asked the Paymaster General what was the total extra cost to his Department of its contributions to the International Year of Disabled People.

The extra cost to my department during the International Year of Disabled People was £823 in respect of equipment purchased to assist disabled staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the present state of negotiations on the multi-fibre arrangement.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what progress has been made in agreeing global ceilings on the import of textiles and clothing products to cover not only multi-fibre arrangement supplies but also supplies from preferential and State-trading countries.

As my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal reported to the House on 27 January, consideration of the protocol of extension to the MFA which was adopted in Geneva on 22 December 1981 was on the agenda for the Foreign Affairs Council on 26 January. However, it became apparent that further work would be required to produce complete and acceptable global ceilings for the most sensitive clothing and textile products. It was therefore agreed that substantive discussion of this subject should be postponed until a further Council to be held on 11 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations regarding the protocol of extension of the multi-fibre arrangement he has received since 22 December 1981.

Both my right hon. Friend and I have received comments from a number of organisations representing the industry, the unions and retailers. My right hon. Friend and I saw representatives of the major trade associations and trade unions on 21 January to discuss the protocol of extension adopted in the GATT on 22 December. In addition I met textile manufacturers and representatives of local authorities and trade unions during a visit to north-east Lancashire on 29 January and shall be seeing representatives of the wool industry in Yorkshire tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has received on the multifibre arrangement protocol from the British Clothing Industry Association.

I have received a number of communications from the British Clothing Industry Association since 22 December and had a meeting with representatives of the association on 21 January to discuss the protocol of extension to the MFA.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, consequent to the new multi-fibre arrangement protocol agreed in Geneva in December 1981, if he will make a statement concering the negotiation of new bilateral agreements with exporting countries.

The bilateral agreements to be negotiated by the Community with supplying countries under the general framework of the multi-fibre arrangement will run from 1 January 1983. Negotiations on the new agreements cannot begin until the Community has formally accepted the new protocol of extension to the arrangement.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what progress has been made in achieving more flexibility in the regulation of inter-regional air services in Europe.

At December's meeting of the Council of Transport Ministers we pressed hard for the adoption of the Commission's proposals for liberalising inter-regional air services within the Community. Although we failed to persuade our colleagues to endorse this useful measure, which has been remitted for further study, we will continue to press for progress towards a more flexible approach to meeting the needs of air travellers in Europe.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how much worked aluminium and aluminium alloy was imported in 1981; and from which countries.

In the five months of 1981 for which figures are at present available, 69,485 metric tonnes of worked aluminium and aluminium alloys were imported. The principle countries of consignment were the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Belgium-Luxembourg, Norway and the United States of America.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many individuals and how many organisations have made representations to him opposing floating exchange rates.

No recent representations have been received primarily concerned with opposition to floating exchange rates.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what progress has been made in securing the survival of the College of Air Training at Hamble.

As my hon. Friend already knows, I believe that if the college is to continue as a flying training establishment after British Airways have withdrawn their financial support, we must look to private enterprise to bring this about.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what measures are being taken by the projects and economic planning division of his Department to improve the success rate of British companies competing for capital project contracts abroad.

We set up the projects and export policy division within the British Overseas Trade Board organisation to provide a single focus for co-ordinating and applying the full range of Government measures in support of industry's pursuit of major export orders. Its aim is to help British firms win more large project business. The Overseas Projects Board, a body of businessmen with relevant experience, advises the Department on the approach to be followed. The support measures adopted in particular cases are tailored to meet the needs of the case.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if Her Majesty's Government remain committed to a policy of an open world trading system.

Yes. The maintenance of the open world trading system is a vital economic interest of the United Kingdom, as a major exporting nation, to which the Government are firmly committed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what were the levels of exports and imports of steel pipe fittings in 1980 and 1981.

Following are the figures. We consistently have a considerable surplus in our trade in tube and pipe fittings of iron and steel.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps he proposes to take to speed up the work of the Patent Office, in the light of the recent report of the Comptroller General that persistent undermanning has impaired its efficiency.

