asked the Secretary of State for Wales 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, apart from the National Health Service where electricians, plumbers and their assistants settled within 4 per cent. Following my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services' announcement in his statement to the House on 23 June that additional resources had been made available to improve pay offers to Health Service staff, negotiations were reopened and a revised agreement within 6 per cent. has now been reached

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to introduce in Wales the 35 per cent. grant now available for farm building conversions in less favoured areas of Europe.

The possibility of a similar scheme in Wales is being actively considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of handicapped pupils in Wales at the most recent available date; what proportion of these are being educated in special classes and what proportion in ordinary classes; how these figures compare with similar figures for a period three years earlier or at a convenient earlier date; and whether they show any trend towards the integration of children with special needs into ordinary classes.

The total number of handicapped Welsh pupils at January 1981 is estimated to have been a little over 20,000. Of these, 27 per cent. were being educated in special schools or units, 36 per cent. were in special classes in primary and secondary schools and 35 per cent. were in ordinary classes in primary and secondary schools. The comparable figures for January 1978 were 33 per cent., 30 per cent. and 34 per cent. The figures show no trend towards the integration of handicapped children into ordinary classes, but they do show a trend towards the integration of handicapped children into ordinary schools in that 71 per cent. of handicapped children were being educated in ordinary schools—special and ordinary classes—in 1981 compared with 64 per cent. in 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will break down the figures in his answer of 17 March, Official Report, c. 123 on handicapped pupils in Wales, to show for each type of handicap, whether the pupils are being educated in (a) special classes in ordinary schools, (b) special units in ordinary schools or (c) special educational establishments.

The information collected on handicapped pupils in ordinary schools does not distinguish between those in special classes and those in special units. The other breakdown requested is given in the following table.

Handicapped Welsh Pupils: January 1981
		Number educated in special classes or units
Type of handicap	Total number	In ordinary schools	In special schools
Blind	50	7	26
Partially sighted	516	58	70
Deaf	181	8	118
Partially hearing	1,576	285	273
Physically handicapped	1,482	186	431
Delicate	1,039	35	3
Maladjusted	1,162	228	580
Educationally subnormal:
Severely	2,014	219	1,707
Moderately	10,231	5,547	2,043
Epileptic	701	55	4
Speech defect	596	126	62
Autistic	66	9	55
Others	460	460	—
All handicaps	*20,074	7,223	†5,372
* Includes 164 pupils educated at home and 220 pupils educated outside Wales.
† Includes 48 pupils educated outside Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many full-time teachers or full-time equivalents were employed in 1981 in Wales in (a) maintained primary schools, (b) maintained secondary schools, (c) maintained nursery schools, (d) maintained special schools and (e) independent schools.

The information is given in the following table:

Teachers employed in Wales: January 1981 Full-time equivalents
Maintained Schools	Thousands
Nursery	0·16
Primary	13·76
Secondary	15·03
Special	0·77
All maintained schools	29·73
Independent schools	1·05

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will ensure that 35 per cent. capital grants currently paid to farmers in parts of England for the conversion of farm buildings will be made available to Welsh Farmers, subject to the same conditions as apply in England.

The possibility of a similar scheme in Wales is being actively considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to the scale of proposed changes in the level of the teaching force planned for the next academic year.

In January 1982 local education authorities in England employed 420,000 schoolteachers. The expenditure plans which the Government published last March (Cmnd. 8494) assumed that in January 1983 the corresponding figure would be 405,000. I have no firm information about the intentions of the local authority employers, but if they continue to reduce teacher numbers at a rate similar to that of the last two years, the actual number of teachers employed in England for the next academic year will be around 410,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consultations he intends to have before making any final decision about the introduction of a student loan scheme.

My right hon. Friend intends to provide opportunities for wide public discussion and comment before final decisions are made on the introduction of student loans.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has had about his policy on overseas student fees.

Since the beginning of this year some 80 representations have been received by my right hon. Friend from hon. Members, students and student organisations, academic institutions and national bodies. These, for the most part, are on behalf of particular interests or seek a change in the policy itself.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Warley, East on 9 July, Official Report, c.

	Full-time and sandwich students*†	Full-time equivalent student load*	Full-time academic staff*	Student-staff ratios
University	1981–82	1980–81	1980–81	1980–81
Aberdeen	5,590	5,560	700	8·0
Dundee	3,250	3,200	415	7·7
Edinburgh	9,810	10,240	1,175	8·7
Glasgow	9,950	10,330	1,195	8·7
Heriot-Watt	2,860	3,060	270	11·4
St. Andrews	3,430	3,395	340	10·1
Stirling	2,810	2,995	260	11·5
Strathclyde	6,690	6,910	710	9·7
TOTAL	44,370	45,690	5,060	9·0
* These figures have been rounded.
† Provisional.

The trustees of the fund bought the table on their own behalf because there was no public collection in a position to purchase it. After restoration, the table will be put on display at Temple Newsam house, Leeds.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details in the Official Report of the progress which has been made in developing the use of microtechnology (a) in primary schools by pupils and teachers, (b) in secondary schools by pupils and teachers, (c) in further education by students and lecturers and (d) in higher education by students and lecturers; if he will outline the steps he is taking to further increase the use of microtechnology in each of these areas; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that the detailed information requested by the hon. Member cannot be assembled in the time available. I shall circulate it in the Official Report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish figures to show the total number of (a) students at Scottish universities during the academic year 1981–82 and (b) full-time academic staff at each university, giving the student to staff ratio in each case.

