asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, in the light of codes of practice issued by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, he is satisfied with the operation of sections 27 and 28 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978; and whether he has any plans to seek amendment of these provisions.

In general, I am satisfied with the operation of the sections referred to. I am however aware that the Court of Appeal is shortly to hear an appeal against a decision of the employment appeal tribunal relating to a complaint under section 27. I propose to look again at the issue in the light of the court's judgment and to continue to watch carefully the developing case law on the section.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will initiate discussions with the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry aimed at improving industrial relations and increasing productivity by encouraging firms to take a 10-day midwinter holiday between Christmas and new year; and if he will make a statement.

No. Holiday arrangements over this period, as at other times of the year, are primarily a matter for employers and employees to agree in the light of their own circumstances. It would be wrong for the Government to encourage any particular arrangement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what have been his Department's specific contributions to the International Year of Disabled People.

During the International Year of Disabled People the Government gave their full support to the Manpower Services Commission's fit for work campaign which, in common with the stated aims of the international year, is designed to create a greater awareness of the abilities of disabled people among the general public, and employers in particular. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment, together with other Ministerial colleagues, was particularly pleased to be able to attend the reception for fit for work award winners in November.Earlier in the year, as part of the campaign linked with the international year, the MSC and the BBC organised an "able to work" week of radio programmes on the employment of disabled people in which my right hon. Friends the then Secretary of State and Minister of State for Employment took part.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total estimated cost in the current financial year, at 1981 cash prices, of administering all the different income maintenance payments and allowances, for instance training allowances and payments under the youth opportunities scheme, for which his Department is responsible.

The schemes for which the Department of Employment is responsible which involve income maintenance payments and allowances are the training opportunities scheme, the youth opportunities programme, the community enterprise scheme, community industry, the temporary short time working compensation scheme, the job release scheme, and the maternity pay fund.The administrative costs of these schemes in 1981–82, which are provided for in the Estimates in class IV, votes 13, 16 and 17, but not all separately identified, are assessed to be £65 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers were working short time in each of the last 24 months; and for how many the short-time working compensation scheme allowance was payable.

Statistics on short-time working are available only for operatives in manufacturing industries and are published monthly in Employment Gazette at table 1.11. The following table, for Great Britain, shows for April 1980 to November 1981 the numbers of short-time workers receiving support under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme. It is related to employees, including operatives, in all industries and services. Figures for December 1979 to March 1980 are not comparable with subsequent figures because of changes made from April 1980 in the method of calculating the numbers of people helped under the scheme.

Numbers of workers sharing short-time in claims that were submitted for payment
Month
1980
April	93, 100
May	110, 971
June	126, 873
July	198, 377
August	154, 110
September	236, 439

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the report of the Manpower Services Commission on the Professional and Executive Register; and to what extent he proposes to implement it.

I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply of 23 December to my hon. Friend the Member for Cornwall, North (Mr. Neale) on 23 December 1981.—[Vol. 15, c. 455–56.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what he estimates to be the net cost of Her Majesty's Government's new training programme for unemployed 16-year-old school leavers, after taking account of savings in supplementary benefit in 1981–82, 1982–83 and 1983–84, respectively.

The new youth training scheme comes into operation in 1983, and the youth opportunities programme continues until then.The estimated cost of the youth opportunities programme, after taking into account savings in supplementary benefits, will be £276 million in 1981–82 and £509 million in 1982–83.However, taking into account increased National Insurance contributions, direct and indirect taxes paid by adult employees on the programme, and increased indirect taxes paid by participants in the programme, the overall net cost of the programme is estimated at £236 million in 1981–82 and £431 million in 1982–83.It is not possible to give similar figures for the new youth training scheme in 1983–84 because details of the scheme have not been finally decided.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the comments he has received on the recommendations of the Manpower Services Commission about the quota scheme for the employment of disabled people.

The Government have now received the views of a range of interested organisations and individuals on the MSC's proposals. We are anxious to give full consideration to the points which have been raised. This is bound to take a little time, but my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, will make a further statement as soon as practicable.

asked the Attorney-General whether the Department of the Lord Chancellor has made any specific contributions to the International Year of Disabled People; and if he will list them.

A special effort was made to recruit disabled persons and to encourage existing disabled employees to register. By the end of the year, 29 additional registered disabled persons were known to the Department. Staff were encouraged to become more aware of the problems of their disabled colleagues and members of the public, and a prize essay competition was held to stimulate interest in their difficulties. In conjunction with the Property Services Agency, steps were taken to ensure that the many new court buildings now under construction will contain adequate facilities for the disabled.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the reorganisation of the trade promotion work of his Department.

My predecessor as Secretary of State for Trade told the House on 30 April 1980 that he was making significant savings of staff and money, totalling some 100 posts and £10 million, on export promotion work and that he was giving consideration to the question of organisation of this work with the aim of ensuring maximum efficiency and the minimum disruption to the main thrust of our export work. We have now completed the last stages of a major restructuring of this important area of the Department's responsibilities. We have received valuable help from the British Overseas Trade Board in achieving this. The aim has been to bring together within one building and under one head all the support services which the Government can appropriately provide for United Kingdom exporters—other than ECGD—and to give these services a stronger market orientation. The results should be even greater cost effectiveness for our operations. I have placed details of the new structure in the library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps he proposes to take to protect the British clothing and textile industry in the light of the failure of the EEC Trade Ministers' meeting in Brussels to reach an adequate and effective protocol for the multi-fibre arrangement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list any specific contributions his Department has made to the International Year of Disabled People.

My Department has had little opportunity to make a direct contribution to the International Year of Disabled People but it has encouraged the development of facilities and equipment for the handicapped passenger sponsored by the airports authorities and the airlines.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps are being taken in the efforts to bring the proposed European Community trade marks office to London.

