asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement about the role of the requisitioned trawlers in the South Atlantic and the position of the crews from these vessels who lost their source of income as a result of the requisitioning of the vessels.

The five trawlers requisitioned for the South Atlantic task force in mid-April were taken up as auxiliary minesweepers: they are the "Cordella", "Junella", "Farnella" and "Northella", owned by J. Marr and Co., and the "Pict", which belongs to British United Trawlers. It has been agreed that payments by shipowners to trawlermen put on shore as a result of the requisitioning are proper claims for the Government to meet, and some reimbursement in respect of the crews of some of the ships concerned has already been made.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement on the latest position of voluntary controls on the export of cars and light vans from Japan to the United Kingdom.

In the most recent of the regular talks with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders I understand that the Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association reaffirmed its prudent policy for shipping motor vehicles to this country. The SMMT expects that the outcome for this year will be satisfactory and, in respect of light commercial vehicles, Japanese penetration of the United Kingdom market will be much lower than in 1981. My Department will continue to monitor this matter closely.

asked the Minister for Trade whether the Government intend to take any action against those nations which prevent or hinder the import of British products through high rates of import duty quotas or by other means while enjoying free access to the United Kingdom market.

As a major exporting nation, the United Kingdom is committed to maintaining the open world trading system. Some high tariff barriers are being reduced through the phased tariff cuts agreed in the Tokyo round of trade negotiations. Where other countries unfairly impede the import of British goods, we already take appropriate action through the European Community in the GATT, and in our bilateral contacts with our trading partners, to secure the removal of such trade barriers.

asked the Minister for Trade what evidence he has that British-registered vessels have been transferred to foreign registrations in order to operate in or out of Argentina; and if he will make a statement.

The reports in the press about the transfer of two vessels, the "Dorli" and the "Sibony II", formerly the "Captain Paddon", from the Bermudan registry to the Liberian are the only instances I have been advised of. Given that the two ships were engaged in trade between Argentina and Brazil and on charter to an Argentine company, the action of the US-controlled parent was not surprising.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement about progress on the subject of interregional cross-frontier air services within the European Community, made at the Council of Transport Ministers at Luxembourg on 10 June.

The Council showed an encouraging readiness to look at the scope for constructive compromise. Nearly all member States were willing to make progress. For the first time, substantial and important advances were made. These were fully supported by Her Majesty's Government. Provisional agreement was reached on a number of important points, including aircraft size, the airports to be used, minimum route length and the prohibition of subsidies. These are matters on which it was essential to establish understanding as a basis for agreement on other aspects of the directive. Much remains to be done but we have made good progress towards a system which would allow air services between the regions of the Community to be established more freely. The Council will return to the matter at its next meeting towards the end of the year.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will introduce amending legislation to section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act requiring that payment for goods or services purchased by credit card through the agent of a principal will be honoured by the credit card company in the event of the principal going into liquidation; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Minister for Trade if he will introduce legislation amending section 14 of the Trades Description Act 1968 so that if confirmation of an airline booking has been received through a travel agent there is an absolute liability on the airline to provide space on the flight booked; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Minister for Trade what plans there are to introduce a comprehensive system of standards for British goods; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 15 June 1982, c. 222]: I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn and Hatfield (Mr. Murphy) on 8 June—[Vol. 25, c. 1–3]. The Government are committed to enhancing the status of standards in the United Kingdom, and will shortly be publishing in a consultative document their detailed proposals with that end in view.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will encourage public companies in the United Kingdom to buy to British standard.

[pursuant to his reply, 15 June 1982, c. 222]: The Government are committed to encouraging the wider use of British standards, especially those that reflect the requirements of the international market place.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will ensure that the Export Credits Guarantee Department gives prompt and comprehensive assistance to the industries of Stoke-on-Trent in general and the pottery industry in particular; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 June 1982, c. 273]: The full range of appropriate facilities of the Export Credits Guarantee Department is available to exporters in Stoke-on-Trent in general and in the pottery industry in particular on the same basis as for all United Kingdom exporters. The Department has a large number of policyholders in the Stoke-on-Trent area and deals with business under their policies as promptly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors are taken into account when deciding on the approval of applications for residence in the United Kingdom; what level of capital is required to be shown by applicants; what flexibility operates over the assessment of these sums; and if he will make a statement.

