asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reduction in the prison population would result if the parole system were retained, but any prisoner who reached the halfway point in his sentence without prior release on parole were given conditional release on the same basis as in Northern Ireland.

The estimate requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what reduction in the average daily population of prisoners serving sentences of 18 months or less would result if a system of conditional release at half sentence on the Northern Ireland model were introduced for this group of prisoners;(2) what would be the overall effect on the average daily prison population if the parole system were abolished and a system of conditional release on the Northern Ireland model were introduced for prisoners serving sentences of over 18 months.

The detailed information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, it has been estimated that the initial effect of adopting 50 per cent. remission on the Northern Ireland model for all prisoners serving sentences would be to reduce the prison population in England and Wales by about 4,000. Provided that there was no change in sentencing practice, the longer-term reduction would be very much smaller and might be fewer than 1,000. The great majority of any reduction would occur amongst those given shorter sentences who are not at present subject to parole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy on the recommendation of the Royal prerogative of mercy in cases of capital sentences imposed by the courts in Jersey.

Any such case is referred to me so that I may decide whether to recommend the exercise of the Royal prerogative. In so doing I take into account all relevant considerations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions have been given to police authorities for the treatment of diabetics whilst in police custody.

Guidance is contained in paragraphs 4.26 to 4.29 of the Home Office consolidated circular to the police on crime and kindred matters, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many times the case of Julie Garratt, a mentally subnormal 19-year-old girl, kept in custody at Risley remand centre, has been before the Wolverhampton Crown court; what efforts have been made to find her a suitable hospital place; how long she has been at Risley remand centre; and if he will take action to resolve this case;(2) how many consultant psychiatrists have considered the case of Miss Julie Garratt, a 19-year-old mentally subnormal girl currently being held at Risley remand centre; why no suitable hospital place has been found for her; and if he will seek to resolve this case.

Miss Garratt has been held in Risley remand centre since 12 August 1981. After a period on remand to Dudley magistrates court she was, on 9 October, committed to Wolverhampton Crown court and has appeared five times before that court. Considerable efforts have been made by the medical staff at Risley to find a suitable hospital place for Miss Garratt and she has been seen by four consultant psychiatrists. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services that a place has been made available for Miss Garratt at Rampton special hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what projects his Department is sponsoring amongst school children to cut the juvenile crime rate; if he will give details of these; and how much funding is involved.

This Department is collaborating with the Schools Council and the National Mutual Life Association of Australasia Ltd., in the development of a teaching package on law and order for use in secondary schools; and, with the Association for the Prevention of Theft in Shops, in the production of three films on the consequences of burglary, shoplifting and vandalism for use by schools and the police, to which we are contributing £8,000 and £25,000 respectively. "The Story of Our Police", a teaching package widely used in junior schools, is being reprinted at a cost of £30,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new prisons he intends should be built by 1990; how many places are involved in each case; and if he is satisfied that these will alleviate present overcrowding.

Details of the prison building programme are given in appendix 8 to the "Report on the work of the Prison Department 1980", Cmnd. 8228. The programme should produce some 5,000 new places by the early 1990s. It is impossible to estimate how many of these places will be required to replace existing accommodation which will have to be taken out of use; some of the new places will however go towards alleviating overcrowding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he received from the Police Advisory Board for England and Wales at its meeting on 26 January about Lord Scarman's recommendation that racially prejudiced or discriminatory behaviour should be made a specific offence under the police discipline code.

The police staff and local authority associations all took the view that there could be no question of such behaviour being tolerated in the police service. Noting that it could be dealt with under the existing code, they thought that the creation of a specific disciplinary offence would not be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available (a) the total numbers of (i) injuries and (ii) fatalities in fires cause by smoking and alcohol consumption, respectively, and (b) the total financial loss attributable to such fires.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 January 1982, c. 314]: It is estimated that in 1980 fires attended by United Kingdom local authority fire brigades in which the reported source of ignition was smokers' materials or matches resulted in about 240 deaths and 1,600 non-fatal casualties.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether a decision has been taken on the future of the "Locate in Scotland" offices in New York and San Francisco.

