Written Answers To Questions
Wednesday 17 February 1982
House Of Commons
Committee Of Selection
asked the hon. Member for Carlton, as Chairman of the Committee of Selection, what criteria the Committee of Selection uses in nominating the members of the Committee on Welsh Affairs.
As I said in reply to the hon. Member for Harborough (Mr. Farr) on 19 November 1979 it would not be desirable for me to state the criteria used by the Committee of Selection in nominating hon. Members to serve on Select Committees. However, it remains the practice of the Committee not to nominate members of the Government, Parliamentary Private Secretaries and regular Opposition Front-Bench spokesmen.
Attorney-General
Judicial Appointments
asked the Attorney—General whether the Lord Chancellor will make it his practice that no person he appointed a judge until such time as he can prove that he has resigned from and taken no part in the activities of any known political organisation for 10 years at least prior to such an appointment.
No.
Trade
Bargain Offers Order
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in his appraisal of the representations on the Office of Fair Trading review of the Bargain Offers Order 1979, he will take full account of the proposal of the Retail Consortium that the order be repealed.
Yes. I am grateful to the Retail Consortium and others for telling me their views on the Director General's recommendations. I shall take account of them in considering the Director General's report. I shall, of course, consult interested parties—including the Retail Consortium—if I propose to amend or revoke the order.
Low-Cost Imports
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, with a view to having available the powers immediately to prevent the sale and distribution of goods which are imported at a price below economic cost, he will make it his practice to draw the import of such goods to the attention of the Director General of Fair Trading in addition to approaching the European Commission.
No.
Laker Airways
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to merge the profitable parts of British Airways and the assets of Laker Airways with a view to transferring them to private ownership.
No.
Air Fares
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what consideration he has given to the effects of excessive discounts by foreign airlines of air fares on the financial viability of United Kingdom airlines where the foreign airlines are operating in direct competition with United Kingdom carriers on routes to and from the United Kingdom approved by Her Majesty's Government; and if he will hold consultations with the Civil Aviation Authority on this matter.
Airlines' proposals for fares have to be approved by Governments. The discounting of air fares below the approved levels is a widespread phenomenon, particularly on routes to the Far East and to Europe; it is not a common practice on routes to North America, where the fares structure makes it unnecessary. My Department is, of course, in regular contact with the CAA concerning the problem and I am satisfied that such discounting is not in itself a crucial factor affecting the overall financial position of United Kingdom airlines.
South African Workers
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to strengthen the European Economic Community code of conduct on the rights and conditions of workers in South Africa employed by European companies.
No.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Herring Fishing
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the recommended allocation between States when the herring fishing was re-opened off the west of Scotland and in the Irish Sea; and what are believed to have been the respective total catches to date.
The quota allocations proposed by the European Commission for 1981 were as follows:
| European Community Members | West of Scotland | Irish Sea (excluding Mourne) | Irish Sea (Mourne) |
| Mourne) | |||
| tonnes | tonnes | tonnes | |
| Germany | 6,150 | nil | nil |
| France | 1,000 | nil | nil |
| Ireland | 7,850 | 860 | 150 |
| Netherlands | 3,000 | nil | nil |
| United Kingdom | 37,000 | 2,540 | 250 |
| Norway | *10,000 | ||
| Total | 65,000 | 3,400 | 400 |
* Allocation agreed by the EEC Council of Ministers.
Total catches, as reported to the European Commission, covering the period to the dates indicated were as follows:
European Community Members
| West of Scotland
| Irish Sea (excluding Mourne)
| Irish Sea (Mourne)
|
tonnes
| tonnes
| tonnes
| |
| Germany | 5,481 (31.12.81) | nil | nil |
| France | 1,243 (1,12,81) | No Report | No Report |
| Ireland | 7,831 (31.12.81) | 2,213 (31.12.81) | nil |
| Netherlands | 2,966 (31.12.81) | 114 (30.11.81) | nil |
| United Kingdom | 3,3805 (31.12.81) | 3,096 (31.12.81) | 295 (31.12.81) |
| Denmark | 1,580 (20,12,81) | nil | nil |
| Norway | 3,483 (31.12.81) | ||
| Total | 56,395 | 5,423 | 295 |
Rabbit Meat
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantities of frozen Chinese rabbit meat have been imported during each of the last five years.
Separate figures on imports of frozen rabbit meat are not available. Total imports of rabbit meat from China, most of which would have been frozen, were as follows:
| Metric Tonnes | |
| 1977 | 8,680 |
| 1978 | 9,417 |
| 1979 | 9,036 |
| 1980 | 6,091 |
| 1981 | n/a |
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the importation of frozen Chinese rabbit meat is banned by any of the EEC countries.
As there is no European Community regime for rabbit meat, national measures apply. There are no United Kingdom restrictions on the import of rabbit meat either on public health or on animal health grounds. Information for other member States is not readily available.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantity of rabbit meat has been produced in Great Britain for human consumption during each of the last five years.
It is estimated that total production was about 4,000 tonnes per annum, most of which would have been destined for human consumption.
Agriculture (Annual Review)
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the 1982 annual review of agriculture.
A White paper setting out the conclusions of the 1982 annual review of agriculture is presented to Parliament today. This shows that the volume of agricultural production in 1981 was marginally down on the record level of 1980. Contributory factors were a slightly smaller cereals harvest and a reduced potato crop.
Farming income rose in 1981 by 14 per cent., mainly because of the continuing high level of production, high returns on some crops, and the fact that the cost of all inputs rose less than the value of sales. When deflated by the retail price index it showed a small increase. The sum of farming income, net rent and interest rose by 10 per cent., which represents a small fall in real terms. The volume of new fixed investment in fanning fell for the second year and the level of bank borrowings increased, although at a slower rate. The cost of servicing the higher debt was, however, offset by the lower average level of interest rates in 1981. Within the average figures there are considerable variations between different parts of the country and different farming sectors, including a substantial increase in returns on potatoes after the depressed levels of earlier years, and on sheep and lambs following the introduction of the Community sheepmeat regime in October 1980.
During the year there have been increases in certain hill livestock compensatory allowances and in the retail price of milk, and these will benefit farmers in 1982. More generally, since this Government took office in May 1979, the industry has benefited from successive devaluations of the green pound and from the favourable Community price settlements which we have negotiated.
Energy
National Coal Board
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what level of grants will be available to the National Coal Board in 1982–83.
Subject to the passage of the Coal Industry Bill, and to Parliamentary approval of the Estimates, I expect to make available to the NCB in respect of 1982–83, total grants of over £480 million, of which some £100 million will be social grants. Details of the amounts to be paid under individual grant headings will be shown in the 1982–83 Estimates to be presented to the House.
Amersham International Ltd
asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a further statement on the disposal of Amersham International.
[pursuant to his reply, Thursday 11 February 1982, c. 448]: Parliamentary approval to expenditure in connection with the sale of Amersham International Public Limited Company will be sought in a new Vote—Class IV, Vote 25—which will be introduced with the Spring Supplementary Estimates. Pending that approval, the necessary expenditure will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund. Copies of the prospectus concerning the offer for sale have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
El Salvador
asked the Lord Privy Seal if Her Majesty's Government have reached a conclusion on whether to send observers to the elections in El Salvador.
[pursuant to his reply, 3 February 1982, c. 154]: Subject to their being satisfied about security, the Government have now decided to send observers to monitor the electoral process in El Salvador.The elections are to take place on 28 March. We are in touch with the Government of El Salvador about the precise arrangements. We envisage, however, that we shall send two official observers to El Salvador some time before the election day—28 March—to enable them to form a view of the election campaign and other preparations and that they will remain in El Salvador to see the poll take place, the votes counted and the result announced. We have not yet chosen observers but they will be of independent public standing and we will ask them to form their own conclusions about the elections in the light of their experience in El Salvador.A copy of their report will be placed in the Library of the House and made public.
Home Department
Borstal Committals
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many juveniles from the North-West region were committed to borstal in the most recent year for which figures are available;(2) what proportion of juveniles from the North-West region committed to borstal in the most recent year for which figures are available were already in the care of the local authority.
The number of juveniles who were sentenced to borstal training by Crown court centres in the Northern circuit in 1980 was 347; information is not available centrally on the number of those who were in the care of a local authority. As far as we are aware the power to remove a person to borstal from the care of a local authority under section 31 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969, is used very rarely: to establish the number of recent cases, if any, in the Northern circuit would involve disproportionate cost.
Violent Crime
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of robbery and other violent theft, burglary and armed robbery were reported in each month of 1980 and 1981 in the Metropolitan police districts which cover the area of the London borough of Newham.
I shall reply as soon as possible.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many elderly people were victims of violent crime in the past five years; and whether he is satisfied with assistance available to them after attacks of this kind.
This information is not collected centrally.My right hon. Friend is satisfied with the arrangements for financial compensation, through the criminal injuries compensation scheme, for personal injuries arising from crimes of violence. In addition, victims of violent crime, particularly the old, often need psychological support and practical help and advice. This is best provided locally and the Government therefore welcome the admirable work of local victims support schemes. The Government are helping to promote the expansion and development of such schemes by giving grant aid towards the administrative costs of the National Association of Victims' Support Schemes.
Manchester Prison (Facilities)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how many hours the workshops in. Her Majesty's prison Manchester were open during the week ended 18 December 1981 or other recent typical week; what was the average number of prisoners employed; how many classes took place and for how many hours; what was the average number of inmates in each class; and how much time on average each prisoner spent out of his cell during that week.
At Her Majesty's prison, Manchester, during the week ending 29 January 1982 130 inmates were employed in the industrial workshops, which were open for an average 11¾ hours. A total of 114 educational classes, each of an average duration of two hours, were attended by an average of nine inmates per class. In addition, 27 attended three full-time construction industry training courses for 6½ hours a day.There is no record of the average length of time each inmate spent out of his cell: it ranged from two to 10 hours a day. For most adults it was closer to two hours but for young offenders it was at least four hours.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the certified normal accommodation for Her Majesty's prison Manchester; what is the latest figure for the prison's population; and how many baths, showers and toilets, classrooms, square feet of exercise space and workshop places are available to the prisoners.
The certified normal accommodation is 1,024; the number of inmates on 12 February was 1,663. There are 12 baths, 130 showers, 256 toilets and urinals, 17 classrooms, approximately 3,000 square metres of exercise space and 690 workshop places.
Sexual Crimes (Policing)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the increasing frequency of offences such as the sexual assault on an 86-year-old widow in Wall Park Road, Sydenham, South London, who was robbed of £50 on Wednesday 3 February, he will make arrangements with the Commissioner to ensure that he is informed of all such cases and the occasions on which arrests and convictions occur, in order to monitor the effectiveness of policing in crimes of this kind.
No; my right hon. Friend already keeps such matters under review through regular discussions with the Commissioner, the statistical information he provides and the reports of the force inspectorate.
Wormwood Scrubs (Facilities)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the certified normal accommodation for Her Majesty's prison, Wormwood Scrubs; what is the latest figure for the prison's population; and how many baths, showers and toilets, classrooms, square feet of exercise space and workshop places are available to the prisoners.
The certified normal accommodation is 1,224; the number of inmates on 12 February was 1,250. There are 21 baths, 73 showers, 233 toilets and urinals, 20 classrooms, approximately 5,700 square meteres of exercise space and 628 workshop places.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how many hours a week the workshops of Her Majesty's prison, Wormwood Scrubs were open during the week ending 29 January or other recent typical week; what was the average number of prisoners employed; how many classes took place and for how many hours; what was the average number of inmates in each class; and how much time on average each prisoner spent out of his cell during that week.
At Her Majesty's prison Wormwood Scrubs during the week ended 29 January 1982 422 prisoners were employed in the industrial workshops for an average of 15¾ hours. A total of 82 educational classes, each of an average duration of 2½ hours, were attended by an average of four prisoners per class.There is no record of the average length of time each inmate spent out of his cell: for most it ranged from two to six hours a day, but for some it exceeded six.
Prison Population
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the prison population in England and Wales last fell below the certified normal accommodation.
