asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish for each local education authority in England and Wales that element of the grant-related expenditure appertaining to education for 1982–83.

Provisional grant-related expenditure assessments underlying the 1982–83 rate support grant settlement for English local authorities were announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 21 December, and they will be published in the Rate Support Grant Report 1982–83, which will be laid before the House shortly. The education components of these provisional assessments are set out in the following table, together with the corresponding figures for 1981–82. The latter figures, with an explanatory note, were published with the minutes of evidence taken on 17 December 1980 by the Education, Science and Arts Committee. All figures are in cash. Changes from 1981–82 to 1982–83 assessments reflect changes in local authorities' circumstances—for example, numbers of pupils—and also certain changes in the methodology for assessing education GREs, including the assessment for nursery education and the allowance made for educating children with additional needs.While the figures represent the Government's best judgment of the expenditure that each local authority would—given its particular circumstances—need to incur in 1981–82 and 1982–83 in order to provide a level of service comparable to that of other authorities, they are necessarily approximate. The figures have been aggregated with figures for other services to derive a total GRE for each authority which itself is the basis for the calculation of an un-hypothecated block grant. The education GREs are derived from the total which the Government think it appropriate for local authorities to spend on education, but it is for local authorities to determine the amounts to be spent on individual services.

Authority	Education GRE1981–82 £ million	Education GRE 1982–83 £ million
London
Barking	28·9	30·9
Barnet	51·4	57·1
Bexley	43·6	47·0
Brent	54·7	64·0
Bromley	53·5	56·8
Croydon	63·2	69·1
Ealing	56·7	64·6
Enfield	50·7	55·2
Haringey	43·6	49·8
Harrow	36·3	39·5
Havering	48·4	51·1
Hillingdon	44·4	48·5
Hounslow	39·1	43·8

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, further to his written answer to the

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will specify the allocations made to public institutions in the United Kingdom during the half year ended 31 December, on the recommendations of the Museums and Galleries Commission, of individual works of art and museum objects pre-eminent for national, scientific, historic or artistic interest which have been accepted in satisfaction of capital transfer tax, together with information, where applicable, as to wishes expressed in the matter of allocation by testators and executors; and whether he will list the works of art and museum objects which are still awaitng allocation, with the respective dates of their acceptance in satisfaction of capital transfer tax.

The following tables give details of those items accepted in lieu of tax which have been allocated to public institutions in the United Kingdom during the half year ended 31 December 1981 or are awaiting allocation.hon. Member for Warley, East on 19 October 1981,

The statement was laid on 4 December 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will publish in the Official Report the attendance figures for 1981 reported by the national museums and galleries in England, broken down to the individual institutions but comprising their outstations, with figures in each case of the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for 1980.

Following is the information requested:

	Estimated attendance in 1981	Percentage change from 1980
British Museum	2, 868, 655	−26·1
Natural History Museum	2, 763, 162	+14·6
Geological Museum	493, 298	−9·0
Imperial War Museum	1, 157, 067	−20·2
National Gallery	2, 737, 904	+4·6

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, further to his written answer to the hon. Member for Warley, East on 19 October 1981, Official Report, c. 73, he is now in a position to indicate an approximate date for the publications of the report of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art covering the year ended 30 June 1981.

I hope to present the report to the House in the spring this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will seek powers to enable him to prevent any dissemination in schools of unilateralist anti-nuclear publicity by teachers and others to the exclusion of alternative points of view.

The responsibility for what is taught in schools and how it is taught rests with local authorities, governing bodies and the schools themselves. The Government hope that all teachers recognise their duty to present a balanced view, and the Government have no plans to seek new powers on this particular matter. Following his recent meeting with representatives of the National Union of Teachers, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office is considering the suggestion that balanced factual material on disarmament should be made available to the schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he intends to implement the recommendations put forward in the recent Schools Council report entitled "Examining in a Multi-Cultural Society"; and if he will make a statement.