In my response to the report of the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs last year, I stated my intention to review, with the chairman of the Scottish Development Agency, the offices in overseas locations originally established by the agency, but now under the direction of "Locate in Scotland", on the completion of their initial two-year period. The review has now been completed and we have concluded that the LIS offices in New York and San Francisco were doing a thoroughly worthwhile job, complementary to the work of the Diplomatic Service posts, in bringing United States investment to Scotland and constituted an essential element in the success of LIS in co-ordinating the inward invesment activities of the authorities in Scotland engaged in this field. We have decided therefore that they should continue, on the basis that their work will be fully coordinated with the United Kingdom promotional effort undertaken through the Diplomatic Service posts in the United States of America.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if an inquiry will be held into the circumstances of the fire in the 25th floor of a multi-storey block at 191 Wyndford Road, Glasgow, on 28 January in which one person died.

When the procurator fiscal of Glasgow has reported the circumstances of this death to the Lord Advocate, he will decide whether or not there should be an application to the Sheriff for the holding of an inquiry. The procurator fiscal's report is expected to reach Crown Office in approximately three weeks' time, but certain technical investigations are being made and it is not possible to be certain how long they may take.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he keeps under regular review the matter of statutory powers or duties conferred on or appointed to, him by Act of Parliament but not yet exercised by him.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is his policy towards the implementation of those provisions of the Estate Agents Act 1978 which are not covered by the Estate Agents Act 1979 Commencement (No. 1) Order 1981.

I will consider the question of further implementation of the Act in the light of experience of the working of the provisions coming into force on 3 May. It is important that estate agents, enforcement authorities and others should gain familiarity with these provisions before any new requirements are imposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the value at the latest available date of the import of video games from Japan.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether Her Majesty's Government are giving any support to the action brought by Lord Bethell in the European Court to declare the current air fare agreements in Europe contrary to the Treaty of Rome.

On 8 January we formally notified the European Court of Justice of our intention to intervene in support of the case brought by Lord Bethell, in which he has submitted that a communication of the Commission on 17 July 1981 should be annulled in so far as it declares that the competition rules are not applicable to airlines with respect to the fixing of air tariffs within the Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement about British Airways external finance limit for 1981–82.

British Airways external finance limit for 1981–82 was set in November 1980 at £101 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the cost to the public Exchequer of the rescue in November of the two contestants, Mr. Ken Winmer and Baron Arnaud de Rosnay, in a cross-Channel wind-surfing race.

I have been asked to reply.The cost to the Exchequer of this rescue last October was £2,290, all incurred as the result of the use of an RAF Wessex search and rescue helicopter. A lifeboat was also involved but this service is not, of course, financed by the Exchequer.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether the personal details of persons born in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man for the purpose of issuing passports are stored in the United Kingdom or within the islands.

The central index of United Kingdom passports includes the names, birth particulars and passport details of people who have been granted passports in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Passport applications are, however, retained at the office of issue.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the issue of the Common European Community format passport to residents of the Channel Islands and Isle of Man; and, in view of the fact that the islands are not members of the Community, whether any differences with regard to passports issued to, or rights of, residents of the islands will operate.

The matter is being carefully studied. A decision will not be taken without full discussion with the islands' authorities and with our partners in the European Community.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, in view of Mr. Enver Hoxha's recent statement to the eighties congress of the Party of Labour of Albania in relation to the prerequisite of returning Albanian gold before initiating any talks to establish diplomatic relations between Albania and the United Kingdom, what is Her Majesty's Government's position on this matter; and whether any new initiatives will be taken to overcome current difficulties.

The gold in question is the responsibility of the Tripartite Commission for the Restitution of Monetary Gold, on which Governments of the United States and France are equal partners with Her Majesty's Government. Since there are, moreover, several claims against Albania or on the gold itself, Her Majesty's Government cannot act unilaterally in the question. The Albanians know that our offer to re-establish diplomatic relations with Albania at once leaving the resolution of the financial problems for subsequent consideration remains open. We are continuing to examine possible solutions, taking into account the existence of other interested parties.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will set out the current position on the agreement of a common format of passport for countries of the European Economic Community and the undertaking of a commitment by Her Majesty's Government to a European passport union.

Member States have adopted a resolution on the introduction of a common format for the national passports of European Community member States. It implements the decision taken in principle by the right hon. Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson) and other Heads of Government at the European Council in December 1974, that the national passports of member States should have common characteristics to symbolise their partnership in the Community. The Government are not bound by any other commitment. We intend to introduce the common format passport at the same time as we adopt the International Civil Aviation Organisation's recommendations for a passport in a simplified standardised format with machine-readable capability. A considerable amount of work is needed to assess the costs and the technical problems involved, and until this has been done, it is not possible for the Government to set a date for the change in the format of United Kingdom passports.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has any conveniently available figures to show how many (a) British produced and (b) foreign produced tractors there are per acre of agricultural land in Great Britain.

