asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received from (a) the General Council of British Shipping and (b) the chairman of British Shipbuilders for a more significant and comprehensive operation of the home credit scheme in order that owners are encouraged to place orders for new vessels with British shipyards; and if he will make a statement.

The president of the General Council of British Shipping and the chairman of British Shipbuilders wrote jointly to the Secretaries of State for Industry and for Trade last October seeking increased flexibility in the operation of the home shipbuilding credit guarantee scheme. In response to their proposals the Department has been able to agree to permit the capitalisation of interest on loans guaranteed under the scheme payable before delivery. In return, a higher fixed rate of interest will be charged, currently 8 per cent. instead of 7½ per cent. Discussions continue between GCBS, BS and the Department on the details of this new facility.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial assistance has been given to the Mater hospital by the Eastern health and social services board in each year since the reorganisation of local government; and what was the purpose of such assistance.

Eastern health and social services board has been responsible for the running costs of the Mater hospital since October 1973 and has expended the following amounts:

	£ Million
1 October 1973 — 31 March 1974	0·6
1974–1975	1·6
1975–1976	2·1
1976–1977	2·6
1977–1978	2·9
1978–1979	3·2
1979–1980	4·2
1980–1981	5·8

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report a breakdown for the figures of fireworks accidents on and around 5 November 1981; and if he will make a statement.

I hope to be able to publish the figures soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what estimate he has made of the positive or negative balance in trade in manufactures with the European Economic Community and with the rest of the world, respectively, in 1981; and what were the comparable balances in each of the previous 10 years.

Estimates for 1981 are not yet available. The information for earlier years is given in the following table.

United Kingdom crude balance of trade in manufactures*with other members of the European Community† and the Rest of the World
£ million
	European Community	Rest of the World
1971	+329	+2, 442
1972	+22	+2, 082
1973	−416	+1, 745
1974‡	−750	+2, 328
1975‡	−639	+4, 105
1976	−666	+4, 799
1977	−910	+6, 038
1978	−2, 029	+5, 692
1979	−3, 081	+4, 262
1980	−1, 765	+5, 340

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) when the company Monteagle Marketing (London) Ltd. was incorporated; and what returns this company has been under a statutory obligation to make to the Registrar of Companies from its incorporation to date;(2) what returns have been made to the Registrar of Companies by Monteagle Marketing (London) Ltd. since its incorporation.

Monteagle Marketing (London) Ltd. was incorporated on 19 June 1979 under the name of Stulpet Ltd. The name was changed on 16 November 1979. The company has filed the necessary incorporation documents and notices of change of directors and registered office address, together with documents in connection with its change of name. The company, however, is in default of its obligation to file an annual return for the year 1980 and accounts made up to 31 March 1980. In accordance with the usual practice in such cases the Registrar of Companies is in correspondence with the directors about this default.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what proportion of industrial investment in the United Kingdom came from member States of the European Community in each year since 1962.

I have been asked to reply.The information in this form is not available. Direct investment by overseas concerns in the United Kingdom measures the amounts invested in the share and loan capital, short-term loans, trade credit, and unremitted profits of their United Kingdom subsidiaries, associates and branches. The United Kingdom concerns use this to finance increases in their debtors and stocks, to repay loans, and so on, as well as to purchase fixed assets. How much is used for the latter is not known. It is therefore not possible to estimate the amount of expenditure on fixed assets that is financed from overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether any change will be made to the cash limit of the Manpower Services Commission.

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the total grant-in-aid of the Manpower Services Commission will be increased by £22·590 million, from £992·030 million to £1, 014·620 million. None of the increase adds to planned spending totals: £6·090 million will be transferred from Labour Market Services—Vote IV, Class 13—£3·000 million from Department of Employment Administration—Class IV, Vote 17—£5·500 million is in the public expenditure survey provision but has not yet been incorporated in Estimates, and the balance of £8·000 million will be found from the contingency reserve.Of the increase, £14·500 million is required by MSC to meet the operating costs of industrial training boards. As announced in my statement on 16 November 1981, the Exchequer will continue to fund operating costs of ITBs until 31 March 1982, instead of 31 December 1981 as previously planned.A further £8·000 million is needed to meet winding-up costs of ITBs. Planned spending totals in 1982–83 will include financial provision for this purpose but because the programme of winding-up has started earlier than expected £8 million of the allocation is being brought forward into the current financial year.The balance of £0·090 million is for the enterprise allowance scheme pilot experiment that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary for Industry announced in his statement on 13 November 1981.The increase in the total grant-in-aid and the transfer of expenditure from other bodies will require consequential adjustments to the following cash limits: viz:

CASH LIMITS 1981–82
	£Million Present	Revised
Class IV,
Vote 13—Labour Market Services	189·242	183·152

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what savings in staff at the Manpower Services Commission he anticipates will occur as a result of the reform of the training boards announced by his Department.

It is planned that by 1 April 1983 the number of staff in the Manpower Services Commission who deal with both statutory and voluntary training will be reduced by 16. As compared with 1 April 1981, this represents a reduction of 25 per cent. The position will be kept under review as the new industry training arrangements announced by my right hon. Friend on 16 November 1981 are established and the work load involved for the Manpower Services Commission becomes clearer.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements are operating to monitor the young workers scheme to ensure that it is not being abused; if he has received any complaints of abuse; and if he will give details of such complaints.

There are various administrative checks built into the scheme that are intended to prevent abuse. I have received no specific complaints of abuse.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to press, through the International Labour Organisation, for steps to be taken that will assist the restoration of free trade unionism in Poland.