The report summarises the outcome of a conference organised by the Schools Council to discuss recommendations in the interim report of the committee of inquiry into the education of children from ethnic minority groups, and to agree guidelines for further action. The conference was attended by representatives of most of the examining validating bodies to whom these recommendations are addressed. My right hon. Friend is consulting educational and ethnic minority interests on the education recommendations, including those relating to examinations, made in the committee of inquiry's report, and in the fifth report of the Select Committee on Home Affairs before deciding what action could usefully be taken by the Government.

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

The Department's main specific contribution was the Education Act 1981. The Department also participated in a continuing OECD project on the education of the handicapped adolescent; sponsoring, at Cardiff in September, one of the international symposia which examined specific aspects of the problem. Her Majesty's inspectors prepared audio visual material to assist in the in-service training of teachers in ordinary schools to teach children with special needs. The Department published Design Note 25 on lighting and acoustic criteria for the visually handicapped and hearing impaired in schools and issued a revision of Design Note 18 relating to access for the disabled to educational establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what have been his Department's specific contributions to the International Year of Disabled People in so far as they relate to his responsibilities for the arts.

My office conveyed the terms of the resolution on International Year of Disabled People at the beginning of last year to the bodies for which it is responsible, and requested them to take these into account as far as possible in their activities, within the resources available. Their response has been positive and energetic.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated total cost in the current financial year, at 1981 cash prices, of administering the student award scheme.

Local education authorities carry the main responsibility for the administration of student awards and my Department does not collect information on the costs they incur in doing so. An estimate based on a small sample of LEAs was however made as part of the Rayner scrutiny of the administration of student awards. This put the total cash cost to local education authorities and the Department for the academic year 1979–80 at about £9 million, but the reliability of this figure is open to question.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, of the 66 proposals to cease to maintain schools determined by him under section 12 of the Education Act 1980 up to 31 October 1981, how many he approved to which more than (a) 100, (b) 500 and (c) 1, 000 local government electors objected, respectively, and how many he refused to which fewer than 100 local government electors objected.

This informaion is not readily available from my Department's records and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. My right hon. Friend considers all such statutory proposals on their merits in the light of all matters relevant to the case including any statutory objections. In so doing, he has regard to the substance of such objections as well as to their numerical strength.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the need for redundancies among school teachers.

My speech of 6 January to the North of England conference included the following passage:

"Good, effective teachers, with the right mix of qualifications and experience, are the first essential for a good school system. Because of falling school rolls, and the need to constrain expenditure, we must have fewer teachers in total. At the same time we must face the facts that despite the high quality of many of our teachers some lack the ability to inspire a good response from their pupils, and that within the schools the match between curriculum and teachers' qualifications is not always as close as it should be.

Supply, on the other hand, is good. There are excellent young teachers emerging from the initial training system, and even in the long-standing shortage subjects of mathematics and science, there has been a welcome improvement in the numbers coming forward to train as teachers.

I have no doubt that you are all well aware of these facts. I have discussed them and their implications with the local authority associations. It is the implications which are so difficult but which must be faced if we are to give the children in our schools what they deserve and have a right to expect—the best curriculum we can devise taught by the most effective and best qualified teachers available. Over the next few years many teachers will retire, and some of them need not be replaced. Others, near retirement age, whose skills are no longer needed in the schools, can be enabled to retire voluntarily on early retirement terms. Others still can be enabled to improve or broaden their skills through in-service training. But these measures will not be enough by themselves, and there will have to be in addition some compulsory redundancies among teachers too young for early retirement terms, if the curriculum is to be protected and taught by suitably skilled and effective teachers. Nothing less than this is good enough for our children.

It is with regret that I come to this conclusion and I know that the local education authorities, who are responsible for the individual schools and individual teachers, share my concern. The plain fact is however that there are some teaching posts and some teachers that cannot be retained. Whatever the difficulties, and I know that they are great, we shall be failing in our duty to the children and their parents on the one hand, and to the taxpayers and ratepayers and all who work or seek work in the trading base on the other, if we keep ineffective teachers in the schools or employ more teachers than we can afford.

I have asked the local authority associations to consider these difficult issues further, and whether there are steps which I or the Department could take which would be helpful, and to discuss the subject again with me during the early months of this year."