The Department of Trade in collaboration with the Greater London Council has produced a brochure which underlines the many advantages of London as the seat for the Community trade marks office. The brochure illustrates the wealth of suitable office accommodation which is readily available, the long association of trade mark activities with London and the facilities available for the staff who will be drawn from all over the Community. It also highlights the advantages of London to potential users of a Community trade mark system such as the ease of access from all parts of the world and the existence of large numbers of agents, solicitors and lawyers able to give expert guidence in trade mark matters.The brochure was presented to a meeting of the permanent representatives to the European Community on 13 January. A copy has been placed in the Library.We are in the process of sending the brochure to the Commission, the Council of Ministers, Members of the European Parliament and to trade mark and commercial circles throughout the Community.

asked the Lord President of the Council if, in respect of any of his responsibilities, he will list the specific contributions made to the International Year of Disabled People.

To mark the International Year of Disabled People the following improvements in facilities were made within the precincts of the Palace of Westminster:

i. Two additional car parking spaces were made available in Star Court specifically for wheelchair users.

ii. Work began in December to provide ramps and dropped kerbs to enable wheelchair users to enter New Palace Yard at Carriage Gates.

Two further proposed improvements are currently under consideration by the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee to the Services Committee.These are:

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will invite the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services) to consider the re-allocation of part or whole of the former interview floor of the House for rooms reserved for private meetings of hon. Members.

No. The accommodation on the Lower Ground Floor was carefully re-allocated in 1976 on the basis of a recommendation from the Services Committee and is fully used.If the hon. Member has a particular point to raise, perhaps he would write to me.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, whether he has studied the estimate made by the National Farmers Union of Scotland that an increase of 16 per cent. in EEC farm support prices is required to enable British farmers to cope with increased production costs and to raise incomes to the official target level; if he will make a comparable estimate; and if he will take steps to secure a satisfactory agreement for the British agriculture industry.

The economic condition and prospects of the agricultural industry are being examined in the annual review of agriculture and will be borne in mind in the forthcoming common agricultural policy price negotiations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will expedite his autumn review of prices paid to milk producers.

I announced the results of my autumn review of milk prices in a written reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Devon, West (Mr. Mills) on 22 December.—[Vol. 15, c. 358–9.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is taking steps with a view to suspending the operation of the co-responsibility levy in the United Kingdom until the end of March 1982.

No. It would be for the Commission to take the initiative in proposing a suspension of the levy, and I do not in any case believe that such a step would be justified in isolation, given the continuing surplus in the Community's dairy production.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that the weight of added water involved in the preparation of poultry and other prepacked food has to be shown on the package; and if he will make a statement.

There are Community provisions covering the water content of frozen and deep frozen chickens, cocks and hens. The Food Labelling Regulations 1980, which come fully into operation on 1 January 1983, require the labels of other foods containing added water to include it in the list of ingredients, unless it does not exceed 5 per cent. of the weight of the product. Ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight, but the actual weight of the ingredient does not have to be given.My Department is at present discussing with all interested organisations proposals for new meat products regulations, which would require the amount of added water in meat to be declared.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list any specific contributions his Department has made to the International Year of Disabled People.

During the International Year of Disabled People we have provided car parking facilities specifically for disabled visitors at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Wakehurst Place and additional invalid chair ramps have been installed and pathways widened to give easy access to display houses and the gardens. These developments add to the facilities for the disabled which were already provided at both establishments.Elsewhere we have provided suitable toilet facilities and bought special office furniture. We have also supplied two special electronic aids for the blind. These enable information to be stored and retrieved by blind people and have proved of the greatest value to the officers concerned. My Department has been among the first to purchase such equipment.Members of my staff have made their own special contributions to the International Year of Disabled People. Two divisional offices, Carlisle and Truro, each raised £1, 000 in events run for disabled charities while at Hereford staff took part in the Wye raft race and raised nearly £4, 000 through their efforts.By granting special leave with pay my Department made it possible for an officer from Leeds to participate in the World Games for the Deaf held at Cologne, West Germany.

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) why the school hostel at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, is not yet in a suitable condition for occupation, namely, practically complete in accordance with the specifications laid down in the contract; and when he now expects completion and occupation to take place;(2) if revised calculations on the inner skin of the corridor roof of the school hostel at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands have yet been completed; and if the Crown Agents are now satisfied with the structural soundness of the building;(3) if he will arrange for the Overseas Development Administration to provide adequate resources to the Falkland Islands Government to finish work on the school hostel at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, without delay, leaving the Government to negotiate with Coalite on outstanding contractural matters so that the hostel can be in use by February.

The calculations in respect of the main components of the school hostel have been completed and indicate that some strengthening of the building is likely to be necessary. An engineer from my Department will be going in January to the Falkland Islands and decisions will be taken in the light of his report. I cannot say at this stage when the hostel will be in use but it is unlikely to be by February. It is my intention to ensure that the hostel will be completed as soon as possible and that work will not be held up pending settlement of contractual matters. Until I have my engineer's report I cannot say what further work is required nor to what extent it is capable of being done by the Falkland Islands Government and I am not therefore in a position to consider whether any resources should be provided to the Falkland Islands Government for this purpose.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether the Overseas Development Administration will be represented at the conference on solar energy in developing countries organised by the United Kingdom section of the International Solar Energy Society; and, if so, at what level, and by whom.

The Overseas Development Administration will be represented by its energy adviser at the conference on solar energy for developing countries organised by the United Kingdom section of the International Solar Energy Society on 27 January 1982. The Administration's energy adviser is a member of the organising body and will chair a session on solar water pumping.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, of the 112 North Sea wells in which the British National Oil Corporation has participated between 1976 and 1980, what has been the success ratio; and, of 29 wells drilled as operator and 83 in which the British National Oil Corporation participated as venture partner, how many oil discoveries were made in each category.

On the UKCS to end 1980 BNOC had been involved in licences in which a total of 202 wells were drilled.Where BNOC was an operator the success ratio (assuming success to be an exploration well which flowed on test more than 1000 BOPD or 20 mmcfd gas) was 1 in 7 and in wells in which they were not the operator, 1 in 4; overall it was 1 in 6.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of oil consumption per head of population in the United Kingdom for 1981; and what is his estimate of the oil consumption per head of population in 1990 and 2000, assuming that (a) the United Kingdom's consumption as a fraction of oil consumption remains constant and (b) the United Kingdom's consumption per head is the world average per head of consumption.

