting this autumn. By the same date in 1980, 20,528 such applications had been received and the overall total for the year including late applications was 21,105. Total overseas applications for entry in 1979–80 and 1978–79 were 24,134 and 22,918 respectively. Those figures do not cover postgraduate courses or some short full-time courses not of degree standard for which applications are made directly to the university concerned. In 1980 enrolments on short courses of this type accounted for over one-fifth of all overseas new entrants to undergraduate courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the total annual cost of the European University Institute in Florence; how the institute is funded; what is the United Kingdom's share of the cost and that of other EEC member States for the current year; and how much has the United Kingdom contributed to the institute since the United Kingdom joined the EEC;(2) how many British students currently attend the European University Institute; what is the average cost to the Exchequer per British student, taking into account the United Kingdom's overall contribution to the running costs of the institute; and how this figure compares with the average cost per student in United Kingdom universities.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery) on 2 July.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of the increase or decrease of expenditure on books in 1980–81 as against 1979–80 in primary schools, secondary schools, universities, polytechnics and colleges of further education.

This information is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will give , at the latest and most convenient stated date, the numbers of peers of the realm who hold any appointment sponsored by his Department; what situation or appointment each one holds; how many hours per week are given to the work connected with it; what are the salaries or expenses paid; and how the latter compare with May 1979.

This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give his reasons why the grant to universities is to be reduced by some 8 per cent. over the next three years, which because of the Government 's financial policy on overseas students will mean a decrease in income of some 13 to 15 per cent. while the recent White Paper on public expenditure shows an average reduction in Government spending of 4 per cent. over the same period.

The average reduction in public expenditure is not a norm but a measure of the net effect of many separate decisions, including increases in some programmes.The effect on university income of the withdrawal of subsidy for overseas students will depend upon the extent to which the subsidy withdrawn is offset by increased fee income from such students.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what changes he has made in the level of maintenance grants for students undertaking courses or parts of courses in high-cost countries; whether he expects there will be a reduction in the number of students benefiting from such courses; and to what extent it is the policy of his Department to promote courses overseas whose main purpose is to study a foreign language.

Students attending courses provided by foreign institutions are not eligible for mandatory awards. No change has been made in the method of calculating the rate of grant payable to students in receipt of mandatory awards and attending part of their courses in high cost countries but because of the relative strength of the pound in October 1980 and other factors this calculation has resulted in a reduction in grant from £2,050 to £1,825 between the academic years 1980–81 and 1981–82. The grant arrangements are intended to allow students on appropriate courses to undertake periods of study abroad and there is at present no evidence to suggest that there will be a reduction in the numbers doing so.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average staff-student ratio for universities in the United Kingdom and the average librarian-student ratio.

In 1979–80 the provisional student-staff ratio in universities in the United Kingdom was 9·3: 1. Complete information on all staff in university libraries is not collected centrally, but in 1979–80 there were about 1,500 full-time library staff on academic related pay scales. The full-time equivalent student load in the same year was provisionally 315,000 and therefore a ratio of students to library staff would be very large. A ratio based upon the student population alone is not very meaningful as university libraries also serve academic staff and researchers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children have benefited from the assisted places scheme in (a) Brixton, (b) Southall and (c) Toxteth.

The Department has no information on the home addresses of pupils selected to take up assisted places in September. Several schools in the scheme are within easy travelling distance for children living in Brixton, Southall and Toxteth.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland how many prosecutions have been brought under the provisions of the Solway Firth Affluents Act 1804 since 1945.

I regret that the information sought could he provided only at disproportionate cost. However, I can advise the hon. Member that in the past year there have been eight prosecutions under section 9 of the Solway Firth Affluents Act 1804 in Kirkcudbright sheriff court and none in Dumfries or Stranraer jurisdictions, the other areas covered by the Act.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland on how many occasions the Crown Office has applied to the courts for an extension of the 110-day rule as a direct result of, and since the beginning of, the industrial action presently being taken in the courts in Scotland.

Since the beginning of the present industrial action affecting the courts in Scotland the Lord Advocate has presented to the High Court 77 petitions to extend the period of time for which an accused person awaiting trial on indictment can be kept in custody. All of these petitions have been made necessary as a direct result of the industrial action. Of these 77 cases, 55 have been first petitions to extend the period of 110 days laid down as the maximum period to be spent in custody awaiting trial, 20 have been second petitions and two have been third petitions.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what is his policy on the initiation of prosecutions for breach of the peace.

