asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, further, to his reply of 22 March, Official Report, c. 231, he will give the reasons why it is taking so long to have a breakdown of the numbers of persons charged and found guilty at the various inner city riots 12 months ago, their sentences and related information; when he expects these details to be made available; and whether he will make a statement.

The compilation of this information involves additional work both for the police and for this Department. It will be completed as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will arrange to publish in the Official Report a copy of the Metropolitan Police paper sent out to journalists and the news media for the obtaining of passes to be used during the Pope's visit; why such questions are needed to be asked; and whether he will guarantee that this information is destroyed at the end of the visit and not recorded upon the police computers.

The Metropolitan Police have not sent out such a paper. The Catholic Information Service has issued application forms for media accreditation and passes for the Papal visit which are to be returned to and held by the CIS. Such accreditation is a matter for the Roman Catholic Church. Publication of the form is a matter for the CIS, to whom enquiries about it should be addressed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, since during the past few years when the intake of police in the Metropolitan area is the largest ever, there have been fewer special constables enrolled than ever before, he will examine the reasons for this; what is their total complement against their stated establishment strength; what pay or allowances these special constables receive; how these compare with the full-time constables; and what action he has taken, or intends taking, to increase the numbers of special constables nationally and in the Metropolitan Police area in particular.

No, this has already been done by a Working Party of the Police Advisory Board which reported in July 1981; the strength of the Metropolitan Special Constabulary at 31 December 1981 was 1,610; there is no fixed establishment; special constables are unpaid but receive a boot allowance and are reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses; my right hon. Friend will continue to encourage chief officers to recruit as many specials as they can usefully train and deploy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Merseyside as to (a) the numbers and grade of police officers and (b) the number of auxiliary police staff employed in (i) Birkenhead, (ii) Liverpool and (iii) Merseyside in each of the last 10 years.

The establishment and strength figures for the force since 1974 are set out in the following table. Because there have been changes in the structure and organisation of the force, similar figures for particular areas would be misleading. Comparable figures for years before the formation of the Merseyside Police in 1974 would be difficult to obtain and would involve disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been paid compensation for false imprisonment in each of the last 10 years; and what amounts they were paid.

The available information is contained in the following table. Those to whom payment was made under the head of "wrongful imprisonment" include

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision is available for a person to appeal against the official assessor's recommendation of compensation following false imprisonment.

There is no provision for any formal appeal, but representations against the amount of ex-gratia awards are referred to the assessor if they contain some new argument or consideration that has not previously been advanced or which there is reason to believe the assessor may have overlooked.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the availability of application forms for British citizenship.

Yes. On 5 March 1982 there were 102,000 forms in stock. This number represents a normal year's issue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the length of time it now takes to process applications for British citizenship, he will consider restoring the right of applicants to pay the registration fee after decision on their application has been made.

No. The change in procedure for applications received on or after 1 April 1982, whereby the fee must now be paid with the application but will be refunded if the application is unsuccessful, has enabled the increases in fees to be kept to a lower level than would otherwise he necessary. The new procedure does not apply to applications made before 1 April 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many telephone inquiry points in his Department deal with requests from members of the public for application forms for British citizenship; and how many staff in his Department man these posts.

The nationality division of the immigration and nationality department has four inquiry points in its telephone inquiry bureau which deal with nationality enquiries generally, including requests for application forms. The four points are normally fully manned from 9 am to 5 pm each working day.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Parliamentary Boundary Commission to report on the outcome of public meetings held to discuss and debate new constituency boundaries in West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Boundary Commission for England hopes to complete its current general review by the end of 1982, and that it intends to submit the report containing its final recommendations for the whole of England, including West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, as soon as possible thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for an exhibition relating to the Women's Royal Voluntary Service to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 24 May to Friday 28 May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations have taken place involving his Department about the compatibility of police computers involved in criminal investigations; and whether he is satisfied that compatibility presents no obstacle to the effective use of computers in investigations involving more than one police force.

There are standing arrangements under which the Home Office and chief officers of police discuss these matters regularly. Technical compatibility is not essential to deal with investigations that involve more than one police force. The important consideration is compatibility of procedures and methods of handling data. This is the feature of an experiment, being conducted with the assistance of the Essex police force, to examine the extent to which computers can aid the investigation of major crimes or series of crimes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available to the West Yorkshire police authority committee a copy of the Byford report.

