asked the Secretary of State for Wales, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Bootle (Mr. Roberts), Official Report, 14 July, c. 326, if he will list any other public bodies appointed principally by other Ministers to which he has the right, or is invited, to nominate persons for consideration for appointment.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Prime Minister whether, following the Anglo-Irish talks, she will consider introducing measures to enable her to hold a referendum in Northern Ireland early in 1982 on the question of restoring a Parliament and Government at Stormont.

No. I have no need of a referendum to inform me of the widespread wish of the people of Northern Ireland to play a fuller part in its administration. What is lacking is agreement on the way in which power should be exercised in that administration.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will make it the policy of Her Majesty's Government actively to encourage the people of Northern Ireland to wish to remain part of the United Kingdom.

We shall maintain the union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in accordance with the wish of the majority in the Province.

asked the Prime Minister if the statement in the The Times of 17 November by the Secretary of State for Transport in a signed article that the idea of an understanding or contract between the political leaders of the trade union movement and the Government of the day was no longer credible represents Government policy on relations between the Government and trade unions.

The Government's views on incomes policies are well known. In a wider context the Government, of course, value exchanges of views with the trade unions on economic and social matters.

asked the Prime Minister how many jobs have ceased to exist in (a) the industrial Civil Service and (b) the non-industrial Civil Service since 3 May 1979; and what proportions of the totals these figures represent.

Figures are not held centrally for May 1979. The following table shows how reductions have been made in the number of industrial and non-industrial civil servants between 1 April 1979 and 1 October 1981:

	Non-Industrials	Industrials	Total
1 April 1979	565,800	166,500	732,300
1 October 1981	534,400	145,400	679,800
Reduction	31,400	21,100	52,500
Reduction as a percentage	-5·5	-12·7	-7·2

asked the Prime Minister whether she will now make a statement giving further details of Cabinet committees, to include titles of such committees, their composition and the titles, numbers and composition of any sub-committees deriving therefrom.

I named the standing committees of the Cabinet and their chairmen in the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Thomas) on 24 May 1979. I do not propose to add to that reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department is responsible for erecting wooden traffic barriers on the A2 road in the centre of Blackheath; and, in view of the fact that the effect of them is to increase the risk of serious traffic accidents and increase traffic congestion which, in rush hours, is now many times worse than it was before the erection of the barriers, whether he will have them removed forthwith.

No. The Greater London council is the highway authority for the A2 at Blackheath. Decisions about the use of these barriers, and the justification for them, are for them not me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what specific financial, administrative and policy arrangements he has been able to make in consultation with the Housing Corporation to assist and encourage the "hostels initiative" through registered housing associations he announced in September 1980.

The measures that form part of the Government's initiative both to improve standards in existing hostels and to provide new hostel bed spaces are as follows:1. The double scrutiny of housing association hostel projects by the Department and the Housing Corporation for housing association grant purposes has been replaced by single scrutiny in most cases by the Housing Corporation only. This has simplified procedures and enables housing associations to secure quicker approval of their projects.2. The special projects promotion allowance has been increased from £1,380 to £1,655 in the provinces and from £1,885 to £2,730 in London. This allowance is paid for schemes where housing associations work in conjuncion with other organisations which have expertise in providing for people with special needs.3. The warden's cost element of the hostel management allowance has been increased from £3,150 to £3,710 per hostel—or from £180 to £205 per bed space, for hostels of 18 or more bed spaces. This allowance is to pay for the housing management element of a warden's time.