:Applications for residence in the United Kingdom are considered under the immigration rules—HC 394; 1979–80. Under paragraphs 35 to 38 of the rules, the minimum level of capital normally necessary for an applicant seeking to come here as a person of independent means, as a businessman or in self-employment is £100,000. Possession of the Minimum capital required is not in itself sufficient, however, and the other requirements of the rules must also be met. Consideration is given to the particular circumstances of each case in assessing whether the requirements of the immigration rules are met by an applicant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ascertain from the chief constables concerned the numbers of persons arrested by the police in England and Wales for demonstrating against the Pope's pastoral visit to Great Britain; and if he will make a statement.

We have had inquiries made of the chief officers of police of the areas in England and Wales which the Pope visited. Only one, the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, regards any arrests made whilst the Pope was in his area as resulting from the commission of criminal offences by people demonstrating against the visit. There were fourteen such arrests.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the additional policing costs incurred in the Metropolitan Police area as a result of the pastoral visit by the Pope; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is not yet available; my noble Friend will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that the immigration statistics for the first quarter of 1982 show that his policy of reducing and controlling the level of immigration into the United Kingdom is being achieved; and if he will make a statement.

Under the present Government the level of immigration has been reduced. The number of persons accepted for settlement in the first quarter of this year was 13,300, the lowest figure for this quarter since 1973. The number of applicants in the queues for entry clearance for immediate settlement in the Indian sub-continent was 13,400 at the end of the quarter, which was less than half the number in the queues at 31 March 1980. The Government remain committed to firm immigration control.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the current procedure for vetting of would-be students from Arab countries.

All persons subject to control under the Immigration Act 1971 are required to qualify for entry to the United Kingdom under the published rules. In the case of most Arab nationalities there is the additional requirement of prior entry clearances. We are satisfied that all possible safeguards are taken in deciding whether or not entry clearance and entry is appropriate in any given case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received calling for the amendment of the Representation of the People Act 1949, as amended, to enable returning officers to publish statutory notices in ethnic minority languages in connection with local and national elections; and if he will make a statement.

Four, including one from an hon. Member; I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to a question by him on 11 June.—[Vol. 25, c. 167.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to institute further research studies by his Department on the issue of public disorder similar to research study No. 72; and if he will make a statement.

Home Office research study No. 72 contains a review of extant research on urban disorders in Britain and America and a survey of the young male population in an area in which there were disorders in July 1981. We do not, at present, plan to institute a further review of survey on the lines of those in the study. A study is, however, in preparation of a statistical analysis of people arrested in 25 police forceo areas during the incidents of serious public disorder in July and August 1981. The need for further resarch in this field will be kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which categories of foreign nationals are required to register with the police upon entry into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The categories are set out in paragraphs 65 and 66 of the immigration rules—HC 394; 1979–80.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in the discussions about the creation of an energy affiliate to the World Bank.

There have been no substantive international discussions since my reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North-West (Mr. BrocklebankFowler) on 31 March.—[Vol. 21, c. 118.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what response he has made to the letter he has received on behalf of the Royal National Institute for the Blind, the National League for the Blind and Disabled and the National Federation of the Blind, calling for a review of sheltered employment for seriously visually handicapped people; and if he will make a statement.

I am still considering the letter, which I received earlier this month, and will write to the hon. Member when I have replied to it.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many additional places were sponsored by Allerdale district council under the youth opportunities programme and the community enterprise programme separately for the last month for which statistics are available; and what is the total number of places now being supported by that authority under each scheme.