Separate information on the numbers of United Kingdom-produced and foreign-produced tractors and on the corresponding acreage worked is not available. Overall, in 1980, it is estimated that in terms of the area of arable land there was one tractor for every 58 acres in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many graduate engineers are employed (a) in his Department and (b) in the division concerned with information technology.

A total of 178 graduate engineers are employed in the Department of Industry, 12 of whom are in the two divisions primarily responsible for information technology. Additionally there are a further 152 officers with professional engineering qualifications, 10 of whom are employed in these divisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what attempt his Department has made to measure the success of Operation Drake; and whether it is intended to participate in or support the similar venture called Operation Raleigh.

Individual Service men who participated in this private venture gained useful experience. Initial approaches have been made by the organisers of Operation Raleigh, and any specific requests for assistance which may be made will considered on their merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many military personnel were involved in Operation Drake, and of what rank; how many adult civilians were involved; how many young people were involved; what was the total cost to the taxpayer; whether military personnel were on full pay and allowances; and whether adult civilians contributed to the funding of the operation;(2) how much the support given by his Department to Operation Drake cost; and under which Defence Vote the sum appears.

Operation Drake was a privately organised venture and my Department therefore has no record of the number of adult civilians and young people involved, nor of their financial contribution to the operation. At the request of the organisers of Operation Drake, 128 Service personnel—including officers and other ranks—participated voluntarily for varying periods and in various capacities on tasks in which the training value that they derived justified their participation on full pay and with the appropriate allowances. Provision for this type of adventurous training is included under Vote 1 of the Defence Estimates.In addition to participation by individual Service men, advice and expertise were offered by the Services when requested and where possible, and certain facilities were made available, generally on the basis of no cost to this Department. For further information I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 14 January 1981—[Vol. 996, c. 595]—by my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Speed).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will introduce legislation to extend the provisions of the Sex Discrimination Act to cover persons employed in the Armed Forces.

No. The Armed Services are specifically exempted from the provisions of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 for reasons which were endorsed by Parliament at the time and remain valid today.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of Her Majesty's forces are currently stationed within the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man for their defence.

Eleven RAF personnel are stationed on the Isle of Man supervising the offshore weapons range at Jurby Head. No regular Service personnel are stationed on the Channel Islands.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in view of its importance to the British Nuclear Fuels facility in Capenhurst, Cheshire, he will expedite his decision on the naval fuel production project.

A decision on the future of the naval fuel project at Capenhurst will be taken as soon as possible, but the issues concerned are complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sports clubs for disabled people have been established during the last 12 months (a) generally and (b) in the East Midlands.

I understand that nine new sports clubs for disabled people were formed in the East Midlands region during 1981. I will write to the hon. Member about the remaining information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have improved sports and parks facilities for disabled people during the last 12 months.

The answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the average annual payments of rates, both domestic and commercial, by rate-payers in the counties of the Isle of Wight, Hampshire, West Sussex and Dorset for the years 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981.

Differences in rate payments between different authorities are determined by the differences in rateable values and the differences in rate poundages levied by county and district authorities. The following table gives the average payments spread over each whole county, but cannot be properly interpreted without a comparison also of average rateable values.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department is currently participating in the job release scheme; and, if so, how many employees have taken advantage of the scheme since 6 April 1981.

Yes, 140.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be in a position to announce his decision on the appeals by Fox Corner Trading against various refusals of planning consent by Guildford borough council and against an enforcement notice served by the same authority in August 1980, all relating to land at Fox Corner, Pirbright, which were the subject of an inspector's inquiry in Guildford on 6 January.

My right hon. Friend expects to receive his inspector's report on the local inquiry very shortly; and, as promised in my letter of 27 January to my hon. Friend, the report will be considered urgently and a decision given as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his recent official visit to Merseyside.

During my visit to Merseyside on Thursday 14 and Friday 15 January I had meetings with members of the Merseyside task force, a large number of organisations from the Liverpool 8 area, senior police officers, and with councillors and officials from the Liverpool city council. I was accompanied for much of the visit by my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Raison) the Minister of State, Home Office, and my hon. Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Macfarlane) the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment with special responsibility for sport.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what progress was made at the series of working meetings he held in Merseyside on 28 and 29 January; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will list the series of working meetings he held on Merseyside on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 January.