Housing Corporation
Region	Association	Location	Group	Bed spaces approved
West	Devon and Cornwall	15–17 Castle Road, Torquay	Ex Psychiatrics	12
	Devon and Cornwall	Market Fields, Kingsbridge	Mentally handicapped	12
	West Country	197 St. Marychurch, Torquay	Ex offenders and single people at risk	12
	Knightstone	11 Arley Hill, Bristol		12
	Devon Community	1 Leypark Close		3
	Thamesdown	33 Heydon Street		3
	Avondown	Kensington Road, Bristol	Lonely single people	9
	Knightstone	84 Severn Road, Weston Super Mare		10
	Thames Valley	2 Kingsgate Street, Reading		4
	Stonham	Walpole Road Boscombe		12
	Stonham	16 Penventon Terrace, Redruth		4
	Guideposts	38 College Glen, Maidenhead		4
	Devon Community	19 Litchdown Street, Barnstaple		14
	Fountain	44–45 Riverside Street, Bath	Mentally handicapped	11
	Stonham	60 Lake Street, Oxford	Ex-offender	14
North East	South Yorkshire	Sheffield	Homeless men	12
	Stonham	52 Westbourne Avenue, Hull	Ex-offenders	23
	Ridings	26 Roundhay Grove, Leeds		4
	North British	7 Belgrave Terrace, South Shields	Single homeless	12
	Joseph Rowntree	Hartingdon Road, Rydale	Mentally handicapped	16
	Leeds Federated	28 Hanover Square, Leeds	Ex-offenders	7
East Midlands	Guideposts	Mansfield		6

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will agree to the request he has received from the Carno Street and Goswell Street Tenants' Association in Liverpool that he visit their homes; and if he will make a statement on the delay in reaching a decision about the compulsory purchase orders on their homes.

It would have been inappropriate for me to visit properties included in a CPO whilst a decision was still pending.The problems which led to the delays in the processing of this order have been overcome and the Carno Street and Goswell Street Tenants' Association will be glad to know the CPO has now been confirmed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the research study commissioned by his Department and carried out by the Centre for Environmental Studies concerning the housing needs and difficulties of single homeless people.

It is currently expected that this study will be published in December or January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received any representations concerning the budget proposals for 1982–83 for the work of registered housing associations issued by the Housing Corporation in September; what changes in these proposals have been represented to him; when he intends to meet the chairman of the Housing Corporation to decide upon the corporation's 1982–83 programme; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a number of representations about the Housing Corporation's consultation document on its development programme for England in 1982–83. Most of those who have written accept that a large part of the expenditure will be on schemes, mostly for rent, already approved or under construction. As for new schemes, the main comment has been that as well as the provision for hostels and low-cost home ownership schemes there is a continuing need for homes to rent. I shall be meeting the chairman of the Housing Corporation next week, but the scale and composition of the corporation's 1982–83 programme cannot be settled until decisions have been taken on housing public expenditure for next year as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider reintroducing the factor of the number of one-parent families in an area as an indicator of need in assessing the Government's contribution to local government expenditure.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the results of his review of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977.

It is hoped that the results of the review can be announced fairly soon.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what savings to public funds have so far resulted from the privatisation of work previously carried out by industrial civil servants.

Savings to public funds from privatisation in 1980–81 of work previously carried out by civil servants are given in the seventh report from the Treasury and Civil Service Committee—House of Commons Paper 423—published on 30 July. A further report will be made after the end of the current financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all those penal establishments where prison officers are currently in dispute, indicating in each case the stated reason for the dispute, the number of officers involved and the effects on prisoners.

I am pleased to say that in recent months there has been a marked improvement in industrial relations in the prison service. I am writing to the hon. Member giving details of any areas of disagreement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been killed outright or fatally injured in the course of their duty so far in 1981.

Eight officers have died in the course of their duty so far in 1981: six in road traffic accidents and two as the result of incidents leading to criminal proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the introduction of a legalised citizens band radio channel, whether he is taking any steps to discourage the sale and use of illegal equipment.

Proceedings will continue to be brought under the present statutory provisions against users of equipment which does not comply with the relevant technical specification. We hope that, when parliamentary time permits, it will be possible to introduce legislation under which the sale of such equipment would be prohibited.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, as at present proposed, it would be possible for the British Broadcasting Corporation's planned Carfax radio information service for motorists to interfere with foreign-based air and sea navigation systems; and if he will list those which his Department believes could be affected.