Some reports have suggested that I was arguing for compulsory redundancies as a means of getting rid of incompetent teachers. This is not the case. Incompetence and redundancy are quite separate issues. If a teacher is found to be incompetent, and is not able to improve his performance satisfactorily with appropriate support from his employer and perhaps additional training, then the employer should consider dismissing him in the interest of the children in the schools. Such cases are not properly described as redundancies.It is where a local authority or a school as an employer has more teachers with particular qualifications and skills than are needed, either because of a decline in school rolls or changes in the curriculum, that redundancies may occur, without any reflection on the competence of the teachers concerned.

asked the Paymaster General whether his Department has made any specific contributions to the International Year of Disabled People.

My Department continued to recruit disabled staff to fill a number of vacancies and to provide additional items of equipment to assist existing disabled staff, particularly those with hearing or sight disabilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, for each of the fuel and power industries, what was the level of demand in the latest 12 months for which figures are available; and what is his estimate of the effect on (a) revenue and (b) costs of an increase of 10 per cent in demand across the board, all other things being equal, and drawing down on stocks where these are above working requirements.

Figures for the United Kingdom relating to the 12 months ending October 1981 are as follows:

Coal Production†	128·1 million tonnes
Gas sent out‡	16, 924 million therms
Electricity Supplied	241·0 TWh
Total output of Petroleum Products	72·2 million tonnes
† Includes an estimate for slurry, etc. recovered and disposed of otherwise than by the National Coal Board.
‡ Town and Natural Gas.

Source: "Energy Trends".For the second part of the question about the effects of an increase of 10 per cent. in demand, I have asked the chairmen of the boards to write to the hon. Member. The situation within the petroleum industry would vary markedly from company to company.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to the effect of a 1 per cent. increase in the price of coal on (a) the cost of electricity, (b) the price of domestic electricity and (c) the price of industrial electricity.

At current conditions, each 1 per cent. increase in the price of coal to the electricity supply industry would increase the cost of supplying the average industrial consumer by about 0·45 per cent., the average domestic consumer by about 0·35 per cent. and the average overall cost of electricity by something under 0·4 per cent. It should be noted that the effect on prices as opposed to costs depends on the particular tariff, since the domestic-quarterly-tariffs, unlike the industrial-monthly-tariffs, contain no fuel cost adjustment and do not reflect changes in fuel prices as soon as they occur.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, in the light of recent factory closure announcements, he will reconsider the Government's decision not to introduce a favourable electricity tariff rate for those industrial bulk consumers whose energy costs are critical to their viability.

The industry has already provided worthwhile help to its more intensive customers. Some 160 of these including firms in chemical, steel, cement and paper, have benefited from the measures announced in last year's budget, with electricity cost savings averaging 5 per cent., and in some individual cases exceeding 10 per cent. Within the limits set by costs, the Government intend to continue encouraging the electricity industry and its consumers to pursue every form of flexibility that holds out mutual advantage.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will issue a directive to electricity supply boards to cease all cutting off of domestic electricity supply before 31 March on account of the difficulties of consumers in paying their fuel bills during the present severe weather conditions.

The Electricity Council announced on 15 January that area electricity boards in England and Wales would not be cutting off non-payers for at least a further seven days. I welcome the consideration shown by boards in taking this initiative. Disconnections are already subject to the industry's code of practice on payment of bills. They are currently examining this is consultation with the consumer councils and other interested parties, in the light of the recent review of the code by the Policy Studies Institute. I have asked them to report back to me by next month, so that any changes to the code and its application can be in force by March when people receive their main winter fuel bills.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the British National Oil Corporation will in future participate in gases taken from the United Kingdom continental shelf.

