Written Answers

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Written Answers Toquestions

Thursday 11 February 1982

Defence

Supersonic Boom (Northumbrian Coast)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied that the apparent supersonic boom off the Northumbrian coast shortly after midday on Thursday 28 January was not caused by military aircraft.

We have no evidence that United Kingdom-based military aircraft were involved.

Baor (Deaths)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers in the Army died while serving in Germany in 1970, 1975 and 1980.

The following Regular Army personnel died in Germany in the years in question:

1970	67
1975	54
1980	42

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Royal Air Force died while serving in Germany in 1970, 1975 and 1980.

Four members of the Royal Air Force died in Germany in each of the years 1970, 1975 and 1980.

Baor (Invaliding Pensions)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Royal Air Force were seriously injured in Germany and are now in receipt of pensionable awards in 1970, 1975 and 1980.

The numbers of Royal Air Force personnel awarded Service invaliding pensions or gratuities as a result of serious injury in Germany for the years in question are as follows:

1970	1
1975	2
1980	2

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers were seriously injured in Germany and are now in receipt of pensionable awards in 1970, 1975 and 1980.

The numbers of Army Officers and soldiers awarded service invaliding pensions or gratuities are:

1970	24
1975	12
1980	19

Ulster Defence Regiment

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the personal safety of individual members of the Ulster Defence Regiment while off duty; and if he will revise the rules with regard to their possession of weapons.

A number of steps are taken to try and minimise risks to off-duty UDR members. Considerable emphasis is placed on the individual's own security awareness. For those soldiers at particular risk when off duty a number of specific measures may also be applied. These range from the mounting of security force patrols in the area concerned to the provision of physical security protection. Included in the latter is the issue of personal protection weapons where the threat warrants this.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ulster Defence Regiment bases there were in 1979, 1980 and 1981; what is the present number; and if he will make a statement.

The number of UDR bases at 1 January 1979, 1 January 1980 and 1 January 1981 was 41, 40 and 34 respectively. The number at 9 February 1982 was 32.The closures have been effected to make the best use of manpower resources by releasing soldiers, previously engaged in static guarding and administrative duties, for operational tasks. This reflects the wider responsibilities being given to the UDR throughout the Province, as they provide support for the RUC in an increasing number of areas.

Liquid Petroleum Gas Tanker (Solent)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has been consulted about the proposal to moor a liquid petroleum gas tanker near to his Department's installation in the Solent; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the British Transport Docks Board, Southampton, is considering proposals for the mooring of a liquid petroleum gas tanker in the Solent Since the proposed site is outside the limits of the dockyard port of Portsmouth the specific agreement of the Ministry of Defence is not required, but there is a Royal Navy representative on a local working party set up by the docks board to consider the issues involved.

Hms "Dreadnought"

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of HMS "Dreadnought".

After careful examination of financial and operational considerations it has been decided that HMS "Dreadnought" will be de-fuelled and de-equipped at Chatham and will then be laid up at a secure mooring."Dreadnought" was launched in 1960 and was commissioned in 1963. She is our oldest hunter/killer submarine and the single boat of her class, being equipped with what are now an obsolescent nuclear propulsion system and obsolescent secondary machinery. This submarine is noisy by modern standards, and even after a refit would only have had a limited operational capability in her primary role. The cost of a refit would have been in excess of £70 million.

	RUC	RUC Reserve	Civilians	Total
1 January 1972	4,086	1,284	730	6,100
1 May 1979	6,334	4,594	1,421	12,349
1 January 1982	7,334	4,870	1,503	13,707

The total annual staff costs, at outturn prices, for the relevant financial years are: 1971–72—£14,010,000; 1979–80—£89,813,000; 1981–82, estimate—£146,370,000. Figures at constant prices are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Nurses

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of nurses employed by the National Health Service in Northern Ireland including pupils, students and auxiliaries in 1972, May 1979 and at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will give the cost at each date in current and constant terms.

I regret that it is not possible to give information for 1972, when a different form of accounting was in use. I have therefore provided information for 1975. Information on the number of nurses, including pupils, students and auxiliaries employed in the Health Service in Northern Ireland is collected quarterly, thus the information below is for the nearest date to that requested:

Date	Total Number	Whole-Time
		Equivalent
30 June 1975	16,509	14,815
30 June 1979	18,217	16,318
31 December 1981	20,585	18,357

The staging of some pay settlements in recent years entailed the payment in one year of arrears from the prior year and it is therefore not possible to make comparisons between years on a constant price basis. The current cost of the financial years were as follows:

Year	Costs £ million
1975–76	42.7
1978–79	61.9
1979–80	76.0
1980–81	109.5

This decision will not affect the long-term SSN force level expected to be achieved by the end of the decade. We are now inviting tenders for a further hunter/killer submarine, SSN 17.

Northern Ireland

Police (Numbers)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the total numbers employed by the police force in Northern Ireland in January 1972, May 1979 and at the latest available date for which figures are available; and what was the overall cost for each date in current and constant terms.

The information is as follows:

Ulster Defence Regiment

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to allow members of the Ulster Defence Regiment to operate from Royal Ulster Constabulary stations; and if he will make a statement.

The deployment of the UDR is a matter for the general officer commanding, but they already operate from a number of RUC stations where operational considerations make this appropriate.

Security Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the security statistics for 1981 are now available.

Yes. I am including in the reply details of convictions obtained during the period July-December 1981. The following is the information:PART IYearly totals for 1971–1981

Statistics of Terrorist Activity

Statistics for terrorist activity comprise the following:

(i)Number of shooting incidents

(ii)Number of explosions

(iii)Number of bombs and devices neutralised

(iv)Weight of explosives in bombs and devices neutralised

(v)Number of malicious fires

(vi)Number of armed robberies and amount stolen

(vii)Number of deaths and injuries of RUC/RUC'R', Army and civilians

PART II

Statistics of Security Forces' Activity

Yearly totals for 1971–1981

Statistics for Security Forces' activity comprise the following:

(i)Number of houses searched

(ii)Number of weapons, pounds of explosives and rounds of ammunition found

(iii)Number of people charged with serious security type offences: (murder, attempted murder, explosives offences, firearms offences, armed robbery and other offences relating to the security situation e.g. arson, membership of illegal organisations etc.)

Statistics on Security Part I
	Yearly Figures
	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981
Shooting Incidents	1,756	10,628	5,018	3,206	1,803	1,908	1,081	755	728	642	815
Explosions	1,022	1,382	978	685	399	766	366	455	422	280	398
Bombs Neutralised	493	471	542	428	236	426	169	178	142	120	132
Weight of Explosives (in lbs)^*
In explosions	10,972	47,462	47,472	46,435	13,753	17,596	2,839	5,343	11,180.75	9,059	9,601
Neutralised	3,001	19,978	32,450	27,094	11,159	16,252	2,188	5,860.5	4,530.5	6,404.8	9,149
Armed Robberies	437	1,931	1,215	1,231	1,201	813	591	442	434	412	587
Amount Stolen £	303,787	790,687	612,015	572,951	572,105	545,497	446,988	232,650	568,359	496,829	854,929
Malicious Firest †	N/A	N/A	587	636	248	453	432	269	315	275	475
Deaths:
Civilians †	115	322	171	166	216	245	69	50	51	50	55
Army/UDR	48	129	66	35	20	29	29	21	48	16	23
RUC/RUC'R'	11	17	13	15	11	23	14	10	14	9	21
Injuries:
Civilians	1,838	3,813	1,812	1,680	2,044	2,162	1,027	548	557	530	878
Army/UDR	390	578	548	483	167	264	188	135	153	77	140
RUC/RUC'R'	315	485	291	235	263	303	183	302	165	194	332

^* Estimated Weight only.

† Consolidated figures not available for earlier years.

N/A No figure available.

Statistics on Security Part II
	Yearly Figures
	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978
Houses Searched†	17,262	36,617	74,556	71,914	30,092	34,939	20,724	15,462
Finds: Firearms	717	1,264	1,595	1,260	825	837	590	400
Finds: Ammunition (RDS)	157,944	183,410	187,399	147,202	73,604	70,306	52,091	43,512
Finds: Explosives (LBS)	2,748	41,488	38,418	26,120	11,565	21,714	3,809	2,108

Persons Charged with Serious Type Offences^*
	31 July—31	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978
	December
	1972
Murder	13	71	75	138	120	131	60
Attempted Murder	16	85	75	88	121	135	79
Firearms Offences	242	631	544	460	353	301	225
Explosives Offences	86	236	161	100	215	146	79
Theft Act	111	186	232	314	188	203	151
Other	63	205	275	97	279	392	249
Total	531	1,414	1,362	1,197	1,276	1,308	843

^* These figures are not available in consolidated form for earlier years.

† Includes occupied and unoccupied houses searched.

	yearly figures
	1979	1980	1981
Houses searched^*	6,452	4,106	4.104
Finds: Firearms	301	203	398
Finds: Ammunition (rounds)	46,280	28,078	47,070
Finds: Explosives (pounds)	1,996.25	1,810	7,521

Persons Charged with Serious Security Type Offences†
	1979	1980	1981
Murder	45	63	48
Attempted murder	39	59	72
Firearms offences	177	112	155
Explosives offences	40	39	39
Theft act	159	128	158
Other	210	149	446
	670	550	918

^* Includes occupied and unoccupied houses searched.

† These figures are not available in consolidated form fot eatlier years.

Persons Convicted and Sentences Imposed at Belfast Crown Court

July—December 1981

Notes on the Table:

1. The offence classifications are based on those used by the Crown and Peace Office in their annual return.

2. The tables relate to persons convicted at the Belfast Crown Court. This covers all scheduled offences tried on indictment.

3. Some jury trials are included in cases where the Attorney General certified out of the scheduled mode of trial, i.e. non-terrorist serious offences.

4. Where a person has been convicted of more than one offence only the most serious or that which received the longest sentences is recorded in the statistics.

Imprisonment July—December 1981
Offence	Number	Non-	Borstal	Less than	5 years	7 years	10 years	15 years	20 years	Life
	convicted	custodial	or	5 years	and less	and less	and less	and less	and over
		sentence	Training		than 7	than 10	than 15	than 20
			Centre		years	years	years	years
Murder	7	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	7
Attempted murder	7	—	—	—	1	—	3	1	2	—
Conspiracy to murder	2	—	—	—	2	—	—	—	—	—
Manslaughter	4	1	—	—	—	1	2	—	—	—
Wounding,with intent to
do grievous bodily
harm	5	—	—	1	3	—	—	1	—	—
Causing grievous bodily
harm	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Assault occasioning
grievous bodily harm	2	—	1	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
Causing explosion	6	2	—	—	—	2	1	1	—	—
Placing explosive	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Possessing explosives
with intent	2	—	—	1	—	—	1	—	—	—
Other explosive offences	2	—	—	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
Possessing a firearm with
intent	9	—	—	—	—	4	4	1	—	—
Possessing a firearm	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Carrying a firearm with
intent	6	2	1	3	—	—	—	—	—	—
Other major firearms
offences	40	22	2	7	7	2	—	—	—	—
Minor firearms offences	1	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Robbery	93	18	28	31	10	3	1	2	—	—
Aggravated burglary	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Hi-jacking	10	5	1	3	1	—	—	—	—	—
Arson	28	14	7	3	4	—	—	—	—	—
Petrol bomb offences	33	16	8	8	1	—	—	—	—	—
Criminal damage	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Escape offences	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Assisting offenders	2	—	1	—	—	1	—	—	—	—
Intimidation	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Withholding information	1	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Possessing prohibited
articles	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Common Law riot	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Membership of illegal
organisations	5	3	—	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
Unlawful collection of
information	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Illegal training	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Kidnapping and false
imprisonment	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Contributing to resources
of a proscribed
organisation	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Soliciting support for a
proscribed
organisation	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Malicious damage	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total	265	85	49	62	29	13	12	6	2	7

Home Department

Isle Of Man, Jersey And Guernsey

52.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions have taken place between Her Majesty's Government and the Governments of the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey, regarding contributions by these islands to United Kingdom expenditure.

During the last year there have been discussions between the Government and the Islands about the level of the Manx annual contribution towards defence and overseas services, and the financing of Island students in higher education in the United Kingdom.

Criminal Attempts Act

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide details by district and ethnic identity code of the arrests and prosecutions under the Criminal Attempts Act on Merseyside since this Act came into force.

The information requested is not available.