It is estimated that United Kingdom oil consumption will be between 1·33 and 1·37 tonnes per head in 1981. Estimates of future United Kingdom and world oil consumption rates are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the 23 fields announced between the beginning of 1976 and the beginning of 1980 which would now be eligible for development delay, pursuant to rules laid down by the Secretary of State for Energy of 6 December 1974.

The 23 fields in question are listed in appendix 2 to the report to Parliament entitled "Development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom 1981", made by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Energy in April 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a Keeling schedule bringing up to date part II of schedule 3 to the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975 in the form these schedules will have when schedule 2 to the Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Bill has been enacted; and if he will issue consolidated regulations similarly bringing up to date schedules 4 and 5 to the Petroleum (Production) Regulations 1976 as proposed to be amended by the Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Bill.

I do not consider that the cost of publishing a Keeling schedule would be justified in this case. However, I intend issuing consolidated regulations in due course for applications to future offshore petroleum licences.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the Treasury or the British National Oil Corporation will hold the 49 per cent. equity holding in the new company, Britoil, to be established under the provision of the Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Bill.

The Government will hold the remaining shares in Britoil following flotation.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will publish in the Official Report the memorandum and articles of association of Britoil before the completion of the House's consideration of the Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Bill.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend told the House on 10 November.—[Vol. 12, c. 443.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what investment was undertaken in the North Sea following licensing rounds five and six; and how this compared with earlier rounds.

The only capital expenditure incurred in the North Sea to date relates to fields in production or under development, all of which were discovered under licences issued before the fifth round.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the success ratio of drilling in areas in the North Sea following each of the seven rounds of licensing to the latest date for which figures are available.

The information needed to answer this question is not readily available and would need considerable effort to collate it and would incur costs disproportionate to the value of the answer.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many drilling rigs were operating in the North Sea at the date of each new round of licensing.

Information on rig locations during the first four licensing rounds, held prior to 1972, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.For the last three rounds the figures are:

5th round August 1978	26 rigs
6th round December 1979	23 rigs
7th round March 1981	28 rigs

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list any specific contributions his Department has made to the International Year of Disabled People.

In the International Year of Disabled People the Department has sought, as in any other year, to offer employment to any disabled people responding to advertised vacancies and to help those already working in the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he received from the hon. Member for Newham, North-West a letter dated 14 October 1981 regarding Ms Shirley G. of Romford Road, E7 9HJ (Ref N. L169654/9); what was the purport of this communication; why it took him until 24 November 1981 to write to the hon. Member saying the matter was receiving attention; why by 4 January 1982 no further communication had been sent; when the hon. Member may expect a substantive reply; and whether he will take action to expedite replies to the hon. Member, to hon. Members generally and to members of the public who write to his Department.

The hon. Member's letter of 14 October 1981 was received in the Home Office on 15 October and acknoW1edged that day. The case about which the hon. Member wrote raised difficult matters of law and policy, and when it became clear that it would take some weeks to resolve, he was informed on 24 November that my right hon. Friend the Minister of State would send him a full reply as soon as possible. This he did on 6 January, and he wrote again on 11 January to explain the delay.The Home Office has a very large volume of correspondence and I am satisfied on the whole that letters from right hon. and hon. Members and from the public generally are answered as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up a comprehensive inquiry into the use of computers by the police; and if he will make a statement.

Police forces use computers for administrative and operational purposes. Both uses have been approached with care. Special care has been applied where processes connected with police operations have been converted from manual to electronic form. Such uses have usually been developed through pilot schemes undertaken jointly by the Home Office and police forces. These schemes and their development more widely in the police service have been reported to Parliament in successive annual reports by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary. The Home Office continues to keep in close touch with chief officers of police about the use of computers. Chief officers are well aware of the need to balance gains in police efficiency and effectiveness with safeguards for individuals. We see no need for an inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of fines imposed by the courts in 1980; and how many remained unpaid at the end of 1981.

In 1980, about 1, 911, 000 offenders were fined for their principal offence; details are published in tables S4.4(a) and S4.4(b) of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary tables 1980, Vol. 4", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Information on the number of fines unpaid at the end of 1981 is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take action to improve the efficiency and working success of the Race Relations Board; and whether he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 23 December about the Home Affairs Committee's report on the Commission for Racial Equality, which replaced the Race Relations Board in 1977.—[Vol. 15, c. 424.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will appoint Mr. Joe Gormley as the next chairman of the Horse Race Betting Levy Board or the Horse Race Totalisator Board.

I will bear the hon. Member's suggestion in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Macclesfield of 18 December, he will take steps to restrict the payments of grants by the Commission for Racial Equality for research, project aid and self-help entirely to non-political organisations; and if he will make a statement.

No. The commission has assured us that it does not give grants for political purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give figures for immigration into the United Kingdom from India, Pakistan, the West Indies, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda for each of the past three years; and what requests to work here in the future have been made by residents of these countries.

Statistics of persons accepted for settlement are published by nationality in the annual Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom 1980"—Cmnd. 8199—a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Table 14 of this publication gives data for 1975 to 1980.Applications for work permits are made to the Department of Employment. The numbers of outstanding applications by country are not readily available. However, statistics of work permits issued and refused by country are published regularly by the Department of Employment, in the

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider amending the Fire Precautions Act 1971 to include multi-occupied residential buildings among those requiring fire certificates.

My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Secretary of State for Wales have recently strengthened the law covering fire safety in those larger houses in multiple occupation where the potential risk is greatest. Under an order which came into operation on 3 December 1981, made under schedule 24 to the Housing Act 1980, local authorities now have a duty to exercise their powers to require adequate means of escape from fire in respect of houses in multiple occupation of three storeys or more—excluding basements—with a combined floor area in excess of 500 square metres. In addition, my right hon. Friends and I intend shortly to consult the local authority associations on a circular designed to clarify aspects of the law governing fire safety in houses in multiple occupation and to assist local authorities in carrying out their responsibilities. I do not consider that further legislation is warranted at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list any specific contributions his Department has made to the International Year of Disabled People.