I announced on 19 October the Government's intention to introduce measures to abolish the British Gas Corporation's statutory rights over the purchase of gas. These measures are intended to introduce real competition into the United Kingdom market for gas. In the light thereof and since, in my view, the supply of ethane from Fulmar and through the FLAGS pipeline to the British petrochemical industry may be equally well assured without the interposition of BNOC, I have asked BNOC not to exercise participation options in respect of methane and ethane. Where options already exist I have asked it to make such arrangements as may be necessary to enable licensees to enter securely into long-term supply contracts. The question of participation in later streams of ethane will be considered in the light of developments in the years immediately ahead.The market prospects for liquefied petroleum gases, which require special storage and handling facilities are markedly different from those for crude oil. It is widely expected that the availability of these gases, both from the Middle East and from the North Sea, will grow fast in the present decade and will be more than sufficient to secure supplies for existing United Kingdom markets.In these circumstances, I do not consider the exercise of further options in respect of LPG to be necessary in the national interest, and I have asked BNOC to confirm that it will not be exercising those options. However, later this decade, security and other considerations may make it desirable for the public sector to play a greater role in the disposal of LPGs from the United Kingdom Continental Shelf. I look to licensees to agree with BNOC to put in place the relevant options to participate in LPGs as in crude oil where these provisions are not already in place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were in prison on 1 January 1982.

On 31 December 1981 the population of prison service establishments in England and Wales was about 40, 800 following the normal seasonal reduction during December.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many public sector employees are receiving index-linked pensions and how many present public-sector employees will be eligible for index-linked pensions in due course; what is the current cost; and what is the forecast cost for 1985, 1990 and 2000.

In 1979 there were estimated to be some 2·3 million public sector pensioners receiving index-linked pensions and some 5·6 million members of public sector pension schemes. Expenditure on benefits under public service pension schemes is expected to amount to about £4 billion in 1981–82. Information is not available centrally about expenditure by nationalised industry pension funds in the corresponding period. Projections of the likely growth of occupational pensions in the public and private sectors were provided by the Government Actuary's Department to the Committee to Review the Functioning of Financial Institutions and published as appendix 5 to its report, Cmnd. 7937, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the practice of the Inland Revenue as regards banks taking advantage of the statutory facility to transfer profits to inner reserves both in respect of payments into such reserves and releases therefrom.

The taxable profits of banks are computed in accordance with the Taxes Acts. These profits represent the results of trading, before any transfers are made to or from inner reserves.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current position regarding the Rayner review of value added tax regulations and deregistration procedures.

I have now adopted the report and am placing copies in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament. The report is also being released to the Customs and Excise departmental trade union side in order to allow it to comment before an action plan is prepared.The report falls into two parts. Part of the report proposes a number of changes in registration and deregistration procedures, and consideration of these recommendations is now proceeding with a view to preparation of the action plan. The other part of the report proposes the compulsory deregistration of VAT registered businesses with turnovers below a minimum limit. I believe that compulsory deregistration could have an adverse effect on small businesses, which would be contrary to the Government's policy of encouraging their growth. On balance I have concluded that the disadvantages to the trading community of compulsory deregistration outweigh the advantages of the economies in the public sector, and I have therefore decided not to proceed with these recommendations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the position of the Inland Revenue commissioners following the judgment in Inland Revenue v Helen Slater Charitable Trust Ltd., in view of the uncertainties confronting grant-making charities in the light of the letter from Lord Cockfield to the hon. Member for Sudbury and Woodbridge of 9 November, published in the Official Report of 21 December 1981, c. 309.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 January 1982]: I have nothing to add at this stage to what my noble Friend Lord Cockfield said in his letter to my hon. Friend on 9 November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the composition of the Housing Corporation's approved development programme for 1982–83.

As my right hon. Friend announced on 21 December the gross provision for the Housing Corporation in 1982–83 will be £556 million, which comprises an allocation of £530 million plus an estimated £26 million of capital receipts.Of the gross provision of £556 million, £415 million will be required to meet existing commitments on fair rent and hostel schemes. The balance of the provision will be used largely to finance new schemes for rent and for low-cost home ownership. The provision will permit a significant increase in expenditure in real terms in 1982–83 on housing association schemes for hostels, for the elderly and for low-cost home ownership.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is yet able to issue the consultation paper on the membership of regional water authorities in the statement by the Minister for Local Government and Environmental Services on 7 December 1981.

The consultation paper is being issued today. It asks for views by 31 March on a number of options for changing the constitution of regional water authorities. Copies of the paper are available in the Libraries of both Houses, the Vote Office and the Printed Paper Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what authorisation he has given for sampling, by the Royal Air Force, of material suspected as emanating from Eastern Europe, involving alleged biological warfare experiments; where such samples are planned to be analysed, and, in particular, in which Scottish laboratories; and if he will make a statement.