Mufti Squad

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the date, time and place in which the minimum use of force tactical intervention squad was used in the last month, together with, in each case, the reason for use of the squad and the number of staff and prisoners involved.

At 9 pm on Tuesday 12 January 1982, 46 inmates staged a sit-down demonstration in "B" Wing of Hull prison in connection with an allegation that one of their colleagues had received insufficient medical treatment. At 9.30 pm a team of 24 specially trained prison officers was assembled out of sight of prisoners and held in reserve, but the demonstration was abandoned peacefully at 10.45 pm without any physical contact between prisoners and staff.

Rape And Sexual Assault

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the numbers of reported cases of rape or sexual assault for the years from 1971 and 1981 on an annual basis; and what were the maximum and minimum sentences awarded.

Information for England and Wales on offences of rape and of indecent assault on a female recorded by the police and sentences given by the courts is published annually in "Criminal statistics, England and Wales". (Table 2.6 of the Command Paper for 1980 (Cmnd. 8376), tables SI1(A) and SI.2 of volume 1 and tables S2.1(A) and S2.2 of volume 2 of the supplementary volumes for 1980. In the volume for 1979—Cmnd. 8098—information on sentencing is in tables 1(a), 2, 5(a) and 6.) The figures for rape include some offences other than under section 1 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956, including offences of aiding and abetting and attempts. The tables show that over the years 1971 to 1980 the principal sentence imposed ranged from a discharge to life imprisonment for rape and to up to five years imprisonment for indecent assault on a female. Information for 1981 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider seeking the introduction of the penalty of castration for the offence of rape, if not on first conviction then on any subsequent conviction.

No.

Carfax Service

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any international discussions have taken place regarding the allocation of a band for the BBC's planned carfax radio information service for motorists; and whether any such discussions are planned for the near future.

Technical details of radio requirements for a Carfax service have been developed, and it is proposed to raise the matter with the French authorities shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any discussions have taken place between his Department and police authorities or motoring organisations regarding the possible introduction of the British Broadcasting Corporation's planned carfax radio information service for motorists.

Not recently, but I understand that prior to the authorisation of trials for Carfax in 1979 there were discussions about the number of proposed traffic information systems, in a Department of Transport working group in which, among others, representatives of the Home Office and of police and motoring organisations participated.

Welsh Language Television (Select Committeereport)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Her Majesty's Government response to the Select Committee's report on Welsh language television was not published in the Welsh language; and what the extra cost of it being so published would have been.

The Command Paper—Cmnd. 8469—containing the Government's and the broadcasting authorities' observations on the second report of the Committee on Welsh Affairs—Session 1980–81, H.C. 448–1— was published only in English because the report itself was published only in English.It is estimated that the additional cost of translating the observations into Welsh and publishing them as part of the Command Paper would have been about £2,500.

Nationalisation And Registration (Fees)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider the possibility of introducing staged payments of the substantial fees required for naturalisation or registration purposes under the British Nationality Act 1981.

We have no plans to introduce staged payments. To do so would complicate the administrative procedures and so lead to increased costs, which would have to be reflected in higher fees.

Community Radio Stations

asked the Secetary of State for the Home Department if he is now in a position to make a further statement on the likely date of the granting of on-air licences to community radio stations.

No, we are not yet able to do so. Community radio raises important policy issues which must be given careful consideration.

Immigrants (International Social Services)

asked the Secetary of State for the Home Department in how many cases and with how much money immigrants wishing to return home have been helped by International Social Services under section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971, for each of the last 10 years.

The numbers of persons helped and the cost in each of the last 10 years are as follows:

Financial year	Number of persons	Expenditure
	assisted	£
1972–73	122	15,176
1973–74	277	41,828
1974–75	156	32,307
1975–76	221	50,636
1976–77	112	31,181
1977–78	130	46,508

Financial year	Number of persons	Expenditure
	assisted	£
1978–79	178	65,533
1979–80	131	61,991
1980–81	139	78,454
1981–82(To 31
january)	207	111,379

Robberies (Police Information)

asked the Secetary of State for the Home Department if he will issue a circular to chief constables recommending that no information is given by police sources of the amounts involved in robberies at sub-post offices and similar premises in order to avoid encouragement of criminals to commit further robberies from such premises.

No, but I understand that it is the general policy of the police not to disclose such information against the wishes of the loser.

Crown Agents

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the report of the committee investigating the Crown Agents will be published; and how much the investigation has cost.

I am informed that the tribunal expects to submit its report in about a month's time, when an announcement will be made about the arrangements for publication. The total cost is likely to be of the order of £2.5 million.

Street Crimes

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give figures for the number of street crimes, including the ethnic breakdown of those convicted for 1980 and 1981 in Greater London divided by police authority area, indicating which London boroughs are contained within which police areas.

The information requested on convictions by ethnic appearance and police district is not available. We will reply as soon as possible regarding the information requested on recorded offences.

Prison Population

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current population of prison establishments in England and Wales; and what was the comparable figure on 31 December 1981.

About 42,800 on 5 February 1982 and 40,800 on 31 December 1981.

Prison Sentences (Remission)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, and to what extent, there are any differences in the regulations for the remission of prison sentences in Northern Ireland compared with the rest of the United Kingdom.

Essentially, the rate of remission of prison sentences for industry and good conduct is one-third in England and Wales and in Scotland, and one-half in Northern Ireland. Parole, which operates in England and Wales and in Scotland, has not been introduced in Northern Ireland, where as from 1 March 1976 a person sentenced to imprisonment for over one year would be conditionally released for the remitted portion of his sentence.

Cypriot Citizens (Deportation)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy in respect of the deportation of Cypriot citizens, in cases where access to the original home has become impossible as a result of the Turkish invasion of 1974.

Under present policy, no Greek Cypriot would be deported to the north of the island and no Turkish Cypriot to the south. The question of accommodation is carefully considered in every case before removal instructions are given. Deportation to the appropriate area is normally enforced, provided accommodation is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizens of the Republic of Cyprus have been deported in each of the last eight years to (a) that part of the republic under the control of the Government and (b) that part occupied by the Turkish Army.

During the last eight years deportation orders have been enforced against citizens of the Republic of Cyprus as follows:

Year	Number
	deported
1974	21
1975	11
1976	19
1977	34
1978	31
1979	36
1980	32
1981	61

Information about their destination in the island is not recorded separately and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Immigrants (Supplementary Benefits)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases and with how much money immigrants wishing to return home have been helped under the supplementary benefits legislation for each of the last 10 years.

I have been asked to reply.The information requested for the last 10 years for which figures are available is as follows:

	Number of	Amount
	cases
		£
1971	89	13,504
1972	103	19,520
1973	81	15,699
1974	77	17,042
1975	69	19,902
1976	45	15,711

	Number of	Amount
	cases
		£
1977	62	22,139
1978	37	16,930
1979	36	12,407
1980	29	15,302

Prime Minister

Engagements

Q6.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q7.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q8.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q9.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q10.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q12.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q13.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q14.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q16.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q18.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q21.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q22.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q23.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q24.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q26.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q27.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q30.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q31.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q33.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q34.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q36.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q37.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q38.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q39.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q40.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q41.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q42.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q43.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q45.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q46.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q47.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q48.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q50.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 11 February.

Q51.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her public engagements for 11 February.

Q52.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q54.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q55.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q56.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q57.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q58.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q59.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 February.

Q60.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 11 February.

Q61.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 11 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. This afternoon I shall be leaving for a visit to Lincolnshire.

Industrial Disputes (Referendums)

Q11.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will introduce legislation to provide for a national referendum to be held on all national industrial disputes affecting 1,000 or more workers to ascertain the views of the electorate on the dispute before a strike is called.

The Government are anxious to promote trade union democracy by providing funds for unions voluntarily to hold ballots before taking strike action. When we asked for views on strike ballots, in the Green Paper on trade union immunities last year, most of those who responded agreed with the Government that a voluntary approach was best.I do not think a referendum, where the issue at stake might have to be over-simplified to allow for a plain "Yes" or "No" answer, would be appropriate.

Regional Policy

Q15.

asked the Prime Minister if, in view of the most recent unemployment figures for Stockport and other areas of Greater Manchester, she will ensure that the review of areas due to lose intermediate status is concluded more rapidly.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry expects to announce in the spring the outcome of the review of those areas which were special development or development areas in 1979 and which, subject to the findings of the review, the Government then considered would no longer need assisted area status for regional industrial policy purposes from 1 August 1982.

Huddersfield

Q17.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to Huddersfield.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Disarmament

Q19.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's preparations for the United Nations special session on disarmament.

The United Kingdom is playing an active part in the preparations for the Second United Nations special session on disarmament, both in the 78-nation preparatory committee and in the other United Nations disarmament bodies. In the Committee on Disarmament, we and four other Governments tabled a draft comprehensive programme of disarmament, which will be one of the main topics at the special session. Here at home, the Minister of State, Foreign And Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Oxon (Mr. Hurd) has had consultations with non-governmental organisations, which will continue. We hope that the United Nations special session will make a stimulating and practical contribution to international discussion on disarmament.

Factory Closures

Q20.

asked the Prime Minister how many hon. Members she has seen on matters relaing 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 9 February.

Newcastle Upon Tyne

Q25.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Newcastle upon Tyne.

I hope to be in Newcastle in the course of the year.

Disabled Persons

Q28.

asked the Prime Minister what further progress the Government intend to make in the provision for, and the care of, the disabled, consequent upon their achievements in the International Year of Disabled People.

The international year was primarily an opportunity to focus upon and to reinforce existing programmes in support of disabled people. My hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for the disabled intends to publish a report shortly setting out not only what was achieved during the year but also the range of continuing activities designed to further its aims.

Paisley

Q29.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Paisley.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Employment Exchanges

Q32.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to an employment exchange.

I have no immediate plans to do so.

Little Heath

Q35.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to the village of Little Heath.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Voluntary Services

Q44.

asked the Prime Minister what organisations or projects which provide opportunities in social service and health where community support for the handicapped and elderly depends on a wide range of voluntary services she expects to be assisted in 1982–83 by the £4 million announced in her speech on 27 July 1981.

The money will be used to make grants to voluntary organisations and projects. Separate schemes are being established in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In England nearly 2,000 copies of a consultation paper were issued in early December, and the replies are being assessed. A similar but smaller scale exercise is being undertaken in Wales. In Scotland, following consultation on the general issues, more detailed plans are under discussion. In Northern Ireland, particular applications are being considered. Detailed announcements will be made as soon as possible about the final arrangements and the kind of projects which will be able to benefit.

Ministerial Broadcast

Q49.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a ministerial broadcast.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Her Majesty The Queen

Q53.

asked the Prime Minister whether she expects to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen on. Thursday 11 February.

No.

Income Tax

asked the Prime Minister how many letters she has received from women over 60 years of age drawing to her attention the increase in income tax liability since the 1981 Budget.

About 20.

Labour Market

asked the Prime Minister what investigations she has authorised to be carried out into the labour market; and with what terms of reference.

The Government keep under constant review the working of the labour market and ways of improving it. This is consistent with the aim of achieving a lasting improvement in economic performance and in the level of employment in this country.

Industry

Carpet Industry

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what help he has given and what help he proposes to give to the carpet industry in view of the effect of the importing of carpets from Belgium and the United States and other problems facing the industry.

Selective financial assistance in the form of grants has been made available to companies in the carpet industry under sections 7 and 8 of the Industry Act 1972. In the period from May 1979 to November 1981, 35 offers totalling £1.9 million have been made. The figures include section 7 assistance to companies in Wales and Scotland, which is the responsibility of the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland respectively. I have no plans to introduce a specific sectoral scheme under section 8. Information relating to regional development grants to companies in the carpet industry is not readily available and cannot be provided without disproportionate cost.

Development Area Status

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many delegations his Ministers have seen since 1979 appealing against the withdrawal of development area status; and if he will list the bodies they represented.

The information is not readily available in the form requested. However, since July 1979, when the Government announced the results of their review of regional industrial policy, Ministers at the Department of Industry have received 74 deputations to discuss the changes in assisted areas as they affected particular areas. The deputations, generally representing local authorities and regional development bodies, were in some cases accompanied by right hon. and hon. Members of this House.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to be able to respond to the initiatives of local hon. Members, local government and industry to his reconsideration of removal of development area status from Bolton.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, pursuant to the second paragraph of his reply on 8 February to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, whether he now accepts that the Manchester/Salford partnership area should be designated as a development area.

I shall reply to the right hon. and hon. Members as soon as possible.