I met members of the Merseyside task force to discuss current activities and progress on the initiatives I announced on 5 August last year; members of the Merseyside Development Corporation with whom I discussed plans for the national garden festival on Merseyside; staff, students and private sector sponsors of the new Birkenhead commercial business training centre, one of three such centres to be established on Merseyside last month; and representatives of local authorities and industry. I also visited the Anglican cathedral precinct in Liverpool where I announced a developer-architect open competition for development of the cathedral site.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by category the number of violent crimes in each of the London Royal parks (a) before dark and (b) after dark for each of the last five years.

The information requested could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money has already been paid to the housing officer of the Life Care and Housing Trust; and whether this grant is to be continued.

Grants totalling £17,750 have been paid under section 13 of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 to the Life Care and Housing Trust to assist in meeting the salary and associated costs of a housing officer for a limited period—October 1979 to December 1981. There are no plans to renew the grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Freeson) on 1 February, if he is yet in a position to announce a decision on the use of the Royal parks by hackney carriages displaying external advertisements.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has decided that licensed London hackney carriages carrying external advertisements approved by the Metropolitan Police as the licensing, authority shall be exceptionally allowed in the Royal parks. The necessary amendment will be made in due course to the regulations governing the Royal parks. Meanwhile each company or individual owner-driver wishing to display such advertisements will need to seek my right hon. Friend's written permission to use the Royal parks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he proposes to take to safeguard the position of those whose agreements under the Mobile Homes Act 1975 will begin to run out in 1983.

We have today issued a consultation paper "Mobile Homes" inviting views on what action the Government should take to protect the position of people whose agreements under the Mobile Homes Act 1975 will begin to run out at the end of 1983. Responses to the consultation paper are invited by 31 March 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further action he is taking to ensure proper application of the Reservoirs (Safety Provisions) Act 1930.

I shall be issuing a circular letter and questionnaire on the subject to local authorities tomorrow. I have deposited a copy in the Libraries of both Houses.As soon as local authorities have responded fully to the questionnaire, I shall hope to be able to make a better general assessment of the position. It remains my view, however, that there is no cause for concern on matters of reservoir safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department is currently participating in the job release scheme; and, if so, how many employees have taken advantage of the scheme since 6 April 1981.

Yes; 38.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his recent official visit to Liverpool.

My tour of the port of Liverpool which had been arranged for 29 January had, unfortunately, to be postponed. I hope to visit the port at a later date.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will seek to introduce additional controls on the transportation of hazardous materials by road and rail; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will seek to introduce measures requiring road hauliers and British Railways to give more detailed and earlier information about the movement of traffic carrying dangerous cargoes.

Prior notification of the movements of dangerous substances by road would be neither justifiable nor practicable because of the great number of such movements each day. My right hon. Friend made new regulations last year covering tanker load quantities of dangerous goods, which continued the "Hazchem" system of placarding as part of a comprehensive system of new controls for such traffic by road. The Health and Safety Executive is currently preparing proposals for new regulations on the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances; a consultative document was published in December. The HSE is also developing proposals for the carriage of dangerous substances as packaged goods in quantities smaller than tanker loads.The British Railways Board operates a stringent system of controls, including prior notification of dangerous goods; movements are monitored by the TOPS computer system.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her public engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements on 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 4 February.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a further statement on the current situation in Poland following the communiqué issued by the Foreign Ministers of the EEC at their meeting in Brussels on 4 January.

The Foreign Ministers of the member States of NATO met on 11 January and issued a declaration, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. Since then the North Atlantic Council has met twice to review the situation. At the second of these meetings, held yesterday, it was noted with regret that the Polish military regime had not taken any of the three steps to which the Foreign Ministers attached particular importance—lifting of martial law, release of those arrested and resumption of a dialogue with the Church and Solidarity—nor has the Soviet Union ceased to bring pressure to bear upon Poland. In the circumstances it was agreed to pursue and as necessary strengthen actions along the lines set out in the ministerial declaration of 11 January. So far as Britain is concerned, the House will be informed as soon as possible of the measures being taken by Her Majesty's Government.

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

I have had no such meetings since 2 February.

asked the Prime Minister whether she is satisfied with the degree of attention being paid to management skills when consideration is being given to promotions within the open structure of the Civil Service.