The policy governing the initiation of prosecutions for breach of the peace is the same as for any other crime or offence, namely, to consider each case on its merits having regard to all relevant circumstances pertaining to it and to reach a sensible and humanitarian decision without fear or favour.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his estimate of the number of firms that have moved from London in each of the last five years.

The numbers of units of manufacturing firms known to have transferred their operations from Greater London to another part of the United Kingdom during the years 1975 to 1977 are 44, 23 and 16 respectively. Information for later years is not yet available. The Department records only those transfers out of Greater London associated with manufacturing units with more than 20 employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many firms are known to his Department to have closed down in the area covered by the Greater London Council since 1 January 1979.

Indices of Production by Manufacturing Industry 1975=100, seasonally adjusted
	1978	1979	1980	1981
				January	February	March	April	May
Federal Republic of Germany	113	119	119	—	—	—	—	—
France	113	118	117	—	—	—	—	—
Italy	114	122	129	122	—	—	—	—
Netherlands	111	114	115	114	115	113	—	—
Belgium	112	117	115	118	100	—	—	—
Luxembourg	110	114	111	89	98	98	—	—
Republic of Ireland	130	138	138	—	—	—	—	—
Denmark	113	117	117	116	118	118	—	—
United Kingdom	104	104	95	88	89	88	88	87

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he is prepared to restore full intermediate area status to Keighley prior to August 1982; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 July 1981]: While I am always ready to consider evidence of significant long-term change in an area's circumstances relative to the rest of the country on the evidence now available I am satisfied that retention of intermediate area status for Keighley is not at present justified.

Name	Appointment	Estimated time spent on work connected with appointment	Salary 15·7·81 (£ pa)	Salary 1·5·79 (£ pa)
The Marquess of Anglesey	Chairman, Historic Buildings Council for Wales	1 day per week	1,755	1,270
Lord Parry	Chairman, Wales Tourist Board	2½–3 days per week	9,339	5,295
Lord Raglan	Chairman, Cwmbran Development Corporation	2½ days per week	8,626	4,966

The number of units of manufacturing firms operating in Greater London known by the Department to have closed in 1979 and 1980 is 280. The Department records only those closures affecting manufacturing units with more than 20 employees in Greater London.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how the total output of United Kingdom manufacturing industry for the first six months of 1981 compares with the output of each of the previous three years; and how it compares with the output for the same period in each of the other European Economic Community countries.

Figures showing the output of manufacturing industry in the first six months of this year for the European Community countries on a comparable basis are not yet available. The latest available information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will give, at the latest and most convenient stated date, the numbers of peers of the realm who hold any appointment sponsored by his Department; what situation or appointment each one holds; how many hours per week are given to the work connected with it; what are the salaries or expenses paid; and how the latter compare with May 1979.

Following is the information for peers of the realm who at present hold paid appointments for which I have the appointing authority:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the incidence of multiple sclerosis in Wales.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, in view of the current economic recession, if he will ensure chat special measures are taken to give particular health protection to those young children under the age of five years, as recommended by the Children's Committee.

Health authorities are aware of the importance I attach to services for young children and will continue, within available resources, to take appropriate measures to provide for their health care.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he instituted specifically to inform the parents of young children living in Wales of the importance of immunisation against diphtheria and tetanus, as well against measles, particularly when figures published for the uptake of the former are below average for Great Britain and those for the latter well below average.

The Health Education Council's leaflets and posters encouraging parents to have their children protected against infectious diseases have been widely distributed in Wales. The need to get across to parents the importance of immunisation was stressed in the information paper "Prevention in the Child Health Services" which was issued to health authorities last year.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of children in Wales who have completed the basic course of diphtheria and tetanus protection have been given the reinforcing dose of diphtheria toxoid, as recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, some three years after the primary course is completed by the age of five years; and what is the latest annual immunisation acceptance rate of the three separate doses that completes a primary course of diphtheria and tetanus protection.

