asked the Minister for Trade what is his latest estimate of the number of small businesses, as defined by the Boulter report, that have (a) started up, (b) gone into voluntary liquidation and (c) gone bankrupt since May 1979.

Information on births and deaths of businesses in 1980—the only period for which the data are at present available—were given in British Business on 29 January and 2 April 1982. The latest figures on bankruptcies and company liquidations arising from insolvency appeared in British Business on 30 April.I regret that separate figures are not available for small businesses on any definition although it is likely that most businesses starting up or ceasing to trade would be small.

asked the Minister for Trade if there have been any recent changes in the responsibility of the British Airports Authority in connection with airport policy in Scotland.

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

asked the Minister for Trade (1) if his Department was consulted by the Scottish Development Agency in connection with the commissioning of a report from consultants on the lowland Scottish airports;(2) if he will make a statement of the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the future of the three lowland Scottish airports.

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

asked the Minister for Trade, further to his reply of 10 May and to the reply to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Sproat), on 6 April, Official Report, c. 228, to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South, how many of the 17,000 people who held scheduled tickets on Skytrain referred to in his answer of 10 May bought them between the date in December when Ministers were first officially informed of Laker Airways financial difficulties and the eventual collapse of the company.

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

asked the Minister for Trade whether, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen, on 5 May, Official Report, c. 61–62, any public pronouncement was made by his Department on 16 April when the matter of contract for salvaging of gold on HMS "Edinburgh" was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Minister for Trade, pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, on 10 November, Official Report, c. 58, concerning the appointment and conduct of liquidators and the case of Mr. B. E. Calvert, when he expects the final report of the Insolvency Law Review Committee to be published.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 May 1982, c. 250]: I expect the final report of the committee to be published in June 1982.

asked the Minister for Trade (1) whether the inquiries under section 165 of the Companies Act 1948 into Corporate Management Planning Ltd., referred to in the answer of 21 January to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, about the case of Mr. B. E. Calvert, Official Report,c. 156–7, have now been completed; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether his Department has completed the inquiries into the books and papers of Corporate Management Planning Ltd., under section 109 of the Companies Act 1967, referred to in the answer to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, on 10 November,

[pursuant to his reply, 12 May 1932, c. 251]: My Department's inquiries into Corporate Management Planning Ltd. under section 109 of the Companies Act 1967 were superseded by the appointment of inspectors under section 165 or the Companies Act 1948. The inspectors have discovered a complex situation and a considerable amount of work will still need to be undertaken before they can complete their report.

asked the Minister for Trade whether his Department has now completed the inquiries into Chancery Lane Registrars (Northern) Ltd. under section 109 of the Companies Act 1967, referred to in the answer to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, on 19 November, Official Report, c. 211, concerning the case of Mr. B. E. Calvert; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 May 1982, c. 251]: The inquiries into Chancery Lane Registrars (Northern) Ltd. have been completed. They do not disclose any cause for further action by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his preliminary evaluation of the Schools Council records of achievement project.

The Schools Council has recently completed a one-year survey of the present use of records of achievement in schools in England. My right hon. Friend wil be taking this work into account when he comes to consider what further steps might usefully be taken by the Government with a view to introducing such records on a wider scale than at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to amend the teachers superannuation scheme so as to place widowers of former teachers in the same position as widows.

The teachers superannuation scheme already provides pensions for widowers if the teacher, during her service, had nominated her husband as being wholly or mainly dependent on her for support. To provide automatic pensions for widowers, as for widows, would require an increase in the contributions payable to the scheme. The matter has been under discussion in the teachers superannuation working party.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in the light of the recommendations of the Spinks report, the University Grants Committee is taking any special action to promote the development of biotechnology in universities.