Yes. The recently introduced arrangements for succession planning are designed to ensure that those likely to occupy the highest ranks are provided with direct experience of the management of resources including both people and money.

asked the Prime Minister what organisiations representive of Jewish opinion in the United Kingdom she has met in an official capacity in the last four months; and what discussions have been held about United Kingdom-Israeli bilateral relations.

I addressed the 220th anniversary dinner of the board of deputies of British Jews on 15 December and had the opportunity to meet a number of members of organisations representing Jewish opinion in the United Kingdom. The Government keep in close touch with these organisations with whom they share a desire to improve Anglo-Israel relations.

asked the Prime Minister if she will take steps to seek to ban all food imports from Poland by European Economic Community countries.

According to our information, on 14 or 15 December 1981 the economic committee of the Polish Council of Ministers took a decision to stop exports of foodstuffs from Poland. It is impossible to establish how fully this decision is being implemented, but as far as we can establish food exports to the United Kingdom at least have ceased for the time being.I do not believe it would be helpful to seek to ban imports of Polish food into the Community. Poland's food exports in normal times are small in comparison with her domestic needs, had already dropped with the fall in food production and, if resumed, seem bound to be at significantly lower levels than normal.

asked the Prime Minister if she will review the potential for setting up joint programmes, either between Departments of State or between Departments and outside bodies, for increasing the use of technical aids by disabled people, particularly at work; and if she will make a statement.

There is increasing co-operation between Departments and between Departments and outside bodies, with special efforts being made to see that good information about aids is available to disabled people and to those advising them at home or work place.

asked the Prime Minister when funds will be allocated to the A6(M) Hazel Grove bypass.

We are reviewing the trunk road programme at the moment, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport is considering whether design work can be resumed on a number of bypasses, including that for Hazel Grove.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the co-ordination of the activities of various Government Departments involved with the heavy snow and extreme weather conditions that happened recently in Wales, the West Country and elsewhere; and if she proposes to review the arrangements for administrative co-ordination for any recurrence of the situation.

I am satisfied that the local authorities, with whom responsibility lies, did well in dealing with the effects of the severe weather. The arrangements which exist for providing and co-ordinating help by Government Departments proved adequate and I see no need to review them.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Gibraltar.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister how many of the 25 recommendations of the Equal Opportunities Commission Report for improving the Sex Discrimination Act and the Equal Pay Act Her Majesty's Government intend to implement in 1982 and 1983.

It is too early to say, as the commission is still discussing its proposals with Government Departments and outside bodies.

asked the Prime Minister if she will meet the chairman of the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister what action she has taken to ensure the fulfilment of her pledge given in the House on 27 July 1981, Official Report, Volume 9, column 836, that a further £4 million will be spent in 1981–82 for voluntary work in connection with the community enterprise programme.

As I proposed on 27 July, we made available additional funds to promote voluntary service in connection with the community enterprise programme, which already had provision for long-term unemployed people to be given temporary jobs organising voluntary work. Despite extensive discussions between the Manpower Services Commission and voluntary organisations, there have not been sufficient additional projects sponsored by voluntary organisations to account for the additional £4 million in 1981–82. We are therefore considering alternative ways of meeting the aim of this proposal.

asked the Prime Minister whether, following her reply of 28 January to the hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Dormand), she will list, for areas of Government responsibility such as industry, trade, agriculture, employment, economic policy and so on, those respects in which she considers it in the interest of the United Kingdom to stay in the Common Market.

The Government's views about the advantages of our memberhip of the European Community have been set out on numerous occasions inside and outside the House. I do not therefore propose to repeat them in full. I would just mention the advantages we gain from tariff-free acceess to a market of 350 million people, including the Community's European associates, which takes some 60 per cent. of our exports; the consequent attractiveness of this country, with access to that market, to foreign investors, demonstrated by the fact that in 1980 a third of all United States industrial investment world-wide came to Britain, as well as over half of all Japanese investment in Europe; and the enhanced influence in world affairs which we 'gain from acting as a member of the world's largest trading bloc and aid donor. Above all, as I told the right hon. Member for Down, South (Mr. Powell) on 15 December—[Vols. 15, c. 150.]—I believe that membership of the European community is in the best interests of this country for political reasons, representing as it does an area of democratic stability which is vital in the interests of Europe and the larger world.

asked the Prime Minister if she will clarify the entry relating to Letchworth garden city corporation in her reply to the hon. Member for Carlton (Mr. Holland), 26 January 1982, Official Report, column 296.