The hon. Member will be aware of the Government's concern about the imposition of martial law in Poland from the statements in the House made by the Lord Privy Seal on 14 and 22 December. So far as the International Labour Organisation is concerned M. Blanchard, the ILO's director-general, reported in a letter to The Times on 30 December that on receipt of complaints from two of the major international trade union organisations he had on his own authority requested the Polish Government to admit an ILO mission headed by himself

"to establish the facts and help see that the Gdansk agreement, which gave pride of place to the ILO Convention on freedom of association, survives present troubles".

We learn with regret that so far the Polish Government have turned down this request. The ILO is particularly well placed to exercise a helpful influence on this situation, and we hope that M. Blanchard will persevere with his welcome initiative. We understand that the complaints made to the ILO will be considered next month by the ILO's Committee on Freedom of Association, which will report to the ILO's governing body the following week when we shall have an opportunity of expressing our views.

Employees in Employment: Great Britain
(Thousands)
	Males			Females
	Full-time	Part-time	Total	Full-time	Part-time	Total
June 1978	12, 392	704	13, 096	5, 478	3, 679	9, 158
June 1979	na	na	13, 092	5, 538	3, 776	9, 314
June 1980	na	na	12, 831	5, 452	3, 726	9, 178
June 1981	na	na	12, 009	5, 162	3, 558	8, 720
na = not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what cuts his Department is making in the number of wages inspectors and support staff; and how many establishments will now be covered by each inspector.

The number of posts for wages inspectors and support staff has been reduced from 320½ to 221½. The number of establishments covered by wages councils now averages 3, 300 per outdoor inspector.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report the voluntary organisations in the United Kingdom which have secured allocations from the European social fund in each year since 1973.

The following voluntary organisatons in the United Kingdom have secured allocations from the European social fund since 1973.

1976

• Queen Elizabeth's Foundation for the Disabled, Leatherhead

1977

• Inter Action Trust, London
• Four Committees for Educationally subnormal young people in mid Glamorgan
• Scottish Craftsmanship Association Ltd, Edinburgh
• St. Basil's Centre, Birmingham
• Elephant Jobs, London
• Teamwork Training Trust, London

1978

• St. Loye's College, Exeter
• Knowlsey Youth Trust, Liverpool
• Greater Manchester Youth Association
• London Council of Social Services
• Alcholics Recovery Project, London

1979

• National Association for Mental Health
• The Runnymede Trust
• Task Force North
• National Workshops Association (in conjunction with National Council of Social Service)
• Michaelmas Trust, Cheshire
• Queen Elizabeth's Foundation for the Diasabled, Leatherhead

1980

• Community Service Volunteers
• St. Basil's Centre, Birmingham
• Tower Hamlets Training Forum

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many (a) males and (b) females were in full-time employment in (i) May 1979 and (ii) December 1981.

Information in the precise form requested is not available. The available information is as follows:

• St. Loye's College
• National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NACRO)

1981

• Community Service Volunteers
• Lambeth Women's Workshop
• East Leeds Women' Workshop
• Tower Hamlets Training Forum
• Camden Committee for Community Relations
• Greater Manchester Youth Association
• Thingwall Hall Residential and Day Care Centre, Liverpool
• Cleveland Spastics Society
• Dartington Institute of Community Studies, Devon

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment percentages for the Cannock and Rugeley employment exchange areas; what steps he is taking to reduce these unemployment figures; an if he will make a statement.

At 10 December 1981 the rate of unemployment in the Walall travel-to-work area, which includes Cannock and Rugeley, was 16·6 per cent. Percentage rates of unemployment are calculated only for complete travel-to-work areas.The Government's policies are aimed at developing a soundly based economy, which means among other things bringing inflation down to a more tolerable level. As this is achieved, and productivity continues to improve, British firms will become increasingly competitive and so be in a position to offer goods and services that people in this country and abroad want to buy and at prices they are prepared to pay. This is the only way to create the new and secure jobs we all want to see, both in the Walsall area and throughout the country. What we need is steady, sustained growth and there is no quick and painless short cut, least of all in the middle of a world recession.Meanwhile, as we make progress towards these objectives, people in the Walsall area will continue to benefit from the Government's programme of special employment measures. Over 500 jobs are being protected through the temporary short time working compensation scheme in the area, and since 1 April 1981 nearly 5, 000 young people entered the youth opportunities programme in the Walsall, Lichfield and Cannock Chase local authority areas.

asked the Attorney-General what is the average cost of the preparation of a welfare report for a divorce county court; how many such reports were prepared in the last period of 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will give the figures for each of the previous five years.

I have been asked to reply.Information for the reports specified is not available; such reports may be prepared either by the probation and after-care service or by local authorities. Details of the number of non-criminal reports prepared by the probation and after-care service and the cost of preparing such reports are published annually in "Probation and after-care statistics, England and Wales", tables 53 and 61 of the volume for 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report a list of those parliamentary, other national and local elections held within the United Kingdom since 1945 for which a method of election other than "first-past-the-post" was in effect.

The information requested is as follows:

1945–50—parliamentary elections for the constituencies of Cambridge University, Combined English Universities, Oxford University, and Combined Scottish Universities;

1973—elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly;

since 1973—local government elections in Northern Ireland;

1975—elections to the Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention;

since 1979—European Parliament elections in Northern Ireland.

In each case, the election was by single transferable vote.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been received by his Department in respect of faulty reception of FM citizens band radio caused by illegal use of the AM wave band.

We regret that this information is not available since no statistical record is kept of complaints of interference to the licensed citizens band radio service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licences for citizens band radio have been issued to date; and if he will make a statement.

