Written Answers To Questions
Thursday 22 July 1982
Prime Minister
Falkland Islands
Q15.
asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the latest position in the Falkland Islands.
We have decided to lift the total exclusion zone of 200 nautical miles around the Falkland Islands, which was established on 30 April. Port Stanley harbour and Port Stanley airfield, together with the three mile territorial sea around the Falklands, nevertheless remain closed to commercial shipping and aircraft until further notice for reasons of safety.Our warning of 7 May that any Argentine warship or military aircraft found more than 12 miles from the Argentine coast would be regarded as hostile similarly no longer applies.But British forces continue to have authority to take all necessary measures to protect themselves against attack anywhere in the South Atlantic and to defend the Falkland Islands and the dependencies in accordance with the inherent right of self defence recognised in article 51 of the United Nations Charter. In particular and to minimise the risk of misunderstandings or inadvertent clashes we have asked the Argentine Government, via the Swiss Government, to ensure that their warships and military aircraft do not enter a zone 150 miles around the islands where they would pose a potential threat to our forces. Argentine civil aircraft and shipping have also been requested not to enter this zone unless by prior agreement with the British Government, and also to stay clear of other British dependencies in the South Atlantic.
Q4.
asked the Prime Minister what progress has been made so far with the reconstruction of the Falkland Islands, following the Argentine surrender; and what arrangements are being made for satisfactory accommodation and facilities for the British garrison.
On rehabilitation, mines and other hazards are being cleared, essential services restored and emergency repairs made. We are sending urgently mobile homes, prefabricated housing, building materials, various fuels and replacement aircraft for the internal air service. Most of the original contract staff have returned and 35 new staff, including medical officers, teachers and police are being provided.On the British garrison, about 4,000 of the 4,500 troops are accommodated in ships or in buildings. We are very grateful to the islanders for allowing their homes to be used in this way. About 500, who are mainly manning Rapier systems at the airfield, are in tents.Further accommodation units are being sent: 333 will arrive today—providing accommodation and facilities for about 3,000.All personnel have a full range of special clothing.
Engagements
Q5.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q6.
asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 22 July.
Q8.
asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 22 July.
Q9.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 July.
Q10.
asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 22 July.
Q13.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 July.
Q14.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q16.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q17.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 July.
Q18.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q19.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 July.
Q20.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q21.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q22.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 July.
Q23.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q24.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q25.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 July.
Q26.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q27.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q28.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q29.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 July.
Q30.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q31.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q32.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q33.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 July.
Q34.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q35.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q37.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 July.
Q38.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 July.
Q39.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q40.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q41.
asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q42.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q43.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q44.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q45.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 July.
Q46.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
Q48.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 22 July.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 22 July.
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, including one with King Hussein.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her last 10 official engagements in the United Kingdom outside Greater London, together with the cost to public funds in each case of her travel and that of those accompanying her.
The information requested is as follows:
| £ | ||
| 1–6 September 1981 | Scotland | 4,782 |
| 20 November 1981 | Bedfordshire | 6.30 |
| 9–11 November 1981 | Shropshire | 19.90 |
| 13–15 January 1982 | Salford | 1,047.50 |
| 11–12 February 1982 | Lincolnshire | 18.90 |
| Sunderland/ | ||
| 12 March 1982 | Gateshead | 1,584 |
| 14–15 May 1982 | Scotland | 1,710 |
| 2–3 July 1982 | Mid Wales | 1,020 |
| Dorset/ | ||
| 15–16 July 1982 | Hampshire | nil |
| 21 July 1982 | Portsmouth | nil |
Chapeltown
Q7.
asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Chapeltown in the Penistone constituency.
I have at present no plans to do so.
Mepal, Cambridgeshire
Q11.
asked the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to Mepal in Cambridgeshire.
I have at present no plans to do so.
Anglo-Irish Relations
Q12.
asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the present state of Anglo-Irish relations.
I have nothing to add to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Melton (Mr. Latham) on 15 July.
Water Rating
Q36.
asked the Prime Minister whether, following the announcement of Her Majesty's Government's proposals for the reorganisation of the water industry, she will now take into account the possibility of requiring a standard water rating system throughout England and Wales.
We have no plans to change the existing arrangements whereby individual water under-takers are responsible for their own charges.
United States Of America
Q47.
asked the Prime Minister how many times she has visited the United States of America since 1979.
Three.
Freedom Of Information Act
Q49.
asked the Prime Minister whether, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West on 13 July, Official Report, c. 339, in the light of the incidents in connection with the Falkland Islands, she will give the reasons why she will not now agree to a freedom of information Act.
We have made clear on a number of occasions why we regard legislation to give a statutory right of access to official information as inappropriate and unnecessary. Our policy is to make available as much information as is possible, while preserving the confidentiality essential to the effective working of government. Nothing connected with recent events in the Falkland Islands requires any alteration in that policy.
Council Of Europe
asked the Prime Minister what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the Council of Europe's Strasbourg conference 1983; and what part she sees the United Kingdom playing at the conference.
We welcome the Strasbourg conference which the Assembly of the Council of Europe plans to hold in 1983. It should help to strenghten the ties between democratic countries. I have no doubt that the Chairman of the two Assembly Committees entrusted with the preparation of the conference, the right hon. Member for Houghton-le-Spring (Mr. Urwin) and my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, Central (Mr. Grant) and other members of the United Kingdom delegation to the Assembly, will do their best to ensure the success of this, the first of a series of such conferences.
Soviet Gas Pipeline (Contracts)
asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the letter sent to her by the Scottish Trades Union Congress regarding the contract secured by John Brown Engineering (Clydebank) as part of the Soviet-Western Europe gas pipeline; if she will make a statement to clarify the position of contracts already agreed on; and if she will take steps to ensure that no section of British industry suffers as a result of the embargo imposed by the United States Government.
I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on 1 July about the European Council meeting on 28 and 29 June—[Vol. 26, c. 1041–49.]—and
| Table I | ||||||||
| Management personnel and common services (others) | Energy technology | Electricity | Coal | Atomic energy | Nationalised industries policy | Energy conservation | Economics and statistics | |
| Senior Staff | ||||||||
| Permanent Secretary | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Deputy Secretary | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Under Secretary | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 |
| Administration Group | ||||||||
| Assistant Director Accountant | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
to the replies given by my hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Trade on 19 July.—[Vol. 28, c. 7–14.] The hon. Member for Renfrewshire, West (Mr. Buchan) sent me a copy of the Scottish Trades Union Congress's letter, and in my reply I confirmed that we are continuing our efforts to find a basis on which contracts won by John Brown Engineering Ltd. and other British companies for the Siberian gas pipeline may be completed.
Falkland Islands (Commemorative Service)
asked the Prime Minister whether consultations have taken place between the Government and the Dean of St. Paul's about the form of service in the cathedral on 26 July.
The form of service in St. Paul's cathedral is the responsibility of the Dean and Chapter, but we have passed on to the Dean our views on how to mark this national occasion.
asked the Prime Minister what arrangements have been made for the representation of the Armed Forces of the Crown, and relations, at the Falkland Islands service in St. Paul's cathedral; and whether uniform will be worn and colours paraded.
The Armed Forces will be represented at the Falkland Islands service by a large contingent from the task force, as well as by senior officers, including the chiefs of staff and senior operational commanders. The next of kin of those who fell in the operations have been invited to attend. Members of the Armed Forces at the service will be in uniform. I understand that colours will not be paraded.
Energy
Departmental Staff
asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many civil servants are employed by his Department in each functional job category; in each such category, how many are of each rank; and for each such rank, what are the maximum and minimum pay scales.
The numbers, grades and deployment of Civil Servants employed on 1 April 1982 are given in the following table I. Pay scales are given in the Civil Service pay and conditions of service code, a copy of which is in the main Library. Rates of pay for departmental grades not shown in the code are given in table II
Management/personnel and common services (others)
| Energy technology
| Electricity
| Coal
| Atomic energy
| Nationalised industries policy
| Energy conservation
| Economics and statistics
| |
| Assistant Secretary | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | — |
| Senior Principal | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Principal | 12 | — | 6 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 5 | — |
| Senior Executive Officer | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 3 |
| Higher Executive Officer | 23 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Executive Officer | 31 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 16 |
| Clerical Officer | 41½ | 7½ | 8 | 3 | 3 | — | 4 | 14 |
| Clerical Assistant | 19 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Administration Trainee | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Professional & Technology Group
| ||||||||
| Director Engineering | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Assistant Director Engineering | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Principal Professional Technology Officer | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — |
| Professional Technology Officer I | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Professional Technology Officer II | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Professional Technology Officer III | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Other Technical and Drawing Office Grades | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Scientific Group
| ||||||||
| Deputy Chief Scientific Officer | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Senior Principal Scientific Officer | — | 7 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Principal Scientific Officer | — | 7 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Senior Scientific Officer | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — |
| Higher Scientific Officer | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Scientific Officer | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Assistant Scientific Officer | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Petroleum Specialist Group
| ||||||||
| Petroleum Specialist II | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Petroleum Specialist III | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Petroleum Specialist IV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Petroleum Specialist V | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Reservoir Evaluation Specialist
| ||||||||
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist I | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist II | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist III | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist IV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist V | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Electricity and Gas Examining Group
| ||||||||
| Senior Engineering Inspector | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Engineering Inspector | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chief Electricity Meter Examiner | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Deputy Chief Electricity Meter Examiner | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Area Electricity Meter Examiner | — | — | 9 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Electricity Meter Examiner | — | — | 9 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chief Gas Meter Examiner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Assistant Chief Gas Meter Examiner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Gas Meter Examiner I | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Gas Meter Examiner II | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Gas Meter Examiner III | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Area Gas Meter Examiner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chief Gas Examiner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Area Gas Examiner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Gas Examiner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Inspectorate Group
| ||||||||
| Deputy Superintending Inspector, Factories | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Management/personnel and common services (others)
| Energy technology
| Electricity
| Coal
| Atomic energy
| Nationalised industries policy
| Energy conservation
| Economics and statistics
| |
| Inspector Factories 1A | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Inspector Factories 1B | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Petroleum Adviser | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Economics and Statistics Group
| ||||||||
| Senior Economic Adviser | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Economic Adviser | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 |
| Senior Economic Assistant | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Economic Assistant | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Chief Statistician | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Statistician | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 |
| Senior Assistant Statistician | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Assistant Statistician | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Information Officer Group
| ||||||||
| Chief Information Officer (A) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chief Information Officer (B) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Principal Information Officer | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Senior Information Officer | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Information Officer | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Secretarial, Typing and Data Processing Group
| 64 | 7 | 11½ | 3 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 7 |
Office Service Grades
| 58 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
Other Miscellaneous Grades
| 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Industrials
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Total
| 294½ | 51½ | 74½ | 25 | 39 | 8 | 41 | 86 |
Energy and international policy
| Oil policy (home)
| Gas
| Petroleum production
| Petroleum engineering
| Offshore supplies office
| Information and publicity
| Total
| |
Senior Staff
| ||||||||
| Permanent Staff | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Deputy Secretary | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 |
| Under Secretary | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 13 |
Administration Group
| ||||||||
| Assistant Director Accountant | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
| Assistant Secretary | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | — | 1 | — | 32 |
| Senior Principal | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 |
| Principal | 7½ | 3 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 3 | — | 67½ |
| Senior Executive Officer | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | 28 |
| Higher Executive Officer | 7 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 4 | 4 | — | 94 |
| Executive Officer | 5 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 7 | — | 122 |
| Clerical Officer | 5 | 3 | 11½ | 9 | 17 | 13 | 2 | 141½ |
| Clerical Assistant | 11 | 2½ | 6 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 2½ | 91 |
| Administration Trainee | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 |
Professional & Technological Group
| ||||||||
| Director Engineering | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 3 |
| Assistant Director Engineering | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | — | 5 |
| Principal Professional Technology Officer | — | — | 2 | — | 5 | 7 | — | 17 |
| Professional Technology Officer I | — | — | 2 | — | 6 | 4 | — | 13 |
| Professional Technology Officer II | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 12 |
| Professional Technology Officer III | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Other Technical and Drawing Office Grades | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 23 |
Scientific Group
| ||||||||
| Deputy Chief Scientific Officer | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 4 |
| Senior Principal Scientific Officer | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | — | 13 |
| Principal Scientific Officer | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 8 | — | 20 |
| Senior Scientific Officer | — | — | 5 | — | 4 | 3 | — | 15 |
| Higher Scientific Officer | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | 6 |
| Scientific Officer | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | 4 |
| Assistant Scientific Officer | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Petroleum Specialist Group
| ||||||||
| Petroleum Specialist II | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 3 |
| Petroleum Specialist III | — | 1 | — | — | 7 | — | — | 8 |
Energy and international policy
| Oil policy (home)
| Gas
| Petroleum production
| Petroleum engineering
| Offshore supplies office
| Information and publicity
| Total
| |
| Petroleum Specialist IV | — | — | — | — | 13 | — | — | 13 |
| Petroleum Specialist V | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 3 |
Reservoir Evaluation Specialist
| ||||||||
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist I | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist II | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 2 |
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist III | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 3 |
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist IV | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | 8 |
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist V | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | — | 9 |
Electricity and Gas Examining Group
| ||||||||
| Senior Engineering Inspector | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Engineering Inspector | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Chief Electricity Meter Examiner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Deputy Chief Electricity Meter Examiner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Area Electricity Meter Examiner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 |
| Electricity Meter Examiner | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 |
| Chief Gas Meter Examiner | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Assistant Chief Gas Meter Examiner | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Gas Meter Examiner I | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Gas Meter Examiner II | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | 5 |
| Gas Meter Examiner III | — | — | 14 | — | — | — | — | 14 |
| Area Gas Meter Examiner | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Chief Gas Examiner | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Area Gas Examiner | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | 6 |
| Gas Examiner | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | 8 |
Inspectorate Group
| ||||||||
| Deputy Superintending Inspector, Factories | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Inspector Factories 1A | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 2 |
| Inspector Factories 1B | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Petroleum Adviser | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
Economics and Statistics Group
| ||||||||
| Senior Economic Adviser | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Economic Adviser | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 |
| Senior Economic Assistant | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Economic Assistant | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Chief Statistician | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Statistician | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 |
| Senior Assistant Statistician | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Assistant Statistician | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Information Officer Group
| ||||||||
| Chief Information Officer (A) | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Chief Information Officer (B) | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Principal Information Officer | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Senior Information Officer | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 10 |
| Information Officer | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 7 |
Secretarial, Typing and Data Processing Group
| 5 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 154½ |
Office Service Grades
| 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 3 | 1 | 69 |
Other Miscellaneous Grades
| — | — | 1½ | — | — | 1 | — | 5½ |
Industrials
| — | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | 5 |
Total
| 48½ | 29½ | 129 | 65 | 134 | 85 | 26½ | 1,137 |
Table II
| ||
Minimum
| Maximum
| |
| £ | £ | |
| Petroleum Specialist II | 21,016 | 25,961 |
| Petroleum Specialist III | 17,926 | 23,489 |
| Petroleum Specialist IV | 12,363 | 18,544 |
Minimum
| Maximum
| |
| £ | £ | |
| Petroleum Specialist V | 8,777 | 12,981 |
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist I | 31,119 | 31,119 |
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist II | 24,047 | 29,705 |
Minimum
| Maximum
| |
£
| £
| |
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist III | 20,510 | 26,876 |
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist IV | 14,145 | 21,218 |
| Reservoir Evaluation Specialist V | 10,043 | 14,852 |
| Senior Engineering Inspector (Electrical) | 13,949 | 16.537 |
| Engineering Inspector (Electrical) | 10,360 | 13,616 |
| Chief Electricity Meter Examiner | 14,826 | 15,917 |
| Deputy Chief Electricity Meter Examiner | 11,464 | 13,732 |
| Chief Gas Examiner | 10,692 | 13,497 |
| Area Gas Examiner | 7,864 | 10,967 |
| Gas Examiner | 6,840 | 9,126 |
| Assistant Chief Gas Meter Examiner | 8,349 | 10,080 |
| Gas Meter Examiner I | 7,041 | 8,240 |
| Gas Meter Examiner II | 6,881 | 7,802 |
| Gas Meter Examiner III | 5,982 | 6,783 |
| Assistant Gas Meter Examiner | *4,172 | 5,470 |
| Deputy Superintending Inspector of Factories | 16,044 | 18,507 |
| Inspector of Factories 1A | 12,753 | 16,531 |
| Inspector of Factories 1B | 8,662 | 12,672 |
* Age 20. | ||
Policy Programme (Achievement)
asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a statement on the results of his Department in achieving the Government's policy programme since his predecessor's reply to the hon. Member for Melton on 14 July 1981, Official Report, c. 371.