The latest information provided by the University Grants Committee is as follows.The student to staff ratios has been calculated in the normal way on the student level for 1980–81. This represents the load on teaching staffs of the full-time equivalent of full-time and part-time students on courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level, but not of those on extra-mural and continuing education courses. The staff figures relate to full-time academic staff funded wholly from university general funds.Each university provides a different mixture of subjects; and student-staff ratios vary greatly between subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will arrange for the most senior officer in charge of security at Buckingham Palace responsible for allowing the recent breaches of security to be dismissed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which officer or officers of the Metropolitan Police were immediately responsible for the security of Buckingham Palace at the time of the incident involving an illegal entry into the bedroom of Her Majesty the Queen; and whether any of these officers have been put on inactive duty or transferred pending the outcome of the investigation by Assistant Commissioner Dellow.

In my statement on 21 July—[Vol. 28, c. 397–407]—I reported that the commander, A district, has resigned from the Metropolitan Police and that the chief inspector at the palace has been transferred to other duties. Those were the two officers charged with the supervision of the uniformed officers at the palace. I also reported that four officers are subject to disciplinary inquiries and explained that my appellate responsibility precluded further comment from me on their cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the failure of the Metropolitan Police adequately to protect Buckingham Palace and the person of Her Majesty the Queen, he will supplement the investigation now being conducted by police authorities with independent appraisals from private sector security specialists.

In my statement on 21 July—[Vol. 28, c. 397–407]—1 explained that I had asked assistant commissioner Dellow, in continuing his inquiry in respect of assessments of further physical security measures, to draw on all sources of available expertise in the public and private sectors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris), from the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 14 July, Official Report, c. 409, if he will make a statement on the use of plastic bullets in the context of the motion approved by the European Parliament on banning their use.

The motion, which is not binding, does not affect the guidelines on the use of plastic baton rounds by the police in England and Wales. As I explained in the reply I gave on 19 October 1981 to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Altrincham and Sale (Mr. Montgomery)—[Vol. 10, c. 29–30]—the guidelines, which relate also to the use of CS, cover the following points:

CS or baton rounds are to be used only with the express authority of the chief officer of police—or, in his absence, his deputy—under the direction and control of a senior officer whom he has designated as officer in charge, and by police officers who have been trained in the use of the equipment and know its characteristics.

CS or baton rounds are to be used only as a last resort where conventional methods of policing have been tried and failed, or must from the nature of the circumstances obtaining be unlikely to succeed if tried, and where the chief officer judges such action to be necessary because of the risk of loss of life or serious injury or widespread destruction of property. Wherever practicable, a public warning of their use is to be given.

Only CS equipment, baton rounds and riot guns of a type authorised by the Home Office may be used for these purposes. Nothing in the guidelines will affect the principle, to which section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 gives effect, that only the minimum force necessary in the circumstances must be used. The degree of force justified will vary according to the circumstances of each case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to accelerate the decision-making process at weekends for visitors seeking to enter the United Kingdom at Felixstowe.

We are satisfied that all reasonable steps are taken to expedite the admission of visitors to the United Kingdom at Felixstowe and other ports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet reached a decision with regard to granting bargaining recognition to the new Immigration Service Union; and if he will make a statement.

No. There is nothing that I can usefully add to the reply I gave to a question by my hon. Friend on 29 June 1982.—[Vol. 26, c. 270.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to bring the British Nationality Act 1981 into force.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 December 1981, c. 456.]: On 8 July I signed a commencement order which brings the British Nationality Act 1981 into force on 1 January 1983, and I hope to lay before Parliament the main orders and regulations under the Act by the summer recess.

asked the Attorney-General if he will initiate a prosecution under the Post Office Act against persons obstructing the delivery of mail to St. Thomas's hospital.

Neither my consent nor that of the Director of Public Prosecutions is required for the institution of proceedings for any offence contrary to the provisions of the Post Office Act 1953. Neither the director nor I have received any specific complaint of any such offence having been committed at St. Thomas's hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about British funding of the Viphya pulp and paper project in Malawi.

The United Kingdom Government continue to take a close interest in the Viphya forest project in Malawi which they have supported in the past with funds for planting and maintenance. The forest was originally designated for the production of pulp and paper. However, it has become clear that large scale pulp and paper production would not be viable in Malawi owing to the development of surplus capacity in neighbouring African countries. In 1980, ODA funded a feasibility study on alternative uses for the forest. We have been in close touch with the Malawi Government and with interested United Kingdom companies on the recommendations of the study, including a proposal for the gasification of wood to produce fertilisers and petrol. This latter technology is still under development and it is thus too early to judge whether it would be appropriate for the Viphya.We have indicated to the World Bank our willingness to consider co-financing with it and possibly others, an extension of an ODA funded saw mill to produce additional timber products and further work on certain aspects of the study on alternative uses.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether Gibraltar was discussed at his meeting with the Spanish Foreign Minister in Madrid on Monday 5 July; to what effect; and if he will make a statement.