Allerdale district council sponsored no new places for unemployed young people under the youth opportunities programme; 10 new places were sponsored for unemployed adults under the community enterprise programme in May 1982.The authority now supports a total of 109 places on the youth opportunities programme, and 107 places on the community enterprise programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of persons unemployed, the percentage rate of unemployment and the total number of vacancies for (a) the Workington travel to work area and (b) Cumbria at the latest date for which figures are available.

At 13 May, the total number of people registered as unemployed in the Workington travel-to-work area was 5,461 and the unemployment rate was 17·4 per cent. The corresponding figures for Cumbria were 21,989 and 11·2 per cent.At 7 May, the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at employment offices and careers offices in the Workington travel-to-work area were 155 and 6, respectively. The corresponding figures for Cumbria were 1,290 at employment offices and 75 at careers offices. Vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication the figures for employment offices and careers offices should not be added together.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the unemployment figures for the county of Cumbria, categorised by sex, age and the duration of unemployment, for the last month for which statistics are available.

The numbers registered as unemployed are analysed by age and by duration of unemployment in January, April, July and October. There are no later figures available than those for 15 April which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member in reply to his question of 17 May—[Vol. 24, c. 39–40].

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in pursuance of the answer to the hon. Member for Walsall, North given on 14 June regarding unemployment figures for the Walsall travel-to-work area, if he will give the percentage increase in unemployment since May 1979 in each of the seven districts mentioned and the present unemployment level expressed in percentage terms.

At 13 May 1982 the rate of unemployment in he Walsall travel-to-work area was 16·9 per cent.The following table gives the percentage increases in total unemployment between May 1979 and May 1982 in the employment office areas comprising the Walsall travel-to-work area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total of young people who have registered at careers offices in each of the travel-to-work areas in Cumbria in the last months for which statistics are available.

The following table gives the numbers registered as unemployed at careers offices in the areas specified at 13 May.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the monthly increase and the total number of persons employed by community industry in West Cumbria during the last month for which statistics are available.

In May 1982, there were 105 young employees in community industry in West Cumbria, an increase of three young employees compared with April. In addition, 18 adult staff are employed at the community industry unit in West Cumbria.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons, both male and female, were placed in employment by the Workington jobcentre in the last month for which statistics are available.

Workington jobcentre placed 177 people—93 males and 84 females—in the five week period ending 7 May 1982, the latest for which statistics are available.There is likely to have been a substantial number of people who found jobs in the area other than through the jobcentre. Nationally the Manpower Services Commission estimates that about a quarter of all engagements are made through their offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs in total are supported by the temporary short-time working compensation scheme for (a) each of the travel-to-work areas that comprise the county of Cumbria, (b) the Northern region and (c) the North-West region for the last month for which statistics are available.

The following table shows the figures requested

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Basildon of 8 June, Official Report, c. 43, when he expects to make a decision following his consideration of the views presented in the Select Committee on Employment's report on the Commission for Racial Equality's draft code of practice concerning racial discrimination in employment.

I still have this matter under consideration and will give a decision as soon as I can.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing (a) the levels of ethnic minority unemployment on a region-by-region basis, (b) the estimated working population on the same basis and (c) if he will express (a) as a percentage of (b) in each case at the latest convenient date for which figures are available.

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

asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement about the issue of a campaign medal for those who were engaged in the Falkland Islands operations.

I hope to be able to make a recommendation to Her Majesty the Queen shortly, and I shall make a statement thereafter.

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

I am arranging to circulate in the Official Report the text of the surrender document signed in Port Stanley.We are continuing to press the Argentine Government to confirm that they regard hostilities in the South Atlantic as at an end. We have asked other Governments to urge the Argentines to give this confirmation. But the Argentine Government have not yet done so.The Argentine troops who surrendered on the Falkland Islands are already in a poor state. They were suffering from disease and exposure. Caring for these prisoners is a formidable task, which our forces are undertaking as best they can in the very difficult conditions prevailing. We are urging the Argentine Government to agree arrangements that will permit their early repatriation. We are most concerned that so far Argentina has rejected direct repatriation to its ports and has shown no readiness to cooperate over arrangements for the speedy return of its own people.Following is the document:HEADQUARTERS LAND FORCES

asked the Prime Minister whether the document of surrender negotiated between General Moore and General Menendez will in final form be signed by members of the Argentine junta to prevent repudiation of its terms at a later date.