The principal objective of the Government's energy policy is to ensure that the vitally important energy sector functions as efficiently and effectively as possible within the context of economic policy as a whole.The two main thrusts of our policy have, therefore, been, first, to set a framework which allows market forces to operate in the energy sector with a minimum of distortion, and, secondly, to ensure that those parts of the energy sector which necessarily remain in the public sector and enjoy monopoly privileges are subjected to compensating disciplines which stimulate efficiency.Within the constraints of economic pricing principles reflecting the cost of maintaining supplies in the longer term, energy prices must be as competitive as possible; prices must be sensitive to market conditions. But there must also be some room for flexibility in pricing, for example, to enable us to respond to international pressure on British industry. For this reason, my right hon. and learned Friend introduced £250 million worth of concessions to large industrial energy users in his last two Budgets. Under these arrangements the electricity industry in England and Wales has introduced a new load management scheme for large industrial consumers with special three year contracts. This can reduce charges by up to 16 per cent. The British Gas Corporation is holding gas contract prices, after the first 25,000 therms, until the end of 1982. Foundry coke prices are being held until the same date. These measures, together with an expansion of the coal firing scheme encouraging the use of coal to cover a wide range of equipment and conversions from gas as well as oil were announced by my right hon. and learned Friend in his last Budget speech.The Government have taken a number of steps to encourage efficiency in the nationalised energy industries. These include the references of the NCB and the Yorkshire and South Wales electricity boards to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, which were included in the announcement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade on 3 March, and the independent efficiency study of BGC which I announced on 7 April. My hon. Friend announced on 6 May that my Department and the UKAEA had jointly commissioned a study of the authority's efficiency and the economy with which it uses available resources.Discussion with the electricity and gas industries and with consumer representatives following the report of the Policy Studies Institute has led to the industries' agreement to changes in the code of practice on the payment of bills.The passage of the Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Act 1982 will allow the Government to press ahead with the biggest privatisation measure in this country's history. The Act provides for the disposal of BNOC's oil producing business and parts of BGC's business—my initial intention in respect of BGC being to dispose of its offshore oil interests. The Act also permits competition in the supply of gas through the removal of BGC's statutory purchasing privileges and by affording opportunities for private gas suppliers to seek access to BGC's pipeline network. In addition, the Act strengthens existing petroleum legislation, particularly on offshore safety.The direction requiring the BGC to transfer its holding in the Wytch Farm oil licence to the private sector came into effect on 13 October 1981. I have approved BGC's plans for developing the Morecambe gas field.I have taken action to increase exploration for oil and gas through the award of 18 exploration and 18 production licences for areas onshore. Offshore, I awarded a further 11 licences under the seventh round, bringing the total to 90. Exploration is at its highest level since 1977. I have recently announced proposals for an eighth round, and I am confident that oil companies will wish to explore the new territories. I announced on 8 June that I would not impose oil production cutbacks before 1985 at the earliest. Gas flaring per barrel of oil produced has continued to fall substantially through the year.United Kingdom crude oil production has topped 2 million barrels a day. In 12 years the United Kingdom has risen from nowhere to become fifth in the world oil production league.Arrangements for the public inquiry into the CEGB's application to construct a pressurised water reactor nuclear power station at Sizewell are now well under way, with the main hearing to open next January. The first pre-inquiry meeting was held last month, and the second take place late in July.I have disposed of all the Government's shares in Amersham International.
New direction has been given to the Department's renewable energy programme in the light of the recommendations of my advisory committee on research and development. The Camborne geothermal project has made good progress, as has the geothermal aquifer demonstration project at Southampton. The encouraging work on wind power using both horizontal and vertical axis machines continues.
The efficient use of energy is built upon economic pricing, supported by a Departmental programme of information and advice. I have continued to provide assistnce to industry through the energy survey scheme and the demonstration project scheme and am working with the NEDO and CBI to promote voluntary programmes of energy monitoring and efficient management of energy use. I have established the building research energy conservation support unit to concentrate on managing energy conservation demonstration projects in domestic buildings. I have doubled the money available to the successful scheme to help voluntary organisations with insulation projects in the homes of elderly and others on low income, using unemployed labour.
I have received the report from the lead consultants examining the feasibility of combined heat and power—district heating in specific locations and will be circulating it shortly to interested parties.
Sizewell B Inquiry
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is yet in a position to announce the assessors to assist the inspector at the Sizewell B inquiry.
I have appointed Dr. J. Vennart, director of the Medical Research Council's radiobiology unit as an assessor to the inquiry. He will assist the inspector, Sir Frank Layfield QC, on matters relating to the biological effects of radiation and related issues. Further appointments are under consideration.
Fast Breeder Reactor
asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will make a statement on the progress of his discussions on the possibilities of international collaboration in the development of the fast breeder reactor in the United Kingdom;(2) if he will indicate the expenditure to date on the development of the fast breeder reactor, expressed both in annual figures and as a total;(3) if he will assess the employment implications for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's establishment at Dounreay of his policies for the development of nuclear power.
[pursuant to his reply, 12 July, c. 306]: I can confirm that there have been discussions between British Ministers, officials and industry representatives and their counterparts in France, Germany and the United States of America, aimed at identifying the scope for international collaboration in the development of the fast reactor. These discussions have made useful progress and will be an important factor in the Government's current consideration of fast reactor policy alongside other factors such as the long-term potential of the fast reactor. The Government accept the desirability of maintaining and where possible improving the level of employment in the Highland region; and recognises the contribution of the Dounreay operation to employment in the region.The Government's objective is to ensure that we have access to fast reactor technology so that commercial fast reactors can be built in this country when we need them.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy will make a further statement on fast reactor policy in due course.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Horticulture Industry
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report what information is available to him on the numbers of employers and employees in the horticulture industry at the latest available date; and how this compares with such figures for 1970, 1960 and 1950, together with information on the number, size, distribution and acreage of horticultural holdings.
Information is not available about the number of employers and employees in the horticulture industry as a whole. The classification of holdings in the June agricultural census in England distinguishes horticultural holdings, that is those holdings which are most dependent on horticultural crops, but these account for less than half of the area of horticultural crops in England. At June 1981 there were 14,496 such holdings in England with a total area of 261,572 hectares, of which some 103,757 hectares were of horticultural crops.Details of the distribution of these holdings is as follows:
| County | Horticultural holdings |
| Avon | 212 |
| Bedford | 272 |
| Berkshire | 103 |
| Buckingham | 126 |
| Cambridge | 590 |
| Cheshire | 269 |
| Cleveland | 24 |
| Cornwall | 496 |
| Cumbria | 106 |
| Derby | 153 |
| Devon | 464 |
| Dorset | 171 |
| Durham | 49 |
| Essex | 740 |
| Gloucester | 284 |
| Greater London | 173 |
| Greater Manchester | 136 |
| Hampshire | 545 |
| Hereford and Worcs | 1,128 |
| Hertford | 213 |
| Humberside | 303 |
| Isle of Wight | 77 |
| Isles of Scilly | 63 |
| Kent | 1,428 |
| Lancashire | 944 |
| Leicester | 121 |
| Lincoln | 1,151 |
| Merseyside | 140 |
| Norfolk | 709 |
| Northampton | 64 |
| Northumberland | 45 |
| Nottingham | 151 |
| Oxford | 136 |
| Salop | 120 |
County
| Horticultural holdings
|
| Somerset | 342 |
| Stafford | 166 |
| Suffolk | 323 |
| Surrey | 330 |
| East Sussex | 305 |
| West Sussex | 415 |
| Tyne and Wear | 30 |
| Warwick | 154 |
| Wiltshire | 145 |
| West Midlands | 74 |
| North Yorkshire | 269 |
| South Yorkshire | 55 |
| West Yorkshire | 182 |
| 14,496 |
Information on a comparable basis is not available for the earlier years requested.
Employers And Employees
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report such information as is available to him concerning the number of employers and employees in the four main sections of the agriculture industry, or the estimated labour content per unit of output in these sections together with comparable figures for 1970.
Information concerning the number of employers and employees in agriculture is not available in the form requested. Estimates of standard labour requirements per unit of crop area and per head of livestock are contained in the 1969·70 volume of Farm Classification in England and Wales, pages 4 to 6. The most recent comparable figures are to be found in the 1976·77 volume in that series, pages 4 to 7.
Chemical Fertilisers
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his written reply of 19 May, Official Report, c. 177·78, concerning the tonnage of chemical fertilisers, if he will estimate the
| Tenure of holdings 1980—England, Scotland, Wales | ||||
| Owned or mainly owned | Tenanted or mainly tenanted | |||
| Holding size group—total area (hectares) | Number | Area | Number | Area |
| '000 | '000 hectares | '000 | '000 hectares | |
| England | ||||
| Under 2 | 8·7 | 11·5 | 1·9 | 5·6 |
| 2 to 19·9 | 39·0 | 427·3 | 13·2 | 243·1 |
| 20 to 199·9 | 50·9 | 3,417·0 | 33·0 | 2,433·1 |
| 200 and over | 4·7 | 1,465·9 | 4·3 | 1,438·5 |
| TOTAL | 103·3 | 5,321·7 | 52·4 | 4,120·3 |
| Wales | ||||
| Under 2 | 0·4 | 0·7 | 0·1 | 0·5 |
| 2 to 19·9 | 7·7 | 91·3 | 2·4 | 44·4 |
| 20 to 199·9 | 13·0 | 754·8 | 5·1 | 307·8 |
| 200 and over | 0·6 | 198·2 | 0·3 | 92·9 |
| TOTAL | 21·6 | 1,045·0 | 7·9 | 445·7 |
| Scotland | ||||
| Under 2 | 0·8 | 0·9 | 0·7 | 0·8 |
| 2 to 19·9 | 3·5 | 31·8 | 4·4 | 37·1 |
extent to which the increase in use was due to an increase in acreage fertilised or to an increase in the quantity used per acre.
Estimated changes in fertiliser application rates, based on the annual sample survey of fertiliser practice carried out by MAFF and the Fertiliser Manufacturers Association, have been as follows:
| Percentage change in fertiliser application rates | |||
| Nitrogen | Phosphate | Potash | |
| 1975–76 to 1976–77 | + 14·4 | -2·6 | +5·4 |
| 1976–77 to 1977–78 | + 2·7 | + 5·4 | + 2·6 |
| 1977–78 to 1978–79 | + 6·1 | -2·6 | 0 |
| 1978–79 to 1979–80 | -1·0 | -2·6 | 0 |
| 1979–80 to 1980–81 | +8·3 | +2·7 | +2·5 |
Agricultural Holdings
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the reply of 19 May, Official Report, c. 178, concerning the size and ownership of agricultural holdings, whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number and acreage of holdings of more than 500 hectares in each category, and the number of holdings of over 200 hectares which were wholly or mainly hill farms; and if he will break down the original and new information on holdings to provide separate figures for each of the countries in the United Kingdom.
The breakdown by country of the information supplied to the hon. Member on 19 May is as follows:
| Owned or mainly owned | Tenanted or mainly tenanted Number | |||
| Holding size group—total area (hectares) | Number '000 | Area '000 hectares | Number '000 | Area '000 hectares |
| 20 to 199·9 | 10·4 | 795·6 | 7·2 | 543·1 |
| 200 and over | 2·4 | 2,442·9 | 2·0 | 1,727·4 |
| TOTAL | 17·1 | 3,271·2 | 14·3 | 2,308·3 |
Meat Regulations
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent he intends to allow freedom for innovation and development of meat products within the framework of compositional standards for staple items; and if such standards will be dealt with in his proposed new meat regulations.
Any new regulations are introduced only after full discussion with all the interests concerned, during which careful consideration is given to the need to provide for new developments within the food industry. Compositional standards are dealt with in the proposals for new meat labelling regulations at present under discussion.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that other European Community members States apply the standards of the EEC Meat Products Directive (77/79) as vigorously as authorities in the United Kingdom, particularly in respect of products that are imported into the United Kingdom.
The responsibility for the application of the directive rests with the exporting member State. We have applied the rules to our exports of meat products fairly and flexibly so as to minimise disruption to established patterns of trade. I am not aware of any significant differences of approach by other member States.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to ease the requirements of the Meat Products Directive (77/79) on meat products manufacturers who wish to obtain an EEC licence to export.
We seek to implement the requirements of the Meat Products Directive 77/99/EEC as flexibly as possible whilst maintaining the necessary hygiene standards. We have also asked the European Commission to review the directive provisions in the light of experience and developments in meat processing techniques; we have recently achieved some relaxation on the application of the rules to products containing only small amounts of meat.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the provisions of the Meat (Sterilisation and Staining) Regulations will establish as effective a control over imported unfit meat and offal as it will over similar material produced in the United Kingdom.
The regulations will apply strict controls to trade in unfit meat whatever its source. The movement controls, under which the responsible authorities will authorise and monitor the disposal of unfit meat, will apply equally to imported and home-produced supplies. In other respects the rules for imported meat will differ somewhat from those for home-produced meat because of the different conditions which apply to the import trade; the importation of knacker meat and offal, for example, is already prohibited on animal health grounds.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the Meat (Sterilisation and Staining) Regulations will provide adequate powers to local authorities to maintain effective supervision of establishments handling meat unfit for human consumption; and whether any consultations have taken place with local authorities about the resources available to them to enforce the regulations.
The proposed Meat (Sterilisation and Staining) Regulations should, with strict enforcement by local authorities, provide a sound basis for the control of trade in unfit meat. There have been full consultations on the proposals with all interested parties, including the local authority associations.
Sugar
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the effective support price for sugar as a result of the prices agreed under the common agricultural policy in the current year; and what is the current London daily price for sugar.
For the 1982·83 marketing year, which began on 1 July, the Community's common effective support price for white sugar is £344.34 per tonne. The world market for sugar is currently very depressed and on 14 July the London daily price for white sugar was £162 per tonne. This contrasts with the situation in 1980·81, when for much of the year world market prices exceeded the Community's price. The maximum extent of this excess was £117.43 per tonne on 15 October 1980 when the London daily price was £403 per tonne and the common effective support price was £285.57 per tonne.
Agriculture (Employment)
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his written reply dated 19 May, Official Report, c. 176, concerning employment in the agriculture industry, whether he will provide the given information in a form as close as possible to that contained in table 4 of the annual review White Paper, Cmnd. 8491, together with information on the number of farmers and so on, indicating separately the number of persons working very small holdings in 1981.
Details of persons employed in agriculture in the United Kingdom in 1981 are given in table 4 of the annual review White Paper (Cmnd. 8491).