In January 1981, during the industrial action by prison officers; although even then the total custodial population, including persons exceptionally detained in approved places and police cells, did not fall below certified normal accommodation. Before that, the most recent occasion when the prison population was below certified normal accommodation was in April 1974.
Immigration Act 1971 (Deportations)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing the type of criminal offences committed by persons served with notice of decisions to make deportation orders under section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971, during 1980 and 1981.
The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been served with notice of a decision to make a deportation order under section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971 while detained under powers conferred by schedule 2 to the Act, during 1979, 1980 and 1981.
The total number of persons served with a notice of intention to make a deportation order under section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971 is as follows:
| Numbers | |
| 1979 | 98 |
| 1980 | 66 |
| 1981 | 124 |
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many appeals were lodged during 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981, respectively, by persons whom it had been decided to deport under section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971; and how many such appeals were allowed, dismissed, or withdrawn.
I regret that the information for 1978 is not readily available. The information for the years 1979, 1980 and 1981, which has been provided by the appellate authorities, is as follows:
| Total appeals referred to appellate authorities | Allowed | Dismissed | Withdrawn | |
| 1979 | 60 | 6 | 40 | 14 |
| 1980 | 76 | 11 | 41 | 21 |
| 1981 | 50 | 9 | 34 | 15 |
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1981, respectively, decisions were made to depot persons under section 3(5)(b) of the immigration Act 1971 by country of origin.
The information requested is as follows:—
| Deporation Orders Signed Under Section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971 by Country of Origin | ||||
| Country | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 |
| Algeria | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Antigua | — | 1 | — | — |
| Argentina | 1 | — | — | — |
| Australia | 1 | 1 | 3 | — |
| Bangladesh | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Belgium | — | — | — | 3 |
| Brazil | 1 | — | — | — |
| Cameroons | — | 2 | — | — |
| Canada | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Chile | — | 2 | — | — |
| Colombia | — | — | 2 | — |
| Cyprus | — | — | 3 | — |
| Denmark | — | 1 | 1 | — |
| Egypt | 6 | 8 | 3 | 4 |
| France | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Gambia | — | — | — | 2 |
| Germany | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Ghana | — | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| Greece | 1 | — | — | — |
| Hong Kong | — | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| India | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Iran | 1 | 4 | 1 | 12 |
| Iraq | 1 | — | — | 2 |
| Republic of Ireland | 2 | 8 | 18 | 18 |
| Israel | — | 2 | — | 1 |
| Italy | 2 | 5 | 2 | 6 |
| Jamaica | — | 4 | — | 7 |
| Jordan | — | — | 2 | — |
| Kenya | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
Country
| 1978
| 1979
| 1980
| 1981
|
| Lebanon | — | 1 | — | 3 |
| Libya | — | — | — | 1 |
| Malaysia | — | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| Mauritius | 1 | — | 1 | 1 |
| Morocco | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Nepal | — | — | 1 | — |
| Netherlands | — | — | — | 4 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| Nigeria | 1 | 4 | 9 | 6 |
| Norway | — | 1 | — | — |
| Oman | — | 1 | — | — |
| Pakistan | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Peru | 1 | 1 | — | 2 |
| Philippines | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Poland | 3 | — | 1 | 1 |
| Portugal | — | — | 1 | 2 |
| Singapore | — | — | — | 3 |
| Spain | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| South Africa | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Sri Lanka | — | — | 3 | — |
| Sudan | — | 2 | — | — |
| Thailand | — | — | — | 1 |
| Tunisia | — | 1 | — | — |
| Turkey | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| USA | 1 | 10 | 6 | 7 |
| W.I. Ass States | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Yugoslavia | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Zambia | — | — | 1 | — |
| Zimbabwe | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Doubtful | 1 | — | — | — |
| Others | 4 | — | — | — |
| Total | 57 | 102 | 97 | 140 |
European Community Citizens (Deportations)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizens of EEC member States were removed during 1979, 1980 and 1981 having been found to have gained entry in breach of extant deportation orders, by country of origin.
The information requested is as follows:
| 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | |
| France | 1 | 2 | — |
| German Federal Republic | 2 | — | — |
| Republic of Ireland | 41 | 35 | 23 |
| Italy | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | |
| Belgium | 1 | — | 1 |
| Holland | — | — | 1 |
| Total | 47 | 38 | 27 |
Alcoholism
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue guidance to health authorities as to the best methods of transferring chronic alcoholics from overcrowded institutions to the community; what is his assessment of the extent to which the problem can be handled in this way; and whether he will provide central Government finance and support for the purpose to local authority social services departments.
I have been asked to reply."Care in Action"—A handbook of policies and priorities for the health and personal services in England. HMSO £3.30 net—last year reminded health and local authorities in England that it has been a major policy objective to develop community care for those who would benefit from it, including alcoholics; and it is for them to plan and develop services in the light of local needs and circumstances. No reliable assessment of those needs, or responses to them, can be made centrally.National Health Service joint finance, available mainly for agreed social services schemes, is to be increased to almost £85 million in 1982–83.
Illegal Immigrants (Detention)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing the prison population detained under Immigration Act powers by prison department establishment and county of origin, on the latest convenient date for those who were (a) alleged illegal entrants, (b) recommended for deportation by the courts without custodial sentence, (c) recommended for deportation and custodial sentence discharged, (d) under section 3(5)(a) of the Immigration Act 1971 and (e) under section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971.
The information requested is as follows:
| Persons detained under the Immigration Act 1971 by country of origin and penal establishment as at 11 February 1982 England and Wales | |||||
| Prison Establishment | a | b | c | d | e |
| Ashford | |||||
| Algeria | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Australia | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Bangladesh | 1 | — | — | 1 | — |
| China | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Cyprus | — | — | — | 2 | — |
| Colombia | — | — | — | — | — |
| Egypt | 1 | — | — | 1 | — |
| Ghana | — | — | — | 3 | — |
| Guyana | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Hungary | — | — | — | — | — |
| India | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| Indonesia | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Iran | — | — | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Iraq | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ireland | — | — | — | — | — |
| Israel | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Prison estblighment
| a
| b
| c
| d
| e
|
| Italy | — | — | 2 | — | — |
| Jamaica | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Lebanon | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Malaysia | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Mauritius | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Morocco | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Nigeria | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Pakistan | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — |
| Sierra Leone | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Sri Lanka | — | 1 | — | 2 | — |
| Tanzania | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Thailand | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Tunisia | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Turkey | 6 | — | — | — | — |
| Venezuela | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| W. Germany | — | — | — | — | — |
| Zimbabwe | — | — | — | — | — |
Albany
| — | ||||
| Ireland | — | — | — | — | — |
Bedford
| |||||
| Ghana | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| New Zealand | — | — | — | — | — |
Birmingham
| |||||
| Burma | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| India | — | — | 2 | — | — |
| Iran | — | — | 2 | 1 | — |
| Liberia | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Pakistan | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Singapore | — | — | — | 1 | — |
Bristol
| |||||
| Cyprus | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Mauritius | — | — | — | 1 | — |
Cardiff
| |||||
| Chile | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Cookham Wood
| |||||
| Canada | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Dorchester
| |||||
| Iran | 1 | — | 1 | — | — |
| Durham | |||||
| Egypt | — | — | — | 1 | — |
Holloway
| |||||
| Colombia | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Ghana | — | 1 | — | — | |
| Malta | — | — | — | 1 | — |
Leeds
| |||||
| W. Germany | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Leicester
| |||||
| India | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Hong Kong | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Iran | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Pakistan | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Pentonville
| |||||
| Nigeria | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Turkey | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
Risley
| |||||
| Bangladesh | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Hong Kong | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Iran | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Shepton Mallet
| |||||
| Iran | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Prison Establishment
| a
| b
| c
| d
| e
|
| Stafford | |||||
| Belgium | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Winchester | |||||
| Iran | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Nigeria | — | — | — | — | — |
| TOTAL | 18 | 12 | 33 | 33 | 6 |
Scotland
| |||||
Prison Establishment
| a
| b
| c
| d
| e
|
Glasgow
| |||||
| Turkey | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Prisoners (Earnings)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is any restriction upon the expenditure of wages earned in prison by inmates serving custodial sentences and liable for deportation or removal or who are the subject of deportation orders.
No. The earnings of those sentenced prisoners who are awaiting deportation or removal from the United Kingdom may be retained by them for their own use and are not liable to be taken in aid of the expenses of their deportation or removal from the United Kingdom.
Prisoners (Deportation)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons currently serving custodial sentences are liable for deportation.
I regret that the information is not available.
Immigration Act Powers
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time between applications for bail in respect of persons detained under Immigration Act powers and the hearing of such applications by the independent appellate authorities.
Such applications are normally heard within seven working days of their receipt in the Home Office.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons, detained under Immigration Act powers and then released by the exercise of administrative powers, subsequently absconded during 1981.
I regret that the information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Deportation (Medical Escort)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during 1981 it was found necessary to deport or remove persons under medical escort.
Information about persons deported or removed as illegal entrants under medical escort is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.On two occasions in 1981 medical escorts were used in repatriating persons under section 90 of the Mental Health Act 1959.
Misuse Of Drugs Act 1971 (Offences)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were served with notice of refusal or withdrawal of leave to enter having ben arrested at a port and charged with an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 during 1981 or to the latest convenient date.
Statistics are not maintained in the precise form requested.
Imprisonment (Temporary Provisions) Act 1980
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the use of police cells to house prisoners recently, he will now implement section 3 of the Imprisonment (Temporary Provisions) Act to release prisoners.
I have no intention at this stage of implementing section 3 of the Imprisonment (Temporary Provisions) Act 1980. As a result of alternative emergency arrangements made for the accommodation of untried prisoners in the London area, the use of police cells has considerably reduced; no prisoners were held overnight in police cells on 7 or 8 or since 9 February.
European Community (Terrorists)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the practice of terrorists from Europe using the EEC regulations of free entry and travel within Europe and the obtaining of employment without permits to enter and settle in the United Kingdom to avoid facing charges in their own country, if he will take special measures to deal with this problem generally, and in particular with the case of the Italian terrorists, details of which have been supplied to him.
The free movement provisions of Community law do not prevent exclusion or expulsion where this is justified on grounds of public policy, public security or public health.
If the hon. Member supplies the details he has promised of a particular case I shall write to him about it.
Sexual Offences
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Criminal Law Revision Committee to report on the law on sexual offences.
The committee hopes to publish a working paper on the law on prostitution in the first half of this year; it is too early to say when it will complete its work on the law on sexual offences generally.
Data Protection
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what early action he now proposes for the implementation of the whole or part of the Lindop committee's report on data protection.
I announced last March the Government's decision to introduce legislation on data protection and I shall shortly be publishing a White Paper setting out our proposals for legislation. The basis of our proposals will be the establishment of a public register, but we do not intend to set up a data protection authority on the lines recommended by the Lindop Committee.
Birmingham Prison (Facilities)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the certified normal accommodation for Her Majesty's prison Birmingham; what is the latest figure for the prison's population; and how many baths, showers and toilets, classrooms, square feet of exercise space and workshop places are available to the prisoners.
The certified normal accommodation is 537; the number of inmates on 12 February was 1,020. There are 19 baths, 62 showers, 221 toilets and urinals, 13 classrooms, approximately 6,000 square metres of exercise space and 222 workshop places.
| Citizens of the New Commonwealth and Pakistan accepted for settlement 1976–1980 | |||
| Total | Of which women accepted as dependants* and children | ||
| thousands | thousands | per cent. | |
| 1976 | 55.0 | 36.1 | 66 |
| 1977 | 44.1 | 30.5 | 69 |
| 1978 | 43.0 | 29.7 | 69 |
| 1979 | 37.0 | 26.6 | 72 |
| 1980 | 33.7 | 24.4 | 72 |
* Women accepted other than as special voucher holders, because they were exempt from deporation
Laurence Scott
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Greater Manchester as to the cost of policing the Laurence Scott industrial dispute in Manchester in each month since the dispute started.
My right hon. Friend has called for a report and we shall be writing to the hon. Member.
Rape
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconstitute the advisory group on the law of rape; and if he will include in its membership a representative of the organisation Women Against Rape.