No such sampling or analysis takes place and none is planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the monthly figures for long-term unemployment for each of the last 24 months; what action he is taking to alleviate this hardship caused by long-term unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

Statistics on duration of unemployment, giving details of numbers unemployed for more than six and more than 12 months, are compiled quarterly and for the period specified appear at table 2·5 of the December 1981 issue of the Employment Gazette.The measures we are taking to alleviate long-term unemployment are described in the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Stockport, North (Mr. Bennett) yesterday—[Vol. 16, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what changes to redundancy payments regulations will be made during 1982 arising out of European Community legislation.

No such changes are contemplated.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many opticians dealing with National Health Service prescribed frames stock the full range; and how many stock none at all.

This information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up an investigation into the relationship between bad housing and chronic ill health, particularly in children and amongst the elderly.

There have been a number of studies and others are continuing into specific aspects of housing relevant to health. It is difficult to prove a direct casual relationship because of the many other co-existing environmental influences which can contribute to chronic ill health. We have no proposals to instigate further research in this area at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the recommendations in the publication of "Care and Control" that child abuse could be lowered substantially by greater family practitioner awareness and involvement, if he will act on a national scale on these recommendations.

The research report, of which 'Care and Control' is a summary, is being studied by the Department. Its recommendations are mainly concerned with the child care legislation, but the report also refers to problems which sometimes occur in involving general practitioners in child abuse cases. It is clearly important that they should be involved with these cases. The Department's guidance circulars on the co-ordination of services in child abuse cases have been sent to family practitioner committees and the Department has stressed it is desirable Area Review Committees on child abuse should include a general practitioner. We have also taken steps to encourage the attendance of GPs on multi-professional training courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consideer stricter regulations for the conduct of drug trials by general practitioners on their registered patients when the drug is being used in practice at a comparatively early stage of its clinical usage.

A few drugs are tested in general practice at a relatively late stage in their development.. but this may only be done with the knowledge of the licensing authority. Usually the trials conducted by general practitioners are for uses for which the product licence has already been granted by the licensing authority after consideration of its safety, quality and efficacy. In such cases separate approval of the trial is not required from the licensing authority. A code of practice is being prepared by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry to guide pharmaceutical companies and members of the medical profession on the procedures for organising these trials. I hope to see included in this that the trials have prior approval of an ethical committee. In the latter case there seems no reason to distinguish between old and new products.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many ex-Far East prisoners of war have attended the special unit set up at the end of World War II to treat those who had served in the tropics; and what proportion this is of known ex-Far East prisoners of war.

The examination and treatment of former Far Eastern prisoners of war which was begun at Roehampton hospital after the war has continued in various hospitals with experience of tropical diseases. The numbers examined are as follows:

1949–1953	8,400
1972–1981	2,700

I regret that figures for the intervening years are not available. It is estimated that about 37, 000 Far Eastern prisoners of war returned to this country at the end of hostilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will arrange for an immediate additional £20 bonus to be paid to all recipients of Christmas bonus to help meet the additional costs caused by the severe weather.

No, for the reasons outlined in my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 18 January 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review the heating allowance made for supplementary benefits purposes in order to ensure that there is adequate allowance to meet the costs caused by the present severe weather.

I refer the hon. Member to the replies my hon. Friend and I gave yesterday to the hon. Members for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) and Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Golding).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will ask the Director General of Fair Trading to investigate the practice of certain mail order companies of cashing customers' cheques before ensuring the full availability of goods which have been ordered.

The Director General is required to collect evidence about retail practices which may adversely affect the interests of consumers and has power to take action against certain such practices in appropriate circumstances. I suggest, therefore, that my hon. Friend should send the Director General any information about trading practices by mail order companies which he believes adversely affect consumers.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will arrange for an investigation of the Anglian water authority by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend intends to make further water industry references to the Commission in due course. The Government's forward programme for nationalised industry references will be announced shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects to reach a decision on the application from the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux for an increased Government grant for 1982–83.