The Comptroller General's report to which my hon. Friend refers is that relating to calendar year 1980. The paragraph from which the question constitutes a partial quotation, indicated that the Comptroller General himself saw the way forward. He refers there to the team under Sir Derek Rayner which, in 1980, made a full review of the work of the office and he expressed the hope that its report would give the necessary impetus to modernisation that would enable the office to maintain the standard of services required within the manpower resources available. Since that date the office has been following up with vigour the several constructive suggestions made by the report for improving efficiency and cost effectiveness. Some unnecessary tasks have been eliminated; some changes in work procedures have been effected and others are being closely considered; detailed studies are well under way with a view to further computerisation of office operations and the office is also actively considering the proposed changes in the trade marks operation. I am satisfied that steady progress is being made towards modernising the office and increasing its effectiveness.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will list those nationalised industries that have been investigated by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission since the passage of the Competition Act; and whether he plans to make further references.

My right hon. Friend has so far received the commission's reports on British Rail's London and South-East commuter services, the Central Electricity Generating Board and Severn-Trent water authority. Four public sector bus undertakings are currently being investigated. My right hon. Friend intends to announce a programme of references to cover the next 12 months very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in view of the Government's decision to press for the establishment of the proposed European Economic Community's trade mark office in London, he will consider the arguments for its location in the London borough of Harrow.

The Government have produced a brochure, jointly with the Greater London Council, in support of the United Kingdom's bid for the European Community trade marks office. Any part of London is of course possible if the Community should so desire but I think it would be premature to narrow the field at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has any plans to seek changes in the law relating to monopolies and mergers.

Although I continue to keep policy relating to monopolies and mergers under review, I have no plans for legislation at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what items are at present covered by any form of selective import control; and whether Her Majesty's Government have any plans to extend such arrangements.

Details of goods which may only be imported under the authority of individual licences issued by my Department are listed in the open general import licence dated 8 August 1980 and its amendments. Information about quotas is published in notices to Importers in my Department's weekly journal British Business. Copies of the licence and its amendments, and of the journal are available from HMSO and in the Library of the House.I have no immediate plans for new controls, nor do I believe that any general extension of import restrictions would be to the advantage of the United Kingdom. I am, however, ready to consider requests for selective import controls in very special circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how much steel was imported into the United Kingdom from the United States of America in the last 12-month period for which figures are available.

145,730 tonnes of steel were imported from the USA in the twelve months from March 1980 to February 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if it is his intention to seek to alter trading arrangements between the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

I refer my hon. Friend to the declaration following the special Ministerial session of the North Atlantic Council held on 11 January, a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library. A further statement will be made in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what are the practical difficulties in implementing section 19 of the Weights and Measures Act 1979 to which the Minister for Consumer Affairs referred on 17 December, Official Report, column 175.

To meet the requirements of section 19 for all types of beer, existing brim measure glasses would probably have to be replaced by line measures or the beer would have to be supplied through meters. This would add to the industry's costs and consumer prices. In the absence of evidence of substantial consumer dissatisfaction with the present situation, I do not think that this burden upon either would be justified at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take action to secure the future of British steel exports to the United States of America.

The wide-ranging petitions which have been filed by several United States steel manufacturers for imposition of anti-dumping and countervailing duties against imports from a number of steel-producing countries including the United Kingdom are a matter of serious concern. The European Commission has opened urgent consultations with the United States about the damaging consequences for Community steel industries if duties are eventually imposed following the enquiries which will now be carried out by the United States authorities. The Government are participating fully in this process.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what action he intends to take to reduce aircraft noise around Heathrow in 1982 and ensuing years.

We shall continue to encourage the development and introduction into commercial service of quieter aircraft and to maintain the wide range of controls designed to ensure that aircraft are operated in such a way as to minimise disturbance.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if in view of the fact that steam and dry irons and other appliances have been imported at a price that cannot cover production costs, he will take additional steps to prevent the dumping of electrical appliances.

