asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that large numbers of peers of the realm hold various State and Government appointments with fees, salaries and expenses totalling £3 million per annum, she will cause an inter departmental study to be made to ascertain to what extent these appointments can be reduced or allocated to the unemployed at savings to the national exchequer.

No. The need for non-departmental public bodies is regularly reviewed by Ministers. Peers of the Realm are appointed to positions in these and other official bodies when they are the most suitable candidates for the post.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied that the co-ordination between the Departments of Trade, Transport, Energy and the Environment in the exercise of their administrative responsibilities when these involve proposals to moor large tankers containing hazardous cargoes, such as liquefied petroleum gas in offshore waters as is proposed in the Solent; and if she will take steps to improve this co-ordination.

In general I am content with the present arrangements for co-ordination between Departments, but in view of the issues raised by the proposal to moor a tanker for storage of liquefied petroleum gas in the Solent I have asked my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport to consider with colleagues whether there is any scope for improving present arrangements.

asked the Prime Minister whether she plans to hold any consultation with the President of the United States of America following the proposals of the United States Government to manufacture chemical weapons.

No. The United States Government have made clear that their decision to modernise their limited and ageing chemical weapons stock was taken in the face of the massive Soviet chemical weapon capability and the persistent Soviet refusal to accept adequate verification measures necessary for a comprehensive ban on production and stockpiling of chemical weapons. It remains the British Government's view that such a ban is highly desirable.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will introduce legislation concerning private tenants giving them the same right to buy the house they occupy as was provided to council tenants; and if she will make a statement.

No. The Government believe that sales to sitting private tenants should be through voluntary negotiation.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, of the figure of about £3 billion he announced as total Government support for British industry, Official Report, 25 January, column 600, how much is expected to go to (a) the public sector and(b) the private sector.

About £2 billion of the support is for BL, the British Steel Corporation, British Shipbuilders, Rolls-Royce and the National Enterprise Board, and about £1 billion for privately owned companies. My hon. Friend will recognise that a great deal of the former sum goes; on supplies, components and services provided by the private sector. A simple division therefore, as implied in the question, could be misleading.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the level of production of British Leyland's tractor production plant at Bathgate in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Whether details of production levels can be published is a matter for BL. It has said publicly that tractor production recently has rarely exceeded 60 or 70 units a week, and that production this year will be only about 2,500 units.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will issue a direction to British Telecommunications to install meters on subscribers' telephones that would enable them to check their calls and charges in a similar manner to the manner in which meters are provided for users of gas and electricity.

No. I understand that it would not be feasible to locate the complex metering equipment required on the subscriber's telephone.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the sums of money paid by his Department in support of Laker Airways or other parts of the Laker group of companies in any way over the past five years.

The Department of Industry has made no payments direct to Laker Airways or the Laker group of companies. The Department has made payments to British Aerospace to enable it to give interest rate support for Laker's purchase of three Airbus A300 aircraft. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mr. Chapman) on 8 February.—[Vol. 17, c. 258.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, pursuant to his reply of 27 January, Official Report, c. 383, how many industrial development certificate

	South East		South West		West Midlands		East Midlands
Year	Application	Approvals	Application	Approvals	Application	Approvals	Application	Approvals
1974	921	884	133	129	212	203	190	180
1975	935	922	107	103	283	277	195	195
1976	675	670	96	95	281	281	214	214
1977	617	611	98	98	232	232	230	230
1978	816	808	155	155	261	261	214	214
1979	578	572	103	103	193	193	153	153
1980	149	149	14	14	34	34	24	24
1981	120	120	18	18	44	44	35	35

	North west		Yorks and Humberside		Wales		Total
Year	Application	Approvals	Application	Approvals	Application	Approvals	Application	Approvals
1974	206	206	209	209	29	26	1,900	1,837
1975	151	151	143	143	9	9	1,823	1,800
1976	188	188	180	180	7	7	1,641	1,635
1977	195	194	164	164	7	7	1,543	1,536
1978	222	222	174	174	1	1	1,843	1,835
1979	164	163	113	113	2	2	1,306	1,299
1980	—	—	—	—	—	—	221	221
1981	—	—	—	—	—	—	217	217

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, pursuant to the answer of 27 January, Official Report, column 383, how many firms in each English region and in Wales are currently in receipt of some form of Government subsidy from his Department.