By 31 December, 106, 408 citizens band licences had been issued. It appears that the authorised system has been generally well received. The rate at which complaints of interference from illegal citizens band transmissions are received is falling.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the last five years, how many disputes have been dealt with by the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies under section 95 of the Building Societies Act 1962; and how many have involved cases where members of building societies have had their membership terminated.

During the period 1 January 1977 to 31 December 1981 five disputes were dealt with under section 95 of the Building Societies Act 1962; none of these involved cases where members of building societies had had their membership terminated.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list any statutory or other requirements placed upon building societies to ensure that investors are given proper advance notice of changes in interest rates.

There are no statutory requirements in this matter. It is governed by the rules of the particular society.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions have taken place in the last five years against building societies which had refused to send members of those societies copies of annual returns as required under the Building Societies Act.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the balance of payments for private sector invisibles between the United Kingdom and the European Community since 1970.

The balance of payments for invisibles—services, interest, profits and dividends—between the United Kingdom and the European Community for the private sector and public corporations was as follows:

	£ million
1973	+440
1974	+538
1975	+313
1976	+644
1977	+579
1978	+773
1979	+1145
1980	+645

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report in some convenient form a comparison of the current income tax rates of the member States of the European Economic Community, showing at what levels of income income tax becomes payable and at what rate, giving sterling equivalents, and showing separately the effects of income tax alone and the combined effects of income tax and social security contributions by the wage earner; and if he will set out similar information for 1977–78 and 1978–79.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the trend in real terms in gas prices to the domestic consumer since 1970 as compared with other fuels.

The following table shows that the real price of gas to domestic consumers has fallen by about a fifth since 1970. The price of all other domestic fuels has risen considerably in real terms.

Domestic Fuels: Real Price Index Numbers
		Gas	Electricity	Heating Oils	Coal and Coke
1970		100	100	100	100
1971		99	101	102	102
1972		98	100	98	105
1973		89	93	98	100
1974		82	98	144	96
1975		77	116	132	104
1976		80	124	145	111
1977		81	122	155	111
1978		76	123	144	113
1979		70	118	162	117
1980		70	129	185	128
1981	Qtr 1	75	138	193	142
	Qtr 2	77	139	193	131
	Qtr 3	81	144	198	132

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has had discussions with oil companies involved in North Sea exploration about the corrosion of rigs and other fixtures and the health and safety factors involved.

Corrosion of rigs and their equipment has been and is being discussed by my officials with industry, certifying authorities and other experts. All aspects including health and safety are considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has had any discussions with oil companies engaged in North Sea exploration concerning the condition of the seabed on completion of the oil extraction, and on any longer-term geological repercussions on the coastline off Scotland and England; and if he will make a statement.

No. However my Department has commissioned the Institute of Geological Surveys to map the sea-bed over the whole of the United Kingdom continental shelf including that in the vicinity of the offshore oil and gas installations as part of its study on seismic activity. No sea-bed subsidence or coastal erosion is anticipated to result from the exhaustion of oil or gas fields.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the average percentage relative reduction on the rates to be paid by industry in Wales in 1982–83 arising directly out of his changes in the distribution of rate support grant in Wales.

Rate levels for 1982–83 will of course depend on the budget decisions made by local authorities. However if authorities plan to spend at the level implied by the 1982–83 Welsh rate suppoort grant settlement there should be little or no increase in the average level of rates for industry and commerce.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now accept an invitation from Gwynedd county council to meet it to discuss the employment problems facing the county.

I wrote to the chairman of the council on 14 January expressing my readiness to arrange a meeting with representatives of the council at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with trade unions, local authorities and other interested parties concerned with the future of the port of Holyhead and its associated transport network.

None. Responsibility for both Sealink Limited and British Rail rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, but I am keeping in touch with the position at Holyhead.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether charges are made to local authorities for the use of troops in dealing with the snow emergency in (a) Wales generally and (b) Mid Glamorgan; and what is the basis of such charges.

If a local authority requests military assistance in a civil emergency, then charges for the assistance are normally made on the basis of the extra costs incurred by the military during the operation. It is too early to say what the extra costs may be in respect of the present snow emergency.Local authorities can, of course, include charges of this kind in their reckoning of exceptional expenditure in connection with Government financial aid in respect of the emergency.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many new drug addicts there were in Hong Kong in each year from 1975 to 1981; and what arrangements were made in those years for the treatment of drug addicts.

The number of addicts registered with the Central Registry of Drug Abuse established in September 1976 are:

• 8, 600 (September to December 1976)
• 1, 300 (1977)
• 6, 700 (1978)
• 4, 000 (1979)
• 2, 800 (1980) and
• 1, 600 (January to June 1981).

A comprehensive range of treatment programmes is provided by Government and voluntary agencies.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if Her Majesty's Government support the proposal for a University of Peace made to the General Assembly of the United Nations by President Rodrigo Carazo of Costa Rica.

We joined in the General Assembly's endorsement of this proposal. We are, however, not able to make a financial contribution and have accordingly refrained from signing the international agreement establishing the university.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what are the functions of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office information department; and how many people it employs.

Information department co-ordinates the Government's official information effort overseas—including the overseas services of the Central Office of Information—has financial responsibility for the overseas information programme and maintains liaison with the BBC external Services and the British Overseas Trade Board. It also supervises sponsored visits to the United Kingdom, in co-operation with the Central Office of Information, and the work of the Wiston House conference centre. The Department provides regular guidance and background briefing of Her Majesty's missions abroad on matters of general concern affecting Government policies.The Department has 79 members.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many of the current staff of the information department in his Department previously worked for the information research department.

