Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Friday 18 December 1981

Environment

Brook Advisory Centres

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what funds have been made available to the Islington Brook advisory centre for the past two years under the urban aid grant programme; and whether such funding will continue for 1982.

The Camden and Islington area health authority was authorised, under the Hackney-Islington Partnership programme, to spend £18,700 on the Brook advisory centre in 1980–81 and the same amount in 1981–82. The partnership's inner city programme for 1982–83 has not yet been considered by the partnership committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reconsider his decision not to fund the opening of a Brook advisory centre in Leeds with the help of an urban aid grant in view of the high infant mortality rates there and the need for a contraceptive and counselling service for Asian women.

When the applications made by the Leeds Brook advisory centre for funding under the Leeds inner area programme for 1980–81 and 1981–82 were refused, the value of the work done by the centres throughout the country was not disputed. However, well over half of the Leeds urban programme expenditure is currently devoted to schemes of a social or educational nature and proposals for long running projects have to be closely scrutinised because of the implications for future years. Ongoing commitments can only be sustained by taking up resources which would otherwise go to new projects. Furthermore, Ministers consider it important to support projects which are likely to stimulate economic activity appropriate to the areas submitting the programme. On balance, therefore, it was decided that funding of the Leeds Brook advisory centre through the urban programme would not be justified.

Housing capital expenditure by English local authorities 1981/82
Region 1—North (excluding Cumbria)
	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Hartlepool	3,605	1,363	4	4,972	1,429	39·6	28·8	28·7
Langbaurgh	6,316	614	94	7,024	3,032	48·0	43·8	43·2
Middlesbrough	10,504	701	116	11,321	6,352	60·5	56·7	56·1
Stockton-on-Tees	4,629	788	7	5,424	1,694	36·6	31·3	31·2

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Brook advisory centers have been opened with the help of urban aid grants in the current year and where; and what is the comparable information for each of the past five years

None. Two centers in Lambeth and Islington, were opened with the help of urban programme funds in 1979–80; and a further one, in Lambeth, in 1980–81. In addition, urban programme funds support the employment of an interpreter at an existing center in Birmingham.

Inner City Areas

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for the urban programme for inner city areas which do not qualify as partnership and programme areas, or as designated districts.

I shall answer this question shortly.

Local Authorities (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish, pursuant to his reply to written questions on 25 June, the estimated outturn current expenditure in 1980–81 for every local authority in England for which figures are currently available.

I shall answer this question shortly.

Local Authority Housing Capital Expenditure

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the housing capital expenditure figures so far reported this year by each local authority in England, and compare these with their capital receipts and 1981–82 housing investment allocations.

Information on capital expenditure and receipts in the first half of 1981–82 provided by local authorities is as follows, with the final revised allocations for the year. Prescribed proportions of certain housing capital receipts—for example, 50 per cent. In respect of ordinary council house sales—and 100 per cent. Of any other capital receipts can be used by authorities to increase their housing or other capital allocations.

	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Chester-le-Street	1,281	234	13	1,528	636	49·6	42·0	41·6
Darlington	2,990	181	100	3,271	1,294	43·3	40·8	39·6
Derwentside	2,334	557	478	3,369	1,342	57·5	46·4	39·8
Durham	1,996	174	119	2,289	1,013	50·8	46·7	44·3
Easington	5,649	491	42	6,182	2,560	45·3	41·7	41·4
Sedgefield	5,292	429	65	5,786	2,204	41·6	38·5	38·1
Teesdale	773	32	0	805	327	42·3	40·6	40·6
Wear Valley	2,343	191	132	2,666	701	29·9	27·7	26·3
Alnwick	1,549	175	33	1,757	290	18·7	16·8	16·5
Berwick-upon-Tweed	1,080	160	62	1,302	581	53·8	46·9	44·6
Blyth Valley	3,498	31	183	3,712	1,031	29·5	29·2	27·8
Castle Morpeth	3,320	396	238	3,954	1,767	53·2	47·6	44·7
Tynedale	1,500	156	25	1,681	992	66·1	59·9	59·0
Wansbeck	2,034	245	—	—	514	25·3	22·6	—
Gateshead	6,562	316	347	7,225	3,118	47·5	45·3	43·2
Newcastle upon Tyne	12,657	856	7,227	20,740	6,320	49·9	46·8	30·5
North Tyneside	7,667	713	897	9,277	3,244	42·3	38·7	35·0
South Tyneside	9,154	1,269	282	10,705	4,272	46·7	41·0	39·9
Sunderland	5,223	815	49	6,087	2,685	51·4	44·5	44·1

Housing capital expenditure by English local authorities 1981–82
Region 2—Yorkshire and Humberside
Region 2—	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
Yorks & Humberside	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Beverly	1819	235	120	2174	814	44·7	39·6	37·4
Boothferry	1366	379	23	1768	738	54·0	42·3	41·7
Cleethorpes	1905	767	111	2783	692	36·3	25·9	24·9
Glanford	1202	91	128	1421	458	38·1	35·4	32·2
Great Grimsby	3252	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Holderness	1343	162	37	1542	369	27·5	24·5	23·9
Kingston upon Hull	15897	685	41	16623	6851	43·1	41·3	41·2
East Yorkshire	1867	78	30	1975	539	28·9	27·7	27·3
Scunthorpe	3744	130	58	3932	765	20·4	19·7	19·5
Craven	1487	111	34	1632	659	44·3	41·2	40·4
Hambleton	1497	198	77	1772	619	41·3	36·5	34·9
Harrogate	1970	166	2	2138	940	47·7	44·0	44·0
Richmondshire	1143	248	14	1405	366	32·0	26·3	26·0
Ryedale	1393	235	29	1657	646	46·4	39·7	39·0
Scarborough	1835	153	87	2075	457	24·9	23·0	22·0
Selby	3830	449	20	4299	1544	40·3	36·1	35·9
York	3015	475	88	3578	1171	38·8	33·6	32·7
Barnsley	7886	77	269	8232	2709	34·4	34·0	32·9
Doncaster	11170	162	1891	13223	2556	22·9	22·6	19·3
Rotherham	11338	1309	250	12897	4113	36·3	32·5	31·9
Sheffield	19215	752	550	20517	9086	47·3	45·5	44·3
Bradford	20652	789	1109	22550	11114	53·8	51·8	49·3
Calderdale	4828	544	309	5681	1701	35·2	31·7	29·9
Kirklees	9513	562	388	10463	3455	36·3	34·3	33·0
Leeds	25022	742	2160	27924	8969	35·8	34·8	32·1
Wakefield	10177	762	82	11021	4613	45·3	42·2	41·9

Housing capital expenditure by English local authorities 1981/82
Region 3—East Midlands
	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and recepits (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of amount (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing recepits (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing recepits (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Amber Valley	1,910	342	145	2,397	678	35·5	30·1	28·3
Bolsover	3,039	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Chesterfield	2,177	270	448	2,895	1,089	50·0	44·5	37·6
Derby	8,516	1,547	280	10,343	3,023	35·5	30·0	29·2
Erewash	3,134	328	289	3,751	1,373	43·8	39·7	36·6
High Peak	2,105	244	79	2,428	905	43·0	38·5	37·3
North East Derbyshire	2,778	479	53	3,310	1,413	50·9	43·4	42·7
South Derbyshire	1,748	111	45	1,904	796	45·5	42·8	41·8
West Derbyshire	1,717	99	—	—	377	22·0	20·8	—
Blaby	633	122	—	—	297	46·9	39·3	—
Charnwood	3,658	331	434	4,423	1,984	54·2	49·7	44·9
Harborough	1,200	129	23	1,352	691	57·6	52·0	51·1
Hinckley and Bosworth	1,276	243	97	1,616	699	54·8	46·0	43·3
Leicester	17,036	322	776	18,134	8,643	50·7	49·8	47·7
Melton	1,463	190	18	1,671	821	56·1	49·7	49·1
North West Leicestershire	2,197	207	0	2,404	1,037	47·2	43·1	43·1
Oadby and Wigston	914	91	19	1,024	377	41·2	37·5	36·8
Rutland	620	122	0	742	219	35·3	29·5	29·5
Boston	1,087	171	84	1,342	436	40·1	34·7	32·5
East Lindsey	2,197	81	241	2,519	651	29·6	28·6	25·8
Lincoln	1,803	319	77	2,199	505	28·0	23·8	23·0
North Kesteven	1,530	73	69	1,672	680	44·4	42·4	40·7
South Holland	1,491	162	48	1,701	513	34·4	31·0	30·2
South Kesteven	2,341	227	345	2,913	797	34·0	31·0	27·4
West Lindsey	1,439	402	30	1,871	465	32·3	25·3	24·9
Corby	1,420	708	—	—	301	21·2	14·1	—
Daventry	1,194	364	84	1,642	554	46·4	35·6	33·7
East Northamptonshire	1,314	209	22	1,545	571	43·5	37·5	37·0
Kettering	2,519	292	112	2,923	1,260	50·0	44·8	43·1
Northampton	5,040	313	325	5,678	1,322	26·2	24·7	23·3
South Northamptonshire	1,422	111	263	1,796	389	27·4	25·4	21·7
Wellingborough	2,086	718	268	3,072	1,574	75·5	56·1	51·2
Ashfield	3,373	250	114	3,737	1,288	38·2	35·6	34·5
Bassetlaw	3,125	93	293	3,511	980	31·4	30·5	27·9
Broxtowe	4,962	496	17	5,475	2,264	45·6	41·5	41·4
Gedling	3,559	446	125	4,130	1,785	50·2	44·6	43·2
Mansfield	4,503	565	53	5,121	2,188	48·6	43·2	42·7
Newark	2,123	235	42	2,400	1,786	84·1	75·7	74·4
Nottingham	16,392	2,203	983	19,578	10,504	64·1	56·5	53·7
Rushcliffe	2,545	292	38	2,875	808	31·7	28·5	28·1