The law of rape is already being reviewed by the Criminal Law Revision Committee as part of its current review of sexual offences generally.
Immigration
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Macclesfield of 5 February, Official Report, c. 217, he will take steps to estimate levels of immigration for settlement from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan for each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.
I refer my hon. Friend to our replies to him of 29 January, [Vol. 16, c. 452]—and 5 February [Vol. 17, c. 217].
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Macclesfield of 5 February, Official Report, c. 217, how many dependants from the New Commonwealth and Pakistan have entered the United Kingdom for permanent settlement in each of the last five years; and if he will express these numbers as a percentage of total New Commonwealth and Pakistan immigration for settlement.
Information is not available in the form requested. The available information based on tables 12 and 13 of "Control of Immigration Statistics, 1980"—Cmnd. 8199—is given in the following table.
Robbery Statistics
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow), Official Report, column 407, if he will list the number of reported incidents of robbery and other violent theft, burglary and armed robbery for each month of 1980 and 1981 for each of the Metropolitan Police districts G, L and P and Brixton police division.
[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1982, c. 253]: The following table gives the numbers of serious offences recorded by the police in Brixton, Lambeth and the Metropolitan Police district as a whole in three three—monthly periods in 1981. The full information requested by the hon. Member could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
| serious offences recorded in the Metropolitan Police District in 1981MPD, Lambeth* and Brixton† | ||||||
| January to March 1981 | May to July 1981 | August to October 1981 | ||||
| Area and offences | Number of offences | Percentage change‡ | Number of offences | Percentage change‡ | Number of offences | Percentage change‡ |
| MPD (as a whole) | ||||||
| Total serious offences | 148,823 | +7 | 166,227 | +13 | 158,519 | +9 |
| Theft and handling stolen goods | 78,361 | +2 | 89,654 | +11 | 88,532 | +11 |
| Burglary | 37,232 | +19 | 37,108 | +16 | 34,863 | +14 |
| Criminal damage | 20,056 | +11 | 22,902 | +15 | 19,060 | +3 |
| Violence against the person | 3,563 | 0 | 4,335 | +3 | 4,067 | +2 |
| Robbery | 2,578 | +43 | 2,729 | +59 | 2,772 | +43 |
| Other | 7,033 | –18 | 9,499 | +2 | 9,225 | –5 |
| Lambeth* | ||||||
| Total serious offences | 7,720 | +7 | 9,235 | +17 | 8,878 | +16 |
| Theft and handling stolen goods | 4,106 | +7 | 4,886 | +20 | 4,926 | +16 |
| Burglary | 1,714 | –1 | 2,057 | +21 | 1,981 | +24 |
| Criminal damage | 1,086 | +17 | 1,425 | +22 | 1,141 | +6 |
| Violence against the person | 230 | +51 | 287 | +19 | 245 | +8 |
| Robbery | 310 | +10 | 352 | +108 | 368 | +108 |
| Other | 274 | –5 | 228 | –56 | 217 | –35 |
| Brixtont † | ||||||
| Total serious offences | 2,456 | —4 | 3,275 | +22 | 2,882 | +12 |
| Theft and handling stolen goods | 1,218 | —5 | 1,699 | +32 | 1,396 | +2 |
| Burglary | 546 | –14 | 661 | +6 | 762 | +31 |
| Criminal damage | 340 | +3 | 533 | +51 | 341 | +5 |
| Violence against the person | 89 | +75 | 121 | +57 | 103 | +34 |
| Robbery | 163 | +1 | 171 | +97 | 193 | +122 |
| Other | 100 | –3 | 96 | –64 | 87 | –36 |
* L District which includes Brixton.
† LD Police division.
‡ Percentage change compared with corresponding period in 1980.
Prime Minister
Merchant Banks
asked the Prime Minister if she will list the merchant banks which have been retained as advisers or who have acted for her Majesty's Government in connection with each programme of privatisation of public sector assets and industries.
The following shows those merchant banks that have advised or otherwise acted for the Government in connection with privatisation measures that have been completed, and also with those for which legislation has reached the statute book or is under consideration in the present Session. In addition, the advice of the Bank of England is always available to the Government.
- Amersham International Ltd.—Rothschild (NM) & Sons Ltd.
- British Aerospace—Kleinwort, Benson Ltd.
- British Airways Board—Hill Samuel & Co. Ltd.
- British National Oil Corporation—Warburg (SG) & Co. Ltd.
- British Rail subsidiaries—Samuel Montagu & Co. Ltd.
- British Sugar Corporation—Lazard Brothers & Co. Ltd.
- British Transport Docks Board—Kleinwort, Benson Ltd.
- Cable and Wireless—Kleinwort, Benson Ltd.
- Drake and Scull Holdings Ltd.—Schroder Wagg (J. Henry & Co. Ltd.
- Forestry Commission—Schroder Wagg (J. Henry) & Co. Ltd.
- HGV/PSV Testing Stations—County Bank
- National Freight Company—Schroder Wagg (J. Henry;l & Co. Ltd.
- Royal Ordnance Factories—Kleinwort, Benson Ltd and Rothschild (NM) & Sons Ltd.
Industry
Steel Prices
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received from the director—general of the Engineering Employers Federation regarding the effect on engineering firms of proposed price rises for steel, following the advice of the European Economic Community Commission that prices should be raised further in 1982; what reply he has sent; and what action he proposes to take.
The Director—General wrote on 7 December 1981 in his capacity as Chairman of the Council for Mechanical and Metal Trade Associations expressing concern at the effect of increasing steel prices on the engineering industries.My right hon. Friend replied that a combination of surplus steel production and plummeting prices had led the European Coal and Steel Community to declare a state of manifest crisis in October 1980 and introduce mandatory production quotas to permit a necessary recovery in steel prices, which had been forced down to totally uneconomic levels. Steel prices have increased throughout the Community, where they had been below levels in the United States of America and Japan, so that the United Kingdom steel consuming industries should not thereby have been put at a competitive disadvantage. Despite rises during the second half of 1981 steel prices are still only a little higher than in 1977, whereas prices in other industries, such as mechanical and electrical engineering, have risem between 70 and 100 per cent. in the same period.The Government fully support the Community measures being taken to restructure the Community steel industry and bring capacity into line with demand in conjunction with the phasing out of State aids. Significant progress has been made by the BSC, and other member States are required to act similarly.
Teesside (Regional Development Status)
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has any plans to reduce the regional development status of Teesside or to reduce the level of regional development grant available.
Under the regional policy changes announced in July 1979 the Teesside travel—to—work—area is due to retain its development area status, which means that qualifying industrial investment there will continue to be eligible for regional development grant at the level appropriate to that grade of assisted area.
Shipbuilding (European Community Assistance)
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.
[pursuant to his reply, 15 February 1982, c. 3–4]: The application from South Tyneside metropolitan borough council was one of a number of potentially eligible applications received in Autumn of 1980. No applications can be forwarded to the Commission until it has approved the United Kingdom's programme. I hope this to be next month.
Invest In Britain Bureau
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what advice he has given to regional development agencies such as Norwida regarding Japanese inward investment being channeled through the Invest in Britain Bureau; and whether such advice extends outside the English regions.
[pursuant to his reply, 15 February 1982, c.4]: The advice, which extends to the whole of the United Kingdom, is that promotional activities in Japan on behalf of particular areas must be sustained, well planned, professionally executed and co—ordinated with the promotional effort for the country as a whole undertaken through the Invest in Britain Bureau and the diplomatic service posts in such a way as to ensure that area activities which are undertaken are incremental to the total promotional effort.
Wales
Sick Persons (Removal From Home)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to encourage family practitioners to use section 47 of the National Assistance Act 1948 to enable sick people to be removed from their homes where life saving treatment cannot be effectively applied, and the patient does not realise his or her serious medical state.
I have no reason to believe that family practitioners are not aware of the existence of powers under section 47 of the National Assistance Act 1948 and under the National Assistance (Amendment) Act 1951 whereby patients can be admitted to hospital against their will if it is considered to be in their best interests that they should be so admitted. These powers are invoked from time to time but must always be considered a last resort and I would not wish to encourage family practitioners to use this mechanism until all other means have failed.
Council House Rents
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average rent, including rates, of a three—bedroom council house in each of the local authority areas in Mid—Glamorgan at the most recent date for which figures are available.
This information is not available.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the average increase in rents of council houses since April 1979, expressed in money terms and in percentages, in local housing authorities in West, Mid—and South Glamorgan and in Gwent.
On the basis of returns made to the Welsh Office, it is estimated that the average increases in unrebated council house rents between 1978–79 and 1981–82 for local authorities in West, Mid and South Glamorgan and in Gwent have been as follows:
| £ | percent | |
| West Glamorgan | ||
| Afan | 4.75 | 102 |
| Lliw Valley | 6.15 | 116 |
| Neath | 5.19 | 100 |
| Swansea | 5.20 | 87 |
| Mid-Glamorgan | ||
| Cynon | 5.00 | 84 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 5.42 | 105 |
| Ogwr | 6.04 | 98 |
| Rhondda | 4.63 | 69 |
| Rhymney Valley | 5.81 | 101 |
| Taff Ely | 5.59 | 91 |
| South Glamorgan | ||
| Cardiff | 6.00 | 102 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 6.00 | 92 |
| £ | percent.
| |
Gwent
| ||
| Blaenau Gwent | 7.08 | 111 |
| Islwyn | 6.03 | 106 |
| Monmouth | 5.86 | 90 |
| Newport | 4.90 | 70 |
| Torfaen | 6.21 | 105 |
£
| Percent.
| |
Gwent
| ||
| Blaenau Gwent | 7.08 | 111 |
| Islwyn | 6.03 | 106 |
| Monmouth | 5.86 | 90 |
| Newport | 4.90 | 70 |
| Torfaen | 6.21 | 105 |
Heath Hospital, Cardiff (Consultants)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many consultants are contracted to serve in the Heath hospital in Cardiff; what are the average hours per week for which they are contracted; and what is the average annual payment for each consultant.
| Occupational Analysis of Notified Unfilled Vacancies—Dyfed. | |||||
| 10.12.81 | 11.12.80 | 6.12.79 | 7.12.78 | 8.12.77 | |
| Managerial and Professional | 118 | 67 | 80 | 62 | 54 |
| Clerical and Related | 77 | 169 | 107 | 116 | 85 |
| Other non-Manual Occupations | 85 | 88 | 82 | 140 | 46 |
| Craft and Similar Occupations | 99 | 116 | 394 | 389 | 344 |
| General Labourers | 34 | 28 | 115 | 46 | 57 |
| Other Manual Occupations | 222 | 235 | 378 | 347 | 258 |
| Total: All Occupations | 635 | 703 | 1,156 | 1,100 | 844 |
Notes:
Vacancy statistics are not a measure of the total number of vacancies in the economy; the figures quoted relate only to notifed vacancies remaining unfilled on the day of the monthly count. A survey conducted in 1977 indicated that, on average, only about one third of all vacancies are notified to the public employment service.
Agricultural Land (Value)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the present market value of the best agricultural land in Wales; what were the corresponding figures for the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
The following information is based on transactions relating to grade 1 and 2 land notified to the Inland Revenue. It is not available for the whole period requested and is subject to a time lag between the sale and notification dates.
| Vacant Possession | |
| Year ended 30 September | £ per hectare |
| 1979 | 2,593 |
| 1980 | 4,351 |
| 1981 | 4,504 |
Traumatic And Orthopaedic Specialty
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of patients awaiting treatment in the traumatic and orthopaedic specialty in Wales; and how many beds are allocated to this specialty.
The total numbers of patients on the in—patient and out—patient waiting lists on 30 September 1981 were 5,533 and 12,696 respectively. The number of allocated beds at the same date was 1,251.
This information is not held centrally.
Skilled Workers (Vacancies)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what vacancies for skilled workers are currently available in the county of Dyfed at the latest available date; what were the corresponding figures for the last four years; and if he will make a statement.
The precise information Is not available in the absence of a comprehensive analysis of the number of vacancies according to skill requirements. However, an occupational analysis of notified unfilled vacancies at employment offices gives the following information by six broad groups for Dyfed, at 10 December 1981 and for the four preceding years.