A distinction must be drawn between the surrender of forces in the field and the cessation of hostilities generally. The surrender of Brigadier-General Menendez to Major General Moore related to the Argentine forces deployed on East Falkland, West Falkland and their outlying islands. There is no question of its repudiation; these Argentine forces are now being taken prisoner. As to the cessation of hostilities generally, I told the House on Tuesday that we have sent to the Argentine Government, through the Swiss Government, a message seeking confirmation that Argentina, like the United Kingdom, considered all hostilities in the South Atlantic-and not only on the islands themselves-to be at an end. We do not yet have a reply.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will review her statement of 29 April, Official Report, c. 984, requesting the International Court of Justice under article 96 of the United Nations Charter to give an advisory opinion on legal issues involved in the Falklands crisis.

I explained on 29 April why I did not think it was appropriate to make this request to the International Court of Justice. I stand by what I said on that occasion.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 June

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 June.

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 whether she has any plans to visit Brussels.

My next visit will be on 28–29 June when I attend the European Council meeting.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will review Her Majesty's Government's decision to wind up the Central Lancashire Development Corporation in 1985.

asked the Prime Minister if she will discuss with President Reagan and other leaders of NATO Governments article 12 of the North Atlantic Treaty and its relevance to future arrangements for international peace in the South Atlantic.

No. Whatever arrangements are established to maintain international peace in the South Atlantic, they will not require a review of the North Atlantic Treaty, as envisaged under article 12. The

No. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment, said the aim should be to wind up the development corporation on 31 December 1985 and that remains our aim. My right hon. Friend is still considering representations made on this subject to him by the local authorities in the new town.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the situation in Poland.

Her Majesty's Government and their allies have continued to urge the Polish authorities to lift martial law, release all those detained and restore a genuine dialogue with the Church and Solidarity. Regrettably there has been little progress towards these three objectives. For the present therefore, our measures towards Poland must remain in force. We are continuing to make our views clear to the Polish Government whenever appropriate opportunities arise.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will increase public borrowing to provide employment for school leavers and the long term unemployed.

Expenditure on special employment measures to help school leavers and the long term unemployed has increased as follows:Government are giving serious study to the implications for their policy in the South Atlantic of recent events in the area, and will be consulting their allies as appropriate.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will take whatever action may prove necessary to extend to President Brezhnev an invitation to address the British public on British television on any subject of his choice, provided similar facilities are granted to herself on a reciprocal basis by the Soviet Government.

I welcome President Reagan's initiative in his speech on 8 June and shall be interested to see the Soviet response. I am sure the West has nothing to lose and everything to gain from such exchanges. I have no plans myself to make such a proposal at present.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the right hon. Member for Plymouth, Devonport (Dr. Owen) Official Report, 15 June, whether she is satisfied that Her Majesty's Government are not infringing any of the provisions of the Geneva convention by not returning certain officers and commanders who are prisoners of war to Argentina.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if her Majesty's Government will seek to negotiate with groups such as the police, fire service and National Health Service employees a status of essential public service workers so that they may receive special consideration in pay settlements in return for their traditional restraint in taking industrial action; and if she will make a statement.

Any such arrangements involving commitments on pay would be for negotiation between the groups concerned and their respective public service employers. I have no statement to make about groups for which the Government are the employer.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the cost to the Exchequer of unemployment benefit in the years 1979, 1980 and 1981, respectively; and what is the cost calculated for 1982.

The expenditure on unemployment benefit from the national insurance fund is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the S manual used by local offices of his Department instructs officers to enter against the words "This is the amount we shall pay you each week from" on form A 14 N the effective date of claim and not the date from which payment is due.