Housing capital expenditure by English local authorities 1981/82
Region 4—Eastern
	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
North Bedfordshire	3,029	460	65	3,554	1,521	50·2	43·6	42·8
Luton	3,922	1,367	—	—	2,448	62·4	46·3	—
Mid Bedfordshire	1,580	280	17	1,877	956	60·5	51·4	50·9
South Bedfordshire	2,110	800	102	3,012	949	45·0	32·6	31·5
Aylesbury Vale	3,336	551	333	4,220	1,572	47·1	40·4	37·3
South Bucks	1,507	317	1,183	3,007	1,341	89·0	73·5	44·6
Chiltern	1,509	362	26	1,897	941	62·4	50·3	49·6
Milton Keynes	1,009	734	62	1,805	689	68·3	39·5	38·2

	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Wycombe	2,720	342	33	3,095	1,558	57·3	50·9	50·3
Cambridge	2,511	225	—	—	1,147	45·7	41·9	—
East Cambridgeshire	960	613	18	1,591	334	34·8	21·2	21·0
Fenland	1,055	278	50	1,383	485	46·0	36·4	35·1
Huntingdon	3,398	433	670	4,501	1,839	54·1	48·0	40·9
Peterborough	2,941	219	97	3,257	1,518	51·6	48·0	46·6
South Cambridgeshire	1,782	1,150	2	2,934	405	22·7	13·8	13·8
Basildon	2,438	241	68	2,747	905	37·1	33·8	32·9
Braintree	2,106	597	392	3,095	1,352	64·2	50·0	43·7
Brentwood	1,294	164	258	1,716	222	17·2	15·2	12·9
Castle Point	652	63	29	744	182	27·9	25·5	24·5
Chelmsford	1,831	323	28	2,182	1,376	75·2	63·9	63·1
Colchester	2,550	408	109	3,067	1,132	44·4	38·3	36·9
Epping Forest	3,275	567	74	3,916	1,132	34·6	29·5	28·9
Harlow	2,984	2,221	44	5,249	1,119	37·5	21·5	21·3
Maldon	1,312	140	20	1,472	458	34·9	31·5	31·1
Rochford	1,289	94	—	—	893	69·3	64·6	—
Southend on Sea	3,736	734	121	4,591	1,665	44·6	37·2	36·3
Tendring	2,383	470	37	2,890	542	22·7	19·0	18·8
Thurrock	3,093	2,310	—	—	1,163	37·6	21·5	—
Uttlesford	927	348	32	1,307	330	35·6	25·9	25·2
Broxbourne	2,768	327	34	3,129	1,681	60·7	54·3	53·7
Dacorum	3,390	768	79	4,237	2,241	66·1	53·9	52·9
East Hertfordshire	1,837	128	520	2,485	586	31·9	29·8	23·6
Hertsmere	2,943	420	—	—	1,174	39·9	34·9	—
North Hertfordshire	2,522	194	36	2,752	1,110	44·0	40·9	40·3
St. Albans	1,961	143	434	2,538	1,115	56·9	53·0	43·9
Stevenage	2,353	1,140	101	3,594	851	36·2	24·4	23·7
Three Rivers	1,592	139	5	1,736	243	15·3	14·0	14·0
Watford	1,710	161	12	1,883	1,363	79·7	72·8	72·4
Welwyn Hatfield	2,285	776	58	3,119	1,351	59·1	44·1	43·3
Breckland	1,508	429	228	2,165	797	52·9	41·1	36·8
Broadland	1,410	54	25	1,489	679	48·2	46·4	45·6
Great Yarmouth	2,616	272	236	3,124	389	14·9	13·5	12·5
North Norfolk	2,305	83	68	2,456	1,039	45·1	43·5	42·3
Norwich	6,661	566	183	7,410	2,103	31·6	29·1	28·4
South Norfolk	2,762	600	64	3,426	1,176	42·6	35·0	34·6
Kings Lynn and West Norfolk	2,653	544	289	3,486	873	32·9	27·3	25·0
Babergh	1,873	348	47	2,268	730	39·0	32·9	32·2
Forest Heath	906	106	111	1,123	371	40·9	36·7	33·0
Ipswich	4,397	369	957	5,723	2,488	56·6	52·2	43·5
Mid Suffolk	1,455	322	84	1,861	995	68·4	56·0	53·5
St. Edmundsbury	1,894	445	254	2,593	845	44·6	36·1	32·6
Suffolk Coastal	1,344	308	76	1,728	728	54·2	44·1	42·1
Waveney	3,301	249	200	3,750	1,284	38·9	36·2	34·2

Housing capital expenditure by English local authorities 1981/82
Region 5—Greater London
	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Greater London Council	85,504	18,055	19,006	122,565	53,738	62·8	51·9	43·8
City of London	522	348	10,799	11,669	586	112·3	67·4	5·0
Barking and Dagenham	2,875	180	78	3,133	1,987	69·1	65·0	63·4
Barnet	8,352	1,685	307	10,344	2,598	31·1	25·9	25·1
Bexley	5,339	1,409	4,349	11,097	3,487	65·3	51·7	31·4
Brent	21,703	593	22	22,318	8,577	39·5	38·5	38·4

	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Bromley	6,704	1,465	468	8,637	3,697	55·1	45·3	42·8
Camden	25,710	902	2,562	29,174	16,272	63·3	61·1	55·8
Croydon	8,357	860	2,221	11,438	1,923	23·0	20·9	16·8
Ealing	13,674	1,465	3,103	18,242	7,145	52·3	47·2	39·2
Enfield	9,576	522	130	10,228	3,253	34·0	32·2	31·8
Greenwich	15,647	84	169	15,900	8,424	53·8	53·6	53·0
Hackney	30,016	19	—	—	9,257	30·8	30·8	—
Hammersmith and Fulham	17,428	3,789	—	—	8,000	45·9	37·7	—
Haringey	26,293	603	691	27,587	12,621	48·0	46·9	45·7
Harrow	4,011	142	541	4,694	1,582	39·4	38·1	33·7
Havering	4,741	1,110	262	6,113	1,147	24·2	19·6	18·8
Hillingdon	10,266	3,100	3,335	16,701	4,253	41·4	31·8	25·5
Hounslow	9,872	230	1,038	11,140	3,545	35·9	35·1	31·8
Islington	35,891	945	178	37,014	20,158	56·2	54·7	54·5
Kensington and Chelsea	24,920	1,198	323	26,441	11,885	47·7	45·5	44·9
Kingston upon Thames	3,492	260	1,393	5,145	1,237	35·4	33·0	24·0
Lambeth	41,182	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Lewisham	23,035	275	197	23,507	8,925	38·7	38·3	38·0
Merton	10,050	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Newham	15,482	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Redbridge	6,569	1,603	154	8,326	1,827	27·8	22·4	21·9
Richmond upon Thames	4,778	749	1,262	6,789	2,093	43·8	37·9	30·8
Southwark	22,454	733	101	23,288	11,714	52·2	50·5	50·3
Sutton	2,894	808	2,849	6,551	1,449	50·1	39·1	22·1
Tower Hamlets	5,318	619	670	6,607	6,069	114·1	102·2	91·9
Waltham Forest	9,225	260	233	9,718	4,418	47·9	46·6	45·5
Wandsworth	19,477	5,472	1,654	26,603	8,571	44·0	34·4	32·2
Westminister	19,607	947	3,262	23,816	9,236	47·1	44·9	38·8

Housing capital expenditure by English local authorities 1981/82
Region 6—South Eastern
	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As %of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Bracknell	2,053	789	49	2,891	1,060	51·6	37·3	36·7
Newbury	2,658	340	1,338	4,336	884	33·3	29·5	20·4
Reading	4,130	328	601	5,059	2,136	51·7	47·9	42·2
Slough	2,253	1,013	484	3,750	1,148	51·0	35·2	30·6
Windsor and Maidenhead	3,833	574	789	5,196	1,646	42·9	37·3	31·7
Wokingham	2,503	262	348	3,113	1,216	48·6	44·0	39·1
Brighton	5,819	349	814	6,982	1,985	34·1	32·2	28·4
Eastbourne	2,609	317	155	3,081	1,224	46·9	41·8	39·7
Hastings	3,163	310	213	3,686	1,458	46·1	42·0	39·6
Hove	3,130	258	31	3,419	1,373	43·9	40·5	40·2
Lewes	4,251	381	44	4,676	1,259	29·6	27·2	26·9
Rother	2,532	149	158	2,839	785	310	29·3	27·7
Wealden	2,464	236	49	2,749	1,172	47·6	43·4	42·6
Basing stoke and Deane	4,441	660	142	5,243	2,928	65·9	57·4	55·8
East Hampshire	1,628	244	121	1,993	599	36·8	32·0	30·1
Eastleigh	1,832	557	591	2,980	785	42·8	32·9	26·3
Fareham	1,845	89	—	—	972	52·7	50·3	—
Gosport	2,903	207	16	3,126	900	31·0	28·9	28·8
Hart	1,214	534	95	1,843	840	69·2	48·1	45·6
Havant	2,131	754	57	2,942	887	41·6	30·7	30·1
New Forest	3,475	1,604	65	5,144	1,762	50·7	34·7	34·3
Portsmouth	5,528	948	1,156	7,632	2,757	49·9	42·6	36·1
Rushmoor	1,425	290	600	2,315	837	58·7	48·8	36·2