My Department's anti-dumping unit has discussed problems caused by imports of East European steam and dry irons with the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA) which is now considering whether or not to submit an antidumping complaint to the European Commission. The Commission is already undertaking investigations into imports of domestic refrigerators and cylinder vacuum cleaners from Eastern Europe on the basis of a complaint prepared by AMDEA in cooperation with the unit.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has received following the publication of the consultative document on consumers' interests and the nationalised industries; and if he will make a statement.

Most of the interests concerned are still preparing their comments on the document, over 5,000 copies of which have been circulated. We have asked for views by 15 March. Reaction so far indicates that it has been well received.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has any proposals for the building of a second terminal at Gatwick airport; and if he will make a statement.

The BAA's proposals for a second terminal at Gatwick have been the subject of a public inquiry. The inspector's report recommending that outline planning permission be granted for this development, subject to certain conditions, was published on 13 November 1981. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Trade have said that they are inclined to accept the inspector's recommendation but before reaching a final decision they have invited the parties to comment on the implications of new air traffic forecasts published after completion of the inquiry. The representations received are being considered and a decision will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to control and reduce helicopter flights over the London area.

I believe that adequate regulations exist to provide for the safe operation of helicopter flights over the London area and I have no plans to propose additions to these. If, however, my hon. Friend has a particular problem in mind perhaps he will write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is his estimate of the volume of world trade in manufactures in each of the first three quarters of 1981 as a percentage of 1975; and what are the corresponding figures for the United Kingdom, excluding erratics and including October.

Our latest available estimates are published in tables El and B7 of the Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, available in the House library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will set out in the Official Report a table showing, for each year since the United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community, the volume and percentage of the United Kingdom exports to the European Economic Community and imports from the European Economic Community and the annual balance of payments with the European Economic Community.

The available information may be derived from tables A2 and A9 of the Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics and table 13.1 of United Kingdom Balance of Payments—1981 Edition. These publications are available in the House library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to reduce the number of licences for imports of women's nightwear of multi-fibre arrangement category 25 planned for 1982; and if he will make a statement.

No. Licences for imports of this category in 1982, as for other MFA categories subject to quota, will be issued strictly in accordance with the quota arrangements already established.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the total direct investment by United Kingdom firms in the European Economic Community in each year since 1974; and what has been the total investment of the European Economic Community in the United Kingdom in the same period.

Outward direct investment overseas by United Kingdom companies other than oil companies in the European Community 1974–79 is published in table 3.1 of Business Monitor MA4, Overseas Transactions. Total investment by the European Community in the United Kingdom 1974–80 is given in table 13.1 of United Kingdom Balance of Payments, 1981 edition. Copies of both publications are in the library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade why specifications and designs covering four pieces of weighing equipment submitted for approval in November 1978 by a West Bromwich firm were not examined initially by the Department until November 1980; why the manufacturer concerned was not advised until August 1981 that modifications were required; and if he will give a firm date when this application will be approved.

I understand that the firm to which the hon. Member is referring is Salter Industrial Measurements Ltd. The delay of two years in starting the examination was because of a shortage of examiners; this delay was common to all patterns during that period.The examination, started in November 1980, was hampered because the equipment did not work properly. The firm was told this and progress meetings with the company were held in March, April and June 1981 to try and resolve their problems. Unfortunately however, the equipment had to be rejected as unsuitable for use for trade in August 1981.The firm was given the opportunity to resubmit a modified version within three months—to avoid further delay to them—and this it did. There have been further problems of performance but the examination should be completed by the end of February.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will list the number of vacancies of engineering examiner staff in the quality assurance and standards division and indicate whether he is taking steps to increase the recruitment of such staff; and if he will make it his policy to recruit sufficient engineering examiner staff to enable all applications submitted by British manufacturers to be dealt with within six months;(2) if he will list the total number of vacancies and the qualifications needed to fill vacancies in the quality assurance and standards division;(3) if he will carry out a review to establish the extent to which British manufacturers are being placed in an uncompetitive position because of delays in getting their specifications and designs approved by the quality assurance and standards division;(4) how many specifications and designs submitted to the quality assurance and standards division are still awaiting approval; and whether he will list those applications still outstanding in date order commencing November 1978, on a six monthly basis.