I regret that the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the Government's position on the changes in the European regional development fund as proposed by the European Commission.

Whilst the Government endorse the principles that lie behind the proposed changes, they find some of the detailed proposals unwelcome, particularly that which would remove some of the United Kingdom's assisted areas from eligibility for aid from the quota section of the fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he received an application from South Tyneside metropolitan council for inclusion in a programme for grant-aiding under the European Economic Community regional fund, non-quota section, relating to shipbuilding areas; and when he intends to forward it to the European Economic Community authorities.

The information requested is as follows:

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what advice he has given to regional development agencies such as Norwida regarding Japanese inward investment being channelled through the Invest in Britain Bureau; and whether such advice extends outside the English regions.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he will next review his most recent decision on the level of regional assistance and status for the Workington travel-to-work area.

I shall continue to watch the situation in Workington relative to the rest of the country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make it his policy to deport all aliens or persons who are non-British, and who are convicted of rape, to their countries of origin after completion of their prison sentences.

Deportation is always considered when a person liable to be deported is convicted of rape but each case is dealt with on its merits as required by the immigration rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the guidelines which he has issued to chief constables on the use of bugging devices by officers within their control; and if he will ensure that in the review of those guidelines which he proposes to initiate there will be a full opportunity for hon. Members to express their opinions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available to hon. Members a copy of the guidelines issued to chief constables covering the bugging of public telephone kiosks, and if he will make a statement.

The guidelines on the use of surveillance equipment by the police are currently under review, and as part of that review I am considering ways in which they might be made more widely available. I shall be glad to take into account any views which hon. Members may care to put to me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Securicor personnel are employed by his Department; what duties they undertake; and why these duties are not performed by the police.

My Department employs Securicor to safeguard cash in transit from banks to a number of establishments in various parts of the country, a service which the police do not provide; and to escort and detain, under the authority of the immigration service, persons held under the Immigration Act 1971, whenever this is not considered an appropriate use of police manpower. The number of persons employed by Securicor to carry out these duties varies according to the demand for their services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 4 February, Official Report, column 168, why it is not possible to estimate how many new prison places will replace existing accommodation and how many will constitute a net addition to the total number.

The reason why no forecast can be made of the net addition which may accrue to prison places arising from the building of new prisons is because it cannot be known how many places will be lost in the existing system over the same period. Establishments may be closed and places may be lost because of their physical deterioration, because they are no longer economic to run or for other reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards the establishment of an independent registrar or computer ombudsman for the purpose of data protection; and whether he has made any assessment of the extent of staffing which would be required, of what specialisations or skills and of what grades.

The Government's proposals for legislation on data protection will be contained in a White Paper to be published shortly. We have in mind that there might be an independent registrar with a small staff, who would include computer experts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men have, in each of the last five years, under the police complaints procedure, alleged that as a result of police assault they have suffered injuries requiring (a) hospitalisation and (b) surgery.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases of complaint of assault against police officers in each of the last five years it has been claimed that the alleged assault led to the removal of a testicle.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the provisions in the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill will allow local authorities to refuse to license any sex shops in their district.

The Government's proposals, if enacted, will allow a local authority, provided that it considers each application on its merits and in the light of local circumstances, to form the opinion that the number of sex shops appropriate in a particular locality is zero, and accordingly to refuse each application for a licence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men aged 65 years and women aged over 60 years were convicted of shoplifting in the last year for which figures are available.

Figures for men aged over 65 years are not readily available but the supplementary tables to the Command Paper "Criminal Statistics England and Wales" show that about 2,900 men and 2,500 women aged 60 and over were found guilty in 1980 by all courts in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether, if the use of the experimental surveillance camera at Dartford Tunnel is successful, his Department proposes to install similar cameras on all major bridges and road tunnels in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;(2) for what reason a surveillance camera, capable of photographing the number plates of all vehicles and identifying their owners, has been placed at the entrance to the Dartford Tunnel for an experimental period; and if he will report on the results of this experiment to Parliament.