	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Southampton	4,865	712	445	6,022	1,696	34·9	30·4	28·2
Test Valley	4,720	398	—	—	483	10·2	9·4	—
Winchester	1,736	410	131	2,277	1,021	59·0	47·7	45·0
Medina	1,950	203	19	2,172	686	35·2	31·9	31·6
South Wight	982	137	0	1,119	543	55·3	48·5	48·5
Ashford	3,978	142	—	—	1,606	40·4	39·0	—
Canterbury	3,180	258	669	4,107	1,234	38·8	35·9	30·0
Dartford	2,055	221	33	2,309	683	33·2	30·0	29·6
Dover	2,838	385	145	3,368	1,269	44·7	39·4	37·7
Gillingham	2,148	272	25	2,445	669	31·1	27·6	27·4
Gravesham	2,589	439	21	3,049	1,387	53·6	45·8	45·5
Maidstone	3,040	336	—	—	970	31·9	28·7	—
Rochester upon Medway	3,094	906	217	4,217	583	18·8	14·6	13·8
Sevenoaks	2,314	316	45	2,675	593	25·6	22·5	22·2
Shepway	2,253	221	79	2,553	832	36·9	33·6	32·6
Swale	2,226	389	62	2,677	1,466	65·9	56·1	54·8
Thanet	2,504	178	109	2,791	971	38·8	36·2	34·8
Tonbridge and Mailing	2,833	142	—	—	887	31·3	29·8	—
Tunbridge Wells	2,354	274	154	2,782	1,048	44·5	39·9	37·7
Cherwell	1,723	288	459	2,470	556	32·3	27·6	22·5
Oxford	3,120	482	1,787	5,389	1,508	48·3	41·9	28·0
South Oxfordshire	2,655	467	—	—	1,433	54·0	45·9	—
Vale of White Horse	2,135	357	1,679	4,171	1,119	52·4	44·9	26·8
West Oxfordshire	1,891	110	41	2,042	563	29·8	28·1	27·6
Elmbridge	3,048	321	106	3,475	1,754	57·5	52·1	50·5
Epsom and Ewell	2,215	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Guildford	2,795	895	102	3,792	596	21·3	16·2	15·7
Mole Valley	2,257	142	128	2,527	1,042	46·2	43·4	41·2
Reigate and Banstead	2,872	472	155	3,499	938	32·7	28·1	26·8
Runnymede	2,612	12	0	2,624	1,191	45·6	45·4	45·4
Spelthome	2,945	156	3,541	6,642	1,443	49·0	46·5	21·7
Surrey Heath	1,647	188	—	—	572	34·7	31·2	—
Tandridge	1,355	278	22	1,655	377	27·8	23·1	22·8
Waverley	2,313	206	129	2,648	1,138	49·2	45·2	43·0
Woking	3,873	370	18	4,261	1,491	38·5	35·1	35·0
Adur	1,746	136	22	1,904	809	46·3	43·0	42·5
Arun	2,554	198	132	2,884	1,285	50·3	46·7	44·6
Chichester	3,846	311	155	4,312	1,080	28·1	26·0	25·0
Crawley	3,147	1,810	0	4,957	2,450	77·9	49·4	49·4
Horsham	2,937	166	464	3,567	1,353	46·1	43·6	37·9
Mid Sussex	2,110	361	139	2,610	973	46·1	39·4	37·3
Worthing	2,051	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Housing capital expenditure by English local authorities 1981/82
Region 7—South West
	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Bath	1,866	420	1,902	4,188	670	35·9	29·3	16·0
Bristol	13,972	1,154	335	15,461	2,441	17·5	16·1	15·8
Kingswood	2,340	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Northavon	1,350	211	57	1,618	495	36·7	31·7	30·6
Wansdyke	615	224	31	870	464	75·4	55·3	53·3
Woodspring	1,984	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Caradon	2,112	81	22	2,215	590	27·9	26·9	26·6
Carrick	1,421	240	28	1,689	438	30·8	26·4	25·9
Kerrier	1,659	413	73	2,145	645	38·9	31·1	30·1

	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
North Cornwall	1,369	181	70	1,620	503	36·7	32·5	31·0
Penwith	1,764	208	—	—	1,017	57·7	51·6	—
Restormel	1,633	476	40	2,149	646	39·6	30·6	30·1
Isles of Scilly	205	0	—	—	105	51·2	51·2	—
East Devon	1,307	279	300	1,886	493	37·7	31·1	26·1
Exeter	1,736	232	687	2,655	878	50·6	44·6	33·1
North Devon	2,032	253	221	2,506	1,090	53·6	47·7	43·5
Plymouth	8,977	917	308	10,202	3,604	40·1	36·4	35·3
South Hams	1,548	360	49	1,957	569	36·8	29·8	29·1
Teignbridge	1,853	277	146	2,276	823	44·4	38·6	36·2
Mid Devon	1,938	139	4	2,081	546	28·2	26·3	26·2
Torbay	1,968	305	77	2,350	780	39·6	34·3	33·2
Torridge	1,423	343	17	1,783	423	29·7	24·0	23·7
West Devon	1,056	104	100	1,260	271	25·7	23·4	21·5
Bournemouth	2,613	285	511	3,409	818	31·3	28·2	24·0
Christchurch	667	64	301	1,032	145	21·7	19·8	14·1
North Dorset	881	178	11	1,070	658	74·7	62·1	61·5
Poole	1,902	139	2,382	4,423	1,193	62·7	58·5	27·0
Purbeck	1,269	283	10	1,562	440	34·7	28·4	28·2
West Dorset	1,422	288	59	1,769	473	33·3	27·7	26·7
Weymouth and Portland	1,437	226	768	2,431	691	48·1	41·6	28·4
Wimborne	1,126	52	26	1,204	923	82·0	78·4	76·7
Cheltenham	3,405	296	49	3,750	1,519	44·6	41·0	40·5
Cotswold	1,664	461	418	2,543	601	36·1	28·3	23·6
Forest of Dean	2,221	198	—	—	1,479	66·6	61·1	—
Gloucester	1,643	356	252	2,251	836	50·9	41·8	37·1
Stroud	1,889	253	28	2,170	853	45·2	39·8	39·3
Tewksbury	1,719	405	0	2,124	881	51·3	41·5	41·5
Mendip	3,868	292	17	4,177	1,237	32·0	29·7	29·6
Sedgemoor	1,784	564	11	2,359	690	38·7	29·4	29·2
Taunton Deane	2,133	338	59	2,530	915	42·9	37·0	36·2
West Somerset	963	190	5	1,158	644	66·9	55·9	55·6
Yeovil	2,507	362	516	3,385	985	39·3	34·3	29·1
Kennet	2,132	245	14	2,391	581	27·3	24·4	24·3
North Wiltshire	1,535	271	194	2,000	526	34·3	29·1	26·3
Salisbury	1,616	392	50	2,058	805	49·8	40·1	39·1
Thamesdown	5,844	581	160	6,585	3,876	66·3	60·3	58·9
West Wiltshire	1,209	203	68	1,480	783	64·8	55·5	52·9

Housing capital expenditure by English local authorities 1981/82
Region 8—West Midlands
	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Bromsgrove	2,594	148	70	2,812	899	34·7	32·8	32·0
Hereford	1,390	346	11	1,747	603	43·4	34·7	34·5
Leominster	1,140	45	0	1,185	482	42·3	40·7	40·7
Malvern Hills	3,276	362	104	3,742	1,498	45·7	41·2	40·0
Redditch	1,604	217	43	1,864	679	42·3	37·3	36·4
South Herefordshire	1,489	318	21	1,828	285	19·1	15·8	15·6
Worcester	1,878	286	413	2,577	1,028	54·7	47·5	39·9
Wychavon	3,058	419	837	4,314	1,105	36·1	31·8	25·6
Wyre Forest	3,796	342	99	4,237	1,148	30·2	27·7	27·1
Bridgnorth	854	94	53	1,001	581	68·0	61·3	58·0
North Shropshire	1,177	212	9	1,398	331	28·1	23·8	23·7
Oswestry	756	239	10	1,005	324	42·9	32·6	32·2
Shrewsbury and Atcham	1,516	357	84	1,957	667	44·0	35·6	34·1

	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
South Shropshire	1,079	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
The Wrekin	3,905	390	50	4,345	2,086	53·4	48·6	48·0
Cannock Chase	2,797	184	—	—	733	26·2	24·6	—
East Staffordshire	2,629	286	190	3,105	986	37·5	33·8	31·8
Lichfield	2,117	401	56	2,574	576	27·2	22·9	22·4
Newcastle-undef-Lyme	2,480	462	434	3,376	1,252	50·5	42·6	37·1
Stafford	2,532	371	71	2,974	1,220	48·2	42·0	41·0
South Staffordshire	2,312	778	—	—	805	34·8	26·1	—
Staffordshire Moorlands	1,239	96	31	1,366	389	31·4	29·1	28·5
Stoke-on-Trent	8,316	748	198	9,262	1,499	18·0	16·5	16·2
Tamworth	3,296	209	290	3,795	1,502	45·6	42·9	39·6
North Warwickshire	1,608	312	—	—	300	18·7	15·6	—
NuneatoD and Bedworth	2,502	341	3	2,846	928	37·1	32·6	32·6
Rugby	2,966	177	87	3,230	1,300	43·8	41·4	40·2
Stratford-on-Avon	2,052	247	93	2,392	1,343	65·4	58·4	56·1
Warwick	3,052	480	—	—	755	24·7	21·4	—
Birmingham	45,304	2,843	2,546	50,693	13,202	29·1	27·4	26·0
Coventry	7,679	1,966	329	9,974	2,990	38·9	31·0	30·0
Dudley	8,418	853	1,020	10,291	3,040	36·1	32·8	29·5
Sandwell	14,684	871	—	—	5,360	36·5	34·5	—
Solihull	3,477	609	715	4,801	1,874	53·9	45·9	39·0
Walsall	7,982	339	—	—	3,842	48·1	46·2	—
Wolverhampton	13,838	147	98	14,083	5,173	37·4	37·0	36·7