27 members of the present information department have served in the former information reseach department at some stage in their careers.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list all documents distributed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office information department over the last 12 months.

Apart from a wide range of material prepared for our posts abroad for general briefing purposes, the following 77 background briefs were issued in 1981:

• Soviet Attitude to Muslim Believers
• Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (revised)
• China's Economic and Political Course
• Summit Conferences of the Arab League
• Soviet Foreign Trade: 1979–80
• Poland: A Chronology, October-December 1980
• Afghanistan: Chronology of Events, September-December 1980
• Soviet and Western Attitudes to Defence and Disarmament
• The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
• Ethnic and Religious Minorities of Iran
• Soviet Fishing Around Africa
• Life Today in Cambodia
• Libyan Relations with Sub-Saharan Africa
• Afghanistan Report
• The Church in Cuba
• Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers' Meeting
• Aid to the Developing World
• Namibia (South West Africa) Independence Proposals Chronology: September 1980—March 1981
• National Feeling and Dissent in Estonia
• Soviet Treatment of Two Muslim Minorities
• Afghanistan—The Refugees
• Afghanistan: Further Responses to the Soviet Intervention
• The Economic Community of West African States
• Soviet Activities in Africa
• China's National Minorities
• Economic Retrenchment in China
• Belize: Background to Independence
• The Two Yemens: Dialogue or Discord?
• Background to the Troubles in E1 Salvador
• Poland: A Chronology, January-March 1981
• Palestine Liberation Organisation (revised)
• Afghanistan: Chronology of Events, January-March 1981
• Soviet Party Congress
• Privilege in the Soviet Union
• World Food Supplies
• Life Today in Laos
• Poland: A Chronology, April-May 1981
• The Middle East Problem: Background and Chronology, August 1980-June 1981
• Economic Reform and the Private Sector in the USSR and Eastern Europe
• Treatment of Cuban Political Prisoners
• Organisation of African Unity
• Vietnam's Commitment to Revolution
• Afghanistan Report
• The IMF and New Loan Demands
• The Berlin Wall—20 Years After
• China's Economy and Foreign Trade in 1980
• Developments in Burma
• Afghanistan: Further Responses to the Soviet Intervention
• Afghanistan: Trade Union Movement
• Afghanistan: Agrarian Policy
• Afghanistan Chronology: April-June 1981
• Iran: The Internal Power Struggle
• South Africa: Black Nationalist Organisations
• Belize: Background to Independence (revised)
• The Principle Events in Iran Since the Islamic Revolution: Chronology: November 1980–July 1981
• The Neutron Weapon
• Polish Party Congress Confirms Kania's 'Socialist Renewal'
• Poland: A Chronology, June-July 1981
• The Principal Events Concerning Cambodia since the Communist Seizure of Power; Chronology: April 1975–4 September 1981
• Communication Resources and the Free Flow of Information Namibia (South West Africa) Independence Proposals Chronology: March 1981–September 1981
• Cultural Developments in China
• Soviet Foreign Trade 1980–81
• World Energy Prospects
• Afghanistan Report
• Afghanistan: Chronology of Events, July-September 1981
• Poland: A Chronology, August-September 1981
• Solidarity Congress Rejects Confrontation
• Namibia: Search for a Settlement
• Chinese Policy on Religion
• Problems in Soviet Society
• Dissent in the USSR
• Afghanistan and the UN General Assembly
• Afghanistan Report
• The Soviet Economy 1980–81
• Soviet Policy in the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula
• Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (revised)

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many journalists receive material produced by the information department of his Department.

Any journalist may obtain information department's background briefs through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office news department. 84 journalists have asked to receive supplies of these papers on a regular basis, 14 of whom represent newspapers overseas.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what guarantees have been received from the Spanish Government that the Lisbon agreement will be fully implemented when the further discussions on bilateral relations commence on 20 April 1982 between Her Majesty's Government and the Spanish Government; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 19 January to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes).

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many additional persons will be employed at the border post in Gibraltar if that border opens on 20 April 1982; and what will be the cost for wages and other overheads.

The precise arrangements for controlling the border once it is reopened are still to be worked out and the cost of wages and other overheads is not yet known. These costs will be a matter for the Gibraltar Government.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what will be the annual cost to Her Majesty's Exchequer of additional Government expenditure on police services, social security staff, customs officials and any other expenditure if the border post between Gibraltar and Spain is reopened on 20 April 1982.

The cost of the staff and services cited will be met by the Gibraltar Government.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what discussions have taken place or agreements made with the Government of Pakistan about the reception in the United Kingdom and the granting of refugee status to those Pakistanis, at present in Syria, taken there from custody in Pakistan after the hijack in 1981.

Her Majesty's Government have received representations from the Government of Pakistan about the Pakistani prisoners released in Damascus in March 1981. The nature of these representations must remain confidential. Her Majesty's Government have not entered into any agreement with the Government of Pakistan about the former prisoners. It is for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to decide on questions of asylum.

asked the Lord Privy Seal in what ways the sovereign base areas of Cyprus do not have the status of a Crown colony.

Article 1 of Treaty of Establishment provided that the base areas should remain under United Kingdom sovereignty. A corresponding provision is in section 1(i) of the Cyprus Act 1960. These documents define the legal status of the bases. However, in a declaration regarding their administration, transmitted to the Government of Cyprus on independence, Her Majesty's Government declared their intention not to develop the bases for other than military purposes and not to set up and administer "colonies": this is reflected in the fact that responsibility for their administration rests with the Secretary of State for Defence.

asked the Lord Privy Seal on what proportion of occasions in each of the last seven years the member States of the European Community decided to vote together in the United Nations General Assembly; on how many occasions during each Presidency the member State holding the Presidency of the Council spoke on behalf of the member States in the United Nations General Assembly during the past five years; and on which issues the British Presidency spoke on behalf of the Ten in the General Assembly.