As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Proctor) on 14 July—[Vol. 27, c. 413]—I had a friendly general discussion about matters of common interest to the United Kingdom and Spain. The question of Gibraltar was mentioned but not discussed in any substance.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost to public funds of his recent visit to Madrid.

The additional cost to public funds was approximately £2,500.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many visits the Earl of Gowrie has made to the Irish Republic since he became Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office and for what purposes; and what places he visited.

My noble Friend has made one such visit. It was a one-day private visit during which he met relatives.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, (Mr. Morris), from the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 14 July, Official Report, column 409, if he will make a statement on the use of plastic bullets in the context of the motion approved by the European Parliament on banning their use.

I refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to the hon. Member for West Stirlingshire (Mr. Canavan) on 27 May 1982—[Vol. 24, c. 1042–44]—and to my hon. Friend the Member for Christchurch and Lymington (Mr. Adley) on 1 July 1982.—[Vol. 26, c. 1033–34.]

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the average number of people having access to the Palace of Westminster in a working day.

It is estimated that some 8,500 people pass through the Palace, either to work or to visit, on an average sitting day.

asked the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member for Newbury on 11 March, Official Report, column 971, about a police investigation into claims by an Irish Republican Army defector that he had an Irish contact in the House who supplied him with confidential information about hon. Members, if he will now make a statement about the results of the investigation.

No evidence of illegal activity has been uncovered.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many remedial teaching staff were employed in Scottish schools during the academic year 1980–81 to tutor children with specific reading and spelling difficulties.

The precise information requested is not available centrally. The number of teachers—expressed in full-time equivalents—principally engaged in remedial education in education authority primary schools in session 1980–81 was 898·5. Comparable information for secondary schools is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the number of public sector houses in Scotland without loft insulation up to Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations requirement.

My latest estimate, at 31 March 1982, is that approximately 330,000 public sector houses with loft spaces have no loft insulation or have less than the current requirement of 50 mm under the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the figures, at March 1982, for clients per home help in (a) the Tayside health board area and (b) Scotland.

At 31 March 1982, there were 7·5 clients per home help—whole-time equivalent—in Tayside region. Since returns are not complete, figures for Scotland as a whole are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people came on to the unemployment register in Scotland for each month during the period June 1981 to May 1982.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what conclusions he has reached about his policy for the future of the new towns in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

After consideration of the comments received on the policy statement circulated last year, I have come to the following conclusions about the future of the Scottish new towns.It is generally accepted that the new towns have been among the best means of achieving industrial growth across the central belt of Scotland since the war and that they continue to play a particularly important part in the attraction of new investment, including investment from abroad. They have an impressive record of encouraging the expansion of established industry, and have recently shown a relatively high degree of resistance to the effects of the recession. The development corporations continue to have considerable potential as central Government instruments for stimulating employment and underpinning the economy as a whole and their primary function will be to maintain their contribution to industrial growth and increased employment opportunities of all kinds.Advance provision must, however, be made for the winding-up arrangements which will commence when a new town begins to approach its designated population or if it is clearly failing in its primary functions. I have considered alternative criteria and procedures for determining just when these arrangements should commence and whether the same criteria should apply for each new town. In the light of the responses to the policy statement I have decided that winding-up should begin when a specified percentage of the new town's present designated population has been reached. Different percentages may be appropriate according to the circumstances, prospects and unique characteristics of each town.Central to consideration of the appropriate population percentage will be an assessment of the point at which the new town can reasonably be expected to become a community incorporating an acceptable mix of industry and housing, services and facilities equipped to continue to develop further alongside towns which have evolved in a more conventional fashion. As a first step towards establishing how completion could be determined and before taking any decision on the percentages, I will shortly be inviting each development corporation to submit a detailed development profile setting out what it considers has yet to be done in its town before its task is completed, together with proposed programmes to achieve this.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many persons are presently engaged on Manpower Services Commission youth employment schemes in Bearsden; and what the figures were for 1979, 1980 and 1981;(2) how many persons are presently engaged on Manpower Services Commission youth employment schemes in Cumbernauld new town; and what the figures were for 1979, 1980 and 1981;(3) how many persons are presently engaged on Manpower Services Commission youth employment schemes in Kirkintilloch; and what the figures were for 1979, 1980 and 1981.

[pursuant to his replies, 1.3 July 1982, c. 358 and 361]: Information on the numbers of young people participating in the youth opportunities programme is maintained on an education authority basis and figures for the areas requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, the attached table gives estimates of the numbers of young people on the youth opportunities programme in the area covered by the Dumbarton district of Strathclyde region, of which Bearsden, Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch form part, in June of 1981 and 1982. Information for earlier periods is only available for the combined Dumbarton and Argyll Division.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if Her Majesty's Government are in negotiation with any EEC member State or any non-EEC country offering stocks of herring or mackerel in exchange for other species of fish; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom is not in negotiation with any member State of the EEC about exchanges of potential catch quotas of herring or mackerel for other species.It was agreed at the Hague in 1976 that negotiations on fisheries with States not members of the EEC would be conducted by the European Commission.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement as to the amount of fishing and the species permitted to be caught up to 31 December in the area 6A of the North Sea.

Total allowable catches—TACs—for 1982 in the waters round the United Kingdom will in general depend upon the outcome of the negotiations for a revised common fisheries policy. Most TACs in the North Sea also depend on the outcome of negotiations between the European Community and Norway. No final decisions have yet been taken.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that there have not been any alterations in the patterns of fishing for salmon originating in United Kingdom rivers by other parties or nations which harvest those fish on their way to and from their feeding grounds and in those feeding grounds.