Over 80 per cent. of children born in Wales between 1967 and 1976 who had completed a primary course of diphtheria and tetanus protection received a reinforcing dose of diphtheria toxoid. By the end of 1980 the acceptance rate of children born in 1978 for the completion of a primary course was 75·4 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence exists of trends since 1975 in (a) offences of violence generally, (b) offences of violence perpetrated by black people against white people and (c) offences of violence perpetrated by white people against black people in the Metropolitan Police district; and whether separate figures are available for Newham area.

We shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, the number of parents from the India Sub-continent, the United States of America, Canada, and Australia who have been refused an entry certificate to visit their children in the United Kingdom.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all those places where serious disorders have occurred since May 1979, the number of arrests that were made and the number of firearms seized.

The term "serious disorders" is not susceptible to precise definition for this purpose and is not employed to categorise information held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were prosecuted for offences arising out of the riots in Bristol last year; how many were convicted; how many were acquitted; and what was the maximum penalty imposed on any of the convicted persons.

88 people were prosecuted, of whom 72 were convicted and 12 acquitted. In four cases, the jury failed to agree a verdict. The maximum custodial penalty imposed was 8 months' imprisonment and the maximum fine £500.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were prosecuted for offences arising out of the riots in Finsbury Park, London, in April 1981; how many were convicted; how many were acquitted; how many cases remain pending; and what was the maximum penalty imposed on any of the convicted persons.

By 8 July, 79 people had been prosecuted, of whom 19 had been convicted, five acquitted and 55 remained to be dealt with by the courts. The maximum penalty imposed was a fine of £65.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were prosecuted for offences arising out of the riots in Peckham, London, in June; how many were convicted; how many were acquitted; how many cases remain pending; and what was the maximum penalty imposed on any of the convicted persons.

By 8 July, 20 people had been prosecuted, of whom three had been convicted, one acquitted, and 16 remained to be dealt with by the courts. The maximum penalty imposed was an attendance centre order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were prosecuted for offences arising out of the riots in Brixton; how many were convicted; how many were acquitted; how many cases remain pending; and what was the maximum penalty imposed on any of the convicted persons.

By 8 July, 354 people had been prosecuted, of whom 92 had been convicted, nine acquitted, and 253 remained to be dealt with by the courts. The maximum custodial penalty imposed was 18 months' imprisonment and the maximum fine was £500.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen have been seriously injured in street violence since May 1979.

This information is not recorded centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing (a) the total capacity in terms of the number of prisoners for which Her Majesty's prisons were designated, (b) the current number of inmates and (c) the additional places he plans to create in the next three years.

On 3 July 1981 the certified normal accommodation of Prison Department establishments in England and Wales was about 38,800 and the total number of inmates was about 44,700. Approximately 1,000 additional places should be available for inmates to occupy in the next three years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give as much detailed information regarding the number of police who have resigned early and given the inadequacy of pay and conditions as a reason since the last pay increase.

The reasons given for individual resignations are not recorded centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will for a period of the Test Match at Lords and the Wimbledon tennis tournament give the numbers of police on duty at each event on either a daily or weekly basis, and the amounts of such costs met by the promoters of these events.

A total of 130 police officers were on duty inside and outside the ground each day at Wimbledon and 76 at Lords. Officers deployed solely within the ground are charged for in accordance with the policy described in the reply I gave to the hon. Member's question on 7 July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the activities of extremist groups and their recruitment of teenagers in secondary schools with a view to making changes in existing legislation.

This is one of the matters being examined in the course of my study into the incidence of racial attacks and the activities of such groups.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the effect his proposals of 18 June 1981 about untried prisoners will have on the size of the untried prison population.

The proposals announced on 18 June 1981 are directed at the defendant's presence at remand hearings and would not disturb the existing eight day remand cycle. It is unlikely that there would be any effect on the size of the untried prison population.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the presence of radioactive products from nuclear fall-out can convert the H₂O¹⁶ molecule into the H₂O¹⁸ molecule; and what implications this carries for the safe consumption of drinking water.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy regarding the opening of small community-based police stations in the inner city areas of the United Kingdom in an effort to improve relationships between communities and the police.

This is a matter for chief officers of police to determine in the light of their operational responsibilities and local conditions. I do, of course, strongly support any measure designed to improve relationships between communities and the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations have been closed in the Greater London Council area during the last five years.

I understand from the commissioner that six have been closed since 1 January 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what is his present policy on the closing of police stations.