The University Grants Committee has decided to commit additional money to support biotechnology in selected universities, in principle up to a possible total of £800,000 per annum. Following consultation with the research councils the committee has offered the University of Birmingham, the University of London—for University College, London—and the University of Manchester institute for science and technology additional grants of £100,000 per annum earmarked for three years to develop further their work in biotechnology. These grants are intended to enable the institutions to strengthen the discipline base of the subjects which contribute to biotechnology, with particular emphasis on the engineering disciplines, and the forging of the inter-disciplinary links notably between these disciplines and the biological sciences; to promote links and collaboration with industry; and to support activities in both teaching and research, but primarily at the postgraduate level, including short courses and post-experience courses. The committee considers that to achieve these objectives new posts will need to be created. It expects to approach other institutions shortly.The programme announced here is not the total UGC support for biotechnology—many universities have biotechnological activities supported through the normal channels of block grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether, in view of the announced withdrawal of British Petroleum from the financing of the pilot project for extracting oil from coal at Point of Ayr in North Wales, he will hold urgent consultations with European Economic Community Energy Ministers to secure their support for developing this technology;(2) whether, in putting forward proposals for larger contributions from the European Community to projects in the United Kingdom order to produce more equitable budget arrangements, he will propose that the Community should so increase its contribution to the National Coal Board's project for extracting oil from coal at Point of Ayr in North Wales as to make good the deficiency caused by the withdrawal of British Petroleum from the scheme.

In May last year the Government announced their intention to make £5 million available towards the cost of a pilot liquefaction plant, subject to the National Coal Board demonstrating that it had secured the whole of the balance of the funding, with substantial financial participation by private industry. Since that time, laboratory trials have continued with Government and industrial help. I hope that, in the light of BP's reported attitude, the board will continue its efforts to seek private sector financing.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his current policy as to the amount of coal to be extracted by opencast methods.

There has been no change in Government policy since my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Cockeram) on 3 July 1980. However, in the light of the recommendations of the Commission on Energy and the Environment, among other things, the Government have the question of future opencast production under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is sponsoring any research into motor car engines designed to run on lead-free petrol.

No. All the necessary research work has been carried out and the technology required to design engines to run on lead-free petrol is well known.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether, in view of the fact that hotels and other public places charge as much as between 12p and 24p on top of the normal cost of a telephone call, he will introduce legislation to limit all service charges to a prescribed limit which in any case cannot be as much as 500 per cent. more than the cost of the original goods or services provided.

No. It is up to the hotel to recognise that its customers may not return if such charges are unreasonable.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) whether he is considering any further programmes to encourage manufacturing industry to automate;(2) if he expects to introduce further steps to encourage industry to invest in new technology and flexible manufacturing in development areas.

The Budget innovation package mentioned a number of further measures which are under consideration including support for flexible manufacturing systems and an extension of the microprocessor application project. Announcements will be made in due course. Such measures would apply to firms throughout the country including the development areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been held by the police in Wales in 1982 under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act.

The total number of persons detained in Great Britain under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976 by police force area is published in table 2 of the quarterly Home Office statistical bulletin, "Statistics on the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974 and 1976", copies of which are placed in the Library of the House. In the first quarter of 1982, one person was so detained in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take the necessary action to ensure that Manley Francis found guilty of several crimes, should be deported on completion of his prison sentence.

On present information Manley Francis is not liable for deportation, but further inquiries are being made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated income during the current financial year from fees charged for the acquisition of citizenship by (a) naturalisation and (b) registration.

The income during the current financial year is expected to be about £4·4 million from fees for naturalisation and discretionary registration, and about £2·5 million from fees for other registrations—mainly entitlements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extra prison officers will be required to staff the new prison places referred to in his answer of 4 February to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short), Official Report, 4 February, c. 168.

The precise staffing requirements of new establishments are determined only after examination of the circumstances of the establishment concerned, including discussions with its management and senior staff, as part of the commissioning process before it is taken into use. Although it is therefore not possible at this stage to indicate the numbers of staff required to meet the needs of all the planned developments, it is estimated that the new accommodation due to come into use between 1982–83 and 1984–85 will require 550 staff in the prison officer class: this includes 91 officers who will be required to staff existing accommodation for 565 inmates which is being refurbished.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the use of destination boards by London taxis; and with what result.

As part of my right hon. Friend's review of controls over taxis and private hire cars throughout England and Wales he has been studying possible schemes whereby taxis could display destination boards, but we are not yet in a position to put forward any proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current strength of (a) the police forces in England and Wales, and (b) the Metropolitan Police; and what were the comparative figures for three years previously.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in the last two years surveillance devices have been operated in the Metropolitan Police district and in Greater Manchester under the bugging code published in February.

This information is not available at present. As part of my review of the guidelines I shall consider whether information can be made available about the scale of use of surveillance devices by the police without jeopardising their operational effectiveness.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is intended to call out any United Kingdom reservists in connection with the situation in the Falkland Islands.