I regret that I incorrectly included Letchworth garden city corporation in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Carlton (Mr. Holland) on 26 January 1982. As it happened, this part of my reply was also subject to a printing error in the Official Report—[Vol. 16, c. 299–300]. I apologise for this unfortunate error, which I am having corrected.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he proposes to close the pomology and food and beverages divisions at Long Ashton research station in 1983–84.

Long Ashton research station is grant-aided by the Agricultural Research Council. The future of the pomology and food and beverage divisions of the station is a matter for decision by the council and not for my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of pupils entitled to leave school in England at Easter 1981 did so then.

Full information on 1980–81 is not yet available but early figures suggest that about 12 per cent. of those becoming eligible to leave at Easter did so. Over the whole academic year around 68 per cent. of all pupils

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table of the cost of wages and salaries of university employees in England

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now allocate additional funds to schools for washing facilities to prevent the risk of hepatitis to pupils and teachers; and if he will make a statement.

The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 require every maintained school to have adequate washing facilities. My right hon. Friend does not therefore consider it necessary to make resources specially available for additional washing facilities in schools. On the general question of hygiene in schools I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 22 January 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the right hon. and learned Member for Hertfordshire, East (Sir D. Walker-Smith) on 28 January, Official Report, c. 396, if he will express the number of school pupils who submitted provisional, final entries and completed CSE examinations in 1979, 1980 and 1981 as a percentage of actual school pupils.

The information given in reply to my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, East (Sir D. Walker-Smith) on 28 January was supplied by the CSE boards in terms of subject entries and not pupil numbers, and this further information is not available in the Department.It is estimated from the annual survey of school leavers that the numbers and percentages of fifth formers leaving at Easter have fallen over the last three years as is shown by the following table.and Wales in each of the last three years; what proportion this represents of total costs of universities in each year; and how many people were employed in each year in these universities.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the number of people employed in education, both full and part-time, who neither lecture nor teach in each of the last five years, and the cost of their wages and salaries in each year.

Information is available for the past four years only as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the number of people employed in universities, both full and part-time, who neither lecture nor teach in each of the last five years, and cost of their wages and salaries in each year.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what calculations underlie the figure of 71/2 per cent. that he stated in his answer to a supplementary question on 19 January, Official Report, c. 146, as being an appropriate figure for the economy he is seeking from the Inner London Education Authority without damage to its educational quality or range of its services.

The ILEA's expenditure target for 1982–83 is 33 per cent. above its grant-related expenditure assessment, which itself takes account of the socioeconomic problems faced by inner city areas and the effect of London weighting on salaries. The method of constructing expenditure targets for all local authorities was described in the technical memorandum sent to local authorities on 21 December 1981 by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, who placed a copy in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the real value of the student grant now, as compared with 1962; and how this compares with changes in teachers salaries.

The latest information on average teacher salaries relates to 31 March 1980; at that date the increase in the real value of teacher salaries from March 1963—in academic year 1962–63—was 15 per cent. During this period the student grant ordinary maintenance rate decreased in real terms by 12 per cent. Since that time the student maintenance grant has declined by a further 4 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by how much he expects the advanced higher education pool to be reduced in 1982–83.

The quantum of advanced further education expenditure within the predetermined pool in 1982–83 has been determined by my right hon. Friend to be £539 million. The corresponding figure for 1981–82 was £447 million. These are both cash figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage reduction he proposes to make in the size of the advanced higher education pool for 1982–83.

After allowing for the addition to compensate local authorities for the loss of tuition fee income from our decision to reduce substantially the tuition fee for home students on designated advanced further education courses, the quantum of advanced further education expenditure for 1982–83 within the predetermined pool of £539 million is a reduction of some 2 per cent. in real terms compared to the quantum for 1981–82.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in the light of the growing practice of violence against school teachers by pupils and their parents, whether he will cause an investigation to be made to ascertain how wide this practice is; what action can or should be taken to halt it; and whether he will make a statement.

Although my right hon. Friend and I deplore the use of violence against teachers, we are not satisfied that an investigation would help. Responsibility for action lies with local education authorities and schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local government electors objected to the statutory proposals to cease to maintain Harlow and Northway middle schools, Oxfordshire, respectively; and how many children were on the rolls of each of those schools in November 1980.