All staff have been asked to keep in mind in their day-to-day work the special needs of disabled people.Chief officers of police have been asked to extend the parking concessions for orange badge holders to disabled visitors from other countries with similar schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date or dates the periods of appointment of the 35 assistant commissioners to the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England, listed in the reply of the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Goole on 22 July 1980, expired.

The period of appointment of all 35 assistant commissioners expired on 31 December 1981. On 28 November 1981, at the request of the commission, I signed a warrant appointing 34 of the 35 to act in that capacity until 31 December 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the concern expressed by a number of senior police officers at the large numbers of robberies, burglaries, attacks upon the person, and offences known as mugging, which occurred prior to, during and subsequent to the Christmas and new year holiday period, he will publish in the Official Report as much detailed information as may be readily available from the Metropolitan Police area, London borough of Newham and nationally of these types of offences which occurred during the month of December 1981 and up to 1 January 1982; and in how many of these cases people were attacked and died as a result of such attacks.

Information on serious offences recorded by the police in the period requested is not yet available. Such information for England and Wales as a whole in the fourth quarter of 1981 will be published in a Home Office statistical bulletin, planned for the second half of March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what considerations he has given to the inclusion of educational services for British and overseas viewers in television transmissions by satellite.

We are giving careful consideration to all comments on the Home Office report on direct broadcasting by satellite including those relating to the provision of educational services. We hope to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to conclude his consultations on a reform of the police complaints procedure as recommended by Lord Scarman.

The Home Affairs Committee is conducting an inquiry into police complaints and related matters which, we understand, it is hoped will be completed by Easter. We shall wish to take into account its report before bringing forward proposals for change.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details, by Metropolitan Police district and ethnic identity code, of arrests and prosecutions under the Criminal Attempts Act 1981 in London since the Act became operative.

The information requested is not readily available, but I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to add safeguards to the law relating to police powers of stop and search as recommended by Lord Scarman.

In his report on the Brixton disorders Lord Scarman expressed his agreement with the recommendations about powers of stop and search made by the Royal Commission on criminal procedure. The Government have the commission's report—Cmnd. 8092—under careful consideration in the light of responses to their consultative memorandum and of the debate on 20 November 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he accepts Lord Scarman's recommendation that police recruit training should be extended to a minimum of six months.

We hope that initial courses at police recruit training centres can be extended and that it will also be possible to improve the training given to recruits in individual forces during the remainder of their two-year probationary period. The training arrangements for probationers need to be examined in detail as a whole. We shall therefore ask the Police Training Council, which advises us on police training matters and next meets on 28 January, to review all aspects of police probationer training, with particular reference to Lord Scarman's recommendations, and to let us know what improvements they think should be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Metropolitan Police have implemented Lord Scarman's recommendation that in-service training on community relations should be compulsory for all ranks up to and including superintendents.

All ranks in the Metropolitan Police up to and including the rank of chief superintendent are given instruction in community relations. These arrangements are being reviewed to see what changes are needed in the light of Lord Scarman's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Metropolitan Police have implemented Lord Scarman's recommendation that greater attention should be given to management training for inspectors and sergeants.

There is already a considerable management element in Metropolitan Police training courses for sergeants and inspectors, but this is being reviewed in the light of Lord Scarman's report, particularly in relation to supervisory training.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police expect to complete their work, referred to by Lord Scarman in his report, to find scientific ways in which evidence of racial prejudice can be identified among candidates for the police service.

The work carried out by the Metropolitan Police, to which Lord Scarman referred, has suggested that this problem can best be dealt with by a combination of careful initial screening of applicants, a continuous process of assessment during initial training, and training in behaviour. A more sophisticated

Serious offences recorded by the police in the London borough of Newham by Commissioner's offence classification groups: 1979, 1980, January-September 1981
Offence classification	1979	1980*	January-September 1981*
Crimes of violence
Assault etc. (including homicide)	634	635	455
Robbery and other violent theft	347	390	403
Robbery of personal property following sudden attack in the open, there being no previous association between assailant and victim	113	93	106
Burglary†	4,036	4,261	3,938
Autocrime	5,197	5,661	5,065
Theft of or from a motor vehicle‡	4,613		5,267
Theft of a pedal cycle, etc.	584		394
Other theft and handling	3,220	3,294	2,653
Shoplifting	544		482
Theft by an employee from shops, banks etc.	73		47
Fraud and forgery	649	876	**620
Criminal damage and other offences	2,486	2,589	2,404
Total	17,706	15,538

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the Minister of State, the hon. and learned Member for Royal Tumbridge Wells (Mr. Mayhew), has not replied to a letter dated 13 November 1981 from the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury concerning a matter at Highbury Corner magistrates' court.

My hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State wrote to the hon. Member on 8 January 1982, and is now considering his further letter of 14 January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report comparative figures of crime for the last two years in Newham showing the numbers of shoplifting cases, stealing from shops and stores, burglaries, thefts of and from motor vehicles, thefts of cycles; and to what extent there has been an increase of these types of crime being committed by juveniles and the younger generation;(2) if he will seek from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis figures for the increase of crime in the London borough of Newham during the last 12 months; and if he will publish in the

[pursuant to his reply, 23 December 1981, c. 422]: I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information available for Newham is as shown in the following table. Information on the age of persons committing serious offences recorded by the police is not available because at the time of recording of most offences the identity of the offender or offenders is unknown. Information for Newham on the age of persons found guilty or cautioned by the police

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will tabulate in the Official Report in respect of each British dependent territory, the rates of income tax and value added tax and the percentage levels of other main indirect or excise taxes, together with the broadly equivalent rates in force in the United Kingdom.

The information requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list any specific contributions his Department has made to the International Year of Disabled People.