This is a mistake. We shall correct it as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total cost in each of the past five years for which figures are available of the drugs prescribed by general practitioners working in the National Health Service and of the drugs prescribed in National Health Service hospitals.

The cost to the National Health Service of drugs supplied in England in each of the past five years for which figures are available was:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, following the letter of 9 March from the Minister for Social Services to the hon. Member for Eccles, whether he will set out any calculations on which he bases his view that to extend the exemptions from hire purchase and hiring controls for buying cars to all registered disabled people would result in considerable staffing and resource implications for local authorities; and why he considers any such extension unjustifiable.

There are some 900,000 people currently registered with local authorities as disabled. To extend the present exemptions to all or some of them would require a system of safeguards against abuse. The administration of any such system would fall to local authority social service departments. I do not feel that the advantages would be such as to justify at present the additional work and resource implications which this would have for the authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what new research or other considerations led the Committee on Safety of Medicines to change its decision regarding Depo-Provera; if he will make available any such research information; and if he will make a statement.

The Committee on Safety of Medicines considered a very substantial quantity of scientific evidence in formulating its advice to the licensing authority on the product licence application for Depo-Provera, including much unpublished data which are confidential for commercial reasons.The considerations that may have swayed the minds of individual members when the committee was formulating its collective advice are not known.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 25 May, Official Report, c. 295–96, why details of awards and withdrawals of awards of attendance allowance to persons with diseases of the ear are not available; if they are available for other handicapped people; and if the Attendance Allowance Board does not keep such records, if he will recommend that they should be kept and made available to hon. Members.

Details of new awards are currently available under 14 broad categories which describe the main cause of helplessness, diseases of the ear being included under the heading of diseases of the nervous system and sense organs. No details of withdrawals are readily available. It would be possible to obtain more precise details of awards and withdrawals, but to do so would be disproportionately expensive.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is yet in a position to make a decision about the provision of a new hospital for the west side of the Sunderland area.

No. In April I asked the regional health authority for a full appraisal of two possible sites—at Herrington and at Ryhope—for the second general hospital in Sunderland. I will make a decision when that appraisal is completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide a breakdown of the number of those in receipt of supplementary benefit in Glasgow by the following classifications (a) sick and disabled, (b) single-parent families, (c) registered unemployed, (d) umemployed on long-term scale rate, (e) pensioners and (f) others.

Estimates of the numbers claiming from the local offices in Glasgow—excluding the Cumbernauld office—are given in the table below. They may include people who live outside Glasgow itself.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has had from the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic regarding students eligibility for grants; and if he will make a statement.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many citizens of the Republic of Ireland were estimated to have entered and left the United Kingdom in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

Migration between the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic is not measured directly at the points of arrival and departure. However, information on persons whose usual address has changed as compared with one year earlier is collected in the biennial EEC labour force survey that is carried out in both countries. The results indicate that the numbers of persons aged 16 and over migrating from the Irish Republic to the United Kingdom averaged just under 10,000 persons a year during the period 1975 to 1981. The corresponding figure for migrants aged 15 and over to the Irish Republic from the United Kingdom was about 13,000 persons a year.These figures cover citizens of all countries. Although information on nationality is collected in these surveys the relevant tabulations are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement about the chairmanship of the Occupational Pensions Board.

I have appointed Mr. R. W Abbot, CBE, deputy chairman of the Occupational Pensions Board, to be chairman of the board from 1 July 1982 in succession to Lord Brimelow, GCMG, OBE, whose term of office comes to an end on 30 June.Lord Brimelow has been chairman of the board since July 1978. Under his chairmanship, the board has maintained its successful and authoritative discharge of its executive and advisory duties, including the consolidation of the contracting-out arrangements under the State pension scheme, and the production of its report on early leavers. I understand that its study of the solvency of occupational pension schemes is now nearly completed, and I look forward to receiving its report in the near future. I should like to pay tribute to the board in general, and to Lord Brimelow in particular, for the board's achievements during his chairmanship, and for the maintenance of the standards of and respect for the board. I take this opportunity to express the Government's, and my own, gratitude to Lord Brimelow for all that he has achieved during his term of office.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the cost of providing all pensioners with a 75 per cent. reduction in their gas, electricity and solid fuel bills during the winter months.