Aid To Industry

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what has been the total number and value of offers of regional assistance made to companies in (a) the West Midlands and (b) the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area for each of the last 12 months;(2) how many new firms and new jobs have been created as a result of offers of financial assistance received under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 in

(a)the West Midlands and (b)the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area for each of the last 12 months.

Since Wolverhampton is not an assisted area for the purposes of the Industry Act 1972 regional financial assistance is not available to firms there.The only assisted area in the West Midlands is Oswestry and firms there are eligible for section 7 assistance under the Industry Act 1972 but not eligible for regional development grant payments as it is an intermediate area. There have been no offers of assistance under section 7 to companies in Oswestry in the last 12 months.

Employment

National Training Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what measures are being proposed in the new national training scheme to ensure that small businesses, of 15 employees and under, have a commitment to training in the future.

The Government have asked the Manpower Services Commission to encourage the development of suitable local arrangements to identify and meet industry's training needs. Both large and small firms will benefit from the new framework for training in our White Paper "A New Training Initiative: A Programme for Action"—Cmnd. 8455.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the new national training scheme will allow group schemes registered with the Manpower Services Commission to remain separate from the voluntary trade schemes.

There is no system of registering group training schemes with the Manpower Services Commission. If the voluntary training arrangements being set up to replace certain industrial training boards are to be effective in promoting training, it is important that they have the maximum support from employers in their sectors, including those involved in group training schemes.

Health And Safety At Work

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, consequential upon the new training initiative, any change is proposed in the provision of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, chapter 37, part 1, section 2(2)(c) which places responsibility on all employers to provide such information, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of his employees.

No. The provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act are comprehensive in their scope. They would cover the activities envisaged in the White Paper "A New Training Initiative—A Programme for Action"—Cmnd. 8455—and no change to section 2(2)(c) would therefore appear to be necessary.

Eamid Training Group, Ashfield

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the Eamid training group based in Ashfield will continue to be considered a voluntary training organisation; or whether a new role is envisaged for it under the proposed national training scheme; and, if so, what it is.

Membership of the Eamid training group will continue to be voluntary, as will that of other group training schemes. We hope that, through providing training facilities and services to their members, group training schemes will help carry forward the new training initiative.

Blind Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to allow those blind persons now seeking work to have the option of employment in sheltered workshops of the blind.

There are no plans to change the existing general policy of providing sheltered employment only for those disabled people, blind or otherwise, who, because of their disability or disabilities, are unlikely to be able to obtain or retain jobs in open employment.

Maternity Pay

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many women in the last 12 months have received statutory maternity pay from their employer; and if he will estimate the number of women in the last 12 months who have qualified for maternity pay under the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978, but who did not receive it.

The number of women who have received maternity pay and in respect of whom rebate has been paid to the employer by my Department in the 12 months ending 31 January 1982 is 123,325. There are no official figures for the number of women who have qualified for maternity pay but who did not receive it. However, a recent survey conducted for my Department indicates that, of the women included in the survey, a substantial minority, particularly among those who were employed by small firms, failed to receive maternity pay when they were qualified for it.

Fleet Street News Agency Ltd

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why there has been no reply to a letter from the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury dated 15 December 1981 addressed to the Minister of State, Department of Employment concerning Fleet Street News Agency Limited.

I wrote to the hon. Member yesterday.

Community Enterprise Programme

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed workers registered in Worksop and Retford have been offered work under the community enterprise programme since it was launched on 1 April 1981; and how many will be offered opportunities in the next 12 months.

I regret that statistics are not maintained separately for Worksop and Retford.In Nottinghamshire from 1 April 1981 to 31 March 1982 it is intended to offer about 980 places under the community enterprise programme. It is expected that a similar number of places will be available from 1 April 1982 to 31 March 1983.

Apprentices (Redundancies)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many apprentices have been made redundant in the last year for which figures are available in (a) the Wolverhampton area and (b) the West Midlands.

Precise figures are not available, but the Manpower Services Commission estimates that in 1981 about 200 apprentices were made redundant in the Wolverhampton travel-to-work area and about 1,900 in the West Midlands region.

Women Train Drivers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met the chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission; when he expects to have the next meeting; and whether at this meeting he will raise the question of the commission taking action to ensure that women are permitted to become train drivers where at the moment there is not a single female train driver.

My right hon. Friend last met the chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission on 27 November 1981 and has not yet set a date for a future meeting. I am informed that British Rail has a policy of equality of opportunity for men and women, and vacancies for train drivers are open equally to members of either sex.

Unemployed Women

asked the Secretary of State for-Employment how many women were registered as unemployed at the latest available date; how this compares with the figure for May 1979; and what estimate he has of the numbers of women seeking work but not registered as unemployed.

At 14 January 1982, the total number of women registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom, seasonally adjusted and excluding school leavers, was 779,000. The corresponding figure for May 1979 was 384,900.It is estimated that in 1979, the latest year for which complete information is available, about a quarter of a million women were seeking work but were not registered as unemployed. Many of these women were looking for part-time work only. Later information from the general household survey suggests that the numbers may have been similar in 1980. These survey estimates have a degree of uncertainty reflecting sampling errors and other survey difficulties, and are not necessarily representative of the position in 1981–82.

Employment Bill

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those persons and organisations that have made representations to him on the Employment Bill; which expressed criticism; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon.Friend received nearly 200 submissions on his proposals for legislation which are now contained in the Employment Bill. I shall write to the hon. Member with a list of those persons ane organisations that have made representations. While a number of detailed points were raised on particular aspects of the proposals, there was widespread support for the package as a whole. Only 18 organisations and 13 individuals expressed outright opposition.

Redundancies

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers have been made redundant since May 1979 in each of the Wrexham, Rhyl, Deeside, Chester and Ellesmere Port travel-to-work areas; and if he will make a statement.

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

Attorney-General

Rape

asked the Attorney-General whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that an allegation of contributory negligence cannot be advanced as a defence to a charge of rape or in mitigation of sentence.

No. Contributory negligence is a legal concept relevant only in an action for damages in the civil courts and is not relevant to a charge of rape in the criminal courts. I understand from my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate that this is also the law of Scotland.

Wales

Farm Tenancies

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek to amend tenancy legislation in the Principality in order to give young interested farming people a better chance of starting farming in an independent manner; if he will seek to facilitate the sale by county councils of smallholdings; and if he will study the possibility of shared farming on the Australasian style where each individual needs less capital.

There is no general consensus of opinion as to what changes are necessary to improve opportunities for young entrants to the farming industry. However, my ministerial colleagues and I are considering what action, if any, should be taken having regard to the NFU/CLA proposals and to various other representations made to us on amending the agricultural holdings legislation.There is currently nothing to prevent smallholdings authorities from selling their smallholdings as they think fit.Share-cropping is an interesting innovation that is capable of being established in this country under the existing legislation.

Planning Appeals

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the average length of time taken (a) to get a planning appeal registered, and (b) before the appeal is heard; and how this compares with the figures for England;(2) what is the average length of waiting period after a planning appeal has been heard but before the result is made public; and how this compares with the same procedure in England.

Appeals under sections 36 and 53 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 are registered within one week of receipt. The other information is given in the following table, but because the figures are calculated on a different basis and of other factors the Welsh ones are not comparable with those for England.

Median times in weeks 1981
Appeals decided by	Inquiry method		Written
			method
	Receipt-	Inquiry-	receipt-
	inquiry	decision	decision
Wales
Secretary of State	23	26	38
Inspectors	25	4	21
England
Secretary of State	26	16	32
Inspectors	22	3	18

Note: Median times are derived by ranking all cases in order of times taken and by taking the middle case as being representative of all.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many planning appeals are outstanding in Wales; whether steps are being taken to speed up the procedures; and if he will make a statement.

712 planning appeals submitted under sections 36 and 53 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 remained on hand at the end of 1981.Welsh Office circular 57/81 dated 18 December 1981 explained new procedures designed to speed up the handling of planning appeals. Other changes have been introduced following the consultation paper on the planning appeals system, which was issued in October 1980. Copies of the documents referred to are in the Library.

European Community (Loans)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in the Official Report total receipts for Wales from each of the European Community funds and the amounts received in loans for projects in Wales from the European Coal and Steel Community, Euratom and the European Investment Bank since 1973.

In terms of commitments, Wales has to date been allocated over £833 million in identifiable grants and loans from European Community sources. The details are as follows:

	£ million
European Regional Development Fund
(grants)	117
European Coal and Steel Community (loans)	43
European Coal and Steel Community (grants)	250
European Social Fund (grants)	45
European Investment Bank (loans)	352
European Agricultural Guidance and
Guarantee Fund (grants)	26
	833

The total is a minimum figure. It does not include aid to Wales from national allocations which cannot be broken down on a regional basis. Some European social fund, EIB, ECSC and FEOGA moneys came into this category.

Water Abstraction

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total volume of water in millions of gallons abstracted by the Severn-Trent and North-West England water authorities from rivers of which there are regulating reservoirs in Wales.

58,169 million gallons in 1980, the latest year for which figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total value of water charges collected for each of the last three years for (a) Wales, (b) the Welsh water authority area, (c) that part of Wales administered by the Severn-Trent water authority and (d) that part of England administered by the Welsh water authority.

The totals of water supply, sewerage, environmental services, trade effluent and abstraction charges collected in the Welsh water authority's area for the financial years ending 31 March 1979, 1980 and 1981 were £92.785 million, £106.117 million and £125.036 million respectively. Similar information in respect of Wales, that part of Wales in the Severn-Trent water authority area and that part of England in the Welsh water authority area is not available in that form and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

South-East Asia (Official Tour)

54.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will make a statement on the Foreign Secretary's recent official tour of South-East Asia.

My right hon. and noble Friend paid a visit to the five ASEAN countries from 27 January to 10 February. He had useful discussions with national leaders in each capital. The talks naturally covered a wide range of topics of mutual concern. My right hon. and noble Friend made clear our strong support for the general approach of ASEAN to the Cambodia problem. In Malaysia, my right hon. and noble Friend had a full and friendly discussion with the Malaysian Prime Minister. We naturally hope that these discussions may prove the beginning of a better understanding. Both sides agreed to look at ways in which the dialogue might best be carried forward.

Zimbabwe

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make it his policy to link further aid to Zimbabwe with the continued observance by that country of the constitution negotiated at Lancaster House.

We naturally expect all parties to abide by the constitution negotiated at Lancaster House. The purpose of our aid is to assist Zimbabwe's economic development and thereby to help stability.

Trade

Multi-Fibre Arrangement

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will seek to change the definition of textiles impregnated with PVC from non-textile plastics to textiles in the context of the negotiations for a multi-fibre arrangement.

This matter has been taken up with the Commission and is under discussion in the EEC Nomenclature Committee in Brussels.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will set out the quantities of textiles in categories 91, 100, and 112, imported into the United Kingdom for the last complete year, together with the quota levels, agreed in the last multi-fibre arrangement.

Imports in 1980 from sources subject to quota were as follows:

category 91(tents):		(tonnes)
Source	Imports	Quota
Czechoslovakia	36	36
German Democratic
Republic	11	5
Hungary	25	99
South Korea	334	440
Taiwan	39	43
Category 100 (coated textile fabric):
Czechoslovakia	15	15
German Democratic
Republic	1,075	1,290
Hungary	408	1,088
South Korea	205	1,000
Category 112 (other made-up textile articles):
German Democratic
Republic	—	11
Taiwan	14	49

Textile Imports

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to curb the import into the United Kingdom of textiles imported by European Economic Community countries from overseas countries when agreed quota imports are being exceeded by the exporting member country.

When a formal quota is in place in the United Kingdom against imports from a third country, we can apply to the Commission under article 115 of the Treaty of Rome for authority to require licences for imports of such goods via another member State and, in certain cases, for authority not to issue such licences. The Government make full use of these arrangements and will continue to do so.

Business Names

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, on the introduction of section 29 of the Companies Act 1981 any period of grace will be allowed for the utilisation of existing stationery.

The business community has been aware for many months of this impending change in the law, and the Act became law on 13 October 1981. Part of the information to be disclosed is already required to be shown on business letters under the Registration of Business Names Act and in some cases no modification may be required. In many other cases it should be possible to modify existing stocks of stationery to meet the new requirements at very little cost. I do not consider that further delay in commencement would be justified and this part of the Act will accordingly be brought into operation on 26 February. Once commenced, there is no statutory provision for a period of grace in relation to particular circumstances, but my Department will exercise its enforcement responsibilities sensibly while business is becoming familiar with the new law.