The growth in recent years of intercepting salmon fisheries in the North Atlantic has undoubtedly altered the exploitation pattern of salmon originating in United Kingdom rivers. Her Majesty's Government have sought with success to bring a measure of control to these activities, which is reflected in the limitations on intercepting catches of salmon contained in the European Community's agreements with Canada and the Faroes and also in the signing of the convention for conservation of salmon in the North Atlantic earlier this year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many live cattle and how many tonnes of beef and veal were imported into the United Kingdom from the Republic of Ireland during (a) 1980 and (b) 1981.

The information requested is given in the following table. I regret that import figures for August 1981 are not yet available.

United Kingdom Imports*of Live Cattle and of Beef and Veal from the Republic of Ireland
	1980	†1981
Live Bovine animals (number, thousands)	208·8	128·9
Beef and Veal:
fresh, chilled or frozen (thousand tonnes)	158·9	91·1
prepared or preserved (thousands tonnes)	7·8	7·7
* Sources: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.
† Excluding August 1981.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the levels of stocks held in public intervention storage on comparable dates in each of the past five years for each major agricultural commodity, expressed in terms of the number of days' average consumption these stocks represent, and giving figures for the latest convenient date in 1982.

The following table gives the information requested for those major agricultural commodities of which stocks are held in public intervention storage. The series begins in 1978 since Community-wide figures are not available for 1977.

European Community Public Intervention Stocks as Number of Days' Average Consumption
	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982
Olive Oil*	43	39	36	88	79
Beef†	17	11	11	12	4
Butter†	42	74	51	5	9
Skimmed Milk Powder†	156	75	38	61	92
Wheat†	6	10	15	30	‡15
Rye†	34	51	45	37	‡39
Notes
* Figures at 31 May
† Figures at 30 June
‡ Excludes Greece

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table bringing up to date the information in his reply of 8 December 1981, Official Report, c. 365–8, to the hon. Member for Grimsby concerning the consumption of basic foodstuffs, but including also barley and maize.

Estimates of food supplies for human consumption include imports, statistics on which are not yet available for 1981. Estimates of consumption per head of population will be published later this year in "Food Facts", a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House. The latest estimates of average producer prices for 1981 were published in table 26 of the annual review of agriculture 1982 White Paper (Cmnd. 8491). Figures for rates of levy for most commodities were given in reply to a question from the hon. Member as recently as 2 July.—[Vol. 26, c. 403–404.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the arrangements for different production categories for sugar beet; how much was produced in each category in each of the past five years; how the categories were allocated to farmers; and what was the average price paid for each category, including pulp payments.

Quotas established under the Community regime are allocated to sugar-producing enterprises. The differences between the three categories of sugar are that A quota sugar is subject to a maximum levy of 2 per cent., B quota sugar is subject to a maximum levy of 39½ per cent. and C sugar is not subject to levies but receives no price support and has to be sold outside the Community. The sugar manufacturers are required to pay a minimum price for sugar beet used for producing A quota sugar—A beet—and a separate and lower minimum price is set for B beet. Within the general framework set by Community regulations the allocation of A and B beet to individual farmers and the actual prices paid are a matter for agreement between the sugar producers and representatives of the sugar beet growers.Estimated production and prices—including pulp and transport allowances—of A and B beet in the United Kingdom for the last five years are as follows.No C beet was produced in the United Kingdom in any of these years:

Table 1 Production
	('000 tonnes beet)
	A	B
1977–78	6,382	—
1978–79	7,081	—
1979–80	6,902	757
1980–81	6,940	440
1981–82	7,043	352

Table 2 Prices
	(£ per tonne)
1977–78	21·93	—
1978–79	23·72	—
1979–80	28·28	28·28
1980–81	28·02	25·51
1981–82 (Prov.)	28·05	21·09

Note 1.Before 1 July 1981 no levies were applied to A quota sugar and the maximum rate of levy on B quota sugar was 30 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether Her Majesty's Government will make arrangements for the specialist arboricultural knowledge of the Forestry Commission to be available to local authorities in Liverpool, particularly in respect of diseases attacking amenity trees in the area.

The Forestry Commission's advice is always available to local authorities on matters of this kind through the arboricultural advisory and information service which it runs on behalf of the Department of the Environment. This is based at the commission's research station at Alice Holt Lodge, Wrecclesham, Farnham, Surrey.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent the decline in fruit production indicated in his reply of 20 May, Official Report, c.177, on horticultural output is due to competition from other European Economic Community countries and how much to the high price of fruit; what effect the contraction has had on the number of holdings in the fruit industry and on the number of persons engaged in it; and for how long he expects the decline to continue.

Many factors will have combined to determine production trends of the wide range of different kinds of fruit over the period covered by the information given to the hon. Member on 19 May. It is not possible to isolate the effects of competition from overseas supplies or from price. Information is not available about the number of holdings growing fruit or the number of employees on these holdings.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will estimate the offshore oil platform market between 1982 and 1984 together with associated variations in employment levels.