An accurate assessment of the cost of providing all pensioners with a 75 per cent. reduction in their gas, electricity and solid fuel bills during the winter months cannot be made with available data. However a rough estimation suggests that the cost of providing such a reduction over the months of October to March could be of the order of £1,000 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total number and value of offers of regional assistance made to companies in West Cumbria travel-to-work areas, in Cumbria as a whole, in the North-West region and in the Northern region for the last month for which statistics are available.

In April 1982, 13 offers of assistance totalling ·857,000 were made under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 towards projects in the North-West region. No offers were made towards projects in Cumbria. Nine offers totalling ·290,000 were made towards projects in the North-East region.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) how many applications for information of an industrial or service development nature his Department has received in the North-West region during the last month; and how many of these his Department has referred to the Cumbria council's industrial development unit;(2) how many steering location inquiries have been received in the North-West region of his Department; and of these how many have been referred to the Cumbria county council industrial development unit during the last month for which statistics are available.

In May 1982 the North-West regional office received 658 inquiries of an industrial or service development nature, of which 308 related to Government financial assistance and 24 were locational enquiries.None was specifically referred to the Cumbria county council industrial development unit but the North-West regional office maintains close contacts with its officers who had referred many of the inquiries to the Department.The small firms service in the North-West region received some 1,983 inquiries in May 1982 many of which would have been concerned with information of an industrial or service development nature. Information on whether any of the inquiries were referred to the Cumbria county council industrial development unit is not recorded.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the functions which he is empowered under the Northern Ireland Bill to devolve to the Northern Ireland Assembly, specifying in each case the relevant existing Northern Ireland Department which is responsible for each function.

Under the Northern Ireland Bill "transferred" matters, which are the responsibility of Northern Ireland Departments, will be available for devolution to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The three categories of matters classified in the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 remain unaffected by the Northern Ireland Bill. Matters classified as "transferred" are all those not listed as either "excepted" or "reserved" in schedules 2 and 3 to the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973. "Transferred" matters administered by the Northern Ireland Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Environment, Finance and Personnel, Health and Social Services and Manpower Services, are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Basildon of 9 June, Official Report, c. 133, what was the substance of discussions between his officials and those of the Government of the Republic of Ireland concerning agriculture, environmental issues and energy; what other areas have been covered; what was the substance of discussions in these other areas; whether he plans to make decisions in any of these fields in the near future; and if he will make a statement.

The discussions between my officials and those of the Government of the Republic of Ireland to which I referred in the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Proctor) on 9 June, covered a wide range of practical matters within those broad headings—for example, animal health, problems associated with the smuggling of agricultural produce, the disposal of toxic waste, water pollution in rivers and lakes in border areas and the supply of Kinsale gas to Northern Ireland.—[Vol. 25, c. 133.] There are frequent contacts between officials on similar matters of day-to-day administration.So far as I can at present foresee, the only major issue arising from these discussions which will require decisions in the near future relate to the provisional agreement, reached at a subsequent Ministerial meeting, on the supply of Kinsale gas to Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether there have been any discussions between his officials or Ministers and those of the Government of the Republic of Ireland concerning the White Paper "Northern Ireland: A Framework for Devolution" what was the substance of those discussions; and if he will make a statement.

The White Paper has at no time been the subject of discussion with the Government of the Republic of Ireland; but my officials have, as part of the normal courtesies between neighbouring Governments, explained the substance of it to Irish officials.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in view of the fact that the proposals for implementing phase one of the plan of the Western Contact Group for achieving Namibian independence, originally agreed to by the five countries of that group, South Africa and the South-West Africa People's Organisation, have now been rejected by the South-West Africa People's Organisation, Her Majesty's Government will make representations to the South-West Africa People's Organisation and to the frontline States to encourage them not to hinder progress towards free elections and independence in Namibia; and if he will make a statement.