The proportion of occasions, in each of the last seven years, on which the member States of the European Community have—including consensus—voted together in the United Nations General Assembly are as follows:

• 1975: 83·4 per cent.
• 1976: 82·3 per cent.
• 1977: 83·5 per cent.
• 1978: 81·0 per cent.
• 1979: 82·2 per cent.
• 1980: 80·9 per cent.
• 1981: 77·3 per cent.

The number of occasions in each of the last five years on which delegates of the member State holding the Presidency—or another delegation on its behalf—have spoken on behalf of the member States in the United Nations General Assembly—including common statements and common explanations of vote—are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of extending the higher rate of supplementary benefit to the unemployed who have been in receipt of supplementary benefit for (a) over two years and (b) over one year.

About (a) £130 million and (b) £210 million on November 1981 benefit rates. The estimate is based on the estimated average number of beneficiaries in 1981–82.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the estimated savings to his Department as a result of changes in social security regulations limiting financial assistance for footwear and clothing for children of school age, in the financial year 1980–81 and the current year.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people have emigrated during each of the past four years for which figures are available with, if possible, their main destinations.

The estimated numbers of emigrants from the United Kingdom for 1977–80 are given in the table below. An emigrant is defined as a person who, having resided for at least one year in the United Kingdom, intends to spend a year or more in another country.Figures are derived from the International Passenger Survey. This is a sample survey in which information is collected from travellers at main sea and airports, but excluding routes to and from the Irish Republic.

Emigrants*to selected countries from the United Kingdom
Thousands
	1977	1978	1979	1980
All destinations	209	192	189	229
Australia	32	25	23	36
Canada	19	15	19	19
European Community	29	32	29	34
United States of America	21	25	26	29
Middle East	28	26	23	24
*Excluding emigration to the Irish Republic.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many chiropody students are currently in training; and what were the figures for 1978, 1975 and 1972.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many chiropodists are attached to regional health authorities; and what steps are being taken to encourage entrants into this profession.

On 30 September 1980, the latest date for which information is available, there were the equivalent of 2, 067 whole-time chiropodists in the National Health Service in England. There is no want of applicants for places in chiropody schools. Expansion of the profession is achieved mainly by an increase in the number of students qualifying.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many blood sugar monitoring machines are in use; and if he will make a statement.

Blood glucose monitors may be supplied by health authorities to patients on the prescription of hospital consultants. Information on the number in use is not available centrally.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will arrange for an exhibition relating to Voluntary Service Overseas to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that arrangements have been made with the authorities in the House for an exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 1–7 February 1982.

asked the Lord Privy Seal on what dates between May 1979 and the present he has announced reductions in the aid budget below previously announced levels of disbursement; and what was the amount of the reduction on each occasion.

On 12 June 1979 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced, as part of wider public expenditure reductions, that the overseas aid programme for 1979–80 would be reduced by £50 million.This reduction was reflected in the March 1980 public expenditure White Paper—Cmnd. 7841—which also set out plans for the succeeding years, as follows:

	£ million in (constant) 1979 Survey prices
1979–80	794
1980–81	779
1981–82	730
1982–83	680
1983–84	60

The differences between these figures and the plans of the last Government for the period up to 1982–83 are shown in table 5·8 of Cmnd. 7841. These plans were unrealistic in the light of our general economic circumstances.On 24 November 1980 the Chancellor announced a 2 per cent. cut for 1981–82 on the plans—that is Cmnd. 7841—for that year in most cash-limited programmes, including aid.This reduction was reflected in the March 1981 public expenditure White Paper—Cmnd. 8175—which also applied the reduction to previous plans for 1982–83 and 1983–84.As part of the general reductions announced by the Chancellor on 2 December 1981, the Minister for Overseas Development told Parliament on 14 December 1981—[Vol. 15, c. 181—that the net aid programme for 1982–83 would be £950 million in cash. This is a reduction of just under £20 million below the previously planned figure for the year plus a further reduction of £6 million to compensate for an overspend of the same amount in 1980–81.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will arrange for a copy of the report on the proposed closure of the Gibraltar dockyard, which was compiled by PEIDA in association with Y'ard Ltd. and Wallace Evans and Partners at the request of the Overseas Development Administration, to be made available to hon. Members by placing it in the Library.

The recent report by PEIDA and its associates on the possible effects of the closure of Her Majesty's dockyard in Gibraltar was commissioned under British technical co-operation arrangements for the Government of Gibraltar. The report is now the property of the Gibraltar Government, and I am therefore seeking their agreement before placing a copy in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his latest estimate of the numbers of teaching jobs that will be lost in further and higher education by 1983–84 as a result of cutbacks in Government finance.

The Government's expenditure plans for the universities and for advanced further education imply a reduction in the number of teaching jobs by the equivalent of about 10, 000 full-time posts by 1984–85.

Short asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what will be the level of fees for home students and those from European Economic Community countries attending courses in further and higher education in the next academic year; how this compares with the fees for each of the previous three years; and what effect he expects such new fee levels to have.

The only 1982–83 tuition fee to be settled is the fee for home students and those from EC countries on first degree and equivalent courses. Fees for such courses over the period 1979–83 are as follows:

Academic Year
1979–80	£595
1980–81	£740
1981–82	£900
1982–83	£480

As indicated by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State when announcing the fee for 1982–83 on 21 December 1981 in the course of his answer to a question from the hon. Member for Wokingham (Sir W. van Straubenzee)—[Vol. 15, c. 3151—the fee reduction will be accompanied by a compensating increase in the level of funds available for allocation on the recommendation of the University Grants Committee by the local authorities and by the Department of Education and Science, in the case of Voluntary and direct grant colleges, which should assist the management of the necessary restructuring of higher education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provision he is making for the replacement of the two aircraft owned by the Natural Environment Research Council that were severely damaged in November 1981 in an Antarctic hurricane.