The experiment is intended to examine, under proper safeguards, the possibility of using modern technology to help police to detect stolen vehicles. The project was reported to Parliament in the 1980 report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary (HC 409). Progress will be reported in that way from time to time. No decisions have been taken about operational use of the equipment. That will be a matter for discussion with chief officers of police should the experiment show that the equipment is effective and the results satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide information to farmers to make them aware of methods to prevent their stock of diesel fuel freezing and becoming unusable; and if he will provide Government financial support to enable farmers to adopt these methods.

Leaflets are available from the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service and some commercial suppliers indicating measures which can be taken at little cost and as part of normal preparations for winter.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ensure that the cost of providing helicopters to save farmers' stock in times of extreme emergency is either met fully, or in great part, from public funds.

Farmers are normally expected to meet the costs of assistance provided directly to them by the Armed Forces during severe weather.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide grants so that farmers can acquire snow-clearing equipment that can be fitted to tractors, allowing quicker clearing of snow.

Capital grants are available for the provision of plant and machinery for use in the course of the agricultural business under the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Scheme. Farmers are more likely to seek grant aid for less specialised capital equipment which can also be used for snow clearance.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his provisional estimate of the number of dwellings started by local authorities in Wales in 1981; what is his estimate for the year for each district council; and what were the comparative figures in total and for districts for 1979 and 1980.

The information requested is shown in the table. Figures for 1981 are now final.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland on 27 January, Official Report, column 383, how many firms in Wales are currently in receipt of some form of industrial assistance from his Department.

Three hundred and fifty-four projects are currently in receipt of regional selective assistance from the Welsh Office under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972. A number of firms will have more than one project, but these firms could be identified only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the present state of the potato sector of the agriculture industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The early potato sector received good prices last season and main crop prices to date have been well above the average costs of production.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the land area of Wales is at present under afforestation in the private sector; and what were the corresponding figures for the last five years.

The latest available statistics are for the year ended 31 March 1981. The percentage figures for that year and for the preceding five years in respect of productive woodland were as follows:

Percentage of land area under productive woodland in the private sector
Year ended 31 March
1981	3·2
1980	3·1
1979	3·1
1978	3·1
1977	3·1
1976	3·1

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will arrange a public hearing on Welsh water authority byelaw proposals under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.

Yes; the details will be announced shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is yet in a position to announce when work will begin on the second phase on the Bronglais hospital, Aberystwyth; and if he will make a statement.

No; the further development of Bronglais hospital is not one of the immediate priorities of the Dyfed health authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give figures for 1981 in barrels a day covering (a) royalty oil sold, (b) British National Oil Corporation's share of equity oil, (c) crude oil derived under participation agreements whether for sale back or otherwise and (d) third party purchases by British National Oil Corporation including oil for the British Gas Corporation.

These figures would normally first be made available in the annual report and accounts of the British National Oil Corporation published in April. However, the corporation has this year made available advance figures in the briefing pack prepared for the assistance of members of the Standing Committee considering the Oil & Gas (Enterprise) Bill. The figures (in '000 barrels per day) are as follows:

UKCS crude oil
	'000 barrels per day
(a) Royalty in kind	218·7

(b) Equity (net of royalty in kind)	105·8
	'000 barrels per day
(c) Participation oil including sale back	630·2
(d) Third party	82·2
(non UKCS third party oil	9·1)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, in view of the difficulties faced by the elderly and handicapped, he will seek the reduction or elimination of the standing charges of the electricity and gas hoards in cases where a certain amount of either commodity is consumed.

As my hon. Friend the Minister of State indicated in his reply on 8 February—[Vol. 17, c. 250–1.]—we are taking another look at the effect of standing charges on low income consumers.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has given consideration to introducing any measures similar to those in Romania where the Government have announced that they are to have power cuts, less television at night, and fewer trolley buses to conserve energy and to hold down costs.

Measures to restrain demand of the kind referred to are appropriate only in a short term energy supply crisis. The Government's energy conservation programme is designed to improve the long term energy efficiency of the United Kingdom economy.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will estimate the proportion of the 1 per cent. savings in energy consumption in Great. Britain achieved between September and November 1980, and in September and November 1981, which was due to investment in structural conservation measure, and the proportion due to the decline in overall industrial and commercial activity.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) on 8 February. It is not possible to attibute the fall in energy consumption for the period quoted to different factors including changes in economic activity, energy price movements and energy conservation. There was, however, little change in the level of industrial and commercial activity.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many significant discoveries of oil and gas have been made on blocks licensed under the fifth and sixth rounds.