The International Year of Disabled People was marked by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with the following specific contributions:

£3, 000 to the United Kingdom Voluntary Organisation Committee for promoting IYDP contacts with developing countries;

£84, 500 towards a rehabilitation centre and a home for the disabled in Zimbabwe;

£50, 000 towards an opthalmic training institute in Bangladesh.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he has given consideration (a) to the possible transmission of BBC external services by satellite television and (b) to expanding the scope of educational programmes in the BBC external services to include language and other courses of study.

The opportunities for external services broadcasts by satellite television have been considered and are being kept under review. However, expansion into this field would be very expensive. Moreover, there are legal complications as well as technical difficulties such as the need for potential recipients to acquire special receiving equipment.There are no plans to expand the external services' educational programmes. They are currently broadcasting 37¾ hours weekly of "English by radio" and such material is also available to foreign radio stations on tape, disc or film. In addition, the transcription service offers a series of "study tapes" for the use of edcuational institutions abroad.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he has received a request from the Sri Lankan Government that art treasures removed to Great Britain durring the period when Sri Lanka was a British colony be returned to Sri Lanka; and what reply he has given.

In June 1980 the United Kingdom received from Sri Lanka a request for the return of a number of artefacts held in museums and libraries in the United Kingdom. After consultation with all the institutions which hold objects requested by Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom's reply was delivered on 1 September 1981. This reply stated that, after careful investigation, the institutions in question remained satisfied that the objects referred to were all legally acquired by them. Accordingly the institutions saw no basis on which they could agree to the Sri Lankan request for their return; nor could the Government support such a request.

asked the Prime Minister how many people have been unemployed for more than 12 months, 18 months, 24 months and 36 months; and what particular measures the Government are taking to help the long-term unemployed.

The following table gives the numbers of unemployed people in the UK who at 8 October 1981, the latest date for which figures are available, had been on the register for 52 weeks or more.

Duration	Number
over 52 weeks and up to 78 weeks	369,905
over 78 weeks and up to 104 weeks	142,814
over 104 weeks and up to 156 weeks	119,402
over 156 weeks	152,515

We are giving particular help to the long-term unemployed through the community enterprise programme, the expansion of which was recently announced, and the youth opportunities programme, which aims to prevent long-term unemployment among young people under 18.Our aim, however, is to improve the prospects of all unemployed people by pursuing policies to tackle the underlying causes of economic decline and rising unemployment. As a result of these policies, industry and commerce are becoming more competitive and the prospects for regaining lost markets and therefore lost jobs are more encouraging.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the responsibilities of the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Macfarlane) as they affect commercial sports sponsorship by national governing bodies of sport

His responsibilities in this area are the same as those of the right hon. Member when he occupied the post of Minister, with responsibility for sport.

asked the Prime Minister if, in view of the regularity with which Great Britain's road and rail transport and other public services come to a halt as soon as there is even a relatively mild fall of snow or the weather becomes really severe, she will take steps more effectively to co-ordinate the administrative responsibility of the Departments and public organisations concerned, with a view to ensuring that more effective action is taken to prevent these breakdowns in the normal workings of British public and private industrial and other activities.

Recent weather conditions in Britain have been unusually severe with the coldest temperatures for 30 years in the North, severe blizzards throughout the country and floods in the South-West and Yorkshire. The authorities concerned have coped manfully with these difficulties. I cannot praise too highly the efforts of those who have worked in appalling conditions to bring relief.I do not believe that an additional layer of bureaucracy could help to expedite the response to such unpredictable problems.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will arrange to discuss with leaders of political parties, the Trades Union Congress, the Confederation of British Industry and representatives of the various charitable organisations the best means and method of establishing a national charitable disaster fund, which can be used on a defined and pre-determined basis.

I am grateful to the hon. Member for his suggestion, but I do not believe it would prove practicable to agree satisfactory objectives for a permanent disaster fund or that it would provide a more effective way of attracting charitable donations than locally initiated appeals.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland whether his Department has made any specific contributions to the International Year of Disabled People.

My Department has made no specific contribution to the International Year of Disabled People.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has made any assessment of the reasons for the relatively poor improvement in perinatal and infant mortality in socio-economic group V between the years 1974 and 1980, compared with the trend in group I over the same period.

Figures are available for perinatal and infant mortality within social classes I and V for the years 1975 to 1979 only. Taking account of the fluctuations that occur from year to year, these figures, based on small numbers of deaths, give no statistically significant evidence of a widening gap between rates in the two classes.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the situation in Wales arising from the severe weather conditions.

Recent heavy snow and exceptionally severe weather conditions have caused disruption to normal life in many parts of Wales. Althought the situation is gradually returning to normal, conditions are still extremely difficult in many places.I should like to pay tribute to the local authorities, which have the primary responsibility for dealing with such emergencies, the armed forces, the police, the health and social service agencies and many others who have responded so well, including a very large number of ordinary people who have kept industry, agriculture and commercial life going.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make special financial allocations to local authorities in Wales to meet the extra financial burdens arising out of the recent severe weather conditions; and if he will set out the details of any such allocation in the Official Report.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 11 January that the Government were prepared to make available special financial assistance to relieve authorities that would otherwise suffer an undue financial burden because of the effects of the recent severe weather. This assistance will be available in Wales as in England. A 75 per cent. grant will be paid on net additional expenditure which is in excess of the product of a 1p grant-inclusive rate. It will not be possible to give details of allocations until after claims have been made, assessed and met.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the losses to the agricultural industry in Wales arising from the severe winter weather and if he will seek to make loan funds available to assist farmers who have suffered substantial losses.

It is too early to make such an assessment. It is not the Government's practice to offer loan facilities to the farming community. Claims for grant assistance under the capital grant schemes for work to make good weather damage to farm buildings etcetra will be given priority.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will publish in the Official Report the attendance figures for 1981 reported by the National Museum of Wales, comprising its outstations, with the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for 1980.