It is not expected that any large-scale call out of Reserves will be needed, but, to provide adequate numbers of personnel with special skills and recent experience to man the additional warships that are being brought forward from refit, and to provide additional naval personnel required on the merchant ships requisitioned from trade, it may soon become necessary to start a selective call out for service of a small number of specialists from the Royal Naval and Royal Marine reservists. This is likely to be confined to members of the special class of the Royal Fleet Reserve—that is, ratings and Royal Marine other ranks who have left full-time service during the last 12 months—and a small number of senior ratings who have recently left the Navy on immediate pension—the latter class would be required mainly for instructional duties in order to release regulars for other tasks.Present plans envisage that up to about 300 may be involved in due course. The need for reserve officers is unlikely at present to go beyond a requirement for some medical officers for periods of four to six months. The provisions of the Order in Council made on 27 June 1962 are, however, being extended by a new Order in Council to call out other officers if this becomes necessary. The requirement for Royal Naval and Royal Marine reserves will be reviewed as the situation develops and, where possible, suitable volunteers will be selected. It may also be possible to accept small numbers of suitable volunteers with recent experience in the reserve or regular forces for very short engagements of six months or 1 year in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. These arrangements are additional to the normal call out of reservists for routine training, which will continue. Parliament will be kept informed as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will alter the British Forces Post Office number for the Falklands.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian vessels have been requisitioned or chartered for support of the task force; and if he will list them by name, port of registration, type of vessel and tonnage.

I listed the ships which the Government have requisitioned for use in the South Atlantic, together with some of the information requested, in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mr. Chapman) on 6 May.—[Vol. 23, c. 133–34.] They have the following ports of registration:

• London—Uganda, Canberra, Europic Ferry, Baltic Ferry, Nordic Ferry, Wimpy Seahorse and Elk.
• Southampton—Queen Elizabeth 2.
• Liverpool—Atlantic Conveyor, Atlantic Causeway.
• Hull—Norland, Salvageman, Irishman, Yorkshireman, Northella, Farnella, Junella, Cordella, and Pict.
• Aberdeen—Stena Seaspread.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, what is (a) the average total earnings and (b) the average basic pay of an ordinary seaman in the Royal Navy.

The average gross basic pay of an ordinary seaman in the Royal Navy is £4,610 per annum at April 1982 pay rates.The average taxable earnings of an ordinary seaman at April 1982 pay rates would be in the region of £4,700 per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign nationals there are in vessels (a) in the task force and (b) in support of the force; and what proportion are volunteers.

Currently there are some 225 foreign nationals serving in support of the task force as crew members aboard SS "Uganda", all of whom are volunteers. In addition there are some 60 Chinese personnel in Royal Navy ships in the task force providing laundry and similar services, and about 480 Chinese crewmen serving with the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. These personnel were recruited from Hong Kong although it is not possible in the time available to establish whether they are all citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies. Those serving with the RFAs are operating under their normal terms of service, and those serving with Royal Navy ships are volunteers.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what notional contributions are made by Government Departments in support of the Meteorological Office.

Except for the services provided by the Property Services Agency all Meteorological Office expenditure is borne on Defence Votes. Charges are made for services provided to other Government Departments and public bodies; these are set out in the latest annual report, a copy of which will be found in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the financial arrangements for payments to the United States for weather information provided to the Meteorological Office from United States satellites.

No payment is made for weather information provided to the Meteorological Office from United States satellites. However, the United Kingdom makes a contribution in kind by providing some of the instrumentation in the Polar orbiting satellites.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the award of campaign and gallantry medals for service in the South Atlantic; and if he will make a statement.

The appropriate way of recognising service in the current operations in the South Atlantic is being considered. Acts of gallantry may be recognised at any time.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the details and relevant dates of any changes made by his Department to the type 42 destroyer design which have precluded the installation of anti-missile defences.