The Five continue to be in touch with all the parties concerned including SWAPO as indicated in the Luxembourg communiqué of 17 May, the text of which I am circulating in the Official Report. I am glad to say that there are encouraging signs that progress can be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has evidence that United Nations funds have been used to support (a) the Palestine Liberation Organisation, (b) the South West Africa People's Organisation, (c) the African National Congress of South Africa, and (d) the Pan Africanist Congress.

In accordance with a number of United Nations General Assembly resolutions going back over several years, United Nations funds have been used by various United Nations agencies and programmes, in consultation and co-operation with the Palestine Liberation Organisation, to provide assistance to the Palestinians. United Nations bodies have also provided assistance to the African and the Pan Africanist Congress, and—mainly through the United Nations Council for Namibia—to the South-West Africa People's Organisation. The United Kingdom either abstained on or voted against the resolutions adopted at the 36th General Assembly which authorised the continuation of these programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any new negotiations have taken place on the reopening of the border between Spain and Gibraltar since Spain became a member of NATO.

No. The border is due to be reopened on 25 June.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any evidence that United Nations funds have been used to support terrorist groups; and if he will list such groups.

There is no agreed definition of terrorist groups.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimates of civilians killed and wounded as a result of the Israeli invasion of the Lebanon have so far been presented to the United Nations Security Council.

No figures for civilian casualties in Lebanon have yet been presented to the Security Council, but preliminary United Nations estimates are that in Southern Lebanon alone 2,000 people have been killed, 10,000 injured and 200,000 displaced from their homes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what report has been made to the appropriate agencies of the United Nations on the extent of damage to homes and property caused by the Israeli invasion of the Lebanon.

No such report has yet been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any initiative is being taken by the United Kingdom to relieve civilian suffering caused by the Israeli invasion of the Lebanon; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are providing initial emergency aid worth £50,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Lebanese Red Cross for victims of the conflict in Lebanon. We are consulting the agencies concerned about providing further aid. The Government are also contributing to humanitarian aid worth 200,000 ECUs—approximately £115,000—being provided by the European Community to the ICRC.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about casualties among United Nations troops in the Lebanon as a result of the Israeli invasion.

The United Nations Secretary-General has reported that one member of the Norwegian battalion of UNIFIL was killed during the Israeli invasion.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in view of the disregard for United Nations resolutions and international law of the Israeli invasion of the Lebanon, Her Majesty's Government intend to apply sanctions against Israel; and if he will make a statement.

In their statement of 9 June the Foreign Ministers of the Ten undertook to examine possibilities for future action should Israel refuse to withdraw its forces from Lebanon in accordance with Security Council resolution 509. Signature of the 2nd EC/Israel financial protocol has been postponed. Consultations among the Ten have continued and we axe also considering the United Kingdom's position.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to make it the policy of the NATO alliance that no member State shall sell to Israel any materials suitable for military application.

It is for individual member States of the NATO Alliance to decide their policy on military sales to Israel. The statement of the Ten Foreign Ministers of 9 June said that the possibilities for future action following Israel's invasion of Lebanon would be examined. Discussions on this are continuing with our partners.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the matter of human rights protection in Uganda was raised at the meeting of creditor countries in Paris on 18 May , and in what context it was discussed.

The meeting in Paris on 18 May was of the Consultative Group for Uganda. The discussion of the group was of course conducted in confidence, but the press release issued by the World Bank after the meeting stated:

"A number of delegates emphasised that success of the recovery programme was dependent on the Government's ability to maintain law and order and on further improvements in the internal security situation. The Ugandan delegation reaffirmed and the meeting noted their Government's commitment to democracy, rule of law and protection of human rights."