Housing capital expenditure by English local authorities 1981/82
Region 9—North West (including Cumbria)
	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As%of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Chester	1,952	382	116	2,450	575	29·5	24·6	23·5
Congleton	1,402	317	—	—	710	50·6	41·3	—
Crewe and Nantwich	2,534	562	92	3,188	981	38·7	31·7	30·8
Ellesmere Port and Neston	1,461	183	10	1,654	653	44·7	39·7	39·5
Halton	3,071	771	78	3,920	1,169	38·1	30·4	29·8
Macclesfield	3,629	510	80	4,219	1,013	27·9	24·5	24·0
Vale Royal	2,168	351	—	—	685	31·6	27·2	—
Warrington	3,744	622	152	4,518	1,289	34·4	29·5	28·5
Allerdale	3,068	504	—	—	1,755	57·2	49·1	—
Barrow-in-Fumess	2,140	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Carlisle	2,892	398	53	3,343	1,139	39·4	34·6	34·1
Copeland	2,998	53	—	—	1,073	35·8	35·2	—
Eden	1,218	54	17	1,289	496	40·7	39·0	38·5
South Lakeland	2,228	173	107	2,508	737	33·1	30·7	29·4
Blackburn	4,861	316	470	5,647	2,924	60·2	56·5	51·8
Blackpool	3,709	38	45	3,792	647	17·4	17·3	17·1
Burnley	3,823	129	—	—	1,725	45·1	43·6	—
Chorley	2,594	144	605	3,343	1,014	39·1	37·0	30·3
Fylde	877	137	15	1,029	373	42·5	36·8	36·2
Hyndbura	3,600	31	7	3,638	1,629	45·2	44·9	44·8
Lancaster	2,572	285	153	3,010	520	20·2	18·2	17·3
Pendle	4,079	119	157	4,355	2,169	53·2	51·7	49·8
Preston	3,988	149	164	4,301	2,192	55·0	53·0	51·0
Ribble Valley	1,403	126	—	—	709	50·5	46·4	—
Rossendale	2,871	198	44	3,113	1,186	41·3	38·6	38·1
South Ribble	2,229	250	18	2,497	505	22·7	20·4	20·2
West Lancashire	1,558	144	44	1,746	667	42·8	39·2	38·2
Wyre	1,520	81	42	1,643	567	37·3	35·4	34·5

	Capital receipts				Gross housing capital expenditure
	April-September 1981				April-September 1981
	Housing capital allocation for 1981/82	Housing (prescribed proportion)	Non-housing	Total of allocation and receipts (cols 2+3+4)	Amount	As % of allocation (col 2)	As % of allocation + Housing receipts (cols 2+3)	As % of allocation + Housing and non-housing receipts (col 5)
Local Authority	£000	£000	£000	£000	£000
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Bolton	12,508	907	338	13,753	6,819	54·5	50·8	49·6
Bury	5,668	212	74	5,954	2,408	42·5	41·0	40·4
Manchester	44,922	3,477	256	48,655	22,959	51·1	47·4	47·2
Oldham	12,535	630	159	13,324	4,366	34·8	33·2	32·8
Rochdale	9,846	516	242	10,604	5,530	56·2	53·4	52·2
Salford	22,397	14	549	22,960	13,703	61·2	61·1	59·7
Stockport	3,678	566	226	4,470	1,676	45·6	39·5	37·5
Tameside	11,955	642	224	12,821	6,049	50·6	48·0	47·2
Trafford	3,891	1,018	340	5,249	3,139	80·7	63·9	59·8
Wigan	11,069	124	200	11,393	4,864	43·9	43·5	42·7
Knowsley	4,495	255	358	5,108	1,658	36·9	34·9	32·5
Liverpool	39,788	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
St Helens	5,978	333	267	6,578	2,358	39·4	37·4	35·8
Sefton	6,584	750	19	7,353	2,882	43·8	39·3	39·2
Wirral	7,327	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Transport

Road Track Costs

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what method is used to decide the proportion of vehicle excise duty and fuel tax revenue attributed to business and non-business use of cars and taxis which appear each year in his Department's allocation of road track costs.

The proportions of vehicle excise duty and fuel tax revenue attributed annually to the business and non-business use of cars and taxis for track cost allocation purposes are based on a 1976 estimate of annual car mileages travelled for business purposes, using national travel survey data.

Accident Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many girls and boys at primary and secondary schools were killed and injured in road accidents on the way to and from school during each of the last five years for which records are available and during each month during the last two of those years.

I shall write to the hon. and learned Member.

Barton High Level Bridge

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why, in view of the need to save public money, he decided to employ the services of private consultants for the Barton high level bridge M63 scheme rather than the county engineers' department.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why he considered Greater Manchester engineers' department unsuitable to carry out the preparation work on the widening of the Barton high level bridge—M63—on an agency basis; and why he has decided to put the work out to private consulting engineers.

The Government's general policy is that where work can be carried out efficiently in the private sector it should be done there rather than in the public sector. Our normal practice is therefore to offer consulting engineers the preparation work on every road scheme estimated to cost over £1 million. In the case of the widening of Barton high level bridge, the extreme complexity of the scheme for widening the bridge to three lanes makes it particularly suitable for a firm of consulting engineers with specialist experience of structures.

Prime Minister

Civil Service Department

asked the Prime Minister why, in view of her express statement on 12 November "that there will not be a Department known as the Civil Service Department", Official Report, column 659, she has not yet dissolved the Civil Service Department.

The transfer of functions order^* which implements the changes I announced on 12 November came into effect on 7 December. Since that date some of the former functions of the Minister for the Civil Service have been transferred to and are discharged by the Treasury. The others continue to be discharged by the Minister for the Civil Service, with the assistance of a distinct Department, denominated by a name—the Management and Personnel Office—which accurately reflects the range of functions for which the Minister is responsible.

^* Transfer of Functions (Minister for the Civil Service and Treasury) Order 1981 (No. 1670).

Regional Development Grants

asked the Prime Minister whether is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to seek to recover regional development grant paid to companies in respect of plants such as Leyland, Bathgate, in all cases where that development is closed or is sold to another company; and if she will make a statement.

Regional development grants are made in respect of specific assets which become subject to a number of conditions intended to ensure that the assets are used on qualifying premises for at least four years. If a plant closes down or is sold, then grant is reclaimed on any assets still subject to the conditions, but allowance is usually made for the period of use. Consideration is given to waiving recovery only if the assets are put to further use on qualifying premises.

Scotland

Rate Support Grant

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will publish the per capita expenditure in the rate support grant for each local

Expenditure (excluding loan charges) relevant for rate support grant £ per capita at outturn prices
Authority Districts	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81
Aberdeen City	24·32	28·56	31·47	38·85	49·58
Angus	25·34	26·86	33·30	33·64	42·06
Annandale and Eskdale	16·50	18·18	18·95	29·11	32·10
Argyll	36·22	42·40	54·93	62·82	78·67
Badenoch and Strathspey	19·05	19·01	22·64	30·14	36·54
Banff and Buchan	21·63	22·59	24·64	27·66	46·18
Bearsden and Milngavie	24·06	31·83	35·77	43·41	53·69
Berwickshire	23·24	21·93	24·27	31·29	35·81
Caithness	17·49	20·17	22·73	33·64	38·54
Clackmannan	27·48	28·57	33·95	38·33	42·89
Clydebank	40·74	37·53	41·35	48·81	69·62
Cumbemauld and Kilsyth	24·20	25·01	28·23	34·45	46·45
Cumnock and Doon Valley	22·50	23·50	25·68	33·56	45·19
Cunninghame	29·40	32·80	38·27	46·97	59·96
Dumbarton	28·25	31·34	38·14	48·03	57·82
Dundee City	28·26	31·37	32·66	40·42	50·33
Dunfermline	25·38	22·43	26·80	36·28	44·19
East Kilbride	27·70	32·65	34·00	43·35	51·98
East Lothian	28·17	29·15	35·43	41·96	57·57
Eastwood	25·21	25·70	36·00	50·08	54·15
Edinburgh City	29·20	31·38	37·31	46·15	55·04
Ettrick and Lauderdale	19·47	20·02	22·70	29·58	33·40
Falkirk	24·72	29·81	40·51	44·16	50·32
Glasgow City	39·00	41·95	54·82	65·03	85·68
Gordon	22·75	29·37	21·76	28·90	51·29
Hamilton	25·70	29·24	32·28	38·99	46·81
Inverclyde	28·32	30·21	38·36	45·06	49·04

Expenditure (excluding loan charges) relevant for rate support grant £ per capita at outturn prices
Authority Districts	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81
Inverness	17·95	20·71	26·07	34·76	41·41
Kilmarnock and Louden	26·42	30·47	36·92	46·71	52·61
Kincardine and Deeside	19·99	19·21	21·73	23·38	34·02
Kirkcaldy	26·53	25·98	30·50	45·26	49·71
Kyle and Carrick	35·77	43·26	41·51	47·11	55·26
Lanark (Clydesdale)	29·93	33·23	32·75	41·92	48·77
Lochaber	19·23	19·49	24·70	32·85	43·73
Midlothian	25·29	27·32	32·27	44·02	50·81
Monklands	27·23	27·05	32·25	49·71	53·55
Moray	21·85	23·80	26·78	33·72	37·63
Motherwell	27·05	29·72	36·67	42·23	48·26
Nairn	18·58	20·23	21·72	28·34	34·06
Nithsdale	16·07	19·96	21·34	25·98	30·28
North East Fife	27·48	32·12	36·54	43·87	51·11
Perth and Kinross	21·70	23·37	28·74	30·62	38·14
Renfrew	29·86	34·69	43·05	51·52	68·05
Ross and Cromarty	16·82	17·90	21·90	51·89	34·63
Roxburgh	20·43	18·90	25·01	25·50	35·39

authority in Scotland, giving tables relating to (a) districts and (b) regions, giving figures and percentages for each of the last 10 years;

(2) if he will publish in the Official Report the per capita expenditure in rate support grant for Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee, giving figures and percentages for each of the last 10 years, including 1981.

Expenditure per capita—excluding loan charges—on services relevant for rate support grant by each Scottish local authority for the years 1976–77 to 1980–81 is contained in the following table. Information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.The percentages used in calculating total rate support grant for each of those years were 72·5 per cent. in 1976–77; 68·5 per cent. from 1977–78 to 1980–81.