Newspaper (Prices)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will direct the Director General of Fair Trading to investigate the justification for the proposed increases in the price of newspapers.

I have no plans to refer these prices to the Director General under section 13 of the Competition Act 1980. I believe that fair competition among newspapers provides the best guarantee of value for money.

Imports

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) whether he has made any order under section 2(3) of the Competition Act 1980 excluding from the provisions of the Act relating to anti-competitive practices the supply and distribution within the United Kingdom of goods which may be the subject of representations to the European Commission as having been imported at a price below economic cost;(2) whether any reference to the Director General of Fair Trading has been made in respect of the supply and distribution of goods alleged to have been imported at a price below economic cost, or where such an allegation has been made the subject of representations to the European Commission; and whether any report to him by the Monopolies and, Mergers Commission has included any examination of such matters;(3) what criteria he employs in deciding whether to make representations to the European Commission in respect of goods thought to have been imported at a price below economic cost.

Where there is an allegation that goods are being imported at below economic cost from countries outside the European Community the relevant criteria for making representations to the European Commission are set out in the Community's anti-dumping and countervailing legislation, which is based on the internationally agreed GATT codes. It is for the Commission to examine particular cases; and I have made no order under the Competition Act 1980 in relation to practices involving such goods, nor have I received any report from the Monopolies and Mergers Commission including an examination of trade in them. So far as I am aware, the Director General of Fair Trading has not had referred to him any questions involving such goods.

Bankruptcies

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many bankruptcy cases were dealt with by the courts in the West Midlands in 1981; and what has been the percentage change in the area in 1981 compared with 1979 and 1980.

The provisional total for 1981 for bankruptcy cases dealt with by courts in the West Midlands county is 236. This is before deducting receiving orders which have been consolidated or rescinded, figures for which are not yet available. Compared with 1979 and 1980 figures on the same basis, the number in 1981 was respectively 43 per cent and 14 per cent. greater.

European Community (Car Prices)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will compare the price of standard saloons in different European Economic Community countries; to what extent it is consistent with the trade practice deriving from the Treaty of Rome; and if he will refer the matter to the European Economic Commission for consideration.

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

Non-Executive Directors

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the Government's position in regard to non-executive directors.

As my hon. Friend knows, the Government believe that suitable non-executive directors can be a valuable element in the boards of companies but that a statutory requirement would not be appropriate or effective. I am pleased to note, therefore, the launch today of a new enterprise known as Promotion of Non-executive Directors—PRONED—aimed at promoting the effective use of non-executive directors. I warmly welcome this initiative and wish it well. I understand that copies of an explanatory booklet are being made available to Members of the House.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas Tankers

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement about the Government's policy regarding the mooring of liquid petroleum gas tankers in British inshore waters for use as floating storage.

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

Sir Freddie Laker

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will appoint Sir Freddie Laker as chairman of British Airways.

No. British Airways already has a chairman.

Textiles And Clothing

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what agreed arrangements apply between the European Economic Community countries and the preferential trading countries regarding imports into the European Economic Community of textiles and clothing since the formal agreements expired on 31 December 1981; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any European Economic Community document setting out the present arrangements.

[pursuant to the reply, 8 February 1982, c. 241]: Pending conclusion of the current negotiations for new voluntary restraint arrangements, Commission regulations (EEC) No. 3785/81—Official Journal, L377, 31 December 1981, p. 41—provides for the continuation of dual licensing during 1982 for those countries to which it applied in 1981.

Coal Exports

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what quantities of coal were exported in the most recent year for which figures are available; which nations were importing British coal; and how much they imported.

[pursuant to the reply, 8 February 1982, c. 243]: The information for the 12 months from March 1980 to February 1981 is as follows:

	Thousand tonnes
Total	4,533.6
of which consigned to:
France	1,606.8
Federal Republic of Germany	1,256.8
Denmark	855.6
Irish Republic	275.8
Netherlands	213.6
Belgium-Luxembourg	182.1
Norway	59.3
Sweden	35.4
Finland	35.1
Italy	5.6
Portugal	5.2
Other countries	2.4

Notes:

(a) figures correspond to SITC (R2) sub-groups 322.1 and 322.2 in Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

(b) owing to rounding, the sum of the figures for individual countries may differ slightly from total trade.

Pharmaceutical Services

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will ensure that the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight receives an early reply to his letter to the Minister for Consumer Affairs on the subject of pharmaceutical services, dated 9 November 1981.

[pursuant to the reply, 8 February 1982, c. 244]: The hon. Gentleman has already had an interim reply. My officials are considering his latest representations in detail and I shall reply to him shortly.

Shipbuilding (Aid And Credit)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the effect of European Economic Community regulations on credit facilities which British Shipbuilders offered to a shipowner for the building of two ships in January 1982.

[pursuant to the reply, 9 February 1982, c. 301]: The credit facilities that British Shipbuilders have been able to offer within the terms of the OECD understanding have not been adversely affected by the European Community regulations on credit facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if Her Majesty's Government will seek to reverse the European Community regulations on matching aid and credit for the shipbuilding industry;(2) if he will make a statement on the effects he anticipates European Community regulations on matching aid and credit for the shipbuilding industry will have on the industry in the United Kingdom;(3) if he will list in the

Official Report details of all the occasions when the European Economic Community

Commission has over-ruled the credit facilities offered to shipowners by British Shipbuilders in each of the last five years.

[pursuant to the reply, 9 February 1982, c. 301]: The operation of the European Community regulations on matching aid and credit for the shipbuilding industry is currently under discussion between the United Kingdom and the European Commission. I shall write again to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Gas Tanker (Solent)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is satisfied as to the safety of yachtsmen and nearby residents should a liquid petroleum gas tanker be permanently stationed in the Solent.

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for New Forest (Mr. McNair-Wilson). I shall also be writing to the hon. Member further.

Scotland

Trawlers (Convictions And Fines)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the 332 cases brought against trawlers fishing illegally within the three-mile limit in each of the last 10 years have resulted in conviction; and what were the fines imposed.

The total of 332 cases related to the period from 1971 to 1981 inclusive. Of these cases, a total of 299 resulted in conviction. A fine was not imposed in the case of every conviction: disposals in the other cases included absolute discharge, admonition, forfeiture of the net used in the commission of the offence and, in one case, imprisonment. It is not possible without an excessive amount of effort to list separately each individual fine. The following table gives the number of cases brought in each year since 1971—column 1—the number of convictions—column 2—the number of cases where fines were imposed—column 3—and the range of fines imposed—column 4.

year	column1	column2	column3	column4
	Number of	Number of	Number of	Range of
	cases	conviction	cases where	fines im-
	brought		fine im-	posed
			posed
				£
1971	19	19	18	5–100
1972	49	45	39	5–200
1973	45	37	32	10–200
1974	34	34	30	10–100
1975	25	25	24	20–125
1976	52	51	43	30–200
1977	29	25	25	10–150
1978	13	11	11	25–150
1979	20	14	14	20–125
1980	24	19	17	20–100
1981	22	19	14	10–100

Religious Education

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many students have enrolled at colleges of education in the latest year for training courses in religious education.

In the current session, 28 students commenced initial teacher training courses leading to a teaching qualification—Secondary Education—in religious education.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teachers in Scotland are qualified to teach religious education; and what is his estimate of the number of teachers required to teach that subject assuming the introduction of an O grade in religious studies as from 1984.

In the September 1980 school census, the latest date for which information is available, the full-time equivalent of 886 teachers employed in education authority secondary schools claimed that they held a qualification in religious education. Of these, it is estimated that approximately half held a formal teaching qualification—Secondary Education—in religious education.The number of religious education teachers required in future cannot be estimated exactly; it will depend on the number of pupils taking the Ordinary grade course, which will be optional and will not be offered immediately in all schools, and on the provision made in each school for general religious education.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what entrance qualifications will be required of those wishing to enrol for teaching training courses in religious education.

The qualifications required for entry to training courses leading to the award of a teaching qualification in religious education are set out in appendix A to the Scottish Education Department's annual publication "Memorandum on Entry Requirements to Courses of Teacher Training in Scotland", a copy of which is held in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information his Department has on research studies into the number of people in Scotland who wish to see a continuation or discontinuation of segregated religious schools in Scotland.

None.

Rate Support Grant

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each of the years 1970–71 to 1981–82 at whatever price bases are readily available (a) the analysis of relevant expenditure by programmes included in the annual Rate Support Grant (Scotland) Order and (b) a comparable analysis of the outturn.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 20 February 1981 to his question about expenditure for the years 1970–71 to 1979–80. [Vol. 999, c. 213–14.] A breakdown of these figures over expenditure programmes is given in the published Appropriation Accounts for the Vote for rate support grants to local revenues, Scotland, copies of which are available in the Library. Similar information for 1980–81 is given in the Appropriation Accounts for that year. Outturn information for 1981–82 is not yet available.

Enterprise Allowance Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will extend the Manpower Services Commission enterprise allowance scheme to Dundee.

My right hon. Friend is considering in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment whether it might be possible to establish a pilot scheme in an area in Scotland, and the hon. Member's suggestion will be borne in mind.

Museums And Galleries

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now in a position to announce the level of grants to Scottish museums and galleries and to the National Library of Scotland for 1982–83.

I am pleased to announce the following allocations, which are subject to parliamentary approval:

	1982–83 Estimate £ million
Institution	Total	General	Purchase
		Expenses	Grant
National Library of Scotland	2.682	2.136	0.546
National Galleries of Scotland	2.626	1.415	1.211
National Museum of Antiquities
of Scotland	0.770	0.605	0.165
Royal Scottish Museum	2.238	1.912	0.330
Local Museums Purchase Fund	0.167
Council for Museums and
Galleries in Scotland	0.246

Cash Limits

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes will be made to cash limits in 1981–82 which are within his responsibility.

The information is as follows:

Class XV, Vote 11, Administration of Justice, Scotland. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, an increase of £200,000 is required because receipts from sheriff court fines are lower than expected.

Class XV, Vote 14, Prisons, Hospitals and Community Health Services, etc., Scotland. The cash limit is reduced by £1,444,000 to offset the increase of £200,000 in the cash limit for Vote 11 and to match a net increase in public expenditure of £1,244,000 on Class XV, Vote 12, Police Grant, Legal Aid and Criminal Injuries Compensation, Scotland—a Vote which is not subject to a cash limit.

Cash Block SO/LA2, Capital expenditure in Scotland on housing by local authorities, etc. The cash block will be reduced by £38.5 million. The limit for this cash block was set at £496.8 million for 1981–82. At the beginning of the year, each local authority was set a limit for its contributions from its rate fund to its housing revenue account and authorities were told that any excess above this limit would result in a lower capital allocation than provisionally offered. Several authorities exceeded their limits and were given final capital allocations at a lower level which reflected the excess, thus permitting the cash block to be reduced.

The new cash limits are summarised as follows:

	Present cash limit	New cash limit
	£'000	£'000
Class XV
Vote 11	967	1,167
Vote 14	1,190,459	1,189,015
Cash Block
SO/LA2	496,800	458,300

These changes will not add to total public expenditure.

Council For Tertiary Education (Report)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the report of the Council for Tertiary Education in Scotland on the structure and management of tertiary education.

I have arranged for the report to be published today, and copies have been placed in the Library and are available in the Vote Office.The council's principal recommendations are:

(1) that a new body should be set up to oversee the whole of tertiary education in Scotland—excluding the universities;
(2) that the funds which the Government decide are required for tertiary education, advanced and non-advanced, should come from the Exchequer and be allocated on the central body's advice directly to those colleges engaged mainly in providing advanced courses and indirectly through the education authorities to those colleges concerned wholly or mainly with the provision of non-advanced courses.

Copies of the report are being widely distributed to organisations and institutions which have an interest in tertiary education for their consideration and comment. I wish to take their views into account before deciding what action should be taken on the council's recommendations.

I should like to express my gratitude to the chairman of the council, Sir Norman Graham, and to his colleagues on the committee which prepared the report for the very thorough way in which they have conducted this important inquiry and for the clarity with which they have presented their conclusions.

Energy

Amersham International Ltd

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a further statement on the disposal of Amersham International.