Employment
Unemployment Statistics
asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, pursuant to his written reply to the hon. Member for West Stirlingshire, Official Report, 15 December 1981, column 79, he will list the various surveys which have suggested that some of the registered unemployed are not actively looking for work or are not concerned about being out of work.
The surveys are:
Among the reasons for not looking for work are age, health, and that the respondents were waiting to take up a job which had been offered. These survey estimates have a degree of uncertainty reflecting sampling errors and other survey variations and are not necessarily representative of the position in 1981–82.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the United Kingdom percentage rate of unemployment the ethnic minorities make up for men and for women; how many ethnic minority citizens are unemployed in (a) England—men and women,(b) Wales—men and women, and (c) Scotland— men and women; what percentage the ethnic minorities make up of the number of apprenticeships currently in existence; and if he will make a statement.
The following table gives the numbers of ethnic minority group workers registered as unemployed at November 1981, the latest available, and expresses these as percentages of all registered unemployed at the same date.
| Unemployed ethnic minority group workers at November 1981 | ||||
| Male | Female | |||
| Number | as a percentage of all males unemployed | Number | as a percentage of all females unemployed | |
| England | 86,661 | 5.2 | 32,763 | 4.9 |
| Wales | 432 | 0.4 | 108 | 0.2 |
| Scotland | 602 | 0.3 | 197 | 0.2 |
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many registered unemployed between 16 and 21 years of age there were in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the West Midlands region and (c) the Walsall travel—to—work area in May 1979; what were the comparable figures at the latest available date; and how many of those currently unemployed in these age groups have been unemployed for longer than six months.
[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1982, c. 99.] The numbers registered as unemployed are analysed by age in January, April, July and October. The following is the information for the age group nearest to that specified at April 1979 and January 1982. The figures include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted.
| Unemployed aged under 20 years | |||
| April 1979 | January 1982 | Of whom those unemployed for over 26 weeks | |
| United Kingdom | 200,208 | 548,278 | 193,176 |
| West Midlands region | 18,305 | 59,237 | 23,999 |
| Walsall travel-to- work area | 1,239 | 5,248 | 2,291 |
Gas Tanker (Solent)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, through the Health and Safety Executive, urgent consideration may be given to the proposal to moor in the Solent a supertanker for the storage of liquid petroleum.
The Health and Safety Executive has been consulted about the proposal by the British Transport Docks Board and the neighbouring local authorities and has given them advice. These discussions are continuing.
Social Services
National Insurance
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether there is any upper limit on the amount of class 1 secondary (employers') contributions that can be charged similar to the upper limit set on class 1 primary (employees') contributions when an employee has more than one source of employment.
Providing earnings equal or exceed the lower earnings limit, a secondary class 1 contribution is payable for each employee on earnings up to the upper earnings limit. If an employee has more than one job, each of his employers is liable to pay contributions on the earnings that he pays him, irrespective of the liability incurred by another employer.
Lead
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether proof has been obtained in the United Kingdom of the dangers of lead emissions from vehicles to children.
Lead is known to be harmful at high dose levels and where harm has occurred some may be attributable to vehicle emissions, though for most people in the United Kingdom the uptake from this source is not the greatest.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the relative ingestion of lead compounds by humans (a) from atmospheric sources in the vicinity of motorways and (b) from other sources, including food and water.
I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Hackney, North and Stoke Newington (Mr. Roberts) on 12 February.—[Vol. 17, c. 499.]
Smoking And Drinking (Legislation)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the estimate made by his Department that the annual cost to the National Health Service of diseases attributable to smoking and drinking is about £155 million and between £70 million and £95 million, respectively, if he will introduce legislation along the lines of the compulsion to wear seat belts to prevent people smoking and drinking.
No.
Abortions
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any estimate as to the proportion of the total number of pregnancies that were terminated in 1981.
No. I regret that the information will not be available until the end of 1982.
Disabled People
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the numbers of disabled people registered with their local authorities for the years 1979, 1980 and 1981.
The numbers of handicapped people in the general classes registered with local authorities in England for the years 1979–81 are as follows:
| Year ending 31 March | Number |
| 1979 | 846,796 |
| 1980 | 900,669 |
| 1981 | 943,605 |
Social Security Statistics
Miss Joan Lestor asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is now able to update the information contained in tables 47.07 and 47.08 of the 1978 social security statistics which give the estimated numbers of families and persons with incomes at or below the supplementary benefit level.
I shall let the hon. Member have the information for 1979 when it becomes available in a few weeks' time.
Fuel Bills (Assistance)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what portion of the £250 million allocated during 1981–82 to help the lower paid to meet their fuel bills is accounted for by assistance with insulation and other energy saving services.
Of the £250 million being spent in the present year on help with fuel costs, about £6–7 million is accounted for by the enhanced 90 per cent. grant for roof insulation paid to the elderly and severely disabled on low incomes. The £250 million package does not include the ordinary rate of grant payable under the homes insulation scheme to other householders. Neither does it include the cost of supplementary benefit single payments for hot water cylinder jackets and simple draught—proofing measures for which, I regret, no figures are available.
Younger Chronic Sick And Disabled
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many established posts for consultants exist for the care and treatment of the younger chronic sick and disabled within the National Health Service;
Younger physically disabled and chronically sick people are treated and cared for in many different ways by various professionals and consultants from a variety of specialties. The facilities in the younger disabled units are being used in an increasingly flexible manner to promote maximum independence and to assist people, to remain in the community wherever possible. Consequently operational policies vary and these affect the length of waiting lists and rate of discharges in different locations.Much of the information requested by the right hon. Member is not available centrally, but I have set out below the main relevant data and would also refer him to "Hospital Statistics"—form SH3 EDP 4, 5 and 6—"Regional and National Summaries" for 198(1, a copy of which I have placed in the Library.I shall be writing to the right hon. Member.
| TABLE A | |
| Number of Patients on In-patient Waiting List at 31 March 1981 in England for Admission to Younger Disabled Units | |
| Number | |
| Urgent | |
| All cases | 31 |
| Cases on list for more than one month | 28 |
| Non-urgent | |
| All cases | 349 |
| Cases on list for more than one year | 89 |
| Total all cases | 380 |
| TABLE B | ||
| year | Discharges and deaths | Waiting list on 31 December |
| 1976 | 2,261 | 218 |
| 1977 | 2,572 | 227 |
| 1978 | 3,381 | 202 |
| 1979 | 3,660 | 285 |
| 1980 | 4,383 | 348 |
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many units for the younger chronic sick and disabled have been visited by the Health Advisory Service over the last year.
The activities of the Health Advisory Service have been concentrated on services for the mentally ill and elderly over the last year.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many units for the younger chronic sick and disabled have been built with the use of joint funding money in each of the last five years.
The establishment of younger disabled units which are an intrinsic part of health service provision would not be an appropriate use of these funds and would not meet the criteria we have laid down for their use.
Child Care Costs
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any surveys have been carried out by his Department into child care costs for single parents who want to work.
No survey concerned specifically with such costs has been undertaken by the Department in recent years, but some information about the incidence and level of child care costs incurred by lone parents actually in employment has been provided by two more general research studies of lone parents receiving family income supplement. These were completed in 1976 and 1981 respectively. Further information about such costs is expected from a current study of the tapered earnings disregard which is applied to lone parents receiving supplementary benefit. This should be completed early in 1983.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has evidence that single parents remain on supplementary benefit on the grounds that they are unable to afford child care costs when working as there is no tax relief for these.
No, but the Department has commissioned a survey from the social policy research unit, York university, on the earnings disregard for single parents which is, among other things, examining child care costs. When the report is presented information on the possible disincentive effects of meeting these may become available.
Residential Homes (Registration)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish the proposed consultative document on the registration of residential homes.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today issued a consultative document entitled "A Good Home".It suggests a range of possible ways of improving the present system for registering voluntary and privately run residential homes for elderly, handicapped and mentally disordered people. Since the present system was introduced in 1948, there has been substantial growth in the number of people in these homes, including the number of infirm elderly people. In 1980 there were some 3,700 private and voluntary homes with about 70,000 residents. The legislation, which has been in force for over 30 years, was framed in circumstances very different from those obtaining today. In particular, it was not designed to cope with the numbers of people now needing long term residential care nor the number of homes now; in existence. The existing system concentrates on physical standards at the expense of the standard of personal care provided for the residents. Moreover, the type of homes to be registered needs examination, as does the increasing use of residential homes by more infirm people needing substantial nursing care.In the past anxieties about standards in these homes have been expressed. Whilst the majority of homes undoubtedly provide adequate standards, these anxieties justify a review of the registration arrangements as a whole and make it important to stimulate—as we hope the consultation document will do—discussion and comment from which specific proposals for an improved system can be drawn. As the document itself suggests, the best solution may lie not so much in fresh legislation imposing new standards or duties, as in a code of practice that could be used flexibly to stimulate better standards of care. Legislation will be needed, however, if we are to clarify which establishments are subject to registration, to improve inspection procedures and to deal with the overlap between residential homes and nursing homes.
Defence
Cyprus
asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he last visited the sovereign base area of Cyprus; and when he next intends to visit the base area.
My right hon. Friend visited the sovereign base areas in September, 1981. He has no present plans for another visit, but I hope to visit the areas myself next month.
Trident
asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will set out the reasons for his view that the proposed sale by the United States of America to the United Kingdom of the Trident missile system will not be in breach of the treaty on the non—proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Article I of the Treaty on the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons requires each Party
It does not refer to nuclear capable delivery systems and, as is the case with Polaris, the warheads for the United Kingdom Trident force will be of British design and manufacture. As was made clear in the memorandum published at the time of the announcement of the choice of Trident to succeed Polaris ("The Future UK Strategic Nuclear Deterrent Force"—Defence Open Government Document 80-23—July 1980) nothing in the treaty requires existing nuclear powers unilaterally to abandon their capabilities or let them decay."not to transfer to any recipient whatsoever nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices or control over such weapons or explosive devices directly, or indirectly".
Transport
Concessionary Fares
49.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, further to the answer of 25 January to the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Mr. John) he will now collect statistics on the number of local authorities providing some form of concessionary travel scheme for the elderly and disabled.
I do not believe that we would be justified in collecting regular statistics on these schemes, bearing in mind the Government policy of keeping demands for statistical information from local authorities to the minimum.
Lead Additives
50.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if in pursuance of the intention by Her Majesty's Government to reduce the lead additives in petrol to 0.15 grammes per litre from December 1985, he will state the date when he expects the necessary adjustment to refining equipment will be completed.
Refinery changes will be completed during the second half of 1985 so as to ensure all petrol sold at the pump meets the new standard by the end of that year.
Hand Signals
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out in the Official Report details of any regulations that govern the types of motor vehicles, or the circumstances in which motor vehicles are exempted from giving hand signals; whether he is satisfied with the regulations as they apply to security vehicles which frequently display a permanent notice stating "No hand signals"; and if he will set out the provisions governing the display of such a notice.
There are no regulations which either require the giving of direction signals by hand or govern the display of notices stating "No hand signals".
Heavy Lorries (Bypasses)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if in the light of his proposals for heavier lorries, he will advance the date for the commencement of the bypasses for (a) Tutbury, Staffordshire, (b) Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, and (c) Yoxall, Staffordshire; and if he will make a statement on each bypass.
All these towns stand on roads that are the responsibility of Staffordshire county council as local highway authority. The county did not list any of them among its priority schemes for capital investment in its most recent bid for grant. However, as my hon. Friend will know, the Government intend to give high priority to investment in bypasses and relief roads and I took this priority into account in deciding the allocations of accepted capital expenditure in this year's transport grant settlement.
Freight Depots (Relocation)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in connection with the Armitage report relating to heavy lorries and the environment, he will hold consultations with freight transport industry and local authorities about the relocation, where this is practicable, of freight transport depots now situated in or near town centres to places adjacent to motorways or trunk roads.