699, 741, a decrease of 6·5 per cent. on the figures for 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many apprenticeships there were in manufacturing industry in Wales in 1979 and at the latest available date; and what estimate he has made of the number there will be in 1982.

Comprehensive information is not available in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what have been his Department's specific contributions to the International Year of Disabled People.

Specific grants totalling some £28, 000 were paid to the Wales Council for the Disabled to establish a Wales access committee, a voluntary committee to co-ordinate the activities of the voluntary sector in Wales throughout the year, and to help with the cost of a seminar on disablement.The education department awarded grant up to a maximum of £15, 250 to the Youth Hostels Association (South Wales region) to carry out modifications to its Broadhaven hostel to facilitate access by the disabled, to purchase a specially adapted minibus and to enable the warden to make a detailed study of hostelling by the disabled. Another grant of the order of £2, 650 was awarded to the Friends of the Young Disabled to enable a party of disabled youngsters to spend a week's holiday at the hostel.Grant of £70, 000 was made to the Medical Research Fund towards the setting up of a new bio-engineering and rheumatology unit at the University hospital of Wales, one of the objectives of which will be to develop aids for disabled people.The Secretary of State launched the development of an all-Wales strategy for the development of comprehensive community-based services for mentally handicapped people. A working party comprising representatives of all those involved in care has been set up to produce the strategy by May 1982. It is proposed that an additional £1 million should be made available each year from 1983–84 to translate the strategy into services on the ground.A scheme was launched offering £80, 000 spread over four years, to match on a pound for pound basis voluntary funds raised specifically for local projects designed to afford relief and support to families with a mentally handicapped member, thus deferring or possibly avoiding the need for hospital admission.A new artificial limb and appliance centre was opened at Morriston hospital, Swansea, early in the year and proposals were published for the construction of another new ALAC at Rookwood hospital, Cardiff. Tenders were also invited for the building of Wales' first medical rehabilitation demonstration centre for the disabled at Rookwood hospital.Special emphasis was given under the urban programme to schemes which combine the aim of alleviating special social need in urban areas with helping disabled people. 19 schemes, involving total expenditure of some £295, 000, will receive 75 per cent. grant from the Department. In addition, young disabled people benefited from the approval of 20 Easter and summer holiday projects costing some £23, 000 in total.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of those buying their council house from local authorities in Wales have so far intimated that they will require the council to provide them with a mortgage to facilitate the purchase.

Data are collected on the number of local authority mortgages offered for the purchase of council houses and on the total number of council house sales completed but, because of the varying time lags between these stages, it is not possible to give a meaningful estimate of the proportion of all sales which are being financed by mortgages from local authorities. Of the total sum so far paid by tenants, however, just over half is provided from this source.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list, for every local authority in the Yorkshire and Humberside region, his best estimates of total rate support grant to be paid by him (a) during 1981–82 and (b) during 1982–83.

I refer the hon. Member to the material my right hon. Friend laid in the Library of the House pursuant to his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) on Monday 21 December.—[Vol. c. 322–24.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review his announcement on 22 December that local authority spending targets for 1982–83 would be related to their revised estimates of spending in 1981–82, in view of its effect of discriminating against those authorities which introduced substantial economies in 1981–82; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend's proposals for individual local authorities' spending targets for 1982–83 are designed specifically to recognise the efforts of authorities which are planning to spend in line with our plans this year. These proposals will shortly be discussed in the debate on the rate support grant (England) report 1982–83.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what considerations he took into account in determining that the county and borough rate support grants formula should be adjusted in such a way as to add 4·2p to the poundage rate payable by ratepayers in Southend on Sea if the county and borough councils, respectively, adhere to Government spending targets.

These considerations will be set out in the rate support grant report which my right hon. Friend will be presenting for approval shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what considerations he took into account in determining on 22 December that the county borough rate support grants should be adjusted in such a way as to reduce the poundage rate payable by ratepayers in the London boroughs of Islington and Lambeth, respectively, by 17·4p and 15·4p, respectively, if the Greater London Council and boroughs concerned adhere to Government spending targets.

My right hon. Friend has not yet made any determinations concerning the rate support grant settlement for 1982–83; the proposals which he published on 21 December were based on considerations that will be specified in the rate support grant report that he will shortly be laying before the House. Meanwhile, it may be helpful to my hon. Friend to point out that the figures for grant changes published on 21 December represent grant changes compared with a base position which already takes into account the cut in the grant percentage from 59·1 per cent. to 56 per cent. They cannot therefore be used to draw direct inferences about likely changes in rate poundages next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what co-operation he has had from the borough of Southend on Sea in his endeavours to contain local government spending since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

Southend on Sea borough council's revised budget for 1981–82 shows planned current expenditure 0·3 per cent. below its volume target for that year. Thus it is planning to achieve more than its contribution to the Government's target for reductions in real terms in local government current spending of 5·6 per cent. between 1978–79 and 1981–82.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the factors which led to his decision, found by the divisional court to be unlawful, to withhold from eight London boroughs the grant voted by the House on 14 January 1981.

The factors which led to the original decision were set out in the Rate Support Grant (Increase) (No. 2) Order 1980 and the Rate Support Grant (Principles for Multipliers) Order 1980, both of which were approved by Parliament on 14 January 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet paid increased rate support grant for 1980–81 voted by this House on 14 January 1981 to the eight London boroughs in respect of which the divisional court found that he had withheld payment unlawfully.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to the right hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Freeson) on 9 November 1981. He has now received fresh representations, and hopes to take a new decision shortly. He will make whatever payments are appropriate as soon as possible thereafter.—[Vol. 12, c. 30.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to offer compensation in respect of interest payments to the eight London boroughs from whom his withholding of rate support grant was found by the divisional court to be unlawful.

My right hon. Friend is considering the representations that have been made on this point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether information is available of the number of water consumers who have had their water supply cut off arising from the non-payment of water charges; whether he will publish the relevant figures; and if he will make a statement.