Three projects are at present underway: Morecambe Bay, Rough and Beatrice B. Orders have already been placed for some structures for these fields and others should follow later this year. The Department is also currently in discussion with the licencees of the North Alwyn and Clyde developments. We anticipate that the licensees will submit these projects for approval shortly and consequent orders should fall before the end of 1984.Development programmes for a number of other oil and gas fields on the United Kingdom continental shelf are under discussion between licensees and my Department and further developments could be submitted before the end of 1983.Future employment levels cannot be estimated on the basis of these prospects because employment will depend on which yards win orders and on the work content in the order.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was discussed at the Energy Council of the European Community on 27 October 1981; what was adopted at that meeting and on 3 December on energy pricing; and to what extent the United Kingdom has implemented any understanding or agreement arrived at on these two occasions.

I reported the outcome of the 27 October 1981 Energy Council to the House on 30 October—[Vol. 10, c. 400–401.]Conclusions on the implementation of previously agreed pricing principles, referred by that Council to the Committee of Permanent Representatives for finalisation, were formally agreed by the Council on 3 December. The text is contained in press release 11421/81 (Presse 158), pages VII-IX, issued by the Secretariat of the Council of the European Communities, a copy of which is in the Library. The United Kingdom remains committed to the implementation of economic pricing and greater price transparency throughout the European Community, as agreed by the Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give figures for the 12 months of 1981 to show the top 20 world oil producers in terms of (a) thousand barrels per day and (b) million tonnes per annum.

The top 20 world crude oil producers for the 12 months of 1981 were as follows:

	thousand barrels per day	million tonnes per annum
1 USSR	12,370	609
2 Saudi Arabia	10,175	500
3 USA	10,150	482
4 Mexico	2,585	128
5 Venezuela	2,170	112
6 China	2,035	101
7 United Kingdom	1,845	89
8 Indonesia	1,605	79
9 Canada	1,565	74
10 United Arab Emirates	1,510	73
11 Nigeria	1,445	71
12 Iran	1,315	66
13 Kuwait	1,150	58
14 Libya	1,120	54
15 Algeria	1.010	46
16 Iraq	900	44
17 Egypt	690	32
18 Norway	505	25
19 Argentina	495	26
20 Qatar	405	20

asked the Prime Minister to what extent a person who has been positively vetted and who is subsequently appointed to a security post has further positive vettings; and at what intervals such fresh vetting takes place.

A review of positive vetting clearance normally takes place every five years, except in the case of individuals under the age of 21, whose clearance is reviewed annually.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will consider recommending to the House an extension of the powers vested in the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration by the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967, which would enable him, as in the case of other Departments, to investigate any complaints about maladministration in the Attorney-General's Department and to report his findings thereon to the House.

No. The functions of the Attorney-General's Department are not administrative; they are part judicial and part advisory. It is therefore right that they should not come within the scope of the Paliamentary Commissioner for Administration Act 1967.

asked the Prime Minister how many copies of The Times and the Morning Star are purchased daily for the use of Government Departments and agencies.

The purchase of daily newspapers is a matter for each Department. Complete information is not readily available but the following table shows the number of copies of The Times and the Morning Star by some major Departments.

	The Times	Morning Star
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	65	8
Cabinet Office	37	1
Customs and Excise	12	2
Ministry of Defence (London offices)	35	6
Department of Eduation and Science	22	5
Department of Employment	63	12
Department of Energy	59	6
Departments of Environment/Transport	101	14
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (excluding Diplomatic Service)	99	14
Department of Health and Social Security	30	7
Home Office	35	8
Department of Industry	114	6
Inland Revenue	18	3
Management and Personnel Office	21	3
Overseas Development Administration	8	1
Property Services Agency	26	0
Scottish Office	34	2
Department of Trade	132	13
Treasury	57	11
Welsh Office	32	1

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to the reply of the Minister for Overseas Development on 19 July, Official Report, c. 16, whether Public Expenditure Survey Committee allocations from the Overseas Development Administration are being diverted to the Ministry of Defence or to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to pay for the Falklands exercise.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish figures to show the average income of those in employment in 1981; and if he will express the average in terms of modality.

The available information on income from employment is as follows:

Gross weekly earnings of full-time adult employees whose pay was not affected by absence in April 1981
		Modal range†
	Average*	£	Proportion of employees
Men	140·5	100–110	10
Women	91·4	80–90	13
Source: "New Earnings Survey".
* Arithmetic mean.
† The range (in units of £10) containing the largest number of employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is now in a position to make a statement about the future of community enterprise programmes.

My right hon. Friend announced on 15 December 1981 an expansion of the community enterprise programme in 1982–83 from 25,000 to 30,000 places.—[Vol. 15, c. 153].

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment and percentage rates for women and men in (a) Accrington and (b) North-East Lancashire; how these figures compare with those of 1979; and what has been the percentage rate increase during this period.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 July 1982, c. 34]: The following is the information at July 1979 and July 1982:

	Number unemployed		Percentage rate of unemployment		Percentage increase July 1979-July 1982
	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female
Accrington travel-to-work area
July 1979	937	503	5·4	4·1	249	222
*July 1982	3,271	1,619	19·4	12·9
North-East Lancashire
July 1979	7,089	4,149	5·6	4·8	197	151
"July 1982	21,078	10,401	16·7	11·8
* Provisional.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons who are working or are retired members of the working population have their tax papers and records at an Inland Revenue office in other than their area of residence; what is his policy on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

About 11 million taxpayers, mainly employees in London and Scotland, are dealt with in specialised PAYE offices away from their area of residence. Others may not be dealt with locally because the operation of PAYE involves bringing together the records of employees or pensioners on a single payroll. The Inland Revenue has no information of the number affected here.Most of the specialised PAYE offices were set up because of staffing difficulties in London or as part of the original computerisation plans for PAYE.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual cost involved in moving files and documents about the country to enable individuals with tax queries or problems to be interviewed near to their homes, together with the ancillary costs, such as telephone calls and additional secretarial time.