Location of freight depots is a matter best left to the freight transport industry and the local authorities themselves. Proposals in the Transport Bill will enable licensing authorities to take environmental considerations into account when granting an operator's licence.
Northern Ireland
New Factories
asked. the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in the Official Report the number of new factories which have opened in the Province since January 1980, and the number of persons currently employed in those factories.
Since 1 January 1980 the number of new manufacturing undertakings which have ben established in Northern Ireland with selective financial assistance from the Department of Commerce totals 32. At 31 December 1981 these undertakings employed 5,:128 people. I regret that the corresponding totals in respect of new companies formed either with financial assistance from the local enterprise development unit or without assistance from Government could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Industrial Development Board Order
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to publish a proposal for a draft industrial development board order.
My right hon. Friend hopes to publish a proposal for a draft order in March.
Jobs
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of jobs promoted in 1980 have been converted into permanent jobs.
During 1980, the Department of Commerce in Northern Ireland offered selective financial assistance to firms which would, it was estimated, eventually provide 5,545 new jobs. By the end of 1931, about 33 per cent. of these jobs had been created and others will be created as the projects promoted in 1980 build up to peak employment. Up-to-date information on employment in projects promoted by the local enterprise development unit could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Royal Ulster Constabulary
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he intends to relinquish control of the Royal Ulster Constabularly in favour of its being made accountable for operational security matters, as well as for general policing policy, to the Northern Ireland Police Authority.
[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1982, c. 105]: The operational control of the Royal Ulster Constabulary is the independent responsibility of the Chief Constable who is ultimately accountable to the Police Authority for Northern Ireland for the discharge of his functions.General security policy, which includes policing policy, is my responsibility. I have no intention of altering this position.
National Finance
Job Release Scheme
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department is currently participating in the job release scheme; and, if so, how many employees have taken advantage of the scheme since 6 April 1981.
Yes. Including those areas of the former Civil Service Department which are now part of the Treasury, six employees have taken advantage of the scheme since 6 April 1981.
Outside Contractors
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what studies Her Majesty's Treasury have made of the possibility of greater economy in the cost of public services by relying on contractors to provide these services.
The Government believe that there is scope for achieving economies in the cost of public services by contracting out to the private sector. I have asked colleagues to examine the scope for securing greater economy by contracting out particular services. It is the responsibility of individual Departments to identify possible candidates and assess the benefits or costs of relying on contractors. In the case of local authority services, the responsibility for contracting out a particular function lies with the individual local authority concerned.
| Gross Domestic Product, Per Capita, in US Dollars—at Current Prices and Exchange Rates | |||||||||||
| 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | |
| Canada | 1,258 | 1,482 | 1,747 | 1,776 | 1,751 | 1,853 | 2,040 | 2,119 | 2,112 | 2,216 | 2,230 |
| United States | 1,896 | 2,152 | 2,223 | 2,304 | 2,261 | 2,417 | 2,502 | 2,586 | 2,577 | 2,743 | 2,805 |
| Japan | — | — | 200 | 222 | 244 | 265 | 297 | 336 | 346 | 385 | 463 |
| Australia* | 925 | 963 | 1,062 | 1,141 | 1,195 | 1,257 | 1,337 | 1,336 | 1,415 | 1,524 | 1,561 |
| New Zealand† | 1,027 | 1,042 | 1,056 | 1,148 | 1,243 | 1,284 | 1,319 | 1,380 | 1,416 | 1,481 | 1,658 |
| Austria | 374 | 467 | 541 | 459 | 520 | 595 | 662 | 730 | 758 | 804 | 889 |
| Belgium | — | — | — | 929 | 961 | 1,013 | 1,077 | 1,126 | 1,136 | 1,168 | 1,236 |
| Denmark | 728 | 775 | 821 | 871 | 904 | 937 | 995 | 1,053 | 1,099 | 1,206 | 1,296 |
| Finland | 588 | 849 | 868 | 848 | 931 | 1,018 | 1,118 | 1,071 | 928 | 1,001 | 1,140 |
| France | 695 | 845 | 988 | 1,022 | 1,073 | 1,137 | 1,252 | 1,324 | 1,303 | 1,228 | 1,323 |
| Germany | 468 | 566 | 642 | 685 | 731 | 826 | 902 | 971 | 1,030 | 1,112 | 1,310 |
| Greece | 289 | 343 | 356 | 262 | 264 | 301 | 345 | 368 | 383 | 393 | 421 |
| Iceland* | 932 | 1,151 | 1,254 | 1,464 | 1,596 | 1,790 | 2,056 | 2,136 | 2,449 | 2,699 | ‡1,333 |
Inland Revenue (School Fees)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the light of the Inland Revenue statement of practice SP 15/80 of 14 November 1980, whether he will make it the practice of the Inland Revenue to accept the words "school fees" without qualification rather than requiring a court order for maintenance to specify a particular amount.
I can reassure my hon. Friend that there is no requirement that a court order should specify the amount of school fees to be paid. Tax relief is available for maintenance paid under a court order whether school fees are included or not. Where fees are paid direct to a school in part discharge of an order the practice described in the Inland Revenue's statement will apply if the conditions set out in it are satisfied.
Oecd Countries (Gross Domestic Product)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the gross domestic product per capita, expressed in dollars at current prices and exchange rates, in each year since 1945, in each of the Organisation for Economic Co—operation and Development countries.
Figures of gross domestic product per head on a comparable basis for the member countries of OECD are not available for years before 1950. Details for the period 1950 to 1960 are given in the table below. Corresponding figures for the years 1961–1979 are given on page 88 of National Accounts of OECD countries 1950–1979, volume 1 main aggregates. Revised estimates for the years 1977–1979 and provisional estimates for 1980 of gross domestic product at current prices and exchange rates, and population, from which per capita estimates may be derived, are given on pages 180 and 181 respectively of the January 1982 edition of OECD Main Economic Indicators.It is well recognised, however, that the use of official or market exchange rates to convert GDP estimates to a common unit of measurement can give very misleading results because the rates do not necessarily reflect the relative purchasing power of national currencies in terms of the goods and services available in the countries being compared. A more realistic assessment is given by the use of purchasing power parities to convert to a common unit. Such estimates are not available for all OECD countries, but estimates compiled by the Statistical Office of the European Communities are available for members of the Community and are given on page 160 of
Eurostat National Accounts ESA—Aggregates 1960–1979.
1950
| 1951
| 1952
| 1953
| 1954
| 1955
| 1956
| 1957
| 1958
| 1959
| 1960
| |
| Ireland | 352 | 371 | 427 | 473 | 476 | 499 | 511 | 532 | 560 | 599 | 625 |
| Italy, | — | 365 | 391 | 430 | 455 | 499 | 540 | 571 | 616 | 653 | 745 |
| Luxembourg | — | — | 1,222 | 1,124 | 1,143 | 1,242 | 1,360 | 1,457 | 1,440 | 1,468 | 1,656 |
| Netherlands | 487 | 549 | 567 | 597 | 661 | 726 | 774 | 835 | 837 | 883 | 966 |
| Norway | 661 | 819 | 889 | 882 | 950 | 1,000 | 1,127 | 1,182 | 1,160 | 1,224 | 1,296 |
| Portugal | — | — | — | 200 | 205 | 215 | 230 | 240 | 246 | 261 | 275 |
| Spain | — | — | — | — | 299 | 331 | 377 | 412 | 462 | 399 | 374 |
| Sweden | 879 | 1,078 | 1,167 | 1,194 | 1,264 | 1,354 | 1,459 | 1,547 | 1,622 | 1,718 | 1.867 |
| Switzerland | 966 | 1,042 | 1,091 | 1,137 | 1,196 | 1,275 | 1,352 | 1,415 | 1,435 | 1,495 | 1,614 |
| Turkey | 166 | 195 | 218 | 247 | 245 | 286 | 322 | 345 | 236 | 182 | 189 |
| United Kingdom | 717 | 801 | 863 | 933 | 981 | 1,049 | 1,125 | 1,185 | 1,238 | 1,296 | 1.362 |
| Yugoslavia | — | — | — | — | — | — | 327 | 396 | 414 | 499 | 586 |
Not available.
* Fiscal year beginning on I July of year indicated.
† Fiscal year beginning on I April of year indicated.
‡The sharp drop between 1959 and 1960 reflects a change in the exchange rate from 16 kroner per dollar to 34 kroner per dollar.
Motability
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations the Treasury has received with regard to tax relief from Motability; what reply he is sending; and if he will make a statement.
I have received letters from the chairman and vice chairman of Motability suggesting various tax reliefs for the disabled. They have been acknowledged, and are being carefully considered.
Civil Service (Manpower)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the estimated numbers of civil servants in each Government Department in 1982–83, 1983–84 and 1984–85.
Estimated staff numbers in central Government Departments at 1 April 1982 and 1 April 1983 will be published shortly in the memorandum by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on the Supply Estimates for 1982–83. Departmental targets for staff numbers at 1 April 1984 were announced by my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State, Civil Service Department on 27 November 1980—[Vol. 994, c. 173–76]. Precise targets have not yet been set for the year to 1 April 1985.
Child Care Costs (Taxation Relief)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has given consideration to allowing tax relief of child care costs for working single parents.
I shall let the right hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
Commissioners For The Reduction Of The National Debt
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the Official Report the names and qualifications of the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt, when they were appointed, by whom, and the occasions on which the commissioners have met since 1945.
The Commissioners for the Reduction of the Natinal Debt all hold the appointment ex officio and comprise:
- The Speaker of the House of Commons
- The Chancellor of the Exchequer
- The Lord Chief Justice
- The Master of the Rolls
- The Accountant General of the Supreme Court
- The Governor of the Bank of England
- The Deputy Governor of the Bank of England
Income Tax
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much he estimates that the income tax base will be reduced in 1981–82 as a result of the income tax allowances, reliefs and exemptions listed in the public expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 8175, table 4.14; and what would be the income tax base if these allowances were abolished.
[pursuant to his reply, 9 February 1982 c. 323]: Estimates for 1981–82 are not yet available. For 1980–81, the total income of households is estimated at approximately £190 billion and this is reduced by around £100 billion by those income tax allowances, reliefs and exemptions relevant to the household sector. Some of the exemptions etc. listed in table 4.14 of Cmnd. 8175 relate to institutions rather than to members of households—e.g. charities, life assurance funds; the income of these institutions has not been included in the total of £190 billion.
Supplementary Benefit
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the long term rate of supplementary benefit available to unemployed men over 60 years who de—register at a jobcentre will be subject to income tax after 5 July, in view of the long term rate of supplementary benefit being above the personal allowances.
[pursuant to his reply, 10 February 1932, c. 389]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 10 February.—[Vol. 17, c. 372.
Tax Changes
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list the aggregate totals of the tax changes of the items listed in questions of the hon. Member for Blackburn of 15 February in respect of the 1979, 1980 and 1981 budgets, and of all items;
[pursuant to his replies, 15 February 1982, c. 26–7]: The hon. Member's questions involve applying tax rates and allowances in money terms prevailing in earlier years— for example a 40 per cent. rate of income tax charged in 1978–79 on taxable income of £8,001—to the prices and incomes of 1982–83. No such calculation can usefully be made because of the large number of hypothetical assumptions required. It would be necessary to take a view on what prices and incomes would be in 1982–83 if a different tax burden had prevailed over the past few years. I regret, therefore, that an answer cannot be given.
Personal Taxation
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report tables showing the amount in current prices, and the proportion in percentages of personal income, taken by (a) income taxes and (b) national insurance contributions and (c) the aggregate of (a) and (b), for (i) a single person (ii) married couple without children both working and (iii) a married couple with two children in work, husband in work and wife not working, in each case at 500 per cent., 700 per cent., 1,000 per cent. and 2,000 per cent. of average earnings, and child benefit where appropriate, for each financial year from and including 1978–79 to 1981–82, and on a comparable basis to the answer given by him to the hon. Member for Blackburn, Official Report, 3 December 1981, column 188–192.