Water authorities and water companies are empowered by section 38 of the Water Act, 1945 to cut off supplies for non-payment, and to take proceedings for recovery. All water undertakers work to a draft code of practice issued by the National Water Council in 1978. The code is designed to prevent the disconnection of water supply in cases of real financial or personal hardship and I have placed a copy in the Library.At present no centralised records of disconnections are kept in the Department but I intend to review this position. However, the National Water Council says that in the financial year 1980–81, the water authorities disconnected 6, 294 unmeasured consumers in England and Wales who were in default. I do not have comparable figures in respect of water companies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what have been his Department's specific contributions to the International Year of Disabled People.

I refer to the reply I gave the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) and the hon. Member for Caernarvon (Mr. Wigley) on 19 January 1981 when I outlined the range of measures being undertaken by my Department in connection with the International Year of Disabled People.—[Vol. 997, c. 63–64.]My Department has now produced a film and accompanying information literature about housing for the disabled and arrangements are being made for the film to be shown throughout the country. The research studies on the review of circular 59/78, and into housing for mentally ill and handicapped people are in progress. Awards have been made both in the RADAR 1981 building for the disabled award and in the DOE/RIBA/NHBC housing design award scheme. Some 65 projects for the disabled are being funded through the 1981 urban programme and in addition some 61 schemes run in the school holidays during 1981 have been for handicapped children and young people. I have again made clear that groups with special needs, such as the elderly and disabled, should continue to be major priorities in public sector housing investment.In addition, we have extended the priority rates and higher eligible expense limits in the home improvement grant system to works needed to make dwellings suitable for occupation by disabled persons; severely disabled people on low incomes can now benefit from higher rates of grant under the homes insulation scheme; and a special exemption from planning fees is available to disabled people needing to extend or alter their homes in connection with their disability.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to publish the inter-departmental review of the functions of the Development Commission and CoSIRA that was completed in 1981; and, if so, when it will be available.

My right hon. Friend expects to make a statement soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration has been given to displaying Royal Arms, Royal Cipher or other Crown emblem at the entrance to the new Home Office in Petty France; and what is the current practice of his Department in such circumstances.

The current policy is to show the Royal Cipher on all new permanent Government buildings which serve the public directly. The headquarters buildings of Government Departments are not normally open to the public, and name plates are used to identify the occupying department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date the public inquiry into the proposed new prison building at Woolwich Arsenal will be held and where; who will preside over it; and what opportunity will be given to members of the public to express their views.

My right hon. Friend has appointed Mr. S. A. E. Reese LLB (Hons.), LMRTPI to conduct a non-statutory inquiry into this proposal, starting at 10.30 am on Tuesday 2 March in the Town Hall, Wellington Street, Woolwich, London SE18. All persons interested are invited to attend or to be represented to express their views on the proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his most recent estimate of the extent of local authority rent arrears in (a) England and Wales and (b) Greater London; and how these compare with the situation at a similar date in 1980.

Local authorities' estimates of total rent arrears at March 1981 were £96·5 million in England and Wales and £42·5 million in Greater London. The corresponding returns for March 1980 were £73·8 million and £27·3 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what value of construction and maintenance work has been carried out in the years to April 1979, April 1980 and April 1981 in constant price terms by local authorities.

Following is the available information:

Expenditure by Local Authorities in England 1978–79 to 1980–81
	£ million November 1980 Prices
	New Construction	Repairs and maintenance by Housing Revenue Accounts
1978–79	3,760	890
1979–80	3,580	880
1980–81*	3,090	Not available
* Provisional.

Information is not available on local authority maintenance expenditure by other than housing revenue accounts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will state, in a form which makes them easily comparable, the grant-related expenditure allocation and the expenditure target for each local authority in England for 1982–83;(2) if he will list the threshold levels for each local authority in England for 1982–83, and in addition state for each local authority what percentage above the grant-related expenditure allocation the threshold represents.

Provisional grant-related expenditures for each authority, the thresholds applying to each class of authority and individual targets for 1982–83 were all set out in material which I placed in the Library of the House pursuant to my reply to my hon. Friend for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) on 21 December.—[Vol. 15, c. 322]. I expect to make final determinations when I present the rate

asked the Secretary of State for Transport in how many EEC countries it is compulsory to take professional driving tuition before applying for a driving test; and whether in those EEC countries where professional driving tuition is obligatory the subsequent driving test is more stringent than the British test.

I regret that I do not have complete information about driving tuition requirements in all EEC countries. However, professional tuition before a test is not obligatory in France, Belgium, Holland, the Irish Republic and Great Britain, although I understand that it is in Germany, Denmark and Luxembourg. Methods of driver testing vary, but we believe the standard of driving required to pass the test in Great Britain is at least as high as in any other EEC country.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what have been his Department's specific contributions to the International Year of the Disabled.

My Department's specific contributions to the International Year of Disabled People were a major conference "Transport without Handicap" in March 1981; an exhibition on transport and disabled people, which toured all parts of the United Kingdom last summer and was visited by over ¼ million people; and a national rally for disabled drivers held at Silverstone in June 1981. These events were intended to promote a greater awareness and understanding of the transport problems facing disabled people.In addition, my Department has taken a number of other initiatives to help to meet the transport needs of disabled people. These include the production of a national guide to transport for disabled people to be published shortly; assisting the development of the new "London" taxi which will be able to carry a passenger in a wheelchair; and discussions on the development, at the Transport and Road Research Laboratory, of a centre where disabled people who want to drive can try out different vehicles and adaptations.My Department will continue to keep in close touch with transport operators, vehicle manufacturers and disabled people themselves about further initiatives and improvements.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents occurred to pedal cyclists, motor cyclists and pedestrians, respectively, in the years 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981.

Casualties among these road users are shown in Table 4 of "Road Accidents Great Britain 1980", a copy of which has been placed in the Library. Provisional figures for injuries to road users in the first half of 1981, for Great Britain, are 12, 000, 31, 000 and 29, 000 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why he proposes to revert to the practice of motorists again being able to obtain road fund licences from post offices; when the original change to licensing from Swansea first took place; and what has been the cost to public funds of each of the two changes in practice.