Yes. From 1982 the spectrum needed for Carfax will lie partly in a band primarily allocated internationally to the maritime mobile service. Present proposals for Carfax would involve restricting its initial operation so as not to conflict with existing stations abroad. The ways in which a full Carfax system would conflict with prospective maritime use will not be known in detail for several years, after an international conference has planned the stations of the band concerned, but when introduced those stations will be able to displace Carfax, which will have subordinate status in the international radio regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the White Paper setting out the Government's proposals on data protection is to be published.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I have today given to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Arundel (Mr. Marshall).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the adoption of the Council of Europe convention for data protection.

As my right hon. Friend stated in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Proctor) on 19 March—[Vol. 418, c. 161–162.]—the Government intend to ratify the convention, which the United Kingdom signed on 14 May, when Parliament has enacted the necessary legislation. We hope to publish our detailed proposals for legislation in a White Paper later in the present Session.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the final report of the Law Commission on illegitimacy.

I understand that the Law Commission expects to complete its work on illegitimacy by the end of the year and hope to submit its report to my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor shortly thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make public the revised rules governing censorship of prisoners' mail.

The prison department standing order which makes changes in the restrictions on correspondence to and from prisoners in England and Wales will be published when it comes into force on 1 December 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted murderers have been released from prison within the last decade.

We shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department i f he will consider amending section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 to help local authorities provide English as a second language to refugees, migrant workers and European Economic Community nationals.

The Government are reviewing section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966, and we expect to announce our conclusions shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will tabulate in the Official Report the amount of agricultural land—in acres and hectares—lost in the last five years to urban development and new motorways, respectively.

The statistical returns from which agricultural land loss data are derived do not allow for the separation of losses in the form requested. I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Liverpool, Wavertree (Mr. Steen) and Hammersmith, Fulham (Mr. Stevens) on 12 November for details of the estimate of land lost to urban development between 1975 and 1980.—[Vol. 12, c. 644.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why a number of Royal Naval vessels, including HMS "London" and "Hermes", are taking part in United States Navy manoeuvres currently being carried out in the western Atlantic and the Caribbean.

HMS "Hermes" and "London", together with two Royal Fleet auxiliaries, are participating in one of a regular series of United States Navy exercises in the Caribbean. It is routine practice for Her Majesty's ships to participate in exercises sponsored by allied nations in order to maintain operational effectiveness.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in the light of the assertions contained in the publication of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament entitled "Nuclear War and You", a copy of which is now in his possession, he will publish for the use of the general public a factual pamphlet on Government defence policy, their desire for multilateral disarmament, and the role envisaged for ground launched cruise missiles with particular reference to the way in which their dispersal at Molesworth and Greenham Common will affect the local population.

The CND brochure to which my hon. Friend has referred contains a number of serious factual errors and misrepresentations. With regard to the Government's defence policy, there is a range of official publications explaining this policy, including the role of nuclear weapons, which is available to the general public. Government policy is set out in detail in the annual Statement on the Defence Estimates—Cmnd. 8212–1. In addition, the Ministry of Defence has produced a. number of leaflets on various aspects of nuclear policy for distribution to the public, copies of which have been placed in the Library. These include several which deal with the role of ground launched cruise missiles, one of which covers the effect on the local communities at Greenham Common and Molesworth. Government policy on arms control issues is explained in the Arms Control and Disarmament Newsletter, published quarterly by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what financial savings he now estimates will result over each of the next five years as a result of the measures he announced in Cmnd. 8288 on 25 June.

The measures announced in Cmnd. 8288 were designed to make the best use of the increasing resources being allocated to defence. Defence expenditure has increased in real terms every year under this Government and is planned to continue to do so up to 1985–86.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many new entry ratings will enter HMS "Raleigh" for their part I training between now and 1 April 1982; and how this compares with the same period in 1981 and 1980.

During the period 1 October 1979 to 31 March 1980. 3,387 ratings entered HMS "Raleigh". The corresponding figure for the period 1 October 1980 to 31 March 1981 was 3,393. Since then, and following on from Cmnd. 8288, rating recruiting has been substantially reduced.Details of the number of ratings recruited between 1 October 1981 and 31 March 1982 will be published in the normal way.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the total increase in facilities installed at Rosyth and Devonport dockyards to meet the extra work load resulting from the closure of Chatham and the rundown of Portsmouth; and how much these increased facilities will cost in each case.