This is an operational matter which is the responsibility of chief officers of police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to give approved voluntary bodies, acting in support of his policy on the welfare of animals, statutory rights of entry to inspect markets, abattoirs, farms and similar establishments.

No; such powers are normally only given to those acting on behalf of central or local government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has a list of all the cases in which Dr. Clift gave evidence.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests he has received, from convicted persons, or their representatives, for reconsideration of their conviction because Dr. Clift gave evidence in the case.

As I explained in my letter to the right hon. Member of 23 June, the police officers examining Dr. Clift's work at the request of the Director of Public Prosecutions brought two cases to the attention of my predecessor; one further prisoner asked for his conviction to be reconsidered; and one other prisoner included allegations about forensic evidence in his grounds of appeal to the Court of Appeal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, after the hearing in July of Dr. Clift's case by a departmental retirement board, he will publish the statement of the six cases about which there was doubt which was sent to Dr. Clift in November 1979, together with his response, and a summary of the proceedings of the hearings of the board.

No. It would not be appropriate to publish material prepared for internal proceedings relating to an individual member of staff nor a summary of the proceedings of a departmental retirement board, which is held in private. When the board's report has been received and considered, I shall announce what decision has been made on its recommendation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the conclusion of the controller of forensic science regarding the full examination of the case papers in the case of Mr. Preece, about which the Secretary of State for Scotland wrote to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South on 3 May 1980; if this full examination of the case papers was made available to the High Court of Justiciary in Scotland; whether further written evidence was provided by his Department; and which forensic experts from his Department gave evidence.

A full examination of the case papers was undertaken by a director of a regional forensic science laboratory and the findings were considered by the controller of forensic science. The controller concluded that while there was room for a difference of opinion on some of the conclusions drawn by Dr. Clift from the scientific evidence, the findings did not provide sufficient grounds for believing that there was an excess of zeal on Dr. Clift's part nor any material factual scientific inaccuracy in his evidence.The report of this examination of the case papers, together with the controller's comments on it, were made available to the High Court of Justiciary. No other written evidence was given by the Home Office. Oral evidence was given by the controller of the forensic science service, by the directors of the forensic science laboratories at Birmingham and Chepstow and of the Home Office central research establishment, by Dr. R. P. Gregory and by Dr. Clift.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in England and Wales have been injured on duty during the most recent convenient 12-month period; and how many of these cases resulted in claims under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board scheme.

Information on the number of policemen injured on duty is not held centrally. The number of applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board by police officers is not recorded separately, but between 1 April 1979 and 1 April 1980, the latest period for which figures are available, 3,065 awards were made to police officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the number of long term prisoners currently waiting for a location at Wandsworth prison; and how many of them are accorded educational facilities.

On 14 July 1981, 122 long term prisoners were in Wandsworth Prison for assessment, or awaiting transfer to a training prison after assessment. None of them had access to educational facilities. These, because of limited resources, have to be devoted to those who serve their sentences in Wandsworth.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report(a) the average and (b) the maximum length of stay, during the last two years, of long term prisoners awaiting a location in Wands worth prison.

Long term prisoners spend about four months in Wandsworth prison after sentence undergoing assessment before allocation to a training prison. Thereafter transfer may take place within a few days or may be delayed for some time depending upon the vacancies available. Apart from those held back for personal reasons the longest recorded stay is about 17 months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the numbers of passengers of each nationality whose arrival was recorded in his Department's computer in its first six months of operation since 1 August 1980.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 June 1981, c. 13]: Information is not available for the period requested. Figures for the period 1 October 1980 to 31 March 1981 are given in the following table. However, figures for the initial months of operation of the new computer system may prove untypical.

Admissions between 1 October 1980 and 31 March 1981 Recorded on the New Computer System
	Thousands
COMMONWEALTH
Australia	16·3
Bangladesh	1·6
Barbados	0·3
Canada	5·9
Cyprus	4·5
Ghana	4·0
Guyana	0·5
Hong Kong	7·7
India	14·1
Jamaica	0·8
Kenya	1·6
Malaysia	8·0
Malta	1·2
Mauritius	1·6
New Zealand	6·8
Nigeria	19·1
Sierra Leone	0·8
Singapore	2·0
Sri Lanka	3·0
Tanzania	1·6
Trinidad and Tobago	0·9
Unganda	1·2
West Indies Associated States	0·2
Zambia	1·1
Zimbabwe	1·1
United Kingdom Passport Holders	1·6
All other territories	1·2
Total	‡109
FOREIGN NATIONALS*
Algeria	3·5
Argentina	1·7
Austria	1·8
Brazil	2·5
Bulgaria	1·1
Chile	1·0
China	2·0
Colombia	1·5
Cuba	0·3