A precisely similar breakdown is not available for the other years specified but the information which is available is published in volumes of United Kingdom Agricultural Statistics as follows:
| 1948 | table | 23 |
| 1960 | table | 20 |
| 1970 | table | 22 |
The estimated number of persons working very small holdings in England and Wales in 1981 was as follows:
Workers
| |
Number
| |
Regular—Whole-time
| |
| Hired: Male | NIL |
| Hired: Female | NIL |
| Family: Male | NIL |
| Family: Female | NIL |
| All Male | NIL |
| All Female | NIL |
| Total | NIL |
Regular—Part-time
| |
| Hired: Male | 492 |
| Hired: Female | 127 |
| Family: Male | 794 |
| Family: Female | 580 |
| All Male | 1,286 |
| All Female | 707 |
| Total | 1,993 |
Seasonal or Casual
| |
| All Male | 2,046 |
| All Female | 785 |
| Total | 2,831 |
| Salaried Managers | NIL |
| Total Employed | 4,824 |
Farmers Partners and Directors
| |
| Whole-time | NIL |
| Part-time | 17,613 |
| Total | 17,613 |
| Total | 22,437 |
| Wives/Husbands of Farmers, Partners and Directors (engaged in farm work) | 6,512 |
Comparable information is not available for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Council Of Agriculture Ministers
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Council of Agriculture Ministers meeting in Brussels on 19·20 July; and if he will make a statement.
I refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made in the House today.
| No. of companies and projects | Offer value £'000 | Safeguarded employment | New employment | |
| Section 7: Offers of Regional Selective assistance | 62 | 13,460 | 3,206 | 3,147 |
| Section 8: Offers of Selective Financial assistance | 5 | 125 | N/A | N/A |
Council Of Fisheries Ministers
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Council of Fisheries Ministers meeting in Brussels on 20–21 July; and if he will make a statement.
I refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made in the House today.
International Coffee Agreement
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in negotiations to amend and extend the International Coffee Agreement 1976; and whether the United Kingdom will be a party to the agreement as extended.
There was a meeting of the International Coffee Council from 14 June to 2 July to discuss proposed modifications to the 1976 coffee agreement which is due to expire on 30 September 1982 unless extended. Substantial progress was made but it was not possible to take decisions on all the matters under discussion and a further meeting of the Coffee Council will take place from 6–17 September 1982.Resolution No. 318 of the International Coffee Council, which was laid before the House on 25 February 1982, provided that the agreement be extended, unamended, for one year provided that decisions had been taken on proposed modifications by 30 June. Resolution 319 of the International Coffee Council was laid before the House on 15 July and extends the date for decisions to 17 September. It is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to notify provisional application of the agreement in conformity with the dispositions of resolutions 318 and 319 as soon as possible.Copies of both resolutions are available in the Library of the House.
Industry
Industrial Development (Grants And Loans)
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the Official Report for the 12-month period to the latest available date the amounts of grants and loans allocated for industrial development, under their separate classification headings, and giving the number of companies and projects involved, and the number of jobs provided, for the Northern region and for the enterprise zone in that region, respectively.
Assistance has been made available in the form of grants in the North East region under parts I and II of the Industry Act 1972 during the financial year 1981·82 as follows:
Regional development grant totalling £100 million was paid in the North East region in 1981–82. Details of the number of companies involved are not readily available, and information is not recorded on a project or employment basis. Information on grants paid under these schemes in the Hartlepool enterprise zone, and on grants payable under national schemes of assistance such as those to promote high technology, is not available without disproportionate cost.
Phoenix Iii (Joint Venture)
asked the Secretary of State for Industry, further to his reply of 15 July, whether he expects to receive firm proposals from Johnson Firth Brown and British Steel on the proposed Phoenix III joint venture before the parliamentary Summer Recess; and whether the Government's approval of such proposals will be conditional on, among other points, a referral of the proposed merger to the Office of Fair Trading for possible recommendation to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.
It is for the companies to decide when to submit firm proposals. Any proposals involving a merger which comes within the terms of the Fair Trading Act would be considered by the Office of Fair Trading.
Joint Ventures (Britain And Romania)
asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many joint ventures have been negotiated between British and Romanian companies in the past 10 years; and in what industrial sectors they are currently operating.
I have been asked to reply.To date there have been no joint ventures established in Romania involving British companies. I am aware of three joint ventures established in the United Kingdom with Romanian enterprises in the following sectors: chemical and petrochemical products; nuclear power equipment; and foodstuffs. A number of projects have also been undertaken involving co-operation between British firms and Romanian enterprises, but without the formation of joint venture companies. One such project is for the development of Romanian capability to construct civil aircraft.
Wales
Policy Programme (Achievement)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make a statement on the results of his Department in achieving the Government's policy programme since his reply to the hon. Member for Melton on 13 July 1981, Official Report, c. 289 and his letter to the hon. Member of the same date.
The good progress made by my Department in implementing the Government's policies for Wales is summarised below.
Industry and Employment
Significant progress has been made in the last 12 months in the provision of industrial sites and factory space throughout Wales, particularly in those areas affected by reductions in employment in the steel industry. At Shotton the special factory programme is now substantially completed and over 100 new factories—750,000 sq ft of industrial floorspace—have been provided to date, mainly on the Deeside and Wrexham industrial estates. Forty-four of these, totalling 275,000 sq ft, have already been allocated. In South Wales the special funds made available by the Government have now been spent by the Welsh Development Agency and the Cwmbran development corporation. Over 250 units, totalling 1·5 million sq ft, were completed in 1981–82 and more are under construction or planned. About 90 units, totalling 400,000 sq ft, have been allocated so far.
I also announced, in June 1981, a special £7½ million factory building programme for the Llanelli area to help to offset the effects of the closure of the Duport steelworks. As a result a major new industrial estate is being developed by the WDA and around 200,000 sq ft of advance factory space is being provided.
The non-steel areas have also been assisted. In February this year I approved a further programme of factory building by the WDA which will concentrate on Mid-Glamorgan and also on the rural parts of Gwynedd, Dyfed and Clwyd, involving the expenditure of over £11 million. More than 70 factories—300,000 sq ft—are planned and nearly 50 acres of land will be prepared for industry.
In January I approved the WDA's latest programme of derelict land reclamation. Expenditure will be about £16 million and a further 1,300 acres of land will be rehabilitated for industry, housing and recreational purposes. This represents a significant addition to the 6,000 acres which have been programmed for reclamation by the agency since 1976.
Success in attracting new inward investment to Wales has continued during the last 12 months and established industries have also undertaken investment programmes. Recent developments include, for example, new projects by Squibb-Surgicare, Intermagnetics (Wales) Ltd., Yuasa Batteries, Pendar Robotics, AB Electronics, Catnic Components and Smiths Industries. In February the Chemical Bank announced its intention to move part of its United Kingdom operation to Cardiff, bringing 300 to 350 jobs to the capital city.
In 1981–82, 138 offers of section 7 selective financial assistance amounting to £18·8 million were accepted for projects in Wales. These projects involved a total investment of £176·5 million and are expected to create or safeguard 10,876 jobs over the next three to four years.
The enterprise zone in Swansea is making encouraging progress. Development is under way on nearly 13 acres of the site and construction has commenced on over 225,000 sq ft of floorspace, with a further 78,000 sq ft committed. The first private sector development was formally opened on 2 July 1982.
As part of the recent review of assisted areas, the Llanelli and Pontypool travel-to-work areas have been upgraded from a mix of intermediate and development areas to uniform development area status. A substantial package of rural measures has also been provided for Mid Wales consequent upon adjustments in the assisted area map.
It is expected that 45,000 young people will enter the youth opportunities programme in Wales this year, compared with 41,000 last year. About 8,000 of the places provided will be new-style, year-long training places, some of which will be created under the information technology centre programme. Three centres have already been announced for Wales, in Kelsterton, Neath and Cardiff, and several more are under discussion.
My Department has secured one of the pilot areas under the experimental enterprise allowance scheme covering the borough areas of Wrexham Maelor, Alyn and Deeside and Delyn. The operation of the scheme in this area is very encouraging; at the end of June, after only three months of operation, 123 people were already receiving the allowance and 44 more applications were under considertion.
At £15·3 million, the urban programme for 1982–83 has been increased by more than 30 per cent. from its planned provision of £11·6 million. A total of 146 new schemes have been approved this year at a cost of £10·8 million. About £8 million of this has been allocated for new nursery factory units, workshops and other job creating schemes with the promise of some 3,500 job opportunities. Bids from local authorities for the 1983–84 urban programme will soon be considered and I will be announcing details of successful schemes later in the year. I intend to introduce into Wales the urban development grant scheme for 1983–84. Local authorities are being asked to submit schemes for consideration by 30 September 1982 with decisions being announced before the end of the year.
The Development Board for Rural Wales completed a further 35 factories in the last 12 months. Existing factories provide some 4,860 jobs and, when the present construction programme is complete and all factories fully occupied, there will be around 6,750 job opportunities.
In 1981–82 the Wales Tourist Board approved 118 grants totalling £1·911 million for tourism projects under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969. The board will have almost £2 million available for section 4 assistance in 1982–83.
Of the £132 million committed to Wales from the "Quota" side of the European regional development fund since 1975, some £25 million has been committed in the last year since July 1981. During the spring, some £10·5 million was also approved for Wales under the "Non-Quota" side of the ERDF. This money is to be shared between the counties of Clwyd, Gwent, South and West Glamorgan over the next three years and has been allocated in recognition of the problems of these areas caused by the decline in steel making.
Agriculture and Fisheries
The Government have continued their policy of support for the agriculture industry. Some £28 million has been paid to Welsh farmers under the sheepmeat regime since its inception in 1980. In 1981–82 £1·9 million was paid under the suckler cow premium scheme also introduced in 1980. Increased hill livestock compensatory allowances were announced in November 1981 and payments in 1982 in Wales will amount to some £24 million compared to £14·6 million in 1979. Since July 1981 a further four marketing and processing projects have been awarded FEOGA grants totalling £1 million under regulation 355/77 and some £77,000 has been award under the FEOGA scheme for restructuring the inshore fishing industry. In the same period Welsh Office grants totalling £32,000 have been made to two market research projects. Welsh producers will also benefit from the activities of the recently announced "Food from Britain" organisation.
Roads
Improvement to the A55 North Wales coast road from Chester to west of Bangor continues. Since last July work has started on the Llanddulas-Colwyn Bay section costing £35 million, the Colwyn Bay to Glanconwy section, costing £41 million, and th Hawarden bypass costing £18 million. In Gwynedd, work started on the Bangor bypass, costing £17·2 million in August 1981 and on the Llanfair PG bypass costing £4·9 million in January 1982.
In South Wales the M4 has been completed to Pont Abraham except for the Baglan-Lonlas section. Major improvements are being made to the important A40-A48 route.
Water
I have reconstituted the Welsh Water Authority, with effect from 1 April 1982, as a board of 13 members, all appointed by me, in place of the previous constitution which provided for 35 members, 20 of whom were appointed by local authorities. This reorganisation, which will be complemented by the establishment of local advisory committees to represent consumer interests more effectively, will provide a more appropriate basis for pursuing more efficient financial and managerial control.
Health
During the last 12 months I have given approval to start on 10 new major health capital building schemes, and to expenditure of nearly £25·5 million on existing major schemes already in progress. In addition, the annual sum available to health authorities for their smaller schemes has been raised from £6 million to £8 million.
I have arranged for additional funds of more than £1 million per annum for the next five years to be made available for the development of community based services for mentally handicapped people.
Grants totalling over £562,000 will be made to voluntary bodies active in health and personal social services in Wales in 1982–83. This is an increase of £87,000 over last year's total grant. The grants are intended to help voluntary organisations meet the headquarters administrative costs. Four new grants totalling £68,000 are included and are an indication of Ministers' resolve to encourage and promote a more effective partnership between the voluntary and statutory sectors in meeting the needs of the community.
The district health authorities in Wales are well advanced with their plans for introducing management arrangements to give full effect to the Government's policy of bringing the administration of the health service closer to those who use it.
Education
In September 1981 the nine schools in Wales participating in the assisted places scheme admitted their first assisted pupils. Altogether 115 assisted places were awarded in the 1981–82 academic year.
In June, 1982, my Department and the Department of Education and Science published the consultative document "Science Education in Schools", which discussed the place of science in the curriculum during the compulsory period of education and invited views on the approach to teaching and training. The Secretary of State for Education and Science and I will consider the responses and publish a policy statement in due course. Under the microelectronics education programme a curriculum development project to produce software packages on word and information processing is making good progress. The regional resource centre has now set up a subsidiary unit in Wrexham to serve the North Wales area.
I announced in May 1982 the establishment of a Wales Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education to advise me in a more formal and comprehensive way than before on issues arising in local authority higher education in Wales.
A pilot scheme has been launched for national scholarships for priority teachers, ie teachers in mathematics and science in a bid to secure some of the best graduates for teacher training. The scheme provides for a scholarship of £500 over and above any mandatory grant; and a guarantee in advance of a teaching job with one of the authorities taking part.
Candidates were selected to begin their training in 1982–83 and the scholarships are tenable at University College, Aberystwyth for mathematics and University College, Cardiff for science. Ten scholarships were offered in the first year.
Welsh Language
The grant offered for Welsh language education projects under section 21 of the Education Act for 1982–83 is £866,000, an increase of £72,000 on the amount offered in 1981–82. A total of £2·4 million is available during 1983–84 to support the Government's policy of fostering the Welsh language.
Housing
Over 40,000 tenants in Wales have applied to buy their homes under the Housing Act 1980. Working to targets set by the Department, local authorities are now completing sales at a rate of about 4,000 per quarter.
To help public sector tenants who wish to exchange their homes in order to move to other areas, my Department in conjunction with DOE, set up a computer-based tenants exchange scheme in April 1982, to complement the national mobility scheme introduced a year earlier.
Education And Science
Teachers
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether he will publish an estimate of the net increase in the demand for primary school teachers in each year from 1985 to 1990;(2) whether, in order to meet the increase in demand for primary school teachers in the latter half of this decade, it is his intention to encourage local education authorities to recruit newly qualified teachers rather than former teacher re-entrants, as recommended by the advisory committee on the supply and training of teachers.
Projections of vacancies for primary teachers over the next decade were included in the advice on the planning of initial teacher training recently submitted by the advisory committee on the supply and education of teachers to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Education and Science and for Wales. The relevant figures, which are subject o considerable uncertainties, are as follows:
| Financial year | Primary vacancies (thousands) | 1985–86=100 |
| 1985–86 | 11·4 | 100 |
| 1986–87 | 11·4 | 100 |
| 1987–88 | 12·9 | 113 |
| 1988–89 | 14·8 | 130 |
| 1989–90 | 15·9 | 139 |
Note: Most of the vacancies in a financial year occur in the first of the two calendar years.
As a basis for planning the committee judged that new entrants and re-entrants to teaching might each fill about half of these vacancies, but it advised that it should
Under five education, England
| 1978–79
| 1979–80
| 1980–81
|
| 1. Recurrent expenditure by local education authorities on under-fives education (total of children at 6 and 7 below) | £146,000,000 | £177,000,000 | £222,000,000 |
| 2. Number of maintained nursery schools | 593 | 596 | 588 |
| 3. Number of maintained primary schools with designated nursery classes | 3,200 | 3,361 | 3,517 |
| 4. Full-time equivalent number of teaching and nursery assistant staff in nursery schools and classes | 12,979 | 13,399 | 13,420 |
| 5. Full-time equivalent number of teaching staff in nursery schools and classes (included in line 4 above) | 5,743 | 5,974 | 6,117 |
| 6. Number of children under 5 in maintained nursery schools and classes | 210,248 | 215,451 | 221,550 |
| 7. Number of children under 5 in infants classes of maintained primary schools* | 218,392 | 213,469 | 206,507 |
* Information is not available on the numbers of schools and staff involved in the education of these children. | |||
Foreign Langauages
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of pupils in maintained schools taking A-level examinations take at least one in a foreign language.