I shall announce the 1982–83 grant-in-aid to the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether transfers by certain banks of profits to inner reserves are a matter entirely at the discretion of the directors of such concerns or whether they are monitored by the Bank of England and the Inland Revenue and his Department both yearly and cumulatively.

Whether advantage is taken of exemptions granted to banking or discount companies under paragraph 23 of schedule 8 to the Companies Act 1948 is a matter for the directors of the company concerned. Details of transfers to reserves by United Kingdom companies are made available on a confidential basis to the Bank of England and, through the bank, to the Department of Trade. They are also made available to the Inland Revenue in the normal course of determination of companies' tax position.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report the names of all companies and banks which are both permitted to, and have in any of the last three financial years taken advantage of the statutory facility to make unspecified transfers from profits to inner reserves.

A list of the banking or discount companies which have been granted exemption by the Secretary of State for Trade from certain requirements of schedule 8 of the Companies Act 1948, and may accordingly make undisclosed transfers to reserves, is published quarterly in British Business, copies of which are available in the Library. The most recent list was published on 23 October 1981. Information as to which exempt companies have taken advantage of the exemption in the last three financial years is not available in the case of oversea companies and is confidential in respect of other companies. Under schedule 8 certain insurance and shipping companies may also benefit from disclosure exemptions enabling them to make undisclosed transfers. In the case of insurance companies the exemptions are not discretionary and because supervision of insurance companies extends to companies other than those entitled to schedule 8 exemptions and is not based on Companies Acts accounts, information is not held by my Department as to which companies are able to take, and have taken, advantage of the exemptions. In the case of shipping companies, which may only obtain exemptions if the Secretary of State is satisfied that this is in the national interest, it is not the practice to publish the names of companies benefitting from an exemption.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, in view of recent shareholders' meetings held or announced at Trident Television and Associated Communications Corporation, he will take steps to amend company law so as to enfranchise existing non-voting shares and prohibit or restrict the issue of such stock in any company in the future.

Debate on this subject has continued since the Jenkins report of 1962 and I have no plans for legislation.

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

Year	Trade with EC Countries				Trade with Non-EC Countries
	Imports		Exports		Imports		Exports
	No	Value £'000	No	Value £'000	No	Value £'000	No	Value £'000
1970	135, 652	69, 374	211, 665	76, 628	23, 195	16, 582	481, 496	253, 040
1971	235, 716	138, 629	220, 517	82, 073	47, 796	34, 472	502, 543	288, 985
1972	331, 988	237, 933	211, 298	82, 939	121, 900	88, 806	416, 776	247, 707

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 January 1982]: A protocol renewing the multi-fibre arrangement until July 1986 was adopted by the GATT textiles committee on 22 December 1981. At the next Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers in Brussels on 25 January 1982 the Commission will recommend that the Community sign this protocol.In his statement on 22 December 1981 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade emphasised that the protocol had to be seen as part of an overall package which will include bilateral agreements to be negotiated this year. The Government consider that the protocol allows the Community to negotiate effective agreements which meet all our essential concerns, and intend to play their full part in determining the Community's detailed position as these negotiations proceed.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what was discussed with the President of the Government of Spain during his visit to London on 8 January; and what assurances have been given or received about access to Gibraltar when the frontier is reopened.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had two hours of talks on 8 January at No. 10 Downing Street with the President of the Government of Spain, Senor Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo. She was accompanied by my right hon. and noble Friend. Senor Calvo Sotelo was accompanied by the Spanish Foreign Minister, Senor Perez-Llorca. The talks covered a range of internatioal and bilateral issues.My right hon. Friend expressed Her Majesty's Government's unconditional support for Spain's accession