Studies are still in hand to establish in detail those facilities which require to be reprovided at Devonport and Rosyth. However, during the next four years it is anticipated that the total cost of these facilities will not exceed £2 million to £3 million.

asked the Secretary of Stale for Defence what will be the annual saving resulting from the closure of Chatham dockyard and the rundown of Portsmouth.

The latest estimates of the annual savings resulting from the closure of Chatham dockyard and the rundown of Portsmouth are approximately £65 million in each case. These savings are at current prices and are expected to be achieved by 1984–85. They include wages, salaries, materials used and other maintenance and operating expenses, but do not take into account the realisation of redundant assets.

asked the Secretary of Stale for Defence how many (a) industrial and (b) non-industrial workers will be transferred from Chatham or Portsmouth dockyards to Rosyth or Devonport dockyards; and at what cost.

Although the total increase in numbers of the work force at Devonport and Rosyth has been assessed at about 2,000, it is not yet possible to say how many of the posts will be filled by transfers between dockyards.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how it is proposed that the naval dockyards of Rosyth and Devonport will accommodate the ship refit load which will be transferred from Chatham and Portsmouth.

The cancellation of the mid-life major refits of the surface fleet substantially reduces the overall refit load in the dockyards. This, together with the increases in the work force referred to in the Defence Review and the extended interval between refits of units of the SSN fleet, makes it possible to accommodate the total load in the dockyards at Devonport and Rosyth.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the arrangements affecting workers at Rosyth dockyard who will be forced to take compulsory premature retirement.

No workers at Rosyth dockyard are being forced to take premature retirement. A number of non-industrial staff have been offered and have accepted early retirement on a voluntary basis. Some other non-industrial staff who are beyond the normal Civil Service retirement age of 60 are being retired.

asked the Secretary of Stale for Defence what is the anticipated cost of refitting the present Polaris submarines at Rosyth dockyard.

The latest available estimated cost of refitting the present Polaris submarine at Rosyth, HMS "Revenge", is £96 million. This represents the dockyard total production cost and includes an appropriate allocation of all dockyard and Ministry of Defence headquarters' overhead expenses.The estimate does not allow the effects of this year's non-industrial Civil Service dispute; and some increase in costs, on this account, and to allow for wage and price inflation, is inevitable. It will be several weeks before a more accurate forecast is available because of delays in the receipt of computer data, also due to the recent industrial action by civil servants.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will set out in the Official

	Staff in post (at 31 March)
	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981
Agriculture	5180	5412	5232	5174	5034
		+4·5%	-3·3%	-1·1%	-2·7%
Civil Service	744	750	817	789	833
		+0·8%	+8·9%	-3·4%	+5·6%
Commerce	843	715	765	761	738
		-15·2%	+7·0%	-0·5%	-3·0%
Education	630	620	672	654	626
		-1·6%	+8·4%	-2·7%	-4·3%
Environment	9561	9204	9751	9412	9297
		-3·7%	+5·9%	-3·5%	-1·2%
Finance	3104	3024	3133	3058	2920
		-2·6%	+3·6%	-2·4%	-4·5%
Health and Social Services	5430	5427	5725	5641	5798
		-0·1%	+5·5%	-1·5%	+2·8%
Manpower	2202	2202	2288	2229	2171
		—	+3·9%	-2·6%	-2·6%
PCC-PCA	22	22	25	23	25
		—	+13·6%	-8·0%	+8·7%
E and AD	59	56	64	67	69
		-5·1%	+14·3%	+4·7%	+3·0%
Northern Ireland Office (inc UKCS)	1695	1869	1804	1575	1541
		+10·3%	-3·5%	-12·7%	-2·16%
Total	29,470	29,301	30,276	29,383	29,052
		-0·6%	+3·3%	-2·9%	-1·1%