Authority Districts	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81
Skye and Lochalsh	13·09	17·80	17·54	31·80	30·53
Stewartry	19·40	20·48	20·75	25·40	34·32
Stirling	23·65	26·46	34·39	42·55	51·27
Strathkelvin	29·63	31·99	37·20	45·14	56·12
Sutherland	27·84	26·11	30·57	33·67	42·52
Tweeddale	19·95	23·63	24·59	29·85	29·42
West Lothian	16·90	20·50	22·59	28·14	42·87
Wigtown	16·68	16·99	18·39	27·64	27·92

Expenditure (excluding loan charges) Relevant for Rate Support Grant £ per capita at outturn prices
Authorities Regions and Islands	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81
	(Pop=June 1976)	(Pop=June 1977)	(Pop=June 1978)	(Pop=June 1979)	(Pop=June 1980)
Borders	180·27	202·67	238·07	279·22	348·69
Central	169·22	183·29	217·58	259·92	320·63
Dumfries and Galloway	174·83	191·80	219·54	262·99	324·56
Fife	165·33	177·33	202·80	247·19	321·63
Grampian	179·27	193·41	219·94	265·76	323·57
Highland	208·73	224·49	262·23	322·06	386·86
Lothian	187·44	199·65	237·10	289·57	384·70
Strathclyde	196·92	212·37	245·85	294·20	381·59
Tayside	175·07	192·10	225·07	252·24	325·14
Orkney	258·62	258·46	343·90	475·46	583·86
Shetland	268·22	295·74	343·68	536·66	775·24
Western Isles	279·35	323·62	391·81	454·20	578·01

Hunter Report

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the report by Lord Hunter on the murder of Mrs. Rachel Ross in 1969 was submitted to him on the basis that sections of it could not be published.

When Lord Hunter presented to me on 25 August last his report on the whole circumstances of the murder in 1969 of Mrs. Rachel Ross, he stated in it his assumptions that his responsibility would end with its submission to me, that any responsibility for the publication of the report or any of its contents was not a matter for him, and that, when publication of the report or any of its contents came under consideration, regard would be had at that stage to any rules of law affecting such publication. Lord Hunter did not intimate, contrary to a suggestion in the press, that sections of his report could not be published.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Agricultural Products (Prices)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average market price for beef, lamb, pigmeat, milk, barley and wheat for the year 1981 up to November.

The latest available estimates are set out in the following table:

Commodity	Average market price^ in the United Kingdom*
Beef (p. per kg. liveweight)†	86·8
Lamb (p. per kg. estimated dressed carcase weight)‡	148·7
Pigmeat (p. per kg. deadweight)^**	92·0
Milk (p. per litre)║	13·7
Barley (£ per tonne)¶	101·3
Wheat (£ per tonne)¶	107·7

Notes:

^* For beef, lamb, pigmeat, barley and wheat, weighted average prices are for the 10 months January to October 1981; for milk, see footnoteob/.

† The weighted average price for all clean cattle.

‡ The weighted average price for animals certified under the sheep variable premium scheme.

^{* *} The average market price for clean pigs.

║ Provisional average net return to producers in the United Kingdom for the whole of the calendar year 1981, after deduction of Milk Marketing Board transport and administrative costs.

¶ The weighted average ex-farm prices of United Kingdom wheat and barley.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average intervention or guaranteed price for beef, lamb, pigmeat, milk, barley and wheat for the year 1981.

The information requested is set out in the following table:

Commodity	Average institutional price^ in the United Kingdom*
	£ per tonne
Beef (liveweight)†	892·27
Lamb (deadweight)‡	1,914·68
Pigmeat (deadweight)^{* *}	779·98–919·94
Milk║	138·98 (14·31p/litre)
Barley¶	103·38
Wheat (breadmaking)#	115·40
Wheat (other)¶	103·38

Notes:

^* Average institutional prices weighted according to the number of days of application, and converted from ECUs to sterling at the United Kingdom green rate—1ECU=£0·618655.

† The time weighted average of the average intervention buying-in price for all current intervention grades.

‡ The guide price for certified sheep (deadweight); the guide price is seasonalised on a weekly basis. It is expected that, weighted on a throughput basis, the guide price for 1981 would be in the region of £1,890.

^{* *} These figures represent 78 per cent. and 92 per cent. respectively of the basic price. In principle, and under certain circumstances, the

Commission may activate intervention buying within this range; in practice intervention has not taken place in the pig sector in recent years.

║ Milk equivalent of the intervention price.

¶ Average of the monthly intervention prices.

# Average of the monthly reference prices for wheat of minimum breadmaking quality.

National Finance

National Debt

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is currently the annual cost of service of the national debt; and what would be the cost if the proportion of debt at present covered by index-linked stock were extended to cover the whole amount paying the same interest as index-linked stocks already in issue.

The cost of servicing the national debt in the year 1981–82 was forecast in the Financial Statement and Budget Report to be £11,100 million, on a nominal amount of national debt outstanding at 31 March 1981 which is provisionally estimated to be £114 billion. From 1 April 1981 to 30 November 1981 the cost of servicing was £7,256 million.It is impossible to estimate what the cost of servicing would be if the national debt were comprised exclusively of index-linked gilt-edged stock, or how the burden of cost over time would compare with the present position. By issuing index-linked rather than conventional gilt-edged stock the Government reduce their initial annual interest payments but their liability on redemption increases. It would not be practicable to convert the national debt to indexed gilts at once. If the transformation were effected gradually, there is no way of knowing what the yield in index-linked gilts would become, and thereby what nominal volume of stock bearing a 2 per cent. coupon would have to be issued to fund the early repayment of existing liabilities.

European Community (Customs Duties)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his reply of 2 December to a written question from the hon. Member for Grimsby concerning contributions to the European Economic Community, whether he will distinguish the figures for customs duties between food, beverages, manufactures and other goods.

A breakdown of the amount paid over in customs duties is given in the following table. Figures for 1981 are not yet available.

Customs duties (£ million)
	Food	Beverages	Manufactures	Other goods	Total
1978	145	8	522	39	714
1979	141	9	669	49	868
1980	155	11	666	29	861

Paye (Computerisation)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the progress of the Inland Revenue's project to computerise the pay-as-you-earn system, including a comparison of the planned and most recent estimates for completion and of costs for computers, peripherals and software.

When the Government's decision to proceed with the computerisation of the PAYE system was announced on 11 November 1980, the Inland Revenue's plan was to complete the design and development of the system by the end of 1983 or the beginning of 1984. There would then follow a year of testing the system in live operation in a small number of tax districts before the computerised system was introduced throughout the country with the aim of completion by the end of 1987 or early 1988. That plan is unaltered and the Inland Revenue is still working to that timetable.The current estimate of total gross expenditure required to establish the national computer system—including equipment and maintenance, staff and accommodation—up to the end of 1987 is about £200 million at current prices compared with the estimate last year of £180 million at 1980 prices. Computer equipment, including software, support and maintenance and communication costs are currently estimated at just over £100 million.

Excise Duty (Receipts)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest best estimate of the forecast receipts of excise duty for 1981–82 on spirits, wines, made wines, beer and cider and perry.

The estimate is published in table 19 on page 43 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1981–82. It would be contrary to practice to publish revisions of the Budget Estimates during the financial year.

Defence

Minesweepers

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to ensure that the advantages of the hovercraft will be fully assessed before orders are placed for the proposed new class of minesweepers.

The feasibility studies for the new class of minehunter are planned to embrace hovercraft.

Surplus Firearms

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 7 December, Official Report c. 312, to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds on the subject of surplus small arms, which measures provided for under the Firearms Act 1968 he applied when sanctioning recent sales of surplus Browning 09 mm automatic pistols.

Under the Firearms Act 1968, sales in the United Kingdom may be made only to registered firearms dealers or to the holders of firearms certificates granted by the police. In making this sale, the Ministry confirmed that the company concerned was properly registered as a firearms dealer. The company itself could, of course, sell the guns in the United Kingdom only to other registered dealers or to holders of firearms certificates granted by the police. Moreover, firearms dealers must maintain a register of transactions, which is subject to verification by the police authorities.

Hms "Invincible"

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is yet able to make a statement about the future of HMS "Invincible".

I am unable to add to what my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces said in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Wilkinson) on 29 October—[Vol. 10, c. 464.]

Volunteer Reserve Officers (Mess Kit)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will permit officers of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve training branch to wear miniature gliding instructors' badges on number five home dress, mess kit.

This is permitted. I have asked that this point is clarified in headquarters air cadets routine orders.

Exercise "Halcon Vista"

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any United Kingdom personnel or vessels were involved in the recent manoeuvres, codenamed "Halcon Vista" off the coast of Honduras.

No.

Education And Science

Local Authorities Consultative Council

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out in the Official Report the membership of the expenditure steering group (education) of the local authorities consultative council, the number of times it has met in 1981 and the subjects it has discussed.

The current membership of the expenditure steering group for education services—ESGE—is as follows:

Department of Education and Science

Mr. E. H. Simpson (Chairman)
Mr. R. H. Bird
Miss S. J. Browne
Mr. W. O. Ulrich
Mr. J. R. Jameson
Mr. D. G. Libby
Mr. D. M. Forrester

Department of Employment (For items in connection with the careers service)

Mr. G. Kahan
Mr. A. G. Johnson
Mr. M. C. Cahill

Her Majesty's Treasury

Miss J. Kelley (Observer)

Welsh Office Education Department

Mr. D. M. Timlin (Observer)

Association of County Councils

Mr. P. J. Coles, Under Secretary, (Education)
Mr. I. G. Cunningham, Education Officer
Mr. R. P. Harding, Chief Education Officer, Buckinghamshire
Mr. C. C. Jasper, County Treasurer, Hertfordshire
Mr. A. P. Peel, County Treasurer's Department, West Sussex (Observer)
Mr. G. A. Price County Treasurer, Hampshire
Mr. R. D. Price, Chief Education Officer, Dorset
Mr. H. Radford, County Librarian, Dorset

Mr. J. R. G. Tomlinson, Director of Education, Cheshire
Mr. T. B. Whiffen, Principal Technical Assistant, Treasurer's Department, Hampshire

Association of Metropolitan Authorities

Mr. J. M. Crawford, Chief Education Officer, Birmingham
Mr. R. J. Hartles, Chief Education Officer, Ealing
Mr. R. G. Morris Under Secretary (Education)
Mr. A. G. Redmond, Deputy Director of Finance, Wigan
Mr. B. Scholas, Chief Executive, Bolton
Mr. T. Simpson, Director of Finance, Stockport
Mr. J. A. Springett, Education Officer
Mr. W. H. Stubbs, Director of Education (Schools) ILEA
Mr. P. A. Wright, Financial Controller and Auditor, Royal Borough of Kingston-Upon-Thames

London Boroughs' Association

Mr. D. E. Eacott, Borough Treasurer, Haringey

The expenditure steering group met eight times in 1981. As in previous years, the steering group has considered the Government's plans for local authority expenditure, advised on their implications for the education service and has made a report to the consultative council on local government finance. During 1981 it has discussed: the effects on the education service of local authority expenditure policies in 1980–81; the Government's plans for expenditure on education in the years 1981–82 to 1983–84 as set out in the public expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 8175; and revised expenditure forecasts taking account of the 1980–82 outturn of expenditure on education and revised projections of pupil and students numbers and, most recently, of the Government's revised expenditure proposals for 1982–83.