The proportion of all English maintained school leavers in 1980–81 who had attempted A-level examinations who had taken at least one in a foreign langauage was 16·1 per cent.
Education Programme (Expenditure)
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage changes in the real level of education expenditure, in both cost and volume terms between 1981–82 and 1982–83, and between 1982–83 and 1983–84 were assumed in compiling the cash figures on the education programme which were provided in the most recent public expenditure White Paper; and to what extent these changes are the result of falling rolls.
As explained in paragraphs 4 to 7 of volume I of the White Paper, the plans were set in terms of cash, and the level of service which can be provided will depend on the actual movements of pay and prices. The plans were considered by reference to such measures as the number of pupils and teachers, but no specific assumptions were made about changes to expenditure on education in volume or cost terms.
Employment
Hazardous Materials (Storage)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what EEC directives have been issued continue to be for employers to fill individual vacancies according to the merit of the candidates. The Secretaries of State are now considering this advice.
Under-Fives
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the sums spent, the number of projects covered, the number of staff employed and the number of children involved in under-five education by local authorities in each of the last three years.
The information so far as it is available in the form requested is as follows:recently regarding the storage of hazardous materials; and what action Her Majesty's Government have taken to implement them.
On 24 June 1982 the Council adopted a directive on major accident hazards of certain industrial activities—the "SEVESO" directive—which is aimed at reducing the risk from potentially hazardous industrial activities—including processes and storage—which, in the event of a major accident, are capable of giving rise to serious consequences for man or the environment. It is expected that the Health and Safety Commission will consult on proposals to implement this directive in December 1983. This directive will provide controls in addition to the proposed regulations for the notification of installations handling hazardous substances which the HSC has submitted to my right hon. Friend.Four Commission directives have been made which adapt to technical progress a number of Council directives relating to the classification packaging and labelling—CPL—of dangerous substances and preparations. The Health and Safety Commission published in 1981 a consultative document containing proposals for classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances regulations intended in part to implement these directives, along with others previously adopted or still being negotiated relating to the CPL dangerous substances and preparations. Some of the labelling required by these regulations would provide users with advice concerning storage.
Skilled Workers
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what vacancies for skilled workers are currently available at the latest available date and three years earlier.
The precise information is not available as there is no comprehensive analysis made of the numbers of vacancies according to skill requirements. However, an occupational analysis of unfilled vacancies is made at employment offices, and at June 1982, in the United Kingdom as a whole, there were 17,424 notified vacancies for craft and similar occupations, including foremen, in processing, production, repairing, and so on. The corresponding figure at June 1979 was 66,417.The figures relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices, and it is estimated that these account for about one-third of all vacancies in the economy as a whole. The number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date take no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the 12-month period to June 1982, 1,454,375 people were placed in jobs by employment offices in the United Kingdom. It is estimated that the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.
Job Losses
asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will bring up to date the information supplied by him on 25 March, Official Report c. 404, in reply to a written question concerning the jobs lost in each of the principal sections of manufacturing industry; and whether he will also give figures for the principal production industries other than manufacturing.
The following table gives the decrease in the number of employees in employment in Great Britain in each manufacturing order of the Standard Industrial Classification between May 1979 and April 1982. It also gives the corresponding decreases for the production orders of mining and quarrying, construction, and gas, electricity and water. The figures on which the decreases are based are provisional and are not seasonally adjusted.
| Order of the 1968 Standard Industrial Classification | Decrease (000s) | |
| II | Mining and Quarrying | 23·4 |
| III | Food, Drink and Tobacco | 82·5 |
| IV | Coal and Petroleum Products | 5·6 |
| V | Chemicals and Allied Industries | 61·5 |
| VI | Metal Manufacture | 143·4 |
| VII | Mechanical Engineering | 207·5 |
| VIII | Instrument Engineering | 29·1 |
| IX | Electrical Engineering | 131·3 |
| X | Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering | 28·3 |
| XI | Vehicles | 161·8 |
| XII | Metal Goods not elsewhere specified | 118·5 |
| XIII | Textiles | 117·6 |
| XIV | Leather, Leather Goods and Fur | 7·5 |
| XV | Clothing and Footwear | 71·5 |
| XVI | Bricks, Pottery, Glass, Cement etc. | 56·5 |
| XVII | Timber, Furniture etc. | 42·6 |
| XVIII | Paper, Printing and Publishing | 60·4 |
| XIX | Other Manufacturing Industries | 71·6 |
| XX | Construction | 228·4 |
| XXI | Gas, Electricity and Water | 13·1 |
Mrs Morwood
asked the Secretary of State for Employment why, after giving an undertaking in a letter to the hon. Member for Bassetlaw of 28 May that immediate steps would be taken to bring to an end the delay since 1981 of non-payment of the notice payment under the Employment Act 1978 to Mrs. Morwood of 36 Gibbet Hill Lane, Bawtry, Doncaster, his Department has not yet sent the papers to the receiver.
I very much regret and apologise to Mrs. Morwood for the fact that, although my Department's insolvency payments office at Leeds received the receiver's application for funds on 4 June, the necessary funds were not sent to the receiver until 19 July. I have asked for a full explanation for the delay and of the steps which are to be taken at the office to prevent such delays in future.The receiver has been asked to pay Mrs. Morwood as quickly as possible.
International Labour Organisation Convention
asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether the Government will take the opportunity granted by article 14 of the International Labour Organisation convention to denounce the convention in the current year;(2) if Her Majesty's Government will seek to set aside the 1946 fair wages resolution.
We are considering the various representations we have received on the fair wages resolution and the related International Labour Organisation convention. We will inform the House of the Government's intentions as soon as possible.
Road Transport Industry Training Board
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will announce the results of his deliberations over the future of the Road Transport Industry Training Board or if he will announce the date on which he expects to do so; and if he will make a statement.
My right hon. Friend is at present considering the views put to him by employer organisations, trade unions and others about the future of the Road Transport Industry Training Board. He hopes to announce the Government's decision soon.
West Midlands
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed (a) adults and (b) school leavers are available for each job vacancy (i) in Wolverhampton, (ii) in the West Midlands and (iii) in the country as a whole.
[pursuant to his reply, 19 July 1982, c. 33–34.]: The following table gives unemployment and vacancy figures for the areas specified. The age analysis of the unemployed, distinguishing those aged 18 and over, is compiled only quarterly, and the latest figures available are for April. Figures for school leavers are available monthly. The figures below exclude young people under 18 who are not school leavers.The numbers of unemployed school leavers in July include summer leavers not present in the April figures. The vacancy figures relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and 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 this, and of possible duplication between the figures for employment offices and careers offices, it is not possible to provide reliable unemployment-vacancy ratios. The number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the 12-month period to June 1982,
| Unemployd aged 18 years and over | Unemployed school leavers under 18 years of age | Unfilled vacancies | ||
| At employment offices | At careers offices | |||
| Wolverhampton employment office area | ||||
| April 1982 | 16,607 | 917 | 221 | 36 |
| July 1982 (Provisional) | * | 2,229 | 182 | 45 |
| West Midlands | ||||
| April 1982 | 326,042 | 14,264 | 6,673 | 598 |
| July 1982 (Provisional) | * | 32,117 | 6,579 | 635 |
| United Kingdom | ||||
| April 1982 | 2,814,442 | 128,161 | 115,999 | 5,969 |
| July 1982 (Provisional) | * | 303,848 | 115,325 | 6,488 |
| * Not available. | ||||
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers were unemployed in (a) Wolverhampton and (b) the West Midlands in June 1982, and in each of the previous four years in June.
[pursuant to his reply, 19 July 1982, c. 33–34]: The following table gives the numbers of school leavers under 18 years of age registered as unemployed in the Wolverhampton employment office area and the West Midlands region at the dates specified.
| June each year | Wolverhampton employment office area | West Midlands region |
| 1978 | 1,129 | 8,486 |
| 1979 | 1,473 | 10,823 |
| 1980 | 1,418 | 13,384 |
| 1981 | 1,823 | 18,573 |
| 1982 | 1,637 | 21,243 |
Trade
Dyce Airport (Incident)
37.
asked the Minister for Trade, in view of the incident at Dyce airport, Aberdeen, on or about 9 July, when unannounced military aircraft disrupted civilian air traffic control, if he will set up a public inquiry into liaison between civil and military air traffic controllers so as to ensure maximum public safety.
| United Kingdom/Romanian Trade | ||||||||||
| £ million | ||||||||||
| 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 7976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | |
| United Kingdom Exports | 31·2 | 38·8 | 34·2 | 33·5 | 39·8 | 49·2 | 83·5 | 74·9 | 70·4 | 98·9 |
| United Kingdom Imports | 21·2 | 32·3 | 31·8 | 34·3 | 36·1 | 49·5 | 52·5 | 51·7 | 65·9 | 64·8 |
| Balance | +10·0 | +6·5 | +2·4 | -0·8 | +3·7 | -0·3 | +31·0 | +23·2 | +4·5 | +34·1 |
asked the Minister for Trade how much of the approximate $9·6 billion of Romanian debt is outstanding to the United Kingdom; and how much was
1,454,375 people were placed in jobs by employment offices and 137,014 by careers offices in the United Kingdom. It is estimated that the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.
I understand that the Controller of the National Air Traffic Services is looking into the allegations contained in a recent press article about air traffic operations around Aberdeen and will be advising my Department and the Ministry of Defence when all the related facts have been assembled. It would be inappropriate to consider the need for a public inquiry until the outcome of this review is available.
Romania
asked the Minister for Trade what are the main changes that have taken place in the pattern of trade between the United Kingdom and Romania over the past 10 years.
Although levels of exports and imports between the United Kingdom and Romania have increased gradually over the last 10 years, in real terms the United Kingdom's trade with Romania has not expanded at the same rate as with the rest of the world. The United Kingdom has regularly sold plant and machinery to Romania, and, more recently, coal, coke and aircraft. Imports from Romania have traditionally included clothing, furniture, shoes, wood and cork products, food, machinery and, more recently, some railway locomotives and increasing quantities of light petroleum oil. Trade statistics for the period 1971–1980 (the latest complete year for which figures are available) are as follows:—incurred
(a) prior to 1945, (b) between 1945 and 1973 and (c) between 1973 and the latest date for which figures are available.
I have been asked to reply.
The principle amount outstanding of Government guaranteed Romanian debt is in the region of $250 million. Outstanding unguaranteed claims by United Kingdom registered banks amounted to $592 million at the end of 1981. In addition there may be other commercial credit outstanding. Information is not available on when the debts were incurred
Trade Figures
asked the Minister for Trade, when he expects to publish the June trade figures.
| Trade in Chemicals and Related Products | ||||
| Imports (cif) | (£ million) Exports (fob) | |||
| EC6 | Rest of World | EC6 | Rest of World | |
| 1979 | 2,186 | 1,217 | 1,880 | 3,031 |
| 1980 | 1,978 | 1,171 | 1,921 | 3,369 |
| January-February, September-December 1981 (exports) | — | — | 1,095 | 1,711 |
| January-June, September-December 1981 (imports) | 1,886 | 1,057 | — | — |
| January-May 1982 | 1,136 | 634 | 951 | 1,642 |
European Community (Cars)
asked the Minister for Trade what percentage of the cars sold in the United Kingdom market by American firms manufacturing cars in the United Kingdom was imported from the EEC Six either assembled or completely knocked down; what proportion of their United Kingdom output was exported in each case to the EEC Six; and what proportion of their sales in the EEC Six was imported from the United Kingdom.
Information relating to the first part of the question, for 1981, can be obtained from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Trader's "Monthly Statistical Review", page 8 of the December 1981 issue. For the second part, information for 1980—the latest available—is given in the society's year book "Motor Industry of Great Britain", pages 20 and 79 of the 1981 issue. Copies of these publications are available in the Library. The final part of the question cannot be answered from published sources.
Construction Industry
asked the Minister for Trade, whether he will now update the information regarding help for construction exporters given by Middle East posts under circular OTM 11/76 set out in the reply by the right hon. Member for Gloucester (Mrs. Oppenheim) on 9 April 1981, Official Report, c. 328–9, and the subsequent official letter from the right hon. Member for
It is hoped to announce the publication of the June trade figures shortly.
Chemicals
asked the Minister for Trade whether he will bring up to date the information contained in his written reply of 3 December 1979, Official Report, c. 29–30, concerning figures for trade with the European Economic Community Six and the rest of the world in chemicals.
The available information is given below:Hertfordshire, South (Mr. Parkinson), dated 14 May 1981, in which he said that steps were being taken to have this information more readily available in future.
The Middle East diplomatic posts have maintained the flow of market information for the United Kingdom construction industries. The information required is being obtained from the posts concerned and I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place copies in the Library of the House for the information of hon. Members.
Departmental Staff
asked the Minister for Trade how many civil servants are employed by his Department in each functional job category; in each such category, how many are of each rank; and for each such rank, what are the maximum and minimum pay scales.
[pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1982, c. 155]: The numbers of civil servants, by grade and functional category, employed in the Department of Trade on 1 April 1982 are as shown in the following table. The figures are exclusive of common services provided by the Department of Industry. Part-time staff are counted as half. Pay scales for most grades are given in the Civil Service pay and conditions of service code, paragraph 1050, a copy of which is in the Library. If my hon. Friend requires details of the pay of any particular Departmental grade I shall supply them séparately.