The type 42 destroyer was designed to give an area air defence capability to the fleet, and it has never been planned to incorporate a close-range anti-missile system into the design of the ship. Its major armament, the Sea Dart missile system, is therefore designed primarily to engage hostile aircraft at long ranges rather than incoming missiles and it has not proved possible to fit both the Sea Dart and Sea Wolf missile systems on the same type 42 ship. However, the type 42 has a passive antimissile defence system, designed to distract enemy missiles from their target, and its guns have a limited capability against missiles at very short range.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the Armed Forces are subject to inspection by the Health and Safety Executive.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act applies to all work activities except those carried out in domestic premises. Special arrangements have been made with the Health and Safety Executive regarding its activity in the Ministry of Defence and the Services. The broad effect of these arrangements is that whilst the Health and Safety Executive does not inspect operational activities or military training, advice on safety standards is provided where appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent the Scottish Development Agency has responsibilities in connection with airport policy in Scotland.

The Scottish Development Agency has no responsibility for airport policy in Scotland but has a general interest in this and other matters affecting economic development.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received the report commissioned by the Scottish Development Agency on the lowland Scottish airports; and whether he is proposing to take any steps in consequence of the report.

I understand that the agency commissioned in March this year a report on possible future options for the Scottish lowland airports. The agency has not submitted the report nor any proposals based on it to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any consultations took place between the Scottish Development Agency and his Department before the agency commissioned a consultants' report on the lowland Scottish airports.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements on Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 13 May.

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

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the Falkland Islands.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a further statement on the Falkland Islands.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the latest position in relation to the Falkland Islands.

My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and for Defence will be bringing the House up to date during the debate this afternoon.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the co-ordination between Government Departments in helping to settle the Falkland Islands dispute.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the balance of United Kingdom investment at home and abroad following the abolition of exchange control.

I am satisfied that most overseas direct investment complements exports and therefore domestic investment. Portfolio outflows following the abolition of exchange controls will also have helped by keeping the exchange rate lower than it would otherwise have been at a time when it was under considerable upward pressure from oil related factors. Domestic investment has held up well over this period. Investment in plant and machinery in the second half of 1981 was 8 per cent. higher than in the first half of 1979. The Department of Industry's investment intentions survey points to further rises in investment in industry in 1982 and 1983.

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 had no such meetings since 11 May.

asked the Prime Minister for what reasons different parts of the United Kingdom either receive or do not receive support to alleviate domestic water rate bills through the rate support grant.

Water services are organised differently in different parts of the United Kingdom. This organisation has a direct bearing on the basis of charging.

asked the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Lewisham, West on 10 May, she will set out in the Official Report the arrangements which apply to the permanent secretary to the Lord Chancellor.

The arrangements are contained in section 92(1) to (3) of the Supreme Court Act 1981, which provides that the permanent secretary to the Lord Chancellor shall vacate his office at the end of the completed year of service in the course of which he attains the age of 72 years. There is provision for continuance in service until the age of 75 years, on the authorisation of the Lord Chancellor.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make it the practice of Her Majesty's Government that Ministers should not deal with Members of the House of Lords on constituency matters affecting the constituencies of the elected Members of the House of Commons, especially when peers raise matters without notifying the elected Member of Parliament.

In general I know that my colleagues try to deal with hon. Members on matters related to their constituencies. If the hon. Gentleman has a particular case in mind perhaps he will let me have details.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in which way changes in Health Service organisation will enable him to remedy the relative weakness of hospital management; and what methods he envisages will result in the new authorities being better informed, more responsive and better to judge and deal with local needs while at the same time reducing management costs.

By establishing health authorities at a sufficiently local level for members effectively to judge the needs of the populations they serve and the performance of their officers, we are paving the way for management changes which can achieve the improvements described.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider setting up a working party headed by an eminent member of the legal profession into the legal and ethical implications of decisions that doctors have to make, in view of advancements in medical technology.

No, although I am considering the question of the legal and ethical implications of many developments in modern medicine.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide in the code of conduct on drug trials on patients that when a patient is included in a trial in a hospital the next of kin and the general practitioner concerned are informed.

The Department does not provide a code of conduct on drug trials on patients in hospital. General guidance on the conduct of clinical trials is provided by medical professional bodies, and the ethical aspects of individuals trials are usually scrutinized by local committees established for the purpose. The information given to a patient or others is a matter for the professional judgment of the individual doctor. I would expect the patient to be informed that he was taking part in a trial in almost all cases, but ethical matters, including the range of other people who might be informed, must be a mater of judgment on the particular facts of each trial.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take action against the consultant, whose name has been supplied to him by the hon. Member for Ormskirk, who breached confidentiality by discussing a letter written by his patient to his Member of Parliament with a third party.