I told the House on 22 December 1981 that the Government had decided to offer shares in Amersham International Limited for sale to the general public.I am now pleased to be able to tell the House that arrangements have been made today to offer on the Stock Exchange all the shares of Amersham International at a price of 142p per share, which implies a market capitalisation of £71 million.Copies of the prospectus and the application form will be available on Monday 15 February in the City of London and from certain branches of the National Westminster Bank in several cities in Scotland, Wales and England, and from a branch of the Ulster Bank in Belfast. The prospectus or abridged particulars will also appear in a number of national and provincial newspapers on Sunday and Monday.

The Government believe that it will be in the best interests of the nation and the company for Amersham to continue its development as an independent private sector company with a wide spread of ownership by the public. Therefore, the articles of association have been drawn up to limit any single shareholding to 15 per cent. of the equity, and to include other related provisions. Any proposed change to those provisions will require the Secretary of State's consent. He will have no other rights, because it is not the Government's wish to influence the conduct of Amersham's business.

The Government will be offering United Kingdom employees the opportunity to acquire shares in the company. Each employee will be offered free of cost shares to the value of approximately £50. Also, for every share purchased by an employee he or she may apply for one additional share free up to a value of £500 per employee. Under these arrangements therefore the benefits which the Government will provide to employees will depend on the level of their applications but will be limited to a total of £386,000. If the offer as a whole is over-subscribed employees will also receive preference in the allocation of any further shares they wish to buy.

Atomic Energy Authority

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has yet received the report he has asked for from the chairman of the Atomic Energy Authority on how the recruitment needs of the authority can be satisfied with a smaller housing stock; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the authority's review of its housing policy is now nearing completion.

Coal Mining Subsidence

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what would be the annual percentage increase in the cost of compensation for coal mining subsidence if the statutory entitlement to compensation were extended to include consequential losses.

Information on this point is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will estimate the likely increase in claims for compensation for damage due to coal mining subsidence arising from the continuing programme of closure of old pits and the opening of new ones in previously unmined areas.

There is no reason to believe that there would be any increase in the number of claims for compensation for coal milling subsistence damage as a consequence solely of the closure of old pits and the opening of new ones.

British National Oil Corporation

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he hopes to settle the sale of shares in the British National Oil Corporation.

I refer the hon. Member to what I said during the debate on the Second Reading of the Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Bill.—[Vol. 16, c. 170.]

British Gas Corporation (Oil Holdings)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has to dispose of oil currently belonging to the British Gas Corporation.

I have already directed the British Gas Corporation to dispose of its interest in the Wytch Farm oilfield and have announced my intention to transfer BGC's offshore oil assets to the private sector. Until decisions have been taken on the precise method of disposal of BGC's oil interests it is not possible to say what the final arrangements for the disposal of the oil will be.

Refining Companies (Special Obligations)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to his statement in Standing Committee on 4 February, Official Report, c. 94, he will give details of the voluntary undertakings he has received from all refining companies that recognise their special obligations to the United Kingdom market in supply difficulties and that do not trigger the United Kingdom's international obligations under the International Energy Agency sharing scheme.

No.

Liquid Petroleum Gas

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington, on 8 February, Official Report, column 722, what proportion of the liquid petroleum gas referred to is required for use in the United Kingdom and outwith the United Kingdom, respectively; and if he will make a further statement.

I understand that no one has yet decided either to locate a liquefied petroleum gas vessel in the Solent or to use it. If it were to be used to tranship supplies of LPG, the sources and final destinations of that LPG would be matters for commercial decision.

Power Stations (Coal Consumption)

21.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many tons of coal were consumed in power stations during each of the past four years; what is the estimated consumption in 1982; and if he will give comparable figures for oil-fired power stations over the same period.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1982, c. 245]: The coal and oil used by the public electricity supply system in the United Kingdom in the last four years is as follows:

	Million tonnes coal
	or coal equivalent
	^*Coal	^*†Oil
1978	80.87	19.49
1979	88.79	18.13
1980	89.57	11.23
‡1981	87	8

^* Including quantities used in the production of steam for sale.

†Including oil used in gas-turbine and diesel plant and for lighting up coal fired burners.

‡Estimated.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Food Production And Consumption

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the British level of self-sufficiency in terms of (a) production of indigenous food and of (b) total food consumption in every year since 1964.

The figures for calendar years from 1970 are as follows:

Value of home production of food as a percentage of:^*
	All food consumed in	All indigenous-type
	the United Kingdom	food consumed in the
		United Kingdom
1970	47.0	59.1
1971	48.4	60.5
1972	51.3	63.5
1973	50.6	63.2
1974	48.2	60.4
1975	53.9	66.9
1976	51.6	64.6
1977	49.6	63.8
1978	53.1	67.0
1979	54.5	69.0
1980	60.5	74.8

^* After adjustment for net foreign trade in agricultural inputs (feed, seed and livestock).

Comparable figures are not available for earlier years. However, it is estimated that the corresponding percentages for the three-year period 1966–67 to 1968–69 would be approximately 44 per cent. for all food and 56 per cent. for indigenous-type food.

Forestry Act 1981 (Land Sales)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, pursuant to his written reply to the hon. Member for West Stirlingshire on 4 February, Official Report, columns 212–14, he will state, for each property, the selling price and the name of the purchaser or potential purchaser.

No. It would be a breach of confidence to disclose such information. The sums received by Forestry Ministers for sales of land under section 39 of the Forestry Act 1967, as amended by section 1 of the Forestry Act 1981, are accounted for as Consolidated Fund extra receipts on the Forestry Commission Vote. The annual amount is shown in the accounts prepared by the forestry commissioners in terms of section 44 of the Act of 1967, which are attached to the commission's annual report.

Social Services

School Buildings (Lead-Free Paint)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the Greenwich study that schools are painted with high lead content paint in view of its health hazard.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science on 5 February.—[Vol. 17, c. 223.]

Hospital Admissions (Statistics)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many admissions to hospitals in England and Wales there have been in each of the last 20 years.

I regret that such information is not available in the form requested.

Child Benefit

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will bring up to date the information given to the hon. Member for Manchester, Central, Official Report, 19 May 1980, columns 57–60, relating to child benefit.

There has been unavoidable delay, which I regret, in compiling these statistics but it is expected that the updated information will be available shortly. I shall then write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, Official Report, 5 February, column 233, he will publish any information regarding regional factors and family size of those who have opted for weekly payments of child benefit found during the special check referred to.

The information is not available in the form requested at present, but I will let the hon. Member know as soon as it becomes available.

Unemployed Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children are currently living in families where (a) the head of the household is unemployed and (b) both parents are unemployed.

I regret that a reply cannot be given in the form requested. However, information is available about the number of children for whom a dependency increase of unemployment benefit was being paid at the date when a count was made, or who were included in the calculation of the requirements of an unemployed person getting a supplementary allowance—that is, broadly, those children who were dependent on an unemployed adult. The latest figures, based on sample surveys carried out in November and December 1980, are of just under three-quarters of a million children in such circumstances. There is no current information available about the number of children living in families where both parents are unemployed, and an estimate could not be made except at disproportionate cost.

Benefits

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member for Stockport, North, on 10 December, Official Report, column 464, if he will give the figures for the number of (a) one-parent families and (b) two-parent families of the estimated average number of recipients of State benefits who will not have the shortfall restored in November 1981.

I regret that this information is not available except for the following benefits:

	One-parent	Two-parent
	families	families
One-parent benefit	470,000	—
Family income supplement	50,000	50,000
supplementry allowance^*	335,000	240,000

^* As at December 1980

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the cost of raising the capital limit above which supplementary benefit is not paid from £2,000 to £3,000.

The number of holders of capital who would become eligible for benefit is not precisely known, but on reasonable assumptions the benefit cost would be of the order of £15 million a year. To make the change also requires about 150 additional staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list (a) the number of claimants helped

Number and avrage amount of ENPs for clothing and footwear—(Thousands)
	Number of multi	Number of single	Average amountof
	item ENPs	item ENPs	single item ENPs
			£
November 1979	68	292	25.31
December 1980^*	52	303	35.44

^* Provisional

Source: Annual Statistical Inquiry 1979, 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many payments have been made under the Supplementary Benefits Single Payments Regulation 1981 at each benefit office in the county of Cumbria since 23 November.

The following information has been obtained from four-weekly returns prepared by DHSS local offices and covers the period from 25 November 1981 to 19 January 1982:

Local office	Number of single	Total amount
	payments awarded	awarded
		£
Carlisle	212	11,473
Kendal	28	1,499
Penrith	44	2,520
Whitehaven	298	13,830
Workington	282	11,381

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many (a) pensioners and (b) persons of non-pensionable age have registered an entitlement to supplementary benefit at each office in the county of Cumbria during the last month for which statistics are available.

The following information has been obtained from four-weekly returns prepared by DHSS offices and covers the period from 23 December 1981 to 19 January 1982:

and (b) the amount of money paid out to supplementary benefit claimants in lump sum payments—clothing and footwear—in the periods (i) November 1978 to November 1979, (ii) November 1979 to November 1980 and (iii) November 1980 to November 1981.

Information is not available in the form requested, but is available for the number of single payments for clothing and footwear and multiple item payments including clothing and footwear in the years ending November 1979 and December 1980 with the average payment for the single items only. Information is not yet available for December 1981.The following table shows for each year the exceptional needs payments made during the previous 12 months—or since benefit commenced if this was less than 12 months—to those in receipt of benefit on a day in November 1979 and December 1980. It does not include those who ceased claiming benefit during each 12-month period. The table thus analyses only about two-thirds of the awards during the year.

	Number of sucessful claims
Local office	(a) Supplementary	(b) Supplementary
	pension	allowance
Carlisle	22	614
Kendal	10	215
Penrith	1	120
Whitehaven	15	278
Workington	13	362

Single Payments Regulation

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much was budgeted for payments to be made under regulation 30 of the single payments regulation; and how much has been paid out under this regulation during the period November 1980 to November 1981.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Barking (Miss Richardson) On 18 January 1982.—[Volume 16, c. 42.] In framing parliamentary estimates for supplementary benefit expenditure there is no separate provision for single payments.

Elderly Persons (Discharge From Hospital)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will ensure that the Staffordshire area health authority is allocated sufficient funds to ensure that elderly people are not discharged from hospital without there being adequate provision of those after-care facilities which are the responsibility of the authority.

Responsibility for allocating resources to the Staffordshire area health authority rests with the West Midlands regional health authority, with which the hon. Member may care to take up this matter direct.

Family Income Supplement

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Barking, Official Report, 18 December 1981, column 257–8, if he will give figures for the number of (a) one-parent families and (b) two-parent families included in his estimate of (i) the 10,000 extra family income supplement awards attributable to the 1980 family income supplement uprating and (ii) the 25,000 extra family income supplement awards in the 1980–81 benefit year compared to the number in the preceding benefit year.

The original estimate of about 10,000 extra awards of family income supplement as a result of the 1980 uprating included some 2,000 awards to one-parent families.A more up-to-date estimate suggests that the number of FIS awards in the 1980–81 benefit year was probably about 35,000, rather than 25,000, higher than the number in the preceding benefit year. The estimate of about 35,000 includes about 10,000 awards to one-parent families.

Declaration Of The Rights Of The Child

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether Her Majesty's Government will, at the Geneva meeting on the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child, seek to ensure that, in the course of replacing the declaration by a binding convention, no change is made in the commitment to protect every child before as well as after birth.

The United Nations Human Rights Commission is meeting in Geneva from 1 February to 12 March 1982. Among the many items on the agenda is the drafting of a convention on the rights of the child. Work on the draft convention takes place in pre-sessional meeting of a working group of the Commission.The draft convention will not replace the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child; rather the intention is to amplify the declaration and to ensure, when work is completed, that member States of the United Nations who ratify it are bound by the convention.The present form of the convention is concerned with the child after it has been born but this does not alter our position on the protection of children before birth.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services who will represent Her Majesty's Government at the meeting in February at Geneva when the United Nations Human Rights Commission is to discuss the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child.

The Viscount Colville of Culross is leading the official United Kingdom delegation to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The delegation plays an active part in the open-ended working group which has been charged with drafting the convention on the rights of the child.

Nurses

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total number of nurses employed by the National Health Service in England including pupils, students and auxiliaries in 1972, May 1979 and at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will give the cost at each date in current and constant terms.

The numbers of nursing and midwifery staff employed in the National Health Service in England at 30 September 1972, 1979 and 1980 were as follows:

Whole-time equivalents
	1972	1979	1980
All nursing and midwifery staff^*	299,900	354,400	366,000

^* Includes qualified nurses and midwives, learners and auxiliaries but excludes agency nurses and midwives.