[pursuant to his reply, 15 February 1982, c. 27–28]: The information is given in the following tables.
| 500 per cent of Average Earnings | ||||||||
| 1978–79 | 1979–80 | 1980–81 | 1981–82 | |||||
| £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | |
| Gross Earnings | 472.00 | 556.00 | 668.25 | 743.75 | ||||
| Single | ||||||||
| (a) Income Tax | 240.37 | 50.9 | 230.97 | 41.5 | 286.53 | 42.9 | 331.83 | 44.6 |
| (b) NIC | 7.80 | 1.7 | 8.77 | 1.6 | 11.14 | 1.7 | 15.50 | 2.1 |
| (c) Income Tax and NIC | 248.17 | 52.6 | 239.75 | 43.1 | 297.66 | 44.5 | 347.33 | 46.7 |
| Married both working | ||||||||
| (a) Income Tax | 161.79 | 34.3 | 169.73 | 30.5 | 211.48 | 31.6 | 247.02 | 33.2 |
| (b) NIC | 15.60 | 3.3 | 17.55 | 3.2 | 22.28 | 3.3 | 31.00 | 4.2 |
| (c) Income Tax and NIC | 177.39 | 37.6 | 187.28 | 33.7 | 233.76 | 35.0 | 278.02 | 37.4 |
| Married couple with two children | ||||||||
| (a) Income Tax | 229.55 | 48.1 | 223.47 | 39.6 | 277.64 | 41.0 | 322.94 | 42.9 |
| (b) NIC | 7.80 | 1.6 | 8.77 | 1.6 | 11.14 | 1.6 | 15.50 | 2.1 |
| (c) Income Tax and NIC | 237.35 | 49.7 | 232.24 | 41.2 | 288.78 | 42.7 | 3388.44 | 44.9 |
| 700 per cent of Average Earnings | ||||||||
| 1978–79 | 1979–80 | 1980–81 | 1981–82 | |||||
| £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | |
| Gross Earnings | 660.80 | 778.40 | 935.55 | 1,041.2 | ||||
| Single | ||||||||
| (a) Income Tax | 396.40 | 60.0 | 364.41 | 46.8 | 446.91 | 47.8 | 510.33 | 49.0 |
| (b) NIC | 7.80 | 1.2 | 8.77 | 1.1 | 11.14 | 1.2 | 15.50 | 1.5 |
| (c)Income Tax and NIC | 404.20 | 61.2 | 373.18 | 47.9 | 458.05 | 49.0 | 525.83 | 50.5 |
1978–79
| 1979–80
| 1980–81
| 1981–82
| |||||
| £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | |
| Married both working | ||||||||
(a) Income Tax | 278.17 | 42.1 | 277.97 | 35.7 | 345.78 | 37.0 | 404.97 | 38.9 |
(b) NIC | 15.60 | 2.4 | 17.54 | 2.3 | 22.28 | 2.4 | 31.00 | 3.0 |
(c) Income Tax and NIC | 293.77 | 44.5 | 295.51 | 38.0 | 368.06 | 39.3 | 435.97 | 41.9 |
Married couple with two children
| ||||||||
(a) Income Tax | 384.42 | 57.7 | 356.91 | 45.4 | 438.02 | 46.4 | 501.44 | 47.7 |
(b) NIC | 7.80 | 1.2 | 8.77 | 1.1 | 11.4 | 1.2 | 15.50 | 1.5 |
(c) Income Tax and NIC | 392.22 | 58.9 | 365.69 | 46.5 | 449.16 | 47.6 | 516.94 | 49.2 |
1000 per cent of Average Earnings
| ||||||||
1978–79
| 1979–80
| 1980–81
| 1981–82
| |||||
| £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | |
| Gross Earnings | 944.00 | 1,112.00 | 1,333.50 | 1,487.50 | ||||
| Single | ||||||||
(a) Income Tax | 631.45 | 66.9 | 564.67 | 50.8 | 687.48 | 51.4 | 778.08 | 52.3 |
(b) NIC | 7.80 | 0.8 | 8.77 | 0.8 | 11.14 | 0.8 | 15.50 | 1.0 |
| Income Tax and NIC | 639.25 | 67.7 | 573.34 | 51.6 | 698.62 | 525.3 | 793.58 | 53.3 |
Married both working
| ||||||||
(a) Income Tax | 487.61 | 51.6 | 464.87 | 41.8 | 574.33 | 43.0 | 663.65 | 44.6 |
(b) NIC | 15.60 | 1.7 | 17.55 | 1.6 | 22.28 | 1.7 | 31.00 | 2.1 |
(c) Income Tax and NIC | 503.21 | 53.3 | 482.42 | 43.4 | 596.61 | 44.6 | 694.65 | 46.7 |
Married couple with two childern
| ||||||||
(a) Income Tax | 619.48 | 65.3 | 557.07 | 49.7 | 678.59 | 50.5 | 769.19 | 51.4 |
(b) NIC | 7.80 | 0.8 | 8.77 | 0.8 | 11.14 | 0.8 | 15.50 | 1.0 |
(c) Income Tax and NIC | 627.28 | 66.1 | 565.85 | 50.5 | 689.63 | 51.3 | 784.69 | 52.4 |
2000 per cent of Average Earnings
| ||||||||
| 1978–79 | 1979–80
| 1980–81
| 1981–82
| |||||
| £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | £ per week | Percentage of gross income | |
| Gross Earnings | 1,888.00 | 2,224.00 | 2,673.00 | 2,975.00 | ||||
| Single | ||||||||
(a) Income Tax | 1,414.97 | 74.9 | 1,231.77 | 55.4 | 1,489.38 | 55.7 | 1,670.58 | 56.2 |
(b) NIC | 7.80 | 0.4 | 8.77 | 0.4 | 11.14 | 0.4 | 15.50 | 0.5 |
(c) Income Tax and NIC | 1,422.77 | 75.4 | 1,240.54 | 55.8 | 1,500.52 | 56.1 | 1,686.08 | 56.7 |
| Married both working | ||||||||
(a) Income Tax | 1,262.90 | 66.9 | 1,1296.15 | 50.8 | 1,374.95 | 51.4 | 1,556.15 | 52.3 |
(b) NIC | 15.60 | 0.8 | 17.54 | 0.8 | 22.28 | 0.8 | 31.00 | 1.0 |
(c) Income Tax and NIC | 1,278.50 | 67.7 | 1,146.69 | 51.6 | 1,397.23 | 52.3 | 1,587.15 | 53.3 |
| Married couple with two childern | ||||||||
(a) Income Tax | 1,403.00 | 74.1 | 1,224.27 | 54.9 | 1,480.49 | 55.2 | 1,661.69 | 55.7 |
(b) NIC | 7.80 | 0.4 | 8.77 | 0.4 | 11.14 | 4.2 | 15.50 | 0.5 |
(c) Income Tax and NIC | 1,410.80 | 74.5 | 1,233.05 | 55.2 | 1,491.63 | 55.6 | 1,677.19 | 56.2 |
Notes:
1."Average earnings" are the average gross earnings of full—time men whose pay was unaffected by absence; all occupations, all industries aid services, Great Britain, monthly average for each financial year. The figure for 1981–82 is an illustrative estimate.
2.For households where more than one member is working, the assumption is made that the household's total earnings are 500, 700, 1,000 and 2,000 per cent. of average gross male earnings.
3.In the case of married couples where both are working, the husband is assumed to earn 60 per cent. of the joint earnings.
4.In the case of a household containing a married couple and two children, it has been assumed that only the husband is working and that both children are under 11. The gross income in this case includes child benefit.
5.All National Insurance Contributions are at the Class I standard rate for employment not contracted out of the state additional (earnings related) pension scheme.
Personal Allowances
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham,
Perry Barr, Official Report, 9 February, c. 324–6, he will rework the figures in part (a) of his answer on the
assumption that the allowances had been raised for 1981–82 on the basis of the change in retail prices between December 1979 and December 1980.
Allowance levels if indexation had taken place in 1981–1982 based on change in the RPI between December 1979 and December 1980
| Allowance levels in 1981–1982 if indexation based on change in the RPI between December 1980 and December 1981, were carried out on top of levels in column (1)
| Full year cost at 1981–1982 income levels of increasing allowances from level in column(1) to level in column (2)
| |
| (1) £ | (2) £ | (3) £ million | |
| Single and wife's earned income allowance | 1,585 | 1,785 | 750 |
| Married Man's allowance | 2,475 | 2,775 | 990 |
| Additional personal allowance | 890 | 990 | 10 |
| Aged single allowance | 2,100 | 2,360 | 80 |
| Aged married allowance | 3,335 | 3,745 | 90 |
| Aged income limit | 6,800 | 7,700 | 30 |
| TOTAL COST | 1,950 |
Blind Persons (Allowance)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in preparing his Budget, he will consider allocating resources for the purpose of providing a specific blind person's allowance; and if he will make a statement.
[pursuant to his reply, Monday 15 February 1982, c. 29]: My hon. Friend will be glad to know there is already a tax allowance for blind people. The amount of the relief was doubled in the last Finance Act, and is now £360 for a single person and £720 for a married couple where both are blind.
Gross National Product
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the gross national product per head of each country in Europe.
[pursuant to his reply, 15 February 1982, c. 29]: The latest estimates in terms of US dollars, for the years 1978 and 1979, are given in the 1980 World Bank
| 1981 Consumer Prices (percentage change on year earlier) | |||
| October | november | december | |
| United States | 10.2 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| Canada | 12.7 | 12.2 | 12.1 |
| Japan | 4.7 | 3.6 | 4.3 |
| Belgium | 7.8 | 7.8 | n/a |
| Denmark | 11.9 | 12.2 | n/a |
| France | 14.1 | 14.3 | 14.0 |
| West Germany | 6.7 | 6.6 | 6.3 |
| Greece | 25.4 | 23.8 | n/a |
| Ireland | n/a | 23.3 | n/a |
| Italy | 18.6 | 18.7 | 17.9 |
| Luxembourg | 8.8 | 8.5 | n/a |
| Netherlands | 7.1 | 7.3 | n/a |
| United Kingdom | 11.7 | 12.0 | 12.0 |
[pursuant to his reply, 15 February 1982, c. 28]: The information, calculated on the basis described in the previous answer, is as follows:atlas, page 16. These data have been converted to a common unit of measurement on the basis of exchange rates, but these can give very misleading results since the rates do not necessarily reflect the relative purchasing power of national currencies in terms of the goods and services available in the countries being compared. A more realistic assessment is given by the use of purchasing power parities to convert to a common unit, but such estimates are not yet available for many countries.
Consumer Prices
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington on 18 January, Official Report, c. 88, if he will update the figures of annual percentage change in consumer prices for various countries.
[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1982, c. 85]: The figures below update the table published in the Official Report, c. 88 on Monday 18 January as requested.
Wine (Revenue)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated total revenue from all wines and made wines in the period April to December 1981 inclusive.
[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1982, c.85]: It is estimated that receipts of duty and VAT from wine and made wine in the nine months April to December 1981 were about £515 million.
Civil Service
Official Envelopes
asked the Minister for the Civil Service what are the arrangements for controlling the use of official envelopes marked "On Her Majesty's Service"; who pays for the postage of such envelopes; and what future changes are proposed in their use.
Envelopes marked "On Her Majesty's Service" should be used only for official business. Under the official paid system Government Departments paid postage charges on such envelopes bearing the franked medallion. On 3 July 1980 the then Minister of State, Civil Service Department announced that the official paid system would be replaced by public posting methods to improve the control of postage costs by Departments.—[Vol. 987, c. 639.] That change will be completed by 1 April this year.
Education And Science
Education Staffs
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was (a) the total number of persons employed by all education authorities in England and (b) the total number of teachers in January 1972, May 1979 and at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will give the cost in each case in current and constant terms.
The available information for England is as follows:
| Thousands | |
| June1972 | |
| Teachers and lecturers* | |
| Others | * |
| Total | * |
| June1979 | |
| Teachers and lecturers | 538.8 |
| Others | 427.6 |
| Total | 966.4 |
| June 1980 | |
| Teachers and lecturers | 536.0 |
| Others | 408.6 |
| Total | 944.6 |
| September 1981 | |
| Teachers and lecturers | 511.0 |
| Others | 385.2 |
| Total | 896.2 |
* Comparable full—time equivalents are not available.