I am unable to trace the receipt of any such communication from the hon. Member. He may therefore care to write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has studied German research on the possible carcinogenic effects of the drug Haloperidol often prescribed for psychiatric disorders.

Yes. Scientific publications are monitored for evidence of hazards. The report has been noted both for evaluation in a special study by the Committee on Safety of Medicines reappraising particular data requirements appropriate to neuroleptic drugs and by the Committee on the Review of Medicines in its examination of the safety, quality, and efficacy of preparations containing haloperidol.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a grant to the National Out of School Alliance.

We have decided to make a grant of £30,000 per year for three years to the National Out of School Alliance, towards its work of encouraging local community and self-help schemes for latchkey children.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on how many occasions in each of the last five years for which figures are available patients admitted to hospital under section 60 of the Mental Health Act 1959 have been discharged by order of a tribunal to which application had been made by the patient concerned within the first six months of his detention.

This information is not collected centrally. I understand, however, that during 1981 approximately 40 patients detained under section 60 applied to a mental health review tribunal within the first six months of their detention.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he has decided to discontinue the grant for the rent of the information and advice centre of the National Society of Non-smokers in Hanson Street; and if he will reconsider this decision.

The grant was made in 1980–81 on a once-and-for-all basis on the assumption that the society would in future be able to meet all expenses of the centre, including the rent, from its own resources. We have no plans to change that decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what investigations have been carried out into the safety aspects of the drug Opren; and under what terms it is licensed to be used;(2) for the treatment of what kinds of illnesses the drug Opren is prescribed; and if he is satisfied that it is safe;(3) what advice is issued to doctors concerning the precription of Opren to patients, especially the elderly;(4) what evidence there is of adverse side effects in patients using the drug Opren.

Benoxaprofen—Opren—is an anti-inflammatory drug available on prescription only which is licensed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The product data sheet, which is made available to all medical practitioners by the pharmaceutical company concerned, includes prescribing advice to doctors including warnings of possible side effects. The drug is contra-indicated for patients who are hypersensitive to it, have active peptic ulceration, or sensitivity to other anti-inflammatory agents. It should be used with caution in patients with impaired liver function and a reduced dose is recommended in patients with impaired kidney function, which includes many elderly or frail patients.The drug was subject to full investigation and testing before it was granted a product licence on the advice of the Committee on Safety of Medicines and clinical use has been closely monitored since it was marketed in 1980. Adverse effects reported to have been associated with treatment with benoxaprofen have included gastrointestinal symptoms, photosensitivity, hypersensitivity reactions—for example, skin rash, itching—impairment of liver and kidney function, ophthalmic symptoms and nail disorders. These effects are common to other drugs in this group, but photosensitivity and nail disorders appear to occur more commonly with benoxaprofen than with other similar drugs. The company issued a warning to all doctors in August 1981, following discussion with the CSM, concerning the incidence of photosensitivity, other skin reactions, and nail disorders, and providing advice on measures to lessen these effects.The adverse reactions associated with benoxaprofen are currently under consideration by the CSM, which will advise the licensing authority regarding any action which may be considered necessary on grounds of safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many of those caring for elderly and disabled people in their homes are married women; and how much it would cost to extend the invalid care allowance to them;(2) how many elderly and handicapped he estimates are currently being cared for in their homes; and how many people are in receipt of invalid care allowances.

At 30 September 1980, the latest date for which the figures are available, about 300,000 elderly and handicapped people were living in their homes and receiving attendance allowance. Only where attendance allowance is in payment can a claim arise for invalid care allowance. At present this allowance, for which married women cannot qualify, is in payment in some 7,000 cases. Where married women are eligible for it, it is estimated that the numbers who could claim would rise by up to 110,000. The gross cost would be of the order of £100 million a year: after savings in other benefit payments are taken into account the net cost is estimated at £40 million at least.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing for Wales for each year since 1974 the number of public sector dwellings whose construction was started during that year.

Public sector housing starts for the period 1974–1980 are given in table 6 of "Welsh Housing Statistics", No. 1, 1981, copies of which are in the Library. In 1981, 1,618 public sector dwellings were started.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has yet answered the letter of 24 March from the chief executive of Arfon borough council concerning planning application 3/17/231C for Cae Iago at Groeslon, Gwynedd; and whether he proposes any change to the local village plan in the light of this planning decision.