The figures shown are not strictly comparable and any comparison should be made with caution. The reasons are:

(i) With the NHS reorganisation in 1974, staff previously employed by local authority health departments were transferred to Area Health Authorities. The figure for 1972 has been corrected for this but a direct comparison with the figures for 1979 and 1980 is unreliable.

(ii) In 1980 the working week was reduced from 40 to 37½ hours, therefore the figures for 1980 are not comparable with those for 1972 and 1979.

The cost—including employers national insurance and superannuation—of nursing and midwifery staff in England in 1972–73, 1979–80 and 1980–81 was as follows:

£ millions
	^1972–73*	1979–80	1980–81
Current prices	369	1,649	2,294
Constant prices—November 1980
level	N/A	2,288	2,294

^* This figure relates to hospital nursing and midwifery staff only.

Pensioners (Meals)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which local authorities do not meet his Department's guideline of 200 local authority-provided meals per week per 1,000 people over the age of 65 years.

The local authorities with social services responsibilities in England which, in 1980–81, provided fewer than 200 meals per week per 1,000 people aged 65 and over were as follows:

Cleveland
Cumbria
Durham
Northumberland
Gateshead
Newcastle upon Tyne
North Tyneside
South Tyneside†
Sunderland
Humberside
North Yorkshire
Barnsley
Doncaster
Rotherham
Bradford
Calderdale
Kirklees
Leeds
Wakefield
Cheshire
Lancashire
Bolton

Bury
Oldham
Rochdale
Salford
Stockport
Tameside
Trafford
Wigan
Knowsley
Liverpool^*
Sefton
St. Helens
Wirrall
Hereford and Worcester
Salop
Staffordshire
Warwickshire
Birmingham
Coventry
Dudley
Sandwell
Solihull
Walsall
Wolverhampton
Derbyshire
Leicestershire
Lincolnshire
Northamptonshire
Nottinghamshire
Bedfordshire
Berkshire
Buckinghamshire
Cambridgeshire
Essex^*
Hertfordshire
Norfolk
Oxfordshire^*
Suffolk
Kensington
Westminster
City of London
Barnet
Bexley
Bromley
Croydon
Enfield
Harrow
Havering
Kingston upon Thamest†
Merton
Newham
Redbridge
Sutton
Waltham Forest
Dorset
Hampshire
Isle of Wight
Kent
Surrey
East Sussex
West Sussex
Wiltshire
Avon
Cornwall
Devon
Gloucestershire^*
Somerset

^* Based on 1980 data.

† Based on 1979 data.

The ratio of 200 meals per 1,000 population aged 65 and over was a guideline not a target. It is for each authority to decide its level of provision in the light of local circumstances.

Drugs

asked the secretary of state for Social Services what steps he takes to inform doctors of the results of his monitoring of the quantities and prices of drugs prescribed in hospitals and by family practitioners; and if he has any plans to seek to control the use of particular drugs by doctors.

All general medical practitioners are sent a brief analysis of their own prescribing each year: a much more detailed analysis is provided to doctors who request it or whose prescribing costs are particularly high. The Department has encouraged the spread of local multidisciplinary drug and therapeutics committees and this is having an increasing influence on the prescribing of medicinal products in hospitals. For example, locally agreed prescribing policies and formularies are assisting the rational and economic use of drugs. All prescribing doctors in the National Health Service are sent regular charts showing the comparative costs of various drugs.The prescribing of certain drugs is already subject to control under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 or the Medicines Act 1968. We have no plans to introduce further controls.

Health Education

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will institute an investigation into methods of improving health education, including nutrition and poor living conditions, as a method of reducing the need for the drugs.

Responsibility for national health education programmes rests with the Health Education Council which is funded by the Department. The council evaluates its major campaigns and regularly sponsors further research and surveys to improve its effectiveness and expertise. It aims to concentrate more nutrition, especially nutrition education, in the coming years and is currently developing closer links with environmental health staff.

Form Hsa 4

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will withdraw from use form HSA 4.

This will need to be considered in the light of the outcome of the present investigations by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Alexandra Private Hospital (Cheadle)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up an inquiry into the practice of consultants working for both the National Health Service and the Alexandra private hospital at Cheadle and into transfer of patients from private to public hospitals in that area.

No. It is open to the hon. Member to take up any cases of concern to him with the chairmen of Stockport area health authority and Manchester area health authority (teaching).

Doctors (Deputising Services)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of family medical practitioners make use of night and weekend deputising services in each region in England; if such doctors receive a reduced fee; and whether savings are thus made in total National Health Service expenditure.

Information is not available in the form requested. The percentage of unrestricted principals in general medical practice in England with consent to arrange for deputising services in relation to their out-of-hours responsibilities was, at 1 October 1981, as follows:

Region	Number of	Number with	Number with
	unrestricted	consent use	consent as a
	principals	deputising	percentage of
		services	all unrestric-
			ted principals
Northern	1,432	664	46.4
Yorkshire and
Humberside	1,694	729	43.0
Trent	2,054	922	44.9
East Anglia	895	6	0.7
North West Thames	1,818	1,051	57.8
North East Thames	1,802	1,193	66.2
South East Thames	1,740	741	42.6
South West Thames	1,420	394	27.7
Wessex	1,325	295	22.3
Oxford	1,095	48	4.4
South Western	1,623	213	13.1
West Midlands	2,396	1,354	56.5
Mersey	1,158	600	51.8
North Western	1,850	1,394	75.4
England	22,302	9,604	43.1

	Number of cases	Appeals to local	Appeals allowed	Appeals NI	Appeals allowed
	Where benfit	tribunal	wholly or in part	commissioners	wholly or in part
	Withdrawn
1977	1,167	132	28	12	1
1978	1,197	141	54	16	3
1979	1,082	145	64	15	8
1980	1,568	155	64	20	6
1981	1,487	165	66	14	4

Note:

Some of the appeals in a particular year against withdrawal of benefit relate to benefit withdrawn in the previous year.

Optical Charges

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to exempt from all optical charges all persons showing as low a visual acuity as to entitle them to register as blind persons.

I have great sympathy for the problems of the visually handicapped. However, the present arrangements for remission of optical charges give substantial help to all in this group who are on low incomes, and to children. It would not be appropriate to offer remission of optical charges to all blind and partially sighted people without having regard to the resources available to them to meet these charges.

Abortion Notification Forms

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many doctors who returned incomplete HSA2 and HSA3 forms in each of the years from April 1968 to April 1981 had the forms returned to them.

No record is available of the number of doctors to whom abortion notification forms were returned for amendment. Prior to February 1973 information is not available on the number of incomplete notification forms

There is no reduction in fees to such doctors.

Unclaimed Benefit

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for South Ayrshire on Wednesday 2 December, if he is now able to give the more recent figures for unclaimed benefit based on the 1979 family expenditure survey.

I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as the figures become available.

Widows (Benefit)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many widows have had their benefits withdrawn on grounds of cohabitation during each of the last five years for which figures are available; how many have appealed against the decision; and with what result.

The information is as follows:that were returned. The number of abortion notification forms—HSA3—that were returned for amendment between 1 February 1973 and 31 March 1981 were as follows:

		Number
February-December 1973	(inclusive)	3,301
1974	—	2,242
1975	—	1,817
1976	—	3,307
1977	—	3,397
1978	—	3,680
1979	—	3,580
1980	—	6,053
January-March 1981	(inclusive)	2,340

The HSA2 form is not a notification form but is the certificate of opinion used by a single practitioner when termination of pregnancy is undertaken in an emergency under section 1.4 of the Abortion Act. These forms are not submitted to the chief medical officer but are retained by the practitioner who terminates the pregnancy.

Australia (Reciprocal Arrangements)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what reciprocal arrangements there are between the United Kingdom and Australia in Health Service treatment.

None; discussions on a possible agreement are continuing.

Benefit Offices (Staff Numbers)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many staff were employed by local offices of the Department of Health and Social Security in 1979; what was the ratio between the numbers of staff and claimants at that time; what are the similar figures for the last available date; and if he will break the figures down to give the information for each region.

[pursuant to her reply, 3 February 1982, c. 163–64.]: The number of staff employed in local offices of the Department in July 1979 and at the latest available date is as follows:

Region	1 July 1979	1 January 1982
Northern	4171	4075
Yorkshire and Humberside	5939	5818
East Midlands and East Anglia	5484	5600
London North	5556	5838
London South	6047	6560
London West	5541	5659
South Western	4398	4304
Wales	3929	3908
West Midlands	5842	5656
NW (Manchester)	4725	4515
Merseyside	4559	4322
Scotland	6961	7147
Total	63,152	63,401

The relation these numbers of staff bear to the numbers of claimants is not expressable as a ratio since, even if it were menaingful to disregard the effect of changes in policy and procedure, the numbers of people in receipt of contributory benefits is not maintained on a regional basis.The right hon. Member may, however, find the following information helpful. The number of people receiving supplementary benefit in July 1979 and December 1981 was as follows:

Region	July 1979	December 1981
Northern	201,702	266,642
Yorkshire and Humberside	287,678	385,865
East Midlands and East Anglia	260,740	341,065
London North	282,376	379,553
London South	313,409	391,050
London West	234,553	308,656
South Western	218,259	269,032
Wales	180,648	228,823
West Midlands	286,619	420,190
North West (Manchester)	214,456	285,939
Merseyside	224,735	291,530
Scotland	293,005	385,115
Total	2,998,180	3,953,460

The number of claims to sickness and invalidity benefits, industrial injuries benefits, retirement pensions, widows' benefits and maternity and death grants in the four weeks preceding the dates shown was as follows:

Region	10 July 1979	22 December
		1981
Northern	66,789	48,956
Yorkshire and Humberside	101,418	78,745
East Midlands and East Anglia	88,103	74,498
London North	79,166	70,304
London South	82,487	73,505
London West	75,947	65,635
South Western	56,441	49,165
Wales	64,395	46,735
West Midlands	82,977	63,961
North West (Manchester)	71,331	57,831
Merseyside	68,265	54,820
Scotland	111,846	91,650
Total	949,165	775,805

Environment

Stevenage Development Corporation

53.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the amount of money accruing to the Treasury from the sale of the assets of the former Stevenage development corporation.

The rate of disposals by the Commission for the New Towns has been somewhat slower than originally expected, and I shall be reviewing progress with the commission. Nevertheless, the assets of the former Stevenage development corporation have made a significant contribution to the disposals programme.

World Cup

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will report on his recent meeting with the football authorities about the World Cup.

I met the home football authorities on 1 December last to discuss the World Cup in Spain, in particular the possibility of its being marred by acts of hooliganism by a small minority of so-called British supporters such as those experienced in recent years in Norway, Switzerland and Italy. Both the Government and football authorities are deeply concerned about the effect this misbehaviour has on the British reputation abroad and on the good name of football. We are united in our determination to do what we can to eliminate or reduce such misbehaviour during the World Cup.At the December meeting I formed a liaison group comprising officials from my Department and the FCO, the secretaries of the English, Scottish and Northern Ireland football associations and as an ex-officio, a representative of Sportsworld Travel Ltd., the agency in Britain selling tickets for World Cup matches. It is the task of this group to look at ways and means of ensuring, as far as is practicable, the good behaviour of British fans, both inside and outside Spanish stadia. The group has met in England and at the British embassy in Madrid, and will meet again next month.A leaflet has been agreed which lists a series of do's and dont's for supporters visiting Spain. This leaflet will be widely publicised in travel brochures, major domestic football match programmes, and all departure points. Officials from the group have discussed all aspects of the problem with Spanish authorities in Madrid and locally in Bilbao, Malaga, Seville, Valencia and Zaragoza where the three British teams will play their first phase matches. The consular staff in Spain will be increased by 30 per cent. in expectation of a heavier workload than normal.This action has been greatly appreciated by the Spanish Government, a point made to me during my short visit to Spain last week when I met the Spanish Minister for Culture and her Secretary of State for Sport. I was anxious to find out how the Spanish Government saw the situation, and what more we could do to help. Further visits will be made by my officials including the forthcoming Scotland versus Spain match at Valencia on 24 February.Officials of Government Departments responsible for air, sea and coach travel abroad are considering what needs to be done to ensure trouble-free travel to and from Spain. Co-operation from all sides is excellent.

House Building

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total number of housing starts in the public sector of the United Kingdom in 1981; and if he will make a statement.

About 39,000 public sector dwellings were started in the United Kingdom in 1981.