The information on which to base an estimate is not available and could not be obtained without a wholly disproportionate cost. Only a very small proportion of interviews require movement of files and documents across the country.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the net effect on the Exchequer, taking into account administrative savings to Customs and Excise, of annual collection of value added tax from registered traders having a turnover of (a) less than £50,000 and (b) less than £30,000,

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the percentage of overall public expenditure allocated to each Department of Government in the current year; what were the equivalent percentages for the year 1978–79; and what percentage change this represents in the respective departmental budgets.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now incorporate the gross domestic product earnings from North Sea oil into the Scottish gross domestic product figures instead of incorporating them in figures of earnings from the United Kingdom continental shelf.

No. To do so would attribute the whole of the contribution of the United Kingdom continental shelf to GDP to Scotland. GDP arising in the United Kingdom continental shelf is not attributable to particular mainland regions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the production of bullion half sovereigns.

I have authorised the Royal Mint and Bank of England to recommence production and distribution of bullion half sovereigns. This will be the first such production in the United Kingdom since 1915. The coins will be supplied by the Bank of England to the London bullion market in the same way as bullion sovereigns, and will be available for delivery to the market from 28 July. They will represent a British alternative to foreign gold coins of a similar size for purchasers at home and overseas.

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 July 1982, c. 293]: The financial measures against Argentine were introduced by the Gold, Securities, Payments and Credits (Argentine Republic) Directions 1982 which were laid in the House on 3 April. The governor of the Bank of England subsequently wrote to various financial institutions, including Bunge and Co. Ltd., informing then of the financial measures against Argentina. These prohibit persons or companies in the United Kingdom from carrying out an order to make a payment given by, or on behalf of, the Argentine Government or any person resident in Argentina, except with permission granted by or on behalf of the Treasury. No permissions have been granted to Bunge and Co. Ltd., and I am not aware of evidence that payments have been made in breach of the relevant directions.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many homosexuals have passed positive vetting and are currently holding positions requiring such clearance.

It would be inconsistent with the confidentiality of the positive vetting procedure for me to give information of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on human rights abuses in Iran.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath on 9 June.—[Vol. 25, c. 191.] Since the last demarche on 31 January further representations were made by the Ten and others on 17 July recalling the deep concern of the countries concerned over the position of the Baha'i community.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government propose to take any steps on recommendation No. R (82) 1 of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to member States concerning international co-operation in the prosecution and punishment of acts of terrorism.

The United Kingdom takes a firm stand against terrorism of all kinds and supports international action to prevent it. Her Majesty's Government welcome the work undertaken by the Council of Europe. We joined in preparing recommendation R (82) 1. Our procedures in the United Kingdom for dealing with requests for evidence and information, and facilities under the Extradition Act 1873 and the Suppression of Terrorism Act 1978, satisfy that recommendation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many diplomats at each diplomatic level were serving in the British Embassy in (a) Chile, (b) Ecuador, (c) Bolivia, (d) Uruguay, and (e) Brazil on 1 March; and if he will give the current figures in each case.

The information required is as follows:

	1 March 1982	21 July 1982
Chile
Diplomatic
Ambassador	1	1
1st Secretary	2	*4
2nd Secretary	2	2
Defence Attache	1	1
Non-Diplomatic	6	7
Ecuador
Diplomatic
Ambassador	1	1
1st Secretary	2	2
2nd Secretary	2	2
3rd Secretary	1	1
Defence Attache	1	1
Non-Diplomatic	3	3
Bolivia
Diplomatic
Ambassador	1	1
1st Secretary	1	1
2nd Secretary	1	1
3rd Secretary	1	1
Attache	1	1
Defence Attache	†l	†l
Non-Diplomatic	—	—
Uruguay
Diplomatic
Ambassador	1	1
1st Secretary	1	1
2nd Secretary	1	1
3rd Secretary	—	2
Attache	1	5
Defence Attache	‡1	1
Naval Attache	1	0
Non-Diplomatic	—	≑5
Brazil
Diplomatic
Ambassador	1	1
Counsellor	1	1
1st Secretary	4	3
2nd Secretary	1	2
3rd Secretary	3	3
Defence Attache	1	1
Air Attache	1	1
Naval Attache	1	1
Property Services Agency	4	4
Non-Diplomatic	10	10
* 1 MOD.
† Resident in Lima.
‡ Resident in Buenos Aires.
≑ Some temporary staff are included.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date Her Majesty's Government began the negotiations with the French Government on bilateral emergency warning arrangements concerning the notification of incidents occurring at nuclear installations which could result in radiological hazards in the other's territory; and when he expects these to be completed.