Secretariat
| Regulation of Domestic Trade and Industry
| Overseas Trade
| International Trade Policy
| Competition Consumer Affairs Services Industries Marine and Civil Aviation
| Total
| |
Senior
| ||||||
| Permanent Secretary | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Deputy Secretary | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| UIPP (Lower) | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| Under Secretary | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 17 |
Administration Group
| ||||||
| Executive Director Lower Band | — | 4 | — | — | 1 | 5 |
| Assistant Secretary | — | 8 | 16 | 5 | 21 | 50 |
| Senior Principal | — | 6 | 3 | — | 5 | 14 |
| Principal | 1 | 24 | 50 | 14 | 66½ | 155½ |
| Senior Executive Officer | 1 | 35 | 33 | 4 | 17 | 90 |
| Higher Executive Officer "D" | 17½ | — | 1 | — | — | 18½ |
| Higher Executive Officer | — | 93½ | 127 | 23 | 106 | 349½ |
| Administration Trainee | 9 | — | — | — | — | 9 |
| Executive Officer (including Higher Clerical Officer) | 9 | 327 | 251 | 40 | 130 | 757 |
| Clerical Officer | 12 | 832½ | 254½ | 58½ | 199 | 1,356½ |
| Clerical Assistant | 11 | 551 | 142½ | 28½ | 88 | 821 |
Economist Group
| ||||||
| Senior Economic Adviser | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
Information Officer Group
| ||||||
| Chief Information Officer A | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Chief Information Officer B | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 3 |
| Principal Information Officer | 3 | — | 2 | — | — | 5 |
| Senior Information Officer | 6 | — | 19 | — | 1 | 26 |
| Information Officer | 7 | — | 35 | — | — | 42 |
| Assistant Information Officer | — | — | 29 | — | — | 29 |
Data Processing Group
| ||||||
| Senior Data Processor | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | 5 |
| Data Processor | — | 23 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 37 |
| Trainee Data Processor | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 |
Professional and Technology Group
| ||||||
| Directing Grade B | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Superintending Grade | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Principal Professional and Technology Officer | — | — | 1 | — | 8 | 9 |
| Professional and Technology Officer Grade I | — | — | — | — | 13 | 13 |
| Professional and Technology Officer Grade II | — | — | — | — | 11 | 11 |
| Professional and Technology Officer Grade III | — | — | — | — | 9 | 9 |
| Professional and Technology Officer Grade IV | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 |
Secretarial Group
| ||||||
| Chief Superintendent | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2 |
| Senior Superintendent | — | 11 | — | — | — | 11 |
| Superintendent | — | 19½ | — | — | — | 19½ |
| Senior Personal Secretary | — | 2 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 14 |
| Personal Secretary | 6 | 23 | 23 | 5 | 41 | 98 |
| Specialist Typist | — | 106 | ½ | — | 10½ | 117 |
| Typist | — | 123 | 1 | — | 18½ | 142½ |
Security Officer Group
| ||||||
| Security Officer Grade IV | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| Security Officer Grade V | — | 8 | — | — | — | 8 |
Science Group
| ||||||
| Deputy Chief Scientific Officer | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 |
| Senior Principal Scientific Officer | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | 3 |
| Principal Scientific Officer | — | — | 1 | — | 3 | 4 |
| Senior Scientific Officer | — | — | — | — | 2½ | 2½ |
Secretariat
| Regulation of Domestic Trade and Industry
| Overseas Trade
| International Trade Policy
| Competition Consumer Affairs Services Industries Marine and Civil Aviation
| Total
| |
| Higher Scientific Officer | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Scientific Officer | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
Cleaners
| ||||||
| Cleaner | — | 3 | — | — | 15½ | 18½ |
Messengers
| ||||||
| Senior Messenger | — | 23 | — | — | — | 23 |
| Messenger | — | 116½ | — | — | 9 | 125½ |
Office Keeper
| ||||||
| Grade I | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| Grade II | — | 3 | — | — | — | 3 |
| Grade III | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 2 |
Paperkeepers
| ||||||
| Chief Paperkeeper | — | 8 | — | — | — | 8 |
| Senior Paperkeeper | — | 43 | 4 | — | 3 | 50 |
| Paperkeeper | 2 | 154 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 181 |
Photoprinters
| ||||||
| Photoprinting Services Manager | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
| Chief Photoprinter | — | 3 | — | — | — | 3 |
| Assistant Chief Photoprinter | — | 12 | — | — | — | 12 |
| Photoprinter Grade I | — | 67½ | — | — | — | 67½ |
| Photoprinter Grade II | — | 173½ | — | — | — | 173½ |
Telephonists (Government)
| ||||||
| Telephonist | — | 7 | — | — | — | 7 |
Teleprinter Operator
| ||||||
| Specialist Teleprinter Operator | — | — | 5 | — | — | 5 |
| Teleprinter Operator | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 |
Departmental Classes
| ||||||
| Director of Operations | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Deputy Director of Operations | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Operations Officer I | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Trading Standards Adviser | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Assistant Trading Standards Adviser | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Senior Air Traffic Engineer | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Principal Aviation Security Adviser | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Aviation Security Adviser | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 |
| Chief Inspector Coastguard | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Deputy Chief Inspector Coastguard | — | — | — | — | 7 | 7 |
| Inspector Coastguard | — | — | — | — | 9 | 9 |
| District Officer Coastguard | — | — | — | — | 29 | 29 |
| Station Officer Coastguard | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Coastguard Officer D | — | — | — | — | 195 | 195 |
| Coastguard Officer I | — | — | — | — | 237 | 237 |
| Station Officer I | — | — | — | — | 61 | 61 |
| Trawler Support Ship Commander | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Cleaner of Instruments | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Technical Information Analyst | — | 7 | — | — | — | 7 |
| Chief Inspector of Accidents | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Deputy Inspector of Accidents | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Principal Inspector of Accidents OPS | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 |
| Senior Inspector of Accidents OPS | — | — | — | — | 4 | 4 |
| Inspector of Accidents OPS | — | — | — | — | 4 | 4 |
Secretariat
| Regulation of Domestic Trade and Industry
| Overseas Trade
| International Trade Policy
| Competition Consumer Affairs Services Industries Marine and Civil Aviation
| Total
| |
| Assistant Principal Inspector of Accidents Engineering | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Principal Inspector of Accidents Engineering | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Senior Inspector of Accidents Engineering | — | — | — | — | 9 | 9 |
| Inspector of Accidents Engineering | — | — | — | — | 4 | 4 |
| Surveyor General | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Chief Surveyor (Marine) | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 |
| Deputy Chief Surveyor (Marine) | — | — | — | — | 11 | 11 |
| Sea Transport Officer | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Professional Officer | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| (Hydrographic Adviser) | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Senior Surveyor (Marine | — | — | — | — | 108 | 108 |
| Surveyor (Marine) | — | — | — | — | 123 | 123 |
| Surveyor 2 (Marine) | — | — | — | — | 20 | 20 |
| Marine Survey Assistant | — | — | — | — | 6 | 6 |
| Insolvency Service Grade A | — | 8 | — | — | — | 8 |
| Insolvency Service Grade B | — | 58 | — | — | — | 58 |
| Insolvency Service Grade C | — | 93 | — | — | — | 93 |
| Insolvency Service Grade D | — | 294½ | — | — | — | 294½ |
| Insolvency Service Grade E | — | 85 | — | — | — | 85 |
| Principal Examiner (Insolvency) | — | 3 | — | — | — | 3 |
| Assistant Comptroller (Patents) | — | 3 | — | — | — | 3 |
| Superintendent Patent Examiner | — | 11 | — | — | — | 11 |
| Principal Patents Examiner | — | 47 | — | — | — | 47 |
| Senior Patents Examiner | — | 276 | — | — | — | 276 |
| Patents Examiner | — | 88 | — | — | — | 88 |
| Senior Examiner Ships Prov | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 |
| Senior Radar Adviser | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| Senior Air Traffic Engineer | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
Industrial Grades
| — | — | — | — | 5 | 5 |
| TOTALS | 88½ | 3,799½ | l,044½ | 191 | 1,663½ | 6,787 |
Policy Programme (Achievement)
asked the Minister for Trade whether he will make a statement on the results of his Department in achieving the Government's policy programme since the previous Secretary of State's reply to the hon. Member for Melton on 14 July 1981, Official Report, c. 365.
[pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1982, c. 155.]: During the past year Department of Trade Ministers have continued to make overseas visits to promote trade generally and support the efforts of British exporters. Ministers, in some cases supported by industrialists, have visited the following countries: Algeria, Austria, Bahrain, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Syria, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America.The Department, under the guidance of the British Overseas Trade Board still continues to provide a wide range of services to assist British exporters. In the last year, which saw a surplus on the balance of payments estimated at £7 billion, the Department supported over 2,000 participants in some 120 business missions to overseas markets, helped approximately 5,000 individual visitors and supported over 7,000 exhibitors at more than 300 fairs and exhibitions overseas. A successful campaign to stimulate exports to Western Europe was undertaken by the Department.The major restructuring of the trade promotions work of the Department under the guidance of the BOTB has been undertaken. Five new overseas trade divisions reporting to the Chief Executive of the BOTB have been created and the whole operation based at the Department's headquarters. This new organisation will act as a central clearing house of world trade information for the BOTB' s regional offices throughout the United Kingdom and will give companies throughout Britain ready access to up-to-date market information from over 200 British diplomatic posts overseas.The Department has strengthened its ability to help and support companies pursuing large overseas projects. The projects and export policy division has developed close links with consultants and contractors in all sectors and has been active in mobilising the resources and facilities of Government to enable United Kingdom firms to compete as effectively as possible for major overseas business. The overseas projects board has reviewed its priorities and adopted a revised structure to allow it to play an enlarged and more direct part in the improvement of United Kingdom project performance. On the board's recommendation, the overseas projects fund has been re-shaped into a more flexible and more closely targeted instrument of support.The Export Credit Guarantee Department, for which my right hon. and noble Friend is also responsible, has continued to provide a wide range of credit assurance facilities to British exporters at no cost to public funds.As regards general trade policy questions, the Department has participated fully in the European Community's preparations for the forthcoming meeting of the general agreement on tariffs and trade at Ministerial level. It has continued to support the Community's policy of seeking to promote the maintenance and strengthening of the open world trading system whilst protecting British industry against damaging sudden surges in imports and against dumped or subsidised import competition. We are preparing to make a vigorous contribution through the Community in the three-yearly review of the GATT agreements on Government procurement and technical barriers to trade. The Department has continued to assist industry in pursuing complaints against injurious, dumped or subsidised imports, and remedies have been obtained in a number of cases investigated by the European Commission.The Department has continued to ensure the tightest possible application of the restraint arrangement for textiles associated with the GATT multi-fibre arrangement and participated actively in the preparation of the Community's position for the re-negotiation of the arrangement last December. Subsequently it has been playing a full part in the continuing re-negotiation of the Community's bilateral agreements with supplying countries under the arrangement and of the complementary restraint arrangements with the Mediterranean countries.In the area of relations with developing countries for which the Department is responsible, it has participated actively in the inter-sessional work of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Developments and in early preparations for the sixth session of the conference, which is to be held next year. The Department has continued to seek a workable and generally acceptable outcome to negotiations in UNCTAD on an international code of conduct on the transfer of technology. On 31 December 1981, the United Kingdom ratified the agreement establishing the common fund for commodities and the Department has continued to take an active part in meetings of the preparatory commission.A new Government initiative on standards was announced by my right hon. and noble Friend on 7 June which is aimed at promoting a stronger standards system for greater export competitiveness. The Department is convinced that standards supported by quality assurance have a central role to play in the international competitiveness of British industry. The Government's proposals will be published shortly and a central feature of these will be an agreement with the British Standards Institution, of the national standards making body. BSI will be asked to review, through its committees, the corpus of national standards, and to verify that they are suitable for use in overseas trade and public procurement, and—where appropriate—for regulatory purposes. The free movement of goods across international frontiers is an important element in maintaining and increasing our share of world trade, and during the past year the Department has continued its work in seeking the elimination of technical barriers to trade arising from disparate national standards, both within the Community through the article 100 programme and elsewhere through the GATT agreement on technical barriers to trade.The Department has continued to help a wide range of exporters who have experienced particular difficulties as a result of the policies of other governments, notably the United States of America and Japan.The Department has continued its work on administration, regulation and international negotiation in the fields of company law, commercial agency, insurance, insolvency, competition policy, patents, trade marks, copyright, civil aviation and maritime affairs.The Companies Bill completed its passage through Parliament in October 1981. Provisions to enable companies to purchase their own shares, strengthen the law on disclosure of interests in shares, implement the EC fourth directive on company accounts, utilise administrative resources more effectively in the fields of company and business names, and make other reforms have been brought into force in a series of orders made between then and June 1982.In the field of securities, Professor L. C. B. Gower was commissioned in July 1981 to review the legal protection for the investor, and increased emphasis has been given to the effective use and enforcement of existing powers and obligations.The proposals made in the July 1980 Green Paper on bankruptcy (Cmnd. 7976) will be reviewed again in the light of the recommendations made in the report of the Insolvency Law Review Committee (Cmnd. 8558) chaired by Sir Kenneth Cork. Consideration is also being given to the responses to the July 1981 Green Paper on the reform of the law relating to copyright, designs and performers' protection (Cmnd. 8302).The Director General of Fair Trading continues to exercise the powers given to him by the Competition Act 1980 to investigate alleged anti-competitive practices. Since the entry into operation of sections 2 to 10 of the Act in August 1980, the Director General has initiated nine preliminary investigations. Three of these have led to references to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, which has reported on the first reference made to it. Improved arrangements have been introduced for the scrutiny of nationalised industries' efficiency by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.The Department continues to support and encourage the tourist industry, mainly by providing financial aid to the British Tourist Authority and the English Tourist Board to promote the development of tourism. A review has also been initiated to examine, in particular, whether there is any unnecessary duplication in the overseas promotion of tourism in Great Britain. It has also been announced that in future suitable tourist projects in all parts of England will be eligible to be considered for selective assistance under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969; hitherto this assistance has been confined to the Assisted Areas.In civil aviation, we have continued to look for opportunities to liberalise access to routes and for greater competition on fares, particularly in Western Europe, where this is consistent with a reasonable return to an efficient airline.
We have encouraged the development of airports outside the London area by authorising capital expenditure at those airports at a higher level than any previous year.
The Department has also encouraged the development of more efficient methods of carrying out security checks at airports, which have helped us to reduce by more than a quarter the aviation security levy.
The Department has introduced Merchant Shipping (Liner Conferences) Bill. Its objective is to enable the United Kingdom to implement the United Nations convention on code of conduct for liner conferences, which is expected to come into force during 1983.
The Department has been actively involved in measures arising out of the Falklands crisis. In particular, acting as agents for the Ministry of Defence, it was responsible for the requisitioning or chartering of around 50 ships from trade for support of the task force and dealing with compensation for requisitioning and chartering, including insurance. This is in addition to the Department's responsibility for imposition of the export ban on arms and strategic equipment and the restrictions on imports from Argentina.
Finally, in the maritime field, the Department has continued to play an active part in the work of the International Maritime Organisation. It is our policy that the world's merchant shipping fleet should operate to the highest possible common standards of safety. We have played an important role in IMO in ensuring that priority should now be given to the enforcement of existing international regulations concerning ship safety by as many countries as possible. A new structure of certificates of competency for Merchant Navy deck and engineer officers came into force in September 1981. Protection of the health and safety of merchant seamen at work will be furthered by regulations controlling means of access to ships, providing for the appointment of safety officials aboard ship, and the introduction of a new system of reporting accidents to seamen.
There have also been important developments concerning the prevention and control of pollution at sea. The Department is strongly supporting the early adoption of a new international convention of the prevention of pollution. In addition it can now more effectively deal with marine pollution incidents using aerial dispersant spraying techniques.
Northern Ireland
Public Sector Pay Settlements
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which groups and grades in the public sector for which he has ministerial responsibility have so far settled at 4 per cent. or less in the current 1981–82 pay round.
None.
Housing Executive
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will lay the latest accounts of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive before Parliament; and whether he will make a statement.
The accounts of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for 1980–81 together with the reports of the Local Government Auditor and of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon were laid today.The matter raised by the Local Government Auditor are now the subject of consultation between the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland and the Executive. I have arranged for a statement by the Executive on these points to be made available in the Library.
Attorney-General
Charity Commission
asked the Attorney-General whether he will make a statement about his powers to direct the Charity Commission to conduct investigations and inquiries into organisations registered with them, following correspondence from the hon. Member for Nuneaton.
I have no powers to direct the Charity Commission to conduct investigations and inquiries into organisations registered with it.
Home Department
Moor Court Open Prison, Oakamoor
17.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is in a position to make a decision on the future of the Moor Court open prison Oakamoor.
I have decided that the women's open prison at Moor Court in Staffordshire should be closed by the end of this year. A welcome reduction in the women's prison population has resulted in a substantial surplus of open places for women prisoners. There is no other practicable, use for the establishment for prison purposes and its closure will release scarce resources for use where they are more needed. When other parts of the system are under acute pressure, we must use our limited resources to best possible effect. I pay tribute to the excellent work which the staff have undertaken at Moor Court and that expertise can now be deployed elsewhere in the prison service.
Imprisonment (Temporary Provisions) Act 1980
18.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make an order to bring into force section 5 of the Imprisonment (Temporary Provisions) Act 1980 and direct that up to 20,000 prisoners excluding those convicted of crimes of violence, should be released from prison within the next six months.
I have no plans at present to activate section 5 of the 1980 Act.
Crime Reduction Measures
19.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent progress has been made in the reduction of crime.
Fewer homicides and sexual offences were recorded in 1981 than in 1980. We have taken or announced measures to increase the strength, powers and effectiveness of the police, and to enhance the ability of the courts to deal effectively with offenders; and we are actively encouraging official agencies, voluntary groups and individuals to use their influence to reduce all crime.
Community Policing
20.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to monitor the development of community policing in the inner areas of major cities.
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary already keeps in close touch with developments in all spheres of policing; and our officials keep note of new policing schemes which are reported to them on a regular basis.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of Lord Scarman's recommendations for changes in policing policy have been implemented by the Metropolitan Police.