In order to enable NERC to purchase two replacement aircraft I am increasing the council's cash limit by £1·65 million with a corresponding reduction in certain other cash limits in my programme. There is, therefore, no overall increase in public expenditure. The new cash limits are:

	£'000 cash
	Present Cash Limit	Revised Cash Limit
Vote 2
Universities etc*	1, 166, 681	1·166, 181
Vote 4
Educational Services	104, 032	103, 282
Vote 6
Agricultural Research Council	42, 134	41, 934
Vote 7
Medical Research Council	101, 739	101, 539
Vote 8
Natural Environment Research Council	52, 641	54, 291
*The change for Vote 2 does not affect announced grants for universities.

Additional provision for the cash limit increase will be sought by means of a Spring Supplementary Estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on the effects of changes in social security regulations limiting assistance for footwear and clothing to children attending school and the consequent burden to be met by regional councils; and what reply he has made to such representations.

The matter was raised with my Department in July 1981 and subsequently considered at a meeting on 9 October 1981 between my right hon. Friend and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. My Department wrote to the convention on 16 December confirming the Government's view that it should not be necessary, on account of the changes in the supplementary benefits scheme, for education authorities to budget for any increase in clothing grants.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what sum of money has been made available to Scottish regional councils in the current rate support grant to permit clothing allowances to be paid to parents of children under section 54 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 where children are unable to take full advantage of education due to lack of clothing.

Rate support grant is paid in aid of local authority revenues generally and cannot be hypothecated to particular items of expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the National Farmers Union of Scotland on the subject of the 1982 price review; and if he will make a statement.

I expect to meet representatives of the National Farmers Union of Scotland after we have received, and have had an opportunity to consider, the European Commission price proposals for 1982–83.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the Scottish fishing organisations requesting that the west coast herring fishing should be continued until the agreed total allowable catch has been taken up; and if he will make a statement.

No representations in these terms have been received about this fishery, which was closed to United Kingdom boats on 31 December 1981. The arrangements for fishing in 1982 will be discussed shortly with industry organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will institute an inquiry into the landed prices for haddock in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

The Sea Fisheries Inspectorate of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland constantly monitors prices at all the leading fishing ports in Scotland and I therefore see no need to institute a special inquiry.Landings of haddock in the opening weeks of this year were heavier than the market could bear, with the result that prices dropped and withdrawals increased. At Peterhead, for example, total landings of haddock in the first 14 market days of this year were approximately the same as for the whole of January 1981. Withdrawals, too, have been much greater this year than in the corresponding period last year. Most of the haddock withdrawn have been small. The heavier than usual landings of haddock were partly a result of the delay in reaching an agreement between the Community and Norway which prevented Scottish boats from catching cod in the Norwegian sector. That particular difficulty has now been overcome. Furthermore, the producer organisations are, I understand, now discussing actively how to fulfil their obligation to balance supply and demand. I am glad to note also that in the last few days landings have been reduced and prices have firmed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any Glasgow hospital is involved in tests into biological and chemical warfare on behalf of the Ministry of Defence; and what consultation his Department has had with Glasgow health board on this matter.

No Glasgow hospital is involved in biological or chemical warfare tests on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, and I have had no consultations on such a matter with the Greater Glasgow health board.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to persuade the European Economic Community to cease supplying the USSR with cheap and subsidised food in light of the recent events in Poland.

Following the United States decision to lift its partial embargo, Community sales of foodstuffs to the USSR qualify for export refunds on the normal basis. The exceptions are sales of butter and butter-oil, where the export refunds have been set at nil since 1 January 1981. In addition, the Commission has undertaken to bring to the Council's attention any proposals for sales of foodstuffs involving unusually large quantities or particularly favourable terms for the USSR.With our Community and other Western partners Her Majesty's Government are keeping the question of sales to the USSR of agricultural and other products under close review in the light of developments in Poland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in the discussions with the Council of Ministers in Brussels on the 1982 farm price review; and if he will make a statement.

The Commission has yet to put its price and related proposals for 1982 to the Council.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will refuse to allow any revaluation of the green pound that would in any way be detrimental to the British agriculture industry; and if he will make a statement.

I can assure my hon. Friend that I will not agree to any proposals damaging to the British agricultural industry. As I have always done, I shall continue to consider the level of the green pound in the light of all relevant factors at the time, including farmers' incomes, food prices and the prospects for the exchange rate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Council of Agriculture Ministers' meeting in Brussels on 19 January; and if he will make a statement.