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

[pursuant to his reply, 18 December 1981, c. 261]: The figures of imports and exports of cars in the years 1970, 1971 and 1972 should read:to NATO and indicated Her Majesty's Government's intention to complete as soon as possible the procedures necessary for the acceptance of the protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty inviting Spain to join NATO. The text of this protocol was laid before the House on 18 January as a Command Paper.My right hon. Friend warmly welcomed the prospect of Spain's entry into the European Community and there wis a wade-ranging discussion of the accession negotiations. Discussion of other international issues included the situation in Poland and East-West relations.Bilateral relations were also discussed, including Gibraltar. Both Governments have agreed to start on 20 April 1982 the negotiations envisaged in the Lisbon statement of 10 April 1980 with the aim of overcoming all the differences between them on Gibraltar: on the same day, the border will be opened and direct communications will be re-established as provided for in the Lisbon statement. The British side have confirmed that the gates at the border with Spain will remain open 24 hours a day and that Spaniards have the right to stay overnight. Spanish workers in Gibraltar will also have equality with others similarly placed—that is non-European Community nationals—so far as employment, social security, salaries and the right to join trade unions are concerned.Her Majesty's Government have been assured by the Spanish Government that, when on 20 April, in terms of the Lisbon statement, they suspend the measures at present in force, there will be direct communication by both vehicles and pedestrians and that there will be no special governmental restrictions on maritime and air communications. The issue of flights to and from Gibraltar will be dealt with in the framework of the 1950 Anglo-Spanish air services agreement without any extraneous restrictions. Furthermore, early practical steps will be taken in the interests of air safety to adjust the application of the Spanish prohibited airspace in such a way as not to impede the safe and effective use of Gibraltar airport.Her Majesty's Government believe that the implementation of the Lisbon statement will open a new and hopeful chapter in Anglo-Spanish relations and that the developments which flow from that implementation will help to build up trust and friendship between the people of Gibraltar and those in the Campo area of Spain. As is made clear in the Lisbon statement, Her Majesty's Government fully maintain their commitment to honour the freely and democratically expressed wishes of the people of Gibraltar as set out in the preamble to the Gibraltar constitution.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many drug traffickers were arrested, and what quantities of drugs were seized in 1980 and 1981 in Hong Kong.

1, 891 persons in 1980 and 2, 482 in 1981 were arrested for serious drug offences. 201 kilograms of drugs were seized in 1980 and 308 kilograms in 1981.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make representations to the Turkish Government to restore free trade unionism in Turkey and to seek to ensure that overseas observers are able to attend the current trials of trade union leaders there.

The Turkish Government have committed themselves to restoring democratic institutions. They are aware of our concern that this should be done rapidly and in full. I understand that new trades union legislation is being drafted by the Turkish authorities and that this process is well advanced.I am not aware of any bar on attendance by overseas observers at the current trials of trade union leaders in Turkey, which are being held in public and in accordance with the provisions of the Turkish criminal code. We share concern at the plight of the DISK trade union leaders currently being tried in Istanbul for whom the death sentence has been requested and are watching developments closely.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report the full extent of Government finance made available to, and requested by, the De Lorean Company in Northern Ireland, under Her Majesty's previous, and present, Governments, respectively.

In August 1978 the company was offered grants of £28·468 million and loans of £6·718 million. In addition, the Northern Ireland Development Agency subscribed £17·757 million for preference shares in De Lorean Motor Cars Ltd. These amounts have now been paid in full with the exception of one claim for approximately £22, 000. Further requests for grant-aid on additional capital expenditure in 1980 and 1981 were refused, but an additional loan of £14 million was made available in September 1980 and bank guarantees, in respect of borrowing of up to £17 million, were provided in February and July 1981. These guarantees were time limited to 31 December 1981.I announced before Christmas that the Government had agreed in principle to extend the guarantees for a limited period and at a lower level than hitherto, but that the details and conditions had yet to be finalised. I can now report that the guarantees have been replaced by new guarantees for up to £10 million until 31 May 1982 and for £5 million from 1 June to 31 August 1982.This limited extension of a part of existing guarantees does not of course constitute additional finance for the project. Nevertheless, in view of the need for those continuing guarantees I am arranging for major reviews of Government's overall relationship with the company including representation on the board of directors, the way in which its performance is monitored, and, with the assistance of independent consultants, an assessment of its performance to date and its future prospects.

asked the Prime Minister, in view of the increased numbers of people likely to marry in the next few years due to demographic factors, what plans the Government have to increase the numbers of homes being built to meet likely demand.