With my right hon. Friend's full support, the Commissioner is continuing with his policy of returning as many officers as possible to the beat; he is co-operating fully in the establishment of local community—police consultative groups in accordance with the guidelines issued on 16 June; and he has increased the length of initial training for recruits and extended training in street duties and personal relationships.
Shops (Sunday Opening)
22.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals for amending the law relating to the Sunday opening of shops.
As my right hon. Friend stated in his reply on 9 February to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Flint, West (Sir A. Meyer), the Government have no plans to seek to introduce legislation on this subject at the present time.—[Vol. 17, c. 304.]
Sussex Constabulary
23.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the Sussex constabulary as to whether his force is now up to its full establishment.
Sussex constabulary is now up to its present establishment of 2,823.
Police Officers (School Visits)
24.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will discuss with chief constables of police the possibility of introducing a national scheme for facilitating visits to schools by police officers on request to talk to pupils about the work of the police.
No. Forces throughout England and Wales already operate local schemes for police officers to talk to pupils about the work of the police on a regular basis.
Juvenile And Young Adult Offenders
25.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the present methods of dealing with juvenile and young adult offenders.
The measures we consider necessary to improve the present methods of dealing with young offenders are set out in the Criminal Justice Bill, which this House has passed.
Rehabilitation Of Offenders
26.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by his Department in 1981–82 on the rehabilitation of offenders.
The answer depends on how wide a meaning is given to the phrase "rehabilitation of offenders". The provisional outturn for 1981–82 on the treatment of offenders Vote, England and Wales, is as follows:
| £ million | |
| Prisons Vote (including expenditure on seconded probation officers) | 437·3 |
| Probation and After-Care Vote | 106·5 |
Prisoners (Christmas Release)
27.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were released early in view of the imminence of Christmas in each of the past three years.
Prisoners whose release dates coincide with the Christmas holiday are normally released a few days early in accordance with section 23(3) of the Criminal Justice Act 1961. Information on the numbers so released is not collected centrally. However, assuming the number due for release on those days was equal to the average daily number discharged during the year, the numbers so released were about 400 in 1979, 700 in 1980 and 1,000 in 1981.
Television Reception (North-West Norfolk)
28.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the adequacy of television reception in North-West Norfolk; and if he will make a statement.
We are not aware of any parts of North-West Norfolk that are unable to receive television services at UHF but if there is a particular problem that the hon. Gentleman would like us to consider perhaps he would let me have further details.
Victims Of Violent Crimes Bill
29.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the proposals contained in the Victims of Violent Crimes Bill.
We have not seen the text of the Bill presented by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Edge Hill (Mr. Alton) on 30 June, but, while sympathising with his general aim, we regard the specific proposals outlined in his speech to the House at that time as open to various objections of principle and practice.
Political Refugees
30.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy on the admission of political refugees from Argentina and other Latin American military dictatorhips.
As with applications from othe parts of the world, cases are considered individually, taking into account such factors as whether the United Kingdom is the most appropriate country of resettlemen and whether the applicant has effective sponsorship here.
Data Protection
31.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Her Majesty's Government expect to be in a position to introduce legislation on data protection.
The Government proposed to introduce a Bill on data protection as soon as practicable.
Liverpool (Census Returns)
32.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what study he has made of the information revealed in the census returns for Liverpool, so far as it affects his responsibilities.
Statistics from the county report and monitor—reference CEN 81 (M28)—on Merseyside and the monitor on Liverpool special area reference CEN 81 (M28/S) published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys are used, where appropriate, to provide background information on Liverpool in a number of policy areas.
Pistols (Criminal Statistics)
33.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of pistols used in crime in the most recent convenient period has been of weapons legally possessed.
This information, which could in any event relate only to crimes in which the weapon was recovered, is not readily available.
Criminal Offences
34.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal offences were committed in the first quarter of 1982; and by how much that figure exceeds the number of offences in the same period in 1981.
The information available is published in tables 1 and 2 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin, issue No. 12/82 copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Commissioner Of Police Of The Metropolis (Dismissal)
35.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the failures on several occasions with regard to security at Buckingham Palace, he will, failing the resignation of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, seek the consent of Her Majesty the Queen for his dismissal.
No.
Marches And Demonstrations (Policing Costs)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the estimated cost of policing all demonstrations, marches and meetings in 1981 requiring the presence of 100 or more police officers in the Metropolitan Police area.
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has estimated this cost as approximately £8·85 million. This figure does not include the costs of policing the civil disturbances in the Metropolitan Police district in April and July 1981.
Immediate Response Units
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any of the immediate response units of the Metropolitan Police have been deployed outside their own districts on any incidents of spontaneous public disorder since 20 April.
There has been no incident of the order of that in Notting Hill on 20 April since that date on the Metropolitan Police district. There is no central record of every occasion on which immediate response units have been deployed outside their own districts, and details of that deployment could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has issued instructions on the deployment on foot patrols or other duties of immediate response units; and if he will publish them.
We understand from the Commissioner that he has issued instructions on the structure, composition and command of the units and guidance on their deployment. It would not be appropriate to publish these operational documents, but they take full account of the fact that the units are composed of officers from the local districts where they are usually deployed and provide for their deployment on local day-to-day duties such as foot patrols.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the maximum and average periods for which Metropolitan police officers are attached to immediate response units.
We understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the average period of attachment is three months and that the question of the maximum period of attachment will be determined later this year.
Police (Pension Regulations)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why police pension regulations do not cover personal injuries received in the course of a police officer's duties if that officer is retained in the service; and if he will consider the introduction of schemes similar to those that cover officers in the fire brigades.
The purpose of a pension scheme is to provide benefits on leaving employment or on death. The police pensions scheme provides benefits broadly comparable with those in other public service schemes. With regard to the second part of his question, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 29 June to the hon. Member for Consett (Mr. Watkins).—[Vol. 26, c. 269.]
Football Grounds (Police Cover)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the studies he has made during the recent football seasons of the costs of providing police cover inside football grounds; whether he has made estimates of the demand this commitment makes on police manpower and other resources; what advice he intends to offer to police authorities on the revision of charges for such police cover to private organisations in order to bring them more into line with the actual costs of providing such services; and if he will make a statement.
It is for the chief officer of police to decide in the light of all the circumstances, including other demands upon his resources, how many officers should be deployed inside the ground at football matches in his area. Police authorities, who are responsible for determining the charges, are aware that these should reflect the full economic cost of providing the service. My right hon. Friend is reviewing the position in the Metropolis, in the light of the information available to him from other forces in England and Wales.
Psilocybe Mushroom
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in considering the question of control of distribution of the psilocybe mushroom.
The results of discussions which are currently taking place with other Government Departments and with the police will be made available to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, which will be asked again to advise on the necessity and practicability of further controls.
Exercise Hard Rock
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he now expects the Hard Rock civil defence exercise to take place; and if he will make a statement.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give the date when an exercise such as Exercise Hard Rock will now take place.
Exercise Hard Rock will be held when the Government are satisfied with the state of local planning.
Police And Security Services (Vetting Procedure)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he is satisfied that the vetting procedure for appointments to the police and security services for Royal service is adequate and takes account of the pressures on such appointments;
(2) if he is satisfied that the vetting procedure for senior appointments to the police service is adequate and takes account of the pressures on such appointments.
I shall consider these questions in the light of the report of the inquiry which, as I announced in my statement on 21 July—[Vol. 28, c. 397–407.]—I have asked Lord Bridge to undertake.
Charity Commission
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about his powers to direct the Charity Commission following correspondence from the hon. Member for Nuneaton.
I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 15 July.—[Vol. 27, c. 439.]
Extradition
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the review of the law and practice of extradition.
The interdepartmental working party on the law and practice of extradition has now completed its report and this is being published today. Copies have been placed in the Library. Copies are also being sent for comments to individuals and organisations known to have an interest in the subject. Additional copies of the report can be obtained on request from Room 452, Home Office, Queen Anne's Gate, London, SW1H 9AT. The Government intend to consider what response to make to the working party's recommendations in the light of the comments that may be received about them.
Harmondsworth (Detention Unit)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average number of persons held in the detention unit at Harmondsworth during 1981; and whether it is still the intention to rebuild the unit to provide accommodation for 200 persons, as stated in the Government's reply to the fifteenth report of the Expenditure Committee, which was presented to Parliament in June 1980.
The average daily population of the immigration detention unit at Harmondsworth was about 30 in 1981, compared with about 45 in 1979. In prison department establishments the average daily population of Persons held under the Immigration Act 1971 was about 115 in 1981, compared with about 165 in 1979.The decline in the number of persons detained under the, Immigration Act 1971 is the result of increased use of temporary admission. In view of this decline we have concluded that a new centre for 200 persons, which would have cost an estimated £3·1 million and which would not have been fully used, could not be justified in present circumstances. We have therefore decided not to proceed with the project for the time being. A number of improvements have been made to the accommodation at Harmondsworth and it is now of a higher standard than when the Expenditure Committee reported in 1978. The Government have also recently introduced amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill which it is hoped will help to reduce further the number of persons detained in prison under the 1971 Act.
Social Services
Pensioners (Intruder Alarms)
36.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider a scheme for joint financing with local authorities to provide intruder alarms at the homes of citizens of pensionable age.
This is not a function for a central Department, but local authorities provide various kinds of alarm systems in appropriate cases.
Nhs (Pay)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received from health authorities expressing their support of the most recent pay offer; and if he will name the authorities.
The letters we have received from health authorities during the current dispute in the main cannot be simply categorised as for or against the Government's announcement of the resources available for this year's negotiations. Most authorities who have written have done so primarily to express their concern at the effect the action is having on the service.
Nhs (Staff Costs)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the annual staff costs of the National Health Service at the latest date available, including salaries, wages, national insurance, superannuation, office space, heating, lighting, telephone, and so on, and what percentage this represents of the total National Health Service expenditure for that year.
The following table shows the total expenditure of the hospital and community health services in England for the financial year 1980–81 and provisional figures for 1981–82.
| 1980–81 | 1981–82 Provisional | |||
| £ million | Per cent. | £ million | Per cent. | |
| 1. Salaries and wages of directly employed staff, including national insurance and superannuation | 5,172·6 | 69·4 | 5,700 | 68·9 |
| 2. Fuel, light and power expenditure | 224·4 | 3·0 | 1,900 | 22·9 |
| 3. Telephone expenditure | 43·2 | 0·6 | ||
| 4. All other current expenditure | 1,445·2 | 19·4 | ||
| 5. Capital expenditure | 563·2 | 7·6 | 680 | 8·2 |
| 6. Total Hospital and Community Health Services' expenditure | 7,448·6 | 100·0 | 8,280 | 100·0 |
Notes
1. Information on expenditure on fuel, light and power and telephones related to staff only is not separately identified in the accounts of health authorities submitted to the Department, and is not otherwise available centrally. These figures relate to all Hospital and Community Health Services' premises including wards, treatment departments, laboratories, pharmacies, kitchens etc. as well as offices.
2. Information on the costs of office space is not separately identified in the accounts of health authorities submitted to the Department and is not available centrally.
3. Capital expenditure includes salaries and wages, expenses etc. of staff of professional and technical departments charged to capital account.
Electro-Convulsive Therapy
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many courses of treatments and treatments of electro-convulsive therapy were administered in 1980 for Runwell and Basildon hospitals.
The number of courses of treatment administered by the medical staff of Runwell and Basildon hospitals in 1980 were as follows:
| Number of Courses Completed | Number of Treatments | |
| Runwell Hospital | 172 | 760 |
| Basildon Hospital | 60 | 425 |
Mr A M Raper
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why his Department has not refunded the duplicate payments of national insurance contributions paid by Mr. A. M. Raper, national insurance number YL 2817698.
Mr. Raper has now received his refund. The Department despatched the refund to Mr. Raper on 26 April 1982. Mr. Raper reported however on 3 June that it had not reached him. After the normal inquiries a duplicate payment ws sent to Mr. Raper on 16 July, and he has since confirmed receipt of this amount.
Nhs (Expenditure)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the annual expenditure on the National Health Service in each of the past six years; and what has been the yearly percentage increase or decrease in real terms.
The following table shows total capital and gross current expenditure on health authorities' hospital and community health services, the family practitioner services and centrally financed health services from 1976–77 and the percentage real growth in services from one year to the next. The growth figures for 1981–82 includes the service growth health authorities were asked to provide through increased efficiency in the hospital and community health services, which was equivalent to 0·3 per cent. of overall expenditure in NHS in that year.
| Year | Gross expenditure on NHS, £ million cash | Real increase/decrease in services, (percentage) |
| 1976–77 | 5,149 | — |
| 1977–78 | 5,689 | 0·9 |
| 1978–79 | 6,455 | 2·2 |
| 1979–80 | 7,712 | -0·1 |
| 1980–81 | 9,917 | 1·2 |
| 1981–82 | *11,193 | 3·8 |
| * Provisional figure. | ||
Family Practitioner Committees
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent representations he has received about the future role of family practitioner committees.
Over 600 replies were received to a consultative paper "Arrangements for the administration of family practitioner services" issued in March 1981. They revealed deeply held but divided views and, after careful consideration, my right hon. Friend decided that the balance of advantage lay in creating family practitioner committees as health authorities in their own right. My hon. Friend, the former Minister for Health, announced our decision to seek legislation to achieve this when an opportunity occurred, in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Dr. Mawhinney) on 17 November—[Vol. 10, c. 111–12]. Since then, a few bodies and individuals have continued to express their opposition to this decision, but the Government's intention remains unchanged.
Social Security Statistics
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will update table 34.82 of Social Security Statistics;(2) if he will update table 34.88 of Social Security Statistics;(3) if he will update table 34.89 of Social Security Statistics;(4) if he will update table 34.31 of Social Security Statistics;
The information for which the hon. Member asks will be available shortly, and I shall write to him as soon as possible.
asked Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply on 2 July, Official Report, c. 408, when he expects to receive more recent statistics on the number of persons who are unemployed in receipt of (a) unemployment benefit only, (b) unemployment and supplementary benefit, (c) supplementary benefit only and (d) neither supplementary nor unemployment benefit than those of February this year; and if he will make such figures available.
More recent figures are in the quarterly analysis of registered unemployed claimants for May 1982, which has been placed in the Library of the House.
16 To 18-Year-Olds
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimates are available of the numbers of 16 to 18-year-olds there will be in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Cheshire in each year from 1991 to 2000.
The numbers of Residents aged 16 to 18 years on 30 June of each year, as given in the projections by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys are as follows:
| Year | United Kingdom thousands | Cheshire thousands |
| 1991 | 2,223 | 40·2 |
| 1992 | 2,111 | 38·0 |
| 1993 | 2,019 | 36·2 |
| 1994 | 1,967 | 35·5 |
| 1995 | 1,997 | 35·9 |
| 1996 | 2,081 | 37·0 |
| 1997 | 2,161 | 38·0 |
| 1998 | 2,208 | 38·9 |
| 1999 | 2,254 | 39·8 |
| 2000 | 2,318 | 40·9 |
These figures are based on the mid-1979 population estimates and do not yet take into account the results of the 1981 census.
Overseas Visitors (Health Charges)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish the final version of the manual of guidance dealing with National Health charges to overseas visitors; and if he will publish a summary of the comments received on the draft version sent out between 2 July and 8 July for reply by 31 July.
I intend to issue the Manual to Health Authorities in September. No useful purpose would be served by publishing a summary of comments received on the draft put out for consultation.
Cot Death
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a comparison concerning the incidence of cot deaths amongst breast fed and non-breast fed babies for each of the last three years.
The information is not available.
Service Wives (Benefits)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will list in the Official Report the social security and national insurance benefits to which wives of men serving in the British Army of the Rhine are or may be entitled; and in what respects the qualification rules differ from those applicable to wives of United Kingdom civilian citizens.