The Council agreed the outstanding beef import quotas for 1982: the continuation of the 50, 000 tonne GATT quota of frozen beef; a quota of 210, 000 head of calves for fattening; and the maintenance of last year's quota of 60, 000 tonnes of beef for manufacturing, divided equally between levy-free and levy-reduced imports. The Commission declared its intention of fixing the reduced levy initially at 45 per cent. of the normal level, with a review after six months. This is a very satisfactory result for the United Kingdom, since we retain our large share of the GATT quota and the beef which our processors need can be imported at last year's levels at the best time of year for the market.The Council also agreed arrangements for a launching and an investment aid for cotton producer groups in fulfilment of a commitment in the Accession Treaty with Greece, and a special aid for tobacco growers in Italy whose facilities had been destroyed by the 1980 earthquake.I called on the Commission to report what action it had taken on the very substantial French national aid package, and to make it clear what further steps it intended to take to avoid a repetition of last year's ineffective action. Mr. Dalsager reported that France's initial notification had been unsatisfactory and that he had not yet received any reply to his request for further details. I made it clear that we were very dissatisfied that a month after the French Government's announcement the Commission was still not in a position to take a decision, and pressed for a substantive debate on the issue at next month's Council.The United Kingdom, Germany and Denmark called for a progress report on the Commission's action against the preferential gas tariff available to Dutch glasshouse growers. Mr. Dalsager reported that after the December Council he had written to the Dutch Government demanding an assurance by 15 January 1982 that the preferential gas tariff should cease by 1 October 1982 and that meanwhile the gap between the industrial and horticultural tariffs should not be widened. He had received a reply on 14 January. It did not give the assurances for which he had asked, although the Dutch Government had undertaken to consider whether it could eliminate the preferential tariff more quickly. The Commission was examining the reply in detail and would take decisions as soon as possible. I stressed that this was not at all satisfactory. United Kingdom growers had had a very difficult year and the existence of many companies was threatened by unfair competition. The national aids authorised by the Commission were no substitute for effective action to eliminate this distortion. The Commission must say clearly at next month's Council what measures it was going to take.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial allocation has been made for the implementation of the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the Estimate we propose that the level of grant-in-aid to the Nature Conservancy Council for 1982–83 should amount to £11·27 million. This compares with £10·047 million for 1981–82 and takes account of the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on the rate support grant for 1982–83 to the Inner London Education Authority.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend said in his announcement of the details of the rate support grant settlement on 21 December.—[Vol. 15, c. 801–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the level of financing of new towns.

Finance will be provided for the new towns in accordance with their needs and with the availability of public sector resources. My Department will shortly be notifying the new towns of their capital expenditure allocations for 1982–83.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the rate of progress of asset sales by the New Towns Commission.

The rate of disposals by the commission has been somewhat less than originally expected. I shall, however, be reviewing progress with the commission in the early part of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will be able to announce the level of grant available to the Housing Corporation in the next financial year.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) yesterday detailing the Housing Corporation's approved development programme for 198–83.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has received to his Green Paper on local government finance.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friends, the Members for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Cadbury) and for Chipping Barnet (Mr. Chapman).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of the award made by the local highway authority of a £2 million contract for stage 2c of the M18 link road in South Yorkshire, he will seek to amend the Local Government, Planning and Land Act so as to prohibit local authorities from awarding contracts for link roads to major road schemes to direct labour organisations without competition.

The Local Government (Direct Labour Organisations) (Competition) Regulations 1981, made last March, were intended to require jobs of this nature to be submitted to competitive tender. My right hon. Friend is considering changes to ensure that his intentions are complied with.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date he received a communication from Mr. John Lovesey, the managing editor of The Sunday Times (sport) dated 3 November, being a copy of a communication which he had sent to the secretary of the Amateur Boxing Association regarding Mr. W. Cox; whether he intends taking any action in this connection; and whether he will make a statement.

I received a copy of this communication in late November. Its contents are strictly a matter for the governing body of boxing—the Amateur Boxing Association—and are such that they might ultimately become the subject of court action. This is not a matter for Government, and I do not intend to take any action nor make any statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take for the future use of the Fine Rooms at Somerset House.

I am considering, in conjunction with the University of London, the possibility of housing the Courtauld institute collection in the Fine Rooms.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will visit the exhibition showing the conditions of housing in Brent, particulars of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Brent, South.

I am aware of housing conditions in Brent, but have no plans to visit the exhibition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether there has been any change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the participation by either individuals or teams of sports people in South Africa.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what allocation of funds he has made to the London Docklands Development Corporation for 1981–82; and what types of scheme he expects to be implemented from this expenditure.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 December last. I expect the London Docklands Development Corporation to use its resources in 1981–82 for schemes involving the acquisition of land from public bodies; reclaiming and servicing land for housing, industrial or other uses; the provision of better transport facilities; the improvement of the environment; assistance to local authority housing projects; assistance to local community activities in Docklands and other schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in relation to his proposal to set up a trading fund for the Ordnance Survey (a) which bodies he has consulted about his proposal, (b) when he expects to lay an order establishing the fund before Parliament, (c) when such an order will become effective if approved and (d) when he would expect a trading fund, if approved, to be fully operational.

A consultation paper was sent to all the existing Ordnance Survey consultative committees, inviting views on the trading fund proposal to be sent to my Department. A list of the consultative committees and their membership is as follows. Any representations made to my Department following my announcement last July, by individuals or organisations not represented on the consultative committees, have been accepted for consideration together with the responses to the consultation paper. I intend to lay a report of the results of the consultations and my conclusions before Parliament as soon as possible. At that time I hope to be in a position to answer the remainder of this question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether studies were made, prior to a decision being taken to set up a trading fund for the Ordnance Survey, of the effectiveness of the operation of the Government Trading Funds Act 1973 in stimulating efficiency and economy within the organisations to which it currently applies, and in particular of Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

The performance of the existing trading funds is shown by their annual accounts and is carefully monitored.The Government are satisfied that in appropriate circumstances trading fund arrangements provide a valuable stimulus for improved commercial operation and public accountability, but decisions whether to move a particular service to trading fund status are taken in the light of all the relevant individual circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce his conclusions about the future status of the Ordnance Survey organisation.