Three oil discoveries were made in blocks licensed under the fifth round, and two oil discoveries on blocks licensed under the sixth round.

			Round
May 1978, Occidental	14/18–1	P263	5
June 1978, BNOC	30/17b-2	P266	5
May 1979, BNOC	30/17b-5	P266	5
April 1981, BNOC	20/02–1	P317	6
December 1981, Ultramar	13/29–1	P307	6

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many significant oil and gas discoveries were made in 1981; and in how many the British National Oil Corporation was (a) the operator and (b) had an investment in excess of 30 per cent.

There were 16 oil discoveries in 1981, but no gas discoveries. Only 12 of these have been announced by the operator to date. BNOC was the operator in one instance—20/02-1—and had an investment of more than 30 per cent. in one other—13/29-1.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, in view of the substantial change in market circumstances, he will give the British National Oil Corporation a specific directive to reduce the price posted for North Sea crude to reflect changes in the market pattern.

No. The price of our North Sea oil is a matter for commercial negotiation.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the handbook on guidance to inspectors presiding at planning inquiries will be given to the inspector who will be presiding at the inquiry for the proposed pressurised water reactor station at Sizewell; whether he has received the letter from the hon. Member for Newham, North-West dated 4 February related to this question; when the hon. Member may expect a reply; and whether he will make a statement.

Conduct of the Sizewell inquiry is the responsibility of the inspector, subject to the rules governing such inquiries laid before the House on 6 January and which came into operation on 1 February. I shall draw the handbook referred to to the inspector's attention. A reply to the hon. Member's letter of 4 February will be sent as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy why compensation for coal mining damage, including consequential losses and depreciation in the value of property, is not made available to all claimants.

The Government recognise that coal mining subsidence can creat problems beyond those of physical damage to buildings and so on which the NCB, under the Coal Mining (Subsidence) Act 1957, is under'an obligation to repair; but believe that the right approach to them is the sympathetic and flexible operation of the board's code of practice on mining subsidence damage. The Government are considering a recommendation from the Commission on Energy and the Environment that claimants should be entitled to compensation for residual loss of value caused by subsidence damage. In general, however, they do not believe that it would be appropriate to place the NCB, in fulfilling its statutory duty to win coal, in the same legal position as the perpetrators of a public nuisance or a tort.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy on how many occasions the powers available under section 3 of the Petroleum Production Act 1934 and section 4 of the Mines (Working Facilities and Support) Act 1966 have been used by himself or his predecessors in order to seek to obtain the necessary freedom from common rights in order to allow a site to be worked for petroleum or mineral extraction.

I refer to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Industry to the hon. Member for New Forest (Mr. McNair-Wilson) on 9 February—[Vol.17, c .306.] None of the stated references made to the High Court under the Mines (Working Facilities and Support) Act 1966 resulted from an application made pursuant to the provisions of section 3 of the Petroleum (Production) Act 1934.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will estimate the proportion of compensation for mining subsidence damage which is attributable to those cases where claimants are entitled to consequential losses.

The NCB tell me that it is not possible without major expense to calculate these costs since they depend on a wide variety of circumstances—for example title deeds. But the amount, compared with the total subsidence compensation currently paid, would be very small.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the average standing charge on the normal tariff for quarterly billed gas and electricity consumers in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981.

Standing charges for the normal domestic tariffs are altered from time to time. The following table shows the average quarterly standing charge which applied in England and Wales as from the first meter reading occurring on or after the date shown.

	Gas	Electricity
1 April 1977	£1·77	£2·69
1 April 1978	—	£3·01
1 June 1979	£1·91	£3·31
1 September 1979	—	£3·71
1 April 1980	£4·15	£4·72
1 August 1980	—	£5·15
1 October 1980	£5·54	—
1 April 1981	£6·68	£5·94
1 October 1981	£7·68	—

asked the Attorney-General on what date he wrote to or approached stipendiary magistrate.Mr. David Fingleton or the officials of the Highbury magistrates court, North London, for information, pursuant to the answer of the Prime Minister on 21 January, Official Report, c. 410.