I shall let the hon. Member have the information as soon as possible.
National Finance
National Debt
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present total of the national debt; and, from information available from international sources, how this compares on a per capita basis with the equivalent figures for the other member countries of the EEC.
The information is set out in the following table. There is no internationally agreed definition of national debt, and the national definitions vary widely. They are affected by the different administrative arrangement of each country, in particular by differences in methods of financing local authorities and public trading enterprises and the extent to which Governments holdings of their own debts are included. Comparisons between countries need to be treated with caution.As the years for which public debt figures for other EEC countries varies, figures for the national debt of the United Kingdom have been provided for the years 1975–79 and 1982 with population figures also provided for those years.
National Debt*†
| Population║ (thousands)
| Amount of National Debt per head of population
| £ sterling▀ equivalent
| ||
| United Kingdom (£ millions) | 1975 | 46,404 | ¶55,901 | £830 | |
| 1976 | 56,585 | ¶55,886 | £1,012 | ||
| 1977 | 67,166 | ¶55,852 | £1,203 | ||
| 1978 | 79,180 | ¶55,835 | £1,418 | ||
| 1979 | 86,884 | ¶55,883 | £1,555 | ||
| 1982 | ‡117,959 | ●56,020 | £2,106 | ||
| Denmark (Kroners million) | 1975 | -3,296 | 5,060 | Kr. -651 | - £52·36 |
| Ireland (pounds thousands) | 1976 | 3,612 | 3,228 | £1·12 | |
| West Germany (D. Marks million) | 1977 | 243,932 | 61,396 | DM. 3,973 | £996·49 |
| Italy (Liras thousand million) | 1977 | 69,731·5 | 56,446 | Liras 123,536 | £76·11 |
| Belgium (Francs million) | 1977 | 1,058,690 | 9,830 | Fr. 10,770 | £172·07 |
| Netherlands (Guilders million) | 1978 | 71,084 | 13,942 | Gldrs. 5,099 | £1,261·19 |
| Luxembourg (Francs million) | 1978 | 23,326·9 | 362 | Fr. 64,439 | £1,091·82 |
| Greece⋆ (Drachmas million) | 1978 | 328,179 | 9,360 | Dr. 35,062 | £127·74 |
| France (Francs billion) | 1979 | 3,639 | 53,480 | Fr. 68,044 | £7,611·02 |
* Public debt as given in the United Nations Statistical Yearbook except (a) for the United Kingdom, for which figures are taken from the Consolidated Fund and National Loans Fund Accounts—Supplementary Statements (b) for France for which figures are taken from the IMF Government Financial Statistics Yearbook. | |||||
| † At 31 December, except for United Kingdom at 31 March and Luxembourg at 31 October. | |||||
| ‡Provisional figure. | |||||
| ║ Population figures taken from "Eurostatistics—Data for Short Term Economic Analysis" published by the Statistical Office of the European Communities except for the United Kingdom for which figures are taken from the Annual Abstract of Statistics published by the Central Statistical Office. | |||||
| ¶ Estimated figures. | |||||
| ● Projected figure. | |||||
| ▀ Exchange rates used are as at end December of the year concerned. | |||||
| ⋆ Became a member of the European Community in 1981. | |||||
One-Parent Families
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the recommendations of the Finer committee on one-parent families which relate to the work of the Inland Revenue, showing whether the recommendation (a) has been implemented, (b) is under consideration or (c) was rejected.
The position on recommendations 128–130 of the Finer report which relate to the work of the Inland Revenue is as follows:
- 128—The additional personal allowance was increased in 1975 to give single-parent families the same aggregate tax allowances as a married man with children.
- 129—Tax offices are under standing instructions to give priority to claims for repayment of tax.
- 130—The Inland Revenue have issued a special tax leaflet for lone parents: "Income Tax and One Parent Families". A further leaflet on "Income Tax-Separation and Divorce" is also relevant.
Private Health Insurance
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total value of the tax relief that has been given to those people taking out private health insurance where the employer pays the premium.
From 1982–83, relief from a charge to income tax is available to those earnings below £8,500 a year when their employer bears the expense of insurance against the cost of medical treatment. The revenue cost in a full year is estimated at about £4 million at 1982–83 income levels.
Eastern Europe (Bank Loans)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to the total of loans granted by British banks to Eastern European States in the last five years; and how the funds were distributed among the separate countries.
I regret that this information is not available. The amounts outstanding at the end of December 1981 are given in table 15 of the June 1982 edition of the Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin available in the House of Commons Library.
Falkland Islands Casualties (Charitable Funds)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that small local funds set up for casualties of the Falkland Islands campaign are not subject to deduction of tax.
I cannot comment in relation to any particular case without more details. But for small amounts raised locally and passed to a registered charity, such as the South Atlantic fund, the normal tax reliefs and exemptions are likely to prevent any tax liability.
Transport (Productivity)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the information on productivity in his reply on 25 June 1980, Official Report, c. 207–210 concerning transport, and so on; and whether he will include the corresponding figures for the whole economy less the production industries.
Corresponding figures for the whole economy less production industries were presented in the same Official Report also in columns 207 and 208. The following table brings the information up to date:
| Percentage changes | ||||
| 1979 to 1981 | 1969 to 1979 | 7959 to 1979 | 1949‡ to 1979 | |
| Whole economy less production industries | ||||
| output | -1 | +26 | +63 | +96 |
| employment* | -3 | +15 | +28 | +36 |
| output per employee | +2 | +9 | +27 | +44 |
| Transport | ||||
| output | -6 | +24 | +61 | +101 |
| employment* | -8 | -7 | -19 | -25 |
| output per employee | +2 | +33 | +98 | +168 |
| Coal mining | ||||
| output | — | -32 | -54 | -57 |
| employment* | -5 | -24 | -61 | -64 |
| output per employee | +5 | -10 | +21 | +20 |
| Shipbuilding | ||||
| output | -12 | -22 | -29 | -27 |
| employment* | -17 | -9 | -38 | -44 |
| output per employee | +6 | -14 | +16 | +31 |
| Aerospace† | ||||
| output | +16 | -9 | -26 | n.a. |
| employment* | +3 | -20 | -32 | n.a. |
| output per employee | +13 | +13 | +8 | n.a. |
| Ferrous metals | ||||
| output | -27 | -22 | -3 | +21 |
| employment* | -30 | -27 | -29 | -27 |
| output per employee | +4 | +7 | +35 | +65 |
| Percentage of Gross National Product‡ | ||||||||||||
| 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | ‡1981 | |
| Whole economy | ||||||||||||
| Gross domestic fixed capital formation | ||||||||||||
| All assets | 18·3 | 18·2 | 18·1 | 19·2 | 19·9 | 19·3 | 18·7 | 17·9 | 18·0 | 17·8 | 17·7 | 16·6 |
| Plant and machinery | 7·1 | 6·8 | 6·3 | 6·5 | 6·7 | 6·3 | 6·5 | 6·7 | 6·9 | 6·9 | 6·9 | 6·6 |
| Net domestic fixed capital formation* | ||||||||||||
| All assets | 9·8 | 9·3 | 8·9 | 9·7 | 9·7 | 8·8 | 8·1 | 6·9 | 6·7 | 6·3 | 5·7 | n.a. |
| Manufacturing industries† | ||||||||||||
| Gross domestic fixed capital formation | 4·1 | 3·8 | 3·2 | 3·2 | 3·6 | 3·3 | 3·1 | 3·3 | 3·5 | 3·5 | 3·1 | 2·6 |
| Net domestic fixed capital formation* | 2·0 | 1·7 | 1·1 | 1·1 | 1·4 | 1·0 | 0·8 | 0·8 | 1·0 | 1·1 | 0·7 | n.a. |
| Industrial and Commercial Companies | ||||||||||||
| Undistributed profits | 8·2 | 8·9 | 10·3 | 12·3 | 11·8 | 10·2 | 12·1 | 12·1 | 12·1 | 11·8 | 7·9 | 7·7 |
| * Net domestic fixed capital formation is usually expressed as a percentage of net rather than gross national product (capital consumption for fixed assets having thereby been removed from both the numerator and the denominator). Capital consumption for all fixed assets accounted for about 8½ per cent, of gross national product in 1970 (manufacturing assets 2 per cent.), and this proportion had risen to about 12 per cent, (manufacturing assets 2½ per cent.) in 1980. | ||||||||||||
| † These estimates relate to direct investment by manufacturing industry only. Assets acquired by manufacturers on lease are included, on the basis of ownership, in estimates for the insurance, banking, finance and business services industry. GDFCF on these assets was about 0·4 per cent, of GNP in 1981, and less than 0·2 per cent, in 1975. | ||||||||||||
| ‡GNP at market prices has been used as the denominator for investment percentages, and GNP at factor cost for the calculation relating to retained profits. For 1981 these GNP figures are income-based since the absence of trade figures for much of that year precludes compilation of the normal expenditure-based measure. | ||||||||||||
Exchange Rate And Earnings
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the figures in his written reply dated 3 November 1980, Official Report, c. 458, concerning movements in the effective exchange rate and earnings in various industries.
A series of figures on the effective exchange rate is published regularly in Economic Trends in table 50. More up to date figures are published daily in the Financial Times news summary, page 1.
* Employment is calculated from the mid-year estimates of all employees in employment within the United Kingdom; self-employed are excluded.
† Aerospace figures are not available for 1949 on a consistent basis.
‡ 1949 data are based on the 1948 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC); 1959, 1969, 1979 and 1981 are based on the SIC for 1968. Thus movements from 1949 to 1979 are subject to some discontinuities.
Sources: Output: Central Statistical Office.
Employment: Department of Employment.
Capital Formation And Retained Profits
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the information on capital formation and retained profits given in the reply of 9 June 1980, Official Report, c. 26–7.
The following table shows gross and net domestic fixed capital formation for the whole economy, the comparable measures for direct manufacturing investment, total investment in plant and machinery, and undistributed profits of industrial and commercial companies, all expressed as percentages of gross national product. The series run from 1970 to the latest years for which estimates are at present available.Information on average earnings by SIC headings and for the whole economy are available monthly in the
Department of Employment Gazette in table 5·3.
Gross Domestic Product
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the table about gross domestic product published in the Official Report in answer to a written question on 16 November 1979, Official Report, c. 811–12.
The latest estimates of annual changes in the gross domestic product at constant market prices in the period 1965 to 1980 for the United States of America, Japan, France, West Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom are given on page 34 of the Eurostat publication "National Accounts ESA—Aggregates 1960–1980". A copy of the publication is available in the House of Commons Library.Figures are also available of the gross domestic product or gross national product in 1981 for the United States of America, Japan, France, West Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom but these figures are based on national definitions and are not entirely comparable with the figures compiled in accordance with international definitions.
| GDP at constant market prices Percentage change between 1980 and 1981 | |
| United States of America* | +2·0 |
| Japan* | +2·9 |
| France | +0·5 |
| West Germany* | -0·3 |
| Italy | -0·2 |
| United Kingdom† | -2·7 |
| * GNP at constant market prices. | |
| † Based on output measure, at factor cost. | |
Sources: United Kingdom—latest published data.
Other countries—OECD Quarterly National Accounts Bulletin, 1982/1.
Argentina
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is yet in a position to make a statement on his policy towards investment of British funds in Argentina and the removal of the freeze on Argentine assets in the United Kingdom.
These matters are under consideration and a statement will be made as soon as possible.
Bunge And Company
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any monetary transfers were made by Bunge and Co. after 3 April to an Argentine affiliated and controlled company; whether any steps were taken to prevent such transfers; and if he can give an estimate of the amount transferred.
I shall let the right hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
Department For National Savings
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress the Department for National Savings has made in the first quarter of the current financial year towards meeting the target of £3 billion announced in the Budget for 1982–83.
During the first quarter of 1982–83 total net inflows into the Department for National Savings were £350 million, including accrued interest. To achieve the target of £3 billion for the financial year as a whole and ensure that National Savings makes a proper contribution to total funding, it will be necessary to raise the rate of inflow and I have approved the following measures:
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
Visas
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visas were issued by the consular sections of British embassies in Beirut, Damascus and Tel Aviv in each year since 1977.
The figures, which are available from 1978, of entry clearances issued for the United Kingdom are as follows:
| Beirut | Damascus | Tel Aviv | |
| 1978 | 26,516 | 9,760 | 346 |
| 1979 | 23,703 | 10,003 | 428 |
| 1980 | 19,348 | 8,938 | 768 |
| 1981 | 16,073 | 8,396 | 754 |
Antarctica (Mineral Regime)
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library any documents resulting from the recent conference of the Antarctic treaty countries on, or relevant to, the establishment of a mineral regime for Antarctica.
Yes. I have made arrangements to deposit in the Library a copy of the report adopted at the first session of the special consultative meeting on Antartic mineral resources held in Wellington last month.
Zimbabwe
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government will review the granting of financial aid to Zimbabwe while the Zimbabwean Member of Parliament Mr. Wally Stuttaford continues to be held in detention without trial and Mr. Denis Walker cannot return to Zimbabwe for fear of being arrested.
No. We have raised with the Zimbabwean Government the general question of people being detained for prolonged periods without trial and they are well aware of our concern. But as my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister explained on 2 March, as Mr. Stuttaford is a Zimbabwean national we have no authority to intervene on his behalf. The same is true of Mr. Denis Walker, who is also a Zimbabwean national.The question of our financial aid is a separate issue. The purpose of our aid is to help develop Zimbabwe's economy and thereby contribute to stability in that country.
Terrorism
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards recommendation 941 (1982) of the parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the defence of democracy against terrorism in Europe.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mr. Robertson) on 24 May.—[Vol. 24, c. 245.]
United Nations Organisation
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total level of the United Kingdom contribution to the United Nations Organisation including all the subsidiary bodies; and under what headings this is spent.
In the latest complete United Nations accounting biennium of 1980–81, the United Kingdom's assessed contribution to the budget of the United Nations, including peacekeeping, was approximately £15 million per annum. Details of the United Nations budget for the period can be found in United Nations document No. A/34/6, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.The total of the United Kingdom's contributions, both voluntary and assessed, to the budgets of the United Nations and of its specialised agencies, which are not, however, subsidiary to the United Nations, was approximately £75 million per annum.
Honduras
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British relations with the Honduran Government in the light of the involvement of Honduran troops in E1 Salvador.
We understand that, in response to guerrilla operations in the border area between Honduras and El Salvador, Honduran troops have recently been deployed with the agreement of both Governments concerned on territory which is the subject of a dispute between Honduras and El Salvador. I see no reason why this should affect the friendly relations which Her Majesty's Government maintain with the Honduran Government.
Treaty Of Tlatelolco
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in respect of Her Majesty's Government's adherence to the Treaty of Tlatelolco, he will exercise the option in paragraph 2 of article 28 to waive the requirements contained in paragraph 1 of article 28, which must otherwise be met before the treaty enters into force for the United Kingdom.
The Treaty of Tlatelolco is open for signature by States within the geographical area specified in article 25. The United Kingdom, lying outside this area, cannot be a party to the treaty or exercise the option in article 28. The United Kingdom has, however, ratified additional protocols I and II. These entered into force for the United Kingdom on 11 December 1969.
Environment
Safety Glazing
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will include safety glazing among those features which can be paid for by a home improvement grant; and whether he will introduce a scheme similar to that for loft insulation to encourage the use of safety glazing.
Safety glazing may, at the discretion of local authorities, be included in the works eligible for improvement grant, if proposed by the applicant when windows or doors are necessarily being replaced as part of a scheme of comprehensive improvement, but grant cannot be extended to cover this work on its own. I have no plans for introducing a separate scheme of grant-aid for this purpose.
Housing (Dampness)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will institute a special inquiry into the causes of dampness in both pre- and post-war housing and into new research to produce materials to combat dampness in otherwise satisfactory housing stock.