A reply was sent on 7 April 1982. Any change to the Groeslon village plan is a matter for the local planning authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales why he does not recognise the Lleyn sheep eligible for the full hill livestock compensatory allowance payments; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a similar question by the hon. Member for Carnarvon (Mr. Wigley) on 5 May 1982.—[Vol. 23, c. 67.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many letters he received during the months of March and April, respectively, regarding the level of water charges in Wales.

708 in March and 1,122 in April, of which 512 and 957 respectively were proforma letters to which the senders had merely added their names and addresses.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many teachers were employed in Wales in 1981–82; and how this compares with 1979–80 and 1980–81.

The information is shown in the following table:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the reason for the delay in sending his Department's survey concerning marginal land

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of building workers unemployed in Wales at the latest available date.

7,405 people were unemployed from the building industries in Wales on 8 October 1981, the latest date for which information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much is spent per head by each county council in Wales on books and equipment for primary pupils and secondary pupils, respectively; and how this compares with 1974, 1979–80 and 1980–81.

The latest available information is shown in the following table:to Brussels; when he expects it to be sent; and what is the time scale for an anticipated response from the European Economic Community.

I am still considering with my colleagues the exact nature of the case to go to Brussels for extending the United Kingdom's less favoured areas. We hope to be able to submit it to the European Community Commission very shortly. I am unable to say how long it may take to get Council approval, but I shall do my utmost to prevent undue delay.

asked the Lord President of the Council (1) whether hon. Members will be offered the same or similar increases in salary as those proposed for the health and defence services;(2) what extent Her Majesty's Government policy of restricting salary and wage increases for public servants within a cash limit of 4 per cent. will be applied to hon. Members.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Nelson and Colne (Mr. Lee)—[Vol. 23, c. 255.]

asked the Attorney-General when he intends to bring forward legislation to implement the recommendations for amendment of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 which are summarised in paragraphs 46(5) and (6) Law Commission report on the financial consequences of divorce (Law Commission No. 112).

asked the Attorney-General whether Her Majesty's Government intend to implement the recommendations for amendment of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 which are summarised in paragraphs 46(5) and (6) of the report of the Law Commission on the financial consequences of divorce (Law Commission No. 112).

I announced the Government's intention to implement the recommendations summarised in paragraphs 46(5) and (6) of the Law Commission's report on the financial consequences of divorce—Law Commission No. 112—on 26 January in answer to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby (Mr. Pawsey).—[Vol. 16, c. 322–23.] I cannot make any promises as to when legislation for this purpose may be introduced, but it will not be during the present Session of Parliament.

asked the Attorney-General whether, pursuant to the answer by the Minister for Trade to the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen, on 5 May, Official Report, c. 61–62, any public announcement was made by the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on 19 April when he referred the matter of the contract for salvaging the gold on HMS "Edinburgh" to the police; and if he will make a statement.

The Director of Public Prosecutions made no announcement about this matter on 19 April. Following the publication of a newspaper article on Sunday 25 April, and in reply to specific inquiries from the press, the director confirmed on Monday 26 April that the matter had been brought to his attention by the Department of Trade and that the Metropolitan Police were undertaking inquiries. I do not propose to make a statement about this matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy on the creation of free ports in the United Kingdom.

All the customs reliefs allowable under European Community directives are already freely available throughout the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he expects a reduction in interest rates as a result of the recently announced reduced outturn of the public sector borrowing requirement for 1981–82.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect the lower than anticipated public sector borrowing requirement will have on interest rates.

Interest rates have already fallen since last autumn. The lower than forecast outturn on the public sector borrowing requirement in 1981–82 does not necessarily presage a lower outturn in 1982–83. It is, of course, the outturn in 1982–83 that exerts an influence on interest rates in that year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the most recent estimate by the Treasury of the level of investment in manufacturing industry in 1982; and how this compares with 1980 and 1981, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied with the level of investment in the United Kingdom economy.

Total private sector investment by the business sector—but excluding North Sea oil, ships and aircraft—has risen from 9 per cent. of GDP in 1978 to 10·1 per cent. in 1981, and is expected to rise further this year and next. Within the total the pattern has been mixed. At constant 1975 prices investment in plant and machinery has risen from £4,975 million in 1978 to £5,950 million in 1981, but total investment in manufacturing industry, including leased assets, has fallen from £4,137 million in 1978 to £3,602 million in 1981. It is expected to recover during 1982, but still show a small fall compared to 1981.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied with the working of the Building Societies Act 1962; and whether he will make a statement.