An official of the Lord Chancellor's Department wrote to Mr. David Fingleton on 21 January inviting his comments on the press reports on that day.

asked the Attorney-General if he will set out the information available to him as to the maximum period of detention without trial, if any, permitted by law in each EEC State, in each signatory State to the Helsinki Final Act, in each Commonwealth State and in Pakistan.

There is no information available to me which would enable me to answer this question.

asked the Attorney-General what progress has been made with respect to his application to the Charity Commissioners under section 5 of the Charities Act 1960 for two charities associated with the Unification Church to be removed from the Register of Charities.

On 5 October 1981 I was informed that the Charity Commissioners required extensive further details of the grounds of my request of 23 June. Work is in progress as a matter of urgency on the preparation of these further details. As soon as it is finished they will be sent to the Charity Commissioners.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost per mile of running soft skin military vehicles of each of the main types (a) including driver cost and (b) excluding driver cost.

The information requested at November 1981 prices is as follows:

	(a)Costs per mile in-cluding driver pence	(b)Costs per mile ex-cluding driver pence
¾-tonLandrover	88·11	25·64
4-ton Bedford truck	118·3	38·77
10-ton truck	243·72	97·93
Utility Car (Escort)	71–88	13–58
Staff Car (Cortina)	65·57	14·13
Minibus (Sherpa)	93·93	26·66

These figures are based on the average annual mileage for the most representative vehicle in each of the most common categories of soft skin vehicles and take account of fuel, lubricants, tyres, accident compensation, repairs—labour and parts—interest on capital and depreciation. Column

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether so much of the speech made by the Controller of the Navy at the launch of HMS "Cottesmore", which criticised evidence given to the Defence Committee, was made with his authority.

I have seen the text of the speech made by the Controller of the Navy of the occasion of the launch of the mine counter measures vessel, HMS "Cottesmore". It contains nothing with which I would disagree, and I am sending a copy of the relevant text to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) the total defence expenditure and (b) the defence expenditure per head for each country in Europe.

The information for European NATO countries is as follows:

	Total Defence Expenditure $ million	Defence Expenditure Per Head $
Belgium	3433	348
France	23816	442
Germany	23111	377
Greece	2286	238
Italy	8666	151
Luxembourg	48	131
Netherlands	4522	319
Norway	1647	402
Portugal	846	84
Turkey	2870	62
United Kingdom	25216	451

Information for Denmark is not available.These figures are the latest estimates for 1981, taken from NATO sources, and they are expressed at average 1981 exchange rates. No comparable figures are available for other European, including Warsaw Pact, countries. However, it is estimated Mat the USSR, which accounts for the majority of Warsaw Pact defence spending, devotes some 12 to 14 per cent. of GNP to defence, compared with 5.0 per cent. of the GDP in the United Kingdom. The difference between GDP and GNP is not considered significant for the purpose of this comparison.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will request British Telecom to reduce its charge for the House's Division bell service in view o f the increase in charges of 100 per cent. in the last two years.

The charges for the House's Division bell service increased by 62.4 per cent. between November 1979 and November 1981. The House authorities are currently looking into the reasons for the increase.

asked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the House of Commons Commission, when the Commission next expects to meet trade union representatives of the House of Commons staff.

There are no immediate plans to arrange a meeting involving the Commission. The General Purposes Sub-Committee of the Whitley Committee, on which both management and trade unions are represented, is however to meet shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the balance of trade in chemicals between the United Kingdom and the other member States of the European Community in each year since 1970; if he will express this in both money terms and by giving the export to import ratios; and by how much British chemical exports to the Community have grown in real and notional terms if 1973=100.

The available information is as follows:

United Kingdom Trade with the rest of the European Community in chemicals
	Crude Balance (£ million)	Export-Import Ratio(Per cent.)	Export £ million job)
SITC(R1)
1970	-14	94	223
1971	+1	100	255
1972	-7	98	300
1973	- 24	95	430
1974	- 96	89	808
1975	+8	8	768
SITC(R2)
1975	+8	101	753
1976	- 42	96	1,112
1977	- 86	94	1,422
1978	-103	94	1,711
1979	- 74	97	2,282
1980	+175	108	2,324

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what measures he is taking to protect the British carpet industry from imports from Belgium and the United States, in view of the fact that such imports are contributing to the decline in the industry.