I do not consider a special inquiry is required. There is already a considerable body of work in hand, including that sponsored by my Department at the Building Research Establishment, into the damp caused by condensation and moisture penetration. My hon. Friend also establinshed last year the Housing Defects Prevention Unit at BRE to analyse defects in public sector housing and provide technical information on how these can be both avoided and cured. The unit is steered by a joint LAA-DOE committee and is preparing a series of defect action sheets, a number of which will be on aspects of dampness. These sheets will be sent regularly to public housing interests and, in collaboration with the NHBC, the private housing sector. It is for the industry to undertake new research into materials to combat dampness.
Local Authorities Management Services And Computer Committee
asked the Secretary of State fur the Environment if he will make a statement on the recent meeting between the Minister for Local Government and Environmental Services and the local authorities management services and computer committee.
Representatives of the local authority associations and LAMSAC met me on 19 July to discuss my proposal that the Department's grant to LAMSAC should cease at the end of the 1982–83 financial year. They asked that grant should be paid for a further year. I am considering the points put to me and I shall write to my hon. Friend when I have reached a decision on this matter.
Building Materials (Public Purchasing Authorities)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the National Council of Building Material Producers urging that United Kingdom public purchasing authorities should use the British Standard for all building materials.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction on 16 July to the Hon. Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant)-[Vol. 27, c. 495.] The National Council for Building material Producers has given general support to the proposals put forward in the paper to the EDC for building referred to in this reply. It has asked that in developing this initiative account should be taken of the considerable diversity within the building materials industry: the Minister has been able to reassure it that the needs and characteristics of different sectors of the industry would continue to be borne in mind in any future work.
Rate Support Grant
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give consideration to the incorporation of a home counties factor, on similar lines to the London factor, in the future rate support grant calculations.
I am considering a number of representations which have been made to me on this subject.
Architectural Qualifications
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made since 1 December 1980 regarding the proposed European Economic Commission directive on architectural quolifications.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead (Mr. Finsberg) on 1 December 1980. Discussions have taken place at official level in Brussels but no progress has been made.-[Vol. 995, c. 87.]
National Building Agency
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will bring up to date the table set out in his reply to the hon. Member for Melton on 3 December 1980, Official Report, c. 277–8, regarding the financing of the National Building Agency until the final dissolution of that body.
It is not possible to say when the National Building Agency, which is in members voluntary liquidation, will be finally dissolved. The table in the earlier reply is reproduced below, updated to 1982–83.
| Financial year | Fees and other income grant (£)‡ | Grant-in-aid (£) | Total ex-penditure (£)¶ | Staff in post at 1 April (excluding Board members)● |
| *1963–64 | — | 5,000 | — | — |
| 1964–65 | 3,157 | 196,000 | 210,771 | — |
| 1965–66 | 92,783 | 495,600 | 457,474 | 77 |
| 1966–67 | 281,498 | 500,000 | 754,324 | 175 |
| 1967–68 | 210,802 | 500,000 | 770,324 | 215 |
| 1968–69 | 286,304 | 475,000 | 758,535 | 204 |
| 1969–70 | 292,886 | 450,000 | 740,003 | 191 |
| 1970–71 | 459,571 | 420,000 | 934,780 | 188 |
| 1971–72 | 433,986 | 450,000 | 884,468 | 166 |
| 1972–73 | 598,709 | 200,000 | 791,510 | 104 |
| 1973–74 | 740,359 | 199,000 | 875,455 | 137 |
| 1974–75 | 927,316 | 230,000 | 1,079,218 | 164 |
Financial year
| Fees and other income excluding grant (£)‡
| Grant-in-aid (£)
| Total ex-penditure(£)¶ | Staff in post at 1 April(excluding Board members)●
|
| 1975–76 | 1,409,003 | 275,000 | 1,626,273 | 215 |
| 1976–77 | 1,651,850 | 330,000 | 1,914,751 | 231 |
| 1977–78 | 1,634,120 | 360,000 | 1,933,539 | 218 |
| 1978–79 | 1,988,236 | 406,000 | 2,412,470 | 237 |
| 1979–80 | 2,639,798 | 479,000 | 3,117,802 | 251 |
| 1980–81 | 2,932,217 | 564,000 | 3,469,117 | 235 |
| †1981–82 | — | 1,679,884 | — | 195 |
| 1982–83 | — | ║1,000,000 | — | 26 |
| Notes on table: | ||||
*There are no figures for fee income, expenditure or staff numbers for 1963–64 because the Agency was registered as a company on 16 March 1964; | ||||
| † Accounts for 1981–82 are not yet available; | ||||
| ‡ In addition to the figures shown in this column, from 1969–70 to 1973–74 inclusive the Agency received a deficiency grant of about £4,000 a year from the Ministry of Finance, Northern Ireland, to support the establishment of an NBA office in Belfast; | ||||
| ║ Voted provision for 1982–83. | ||||
| ¶ The figures for expenditure include both current expenditure and the amount allocated each year as a contribution to fixed assets; | ||||
| ●Figures for 1965–66 to 1968–69 and 1980–81 to 1982–83 show staff in post as at 31 March or 1 April (as available). Figures for 1969–70 to 1979–80 show average numbers of staff in post over the year; figures for 1 April are not readily available for these years. | ||||
Source:
For the grant-in-aid figures, Department of the Environment.
For the other figures, National Building Agency.
Council Houses (Ex-Service Men)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that local authorities are meeting the principle laid down in his Department's circular 60/65, and reiterated in 54/75, that priority should be given, in the allocation of council housing, to ex-Service men; and if he will make a statement.
Circular 54/75, which cancelled and replaced circular 60/65, asked housing authorities not to put ex-Service men at a disadvantage, in their housing allocation policies, through lack of residence qualification. It did not, however, suggest that they should be accorded priority over others in greater housing need. The determination of priorities is a matter for each individual authority in the light of its assessment of local circumstances.
Council House Sales
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what special measures he has taken to date, and on which local authorities, to bring about compliance with the 1980 sale of council houses; and what further action he is contemplating.
Where complaints from tenants and other information about aspects of an authority's implementation of the right to buy provisions appear to give serious cause for concern, formal inquiries are made of the authority about progress and other relevant matters. The local authorities whose right to buy progress is being monitored monthly were listed in the replies to my hon. Friends the Members for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Griffiths) on 13 May—[Vol. 23, c. 320–1.) —and Leek (Mr. Knox) 23 June— [Vol. 26, c. 281.] Where my right hon. Friend remains concerned as to whether the tenants of a particular authority have or may have difficulty in exercising the right to buy effectively and expeditiously, the authority is given administrative warning that he is contemplating using his power to intervene under section 23 of the Housing Act 1980. A notice of intervention under section 23 was sent to the Council of the City of Norwich on 3 December 1981. All cases where individual tenants appear to be having difficulty in exercising their right to buy are pursued with the council concerned.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those 10 local authorities which have made (a) least satisfactory and (b) best progress in the sale of council houses, indicating in each case the value of sales to date, the number of houses, the percentage of total council house stock this represents, and the total demand to buy.
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Paddington (Mr. Wheeler) on 12 July 1982.—[Vol. 27, c. 297.] The table referred to in that answer gives for each local authority in England the number of council house sales between April 1979 and March 1982, the council house stock and the number of applications received under the right to buy provisions of the Housing Act 1980. The table does not give figures for the value of sales and I regret that this information could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost. In assessing progress my right hon. Friend takes into account all factors that are relevant to whether an authority is making satisfactory progress or not, and this does not enable a straightforward ranking in the form my hon. Friend has requested to be provided.
Sheffield (Council House Sales)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has now examined the terms of contract and service conditions imposed by Sheffield city council on tenants who wish to purchase; and whether he is satisfied that these do not amount to a disincentive to buy.
I have been giving careful consideration to the provisions of Sheffield city council's standard form of conveyance for right-to-buy sales. My right hon. Friend has yet to be satisfied that tenants do not have difficulty in exercising the right to buy effectively and expeditiously as a result of a number of aspects of the conveyance and service charge provisions. At the meeting with representatives of the council on 19 July, I asked for further information and explanations so that my right hon. Friend may consider further the position of tenants who are seeking to exercise the right to buy from the council.
House Building
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many schemes planned for new build or rehabilitation by the Housing Corporation which have been approved by it are not able to go on site because of block 2 restrictions of capital spending.
| Distribution of pay of adults aged 18–64 years in employment for the full year 1978–79 within the PAYE system in Glasgow | |||||||
| £1-£999 | £1,000-£1,999 | £2,000-£2,999 | £3,000-£3,999 | £4,000-£5,999 | £6,000-and over | Percentages Total | |
| Males | 0 | 5 | 17 | 28 | 40 | 10 | 100 |
| Females | 4 | 35 | 37 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 100 |
The Housing Corporation's approved development programme for 1982–83 in England includes a block 2 provision—expenditure on schemes receiving tender approval in the year—of £115 million. The corporation believes that this level of provision should be sufficient to allow housing association schemes in the pipeline to proceed to tender during the year. The corporation has, however, invited any associations which regard their block 2 allocations as inadequate to discuss the problem with the corporation's regional offices.
Local Government (Audit Work)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he keeps a list of the accountancy firms recognised as competent to undertake local government audit work.
There is no such list. My Department keeps a record of the private sector auditors currently engaged in local authority audit work either because they have been selected by individual local authorities and approved by the Secretary of State to undertake individual audits, or because they have been appointed by the Secretary of State as additional district auditors. But local authorities are free to appoint an auditor from any accountancy firm provided that their choice complies with the necessary legal constraints.
Scotland
Earnings (Glasgow)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what statistical information is available to his Department about earnings bands of workers in Glasgow.
Statistics of wages and salaries for those within the PAYE system are available from a 1 per cent sample of tax deduction documents; the sample is described in "Inland Revenue Statistics 1981", and the latest data readily available relate to 1978–79. This provides some information on the pay of residents in Glasgow, although it should be noted that most employees below the tax deduction threshold are excluded from the population sampled, and that many sample cases are omitted because area of residence is not known or because it cannot be ascertained whether the employees concerned were in employment for the whole of the year. Subject to these qualifications the following table shows the distribution of pay, net of employees' superannuation contributions, in 1978–79 for employees estimated to have worked approximately a full year and who are aged 18 to 64. For these employees, all wages and salaries covered by employers PAYE returns are included, including, where appropriate, part-time earnings and some earnings below the tax deduction threshold.
Manufacturing Industry
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to reverse the decline in the numbers employed in manufacturing industry in Glasgow.
The objective of Government's economic policy is to achieve a sustained improvement in the national economy, and this will benefit manufacturing industry in all parts of Scotland. Glasgow receives special development area assitance under the Government's regional policy, while part of the Yoker area lies within the Clydebank enterprise zone. In addition, Glasgow benefits from the GEAR project, and proposals for the Scottish industrial exhibition centre, the St. Enoch's development, the West of Scotland science park and local initiatives at, for example, Port Dundas, will also help to generate new job opportunities in the area.
Industrial Investment
Asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures his Department is implementing to increase industrial investment in Glasgow.
Assistance is available to companies in assisted areas under the Industry Act to encourage investment and improve employment prospects. Glasgow is part of a designated special development area which attracts the most generous Government assistance. The schemes available to encourage innovation projects and exports are available in Glasgow and elsewhere.The recent introduction of a new scheme financed from the European regional development fund to provide a range of incentives to small and medium sized enterprises in Strathclyde will further assist.On 28 June 1982 I launched an industrial development drive in Glasgow to promote the full package of investment, innovation and exports assistance available to Scottish companies. My Department has planned a programme of seminars throughout Scotland starting in Glasgow on 6 September to which companies have been invited. An attractive new range of literature has been produced and is being sent out to the invited companies.
Job Creation
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to reduce the level of long-term unemployment in Glasgow.
We have expanded the community enterprise programme this year and introduced new schemes to open up more opportunities for voluntary work by the long-term unemployed. As announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Budget, the Manpower Services Commission has been asked to work up a major new scheme for the long-term unemployed on projects of community benefit.
Invergordon Smelter
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the current situation regarding the Invergordon smelter.
Discussions are continuing with prospective purchasers of the smelter. My right hon. Friend has undertaken to make a statement as soon as negotiations are concluded.
Policy Programme (Achievement)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement on the results of his Department in achieving the Government's policy programme since his reply to the hon. Member for Melton on 13 July 1981, Official Report, c. 316.
I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Community Land Act
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give final figures for each region or islands area for (a) 1979–80 and (b) succeeding years for staffing and administration costs relating to the Community Land Act on the same basis as those provided in the Under-Secretary of State's reply on 23 November 1979, Official Report, c. 369–72.
This information is available only for 1979–80, the last year for which accounts were required to be submitted. The figures are as follows:—
| Region | £ |
| Borders | 550 |
| Central | 4,956 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 15,840 |
| Fife | 16,952 |
| Grampian | 15,076 |
| Highland | 2,590 |
| Lothian | 41,188 |
| Strathclyde | 16,204 |
| Tayside | 660 |
| Orkney | — |
| Shetland | 8,630 |
| Western Isles | — |
| Total | 122,646 |
Children's Panel (Orkney)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to resolve the difficulties which have arisen in the children's panel in Orkney.
I understand that the right hon. Member has now received the letter sent to him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary who is responsible for health and social work notifying him of my decision not to give consent to the dismissal of the reporter to the children's panel. This decision was conveyed at the same time to Orkney Islands council.
Longriggend Remand Institution
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether a report has been received from Her Majesty's Inspector of Prisons for Scotland on Longrigged remand institution.
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons has submitted to me a report on his inspection of Longriggend remand institution. I have today placed a copy of the report in the Library, together with my response to what he has said.
Williams Committee (Recommendations)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take on the recommendations of the Williams committee on the national museums and galleries in Scotland.
I have considered very carefully the many issues raised in the Committee's report and the numerous and constructive comments on them which I have received. The report provides a framework within which our museums and galleries can develop in the years ahead and I take this opportunity to reiterate my thanks to Dr. Alwyn Williams and the members of his Committee for the considerable amount of work which they put into this inquiry.I share the Committee's view that our first priority must be to establish a museum of Scotland, which will be the prime repository for artifacts representing the cultural heritage of Scotland. This is an imaginative concept which has attracted widespread interest and support. I propose therefore at a convenient opportunity to introduce a Bill to constitute a new and widely representative board of trustees whose first task will be to create a major new institution on the basis of the collections which are at present held by the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland. I would expect the museum of Scotland, once it is established, to be enriched by material drawn from a variety of sources and to attract the wholehearted support of Scots both at home and overseas.The realisation of this project will call for the provision of additional accommodation in which the collections can be adequately housed and displayed to the public. I agree with the committee that the premises in Queen Street, Edinburgh, at present occupied by the NMAS are inadequate for the purpose, although this accommodation is shortly to be augmented with the renovation and reopening of York Buildings in the immediate vicinity. In allocating the resources available to me over the next few years for the development of museums and galleries in Scotland I will give priority to the provision of adequate accommodation for the projected museum of Scotland.The Williams Committee recommended that the Royal Scottish Museum should retain its present status as a departmental museum. I have concluded, however, that it would be in the public interest and in keeping with the arrangements for other national institutions if the responsibility for the management of this museum passed to an independent board of trustees. I shall be consulting those concerned, in particular of course the Director and representatives of the staff, about the implementation of this proposal, which will also require legislation. One of the questions which I wish to examine further, in consultation with the interests concerned, is whether it might be possible to bring the management of the RSM with its wealth of international material and that of the projected museum of Scotland under the same board of trustees, whilst preserving the distinctive character of both museums.This statement confirms the Government's commitment to the establishment of a museum of Scotland. I shall make a further statement in due course about the outcome of the consultations to which I have referred and the action I propose to take on other recommendations in the Williams report.