No. I have already recognised the special position of the police authority by agreeing to Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary and to Mr. Byford answering any questions from them arising from the report which relate to the efficiency of the force. A meeting for this purpose took place on 19 February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which police forces the Döppler hand-held radar device for checking the speed of vehicles is in use; and if he is satisfied that this device is sufficiently accurate to warrant prosecution, even where all the instructions are adhered to.

This information is not collected centrally, but I understand that the device is used in about 30 forces. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that there is no reason to doubt its accuracy provided it is operated correctly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has evaluated the accuracy and reliability of the Döppler hand-held radar device for assessing the speed of vehicles; or whether any assessment, other than an assessment by the manufacturer, has been made.

This is a matter for chief officers of police. The Association of Chief Police Officers' working party which originally examined the suitability of radar devices for police use was given some technical advice by the Home Office telecommunications branch. In its recent review of the equipment the association had the benefit of two independent technical advisers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to provide that, if a spouse removes a child from the country against the wishes of the other parent and against the provisions of access to the child laid down by a court, a criminal offence takes place punishable by fine, imprisonment or both.

No. The courts already have powers to punish a parent who takes a child out of the country against the wishes of the other parent and in contravention of a court order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the discussions that have taken place with the private security industry, he has been able to establish any procedure providing for checks on the background of security guards to ensure that they are fit persons without criminal records.

No. Successive Administations have taken the view that this would not be a proper use of criminal records maintained by the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to regulate the position of private security firms and make provision as to the character of the employers and employees and the minimum capital a company requires before it can operate as a security company.

No. As my right hon. Friend explained in answer to the question by the hon. Member for Walsall, South (Mr. Winnick) on 11 December 1980, we think that a case has not been made out for statutory control of the private security industry, and that it is preferable to support and encourage self-regulation.—[Vol. 12, c. 712.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been achieved in obtaining self-regulation in the private security industry since the publication of the consultative paper; and if he will make available any guidelines or codes of practice which exist.

The British Security Industry Association is setting up an inspectorate to oversee the pre-employment screening and induction training of member companies, and the International Professional Security Association is producing a code of practice for their members. It is for the two organisations to decide how far to make available information on these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can now announce the remaining members of the independent inquiry into the broadcasting policy aspects of the expansion of cable.

I am glad to announce that the following have now agreed to serve on the inquiry, under the Chairmanship of Lord Hunt of Tanworth:

• Sir Maurice Hodgson, who has just retired from being Chairman of I.C.I.
• Professor James Ring, Professor of Physics at the Imperial College of Science and Technology; Member of the I.B.A. 1974–81.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the White Paper on data protection.

A White Paper setting out the Government's proposals on data protection will be published tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he has given further consideration to imports from Argentina; and if he will make a further statement.

The Government have decided to place a ban on all imports from Argentina. This ban comes into operation at midnight tonight. All import licences issued under existing arrangements are revoked with effect from midnight tonight. I shall consider applications from United Kingdom importers for licences to import goods which can be shown to have been in transit to the United Kingdom before the ban took effect.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the progress made in protecting the safety and health of seafarers in their daily work.

My Department has a long tradition of promoting safety at sea. This has mainly involved the safety and stability of the ship itself, its navigation, the competency of its crew and the provision of emergency safety equipment and adequate accommodation. However, more recently attention has been focused increasingly on protecting the seaman from the more direct risks associated with working and living aboard ship. Its importance is underlined by the fact that deaths resulting from casualties to ships are far outnumbered by deaths resulting from accidents to seafarers not involving the safety of the ship itself.In 1977 my Department appointed a Steering Committee on the Safety of Merchant Seamen at Work. This committee comprised representatives of management and trade unions in the shipping industry and of the Health and Safety Executive under a Department of Trade chairman. Its report in 1978, which was unanimous, made 12 recommendations for Government action. All the recommendations have been accepted by the Government. The following list shows the regulations in force or in preparation and other relevant Department of Trade publications.The steering committee recommended that my Department should have responsibility for the occupational safety of seafarers because their conditions of work differed from those ashore, and because of the close link between the safety of the ship itself and the safety of the man working and living aboard. The Department of Trade with its force of highly qualified surveyors over the years has promoted the safety of the ship in a responsible and impartial manner. It will act in a similar way in regard to occupational safety, and I intend that at least one surveyor in each main port should have particular responsibility for this work. The surveyors' role will be to encourage and monitor occupational safety, particularly through the safety officials aboard ships.My Department is working closely with the Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive. This liaison is partly to comply with another recommendation of the steering committee, that, having regard to the differing conditions on board ship and ashore, seafarers should enjoy, a level of protection which is no less than that afforded to workers ashore. It is also to ensure a sensible division of responsibilities between my Department and the Health and Safety Executive when ships are in port areas. Generally, the Department of Trade will ensure safe working conditions and procedures aboard the ship itself.The pursuit of improved occupational safety will not end the regulations currently in the pipeline. I attach great importance both to the general training of all seamen and particularly to the training of safety officers and safety representatives. I therefore welcome the new training courses being introduced by the General Council of British Shipping and the National Union of Seamen for safety officers and safety representatives, respectively.The accident reports to be made under the regulations to reveal the causes of accidents will be analysed to identify any new problems to which we may need to find a solution. To monitor this future work I am considering whether it might at an appropriate time be useful to reconvene the steering committee, or to set up an alternative form of joint advisory committee with both sides of the shipping industry and the Health and Safety Executive. We shall continue to depend on the wholehearted co-operation and commitment of the shipping industry, including the maritime trade unions, if we are to succeed.Following is the list:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report details of the market import penetration levels for (a) the last 12 months and (b) the past five years pertaining in the industrial and domestic dry battery industry.