In relation to trade within the European Community measures can only be taken in accordance with the terms of the Treaty of Rome. I am always ready to consider any evidence of a breach of the competition rules of the treaty, but know of none in the present case.My Department has had no recent approaches from the United Kingdom industry in respect of imports of carpets from the United States.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, following the refusal of the Government of the Republic of Ireland to allow Dan-Air to operate the Gatwick to Dublin route in place of British Airways, he proposes to take steps to secure equality of opportunity for British airlines on services between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many scheduled flight airline passengers had paid part or all the cost of tickets booked in advance on Laker Airways before the appointment of a receiver; how much passengers' money is involved; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not yet available. I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as I can.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is considering any action by Her Majesty's Government in the event of a breakdown in negotiations on bilateral agreements under the multi-fibre arrangement.

Negotiations on new bilateral agreements to run from 1 January 1983 cannot begin until the Council of Ministers has agreed that the Community should participate in the extended multi-fibre arrangement. It would be premature to anticipate the failure of negotiations which have not yet begun.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what would be the effect on the British textile and clothing industry of withdrawal from the multi-fibre arrangement by the European Economic Community.

This would depend upon what alternative measures the Community and the member States adopted to control imports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in the light of the Minister for Trade's speech in Burnley on 29 January, he is satisfied that acceptably tight bilateral agreements can be made under the multi-fibre arrangement; and if any progress has so far been made on these agreements.

The Government believe that all the Community's negotiating objectives are compatible with the multi-fibre arrangement as extended by the new protocol. Formal discussions with supplying countries have not yet begun.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade on what date he expects the European Economic Community Council of Ministers to consider the multi-fibre arrangement protocol; and if he will make a statement.

The Council to consider the MFA protocol of extension which was scheduled for 11 February was postponed and will now take place on 25 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the total sum received by the Official Receiver in 1981 in fees from insolvent firms; and how the figure compares with that for each of the previous five years.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 February 1982 c. 371.]: The income derived from the investment of funds and from fees charged by Official Receivers and the Department under the bankruptcy and companies fees orders is set out in income and expenditure accounts for the years ended 31 March in each year to 1980, in the bankruptcy general annual report, which is laid before Parliament and is available in the Library. The 1981 report has not yet been submitted. It is not possible to differentiate between insolvent firms and personal failures without involving disproportionate cost.

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 February, 1982, c. 443]: No. It is for the European Commission to follow up any evidence of breaches of Community competition rules. The prices charged by manufacturers are a matter for their commercial judgment, acting in accordance with national and Community law.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will raise wih the Governments of Zimbabwe and Zambia the practice of these countries in advertising in the United Kingdom job applications restricted to natives of their respective countries and ask them to adopt the British practice of employment being available to all, irrespective of race or sex.

Under section 29(3) of the Race Relations Act 1976, it is not unlawful for advertisements to indicate that persons of a particular nationality are required for employment outside Great Britain.

The European Commission of Human Rights will study and report on violations of human rights in many countries. Discussion of, among other matters, Iran, including the plight of the Baha'is, is scheduled to begin at the end of February under an agenda item on violations of human rights in any part of the world. We and other countries intend to make clear the widespread concern at the treatment of the Baha'is in Iran.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what further representations have been made to the Chilean authorities since the visit of their Minister of Labour and Social Security to the United Kingdom last November about (a) the disappearance of William Beausire and (b) other unexplained disappearances of people in Chile; what further developments there have been: what further action he will take; and if he will make a statement.

At the United Nations General Assembly in December, Her Majesty's Government supported a resolution on human rights in Chile which urged the Chilean Government to clarify the fate of people who have disappeared. Our representative drew particular attention, in an explanation of vote, to the Anglo-Chilean. William Beausire. Our ambassador in Santiago raised this case again with the Chilean authorities on 22 December 1981, and we have discussed it more recently with the Chilean embassy in London. The Chilean Government are in no doubt that we do not regard the matter as closed.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will raise at the United Nations, as a threat to world peace, the continued armed intervention by South African forces in the territories of Mozambique and Angola.