	Salaries, Wages and National Insurance (£m)
	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81
Agriculture	22·8	24·1	25·8	29·1	33·7
		+6%	+7%	+13%	+16%
Civil Service	2·1	3·0	3·6	4·2	5·6
		+43%	+20%	+17%	+33%
Commerce	3·7	3·2	3·7	4·4	5·6
		-14%	+16%	+19%	+27%
Education	3·8	4·2	5·0	6·0	7·3
		+10%	+19%	+20%	+22%
Environment	31·0	34·1	38·8	46·6	58·9
		+10%	+14%	+20%	+26%
Finance	11·8	11·9	13·5	15·9	20·0
		—	+13%	+18%	+26%
Health and Social Services	17·8	19·5	22·2	26·0	33·4
		+10%	+14%	+17%	+28%
Manpower Services	7·7	8·5	9·7	11·2	14·0
		+10%	+14%	+16%	+25%
PCC-PCA	·12	·12	·15	·18	·23
		—	+25%	+20%	+28%
E and AD	·29	·31	·36	·47	·66
		+7%	+16%	+31%	+40%
Northern Ireland Office	8·3	9·5	10·0	10·4	13·2
		+14·5%	+5·3%	+45%	+26·9%
Total	109·4	118·4	132·8	154·4	192·6
	+8·2%	+12·2%	+12·2%	+16·3%	+24·7%

The numbers of staff in post in each of the Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office at 31 March of each year since 1977 and the salaries and wages costs, inclusive of national insurance for each financial year over the period are shown in the following tables. Percentage changes from the preceding year appear underneath each figure.

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

[pursuant to his reply, 19 November 1981]: The Government's policies are designed to secure a sound economic base and to help maximise the efficiency and competitiveness of industry and commerce. Only by an unremitting attack on inflation and by keeping a firm control on the overall level of public expenditure can sustainable employment growth be generated and the conditions be created for business enterprise to flourish.In Northern Ireland the Government have provided for the most attractive package of industrial incentives in the United Kingdom, and public expenditure continues to be substantially higher than expenditure on comparable programmes in Great Britain.The creation of a new industrial development board, announced in August, will give additional thrust to the drive to promote more industrial development and jobs and make for the most effective use of financial and manpower resources. Other measures were described in the recently published document "Industrial Development Policy in Northern Ireland—A Framework for Action".At present over 20,000 adults and young persons benefit from employment and training schemes and an additional £4·2 million has been allocated to Northern Ireland for various measures designed to counter unemployment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in the light of the refusal Lombard North Central Ltd. to accept Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service conciliation or arbitration in the dispute between the company and the Banking, Insurance and Finance Union, he will seek to amend the law to provide that any one party to a dispute may require Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service conciliation or arbitration.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many working days were lost in each of the last three years through industrial action.

The figures requested are as follows:

Working Days Lost Through Industrial Stoppages in the United Kingdom
	Days lost
1978	9,405,000
1979	29,474,000
1980	11,964,000

The provisional number so far recorded in 1981, up to September is 3,180,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total cost of the youth opportunities programme scheme for 16 to 19-year-olds; if he will break down this total according to the cost of (a) payments for allowances to trainees and (b) to teaching and supervisory staff; and if he will detail any other major costs.

[pursuant to his reply,17 November 1981, c. 92]: Expenditure on the youth opportunities programme in 1980–81 and the cash limit for YOP in 1981–82—including major items within these totals—are shown in the following table:

Item of Expenditure	Outturn Expenditure 1980–81	Cash Limit 1981–82
	£ million	£ million
Grants to Sponsors of Work Experience Schemes	162·8	298·1
Grants to Sponsors of Work Preparation Courses, College Fees and Capital Grants	36·2	90·6
Salaries, research, premises, staff travel and other overheads	13·4	23·4
TOTAL	212·4	412·1

Expenditure in grants to sponsors of YOP schemes is not broken down separately into the cost of trainees' allowances and the cost of teaching supervisory staff. However, the Manpower Services Commission estimates that over 60 per cent. of expenditure in grants to sponsors is taken up by trainees' allowances. No estimate is available of the cost of teaching supervisory staff.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will amend the law to prohibit private landlords from avoiding United Kingdom tax by registering their companies abroad.