Motorists have always been able to renew road fund licences from post offices but, until our review of VED administration in 1979, the 2, 000 post offices concerned could handle only simple renewals. All other licensing had always been done at local offices.We have now added another 1, 000 post offices to the network of licensing offices and have extended the range of work they can handle. These changes provide a much more convenient and local service for the public.From 15 January the Post Office will be handling virtually all relicensing applications. Only a very small number of specialist cases will need to be handled in our local offices.The changes over the last two years are estimated to save up to £7 million a year by a reduction in the number of local offices needed and by cutting out about 1, 000 Civil Service posts.The availability of vehicle excise licences from post offices was not affected in any way by the establishment of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre at Swansea.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby, Official Report, 25 November, c. 398, relating to public inquiries into the M40, he is yet able to give more exact dates on when the inquiries will take place, and whether he expects them to begin before or after 1 June.

Not yet; but it is unlikely to be before 1 June 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is satisfied that adequate resources are devoted to the supervision of heavy lorries as regards their condition and adherence to existing regulations.

In general yes, but ways of making more effective use of available resources are constantly under review. Tighter and more clearly defined regulations, as contained in current Government proposals for heavy lorries, would of course further increase the effectiveness of supervision and enforcement.

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, which dioceses have established stores for materials removed from redundant churches, and which have not.

I am informed that 12 dioceses currently have stores for the housing of such furnishings from redundant churches as cannot be disposed of directly. These dioceses are Blackburn, Bristol, Chichester, Derby, Durham, Hereford, Lincoln, Manchester, Norwich, Oxford, Wakefield and Worcester.The dioceses without such a store are Bath and Wells, Birmingham, Bradford, Canterbury, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Chester, Coventry, Ely, Exeter, Gloucester, Guildford, Leicester, Lichfield, London, Newcastle, Peterborough, Portsmouth, Ripon, Rochester, St. Albans, St. Edmundsbury and Ipswich, Salisbury, Sheffield, Southwark, Southwell, Truro, Winchester and York.

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, which dioceses have appointed a redundant churches furnishing officer following the circular published by the Church Commissioners in 1974, and which have not.

All dioceses which had not appointed a redundant churches furnishings officer prior to 1974 have since done so.

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, if he is satisfied that the procedures for cataloguing and arranging for the right disposition of the contents of redundant churches, as outlined in the Church Commissioners' code of recommended practice, is now followed in each diocese.

The disposal of contents of redundant churches is a diocesan responsibility. The commissioners are not in a position to enforce the procedures outlined in the code of recommended practice under the Pastoral Measure. However, certain cases have recently been reported to the Church Commissioners from which, it would appear, that not all the recommended procedures have been followed. In view of this, the commissioners intend to remind all dioceses of their responsibilities in the proper care and disposal of contents from redundant churches.

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, whether an inventory of the furniture and fittings of St. John, Birkenhead, and Holy Trinity, Birkenhead, was prepared prior to the closure of these churches; and what happened to these contents when the churches were demolished.

An inventory of the furniture and fittings of each of these churches was prepared upon closure. The contents of St. John's were transferred in the main to other churches within the Birkenhead deanery.Holy Trinity church, unfortunately, was vandalised to such an extent that the building had to be demolished as a dangerous structure. The contents, with the exception of the plate and a painting which were disposed of within the diocese, were destroyed by the vandals.

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham as representing the Church Commissioners, if he is satisfied that redundant churches' furnishings officers are carrying out the duties laid down in the Church Commissioners' 1974 circular.

The commissioners' 1974 circular has been superseded by section C7 of the Code of Recommended Practice under the Pastoral Measure although this section reiterates much of the advice given in 1974. Diocesan redundant churches furnishings officers are responsible to their bishop and not to the commissioners for the proper discharge of their duties. The commissioners have sought to ensure, however, that furnishings officers are aware of the importance of recognising the aesthetic and commercial value of contents of redundant churches and the most appropriate methods of disposal of material no longer required for use in a church.

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church Commissioners have made any specific contributions to the International Year of Disabled People.

The commissioners are very conscious of the needs of disabled people and they currently employ 11 on their staff. They are also, for example, giving active consideration to equipping telephones in their office with special aids to assist the deaf.The commissioners have made no specific financial contribution to the International Year of Disabled People since they are not empowered to contribute to such charitable causes, however deserving; their statutory responsibilities being directed towards providing for the stipends, housing and pensions of the clergy.

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, what will be the stipend for rectors and vicars and assistant curates from 1 April 1982.

From 1 April 1982 the Central Stipends Authority for the Church of England has recommended a national minimum stipend range for rectors and vicars of £5, 500 and £6, 000 per annum and for curates a six-year scale from £4, 500 to £5, 100 per annum.Subject to these recommendations, the actual level of augmentation of a clergyman's stipend is determined by the bishop of his diocese with the concurrence of his diocesan board of finance.I am sending to the hon. Member a copy of the Central Stipends Authority's 1981 report upon these and related matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what have been the total research and development costs of Concorde.

As indicated in the reply of 9 July 1981 to my hon. Friend the member for Rossendale (Mr. Trippier), the manufacturers' total development costs in Britain and France to completion of the airframe and engine development programmes on 31 December 1978 and 31 December 1980 respectively were £1, 126 million, divided as follows:—

	£ million
British manufacturers	574
French manufacturers	*552
Total development costs	1,126
* The equivalent of 6, 500 million francs.

Additionally, total expenditures at British Government research establishments up to 31 March 1981 were £77 million. All figures are at the prices and exchange rates prevailing when the costs were incurred.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what reply he has sent to the chief executive of Humberside county council following the letter of 17 December from the chief executive concerning the proposed Nissan development.

I am writing to the hon. Member enclosing a copy of the reply to the chief executive of Humberside county council which has been sent on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will carry out a study into the relative efficiency experience of firms which operated a continuous holiday from Thursday 24 December to Monday 4 January as compared with firms which operated shorter holiday breaks for Christmas and new year separately.