In May 1980 the French Government agreed with Her Majesty's Government in principle to the negotiation of a formal agreement concerning exchanges of information in the event of emergencies occurring in one of the two States which could have radiological consequences for the other. As I informed the hon. Member on 28 June—[Vol. 26, c. 237]—these negotiations are nearing completion and we hope that the agreement will come into force before the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why no social work training is being carried out at Rampton hospital; and if he will make a statement.

The social work department at Rampton hospital provides opportunities for students on social work courses to spend a period of time at the hospital as part of their training. Earlier this year, nursing staff at the hospital raised objections to the arrangements under which these students were sometimes involved with patients in secure parts of the hospital, unaccompanied by qualified staff. Of the three students then at the hospital, two completed their period of training there while the third one moved to another special hospital. Under existing arrangements, no further student social workers are due to be placed at the hospital until October. The Rampton hospital review board is seeking to resolve the difficulty which has arisen in order that the placement of students at the hospital can continue in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received proposing that pensioners be allowed to make free local telephone calls; and if he will make a statement.

I have received no such representations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by what criteria his Department decided that the staff of the New Cross school for dental therapists are not National Health Service staff.

The staff of the school are employed not by a health authority but by the School of Dental Therapists Limited.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why section 25 of the general Whitley council conditions of services applies to the staff of the New Cross school for dental therapists, but not section 39.

Neither section applies to the staff of the school because they are not Health Services employees, but I understand that the employing company proposes to apply redundancy payment terms similar to those in section 25 and we have agreed that the Department should fund them.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what savings will accrue as a result of transferring sick pay to the employer from the time this transfer was introduced until the end of the fiscal year 1982–83.

The statutory sick pay scheme is being introduced from 6 April 1983 so that no savings from it will accrue in the 1982–83 tax year. The financial consequences of the scheme are set out in a paper entitled "Financial Effects of Statutory Sick Pay"—April 1982—available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the level of increase of prescription charges in real terms since May 1979.

The following table gives the information requested:

	Nominal Charge	Charge at 1 April 1982 prices*
May 1979	20p	29·3p
16 July 1979	45p	62·2p
1 April 1980	70p	8·4p
1 December 1980	l00p	115·2p
1 April 1982	130p	130·0p
* Revalued according to movements in RPI.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that all costs to the National Health Service which relate to private patients in National Health Service hospital beds are being fully recorded.

I am quite satisfied that the NHS recovers the full costs of services provided to private patients in NHS hospitals. The charges currently made are set out in circular HC(82)7. The scale of charges is regularly reviewed each year and currently produces £52 million.We are currently looking at ways of improving the management of private practice within the National Health Service to ensure that all admissions are recorded and the full costs recovered.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what has been the total number of consultants and nurses involved in treating private patients in National Health Service hospitals in England for each year since 1970;(2) what has been the total number of doctor hours and nurse hours involved in treating private patients in National Health Service hospitals in England for each year since 1970;(3) what has been the cost of treating private patients in National Health Service hospitals in England for each financial year since 1970–71 in £ sterling and at constant prices.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the average cost of training a staff nurse and a consultant, for each financial year since 1970–71.

The average costs for the financial years 1975–76 to 1981–82 of training a nurse in the NHS to the standard which would enable her to register with the General Nursing Council and thus be eligible to enter the grade of staff nurse are as follows. The figure for each financial year relates to the approximate cost of a student completing training during that year. Figures are not readily available for the years 1970–71 to 1974–75.NHS nurses in training are employed by health authorities and it is not possible to identify precisely between actual training, on the one hand, and the service given to the health authorities, on the other. The costs therefore represent only the approximate cost of training over the three year course and excludes that part of the student's remuneration which is estimated to reflect the value of the services rendered to the health authorities during this period.

Cost of Training a State Registered Nurse (SRN)
Financial Year	Total Approximate Cost for 3 year Training Course
1975–76	£4,400
1976–77	£4,750
1977–78	£4,800
1978–79	£5,450
1979–80	£5,700
1980–81	*£7,200
1981–82	£8,250
* This figure takes account of the Clegg award of 13 per cent, from 1 April 1980.

Before appointment to the consultant grade it is necessary first to acquire a registerable medical qualification and then to gain suitable postgraduate experience and training in medical training grades. At 1980–81 outturn prices the average net recurrent cost to universities and the NHS of training an undergraduate medical student from university entrance to MB graduation is estimated to be about £95,000. The majority of postgraduate training and experience is gained whilst providing, under supervision, medical care for patients; it is not possible to estimate the cost of this training and experience as distinct from the contribution to patient care made by doctors in training posts.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his answer of 14 July, Official Report, c. 407, whether separate waiting lists are permitted between private and National Health Service patients if diagnosis is not "highly specialised".

Yes, except that section 62 of the National Health Service Act 1977 requires that the making available of services to private patients should not significantly disadvantage non-paying patients. Common waiting lists also apply for urgent and seriously ill patients and for highly specialised treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply of 7 April, Official Report, c. 410, regarding low income families, and in view of the errors that have subsequently been discovered in the tables in "Low Income Families", which provided the statistical basis for his reply, whether the figures given in that reply are correct; and, if not, whether he will publish corrected figures.

I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to him on 20 July 1982.—[Vol. 28, c. 144–46.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what leaflets his Department makes available in the Gaelic language.