There is one vacancy of engineering examiner staff, which I hope will be filled shortly. Examiners are required to have an engineering degree, or have passed the part 2 examination of the Council of Engineering Institutions, or have equivalent qualifications; also they should be chartered engineers. The policy has always been to match the staff resources to the workload, which is forecast by canvassing industry. The aim is to ensure that applications are dealt with swiftly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if his Department incurred any extra expenditure as a direct result of the International Year of Disabled People.

No specific extra expenditure was incurred.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will introduce legislation to provide for special control of proposed mergers and takeovers when these would result in the diminution of local decision-making in national institutions, such as the Royal Bank of Scotland.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many companies were prosecuted for not filing their accounts in the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available; and what were the shortest, longest and average periods of delay in the registering of accounts for the companies concerned.

In 1980, 2,290 summonses for failure to deliver accounts were issued. 588 companies and 1,058 individual directors were involved in these prosecutions. It is not possible, without disproportionate effort, to indicate the shortest, longest and average periods of delay in the registering of accounts for the companies concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what are the minimum and maximum penalties which can be imposed on companies for not filing accounts.

There are no provisions for penalties on companies for failure to file accounts. Under section 4(1) of the Companies Act 1976, the responsibility for delivering accounts to the registrar is that of each director personally. There is no minimum penalty, and the current maximum is £1,000 for each offence.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when European Movement (Investments) Ltd. delivered its annual returns and accounts to the Registrar of Companies for the years ended 31 March 1978 and 31 March 1979, respectively.

European Movement (Investments) Ltd. has not delivered copies of its accounts for the years ended 31 on 31 December 1981 is 45. There are no applications that were submitted in November or December 1978 that are still awaiting approval. On a six-monthly basis, commencing 1 January 1979, the numbers still awaiting examination, under examination, or referred back to the manufacturer are:March 1978 and 31 March 1979, nor has it delivered art annual return for the calendar year 1979. As European Movement (Investments) Ltd. was incorporated on 6 July 1977, it was not required to make an annual return in respect of the calendar year 1978. The company has recently been reminded of its obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish a table showing the surplus or deficit in trade in manufactures with the European Economic Community and the rest of the world, respectively, during that part of 1981 for which figures are available.

The available information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the balance of payments between the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community or the rest of the European Economic Community for each year since 1965.

The available figures are given in table 13.1 of the United Kingdom Balance of Payments—1981 Edition, available in the House library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade(1) what has been the value of United Kingdom imports from the European Economic Community for each year since 1965; and if he will also express these figures as a percentage of all British imports and as a percentage share of the British market;(2) what was the value of United Kingdom exports to the European Economic Community for each year since 1965; and if he will also express these figures as a percentage of all British exports and as a percentage share of the European Economic Community market.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentage of the United Kingdom exports went to the original six members of the European Economic Community in 1971; and what percentage of exports went to the same six countries in 1981 or at the latest available date.

The available information may be derived from tables B 16 and B 17 of the Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, available in the House library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentage of United Kingdom exports to the original six members of the European Economic Community was represented by the exports of oil in 1971 and 1981 respectively.

The percentage of United Kingdom exports of goods to the original six members of the European Community represented by oil and oil products was 2½ per cent. in 1971 and 20 per cent. in 1980, the latest year for which the information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, if it is his intention that the forthcoming multi-fibre arrangement bilateral trade negotiations with low-cost suppliers of textiles and clothing should restrict the growth of imports from them to an annual figure of 1 per cent., in line with the estimated growth in market demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he has now received details of the global import ceilings proposed by the European Economic Community Commission for the forthcoming multi-fibre arrangement bilateral trade negotiations; and if these meet his objective of restraining the future growth of imports from the countries concerned to an increase of 1 per cent. per year in line with the estimated increase in market demand.