[pursuant to his reply, 5 April 1982, c. 218.]: I regret that there are no market penetration statistics available for dry batteries as such, but estimates for a close approximation to them—primary batteries and parts thereof—are given below.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, further to the reply to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South on 29 March, Official Report, c. 7 (a) from whom information was received before Christmas about Laker Airways' financial stability and (b) what was the nature of the information received.

[pursuant to his reply, 5 April 1982, c. 218]: The chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, which continuously monitors the financial position of United Kingdom airlines, visited me on 15 December last year to express the authority's concern about the finances of Laker Airways, and to inform me that unless the airline could find additional financial support, the authority would shortly have to take steps to suspend Laker's licences. Two days later, however, Laker's merchant bank advisers announced that agreement in principle had been reached on additional financial support, the details of which would be negotiated after Christmas.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her public engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 6 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 6 April.

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

asked the Prime Minister if she will ensure that, in any proposals put forward by Her Majesty's Government for devolution in Northern Ireland, full consideration is given to the implications of such proposals for other parts of the United Kingdom.

Yes. But it should be remembered that Northern Ireland's constitutional history, with 50 years recent experience of its own legislature and Government, is different from that of any other part of the United Kingdom.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the trend of the inflation rate.

Yes. The downward trend is encouraging, and we are expecting the rate of inflation to move well down into single figures over the coming year.

asked the Prime Minister what proportion of mothers are electing to continue weekly child benefit.

Nearly 3·9 million mothers have so far chosen to continue to receive child benefit weekly. It will be some time before the overall proportion of mothers choosing to stay on weekly payment is clear, but a special check of the first batch of order books containing option cards shows that after 19 weeks about 65 per cent. of those mothers have opted for weekly payments.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the visit to Israel of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

My noble Friend the then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs paid a successful visit to Israel from 30 March to 1 April. His purpose was to strengthen our relations with Israel and to carry forward the dialogue on matters of mutual interest. Lord Carrington held useful and wide-ranging talks with Israeli leaders covering the Middle East, East/West questions, Afghanistan and Africa in addition to bilateral questions. It was valuable to hear at first hand the views of the Israeli Government about the problems of the region, and to explain the objectives of British and European policy.

asked the Prime Minister what studies are being undertaken with funding through the Social Science Research Council that are not in one form or another being conducted by the Departments of the Environment, Education and Science or Industry, or by other publicly funded bodies.

The publication "Research supported by the Social Science Research Council 1981" lists all the studies, funded by the council, in progress at 31 March 1981 or completed during 1980–81. A copy is available in the Library of the House.Comprehensive information on studies in the same general subject areas being conducted by the Departments of the Environment, Education and Science, and Industry or by other publicly funded bodies could not be collected without disproportionate cost.

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

I have has no such meetings since 1 April.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the figures for Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds of the number of persons employed on community enterprise projects.

At the last count, on 26 February 1982, the information requested was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his reply on 4 March to the hon. Member for Islington, Central, Official Report, column 224, if he will publish the updated analysis of research paper No. 10, concerning relative earnings and youth unemployment; and if he will give details of the other evidence to which he referred in his reply on the basis of the statistical relationship said to occur.