	Thousands
Czechoslavakia	4·7
Egypt	4·1
Ethiopia	0·8
Finland	1·5
German Democratic Republic	1·2
Greece†	2·9
Hungary	5·1
Indonesia	1·0
Iran	10·4
Iraq	5·9
Israel	3·5
Japan	13·8
Jordan	2·3
Lebanon	4·3
Libya	4·8
Mexico	1·8
Morocco	1·8
Norway	3·2
Pakistan	8·6
Peru	0·4
Philippines	2·3
Poland	10·5
Portugal	3·1
Romania	1·4
Saudi Arabia	3·6
Somalia	0·2
South Africa	3·7
Spain	6·8
Sudan	2·7
Sweden	4·9
Switzerland	4·7
Syria	2·1
Thailand	1·1
Tunisia	1·0
Turkey	4·4
United States of America	59·2
Union of Soviet Socialists Republics	2·4
Uruguay	0·2
Venezuela	1·8
Yugoslavia	1·4
Other Foreign Countries	10·3
Stateless	14·7
Total	‡240
* Other than nationals of EC countries.
† Greece became a member of the EC under transitional arrangements on 1 January 1981. The figure shown relates to the period 1 October 1980 to 31 December 1980.
‡ Components may not add to totals because they have been rounded independently.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on the future management of the specialist postgraduate teaching hospitals in London in the light of the report by the London Advisory Group.

The order under which the 12 boards of governors of the specialist postgraduate teaching hospitals are preserved ceases to have effect after the end of March 1982, and I felt it was right to decide on the long-term governance of the hospitals at the same time as decisions on restructuring of health authorities in England were taken. The London Advisory Group, having visited all the hospitals concerned, considered this matter in the light of the existing evidence, taking account of the views expressed to it by the boards of governors. I published its report last March. Having discussed the report with the chairman of the boards of governors and others, I have decided to accept most of the recommendations.The boards of governors of the Hospital for Sick Children, the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, Moorfields Eye hospital, the Bethlem Royal hospital and the Maudsley, the National Heart and Chest hospital, and the Royal Marsden hospital, will be retained but, in order to bring their governance within the framework of current legislation, I propose to make regulations reconstituting them as special health authorities. My Department will now consult the boards and other interested bodies about the composition of the special health authorities and related matters.In the case of St. John's hospital for Diseases of the Skin and St. Peter's hospital (Urology), the London Advisory Group recommended that urgent steps should be taken to decide where these hospitals were to be rehoused and that, once the decision had been taken, the process of planning and managing the rehousing should be the responsibility of the appropriate district health authorities. I have decided to accept this recommendation. I believe that it is in the best interest of the Health Service and of the postgraduate hospitals themselves that their rehousing should be the responsibility of the authorities to which they will be accountable. Informal discussions have been proceeding about where St. Peter's and St. John's should be rehoused and it is now practicable to identify the general teaching hospitals with which the postgraduate hospitals should be associated. My Department will shortly consult interested bodies on proposals for the relocation of these hospitals. I do not propose, therefore, to preserve the boards of governors of these hospitals but, subject to the outcome of consultation, to make the appropriate DHAs responsible for these hospitals from 1 April 1982.The future of the Royal National Throat Nose and Ear hospital, the Royal National Orthopaedic hospital, the Eastman Dental hospital and Queen Charlotte's hospital remains intimately bound up with the future of the associated postgraduate institutes. The University of London has made it clear that these institutes are unlikely to continue to have a separate existence, possibly becoming part of general medical schools; in that case I am convinced that it is right for these postgraduate teaching hospitals to be managed by the DHAs responsible for the main general teaching hospitals associated with the relevant general medical schools. There remain, however, considerable uncertainties both about the timing and the nature of changes in the governance of the postgraduate institutes. I do not, therefore, intend to make changes in the governance of these four postgraduate hospitals at this time. It is important, however, that uncertainties should be ended as soon as possible and I intend to make the appropriate DHA responsible for each postgraduate hospital as soon as the future of the associated institute has been settled. In the meantime, if necessary, I propose to seek the approval of the House to the extension of the boards of governors of these hospital, beyond the end of March 1982.The London Advisory Group also recommended that the board of governors of Queen Charlotte's hospital should be made accountable to the North West Thames regional health authority during the period before it becomes the responsibility of a DHA. I think it would be wrong to subject the hospital to two changes of accountability in so short a period and I do not therefore accept this recommendation.For those postgraduate hospitals which are to become the responsibility of DHAs, I accept the view of the London Advisory Group that a committee should be established by the DHA to advise the DHA on the formulation of policies and plans affecting the hospital and specialty; to take a special interest in the general functioning of the hospital and to continue to promote the development of the specialty as the boards of governors have done so effectively in the past; and liaise with the friends of the hospital and voluntary bodies in order to preserve the valuable links with the lay community which have characterised these hospitals. I believe it would also be appropriate for such a committee to have a role in relation to any trust funds of the hospitals or to have a relationship with special trustees where these are appointed; and to have a part to play, under the DHA, in the appointment of senior staff within the field of the postgraduate hospital. While the committee must be appointed by the DHA, I would expect to approve personally the appointment of its chairman and ensure that at least one member should be a representative of the national organisations directly concerned with the specialty of the postgraduate hospital. Such a committee should in time develop close working arrangements with the governing body of the associated medical school. I shall give further guidance to the DHAs concerned on this matter at the appropriate time.I have also been considering the future management of the Hammersmith hospital. The hospital is very closely integrated with the Royal Postgraduate Medical School and provides a broad range of services for the locality, the North West Thames region and the country as a whole, and will continue to do so. I consider, however, that the general pattern of NHS administration is not entirely appropriate for the management of this complex, multi-specialty, postgraduate hospital. Accordingly I have decided, subject to parliamentary approval, to establish a special health authority to assume responsibility for the hospital with effect from 1 April 1982. I shall be announcing shortly the new district structure for this part of London and the Department will now consider with the bodies chiefly concerned the management responsibilities and funding of the special health authority and arrangements for joint planning and liaison between the special health authority, the new district health authorities and the North West Thames regional health authority.I accept the London Advisory Group's view that some protection will be needed for the funds of a postgraduate hospital which becomes the responsibility of a DHA. My Department will ensure that allowance is made in national resource allocations for the national roles of the postgraduate hospitals and for a period of three years the funds of the postgraduate hospitals will be separately identified in the allocations to regions and districts. Thereafter, I would expect normal resource allocation processes to apply but I will be ready to review the position if serious difficulties arise.I have been particularly concerned that changes in the management arrangements for the postgraduate hospitals should not act to the detriment of their staff, when compared with other groups of staff affected by the general restructuring of health authorities. Arrangements which are agreed for protection and early retirement terms for staff of health authorities will therefore also apply to the staff of those BGs which will not become SHAs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy in respect of the recommendations contained in the second report of the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health concerning the reduction of average tar and nicotine yields of cigarettes.

My right hon. Friend continues to attach importance to achieving further progress towards reducing the yields of noxious substances in cigarette smoke, and values the advice of the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health on this subject. The recommendations of the committee, contained in its second Report and in Lord Hunter's letter of 5 December 1979 to Health Ministers, were therefore taken into account in negoiating the voluntary agreement with the tobacco industry which my right hon. Friend announced on 21 November 1980—[Vol. 994, c. 190–95.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration he took into account at the time of reviewing the chairmanship of the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health when appointing Lord Hunter's successor.

We took into account the qualities required in an effective chairman of this important committee.

Great Britain—(thousands)
					Married men†
Duration of unemployment	All males	Single men*	No child	All with children	1 child	2 children	3 children	4 or more children
All periods	1,194	639	237	318	108	113	58	38
Over 1 year	195	93	37	64	19	20	14	11
Notes: The sum of individual columns may not equal the corresponding total, because of rounding.
* Includes (i) men whose marital status is not known; (ii) men with adult or child dependants.
† Whether or not receiving an increase for a wife or other adult dependant.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claims for social security benefit are being handled each week by his Department's office in Scunthorpe; how many staff are dealing with these claims; and what were the equivalent figures for 1979 and 1980.