The global ceilings proposed by the Commission for imports of the eight most sensitive textile and clothing products from all low-cost sources (including both MFA and preferential suppliers), other than imports under outward processing arrangements, provide for an average rate of increase between 1983 and 1986 for the United Kingdom of approximately 1 per cent. per annum. The annual growth rates for the less sensitive products outside Group I will in general be higher.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the total of textile and clothing imports from all low-cost sources into the United Kingdom in 1980 expressed in tons; and if he will estimate the effect by 1986 if the level of 1980 imports were increased by 1 per cent. each year.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what parts of the statement made by the European Economic Community textile negotiator to the general agreement on tariffs and trade textile committee on 16 July 1981 urged the relating of low-cost textile and clothing imports to the estimated increase in market demand.

Speaking of the general level of per capita imports of textiles and clothing into the Community, the Commission's chief negotiator said, in this statement to the GATT Textiles Committee on 14 July 1981:

"In view of the fact that the proportion accounted for by products imported from the low-cost countries is particularly high and that the Community's market for textile products has its limits, the future regime of textile imports into the Community cannot be envisaged without account being taken of the trend of consumption of those products."

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what estimate he has made of the tonnage difference between textile and clothing imports into the United Kingdom from all low-cost sources covered by multi-fibre arrangement bilateral trade agreements in 1980, and the quotas applying in 1982.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he has considered the European Economic Community Commission's proposal that 1983 import ceilings and quotas for textiles and clothing in the forthcoming multi-fibre arrangement bilateral trade negotiations should be based on the quotas established for 1982 and not on recent actual levels of trade; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 25 January [Vol. 16, c. 266].

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is satisfied that the United Kingdom man-made fibre industry is adequately protected from unfair import penetration; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will make a statement on the outcome of the second ministerial conference on maritime safety which took place in Paris on 26 January.

The second conference on Maritime Safety was attended by representatives of 14 European States, the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation (IMCO), the International Labour Office (ILO) and the Commission of the European Communities.Amongst other matters, the conference reviewed the progress made since the first meeting in December 1980 on the acceptance, approval or ratification of the several international conventions relating to maritime safety, the prevention of pollution and living and working conditions on board ship. It was noted that a number of States, the United Kingdom included, had now adopted all the relevant instruments and that in the case of the other States participating, considerable progress had been made towards that objective.The main achievement of the conference, however, was the adoption and signature of a memorandum of understanding on port State control establishing with effect from 1 July 1982, a harmonised and co-ordinated system for the inspection of foreign ships calling at European ports, for the purpose of detecting those which fail to meet the standards laid down in international conventions, securing the rectification of deficiencies and discouraging the operation of such vessels.In approving the arrangements on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, I made it clear that we would be ready to implement the new system immediately and in full from the date of operation and that we expected to achieve in 1982 a volume of inspections very close to the total prescribed for the United Kingdom by the memorandum, even though formally we are not required to do so until the end of an initial three year period.I have placed a copy of the English text of the final declaration of the conference and of the memorandum in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will give details of imports of footwear from Poland and the Comecon trading bloc over the last five years.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 January 1982, c. 463]: The information for 1977–80 is as follows:

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether, in reviewing his policy toward aid to Zimbabwe for land requisition and development, he makes any assessment of the adequacy of funds from all sources to the Zimbabwe Government for this purpose.

Yes. We have already agreed to finance a very substantial part of the two programmes for land resettlement for which the Zimbabwe Government are seeking aid. Other donors are contributing and we hope that they will increase their efforts, as we have done by offering £10 million towards the second resettlement programme.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what progress has been made in land resettlement schemes in Zimbabwe funded by Her Majesty's Government; and what proportion of the allocated funds have been already spent on land purchase and the costs, respectively.

Under the first resettlement programme, to which we are contributing £20 million, 16 schemes covering resettlement of some 6,000 families on 377,000 hectares of land have been approved and are under implementation. The second programme, to which we have agreed to contribute £10 million, has not yet been started by the Zimbabwe Government. So far the Zimbabwe Government have submitted claims, which we have met, for some £1.4 million for land purchase, and some £121,000 for initial development costs.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if there have been any significant changes in the distribution of foreign aid in the past three years.