In general, the conclusions reached in the updated analysis of research paper No. 10 are not significantly different from those in the original paper and it is not proposed to republish the report. However, the updated results do suggest that extending the period under examination from 1976 to 1979 reveals some relationship between relative pay and youth unemployment.The other evidence to which I referred in my reply of 4 March concerned the relationship between the relative earnings of young people and youth employment. This evidence is drawn from both international and domestic sources. International evidence is summarised in a recent paper published by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (No. CPE(WPI)81)6: MAS(WP5(81)8), and British evidence is taken both from work carried out by the Centre for Labour Economics and from the evaluation of special employment measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the cost of the scheme started on 1 March under the direction of the Manpower Services Commission by Specialised Training Services Ltd. for young people in Sandbach.

This scheme is a 13 week short training course offering 12 places run as part of the youth opportunities programme. The trainer is paid a fee of £40 per trainee per week and the young people will receive a weekly allowance of £25 per week. The maximum cost will therefore be £10,140.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) when he expects the report from the Employment Medical Advisory Service on the appraisal of evidence relating to the health effects of chrysoidine in an occupational context;(2) if he will direct the attention of the Employment Medical Advisory Service to research results from the department of cancer studies at Birmingham university which suggests a link between cancer and chrysoidine and call for a special and urgent appraisal of this evidence in view of the widespread use of chrysoidine by anglers.

The Employment Medical Advisory Service is taking into account the report from the department of cancer studies at Birmingham university in its appraisal of the evidence relating to the health effects of chrysoidine in an occupational context. EMAS will report as soon as all the evidence has been collected and appraised. The appraisal should take a few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much was spent last year in each of the non-metropolitan district councils on the provision of workshops for the disabled.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to extend the provisions of closed shop legislation so that local authorities may not advertise building contracts for the National Federation of Building Trades or Federation of Civil Engineering contracts only.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest available estimate of the number of (a) skilled construction workers and (b) workers whose last job was in the building industry who are unemployed in the areas of (i) Wolverhampton, (ii) the West Midlands and (iii) South Wales.

The following table gives for October 1981 the numbers of unemployed people registered for employment in skilled construction occupations. It also gives for August 1981 the numbers of registered unemployed people who last worked in the construction industry. There will be a further industrial analysis of the unemployed in May 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what is the planned time scale for the relocation of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist; and what consultation with staff interests will be undertaken before a final decision is reached;(2) what is the estimated cost or relocating the Laboratory of the Government Chemist at each of the possible sites in Greater London so far considered;(3) what options have been considered for the relocation of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist within Greater London; which is the preferred option; and for what reason.

The future location of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist is under consideration in consultation with interested Departments and my Department's trade union representatives. A number of options are being evaluated, including developments in Central London, co-location with the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington and locations outside the London area. In reaching a decision, careful consideration will be given to the comparative costs, the manpower and other resource implications, and the potentially significant contribution that relocation could make to the efficacy of the laboratory and the development of my Department's corporate research strategy.At this stage, it is not possible to set a firm time scale for any relocation of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will bring up to date the information on the steel industry given in the reply of 31 January 1980, Official Report, c. 754, to the hon. Member for Grimsby.

The available information relates to the British Steel Corporation and is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the names of the members of the management board of the CADMAT scheme.

The CADMAT scheme's management board includes representatives of the Department of Industry, the Institution of Electrical Engineers, the Electronic Engineering Association and the electronics industry. The members are H. A. Dorey, C. H. Garnett, W. T. K. Henderson, E. Laverick, J. G. Noyes, M. S. Ollivant, M. Shortland and B. R. Taylor.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the names of the members of the advisory committee for the scheme for the development of new software products.

The initial membership of the new advisory committee for the software products scheme will be:

• Mr. B. Cudby—BIS Software Ltd.
• Mr. D. Roberts—RTZ Computer Services Ltd.
• Mr. D. Worden—Logica Ltd.
• Mr. E. Howe—National Computer Users forum.
• Mr. D. Else—Natioal Computing Centre Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has studied the proposal to establish an information technology centre in Stoke-on-Trent, the details of which have been forwarded to him; and what conclusion he has reached.