I am not sure exactly what my hon. Friend has in mind. If he will write to me passing on any information he may have I will gladly look into it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will construct an index with 1978–79 equals 100 of the changes in the level of income tax and national insurance contributions for each subsequent year for a taxpayer in (a) two-thirds, (b) average, (c) five times average and (d) 10 times average earnings for households where the taxpayer is (i) single, (ii) married, (iii) married with two children, (iv) married with four children and in all cases assuming that the wife does not work.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had calling for the abolition of the additional personal allowance for lone parents and the raising of one-parent benefit to £7·45; and what consideration he has given to such a proposal.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the meeting of the European Community Finance Council in Brussels on 17 November.

This Council took place under the United Kingdom Presidency. I took the chair and the Financial Secretary represented the United Kingdom.The meeting was devoted exclusively to further consideration of the draft insurance directive. Progress was made on those aspects of the draft directive dealing with industrial, commercial and professional risks, freedom of services for branches and agencies, and taxation. Further discussions will take place at the next meeting of the Council on 14 December.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, for each of the last five years, the total amounts of tax loss estimated under information item 28 of the Treasury circular of 1975 regarding application for special consent under section 482 of the Income Taxes Act 1970.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 November 1981, c. 3]: I regret that the information requested cannot be supplied, except at disproportionate cost.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the factors which account for the difference between his estimate of the average annual cost per unemployed person and the recent estimate of the Manpower Services Commission; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1981, c. 76]: The main differences between the Treasury and the MSC estimates of the direct Exchequer costs of 100,000 additional unemployed in the private sector are as follows:

• The MSC's latest estimates refer to 1981–82. The Treasury estimate published in the February 1981 Economic Progress Report refers to 1980–81.
• The MSC estimates include loss of receipts from indirect taxes. These, along with other indirect effects, are not taken into account in the Treasury figures.
• The Treasury figures include an estimate of additional expenditure on rent and rate rebates and on additional administrative costs, neither of which are allowed for in the MSC estimates.

I stress that these calculations depend inevitably upon the precise assumptions made about the characteristics of the increase in unemployment. Given the stylised nature of the sums, there can be no uniquely "right" figure.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, if interest rates remain high, he proposes to impose a further windfall tax on bank profits.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 November 1981]: The subject of windfall taxes on bank profits was extensively discussed in the debates on this year's Finance Bill. I have nothing to add to what was said by my right hon. and learned Friend the then Chief Secretary and my right hon. Friend the former Financial Secretary during those debates.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will allow the cuts in university expenditure to be spread over five years instead of three in order to allow time for staff reductions by natural wastage and early retirement schemes instead of redundancy.

No decisions have yet been taken about grants to universities for 1982–83 and later years, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to reduce the level of funding for the university system more slowly than is implied by Cmnd. 8175.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many A-level passes there were in each local authority area in the most recent year for which figures are available;(2) if he will publish in the

The available information is as follows:

School leavers during the academic year 1979–80
Maintained Schools only
Thousands
		Leavers Awarded
	O-level or CSE
Local Education Authorities*	All leavers during academic year 1979–80	†No higher grades but 1 or more other grades but 1 or more other grades	‡1–4 higher grades	‡5 or more higher grades	1 or more A-levels
Avon	12·61	4·91	3·44	3·01	1·66
Bedfordshire	7·64	3·17	2·12	1·44	0·80
Berkshire	10·62	4·05	2·98	2·58	1·68
Birmingham	16·59	6·71	4·43	2·87	1·95
Bolton	4·25	1·53	1·18	0·97	0·57
Bradford	7·56	2·65	1·99	1·43	0·86
Bromley	4·27	1·27	1·13	1·38	0·91
Buckinghamshire	8·16	2·66	2·44	2·43	1·51
Cambridgeshire	8·23	2·96	2·60	1·74	0·95
Cheshire	14·91	5·22	4·35	3·60	2·20
Cleveland	11·02	4·26	3·30	2·02	1·32
Cornwall	6·21	2·08	1·89	1·44	0·94
Coventry	5·39	2·09	1·43	0·98	0·59
Croydon	4·58	1·70	1·33	0·97	0·63
Cumbria	7·45	2·78	2·36	1·52	0·86
Derbyshire	13·50	5·39	3·86	2·50	1·36
Devon	12·51	4·39	4·20	2·44	1·18
Doncaster	5·30	2·34	1·52	0·82	0·54
Dorset	7·98	3·11	2·32	2·02	1·19
Dudley	4·84	1·38	1·65	0·94	0·58
Durham	9·76	3·94	2·68	1·79	0·98
East Sussex	7·42	2·63	2·17	1·84	1·13
Enfield	4·00	1·26	1·31	0·99	0·56