Because of the need to meet existing commitments within a reducing level of aid, changes can only be made gradually. But we have taken decisions which are bringing the distribution of aid more into line with our policy of giving greater weight to political, commercial and industrial considerations alongside our basic development objectives.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how much aid was supplied by the United Kingdom to India in 1981; and how much aid he expects will be supplied in 1982.

Figures are not available for the calendar year 1981. Our gross aid to India totalled £140 million in our financial year 1980–81. We are not yet in a position to give a figure for 1981–82.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what further consideration has been given to increasing United Kingdom aid to the least developed countries; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Waltham Forest (Mr. Deakins) on 14 December 1981.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will take steps to ensure that British exporters to developing countries are not placed at a disadvantage compared to foreign competitors whose home Governments offer more generous terms for the provision of aid in cases in which their nationals are awarded contracts.

We have had some major successes in aid-supported business recently; and have expanded the provision established by our predecessors for matching mixed credits offered by our competitors.

asked the Lord Privy Seal when he expects to achieve disbursements of official development aid at a level equal to 0.7 per cent. of gross national product.

We continue to accept in principle the 0.7 per cent. of GNP aid target, but we are not committed to a timetable for reaching it. Successive governments have made it clear that progress must depend on our own economic conditions and on other calls on our resources.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to follow up the agreements reached at the Cancun conference.

The Government are working in the United Nations and its specialised bodies to follow-up Cancun. We have been active in preparations in New York to launch global negotiations. We have ratified the common fund agreement and are undertaking with our Community partners action over food and agricultural development.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the level of aid now being given to Somalia; whether this is likely to increase; and in what fields of the economy.

The cost of our bilateral aid programme in 1981–82 is expected to be about £1.5 million; I do not expect that figure to increase in coming years. In addition in 1981–82 we provided aid for refugee relief in cash and kind totalling about £3 million. Our current development assistance is directed primarily towards livestock, agriculture, fisheries, nursing and education, including training in the United Kingdom.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will allocate more funds for the education of overseas students.

Additional money has been made available this year under our training programme for the Governments of developing countries. We expect to spend about £42 million in the current year on training schemes compared with about £37 million in 1980–81. About 4,600 new awards are expected to be made against 3,900 last year.A substantial level of training will be maintained under the aid programme both bilaterally and through the Commonwealth scholarship and fellowship plan but I cannot yet give a figure for likely expenditure next year.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what aid is currently being given by individual member States of the European Economic Community including the United Kingdom to Nicaragua.

The tables below give information on aid by individual EC countries to Nicaragua, in terms of both disbursements and commitments, for 1979 and 1980.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what are the Hong Kong Government's plans for new hospitals, new clinics and clinic services in the New Territories, in view of the increase in new towns there.

Plans are in hand to build six new hospitals, expand four others and build 11 new clinics. This will increase the provision of hospital beds in the New Territories from 5,292 at present to 12,600 by 1991, and the number of clinic consulting rooms from 109 to 263.

asked the Lord President of the Council what was the total extra cost to his Department or to the House of Commons Vote of contributions to the International Year of Disabled People.

The costs of the improvements in the facilities for the disabled within the precincts of the Palace of Westminster set out in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Sir D. Price) were borne by the Department of the Environment. Items (i) and (ii) totalled £494 and items (a) and (b), if implemented, will cost approximately £10,000 and £14,000 respectively.—[Vol. 16, c. 5.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department with effect from what dates Miss S. M. C. Cameron and Mr. G. C. Ryan QC were appointed assistant commissioners to the parliamentary Boundary Commission for England.

Both were appointed with effect from 28 November 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his written answer to the hon. Member for Goole (Dr. Marshall), Official Report, 22 January, col. 219, what steps he is taking to ensure that a register of electors accurate in all respects for each constituency will be available at the time of any dissolution of Parliament in the autumn of 1983.