No. We are concentrating our efforts on an agreed settlement in Namibia as the most effective way to bring peace to the area.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether Her Majesty's Government have been involved in negotiations with the Governments of the United States of America, the Federal Republic of Germany and France about licensing arrangements or other matters related to deep sea mining; whether an agreement has been reached; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government have entered into negotiations with the Governments of the United States of America, the Federal Republic of Germany, France and other countries with a view to adopting certain common procedures to facilitate designating them as reciprocating countries as envisaged in section 3(1) of the Deep Sea Mining (Temporary Provisions) Act 1981. I will inform the House if an agreement is reached.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether Her Majesty's Government have participated in any meetings of the "like-minded group" of nations to consider the proposed Law of the Sea Treaty since July 1981; how many such meetings have occurred since that date; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government participated in two meetings of the like-minded group of potential sea bed mining countries which were held at the resumed tenth session of the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference in August 1981. There have also been three meeting of the group since then to discuss interim arrangements for deep sea mining pending agreement on the draft law of the sea convention.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what reports he has received regarding the presence of whirling disease in fish farms specifying the areas affected;(2)whether he has placed a ban on the movement of live trout and eggs due to suspected whirling disease; if so, which fish farms are being controlled; and what are the numbers of trout fishing waters that are being denied replenishment of seasonal stocks;(3)how seriously he is treating the discovery of whirling disease in fish farms; what prospects there are of it being declared safe for the trout season; and if he will make a statement.

Whirling disease is one of the more serious diseases of salmonids and is notifiable under the Diseases of Fish Act 1937. The disease can cause skeletal deformities, damage to the nervous system and considerable mortalities. Although young farmed rainbow trout of less than 7 to 10 cm in length are most suspectible to infection, older fish of the salmon family can be carriers of the disease without showing symptoms. As with many serious fish diseases, whirling disease develops largely under farmed conditions but the extent to which it is present in the wild population is not known. The disease does not affect humans and causes no danger to those eating or handling infected fish.Until the present outbreak was first detected in 1981, there had been no previous record of the disease in England and Wales, although an outbreak occurred in Scotland in 1968. There have now been 25 confirmed cases in different parts of England and Wales, of which many are concentrated in Yorkshire, Humberside and Lincolnshire, the rest being in Powys, Lancashire and in a number of counties to the south. Details of the making of each order are published in the

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply of 8 February, if he will publish in the Official Report the sums paid in each of the past five years, respectively, to exporters, in the form of export rebates, for food and wine sent to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Dumfries (Sir H. Monro) on 3 February, Official Report, column 129, he considers the relevant factors would at present justify any change in the value of the green pound.

I do not consider that any change in the value of the green pound would be justified at present.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current level of import levy on the import of food, expressed as an amount per pound where practical, in respect of those foodstuffs covered by the common agricultural policy.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1982, c. 279]: The information requested for the United Kingdom as at 1 February 1982 is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list the rates of unemployment in January for all travel-to-work areas in England for which the rate was 12 per cent. or more.

Following is the information:

	per cent.
South-East
Ashford (Kent)	12·1
Clacton-on-Sea	19·5
Margate	18·1
Milton Keynes	16·1
Sheerness	18·2
Stevenage	12·1
*Canterbury	12·0
*Chatham	14·4
*Folkestone	13·7
*Hastings	14·4
*Luton	12·0
*Newport (IOW)	14·2
*Ramsgate	14·3
*Southend-on-Sea	14·7
*Sittingbourne	12·2
East Anglia
Cromer	14·8
Dereham	15·2
Fakenham	14·4
Great Yarmouth	14·4
Hunstanton	20·8
Kings Lynn	13·6
Leiston	14·1
Lowestoft	14·0
March	12·5
North Walsham	12·2
Peterborough	12·6
Wisbech	16·3
*Thetford	12·9
South-West
Bideford	14·5
Bude	16·9
Camelford	18·3
Dartmouth	15·1
Falmouth	21·9
Frome	13·1
Helston	24·4
Honiton	13·2
Ilfracombe	28·3
Kingsbridge	17·3
Launceston	13·7
Midsomer Norton	13·3
Newquay	21·6
Penzance	18·1