I hope to make a further statement about this matter when the results of consultation on the trading fund proposal are laid before Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an estimate of the proportion of Ordnance Survey income which will be met by payments from the Department of the Environment as a result of a contract for the undertaking by the Ordnance Survey of core activities if a trading fund is established for the Ordnance Survey.

I cannot give a precise estimate until I have finished my present consideration of the Ordnance Survey's five-year programme. But on the basis of present policies for 1982–83 I would expect that the proportion of Ordnance Survey total income represented by the "core contract" with the Department of the Environment would be between 50 and 60 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to set up an Ordnance Survey advisory council, as recommended by the Ordnance Survey review committee.

I am considering how I might put into effect the Ordnance Survey review committee's proposal. I shall make a more detailed statement in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in the event of a trading fund being set up for the Ordnance Survey, it is his intention that any contract between his Department and the Ordnance Survey for the undertaking by the Ordnance Survey of core activities in the national interest would be subject (a) to consultations with map users and (b) to approval by Parliament.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he plans any changes to the building control fees regulations and, if so, when he expects these changes to come into force.

On 21 September my right hon. Friend published for consultation draft regulations for a new scheme for building control fees. We are currently considering the responses to that consultation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further initiatives are planned to encourage low-cost housing for sale and for rent.

The Government have introduced a wide range of measures to encourage the provision of low-cost housing for sale and to remove disincentives to making rented accommodation available in the private sector. Most recently, a special £5 million allocation was announced last month for low-cost home ownership schemes in the inner cities in 1982–83, for which authorities have been invited to submit bids. Next month the Department will be publishing a booklet to explain shared ownership in question and answer form. The Housing Corporation's approved development programme for 1982–82 announced yesterday in the answer given to my hon. Friend the member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) will permit significantly increased spending in real terms by housing associations next year on low-cost home ownership and on fair rent schemes including hostels. As announced by my right hon. Friend on 21 December—[Vol. 15, c. 326–28]—the gross provision for local authority housing investment in 1982–83 shows an increase in real terms over the previous year. Other initiatives are being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many presentations to local authorities to show them how the building industry can be of assistance in the construction of low-cost housing took place in 1981 and where; how many more are planned; and if he will make a statement.

Nine presentations were held last year. They were in Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Andover, Northampton, Bury St. Edmunds, Solihull and West Malling.Two further presentations are planned in Nottingham on 3 February and in London on 5 March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the number of housing starts and completions for each quarter since 1974 to the latest available date.

Quarterly housing starts and completions in England are published in "Housing and Construction Statistics". Figures up to the first quarter 1978 appear in table 16 of issues 17 and 25. Later figures are in table 1·3 of part 1: in issue No. 2 up to the second quarter 1979 and in issue No. 7 up to the third quarter 1981. Copies of these volumes are in the Library. Figures revised since appearing in these volumes are:

		Dwellings: England
Starts	*1981 Q3	37, 430
Completions	1977 Q1	58, 578
	Q2	63, 115
	Q3	67, 734
	Q4	72, 170
	1978 Q1	57, 411
	*1981 Q3	41, 590
*Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which authority, department or agency has the responsibility for paying for the erection of notice boards on certain public works indicating that European Economic Community funds have contributed to their costs; and which body determines the wording of such notices.

The beneficiaries of European regional development fund grant bear the cost of erecting on-site notice boards where they are considered appropriate. The form of wording on them was suggested by the Commission of the European Communities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list, separately for 1979–80 and 1980–81, the total amount of the payments made to local authorities against final claims in respect of rebates under the Rating (Disabled Persons) Act 1978 for (a) private households and (b) institutions.

Figures are not yet available in the detail requested but, to date, payments to local authorities against final claims in respect of rebates under the Rating (Disabled Persons) Act 1978 are:

	£
1979–80
(360 authorities)	8, 447, 653
1980–81
(338 authorities)	16, 607, 602

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a copy of the speech made by the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Macfarlane) to the Rugby Football Union dinner on 2 January.

During the dinner following the England versus Australia match on 2 January I proposed the toast to the Rugby Football Union. No verbatim speech exists.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now publish the report of the Building Research Establishment on condensation that was commissioned in 1979; and whether the necessary consultations referred to in the Official Report, 22 January, c. 230, are now concluded.

The Building Research Establishment has now concluded the necessary consultations and the report on complaints of dampness in local authority housing will be published later in the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the salary and wage bill of each major group of local authority employees in the most recent year for which figures are available (a) for local government in England and (b) in total.

Approximate figures for the major groups of employees—representing about 90 per cent. of all local authority employees—based on local authorities' 1981–82 budgets, are as follows:

	Wage/salary bill* £ million 1981–82 (cash)
Teachers, etc.	5, 450
A.P.T.C. and related groups	4, 000
Police	1, 450
Fire Service	300
Manual Workers etc.	2, 450
*Includes wages, salaries, employers' National Insurance contributions, Superannuation, etc.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations his Department has received from the town clerk of Manchester with regard to the Local Government Finance (No. 2) Bill; what reply is being sent; and if he will make a statement.

The town clerk and chief executive of the city of Manchester wrote to the Department on 11 December 1981 forwarding a resolution of the council, which made a number of points about the original Local Government Finance Bill, reform of the rating system and local government finance generally. One of my officials replied on 18 January and I am arranging for a copy of the letter to be sent to the right hon. Member. The Department has recently received a further letter from the town clerk and chief executive and a reply will be sent shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to obtain statistics of the average income of council tenants and of the percentage of this income that is spent on rent and rates; and if he will publish these statistics in the Official Report.

Statistics on the expenditure of council tenants on rent and rates combined in relation to different levels of household income are published in the annual report on the Family Expenditure Survey, copies of which are in the Library.