There were three statutory objections, signed by 40 local government electors, and a further 19 representations with a total of 22 signatures. Numbers on roll are not available for November 1980, but in September 1980 the number of children at the Harlow and Northway middle schools was 315 and 217 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science for what reasons the statutory proposals to cease to maintain Harlow and Northway middle schools, Oxfordshire, were rejected.

The Department's letter to Oxfordshire county council in respect of these proposals conveyed the view of my right hon. Friend's predecessor that the present and forecast pupil numbers for the area did not justify retaining both schools; but he rejected what was proposed because he was not satisfied that it represented the best possible use of the area's facilities for middle school education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will seek to meet the president of the Royal College of Physicians to discuss Government funding of medical research projects.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total amount of Government funds allocated to the Medical Research Council in 1979, 1980 and 1981.

The Medical Research Council received the following amounts. The first line of the table represents the grants-in-aid to the council from the science budget of my Department, and the second line the amounts received by the council in respect of work commissioned by other Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which medical research organisations in receipt of direct financial support from Her Majesty's Government have had such support reduced in 1981; and by how much.

The only medical research organisation in receipt of direct financial support from my Department is the Medical Research Council, which is funded mainly by a grant-in-aid from the science budget. For information about the level of support during 1981 I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) on 7 December 1981.—[Vol. 14, c. 318–19.]Comparable information is not available for the medical research organisations directly funded by Health Departments, on grounds of disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which countries in the European Economic Community charge higher university fees for overseas students than for students of their own country.

Greece, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, and with various exceptions, Belgium. It is normal practice for European Community countries to charge the same tuition fees for students from other member countries as for their own students.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many technical teaching staff, and of what grades, were recognised as teachers by his Department as a result of courses at the four colleges of education (technical) in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981; and how many of those were subsequently employed in schools and colleges in the initial training of young people aged 16 years to 19 years leading to technical, trade or craft qualifications for the years 1979, 1980 and 1981.

Information is not available in the form requested. Courses at these institutions are designed for teachers in further education. The completion of one of these courses does not in itself lead to recognition as a qualified teacher, a form of recognition which applies only to teaching in schools.It is, however, open to a local education authority to recommend such recognition for individual teachers with particular relevant experience and qualifications. Numbers of teachers so recognised after taking one of these courses are given below, by the years in which they completed their courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much was spent on in-service training for mathematics teachers in the last financial year; and if he proposes to increase this provision.

In-service training for teachers, including teachers of mathematics, is provided in a number of ways, including formal courses at polytechnics and colleges, courses and other activities, mounted by local education authority advisers and teachers' centres and Her Majesty's Inspectorate's own short courses. It is not possible to estimate what part of the costs of in-service training provided in these various ways is attributable to the training of mathematics teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consideration he has given to financial incentives to encourage mathematics graduates to train as teachers; and what contact his Department has with undergraduates in mathematics to encourage them to enter teaching.

The Department has introduced a pilot scheme of national scholarships for priortiy teachers, which provides scholarships for selected mathematics graduates of high calibre to take postgraduate training courses, and allocates resources for the training and retraining scheme administered by the Manpower Services Commission, which provides training awards for mature mathematics graduates to take these courses. My Department has no direct contact with mathematics undergraduates to encourage them to enter teaching, but it does publish free information leaflets on teaching the physical sciences and mathematics and on the special schemes which are widely available. The report of the committee of inquiry into the teaching of mathematics in schools, under the chairmanship of Dr. W. H. Cockcroft, includes a number of recommendations in this area and my right hon. Friend will be examining these carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what work is being done to develop curriculum materials to teach secondary pupils about (a) the legal system, (b) politics and (c) civil rights; and if he is satisfied that secondary pupils are sufficiently aware of these areas when they leave school.

Curriculum development work in this general area is being carried out by the Schools Council and others. The Government have published their views on the curriculmn in primary and secondary schools in "The School Curriculum": my right hon. Friend believes that there is still some way to go in meeting the objectives set out in that paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department has yet completed the special exercises to collect early statistics on overseas student enrolments in 1981–82; and if he will give percentage changes compared with 1980–81.

Provisional estimates made by my Department of the numbers of first year and total enrolments in 1981–82 in establishments of further education in England and Wales and in universities in Great Britain are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present level of overall unemployment and of male unemployment in every employment exchange and travel-to-work area in the Greater Manchester metropolitan area.

The following table gives the provisional figures at 14 January.