Following is the information:

	Average weekly number of new claims received	Average number of staff dealing with claims
1979
Contributory benefits	597	60
Supplementary benefits	251	69
Total	848	129

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many meetings Lord Hunter had with each of the tobacco companies while he was chairman of the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health; and where those meetings took place.

Lord Hunter held regular meetings with each of the tobacco companies in his capacity as chairman of the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health. Such meetings took place at the offices of the company concerned, at the offices of the Tobacco Advisory Council, or at the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many invitations were received and how many accepted from the tobacco companies by Lord Hunter during his period as chairman of the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health.

I understand that it was Lord Hunter's practice to decline all invitations from the tobacco companies to artistic and sporting events.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will bring up to date the information given in the reply of 20 February, Official Report, c. 235–6, showing the numbers of unemployed and their child dependants.

The table below gives, for the family types shown, the estimated numbers of registered unemployed males receiving unemployment benefit and/or supplementary allowance at November-December 1980.

	Average weekly number of new claims received	Average number of staff dealing with claims
1980
Contributory benefits	494	58
Supplementary benefits	264	79
Total	758	137
1981*
Contributory benefits	426	53
Supplementary benefits	238	83
Total	664	136
* Part-year.

The numbers of staff reflect not only the handling of new claims, but the maintenance of benefits to existing claimants and other work ancillary to the assessment and payment of benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will increase the number of staff handling benefit claims at his Department's local office in Scunthorpe.

No. The number of staff is considered to be adequate to deal with present and foreseeable work loads. There is, however, a contingency manpower reserve that is available in the event of an unexpectedly large increase in benefit claims.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the requirements governing the public availability of pharmacy services at times outside normal shop opening hours.

Chemists are independent traders who for the purpose of providing NHS pharmacy services, enter into a contract with their local family practitioner committee and, by so doing, agree to accept the hours of service required by that FPC. Hours of service agreements can vary from one area to another, depending on local needs, but the usual requirement for a pharmacy service outside shop opening hours is the provision of a rota service of up to one hour's duration. This service is undertaken after closing on weekdays to cover the period of doctors' evening surgeries and also on early closing days, Sundays and public holidays. In a single or two-chemist district, where a rota service is not practicable, the family practitioner committee may require a period in lieu of rota, also of up to one hour's duration, to be undertaken. Outside of rota periods, there is a voluntary out-of-hours call service undertaken by pharmacists who are prepared to dispense prescriptions endorsed "urgent" by the prescriber. There are also some late-opening pharmacies which independently choose to stay open beyond the hours required by the agreement with the local FPC.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the Central Policy Review Staff report regarding the effect of alcoholism.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many applications there have been for single payments under regulation 30 of the Supplementary Benefits (Single Payments) Regulations; how many payments have been made in each region; for what items payments have been made; how much has been paid out by the Department in total; and how much was originally budgeted for regulation 30 payments.

I regret that not all the information requested is available. The following table shows the number and cost of the single payments under regulation 30 made in each region during the period 24 November 1980 to 9 June 1981. The total number of requests for these payments is not known, because unsuccessful applications are not recorded on statistical returns. Nor is information available on the items for which these payments have been made. Financial resources are not separately allocated for expenditure on these single payments.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the extent of the theft of linen from the National Health Service and its cost.

The cost of linen losses due to theft cannot be identified separately in figures available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pending the introduction of regulations under the Industrial Diseases (Notification) Act 1981, he will take steps to ensure that any person refused benefit by a pneumoconiosis medical panel will, in the event of death, be the subject of a post-mortem.

Deaths are not always notified to the Department. Where they are, it is often after the burial or cremation. It would therefore not be practicable for us to notify coroners, who alone are responsible, in England and Wales, for arranging post-mortem examinations, of the deaths of all those found by pneumoconiosis medical panels not to be suffering from pneumoconiosis.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many men and women in place of accepting redundancy are taking early retirement on the grounds of chronic sickness and disability in each of the counties of Wales.

I regret this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the psychiatric unit at Sharoe Green hospital, Preston, an annexe of Whittingham hospital, has been authorised to operate a form of black list in respect of former patients; and whether he will make a statement.