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the Government of Peru concerning Peruvian military assistance to Argentina; whether any response has been received from the Peruvian Government; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have seen some evidence that Peru might have been supplying military assistance to Argentina. We accordingly made representations about this to the Peruvian Government. The Peruvian authorities told our ambassador that they would only provide such assistance if there had been a decision to do so under the Rio treaty. We left the Peruvian Government in no doubt as to how seriously we would regard it if it was confirmed that Peru had been supplying military equipment to Argentina for use against British forces in the Falklands conflict.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Basildon of 9 June, Official Report, c. 140, what response he has received from the Government of the Republic of Ireland following representations made by Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make a statement.

In response to expressions of Her Majesty's Government's disappointment at their attitude over European Community sanctions against Argentina and at some lack of consultation over Irish actions in the Security Council, the Irish authorities have explained their actions by reference to the Republic's established policy of neutrality.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in the light of Her Majesty's Government's policy of returning Argentine prisoners, he will take steps to safeguard the interests of Falkland Islanders who may wish at a later stage to make allegations of atrocities against members of the occupying forces.

There has so far been no evidence of atrocities. If evidence does come to light of a grave breach, by members of the Argentine forces, of the 1949 Geneva convention relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war, we should certainly wish to hold up the repatriation of those who might have been involved to enable a proper investigation to be carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account has been taken of Major Haddad and his forces in the discussions on a Middle East peace.

It is not yet clear what role, if any, Major Haddad and his forces will play in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will break off diplomatic relations with Israel as a result of current Israeli actions.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will take a further initiative within the framework of the United Nations to secure the withdrawal of Israel to within its own borders.

The United Kingdom remains in contact with other members of the Security Council. Any further initiative will have to take account in the first place of the wishes of the Lebanese government. We hope that Mr. Habib's mission will result in the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon in accordance with Security Council resolution 509.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek powers to enable him to set up a review body to ensure the objectivity of reporting by the media from areas of international tension, such as the Middle East.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will print a table in the Official Report, applying to girls in the age group 15 to 19 and for girls aged 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 for each year since 1970 until the latest available date, the total number of induced abortions, the total number of births, the rate of induced abortions per 1,000 girls and the rate of births per 1,000 girls;(2) what has been the rate of pregnancy per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19 years and in each individual age group 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 years, respectively, for each year since 1970 until the latest available date.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ascertain from the chief constables concerned the numbers of persons arrested by the police in Scotland for demonstrating against the Pope's pastoral visit to Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the chief constables of the areas in Scotland which the Pope visited that while he was in these areas the number of arrests made which can be regarded as resulting from the commission of criminal offences by people demonstrating against the visit was 65. Nine of the arrests were made in Edinburgh and 56 in Glasgow.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what factors have caused him to increase the amounts paid to part-time chairmen of health boards; and if he will reconsider his decision, in view of the fact that the majority of the occupants of these positions are already in full-time and well-remunerated employment.

It is necessary to pay appropriate rates of remuneration to compensate chairmen for the taxing duties and the time involved in their work. If it is to remain appropriate, the level of remuneration, in common with that for other public appointments, requires to be reviewed from time to time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the number registered at each Glasgow employment area office as unemployed for each of the following dates (a) May 1979, (b) May 1980, (c) May 1981 and (d) May 1982; and what has been the percentage change in each case.

The information is set out in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the years in both Glasgow and Scotland with the highest and lowest unemployment rates in the following periods (a) 1950 to 1959, (b) 1960 to 1969 and (c) 1970 to 1979; what was the percentage unemployment rate in each case; and how they compare with the latest unemployment rates for Glasgow and Scotland.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will provide a breakdown by number and percentage of those who have been unemployed for one year or over per Standard Industrial Classification order in (a) Glasgow and (b) Scotland;(2) in which years since 1950 the numbers of vacancies for employment exceeded the numbers registered as unemployed in Glasgow, taking the June figure to represent the annual figure in each case;(3) if he will provide a breakdown by number and percentage of those in Glasgow who have been unemployed for one year or over, by age group.