Subjects discussed have included the implications of the Government's expenditure plans for advanced further education; managing the contraction of the teacher force; the deployment of the additional provision allowed for the education of 16 to 19-year-olds; and the role of the education service in inner cities.

Books (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much has been spent by (a) polytechnics and (b) colleges of further education on books in 1980–81; what are the figures for each of the previous five years, at constant prices; and what percentage change this represents in each case.

The information is as follows:

Expenditure on books in polytechnics and other major establishments of further education—England (at 1980–81 outturn prices)^*
	Polytechnics		Other major establishments of further education
	Expenditure	Index	Expenditure	Index
	(£000s)		(£000s)
1975–76	8,729	100	11,077	100
1976–77	8,872	102	9,228	83
1977–78	8,007	92	8,397	76
1978–79	8,022	92	8,487	77
1979–80	7,400	85	8,549	77
1980–81	6,818	78	8,605	78
^* Repriced by applying the price index for British academic books calculated by the centre for library and information management, Loughborough university.

Polytechnics And Colleges Of Further Education

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has yet prepared proposals to change the powers or composition of the governing bodies of polytechnics and colleges of further education; who has been consulted over any such changes; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and the local authority associations are awaiting a report on the powers of maintained college governors by a joint working group of officials from the associations and the Department. There are no plans to review the composition of governing bodies.The respective functions of the local education authority, the governors, the principal and the academic board of a further education college are determined by the college's articles which are subject to approval by my right hon. Friend. The joint working group was set up to examine, without prejudice, the merits of the associations' case that certain existing college articles could hinder local authorities in the exercise of their statutory, financial and employment obligations. If its report indicates that there is a prima facie case for any changes, all interested parties would be invited to comment before any decision would be taken by my right hon. Friend.

Educational Qualifications

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students left secondary schools in the maintained sector in 1980–81 with (a) no academic qualifications, (b) one CSE, (c) one to five CSEs, (d) one O-level, (e) one to five O-levels and (f) over five O-levels.

Information on school leavers in 1980–81 is not yet available. As I said to my right hon. Friend the Member for Leek (Mr. Knox) on 21 October, the information readily available on qualifications of leavers from English maintained schools in 1979–80 is as follows:

Leavers with	Thousands
Five or more higher^* grades at O-level or CSE	147·5
1–4 higher^* grades at O-level or CSE	201·3
No higher^* grades but one or more other grades	266·8
No CSE or O-level qualifications	90·5
All leavers	706·1
^* O-level grades A to C and CSE grade 1 are classified as higher grades. All other graded results are classified as other grades.

Home Department

Christmas Party (Wymott Prison)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Yorkshire Television has been refused permission by the Home Office to film the Christmas party being held at Wymott prison in Leyland, Lancashire, by the governor, prison officers and prisoners for elderly victims of violent crime.

Representatives of the press and television are allowed access to prison department establishments whenever possible, but it would have been impracticable to accomodate all the journalists who wished to report on the party which is to be held at Wymott prison for the victims of crime, and it was thought that this would spoil the occasion for those invited to this primarily private party.

Polyurethane Foam-Filled Furniture

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have died as a result of fires from polyurethane foam-filled furniture for each of the last five years to the latest available date.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris).—[Vol. 14, c. 499–501.]

Terrorism

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many terrorist attacks have taken place in Great Britain in each of the past 10 years; and which groups have either been shown to have been responsible or have claimed responsibility.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

Non-Political Organisations (Research Grants)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to restrict the payment of grants for research and project aid to entirely non-political organisations; and if he will make a statement.

No. I am not aware of any Home Office grants to political organisations.

Overseas Development

Nicaragua

asked the Lord Privy Seal what aid Her Majesty's Government have given to Nicaragua since the overthrow of the Somoza regime; and what projects and individual sums are involved.

£242,000 bilateral aid has been provided for the following projects:

	£'000
(i) Airlifting emergency food and medical supplies	100
(ii) Spare parts for tractors	60
(iii) First aid kits for UNESCO adult literacy campaign	25
(iv) Two land rovers for the Nicaraguan Red Cross	24
(v) Relief for refugees through Save the Children Fund	16
(vi) Visits by advisers on crop storage education and tractor maintenance	10
(vii) Antibiotics and water purifiers	7

asked the Lord Privy Seal what aid the European Economic Community has given to Nicaragua since the overthrow of the Somoza regime; and what projects and individual sums are involved.

The information is as follows:

1979–2·5 million ECUs—£1·37 million—for economic and social rehabilitation

1980–1·8 million ECUs—£1·54 million—for technical co-operation in the rural sector

1981–0·85 million ECUs—£0·47 million—for training and equipment for ENABAS, a food marketing and processing enterprise.

Northern Ireland

Proscribed Organisations

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report the number of individuals convicted in Northern Ireland for membership of a proscribed organisation and the length of sentence given for the years 1978, 1979 and 1980; and if he will give the same figures for 1981 to date.

The available information refers to persons convicted on indictment at Belfast Crown court where membership of a proscribed organisation was the most serious offence or was the offence for which the longest sentence was imposed. A number of convictions for membership are therefore excluded. On this basis, the information is as follows:

	Number convicted	Non-custodial sentence	Training school	Less than 5 years	5 years and less than 10 years
1978	87	66	1	18	2
1979	93	72	7	12	2
1980	35	27	2	2	4
1981^*	10	5	Nil	3	2
^* To 30 November.

Boundary Commission

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Sir J. Biggs-Davison), 11 December, Official Report, column 493, what statutory or other requirement there is upon the Boundary Commission not to submit its main report on parliamentary constituencies otherwise than at the same time as its supplementary report upon constituencies in a hypothetical Northern Ireland Assembly.

Section 28(2) of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 provides that where the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland submits its main report—on parliamentary constituencies—it shall submit therewith a supplementary report on the distribution of Northern Ireland Assembly seats.

Attorney-General

Chronically Sick And Disabled Persons Act

asked the Attorney-General when he intends to introduce a Bill to consolidate the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 into a Social Welfare Act; and whether such consolidation will include the Disabled Persons Act 1981.

There are no plans for a general consolidation of statute law relating to social welfare including the 1970 and 1981 Acts. Consideration is being given to consolidation of the law relating to local services which could affect certain sections of the 1970 Act but no decision has been taken.

Criminal Trials (Procedure)

asked the Attorney-General what steps will be taken to ensure that information known to the prosecution will be disclosed to the defence in cases to be tried by the Crown court in the light of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on criminal procedure.

My hon. Friend will be aware that the recommendations of the working party on disclosre of information on trials on indictment were accepted by the Royal Commission on criminal procedure at chapter 8, paragraph 19.In order to ensure that uniform standards are applied with regard to such disclosure, I have issued guidelines for prosecutors on the disclosure of information to the defence in cases to be tried on indictment.These guidelines are based on the recommendations of the working party.Copies of the guidelines have been placed in the Library of the House.

Employment

Dock Work Regulation Acts (Review)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will appoint a committee to review the working of the Dock Work Regulation Acts and to bring forward recommendations.

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

Industrial Premises (Major Hazards)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many industrial premises in the United Kingdom are currently listed as major hazards by the Health and Safety Executive.

497 industrial sites in Great Britain are currently listed by the Health and Safety Executive as major hazards.

Escalator Accidents

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many accidents involving escalators have been reported to his Department so far in 1981 under the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1980; and what proportion of these were serious enough to result in permanent disability.

The information is not immediately available, but when it is obtained I shall write to my hon. Friend.

Advisory, Conciliation And Arbitration Service

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many strikes the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service succeeded in averting in the year ended March 1981.

Many of ACAS's activities are informal or advisory and it is not possible to quantify their important contribution to industrial peace. In the year ended 31 March 1981 ACAS conciliated in 1,766 cases; in about 90 per cent of these it was involved before any industrial action had taken place. In 77 per cent of the above cases ACAS achieved a settlement or progress towards a settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total cost of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service in the financial year ended 1981.

The accounts of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service for the financial year 1980–81 were published on 28 October 1981—Cmnd. 497. The total cost, including certification officer and central arbitration committee, was £12,206,002.

Unemployment Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, of the total of persons currently unemployed, how many are female; and, of these, how many are not the breadwinners of single-parent families.

Of the 2,953,340 persons registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom on 12 November, 856,643 were female. It is not possible to distinguish from records held at employment offices, on which the unemployment figures are based, how many were breadwinners of single-parent families.

Weekly Earnings

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state for the last year for which figures are available the level of average weekly earnings for males and females, respectively, in work in the United Kingdom and the corresponding figure for Scotland, Wales and each of the standard regions in England and for Cornwall; and if he will also express these figures as a percentage of the United Kingdom figures.

The following table sets out the information at present available from the "New Earnings Survey" for 1981. The level of average weekly earnings for each area is expressed as a percentage of the average for Great Britain.