No hospital is authorised to operate a black list of patients and I am assured that no such list exists at Sharoe Green hospital. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind perhaps he will write to the chairman of the area health authority with details.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Thanet, East (Mr. Aitken) on 2 July, Official Report, c. 488–89, if he will specify (a) the advantages and (b) the disadvantages of collating centrally the average waiting time for hip replacement operations and related information; and what is the cost of collecting and maintaining this information centrally.

Given the wide variation in waiting times for orthopaedic surgery between districts—to which the report of Professor Duthie's working party draws attention—national averages are of limited significance. I am doubtful whether more detailed information about them would be helpful to those whose responsibility it is to tackle this problem at the local level. More generally, I recognise the advantages to health districts of being able to compare their own performance with that of other districts and, as I said in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Lyell) on 12 March—[Vol. 1000, c. 422–23]—the working party's recommendation on this subject has been brought to the attention of the Steering Group on Health Services Information.The cost of collecting and maintaining information about hip replacement operations cannot be separately identified within the total costs of the hospital in-patient inquiry. The cost of producing a special tabulation to show the average waiting time for this operation is estimated at £200.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Lyell) on 12 March, Official Report, c. 422–23, what progress has been made since that date towards the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the working committee chaired by Professor Duthie with particular regard to the reduction of waiting lists; with whom and with which professional bodies he is currently discussing this matter; and what steps he is taking to monitor the implementation of the recommendations of the Duthie report.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 13 May—[Vol. 4, c. 298.] It is too soon yet for me to expect health district managements and clinicians to have completed the evaluation studies which the report recommends. The Department is keeping closely in touch with the work being done by the British Orthopaedic Association in following up the report and will at a later date be reviewing the progress achieved by health authorities. The report has meanwhile been brought to the attention of relevant medical and other professional advisory bodies, whose views have been sought particularly on the relevance of the recommendations for specialties other than orthopaedics. The report was also considered recently at a meeting between the Department and the regional medical officers of regional health authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress is being made on the establishment of the Rampton hospital review board.

I am very pleased to announce that Mr. Leslie Teeman OBE who lives near Newark has accepted my invitation to be the chairman of the Rampton hospital review board, for a period of three years. The establishment of the board was recommended in the review of Rampton hospital, which was led by Sir John Boynton, and I laid the necessary orders and regulations before Parliament on 21 May. As I explained in my statement to the House on 11 November—[Vol. 992, c. 193–209]—the board will guide and support local management in securing the implementation of the changes that Sir John Boynton's review team proposed in its report. I announced in May the appointment of Dr. Alfred Minto as medical director and he took up his post last month.The review team also recommended that ways should be found of associating the team with the board. I am glad to say that the vice-chairman of the review team, Dr. Julian Roberts, consultant psychiatrist at St. James's hospital, Leeds, and High Royds hospital has accepted my invitation to become a member of the board. So also has Mr. D. G. Redhead, the district nursing officer for South Lincolnshire. I hope to announce the names of other members of the board as soon as possible.

asked the Attorney-General (1) whether he will obtain from the Lord Chancellor information which will give, at the latest and most convenient stated date, the numbers of peers of the realm who hold any appointment sponsored by his Department; what situation or appointment each one holds; how many hours per week are given to the work connected with it; what are the salaries or expenses paid; and how the latter figures compare with May 1979;(2) whether he will give, at the latest and most convenient stated date, the numbers of peers of the realm who hold any appointment sponsored by his Department; what situation or appointment each one holds; how many hours per week are given to the work connected with it; what are the salaries or expenses paid; and how the latter compare with May 1979.

In the case of my Department, I have made no such appointments. In the case of the Lord Chancellor's Department, and excluding those who hold full-time judicial office, the names are as set out in my reply to the hon. Member on 14 January 1981 except that Mr. Alan Campbell QC, a recorder, has since been elevated to the peerage.

asked the Attorney-General when the Department of Public Prosecutions is hoping to respond to the report presented to him by the Merseyside police with regard to material confiscated from Sven Books, Smithdown Road, Liverpool.

The Director of Public Prosecutions wrote to the chief constable of the Merseyside police on 6 July 1981 advising him of his decision in respect of this matter.

asked the Attorney-General what approach has been made to him by the Royal Association of Disability and Rehabilitation, acting on behalf of other major national charities of and for disabled people, with regard to the failure by Wiltshire county council to carry out its duties under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970; what reply he has made; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.