St. Austell	13·2
St. Ives	23·7
Tiverton	12·7
Truro	12·8
Wadebridge	19·2
Weston-Super-Mare	14·7
Weymouth	13·5
*Axminster	15·2
*Cinderford	12·0
*Liskeard	19·4
*Plymouth	15·5
*Redruth	19·0
*Tor bay	16·6
West Midlands
Leominster	13·8
Ludlow	15·3
Market Drayton	17·8
Oswestry	13·1
Redditch	16·4
Ross-on-Wye	15·1
Rugby	12·7
Whitchurch	13·7
*Birmingham	16·5
*Coventry	16·0
*Dudley and Sandwell	15·4
*Kidderminster	13·8
*Oakengates	20·2
*Stoke-on-Trent	14·0
*Walsall	17·5
*Wolverhampton	16·7
*Worcester	12·1
East Midlands
Alfreton	14·5
Boston	12·7
Corby	21·4
Gainsborough	14·5
Holbeach	13·0
Kettering	12·8
Lincoln	12·8
Mablethorpe	22·7
Mansfield	12·7
Skegness	18·7
Sleaford	12·0
Wellingborough	14·6
Worksop	12·1
*Chesterfield	13·0
Yorkshire and Humberside
Bridlington	19·9
Goole	16·5
Grimsby	14·2
Huddersfield	12·9
Keighley	13·0
Maltby	17·1
Richmond	12·6
Rotherham	17·8
Scarborough	14·8
Todmorden	13·3

	per cent.
Whitby	24·2
*Barnsley	14·5
*Bradford	14·7
*Castleford	12·9
*Dewsbury	14·5
*Doncaster	15·8
*Hull	15·2
*Mexborough	22·0
*Scunthorpe	17·8
*Sheffield	12·7
North-West
Chester	13·1
Rochdale	18·0
Southport	17·0
St. Helens	16·7
*Accrington	14·0
*Ashton-under-Lyne	14·1
*Birkenhead	19·9
*Blackburn	13·8
*Blackpool	14·4
*Bolton	15·9
*Bury	13·3
*Lancaster	13·5
*Leigh	16·4
*Liverpool	18·7
*Manchester	13·0
*Nelson	14·0
*Northwich	15·8
*Oldham	15·1
*Ormskirk	21·8
*Preston	12·4
*Rossendale	16·8
*Warrington	14·5
*Widnes	18·8
*Wigan	18·5
North
Haltwhistle	15·3
Hartlepool	20·2
Keswick	14·1
*Alnwick	15·2
*Central Durham	14·1
*Consett	25·5
*Darlington and South West Durham	14·4
*Morpeth	15·9
*North Tyne	13·4
*Peterlee	17·0
*South Tyne	18·4
*Teesside	19·2
*Wearside	19·3
*Whitehaven	13·3
*Workington	18·7

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the level of co-operation between the Manpower Services Commission and the employment and careers officers of local education authorities and local authorities.

In nearly every case, yes. Where local difficulties arise I do my best to ensure that both the Manpower Services Commission and the careers service work hard to resolve them.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to introduce extra payment to those young people who volunteer for working on schemes that benefit the community, over and above the amounts that are paid to the young unemployed in the normal way.

Young people who opt for training in the youth opportunities programme undertake a variety of courses, which may include service of benefit to the community. They receive an allowance of £25 a week, which is around £8 more than they would receive if unemployed and drawing supplementary benefit. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services has also laid before the House regulations that will make it easier for unemployed people to do a certain amount of work without affecting their entitlement to benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he proposes to lay before Parliament the draft code of practice on the elimination of discrimination and the promotion of equality of opportunity in the field of employment, recently submitted to him by the Commission for Racial Equality.

My right hon. Friend received the draft code on 21 December 1981 and is now considering it under the procedures laid down in section 47 of the Race Relations Act 1976. The Act lays on him a duty, if he approves of the code, to lay it before Parliament under the negative resolution procedure, or, if he does not approve of it, to publish details of his reasons for withholding approval. The Employment Committee of the House has indicated to him that it would like to give its views on the draft code. He has informed the Chairman of the Committee that he welcomes this interest and would be glad to have the Committee's views so that he can take them into account before making a decision on the draft code.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what extent the European social fund will finance the recently-announced new training initiative.

I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery) on 4 February.—[Official Report, 5 February; Vol. 17, col. 193.]