Average gross weekly earnings in April 1981 of full-time employees whose pay was not affected by absence
	^Males aged 21 and over*		^Females aged 18 and over*
	£	As a percentage of Great Britain	£	As a percentage of Great Britain
		average		average
Great Britain	140·5	100	91·4	100
Scotland	140·0	99·6	87·1	95·3
Wales	132·7	94·4	87·5	95·7
England
South-East	152·4	108·5	99·6	109·0
East Anglia	133·7	95·2	87·2	95·4
South-West	132·6	94·4	87·2	95·4
Cornwall	118·1	84·1	82·3	90·0
West Midlands	131·5	93·6	86·7	94·9
East Midlands	133·6	95·1	84·6	92·6
Yorkshire and Humberside	133·6	95·1	85·6	93·7
North-West	136·5	97·2	88·4	96·7
North	134·7	95·9	88·0	96·3
^* Separate figures for manual and for non-manual employees for the standard regions of Great Britain were published in part A of the 1981 report, tables 12 and 13.

Source:

"New Earnings Survey 1981"

Note:

Differences in average earnings between areas will reflect any differences in the structure of industry and occupations, and do not necessarily indicate differences in rates of pay for comparable jobs.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Northern Ireland

asked the Lord Privy Seal, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Sir J. Biggs-Davison) on 7 December, Official Report, column 285, in what respects the attitude adopted by the United States Government, as made known to him by the American Deputy Secretary of State, is helpful to Her Majesty's Government in the context of Northern Ireland; and if he will publish any information made known by him to the Deputy Secretary of State but not made known to the Parliament or public of the United Kingdom, on the discussion on 6 November between the Prime Minister and the Irish Premier.

The aspects of the United States Government's attitude to Northern Ireland that are helpful are their resolute condemnation of violence and terrorism; their efforts to prevent fund raising and the acquisition of anus in the United States of America for use by terrorists in Northern Ireland; their refusal to adopt a policy or position on the question of Irish unity; and, finally, their recognition that if solutions are to ensure they must come from the people themselves and that it is not for the United States to chart the course that others must follow.Although it is not the practice of Her Majesty's Government to reveal the details of confidential discussions with the representatives of foreign Governments, I can tell the right hon. Gentleman that I informed Judge Clark about the discussions between my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and the Taioseach in the same terms as have been used to inform the Parliament and the public of the United Kingdom.

Hong Kong Police Force (Inspector Maclennan)

asked the Lord Privy Seal what disciplinary action has been taken or is proposed against those officers of the Hong Kong police force whose actions were criticised by Justice Yang in the report of the commission of inquiry into Inspector MacLennan's case.

Examination of this matter is continuing and action, including reference to the complaints against the police office, is being taken in appropriate cases.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether any changes in the law of Hong Kong are proposed in the light of the conclusions of the inquiry into Inspector MacLennan's case.

No.

Female Discrimination (United Nations Convention)

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will ensure that ratification of the United Nations convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women is not further delayed.

We shall take a decision on ratification as soon as possible, but in view of the wide scope of the convention and the need to consult the Channel Islands. the Isle of Man and the dependent territories in detail I cannot say when this will be.

Nicaragua

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will take steps, in co-ordination with France, the Netherlands, Italy and West Germany, to promote trade and aid with Nicaragua.

The promotion of trade between nations is a matter for the individual countries concerned. We encourage such trade with Nicaragua. The co-ordination of aid to Nicaragua is already undertaken to a certain extent through the European Community.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he or his noble friend the Foreign Secretary has received a request to meet the Foreign Secretary of Nicaragua in the past month; and if he will make a statement.

On 15 December a request was made on behalf of the Nicaraguan Foreign Minister to meet my right hon. and noble Friend the following day. In the event, as he was not available, I paid a call on the Nicaraguan Foreign Minister on 17 December.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what requests for aid or loan for the purchase of United Kingdom manufactured machinery has been made by the Government of Nicaragua in the past three months; and what reply has been sent.

A request was received on 25 September to provide credit to cover the cost of Nicaraguan imports from the United Kingdom at 1977 levels. A note was sent on 12 October informing the Nicaraguan embassy that there was no possibility of official Government credit being extended to cover such purchases.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether Her Majesty's Government now have plans to establish a diplomatic presence in Nicaragua.

Our ambassador in San Jose is accredited to Managua. There are currently no plans to change that arrangement.

Central America

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will raise in the United Nations as a threat to world peace the proposed use of Argentinian forces in Central America; and if he will make a statement.

No. The Argentine Government have publicly ruled out the sending of Argentine troops to El Salvador and have stressed their commitment to a polcy of non-intervention in the domestic affairs of other countries.

Energy

Offshore Safety

asked the Secretary of State for Energy which of the recommendations made by the Burgoyne committee on offshore safety have been implemented since the report was published; which other recommendations he expects to be implemented during 1982; and which recommendations he does not intend to implement.

The following recommendations have been implemented in whole or in part: 6.5 to 6.7, 6.10, 6.15 to 6.17, 6.21 to 6.23, 6.26, 6.28, 6.32, 6.33, 6.35, 6.41.1, 6.43 to 6.48, 6.50, 6.53, 6.56, 6.59, 6.63 to 6.65. Studies and/or consultations are under way regarding recommendations 6.24, 6.30, 6.31, 6.38, 6.49, 6.54, 6.55, 6.57, 6.60 to 6.62 and 6.66. It should be possible to implement the following recommendations during 1982: 6.8, 6.9, 6.12, 6.14, 6.25, 6.27, 6.34, 6.36, 6.37, 6.39, 6.40, 6.41.2 to 6.42 and 6.52.

North Sea (Fatal Accidents)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many fatal and serious accidents have occurred in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea up to 1 December 1981.

Since 1965, 111 fatal accidents and 426 accidents resulting in serious injury occurred on or near offshore installations.

Social Services

Disabled Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many disabled people who are unemployed, but considered to be capable of work, will suffer a cut in their standard of living in consequence of the Government's decision not to make good the 2 per cent. shortfall in the uprating of benefits for unemployed people.

Precise information is not available but there are 192,000 unemployed people registering for work and classified as disabled under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Acts. The great majority of these are likely to be receiving either unemployment benefit or supplementary benefit, or both, although some w ill also be receiving benefits which are covered by the Government's pledge to make good the shortfall in this year's uprating. But as my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor has said, final decisions on all the amounts of the 1982 uprating will be taken as usual next spring. Only then will it be possible to assess the effect of these decisions on the standard of living of any particular group.

Long-Term Supplementary Allowance

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, further to the Under-Secretary of State's undertaking on 3 December 1981 to look further into the 2 per cent. shortfall in the long-term supplementary allowance, Official Report, c. 486, he will now make a statement on the Government's intentions.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services said in the debate on Second Reading of the Social Security (Contributions) Bill on 15 December 1981—[Vol. 15, c. 173–234.]

Mental Illness

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what measures he intends to introduce to meet the increase in mental illness in recent years.

Evidence available does not suggest any recent increase in mental illness generally. But very old people are particularly liable to psychiatric disorders, so measures are needed to expand, as well as improve, relevant services to meet the needs of the larger numbers expected in the next 20 years in the over-75 age groups. I set out in my reply of 21 October to the hon. Member for Eccles (Mr. Carter-Jones)—[Vol. 10, c. 156–7]—a number of measures already in hand to improve the position for elderly psychiatric patients.

Benefits

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what provisions exist in his Department to accommodate the needs of social benefit recipients who cannot read or speak the English language, or who may be unable to write, in regard to the declarations they would otherwise be required to sign on receipt of such benefit payments.

Help can usually be made available to claimants with little or no command of English from relatives or friends, advisory services or staff familiar with the language concerned. When a claimant is interviewed, it is usual for any declaration which he is to be required to sign to be read over to him. A claimant who cannot write his name will be invited to make a mark which the interviewing officer will witness. In Wales it is the practice to issue claims forms and leaflets dealing with the conditions for receipt of benefits written in English, but Welsh language equivalents are available and notices to that effect are displayed in all local social security offices in the Principality. Welsh-speaking members of staff can normally be called on to assist at interviews. Much of the public contact in local offices in Welsh-speaking areas is conducted anyway in the Welsh language.

Family Income Supplement

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has made an estimate of the effect, if any, of the increase in claims for family income supplement following the 1980 uprating on the estimated 50 per cent. take-up of family income supplement.

	1959	1969	1979	1980
NHS Directly Employed Staff (Numbers) United Kingdom^*	Not available	716,000	1,197,000	1,228,000
Persons waiting for Hospital admission England †	not available	532,370	687,686	640,110

Notes:; These figures are from Department of Employment returns as at 30 June. This is the only source to yield figures of directly employed NHS staff in all parts of the United Kingdom for the years in question, although a comparison of the 1979 and 1980 figures with those for earlier years is not valid because of the transfer of staff from local government in the 1974 reorganisation of the NHS. These figures include both part-time and full-time staff and cannot be translated into whole-time equivalents.† Information about numbers of people waiting for hospital admission is for England only as at 31 December.

Artificial Insemination

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the hospital clinics where artificial insemination by donor is available on the National Health Service.

No central list of such clinics is kept.

Black Report

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list each of the recommendations of the

No, there is no estimate of the take-up of family income supplement—(FIS)—later than that derived from the family finances survey. The 1980 FIS uprating was larger than the increases in average earnings and it is estimated that there would have been some 10,000 extra FIS awards attributable to that. However, the hon. Member will be glad to know that the number of FIS awards in the 1980–81 benefit year is expected to have been not 10,000 but about 25,000 higher than the number in the preceding benefit year. I hope that this is indicative of some improvement in the level of FIS take-up.

Purchasing Policy

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether it is the practice within the National Health Service to purchase British goods in preference to those from elsewhere, whenever possible; if he has issued a circular to this effect; and, if so, on what date.

I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. and learned Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury's reply to his questions about public sector purchasing on 16 December 1981.—[Vol 15, c. 166–7.] The Health Service Supply Council, which is the NHS's supply policy making body, wrote to all regional health authorities on 18 September 1981 commending the Government's public purchasing policy.