Expenditures on Salaries and Wages (£million)
| ||
at outturn prices
| at November 1981 prices
| |
1971–72
| ||
| Teachers and lecturers | 978.0 | 4,174.6 |
| Others | 332.5 | 1,419.3 |
| Total | 1,310.5 | 5,593.9 |
1979–80
| ||
| Teachers and lecturers | 3810.8 | 5,353.0 |
| Others | 1,413.3 | 1,985.3 |
| Total | 5,224.1 | 7,338.3 |
1980–81
| ||
| Teachers and lecturers | 4,830.1 | 5,431.9 |
| Others | 1,643.9 | 1,848.7 |
| Total | 6,474.0 | 7,280.6 |
Mentally Handicapped Pupils
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report the statutory provisions, including any provisions in delegated legislation which relate to the provision by local education authorities of full—time education for mentally handicapped pupils who have reached the age of 16 years and wish to continue to receive such education until the age of 19 years or beyond.
The relevant statutory provisions are to be found in the Education Act 1944. These are section 7—local education authority provision generally—section 8, 33 and 56—primary and secondary education—and sections 41 and 42—further education. The regulations made under section 33 are the Handicapped Pupils and Special Schools Regulations 1959, as amended.The Education Act 1981 will apply to those having special educational needs and who are either of compulsory school age or still at school over that age. It will change some of the provisions just mentioned but is not yet in force.The Government recognised the unsatisfactory nature of the present law on further education in paragraph 52 of the White Paper "Special Needs in Education" (Cmnd. 7996) and the need to review the legal framenwork more widely. Proposals for changes in the law were set out in the discussion document "The Legal Basis of Further Education", the publication of which was announced to Ale House on 17 June last. My right hon. Friend is now considering the comments received on this document including those relating to special needs in further education.
Lead (Toxic Effects)
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list all the research studies into the toxic effects of lead on human beings which have been financed by his Department since January 1974, the cost of each project, and who was responsible for undertaking it.
The Medical Research Council receives a grant—in—aid from the science budget of my Department, for the support of biomedical research. Since 1976, the projects supported by the council, which have a direct bearing on the toxic effects of lead on human beings, are as follows:
| Total spent to March 1981 (historic prices) £ | ||
| MRC Environmental Hazards and Toxicology Units Development and trials of methods of analysis of air pollutants | Ongoing until 1980 | 190,000 (from 1976) |
| Electron microscopy of lead, asbestos and other air—borne particles | Ongoing until 1980 | 29,000 (from 1976) |
| MRC Dental Unit Survey of the lead content of teeth from various Bristol suburbs | Ongoing | 79,000 (from 1976) |
| MRC Cyclotron Unit Production of lead isotope 203-Pb for use in tracer studies of absorption of environmental lead in the body and toxicological studies | Ongoing | 20,000 (from 1976) |
| Research Grants Professor A. Goldberg (University of Glasgow): Metabolic aspects of lead exposure | 1976–1980 | 27,000 |
| Dr. D. Barltrop (St. Mary's Hospital Medical School, London): Nutritional determinants of lead absorption in human population | 1977–1980 | 34,000 |
| Dr. R. Stephens and Dr. H. A. Waldron (University of Birmingham): Pilot study of tooth lead levels | 1977–1981; | 16,000 |
| Dr. M. E. Hilburn and Professor J. A. Blair (University of Aston): Intestinal absorption of lead compounds | 1978–1980 | 1,000 |
| Professor P. D. Griffiths and Professor J. Walker (University of Dundee): Assessments of blood lead levels in the newborn | 1979–1981 | 8,000 |
| Professor J. H. Fremlin (University of Birmingham): Application of techniques of nuclear physics to medical diagnosis and therapy (involving the development of an nonivaise method of estimating the amount of lead in bones of living subjects by X-ray fluorescence) | 1980–1982 | 2,000 |
| Dr. D. R. Chettle, Professor J. H. Fremlin and Dr. M. C. Scott (University of Birmingham): Measurements of toxic heavy metals in vivo | 1980–1982 | 26,000 |
| Dr. W. Yule (Institute of Psychiatry, London) and Dr. R. G. Lansdown (Hospital for Sick Children, London): Relationship between blood levels and intelligence, behaviour and attainment in school children | 1980 | 6,000 |
| Total spent to March 1981 (historic prices) £ | ||
| Dr. W. Yule (Institute of Psychiatry, London) and Dr. R. G. Lansdown (Hospital for Sick Children London): Blood lead, social factors, intelligence, behaviour and attainments in school children | 1981–1983 | £29,000 (annual cost per annum) |
University Expenditure
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will estimate the cost to the public sector of future redundancies of academic and other staff arising from Government cuts in the financing of universities, after taking into account (a) redundancy costs if redundancies are costed according to the scheme recently adopted by the Department of Education and Science and (b) the consequent loss of income tax, national insurance contributions, including employer's surcharge, unemployment and social security benefits together with the indirect effects of all of the above and the administrative costs involved;(2) if he will estimate the indirect cost to the public sector of reduced university expenditure on non—salary items, as a result of Government cuts in the financing of universities.
Too many variables are involved for such estimates to have any validity.
Bogus Degrees
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has received about the growth in the number of bodies purporting to confer degrees and other educational qualifications which are in fact bogus; and if he will introduce legislation to curb the practice.
I shall write to my hon. riend.
Part-Time Students (Supplementary Benefit)
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many part-time students will lose their entitlement to supplementary benefits as a result of the decision to include meal breaks and private study in the maximum period of study before benefit is lost.
I have been asked to reply.No estimate can be made of the numbers of claimants who will cease to be entitled to supplementary benefit following the revised guidance on the interpretation of Regulation 7(2) of the Supplementary Benefit (Conditions of Entitlement) Regulations 1981 to be issued shortly by the Chief Supplementary Benefits Officer.
Environment
Local Government Audit Commission
3.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to whom he intends that the Local Government Audit Commission will be ultimately responsible.
Under the Local Government Finance (No. 2) Bill the Secretary of State will be answerable to Parliament for his functions in respect of the commission; the Comptroller and Auditor General will examine the commission's annual statement of accounts and report to Parliament on it; and the commission, and the auditors it will appoint, will be answerable to the courts in respect of their statutory duties and powers.
Commission For The New Towns
13.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to legislate to wind up the Commission for the New Towns.
When a place can be found in the legislative programme.
38.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an early announcement on the date on which the Commission for the New Towns will be wound up.
My right hon. Friend is not yet in a position to announce this date, which must depend on the form and timing of the necessary legislation.
Ordnance Survey
22.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to lay the trading fund proposals of the Ordnance Survey before Parliament.
I am still considering my proposals and will make a statement as soon as I can.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is now in a position to make a statement on the future of the Ordnance Survey.
I am still considering my proposals.
Wildlife And Countryside Act
23.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many management agreements have been made with private land owners since the coming into force of the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
Under section 39 of the 1981 Act management agreements can be entered into by a wide range of local authorities and the Nature Conservancy Council has similar powers under other legislation. Therefore we do not monitor the use of these powers generally.
Local Authorities (Efficiency)
24.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will commission a national study of ways in which business and industrial expertise could be used to promote efficiency in the operation of local authorities.
I have consistently advocated the development of closer links between local authorities and the business community, which I believe must be forged at a local level. I have no plans at present to commission a national study of this type.
Home Improvement Grants
25.
asked the Secretay of State for the Environment how many home improvement grants were approved by local authorities in England and Wales during 1981.
Figures are not available of grants approved, but in the first three quarters of 1981, about 54,000 grants were paid to private owners and tenants for the improvement or repair of dwellings in England and Wales.
Rate Support Grant
26.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when next he intends to meet the Association of District councils; and whether he proposes to have any further discussion with it on the rate support grant.
My right hon. Friend's next scheduled meetings with the Association of District Councils is the next meeting of the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance, which is likely to be in March. However, my officials will be discussing rate support grant issues with all the local authority associations at a meeting on 2 March.
40.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average level of rate increases assumed by his Department in determining the 1982–83 rate support grant settlement.
The setting of rates is a matter for individual local authorities. If all local authorities aim to meet the targets we have set them in the 1982–83 rate support grant settlement, rate increases in April should below.
asked the Secretary of State for the. Environment what is the financial cost in computer time so far incurred by his Department in calculations in any way relating to the 1981–82 rate support grant settlement and any subsequent budget revisions involving changes in provisional grant holdback.
I shall write to the hon. Member.
Partnership Authorities
27.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of partnership authority expenditure is applied to job creation.
About 27 per cent. of partnership authorities' expenditure under the urban programme in 1981–82 will be on projects aimed directly at job creation or preservation. A further 30 per cent. or so will be on other projects whose main aim is economic regeneration; through environmental or transport improvements, for example.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any proposals to increase or reduce the number of partnership authorities.
No. We stand by the decision announced by my right hon. Friend last year that no changes should be made in the list of authorities with partnership status.
Local Authority Services
28.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has taken further steps to publicise to local authorities his policy to encourage the use of private contractors to carry out refuse collection and other council services.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor).
35.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the powers he has to ensure that councils fulfil their statutory obligations to provide services.
In the main, it is to their electors, and to the courts, that local authorities are responsible for the discharge of their duties—not to my right hon. Friend.
37.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to introduce legislation to bring about the privatisation of any local authority services; and if he will make a statement.
I have no such plans at this stage.
World Cup
29.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions have taken place between the Spanish Football Association, the English Football Association and himself over arrangements for the World Cup.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 11 February to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway).—[Vol. 17, c. 462.]
Council House Building
30.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses were started in the last 12 months, to the most recent convenient date.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Dean).
Council House Sales
31.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received about the provisions of the Housing Act 1980 as they relate to tenants wishing to buy their houses, which are subject to long leases.
I have received many representations that the right to buy should extend to local authority tenants of leasehold property.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to speed up the sale of council houses in the areas of local authorities that had sold fewer than 20 council houses by 31 December 1981.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Leek (Mr. Knox).
Building Research Establishment
32.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the future of the Building Research Establishment, Garston, Hertfordshire.
I am considering the future of this establishment as part of a study on the organisation and funding of construction research. I have asked the building and civil engineering committees of the Economic Development Council for advice on this. I have agreed with the chairman of the building committee that I will not take any final decision on the role and status of the Building Research Establishment until I have considered his report.
House Building
33.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates his Department has made of the number of housing completions (a) in the private and (b) in the public sectors in 1982.
We have made no such estimates.
46.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses were started in the private and public sectors in 1981.
About 102,000 private sector and 31,000 public sector dwellings were started in England in 1981.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions have taken place through his normal consultative machinery, or otherwise under the aegis of his Department, of the findings of the Building Research Establishment in CP 76/78 regarding disparities between the manhours required to build public sector dwellings and those in the private sector.
I am not aware of any discussions of the findings of this paper, which was published in 1978.
Rates
34.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has now decided to introduce legislation to change the present method of collecting rates; and, if so, when he will do so.
A Green Paper, "Alternatives to Domestic Rates" was published on 16 December last. Comments have been requested by 31 March 1982. The Government are committed to reform and wish to proceed as quickly as practicable, though timing must depend on the outcome of consultation.
Water Mains
36.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied with the level of investment in the maintenance of public water mains in England.
In 1980–81, the last year for which published figures are available, the water authorities spent £66 million on repair and maintenance of aqueducts and water mains. The Water Research Centre is at this moment undertaking surveys of the age and condition of water mains and sewers and this will give water authorities more reliable information than they have now about the scale and type of renewal work that will be needed in the future.
Water Byelaws
39.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest timetable for the production of new model water byelaws.
We intend to publish a new edition of model water byelaws in 1984. The standing technical committee on water regulations expects to complete the drafting of technical requirements for the new model by September this year. My Department will then consult widely on its proposals, and I hope that legal drafting can start by mid-1983.
Housing Subsidies
41.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will restore housing subsidies and take other steps to encourage local authorities to increase the number of houses available to let to applicants on council house waiting lists who cannot afford to buy.