Palace Of Westminster

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost of work done on the Palace of Westminster this year.

The cumulative expenditure in the Palace of Westminster for the financial year 1981–82 was £2.9 million to the end of January.

South Manchester Law Centre

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if a decision has yet been reached on whether funding for the South Manchester law centre is to continue under the urban programme; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. We have recently told Manchester city council that we will continue providing support for the South Manchester law centre under the urban programme until the end of March 1984.

New Town Development Corporations

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Basildon on 8 December, Official Report, column 377, he will make a statement on the number of homes sold by new town development corporations since the end of September 1981 to December 1981.

Between September and December 1981, new town corporations sold 1,186 dwellings. The figures for individual towns are as follows:

	Numbers
Basildon	201
Central Lancs	25
Milton
Keynes	102
Northampton	114
Peterborough	185

	Numbers
Redditch	77
Runcorn	108
Skelmersdale	181
Telford	105
Warrington	25
Washington	63
Total	1,186

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of tenancies of each new town development corporation as at June 1979 and at the most recent available date.

The number of tenancies of each new town development corporation at the end of June 1979 and end December 1981 were:

Town	Tenancies at	Tenancies at
	30 June1979	31 December 1981
Basildon	17,074	16,815
Central Lancs	2,109	4,505
Milton Keynes	9,807	13,534
Northampton	5,475	6,344
Peterborough	6,570	8,256
Redditch	6,558	6,875
Runcorn	9,170	9,593
Skelmersdale	8,048	7,803
Telford	9,434	9,344
Warrington	2,512	4,064
Washington	7,228	8,170
Total	83,985	95,303

The increase in tenancies between June 1979 and December 1981 represents an increase in the total housing stock, largely from schemes approved before May 1979.

Dangerous Cargoes (Mooring)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what control he exercises over decisions concerning the mooring of vessels containing dangerous and inflammable cargoes immediately adjacent to heavily populated areas; and if he will make a statement.

I have no powers of control over such moorings except in so far as they may be associated with development of land subject to planning control under the Town and Country Planning Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has been advised of the proposal to moor a liquid petroleum gas tanker in the Solent; if so, on what date; and whether he has had any discussions with adjacent local authorities about the matter.

This proposal is not one which falls to be notified to the Department under any statutory procedure, and we have not accordingly consulted local authorities about it. However, I am aware of the proposal and that, in making its decision, the British Transport Docks Board will take into account the views of the local authorities concerned, the advice of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade on navigational aspects, and that of the Health and Safety Executive on safety implications. They will also take into account the recreational aspects.

Council House Rents (Manchester)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his meeting with the deputation from Manchester city council; whether he advised it on the correct level of council house rent increase; and if he will publish it.

I refer to the answer which I gave to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 9 February.—[Vol. 17, c. 328.]I discussed possible levels of rent increase which might help the council to bring its budget closer to its expenditure target. It is for the council to consider all the options, including the appropriate level of rents. There is no correct figure. It is a matter for the council to determine.

Ryecroft Farm, Dore, Sheffield

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will call in for his consideration the planning decision taken by Sheffield city council in connection with Ryecroft Farm, Dore, Sheffield, in view of the importance to the local environment of a decision to use green belt and predominantly agricultural land for building purposes.

No. Sheffield city council has not referred the application to me as a departure from the existing development plan and it is not my practice to intervene in planning issues of purely local significance.

Race Relations

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he has made for ministerial handling of matters to do with race relations which fall within the responsibility of his Department.

I have asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, Acton (Sir G. Young) to take special responsibility for matters concerned with race relations in the Department of the Environment's field of activity.

Industry And Commerce (Local Authority Assistance)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in the light of the Burns Group's report on local authority powers to assist industry and commerce, the Government have any legislative proposals.

My right hon. Friends have given the Burns report very careful consideration. They recognise, on the one hand, the understandable desire of local authorities to encourage the economic development of their areas. On the other hand, they have been conscious of the danger to the Governtment's inner city and regional policies from directly competing activity by local authorities outside the disadvantaged areas, while the variety of powers available to local authorities to assist industry and commerce has proved confusing.The Government believe that local authorities have a positive and important role to play in sustaining and fostering local employment. Circumstances will differ from area to area so the Government propose to grant local authorities a general power to assist industry in ways appropriate to their own local circumstances. In particular, one of the primary uses of such a power should be to give a helping hand to small firms which underpin the economy of a community. The Government hope local authorities will direct their aid to stimulating additional private investment in new enterprises.The Government proposes that local authorities should have a new general power to assist independent firms employing up to 25 people in any way they see fit, subject only to an annual limitation on their expenditure of the product of a half penny rate. This would replace local Act powers due to expire in 1984, and the use some local authorities have made of section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972, which will, however, remain available to them for other purposes.Because of the special problems of the inner areas of our cities, districts designated under the Inner Urban Areas Act would, however, continue to have access to section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 for the purposes of assistance to industry, as well as their powers under the Inner Urban Area Act.In addition, the Government propose the following minor extensions to the Local Authorities (Land) Act 1963 in England and Wales:

(i) increase from 75 per cent. to 90 per cent. the maximum loans on the secured value of a building erected on land sold or let by an authority.

(ii) allow loans to cover the cost of lease or purchase of land, and any work on land—which might include the preparation and improvement of sites and the provision and improvement of services.

(iii) remove the current restriction on loans for development to land sold or let by the local authority.

The Government consider that the new package of powers will enable local authorities to make a valuable contribution to the retention and development of sound locally based enterprise, without harming national priorities. Equivalent powers would be available to Scottish authorities. A consultation paper will be issued very shortly inviting views on the details of the proposals. I shall ensure that copies are placed in the Library of the House.

Transport

European Community (Hospital Signs)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will raise in the Council of Ministers the need to harmonise wherever possible within the Community public signs for hospitals in order to facilitate easy access to hospitals for people outwith their country.

There are already two internationally agreed traffic signs for indicating the location of hospitals; one of these is the "H" sign, which we use in this country.

British Railways

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how much money has been invested in British Railways in the last three years.

The British Railways Board's investment expenditure between 1979 and 1981 inclusive totalled £1,021 million.

A57 (Worksop Bypass)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he expects to announce any change to the starting date of the A57 Worksop bypass.

I am afraid that there have been delays in the preparation of this scheme. These, together with the weight of objections to the side roads order which may necessitate a public inquiry, make it very unlikely that construction will begin before the end of 1983. I assure the hon. Member that I will try to ensure that everything possible is done to maintain progress on the bypass.

Maryport Harbour Conunissioners

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total amount of loan outstanding between Maryport Harbour Commissioners and his Department.

£69,000.

Liquid Petroleum Gas Tanker (Solent)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria he intends to employ in deciding whether a 60,000-ton liquid petroleum gas tanker should be moored in the Solent for use as floating storage.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will meet the chairman of the British Transport Docks Board to discuss with him the outcome of the British Transport Docks Board's negotiations concerning the mooring of a liquid petroleum gas tanker in the Solent;(2) if he will take immediate steps to prevent the mooring of a liquid petroleum gas tanker in the Solent unless and until all relevant local interests and groups have been openly and fully consulted about it and informed of the proposal;(3) when he was first advised of the proposal to moor a liquid petroleum gas tanker in the Solent; with whom he has consulted on this matter; if he is satisfied with his powers to control mooring of hazardous cargoes of this kind; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave yesterday. I shall also be writing to my hon. Friends further.

National Finance

Interest And Exchange Rates

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what study he has made of the West Midlands Confederation of British Industry publication "Winning Through", calling for lower and more stable interest rates and exchange rates and an increase in capital spending by the public sector; and whether he will make a statement.

I have studied the West Midlands Confederation of British Industry publication "Winning Through" with considerable interest. I am particularly encouraged that the survey upon which the document is based provides clear evidence that firms are improving their competitiveness and efficiency. this is the true foundation for sustainable recovery.

Oil And Gas Revenues

15.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in future years he will hypothecate revenues from oil and gas taxation to investment in suitable capital projects.

No.

Inflation

18.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he now expects the rate of inflation to fall to single figures.

The Industry Act forecast is that the year-on-year rate of inflation will fall to around 10 per cent. by the end of the year, and I am confident that the downward trend will continue thereafter.

47.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with progress in reducing the rate of inflation; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Inflation has been reduced from 21.9 per cent. in May 1980 to 12 per cent. in December 1981, and I expect further progress in reducing the rate of inflation during the current year.

Taxation

19.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the effective rate of increase in taxation, including national insurance contributions, on the average industrial wage earner since May 1979.

Figures for the tax payments of the average industrial wage earner across all types of household over the period in question are not available. But a married man on average earnings with two children and only the married man's allowance can be expected to pay in 1981–82 27½ per cent. of his gross income in income tax and national insurance contributions compared to 25¼ per cent. in 1978–79.

24.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the additional amounts paid in income tax by standard rate taxpayers as a consequence of not raising tax thresholds in his Budget of 1981.

If, in the last Budget, personal allowances had been increased in line with inflation during 1980–81 a married man who is only liable to the basic rate of income tax would now be paying £1.90 a week less and single people and earning wives £1.21 a week less.

Overseas Investment

20.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the extent of overseas investment since he abolished exchange controls.

Figures for overseas investment in the United Kingdom and United Kingdom investment overseas are published in Economic Trends, December 1981.

Stamp Duty

22.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the rate of stamp duty required to bring it into line with the movement in house prices since 1979.

In order to bring into line with the movement of house prices since 1979 the thresholds for the reduced rates that apply to houses—land and buildings—the following changes would have to be made:

(a) Exempt from duty: not exceeding £17,600 (down from present thresholds of £20,000).

(b) ½ per cent. £17,601 to £23,470 (down from present band level of £20,001 to £25,000).

(c) 1 per cent. £23,471 to £29,340 (down from present band level of £25,001 to £30,000).

(d) 1½ per cent. £29,341 to £35,200 (changed from the present level of £30,001 to £35,000).

(e) 2 per cent. over £35,200 (up from present level of £35,000).

28.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates will be the yield from stamp duty on house purchases in the year 1981–82.

£285 million from residential property.

Financial Strategy

23.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what variation he expects to see from the medium-term financial strategy in 1982–83.

31.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the medium-term financial strategy is still in operation.

49.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the medium-term financial strategy is still operative.

The aims of our medium-term strategy are still those set out in the 1980 Budget report—to reduce inflation by steady, but not excessive, downward pressure on monetary variables, and to create conditions for a sustainable growth in output and employment. The MTFS will be carried forward in my forthcoming Budget.

Interest Rates

25.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the level of interest rates.

38.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the level of interest rates.

The Government do, of course, want to see lower interest rates in the context of sound monetary and fiscal policies. But for the fiscal measures taken in last year's Budget, interest rates would have been higher than they were last year. I welcome the decline in interest rates we have seen recently.

Inner Cities (Investment)

26.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in considering his Budget proposals, he will take account of the need to encourage private investment in the inner cities.

40.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, when formulating his Budget proposals, he will take steps to encourage the private sector to invest in the inner cities.

The Government have already taken steps to encourage private sector investment in the inner cities. The arrangements for enterprise zones include substantial incentives to such investment, while the recently established urban development corporations are also working to this end. Additionally, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has announced certain measures to encourage the private sector to play its role in the regeneration of inner city areas generally. The group of private sector financial managers set up by my right hon. Friend is examining possible longer-term meaures. When the group reports in due course, any recommendations to encourage further private investment in the inner cities will be carefully considered.

Poverty Trap

27.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning fiscal measures in his forthcoming Budget to relieve the poverty trap.

My right hon. and learned Friend has received several representations on this subject, which he is considering very carefully.

Manufacturing Industry (Investment)

29.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in formulating his Budget proposals, he will take steps to stimulate private sector investment in manufacturing industry.

I regret that I cannot anticipate my right hon. and learned Friend's Budget Statement.

Economic Targets

30.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the progress that has been made in the achievement of his economic targets.

The Government's policies are laying the foundations for improved economic performance and will be of enduring benefit to the economy.

Charities

32.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the amount gained by charities as a result of the concessions made in his 1981 Budget; and how this compares with his estimate at the time.

I regret the information is not available. Special statistics about supplies relieved of tax as a result of the Value Added Tax (Handicapped Persons and Charities) Order, which was introduced at the time of the 1981 Budget, are not collected.

Treasury Economic Model

33.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the claimed accuracy of the Treasury model of the economy; and what is the time lag between the events being measured and the certainty of the deduction from the measurement.