National Health Service

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the total number of persons employed in the National Health Service in the United Kingdom in 1959, 1969, 1979 and at the latest date for which figures are available; and how many persons were waiting for hospital admission in 1959, 1969, 1979, and at the latest date for which figures are available.

The available information is set out in the following table:Black report on inequalities in health which fall within the responsibilities of his Department and the action so far taken, or intended, on each.

Most of the 37 recommendations in the Black report relate to responsibilities of the Department of Health and Social Security. I shall set them out, together with the action taken so far, in a letter to the hon. Member which I shall then place in the Library of the House.

Pregnancy (Alcohol Consumption)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how he defines the words "drinking in moderation" for the purpose of his advice to women on the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy.

On alcohol during pregnancy I refer the right hon. Member to my reply of 26 November 1981 to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short)—[Vol. 13, c. 457–8.]On the case for and against the Government defining "moderation", I refer the right hon. Member to chapters II and V of the discussion document "Drinking Sensibly", publication of which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd) on 14 December 1981—[Vol. 15, c.

55–56.]

Trade

Vehicle Imports And Exports

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will publish in the Official Report any figures available to him indicating whether Japanese suppliers of cars have taken advantage of the quotas to export larger cars to the United Kingdom.

Imports of Japanese cars are not subject to quota restrictions. The available figures, summarised as follows, do not show any trend towards increasing size in the Japanese cars imported.

Percentage of total imports of cars from Japan classified by engine capacity
	1978	1979	1980	Jan., Feb. and Sept.1981
Not exceeding 1500 cc	60	53	59	57

United Kingdom imports and exports of heavy commercial vehicles 1974–1980
Year	Trade with EC Countries				Trade with non-EC countries
	Number	Imports Value	Number	Exports Value	Number	Imports Value	Number	Exports Value
		(£'000		(£000)		(£'000)		(£000)
1974	2,700	7,094	11,228	23,759	137	783	41,739	74,249
1975	1,297	7,031	10,551	29,088	388	3,223	59,259	154,983
1976	2,078	15,472	11,747	41,415	762	6,568	53,469	178,495
1977	3,607	28,913	12,607	58,509	1,269	12,928	46,878	200,810
1978	4,624	38,334	11,442	66,858	1,901	19,718	36,840	175,325
1979	9,447	57,706	13,223	86,461	2,741	44,900	35,999	181,301
1980	8,535	70,766	10,167	72,230	2,663	31,823	35,488	188,065
1981 (September)	294	3,659	312	2,819	145	2,485	2,286	14,155

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the European Economic Community tariff on motor cars; whether and to what extent this is expected to be reduced under international agreements; how it compares with the level of the United Kingdom tariff before United Kingdom entry into the Common Market; and whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number and value of imports and exports of cars between the United Kingdom and the European

1978

1979

1980

Jan., Feb. and Sept. 1981

Exceeding 1500 cc but not exceeding 3000 cc

Exceeding 3000 cc

—

Notes:

(a) Figures correspond to SITC (R2) Group 781 in the United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics.

(b) Figures for March to August 1981 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the European Economic Community tariff on heavy commercial vehicles; whether and to what extent this is expected to be reduced under international agreements; how it compares with the level of the United Kingdom tariff before United Kingdom entry into the Common Market; and whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number and value of imports and exports of heavy commercal vehicles between the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community and between the United Kingdom and non-European Economic Community countries for each year since 1970 and for September 1981, grossed up at an annual rate.

The information is as follows:

(a) The present common customs tariff duty is 22 per cent, ad valorem.

(b)This duty is not being reduced as a result of existing international agreements.

(c) At 1 January 1972 the United Kingdom duty was 22 per cent. ad valorem.

Statistics relating to heavy commercial vehicles are as follows. The figures for September 1981 are shown but not converted to an annual basis since this would be entirely speculative. Comparable figures for 1970 to 1973 are not available.Economic Community, and between the United Kingdom and non-EEC countries, for each year since 1970 and for September 1981 grossed up at an annual rate.

The information is as follows:

(a) The present common customs tariff duty is 10.8 per cent ad valorem.

(b) Under the Tokyo round of GATT multilateral trade negotiations this duty is due to be reduced by annual stages to 10 per cent. at 1 January 1987.

Statistics relating to the imports and exports of cars are as follows. The figures for September 1981 are shown but not converted to an annual basis since this would be entirely speculative.

United Kingdom Imports and Exports of Cars 1970 to 1980 and September 1981
Year	Trade with EEC Countries				Trade with Non-EEC Countries
	Number	Imports Value £'000	Number	Exports Value £000	Number	Imports Value £000	Number	Exports Value £000
1970	134,349	68,901	146,646	50,464	24,498	17,055	546,515	279,204
1971	232,579	136,923	169,419	60,517	50,933	36,178	553,641	310,541
1972	330,391	236,715	163,013	59,455	123,497	90,024	465,061	271,191
1973	345,632	307,532	235,228	112,577	162,871	132,578	365,029	262,675
1974	248,319	245,590	161,258	86,796	129,334	111,700	408,324	339,366
1975	278,134	337,440	123,312	107,508	173,639	178,723	398,442	386,291
1976	361,727	643,243	134,919	178,379	176,058	245,910	370,737	475,992
1977	485,747	986,477	140,570	246,926	215,981	341,682	345,918	527,742
1978	548,211	1,288,490	127,698	285,283	258,727	485,586	350,880	659,561
1979	727,918	1,915,318	147,163	279,276	343,610	685,087	272,554	557,393
1980	555,345	1,513,094	128,361	274,502	316,696	595,004	236,753	561,394
September 1980	40,568	123,409	9,163	19,774	18,248	47,952	11,550	42,554

Licensed Dealers (Conduct Of Business) Rules

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects to publish his proposals for amending the Licensed Dealers (Conduct of Business) Rules.

My Department will be writing to the representative bodies of the securities industry in the next few days outlining its proposals. We aim to publish draft regulations by the end of February.

Polyurethane Foam-Filled Furniture

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will sponsor a national publicity campaign to warn the public about the dangers of polyurethane foam-filled furniture.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on 17 December 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is satisfied with the regulations intended to protect the public from the fire dangers of polyurethane foam-filled furniture; and whether he is giving any consideration to making these more stringent.

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

European Community (Doorstep Selling)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what stage of consideration the European Economic Community directive on doorstep selling has reached; and when he expects it to be adopted.

Considerable progress has been achieved during the United Kingdom Presidency in resolving outstanding problems about the precise terms of the draft directive. I hope that agreement on a final text will be reached shortly. Once this has been done, I shall submit the final text for scrutiny. As my hon. Friend knows, the Government have placed a general reserve on this draft directive. I shall therefore also need to decide whether to withdraw this reserve when the final text is considered by the Council.

Nicaragua

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to promote trade, particularly in mechanical spare parts, with Nicaragua.

I support trade with any country so long as there is a reasonable prospect of payment. Nicaragua is acutely short of foreign currency and the ECGD has a number of outstanding claims. I am afraid therefore that it is not prepared to provide credit cover.

Industry

British Steel Corporation (Redundant Workers)

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many of those workers made redundant by the British Steel Corporation have been placed in new jobs.

This information is not available.

New And Small Businesses

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total estimated cost to date of the 72 measures designed to aid new and small businesses, which were referred to by the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. MacGregor) on 13 November, Official Report, c. 765.

The 72 measures include many, such as tax measures, whose cost is difficult to estimate. Furthermore, some of the measures benefit firms and individuals other than small firms. It is therefore not possible to give precisely the total cost of all the measures, but I believe they will be of substantial benefit.

British Leyland

asked the Secretary of State for Industry in what form information relating to Government financial assistance to British Leyland before 1974 is held by his Department; and what factors relating to the retrieval of such information for the purpose of answering parliamentary questions incur the disproportionate cost Department; and what factors relating to the retrieval of referred to in his answer of 14 December to the hon. Member for West Lothian, Official Report, c. 23.

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

Volume 15: debated on Friday 18 December 1981

Written Answers To Questions

Environment

Brook Advisory Centres

Inner City Areas

Local Authorities (Expenditure)

Local Authority Housing Capital Expenditure

Transport

Road Track Costs

Accident Statistics

Barton High Level Bridge

Prime Minister

Civil Service Department

Regional Development Grants

Scotland

Rate Support Grant

Hunter Report

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Agricultural Products (Prices)

National Finance

National Debt

European Community (Customs Duties)

Paye (Computerisation)

Excise Duty (Receipts)

Defence

Minesweepers

Surplus Firearms

Hms "Invincible"

Volunteer Reserve Officers (Mess Kit)

Exercise "Halcon Vista"

Education And Science

Local Authorities Consultative Council

Books (Expenditure)

Polytechnics And Colleges Of Further Education

Educational Qualifications

Home Department

Christmas Party (Wymott Prison)

Polyurethane Foam-Filled Furniture

Terrorism

Non-Political Organisations (Research Grants)

Overseas Development

Nicaragua

Northern Ireland

Proscribed Organisations

Boundary Commission

Attorney-General

Chronically Sick And Disabled Persons Act

Criminal Trials (Procedure)

Employment

Dock Work Regulation Acts (Review)

Industrial Premises (Major Hazards)

Escalator Accidents

Advisory, Conciliation And Arbitration Service

Unemployment Statistics

Weekly Earnings

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Northern Ireland

Hong Kong Police Force (Inspector Maclennan)

Female Discrimination (United Nations Convention)

Nicaragua

Central America

Energy

Offshore Safety

North Sea (Fatal Accidents)

Social Services

Disabled Persons

Long-Term Supplementary Allowance

Mental Illness

Benefits

Family Income Supplement

Artificial Insemination

Black Report

Purchasing Policy

National Health Service

Pregnancy (Alcohol Consumption)

Trade

Vehicle Imports And Exports

Licensed Dealers (Conduct Of Business) Rules

Polyurethane Foam-Filled Furniture