The preparation of the register of electors is a matter for the electoral registration officer concerned. Orders in Council giving effect to the new boundaries will, however, make provision for electoral registration officers to make such rearrangement or adaption of the registers as may be necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total extra cost to his Department of its contributions to the International Year of Disabled People.

I regret that the nature of the contributions was such that the extra cost involved cannot be readily identified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make it unlawful for charitable or other bodies or organisations to issue appeals for funds which include information about their financial position which is inaccurate and misleading.

No. The present law is adequate to deal with cases where there is evidence of obtaining money by deception.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to victims of rape in the last year; and how many women received payment.

We understand that this information is not available, as the board does not maintain statistics relating to particular types of injury.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many unwanted dogs have been handed over to societies such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, during each of the last five years for which records are available.(2) if he will provide assistance to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Leicester in view of the 2,300 unwanted dogs handed in at the society's Scudamore Road kennels during the past 12 months;(3) if he will now seek to introduce legislation to control the sale of dogs.

Information about the numbers of unwanted dogs handed over to animal welfare societies is not available nationally. We have no power to provide assistance of the kind suggested. The Pet Animals Act 1951 already controls sales of pets, including dogs, from pet shops and we have no plans to introduce further legislation to control the sale of dogs.

Short asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police surgeons there are; and how many are women.

Police surgeons are appointed by police authorities and no central record is maintained.

asked the Prime Minister, further to the statement of the Secretary of State for the Home Department, 20 January, Official Report, column 298, if Her Majesty's Government propose to seek to give statutory backing to the advice of the Lord Chief Justice on the appropriate sentence for rape.

The hon. Member has already put down a new clause that will enable the Standing Committee on the Criminal Justice Bill to consider whether legislation on these lines would serve a useful purpose.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total extra cost to his Department of its contributions to the International Year of Disabled People.

Additional aids for the Treasury's disabled staff were provided during the International Year of Disabled People 1981 through the Property Services Agency and through an external training course of which the cost to the Treasury Vote was minimal. The Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency purchased equipment that translates short documents into braille for blind computer programmers employed in the public service; this equipment cost £9,000. The package of measures designed to help disabled people, which I announced in my 1981 Budget speech, is expected to cost the Exchequer £3–3½ million in 1981–82 and about £7 million per annum in later years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the gross cost of ending corporation tax; what would be the estimated cost in terms of net loss of revenue; and what increase would be required in the rate of value added tax in order to make good the net loss of revenue.

The estimated yield of corporation tax in 1981–82 is £4.6 billion, of which £1.8 billion is advance corporation tax. If corporation tax were ended, the net cost would be approximatedly £3 billion since the loss of the yield of advance corporation tax would be almost entirely matched by a net increase in income tax receipts. To offset this loss of revenue, the standard rate of VAT would have to be increased from 15 per cent to about 20 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are currently in receipt of London weighting allowance.

About 150,000. As I told my hon. Friend on Monday, 25 January, figures for civil servants in receipt of London weighting allowance who are not regularly working in London are not readily available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current purchasing power of the £ sterling compared with that at 31 March 1979.

Taking the internal purchasing power of the pound sterling as 100p in March 1979, its value in December 1981, the latest period for which information is available, was 68p.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the percentage increase in the retail price index since the United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community.

The retail priced index has increased by 246 per cent. since January 1973.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the net contribution made by the United Kingdom to the European Economic Community in 1981; and what were the comparable figures for each of the years since the United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what has been the net contribution of the United Kingdom to the total European Economic Community budget for each year since the United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community.(2) how much of the European Economic Community budget is spent on agriculture; and what is that figure expressed as a percentage of the total European Economic Community budget.

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

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

[pursuant to his reply, 20 January 1982, c. 133]: The information requested is given in the tables below:The thresholds and rates shown are those for 1977, 1978 and 1981–1977–78, 1978–79 and 1981–82 in the case of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. In Belgium the 1981 rates are provisional.Conversions to sterling were made as follows: