asked the Attorney-General what were the acutal or estimated costs to public funds for the trial of Dr. Leonard Arthur.

No figures are available until these costs have been ascertained by the appropriate taxing authority.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed list giving, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, the numbers of court cases where legal costs and damages have been awarded where public funds are concerned, the days which these cases were before the courts in each instance and what action he has taken or intends taking to reduce legal costs in the courts.

The information requested can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The Lord Chancellor takes steps to reduce the cost of legal proceedings whenever he is able to do so without detriment to the administration of justice. Recent steps include the raising of the limit of the small claims procedure in county courts in April and the increase in county court jurisdiction in October.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what progress is being made in finding ways to increase the use of recycled paper within the Palace of Westminister.

I understand that Her Majesty's Stationery Office will be making proposals to the appropriate House authorities within the next few weeks.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on aid to be given to Zimbabwe in the near future.

The £75 million of British development aid announced at the time of Zimbabwe's independence is for commitment over a three-year period. Further aid for Zimbabwe totalling £15 million was committed at the Zimbabwe conference on reconstruction and development.In addition, Britain is providing some £8 million towards the cost of railway electrification and some £14 million to enable Zimbabwe students being financed by Britain at the time of independence to complete their existing courses.Aid to be provided to Zimbabwe in the near future will be drawn from these pledges. Substantial commitments against the pledges have been made and implementation is well under way.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will give details of the conclusions reached on the guidelines for aiding non-associated developing countries in 1982 at the recent Development Council of the European Economic Community.

As I said on 10 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Romford (Mr. Neubert)—[Vol. 12, c. 47–48]—the Council confirmed that the aid programme for non-associated countries should be directed towards assisting the poorest countries and the most needy sections of the population. It also confirmed that priority should continue to be given to projects for agricultural and rural development, in particular those designed to improve the food situation, with a view to helping to combat hunger in the world. The opinion of the European Parliament is awaited before the guidelines are finally adopted. A copy of the draft guidelines is available at the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received since January asking him to introduce legislation to make the occupation of private property while the owners are away and the refusal to leave illegal.

Section 7 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 already makes it an offence for a person who has entered premises as a trespasser to fail to leave when requested to do so by a displaced residential occupier or bya protected intending occupier as defined in section 7(2) of the Act.Entry on and refusal to leave other private property is at present a matter for the civil law. We have received seven letters since January suggesting that such behaviour should be subject to criminal sanctions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last carried out an overall review of the need for retaining the Advisory Council on Race Relations and the Joint Committee for Refugees from Vietnam; whether he considered alternative ad hoc sources of advice; and what conclusions he reached.

My right hon. Friend is considering the role of the Advisory Council on Race Relations in the light of the comments made by the Home Affairs Committee in its report on racial disadvantage. The continuing need for the Joint Committee for Refugees from Vietnam is kept under review. It is essentially a practical co-ordinating body dealing with the reception and resettlement of Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong; no ad hoc alternative is considered suitable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the proposals from the Boundary Commission for Merseyside constituencies.

I understand that the Boundary Commission for England is likely to have completed its current review by the end of 1982, and my right hon. Friend hopes to receive all its proposals for new constituencies, including those in Merseyside, as soon as possible thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost of running the prison chaplaincy service at the latest convenient date; and how this compares with the figures for each of the previous three years at current prices.

I regret that detailed information on the specific costs of the prison chaplaincy is not available. The largest single element is the cost of chaplaincy salaries, which is currently about £1 million per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison chaplains at each grade were employed in the prison chaplaincy service at the latest convenient date; and what were the figures for each of the last three years.

The numbers and grades of chaplains currently employed are as follows. Corresponding figures for 1980 are shown in brackets:—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce amending legislation to give the same concession to disabled people living in disabled people's homes as that already given to old people in old people's homes, whereby only one television licence is required for the home, covering the use of television sets in individual bedrooms.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to extend the concessions available to pensioners under the old person's home broadcast receiving licence arrangements for those who live in such a home to younger disabled people living in similar circumstances.

No. The special licence for residents in old persons' homes was introduced to correct an anomaly in the licensing of homes for retirement pensioners and was not intended as a welfare concession.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what instructions he has given to information officers in his Department for the handling of press inquiries about expenditure decisions which have not at the time been announced to Parliament.

Until Cabinet decisions on public expenditure are announced to Parliament, information officers in the Treasury have been instructed to treat press reports about those decisions as speculation which can neither be confirmed or denied.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the difficulties being experienced by the building industry, he will take steps to allow tax relief on up to 12 months' bridging finance for a principal private dwelling house.

Relief is already available in normal circumstances for interest of such bridging loans.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the progress of the economy.

Preliminary estimates suggest a rise of ¼ per cent. in total output (GDP) in the third quarter. Inflation has been reduced to 11·7 per cent. Pay settlements are now lower and productivity rising. Competitiveness has improved by some 10 per cent. this year. Continued progress depends on the maintenance of a responsible attitude to the reduction of unit labour costs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the progress of his economic policies.

The foundations for sustainable recovery are being established.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest monthly increase in the tax and price index.

The tax and price index has increased by 1 per cent. between September and October.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for inflation based on the tax and price index.

Over the 12 months to October the tax and price index increased by 15·2 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest estimates for total Government revenue and total public expenditure for 1981–82.

I must ask my hon. Friend to await the announcements which fall to be made as usual at this time of year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest estimates of the levels of the retail price index and the tax and price index compared with May 1979.

Between May 1979 and October 1981 the retail prices index increased by 40·7 per cent. Over the same period the tax and price index increased by 41·8 per cent.

s asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest figure available for the annual rate of inflation; what was the corresponding figure for April 1979; and if he will make a statement.

The increase in the RPI for the 12 months to April 1979 was 10·1 per cent. The latest figures available are for the 12 months to October 1981 when the increase was 11·7 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he received from the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association its proposals to change the present North Sea tax regime; and by what date he intends fully to reply.

UKOOA's proposals for the long-term structure of the North Sea tax regime were received on 15 October, and we shall be discussing them with the association in a meeting later this afternoon. My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer expects to announce firm decisions on the future of the regime in his Budget next year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he estimates that the burden of taxation on the average family has increased or decreased over the past two years; and to what extent.

I refer the hon. Member to the note on the effects of the last three Budgets which was prepared by the Treasury for the Select Committee on the Treasury and Civil Service and published as appendix 6 to the fifth report of that Committee on 6 April 1981.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his current assessment of the prospects for the British economy.

I ask my hon. Friend to await the Industry Act forecast.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to relieve voluntary charitable disablement organisations of the financial burdens they face by (a) removing their value added tax liabilities and (b) granting tax relief for single donations.

No. We have carefully considered both these possible forms of tax relief in the past, but have felt compelled to reject them. As regards VAT, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire, East (Mr. McQuarrie) on 29 October—[Vol. 10, c. 404].

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he intends to increase the number of Inland Revenue staff with special responsibility for preventing and detecting tax evasion; if so, by how many; and at what cost.

Yes. As announced in the Treasury Minute responding to the Twelfth Report of the Public Accounts Committee, Cmnd 8413, in the period up to 1984 the Inland Revenue will be deploying some 400 staff in this way. The ultimate salary cost will be about £3 million per annum.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he now expects to see a substantial improvement in the economy.

Preliminary estimates suggest a rise of ¼ per cent. in total output—GDP—in the third quarter. Manufacturing output has risen by some 1½ per cent. over recent months. Progress will largely depend on the extent to which we continue to improve competitiveness through more effective control of domestic costs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total outflow of capital from the United Kingdom since exchange controls were removed.

Between the fourth quarter of 1979 and the second quarter of 1981, identified investment and other capital transactions resulted on balance in a net outflow of £6·3 billion. This net outflow reflects the current account surplus earned over the period. Details of the United Kingdom balance of payments capital account are available in Economic Trends, September 1981.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the benefits achieved by the Government's economic policies.

The foundations for sustainable recovery, of lasting benefit to the economy, are being established.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied that his economic measures are working according to the plans of Her Majesty's Government.

The foundations for sustainable recovery are being established. Progress depends very much on the extent to which domestic costs are contained.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to extend the age allowance to women aged between 60 and 65 years.

I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ascertain whether financial targets expressed in terms of money gross domestic product would be more widely understood in the country than money supply targets.

Money gross domestic product would be difficult to use as an operational target, but it helps to explain the implications of the Government's anti-inflation strategy. For example, the need to restrain the total flow of money spending in the economy highlights the way that moderate pay settlements can improve the prospects for the output and, hence, jobs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current level of interest rates; and what prospects he sees of changes in these.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Melton (Mr. Latham) and the hon. Member for Warrington (Mr. Hoyle).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what responses he has had to the consultative documents on company residence and tax havens and the the corporate sector; and if he will make a statement.

There was a substantial response to these documents from representative bodies and from individual firms. In the light of that response, draft legislation will be published shortly as a basis for further consultation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has carried out a review of the impact of value added tax on charities.

No. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 2 July—[Vol. 7 c. 480].

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set up a North Sea oil fund consisting of revenues derived from oil which could be earmarked for particular purposes.

I am not convinced it would be helpful to allocate North Sea oil revenues to specific purposes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will commission a study of the effects of a high interest rates policy on areas such as West Cumbria.

No. While I appreciate the difficulties that high interest rates create, it is extremely difficult to differentiate on a regional basis between their effects and those of inflation, high wage increases and poor productivity.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to enable nationalised industries such as British Telecom to borrow long-term moneys for capital investment projects outside the public sector borrowing requirement.

All borrowing by public sector bodies such as nationalised industries falls within the public sector borrowing requirement. On the British Telecom bond proposal currently under consideration, I have nothing to add to the statement by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer during the debate on the Address—[Vol. 12, c. 560].

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the estimated cost to public funds of an unemployment figure of three million.

It is not possible to give a meaningful estimate.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

Spicer asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 November.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 19 November.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. Later, in addition to my duties in the House, I shall be presenting the Harding Award on behalf of Action Research for the Crippled Child and having further meetings.

asked the Prime Minister when next she expects to pay an official visit to Holland.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the Government's progress towards achieving economic growth.

We have made substantial progress in fostering the conditions necessary for sustainable growth. Productivity is rising and industry is better placed for recovery.

Dean asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an offical visit to the city of Leeds.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government's position is the same on Carlingford Lough as on Lough Foyle; and what communication on the subject has been had with the Government of the Republic of Ireland.

The history of Lough Carlingford is not the same as that of Lough Foyle and Her Majesty's Government must take account of this. The possibility of an agreed delimitation was raised by officials in the context of the Anglo-Irish joint studies.

asked the Prime Minister when she last met the Trades Union Congress.

On 1 September.

asked the Prime Minister what further representations she has received concerning the closure of the P and O Liverpool to Belfast ferry; and what replies she has sent.

Since I answered a question from the hon. Member on 12 November I have received several letters concerning the closure of the P and O Liverpool to Belfast ferry. The Government's position was made clear by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in his statement on 11 November.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the gross profit paid to pharmacy contractors in Wales for National Health Service dispensing in each of the past five years.

If gross profit is defined as the difference between total payments and the costs of drugs, appliances, containers, oxygen and oxygen equipment rental, the figures are as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount of Government expenditure in Wales for the 10 most recent financial years.

Detailed figures of identifiable public expenditure in Wales are published annually in the "Digest of Welsh Statistics". Changes in definition mean that the totals are not comparable over a period of 10 years. Comparable revised data for the period since 1976–77 is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from foreign companies regarding the opening of an offshore construction yard in the Pembroke dock area; and if he has any plans to finance this with public funds.

Discussions with companies about selective financial assistance under Section 7 of the Industry Act are held on a strictly confidential basis. Any application for financial support towards a project of this kind would be dealt with in accordance with the established criteria.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to reintroduce the subsidy on lime; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans at present to do so.Assistance towards the cost of liming is already available under the capital grant schemes when it is a capital improvement and is not a normal husbandry application.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the progress made to date with the road improvements in Llanon, Ceredigion; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The improvement work currently under way in the centre of Llanon is expected to be completed by the end of March 1982. This includes provision of a continuous footpath on the eastern side of the road. A further improvement scheme to provide a continuous footpath on the western side, as recommended by the inspector following a public inquiry into the Department's scheme, is being prepared.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for bringing new employment opportunities to the Upper Afan Valley.

The highest range of incentives is available for new industrial development in the Port Talbot travel-to-work area, which includes the Upper Afan Valley. This, together with the provision of industrial sites and factories, means that the area is well placed to attract new employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he last carried out overall reviews to determine the need for retaining unchanged the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales and the Historic Buildings Council for Wales; whether he considered alternative privately funded sources of advice; and what conclusions he reached.

A detailed review of these bodies was carried out last year. This included an examination of the possible scope for changes. It concluded that these bodies should be retained but that there should be further periodic reviews.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will revise the amount of rate support grants in Wales in 1981–82 to take account of the additional costs of the pay increase awarded to the police in September 1981.

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit on rate support grants in Wales in 1981–82—Class XVIII, Vote 2—is being increased by £536,000 from £744,500,000 to £745,036,000. This will be reflected in the first rate support grant supplementary report for this year which I will be shortly laying before this House.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his reply to the hon. Member for West Lothian on 16 November on his proposed legislation on the British National Oil Corporation, how long he proposes to allow for detailed discussion with the parties affected.

There will be the usual opportunities for detailed discussion following the introduction of legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many concessions held by the British National Oil Corporation have been surrendered; and how many have been acquired by private companies since May 1979.

The British National Oil Corporation has surrendered acreage in 14 licences covering a total of 33 blocks or part blocks. These figures include territory relinquished by BNOC and its various partners in accordance with the mandatory surrender requirements incorporated in licences. Of the above total, seven blocks or part blocks have subsequently been relicensed: four to groups including BNOC and private sector companies, two to private sector companies only, and one to a BGC subsidiary.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many voluntary home insulation projects are known to his Department; and what is his estimate of the number of homes being insulated for elderly or disabled people through such agencies.

I am aware of the following voluntary home insulation projects being assisted in various ways through Government agencies:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy to what extent irradiation causes embrittlement of steel; and how the problem is dealt with in nuclear power plant construction.

I am advised that irradiation can cause embrittlement of steel when impurities such as copper, phosphorus and sulphur are present above certain levels.The nuclear industry world-wide is aware of this problem and preventative measures have now been adopted including stricter controls of the level of impurities and improved welding procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total amount of electricity produced in Wales and the contribution of each source to the total electricity produced for the year 1980–81.

Information on the amount of electricity generated by type of plant for 1980, the latest period for which figures are available, is given in thr following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many domestic consumers were disconnected for debt by each of the area electricity and regional gas boards during the quarter ended 30 September 1981.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of the acreage covered by licences granted in each of the licensing rounds were granted to, and what percentages of current oil production is controlled by (a) each of the British oil majors, (b) American oil companies, (c) members of the British Independent Exploration Companies Association, (d) French and German oil companies and (e) others.

Information in the precise form requested is not readily available and the question could be answered fully only at disproportionate cost. The current approximate percentages of acreage held under seaward production licences are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of steel or equipment made from steel required for offshore activity was met from British industry during the first six months of the current year and in 1980.

Details are not available of the total proportion of United Kingdom steel or of the United Kingdom steel content of equipment supplied for developments on the United Kingdom continental shelf. Steel supplied by the British Steel Corporation over the periods mentioned is estimated at:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of offshore material requirement was met from British industry during the first six months of 1981 and during 1980.

Figures for 1981 are not yet available but will be published in the Secretary of State's Report to Parliament on the "Development of Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom" 1982. The total value of orders placed in the United Kingdom during 1980 for goods and services for developments on the United Kingdom continental shelf was £2,380 million, of which the United Kingdom share was £1,679 million—71 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the Government subsidy per tonne of coal produced in each of the European Economic Community countries, including the United Kingdom.

The European Commission's estimates of state operating subsidies to Community coal industries in 1980 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans Her Majesty's Government have to reduce unemployment amongst seamen in England and Wales and on Merseyside.

Employment prospects for seamen who are unemployed on Merseyside and in the country as a whole depend above all on both sides of the shipping industry working together to keep the United Kingdom fleet competitive in world markets.Her Majesty's Government believe they can best contribute by continuing to pursue policies which are designed to reduce inflation and get the economy on to a sound footing.The employment and training services of the Manpower Services Commission are, of course, always available to those who seek employment opportunities on shore.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total of unemployed seamen at the latest date (a) in England and Wales and (b) on Merseyside; and what percentages of total unemployment these figures represent in each case.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage of male and female unemployment, respectively, in (a) the Wolverhampton area and (b) the West Midlands in October 1974, October 1979, October 1980 and October 1981.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 November 1981]: The following is the available information for the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area and the West Midlands region. Because of industrial action in some employment offices in October 1974 figures are not available for that date.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give a breakdown of the number out of work in (a) the Wolverhampton area and (b) the West Midlands at the latest convenient date by percentage (i) unemployed for up to one year, (ii) unemployed for more than one year but less than two, (iii) unemployed for over two years but less than three and (iv) unemployed for over three years.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 November 1981]: The following is the information at 8 October for the Wolverhampton employment office area and the West Midlands region.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the Health and Safety Executive to report to him the findings of the experiments with liquefied energy gases carried out on the Maplin Sands in 1980; and if he will arrange for such findings to be made available to the hon. Member for Essex, South-East, the Essex fire authority and Castle Point district council.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 November 1981]: The Health and Safety Executive is not able to give me its comments on the Maplin Sands experiments because it has not yet received full details from Shell Research Limited who carried out the experiments. HSE is maintaining contact with Shell, but it is not possible to say when its appraisal will be completed. It is, however, likely that preliminary comments based on a partial summary of the data will be available before the end of the year.Both the Health and Safety Executive's preliminary comments and thir later observations and conclusions will be made available to the hon. Member for Essex, South-East (Sir B. Braine), the Essex fire authority and the Castle Point district council.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will move for the appointment of a Select Committee on Procedure to consider the matter of the parts of the Chamber from which hon. Members may speak; and if he will make a statement.

I have no such proposal to make to the House at present.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will obtain details of the various schemes which member States of the EEC have to cover their Members of Parliament for retirement, defeat at elections or retirement on medical grounds; and if he will publish this information in the Official Report.

As regards pensions on retirement, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. St. John-Stevas) on 2 December 1980.—[Vol. 995, c. 145–47.] I regret that information about benefits on defeat at an election or premature retirement on medical graounds is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the monthly figures for the numbers of plastic bullets fired in Northern Ireland from January 1977 to November 1981.

The monthly figures for the number of plastic baton rounds fired operationally in Northern Ireland between January 1977 and 11 November 1981 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's annual report for 1980–81 to be published.

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive's annual report for 1980–81 was published on 18 November and a copy placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans Her Majesty's Government have to reduce unemployment in the Province.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young persons aged 18 years or under are unemployed in the Province; and how many there were in April 1979.

20,741 young persons aged 18 and under including a seasonally high proportion of school leavers were registered as unemployed in October 1981. The comparable figure for April 1979 was 6,357.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the level of unemployment in the Province at the latest date; and what it was in April 1979.

112,224 people—19·5 per cent.—were registered as unemployed on 8 October 1981, the latest date for which the information is available. The figure for April 1979 was 60,787—13·0 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the anticipated loss of jobs in the Province following the closure of the Liverpool-Belfast ferry.

The Department of Manpower Services has so far been notified of the anticipated loss of 93 jobs in Northern Ireland as a direct result of the closure of the Liverpool-Belfast ferry. All are employees of the ferry company. This figure excludes crew members, a number of whom may live in the Province.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated take-up rate of family income

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards a reconstructed Government for Kampuchea which would include Pol Pot representatives.

Our policy towards a reconstructed Cambodian Government would be decide supplement in Northern Ireland; what steps he proposes to take to increase the take-up rate; and if he will make a statement.

Precise figures on current take-up of family income supplement in Northern Ireland are not available, but it is estimated that the overall rate of take-up in 1980 was around 50 per cent. In an effort to improve this situation an advertising campaign was mounted on local radio and television and in the press during the two weeks beginning 26 October 1981. It is too early to assess the results which have been achieved.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to lay before Parliament and publish the annual report of the Police Complaints Board for Northern Ireland; and if he will place in the Library and publish the triennial report of the same body.

The annual report of the Police Complaints Board for Northern Ireland has been laid before the House today and has been published. I have also taken this opportunity to place the triennial report in the Library and publish it.The two reports show the meticulous work the Police Complaints Board (NI) carries out and are evidence that the board has a valuable role to play in the complaints system. The triennial report covers the first three years of the board's existence and gives a fair picture of the initial problems encountered. I am glad to note that the report ends on an optimistic note.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many information officers are currently employed by his Department; at what cost and if he will give these figures in respect of each of the last four years.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 November 1981]: The number of information officers employed by the Department of Industry and the total cost of salary plus employer's national insurance contribution is as follows:in the light of all relevant circumstances, including its composition and its acceptability to the Cambodian people, as indicated by their freely expressed views.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the safety of British subjects, of whatever religion, in Iran.

Two British subjects, Mr. Pyke and Mr. Skinner, are detained by the Iranians. Neither has been accused of any offences connected with religious beliefs. Although conditions in Iran are unsettled, we have no reason to believe that British subjects either resident in or visiting that country are in any special danger.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether any Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister plans to visit Namibia within the next 12 months and if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom relationship with the internal Government of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance.

There are no plans at present for a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister to visit Namibia. With our partners in the Five we maintain contact with leaders of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance and the other internal parties, but the Five do not recognise the "Council of Ministers" as a Government.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether the principle of equal validity for the Welsh language will be extended to passports; and upon what date he will introduce a fully bilingual passport form for people living in Wales.

No. The extension of the principle would not he in accordance with international practice on passports and, because of the extremely small demand, the production of bilingual versions of the 21 different passport forms and leaflets in use would involve a disproportionate expenditure of public funds.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many official forms are produced by the Passport Office; and how many of them are available in bilingual form in Wales.