Housing subsidies, including rent rebates and rate fund contributions to housing revenue accounts, are estimated to total some £1,700 million in the current year. My right hon. Friend announced an increase in the gross provision for local authority housing investment for 1982–83 in his statement on 21 December 1981.—[Vol. 15, c. 326–28.]
Local And Central Government
42.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the local authority associations about the division of responsibilities between central and local government.
None.
Structure Plans
43.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how often population figures in structure plans are updated; and if he will give the most up-to-date projections for central and west Berkshire.
Structure plans are not updated on a regular basis but local planning authorities are required to keep them under review and to propose alterations as necessary. Population projections are produced by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys on a county basis; separate figures are not available for central and west Berkshire. The most up-to-date figures for the county on a 1979 base are as follows:
| Number | |
| 1979 | *681,841 |
| 1981 | 694,857 |
| 1986 | 731,289 |
| 1991 | 773,503 |
* Mid-year estimate
Space Policy
44.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out his Department's responsibilities for the enviromental aspects of Her Majesty's Government's space policy.
If my hon. Friend could tell me more precisely what environmental aspects he has in mind, I will write to him on the matter.
Rates Revenue
45.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the estimated total revenue raised by rates in 1981–82 ir England and Wales; and how this compares with the figures in 1978–79 at constant prices.
From rateable value and poundage information, it is estimated that approximately £9,500 million will be raised in rate revenue in England and Wales in 1981–82. This represents an increase in constant prices of approximately 6 per cent. since 1978–79.
Ryecroft Farm, Sheffield
47.
asked the Secretary of Si ate for the Environment if, in 'view of the fact that Ryecroft farm, Dare, Sheffield, has already been the subject of a recent public inquiry, and in view of the fact that the inspector's decision at the time was in favour of the preservation of farmland and green belt in the western part of Sheffield, he will now reject any proposals which will infringe this decision.
Proposals for development of land at Ryecroft farm, Dare, Sheffield, were the subject of a public local inquiry about 10 years ago and the then Secretary of State accepted his inspector's recommendation that the application should be refused. I am not aware of any proposal to develop this particular piece of land at present.
Liverpool City Council
48.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to have an official meeting with the leader of the Liverpool city council.
I often meet leaders and members of local authorities in Merseyside during my frequent visits to the area. I met the leader of the Liverpool city council on one of my visits last month, and hope to meet him again later this month.
Waste Paper And Board
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines his Department give to local authorities in England and Wales regarding the recycling possibilities and revenue implications of waste paper and board; and what incentives are provided to encourage such activities.
A report by my Department on uniform accounting for local authority waste paper salvage schemes is freely available to authorities. It is for local authorities themselves to decide in the light of the possible returns whether and to what extent their involvement in such schemes is worth while.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the volume of domestic refuse in the United Kingdom in the years 1976, 1978 and 1980; what percentage of each year's volume was waste paper and board; and what was the estimated revenue income to local authorities from the sale of waste paper and board.
The information in my Department relates to England and Wales only: the position for Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends.In 1976–77, domestic waste collected by English and Welsh local authorities amounted to 17,332,000 tonnes, in 1978–79 to 18,514,000 tonnes, and in 1980–81 to 19,072,000 tonnes. Approximately 30 per cent. by weight is paper and board.The quantities of waste paper collected separately by local authorities in each of these years were 128,000 tonnes, 107,000 tonnes and 90,000 tonnes respectively. The sale of waste paper by local authorities realised £2,797,000, £2,821,000 and £2,397,000 respectively.
Garden Centre (Toxteth)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the cost of the garden centre being established in Toxteth.
I announced last September that the National Garden Festival 1984, a prestigious international event, will be held on Merseyside. Detailed design and costing are now in hand, but the preliminary estimate for mounting such a major festival was £9.8 million. The cost will, of course, be offset in the short run by income from the festival itself and in the longer run by other continuing uses of some of the festival facilities. In addition, the cost of reclamation at the site was estimated at £10.6 million, but this work was in any case proposed as part of the Merseyside Development Corporation's development strategy for the longer-term use of the site.
Vandalism
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has given any advice to local authorities on the combating of vandalism; and if he will make a statement.
My Department last year published two detailed reports, entitled "Reducing vandalism on public housing estates" and "Security on council estates", which described measures which have been successful in reducing vandalism. My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction drew these reports to the attention of members and officials of local councils in speeches to national conferences organised by the Housing Centre Trust and the Institute of Housing.
Ancient Monuments
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list those ancient monuments in Northumberland in the care of his Department which are open in the winter months and those which are not; and whether he will indicate the grounds on which decisions to close in the winter months have been taken.
All of those ancient monuments in Northumberland which are in the care of my Department and which are generally open to the public are normally open in the winter months, with the exception of Warkworth Castle Keep, which is closed to economise on staffing costs, and Warkworth Hermitage, which is closed due to lack of demand.
Hyde Park (Violent Crimes)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, by category, the number of violent crimes in Hyde park for each of the last three years (a) before dark and (b) after dark.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 10 February.—[Vol. 17, c. 407.] Hyde park is policed by the Metropolitan police. I therefore need to consult my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the possibility of providing an answer to this question. I shall do so and subsequently write to my hon. Friend.
Direct Labour Organisations
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total value of contracts awarded by local authorities in England and Wales to their own direct labour organisations for work contracted for the latest 12—month period for which figures are available; and what percentage increase or decrease on the previous year's figures these figures represent.
I shall answer this question shortly.
Option Mortgage Scheme
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consequences he envisages for low—income house purchasers from the Government's proposals, announced by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury in an Adjournment debate on Friday 12 February, to phase out the option mortgage scheme.
The position of option borrowers was set out in the answer given on 17 December 1981 by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to my hon. Friend the Member for Ravensbourne (Mr. Hunt).—[Vol. 15, c. 176–78.]
Glasgow (Dietary Lead Intakes)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the results of his Department's study of dietary lead intakes of infants in Glasgow will be published.
My Department has published these results in pollution report No. 11—"The Glasgow Duplicate Diet Study (1979–80)"—today. The report details the outcome of a study carried out for us in Glasgow by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, assisted by a study group chaired by an officer of the Greater Glasgow health board. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. I am grateful to the study group for its work, which has made a significant contribution to our knowledge in this area; but the Government's special thanks go to the mothers who volunteered to take part with their babies at a time when they had so many other calls on their time and energies.
Scotland
Aluminium Smelter, Invergordon (Power Supply)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has had any consultations with the South of Scotland Electricity Board with regard to the use of coal-fired power stations, such as Kincardine, being used to supply power to the British Aluminium smelter on a similar basis to the Alcan smelter in England.
My officials have met the South of Scotland Electricity Board on several occasions to consider alternative ways of providing power to re—open the Invergordon smelter including the use of a coal—fired power station.
Departmental Administrative Costs
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the administrative costs of running the Scottish Office in 1978–79 and 1980–81 respectively.
Administrative expenditure on the "Other Services: Scottish Office Vote" amounted to £43.6 million and £65.3 million in each of the years respectively. The figure for 1980–81 includes £3.9 million in respect of services which in 1978–79 were charged to other Votes. The figures for both years exclude expenditure by other Departments in support of the Scottish Office, for example expenditure by the Property Services Agency on accommodation.An estimate of total running costs in 1980–81 on a different basis was given in the annex to "Efficiency in the Civil Service", Cmnd. 8293. The figures given there for the Scottish Office covered much more than administrative costs and included the Scottish prison service, the Royal Scottish museum, the State hospital and other units of the Scottish Office whose expenditure was borne on other Votes.
Regional And Islands Councils
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of staff employed by each of the regional and island councils in Scotland for the years 1978–79 and 1981–82, respectively.
Numbers employed by each of the regional and islands councils at 12 September 1981 are shown in the table below, based on Joint Manpower Watch returns. Figures for individual local authorities have been published in the Joint Manpower Watch with effect from June 1981 but are not available centrally for 1978–79.The total numbers employed by regional and islands councils in September 1979 were 164,515 full—time and 67,484 part—time. These figures are not directly comparable with those for September 1981 because of the omission in the returns before then by some authorities of certain categories of temporary relief workers. These numbered 1,517 full—time and 1,699 part—time in September 1981.
| Numbers employed Full-time | September 1981 Part-time | |
| Regional Councils | ||
| Borders | 2,523 | 1,346 |
| Central | 7,963 | 3,705 |
| Numbers employed Fulltime | September 1981 Part-time | |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 4,180 | 2,006 |
| Fife | 9,686 | 4,365 |
| Grampian | 13,262 | 7,290 |
| Highland | 6,401 | 2,924 |
| Lothian | 26,335 | 12,171 |
| Strathclyde | 82,584 | 27,668 |
| Tayside | 12,135 | 4,271 |
| Islands Councils | ||
| Orkney | 829 | 464 |
| Shetland | 1,205 | 777 |
| Western Isles | 1,271 | 857 |
| 168,374 | 67,844 |
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the expenditure of each regional and island council for 1978–79 and their planned expenditure fur 1981–82 and indicate by what percentage the latter figure exceeds or falls short of the Government's guidelines.
The information is as follows:
| £@November 1980 prices (excluding loan charges) | |||
| Councils | (1) 1978–79 outturn | (2) 1981–82 budgets | (3) Excess over guideline for 1981–82 |
| £m | £m | Per cent. | |
| Borders | 34.59 | 35.94 | 2.7 |
| Central | 86.88 | 89.10 | 3.6 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 46.55 | 47.41 | –0.2 |
| Fife | 105.59 | 112.30 | 7.0 |
| Grampian | 149.77 | 155.46 | 3.0 |
| Highland | 74.19 | 76.33 | 3.1 |
| Lothian | 261.39 | 291.57 | *13.9 |
| Strathclyde | 906.90 | 925.39 | 3.6 |
| Tayside | 133.62 | 135.11 | †3.5 |
| Orkney | 11.37 | 11.91 | 40.2 |
| Shetland | 11.74 | 18.96 | 72.4 |
| Western Isles | 17.24 | 16.50 | †6.5 |
* Following a reduction in planned expenditure as a result of the Secteretary of State's action under Part II of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1981.
† Following voluntary revision of original budget.
National Health Service (Costs)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the administrative costs of running the National Health Service in Scotland in 1978–79 and 1980–82, respectively; and what proportion these costs were of the total cost of the service.
Figures for administrative costs for the years before and after 1979–80 are not comparable because of changes in the form of accounts of Health Boards mace in that year. The figures closest to the information sought are for the years 1979–80 and 1980–81, and are as follows:
| Cost of Administration (£ million) | Percentage of Cost of Service | |
| 1979–80 | 81 | 7.9 |
| 1980–81 | 102 | 7.7 |
Traumatic And Orthopaedic Specialty (Waiting Time)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of patients awaiting treatment in the traumatic and orthopaedic specialty in Scotland; and how many beds are allocated to this specialty.
At 31 March 1981 there were 11,397 patients on the waiting list for orthopaedic surgery in Scotland. The average available staffed beds for orthopaedic surgery for the year ended 31 March 1981 was 2,752.
Water Lead Levels (Glasgow)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action is being taken to remedy the high water lead levels in Glasgow disclosed by the Glasgow duplicate diet study published as Department of the Environment pollution report no. 11.
Lime—dosing of most of Glasgow's water supplies, in order to reduce their plumbosolvency, was begun in 1978 by Strathclyde regional council. After the completion of the duplicate diet study the lime dose was increased and has already resulted in a very substantial reduction in the water—lead and community blood lead levels in Glasgow.In addition, I propose to extend the house improvement grant scheme to enable grants to be given for the bypassing or replacement of lead plumbing including lead tanks. The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities have been told that an additional £3 million will be made available towards this work in the non—HRA block capital allocations for 1982–83; and housing authorities have been invited to submit bids on this basis.Finally, I am asking local authorities in Scotland to begin a survey of houses where there is likely to be a lead in water problem; the survey woul be combined with an information and education exercise to alert householders who are still affected by lead in water of the measures they themselves can take to reduce the hazard. The cost of such surveys will be eligible for rate support grant and relevant expenditure for 1982–83 has been increased by £1 million to this end.