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what courses are available in foreign languages in Scottish universities; and how the number of places on such courses for the years 1981 to 1984 compares with the number of places available in the last academic year.

In 1979–80 there were 3,306 full-time students taking language and literature courses in Scottish universities, of whom 970 were taking English. In 1980–81 the corresponding figures were 3,362 and 1,113. The University Grants Committee has set the universities student number targets for home and European Community students to be achieved by 1983–84 or 1984–85. For arts courses—including those other than languages—in Scottish universities, these amount to an 8·1 per cent. reduction over 1979–80. It is for each university to decide what the intake should be each year to the various courses to meet these targets.Information on courses at individual universities is available in the Universities Central Council on Admissions handbook "How to apply for admission to a university", a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the comparative average staff to student ratios for social studies courses in British universities and in universities in other European Economic Community countries, the United States of America and Japan.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will restrict the issue of export licences for the overseas loan of works of art which are owned by British pension funds and similar investment institutions, bearing in mind the long-term loss to the nation's artistic heritage.

I have received no such application. If one came forward, I would deal with it on its merits in the usual way.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will set up an inquiry with regard to the scale of investment in works of art by British pensions funds and similar investment institutions.

No. I have received no evidence that such an inquiry is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he has any intention of transferring the operation of the teachers' pension scheme located at Mowden Hall, Darlington, to private enterprise;(2) what proposals he has in mind regarding the future of the teachers' pension scheme which is located at Mowden Hall, Darlington;(3) if he has any intention of closing the teachers' pension scheme located at Mowden Hall, Darlington.

The Department has consulted the local authority associations and teachers' organisations about a number of possible arrangements for the future administration of the teachers' pension scheme. The Department's trade union side has been informed. My right hon. Friend is now considering the position.I shall write to the hon. Member when a decision has been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will appoint inspectors to advise on the teaching of English as a second language in adult, further and higher education, and to promote curriculum development.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate already includes members whose responsibilities cover advice on the provision of English as a second language in these sectors, and the encouragement of curriculum development by appropriate agencies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is available to him about the number of places available for adults who wish to learn English as a second language; and what information he has about the possible demand and need for such courses.

The need for this important area of educational provision for adults continues, but information on the level of demand or provision is not available centrally. As in other areas of adult education, provision is made locally in the light of local demand, need and resources.

	Hospital	General Medical Services	Total
1 October 1974 to 30 September 1975	475	135	610
1 October 1976 to 30 September 1977*	390	100	490
1 October 1978 to 30 August 1979	290	68	358
* Estimated figure only.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many wards in the National Health Service in England have had to be closed through lack of nursing staff.

This information is not available centrally. For details of individual ward closures and the reasons for them, my hon. Friend should consult the area health authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up a new appeals structure involving lay membership for questioning social workers' decisions involving children.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will issue a code of practice for antenatal care;(2) if he will introduce guidelines regarding minimum standards of staffing in maternity units and for obstetric and neonatal care equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the most up-to-date figures of the numbers of doctors—consultant, junior hospital and family practitioner—medical administrators and qualified nurses and para-medical personnel—such as radiographers and physiotherapists—who have given up practice in the United Kingdom having trained in the United Kingdom and have emigrated in the past 12 months; and how such figures compare with similar qualified emigrants per year, two and four years ago.