I have received the right hon. Member's letter proposing that an information technology centre be established in Stoke-on-Trent, and have noted its contents with interest.I announced the first 30 centres to the House on 21 December, together with our intention to extend the scheme to a total of about 100 centres during the course of this year. This is, of course, a joint Department of Industry/Manpower Services Commission initiative, and the MSC is currently identifying the likely locations for the extended programme with a view to ensuring a reasonable distribution within regions according to the merits of individual requests. The way forward is therefore for potential sponsors to get in touch with the local office of the MSC special programmes division, and discuss the way of drawing up a formal application, assisted as appropriate by the information technology consultancy unit advising this Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what percentage by value of United Kingdom-manufactured ball bearings under MLH 749.1 was purchased by the public sector in 1980 and 1981;(2) what percentage by value of United Kingdom-manufactured ball bearings under MLH 749.1 was purchased by the public sector for companies owned and controlled from the United Kingdom in 1980 and 1981;(3) what percentage by value of ball bearings under MLH 749.1 purchased by the public sector was manufactured in the United Kingdom in 1980 and 1981.

I regret that information on the purchase of ball bearings by the public sector is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.Statistics of the purchases of ball bearings by the public sector as a whole are not collected. Moreover, it would be impossible to identify separate purchases of ball bearings that were incorporated as built-in components of finished goods.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what reply his hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and Information Technology returned to the agents of the Location of Industries Bureau Ltd. when they sought formal approval from him of that company's objects.

My hon. Friend welcomed the venture as an encouraging example of joint public-private sector action in the industrial development field and expressed the hope that it would prove an effective means of promoting the advantages and attractions of the more depressed parts of the country in need of new investment.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what regional aid grant has been made to the Hansom Trust and for what purpose; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the latest figures for the comparable costs of wave energy electricity as compared with other energy sources.

The designs provided by the device teams for the latest review are still being assessed. The determination of comparative cost figures for wave energy forms part of this examination.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will ensure that all the available information on the wave energy devices that are currently being investigated is made available to Parliament before a final decision is taken.

I cannot undertake to make all the information available before taking any decisions. However, I intend to continue the previous practice of publishing as much as possible of the technical background to my Department's research programmes. I will ensure that published reports are placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 22 January, Official Report, c. 223, if he has yet completed his review of the future of the wave energy programme; what advice he has had from the Advisory Council on Research and Development for Fuel and Power; and if he will make a statement.

I expect to make a decision on the future of the wave energy programme when I have considered the advice arising from a recent meeting of the Advisory Council on Research and Development for Fuel and Power.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the share of proceeds from offshore licensing revenue, for each financial year since 1968–69, received by (a) the Isle of Man and (b) Northern Ireland.

The share of proceeds from offshore licensing revenue paid to Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man since 1968–69 is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his written reply dated 23 March Official Report, column 329–330, concerning the export figures referred to in his Budget speech, whether he will publish in the Official Report (a) corresponding figures for manufactures less erratics on (i) the 1975 base and (ii) the fourth quarter 1981 base, (b) the reasons for the change in export documentation and the number of working days' exports represented by £250 million and (c) the change in nominal and real exchange rates over the period.

(a) Figures for exports of manufactures less erratics are not prepared on a balance of payments basis.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the average percentage figure of sickness and absenteeism of staff in all Government department offices in each of the last five years.

The available information is being analysed, and my right hon. and noble Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will compare the purchasing power parities of Italy, the United Kingdom, France and the Federal Republic of Germany for the last year for which figures are available.

Calculations of national income and national income per head in current dollars for 1980 using purchasing power parities were recently published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in part four of volume 1 of "National Accounts of OECD countries 1951–1980". The following figures are extracted from tables 1, 2 and 7 of that publication and from international financial statistics:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his intention to increase the ad valorem segment of tobacco taxation, in order to conform to the proposals of the European Commission.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the financial grants and loans that have been afforded to Yorkshire and Humberside annually from the various institutions of the European Economic Community, specifying for what purposes, since the United Kingdom signed the Treaty of Rome.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the financial grants and loans that have been afforded to South Yorkshire metropolitan county council area annually from the various institutions of the European Economic Community, specifying for what purposes, since the United Kingdom signed the Treaty of Rome.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the financial grants and loans that have been afforded to Barnsley metropolitan district council area annually from various institutions of the European Economic Community, specifying for what purposes, since the United Kingdom signed the Treaty of Rome.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial incentives there are in the taxation system to encourage people to use renewable energy and energy conservation systems.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons were employed by nationalised industries in May 1979; and how many are currently employed by them.