On the latest available figures starts in the private sector last year showed a significant increase on those for the previous year. In the public sector, we are making an increase in real terms in the gross provision for local authority housing capital investment next year.

asked the Prime Minister if she will introduce legislation to set out the circumstances in which (a) local authorities, (b) central Government and (c) industries whose public ownership is structured in the same way as British Leyland may sell assets, subsidise services or otherwise make financial dispositions.

No.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others including one with the Netherlands ambassador. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.

asked the Prime Minister how many hon. members she has seen on matters relating to factory closures since she last answered oral questions; and how many jobs were expected to be lost in the closures discussed.

One and up to 1, 000.

asked the Prime Minister what progress has been made in achieving structural reforms in the EEC.

My right hon. and noble Friend attended an informal meeting of Foreign Ministers on 14 and 15 January. They had a further lengthy discussion of the four issues which the European Council asked them to consider: milk support arrangements, mediterranean agriculture, the overall level of CAP expenditure and the problem of unacceptable budgetary situations. They were not, however, able to reach agreement and will meet again to consider these issues further on 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister by how much the total public sector work force has been reduced since may 1979; and what percentage this represents.

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

asked the Prime Minister whether she will instruct civil servants and their Departments to cut down on superfluous wording in official reports, documents and telegrams.

Although there will always be room for improvement, civil servants generally are aware that they should write in clear and simple terms. We already take every suitable opportunity to stress the importance of brevity, so I do not consider it necessary to issue new instructions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to make any changes in the rules governing the payment of mandatory awards under his Department's students allowances scheme.

I have been reviewing the arrangements under which students taking first degree and comparable courses are assisted under this scheme and I have concluded that, in view of the overriding need to reduce public expenditure, grants should no longer be paid to students who are required to repeat a period of study, except where there are medical or compassionate grounds attested by the student and the institution concerned. These new arrangements will apply from the beginning of the academic session 1982–83.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department will pay an appropriate grant-in-aid to enable the Afon Bach culvert under Station Road, Llanrwst, Gwynedd, to be sufficiently enlarged to eliminate, or greatly reduce, the perennial flooding that occurs in the town.

The Aberconwy borough council submitted an outline application, under the Land Drainage Act 1976, for grant on a scheme to alleviate flooding of the Afon Bach on 1 December 1981. Further information is awaited before I can decide whether to offer grant under the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will arrange events or activities to salute the memory of Llywelyn ein Llyw Olaf, the 700th anniversary of whose death occurs in 1982.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average sum provided for the purchase of books for each primary school pupil in the current year; and if he expects this provision to increase or to fall in 1982–83.

Figures for 1981–82 are not yet available, but the average sum spent by local education authorities on school books for each primary school pupil in 1980–81 was some £5·30. Our expenditure plans allow for an increase in spending on schools books and equipment in 1981–82 and for a further increase in 1982–83.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to complete his consideration of plans submitted by local education authorities in response to circular 2/81 on falling school rolls.

It is too early to say. Returns were requested by 31 December 1981 but only 41 have so far been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what account he takes in a proposal for the closure of a village school considering the views of the parents of the children attending that school.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the criteria he employs in deciding on applications to cease to maintain village schools.

In considering proposals to cease to maintain village schools, my right hon. Friend takes careful account of the educational, financial and social issues involved, including any representations made by parents, teachers and governors. He considers each case requiring his approval on its merits and only approves proposals if he believes that they are in the best interests of the children concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take special administrative measures within his Department in order to co-ordinate policy to aid village schools.

My right hon. Friend is satisfied that current administrative practice within his Department enables a co-ordinated approach to be taken towards issues affecting village schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in the light of the continued fall in school rolls, he will make a statement on his policy towards village schools.

My right hon. Friend recognises the important contribution village schools make to their communities and he will continue to take these fully into account, together with other relevant factors, including the educational and financial effects of falling rolls, when considering proposals involving such schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about educational standards in schools in the Inner London Education Authority area.

My right hon. Friend has met representatives of the Inner London Education Authority at their request. He has also received many letters about the level of provision in ILEA schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the staff to pupil ratio in schools in inner London compared with the national average.