There is no simple measure of the accuracy of the Treasury model, but estimates of average errors from past forecasting experience appear twice yearly alongside published forecasts. The most recent estimates were contained in the "Economic Progress Report Supplement", December 1981. The time lags between measurement and central collection of, and any deduction from, the data vary greatly among economic statistics.

International Development Association

34.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek an early meeting with other Finance Ministers in Western Europe with a view to providing the World Bank with funds to restore the cut of one-third in the lending capacity of the International Development Association.

No. The lending capacity of the International Development Association has been temporarily reduced because of a delay in contributions from the United States of America to the sixth replenishment. The United Kingdom Government support the measures, such as an increase in IBRD lending, being taken to minimise the effect on recipient countries. However, the replenishment agreement provides that donors' contributions should move in step and we think it right that this principle of burden-sharing should be maintained.

Index-Linked Treasury Stock

35.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now introduce an index-linked Treasury stock which will be available to the general public.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson) on 13 July 1981. The Bank of England announced a third issue of index-linked stock with restricted eligibility on 22 January. The terms and conditions of future indexed stock issues will be decided when the time is suitable for another issue.

Tax-Free Port (Preston)

36.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider legislation to permit a tax-free port at Preston.

I am not convinced of the advantage of setting up a tax-free port in Preston.

Public Service Pensions

37.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Government have completed their consideration of the Scott report on public service pensions; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my remarks in reply to the Adjournment debate on Friday 5 February.—[Vol. 17, c. 714–718.] The Government hope to reach conclusions on this matter in the near future.

Unemployment Costs

39.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the loss of output occasioned by the current level of unemployment.

The level of output in the United Kingdom is the result of many factors including external developments in the world economy, our relative competiveness in both domestic and export markets, the rate of price and wage inflation and the profitability of United Kingdom industry. The recent rise in unemployment should be seen as a consequence rather than a cause of the fall in output which we have experienced over the past two years. Of course, output will be higher if more productive jobs can be created. However, this depends upon workers accepting realistic pay settlements and industry being able to produce goods and services competitively.

Budget Consultations

41.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consult the Confederation of British Industry in the Northern region prior to the introduction of his Budget.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer met representatives of the Confederation of British Industry on 2 February to discuss the state of the economy and their Budget representations. There are no plans at present for my right hon. and learned Friend to have a separate meeting with any of the regional representatives of the CBI. I met representatives of the Northern region of the CBI on 6 February.

Value Added Tax

42.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will raise the limit of size below which clothing and shoes are exempt from value added tax.

No. The Government's decision in 1980 to continue the VAT zero-rating relief for young children's clothing and footwear in its present form was made only after a thorough review.

Nursery Units

43.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer given on 18 January, Official Report, column 80, if he has received further evidence to show that most prospective tenants for nursery units are in the servicing sector and not entitled to industrial building allowances.

As I told my hon. Friend on 18 January, there has been a very encouraging response to the small industrial workshop scheme. Though some prospective tenants are engaged in non-qualifying trades, nevertheless the take-up of new workshops generally has been good.

Tax Allowances

44.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amounts personal tax allowances would have to be increased in the Budget of 1982 in order to preserve their real value at 1981 Budget levels.

The married man's allowance would have to be increased by £260 and the single person's and wife's earned income allowance by £170. These increases are in line with the rise in the retail prices index over the year to December 1981.

Revenue And Expenditure

45.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of total revenue and expenditure in 1981–82.

I ask my hon. Friend to await the Budget Statement.

Clearing Bank Deposits (Taxation)

46.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider proposing a further supplementary tax on clearing bank deposits.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply on 20 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Sussex, (Mr. Renton).—[Vol. 13, c. 255.]

Monetary Policy

48.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the effects on the economy of the monetary policies that have been pursued since May 1979.

Monetary policy has contributed to the decline in the rate of inflation—an essential precondition of sustainable economic recovery.

Economic Growth

50.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the rate of economic growth in the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

Complete GDP figures are not available due to the Civil Service dispute. In the year to the third quarter of 1981, the output measure shows a decline of 1½ per cent., and the income measure a decline of 1/2 per cent.

European Community (Budget Contributions)

51.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of total United Kingdom public expenditure for the financial year 1981–82 will be accounted for by the United Kingdom's net contribution to the European Economic Community budget.

Estimates of the net contribution and of total public expenditure were published in the last public expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 8175, of March 1981—see tables 1.1, page 4, and 2.2.1, page 35. This shows that the proportion was then expected to be about ½ per cent. For a more up-to-date estimate, I ask my hon. Friend to wait for the forthcoming public expenditure White Paper, to be published next month.

Building Societies

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what applications have been made since the end of February 1981 by members of building societies seeking access to the register of members under section 63 of the Building Societies Act 1962; and if he will set out in the Official Report the formal direction of the Chief Registrar on each application.

Since the end of February 1981 four applications have been made by members of building societies seeking access to the register under section 63 of the Building Societies Act 1962. Three societies were involved, namely, the Kingston Building Society, the Liverpool Building Society and the Anglia Building Society. A direction was refused in the case of the application in respect of the Kingston Building Society, but in the other three cases directions were given. Since the decisions and directions are lengthy, I shall send copies of them to the hon. Member and further copies will be made available in the Library.

Value Added Tax

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the value added tax yield from repairs to historic buildings and monuments within the United Kingdom exceeds the grants for their repairs made by the Government or Government-assisted bodies.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what level value added tax is levied on theatres, concerts and other cultural events in the other countries of the European Economic Community.

The latest available information is as follows:

Belgium—6 per cent. (Reduced rate)
Denmark—22 per cent. (Standard rate)
France—7 per cent. (Reduced rate)
Germany—Exempt or 61/2 per cent. (Reduced rate)^*
Greece—VAT not yet introduced.
Ireland—15 per cent. (Reduced rate)
Italy—8 per cent. (Reduced rate)
Luxembourg—5 per cent. (Reduced rate)
Netherlands—18 per cent. (Standard rate)

^* Theatres, concerts, choirs orchestras are exempt if administered by the State or by local authorities or if organised by others but serving similar ends; otherwise they are taxable at 61/2 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals for the levying of value added tax on threatres, concerts and other cultural events were promulgated in the Sixth Council Directive of 1977 "Common System of Value Added Tax: A Uniform Basis of Agreement"; and what is the present policy of Her Majesty's Government towards those proposals.

The EC sixth directive on VAT provides for an exemption, at present optional, for

"certain cultural services and goods closely linked thereto supplied by bodies governed by public law or by other cultural bodies recognised by the member State concerned."

It is the Government's view that a more precise definition of the activities to be covered would be required before consideration could be given to implementation of the optional exemption on a harmonised Community basis.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual yield of value added tax levied on theatres, concerts and other cultural events; and what it would be if the rate on these events and activities were reduced to (a) 8 per cent. and (b) 10 per cent.

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

Social Security (Income Tax)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the greater interaction of the income tax and social security system so far as women aged 60 to 64 years are concerned for the year 1981–82, he will arrange for the Inland Revenue to amend its recording system in order that the scale of the interaction can be ascertained.

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

Personal Savings

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of personal savings in each of the past five years.

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

Public Corporations (Income)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the undistributed income of public corporations in each of the past five years.

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

Industrial And Commercial Companies (Income)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the undistributed income of industrial and commercial companies in each of the past five years.

Data for the undistributed income of industrial and commercial companies for 1976 to 1980 are set out as follows. The figures are taken from table 9.1 of the January 1982 edition of Financial Statistics, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.I regret that estimates for 1981 are not yet available.

Undistributed income of industrial and commercial companies
	£ million
1976	13,690
1977	14,999
1978	16,815
1979	19,400
1980	14,572

British National Oil Corporation

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he made allowance for the sale of part of the British National Oil Corporation to the public in his public expenditure plans for 1982–83 published on 2 December 1981.

Yes.

Personal Tax Allowances (Indexation)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish his estimate of the revenue effect of full indexation of income tax personal allowances and thresholds for 1981–82 and 1982–83.

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

Duties (Inflation)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish his estimate of the revenue effect of revalorising all specific duties in line with inflation for 1981–82 and 1982–83.

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

Public Expenditure Plans

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why, in his public expenditure plans for 1982–83 published on 2 December 1981, he allows £3.3 billion for the net effect of "contingency reserve", "special sales of assets" and "general allowance for underpaid"; and what consideration led him to make this provision, in view of the fact that his estimate for 1981–82 was £1.27 billion.

As column 257 of the Official Report of 2 December 1981 made clear, the global addition of £3.3 billion included the effect on programmes of possible revised economic assumptions. The revised programme will be published in the public expenditure White Paper next month.

Aggregate Demand

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, on the assumption of a 10 per cent. inflation rate, a public expenditure outturn for 1982–83 of less than £117 billion would represent a deflation of aggregate demand if other economic factors were neutral.

Public expenditure plans for 1982–83 cannot be considered in isolation from the overall stance of fiscal and monetary policy and hence from the announcements my right hon. and learned Friend will be making on 9 March.The provisional public expenditure planning total of £115 billion for 1982–83 announced on 2 December provided room for a level of public expenditure in real terms which would be broadly similar to the level planned for this year, provided that costs are contained within reasonable bounds.

£ Sterling

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of the £ sterling is now compared with March 1973, March 1975 and March 1977.

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

Members' Correspondence

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has now completed the review of the arrangements in all his Departments for giving substantive replies to hon. Members referred to in his answer of 30 November, Official Report, c. 17–18; and what improvements he expects to result.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 January 1982, c. 224]: I have now completed the review of the arrangements for dealing with correspondence from hon. Members. I have decided to introduce some reforms which I hope will result in a more efficient service being provided to hon. Members. I shall be writing to the hon. Member and all other hon. Members very shortly to advise them of the new arrangements.

Beer (Duty)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Brewers' Society concerning possible increases in duty on beer; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply,10 February 1982, c. 389]: My right hon. and learned Friend received written representations from the Brewers' Society about the effect of duty increases on the brewing industry. These have been discussed at a meeting with representatives of the Brewers' Society who were assured that the points made in the representations would be taken into account in the framing of the forthcoming Budget.

Civil Service

Administration Trainees

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether the evidence available to her indicates that the age limit for prospective administration trainees in the Civil Service careers system works unfairly against coloured immigrants; whether she has any plans to alter the limit; and if she will make a statement.

No. However my right hon. and noble Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lanchester is considering a recent judgment by the employment appeal tribunal in a case where the age limit for applicants from within the civil service was in question. As leave to appeal was given to both parties it would not be appropriate to comment further.

Volume 17: debated on Thursday 11 February 1982

Written Answers Toquestions

Defence

Supersonic Boom (Northumbrian Coast)

Baor (Deaths)

Baor (Invaliding Pensions)

Ulster Defence Regiment

Liquid Petroleum Gas Tanker (Solent)

Hms "Dreadnought"

Nurses

Northern Ireland

Police (Numbers)

Ulster Defence Regiment

Security Statistics

Home Department

Isle Of Man, Jersey And Guernsey

Criminal Attempts Act

Mufti Squad

Rape And Sexual Assault

Carfax Service

Welsh Language Television (Select Committeereport)

Nationalisation And Registration (Fees)

Community Radio Stations

Immigrants (International Social Services)

Robberies (Police Information)

Crown Agents

Street Crimes

Prison Population

Prison Sentences (Remission)

Cypriot Citizens (Deportation)

Immigrants (Supplementary Benefits)

Prime Minister

Engagements

Industrial Disputes (Referendums)

Regional Policy

Huddersfield

Disarmament

Factory Closures

Newcastle Upon Tyne

Disabled Persons

Paisley

Employment Exchanges

Little Heath

Voluntary Services

Ministerial Broadcast

Her Majesty The Queen

Income Tax

Labour Market

Industry

Carpet Industry

Development Area Status

Aid To Industry

Employment

National Training Scheme

Health And Safety At Work

Eamid Training Group, Ashfield

Blind Persons

Maternity Pay

Fleet Street News Agency Ltd

Community Enterprise Programme

Apprentices (Redundancies)

Women Train Drivers

Unemployed Women

Employment Bill

Redundancies

Attorney-General

Rape

Wales

Farm Tenancies

Planning Appeals

European Community (Loans)

Water Abstraction

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

South-East Asia (Official Tour)

Zimbabwe

Trade

Multi-Fibre Arrangement

Textile Imports

Business Names