The present Act has generally served well for the last 20 years. The time may now be approaching when it might be desirable to have further legislation. But as my right hon. Friend the then Financial Secretary told the House in August 1980, we have no immediate plans for such legislation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the most recent estimates of monetary aggregates compare with his target range for 1982–83.

In the banking months March and April together, sealing M3 and PSL2 are provisionally estimated to have increased by 1¼ per cent. and 2 per cent., respectively, seasonally adjusted; and M1 to have fallen by ½ per cent., seasonally adjusted. The Target range for growth at an annual rate in the period mid-February 1982 to mid-April 1983 in these aggregates is 8 to 12 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of inflation in the United Kingdom and in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

In March, the year-on-year increase in the retail prices index fell to 10·4 per cent. in the United Kingdom, compared with an average level of inflation in all OECD countries of 8·5 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he is satisfied with the progress being made with the policy of controlling inflation.

Good progress is being made. The rate of inflation is continuing to fall, and I expect that it will be in single figures well before the end of the year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the percentage decrease in gross domestic product of the United Kingdom since May 1979; and what has been the average percentage increase or decrease in gross domestic product of the United States of America, France, Italy, West Germany, Japan and Canada, respectively.

Between the first half of 1979 and the second half of last year United Kingdom GDP is estimated to have declined by 3¾ per cent. Since the first half of 1979 GNP or GDP is estimated to have risen by ½ per cent. in the USA, 4 per cent. in France, 2¼ per cent. in Italy, 2¾ per cent. in West Germany, 8½ per cent. in Japan and 4 per cent. in Canada.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what prospects he foresees for the economy and output in the third and fourth quarters of the calendar year 1982.

I expect inflation to be in single figures and the recovery to be continuing as envisaged in the Budget forecast.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied with the relative levels of investment in the United Kingdom and abroad by United Kingdom financial institutions.

I am satisfied that the institutions are responding to domestic investment opportunities on an appropriate scale, and I welcome their parallel acquisition of overseas assets which will provide a useful source of foreign currency earnings for the future.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect on the public sector borrowing requirement he estimates will result from the operations in the South Atlantic.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect he anticipates that expenditure related to the Falklands task force will have on his Budget estimate of the public sector borrowing requirement for 1982–83.

It is too early to say what the costs of the Falklands operation will be, but they can and will be met in ways consistent with the Government's economic strategy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to take powers to assist, from the proceeds of Argentinian assets in the United Kingdom which have been frozen, British citizens whose pensions from Argentine firms have been blocked by the imposition of economic sanctions following the invasion of the Falkland Islands, and who are not eligible for supplementary benefit.

I regret the apparent decision of the Argentine authorities to prevent the payment of pensions due to residents of the United Kingdom. Her Majesty's Government have made it clear that the financial restrictions imposed against Argentina following the illegal invasion of the Falkland Islands do not affect the payment of pensions from United Kingdom sources which are due to residents of Argentina.Indeed, the United Kingdom authorities would allow blocked funds in Argentine ownership in the United Kingdom to be used to pay pensioners resident in this country. However, those blocked funds remain the property of their Argentine owners, and, in present circumstances, it would not be appropriate for the United Kingdom authorities to sequestrate such assets or to oblige their owners to use them for any particular purpose.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the cost of the naval, military and other action over the past month in relation to the Falklands.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate of the total cost to public funds of an extra 10,000 unemployed.

Additional expenditure on unemployment benefit, supplementary benefit, rent and rate rebates and administration would depend on the characteristics of those becoming unemployed, but an average figure for an extra 10,000 registered unemployed—excluding school leavers—would be of the order of £18 million in 1982–83.Changes in tax receipts associated with an increase in unemployment will depend on a number of factors. Depending on the cause of the increase in unemployment, there is a wide range of possible effects on the public finances. No single figure can be given.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next expects to meet representatives of the Trades Union Congress to discuss the level of investment in British industry.

My right hon. and learned Friend has regular meetings with representatives of both sides of industry. There was a very useful discussion of investment and productivity at the April meeting of the National Economic Development Council.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied that the economy is recovering from the recession.