The Department publishes no leaflets in Gaelic at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what leaflets his Department makes available in Welsh.

The Department publishes no leaflets in Welsh at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of unemployed persons in Scotland at February 1982 who had exhausted their entitlement to unemployment benefit; if he will express the figures as a percentage of all unemployed claimants on the same date; and what has been the change in those figures since February 1981.

At February 1982 there were 101,700 unemployed claimants in Scotland who had exhausted their entitlement to unemployment benefits; this was 31·7 per cent. of the total number of unemployed claimants in Scotland at that date. The comparable figures for February 1981 were 65,300 and 23·9 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish figures to show the extent to which social security State pensions and other benefits have kept in line with price rises over the past three years.

I refer the hon. Member to tables 5·1 to 5·10 of the Department's "Abstract of Statistics for Index of Retail Prices, Average Earnings, Social Security Benefits and Contributions", a copy of which is in the Library. These show for each uprating date to November 1982 the equivalent value of the principal benefit rates at November 1981 prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on progress in establishing new courses in dental hospitals for training dental therapists.

I am pleased to be able to announce that arrangements are being made to train eight dental therapists a year alongside dental undergraduates and other dental auxiliaries at the London hospital, beginning in the autumn of 1983. Discussions are continuing with health authorities with a view to making similar arrangements at a provincial dental hospital and I hope to make a further announcement by the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has yet reached a decision on the need for an enquiry into the issues raised by the development of techniques of in vitro fertilisation.

The Government have given careful consideration to the need for a broadly based inquiry into the issues raised by the development of techniques of in vitro fertilisation in addition to the examinations already under way by medical bodies and by the Council for Science and Society. We have decided that there are grounds for a wider examination of the social, ethical and legal aspects of these developments and intend to establish an inquiry with the following terms of reference:

"to consider recent and potential developments in medicine and science related to human fertilisation and embryology; to consider what policies and safeguards should be applied, including consideration of the social, ethical and legal implications of these developments and to make recommendations."

It will take the form of a departmental inquiry and will be chaired by Mrs. Mary Warnock, senior research fellow, St. Hugh's College, Oxford. The Department of Health and Social Security will have the lead responsibility and the Scottish and Welsh and Northern Ireland Offices, the Department of Education and Science and the Lord Chancellor's Department will be co-sponsors.Membership will be broad based and includes, as well as doctors and lawyers, other relevant professionals and those with experience in family policy and the child care fields; other "lay" and religious viewpoints will also be represented.In addition to the chairman there will be 15 members

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will quantify the amount of study permitted to school leavers leaving school at the end of May and commencing courses in schools or colleges in September under the 21-hour rule whilst retaining full entitlement to supplementary benefit.

[pursuant to his reply, 15 July 1982, c. 457]: Under the terms of the Supplementary Benefit (Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations 1982, which were laid before the House on 8 July, in order to take advantage of the 21-hour rule school leavers will have to have spent a period of three months immediately before commencing their course available for employment and in receipt of unemployment or supplementary benefit. The effect of this is that summer school leavers, who become entitled to supplementary benefit in the following September, will not be able to take advantage of the 21-hour rule before December.

asked the Minister for Trade what was the value of porcelain imported into the United Kingdom from Romania on an annual basis and the tonnage of china clay exported to that country.

In 1980, the latest year for which annual information is available, porcelain and china to the value of £126,000 cif were imported from Romania, and 10,479 tonnes of kaolin and kaolin clay were exported to that country.

asked the Minister for Trade whether, in deciding Her Majesty's Government's policy towards European negotiations over product liability directives and regulations, he will pay special heed to the particular problems which will arise for the British pharmaceutical industry and its innovative base.

Yes. As I told my hon. Friend on 29 June—[Vol. 26, c. 253–54.]—we expect that when the Committee of Permanent Representatives has resolved certain questions, the Council working party will resume its detailed examination of the draft directive. We wish in this context to discuss the question of pharmaceuticals taking account not only of the effects which the directive might have on the industry and victims but also those which it might have on the relationship between the health professions and patients.

asked the Minister for Trade what are the figures in proof gallons for exports of Scotch Whisky to Japan for 1981, 1980 and 1979.

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

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement on British trade with the kingdom of Swaziland.

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

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement on British trade with the Republic of Ireland.

In the six months of 1981 for which figures are at present available—January, February and September to December—United Kingdom exports to the Irish Republic were valued at £1,457 million fob and imports from that country at £952 million cif. In the first five months of 1982, exports were valued at £1,227 million fob and imports at £786 million cif.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement on British trade with the People's Republic of China.

In 1979 and 1980 Britain was in surplus in its trade with China. Complete figures for 1981 are not yet available, but the most recent monthly figures have shown a marked surplus in China's favour. The decline in our exports to China since the high levels of 1979 and 1980 may reflect in part the effect of China's current policy of economic readjustment. China remains an important potential market for the medium and longer term and both the British and Chinese Governments wish to encourage the development of trade. China's priority sectors of energy, transport, communications, light industry and agriculture are among those offering greatest potential for an expansion of British exports.

asked the Minister for Trade, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Basildon on 19 July, Official Report, c. 6, what was the substance of the comments received by his Department from the Institute of Directors concerning the creation of free ports.

The Institute of Directors suggested that every incentive which might induce larger investment flows and attract trade to the United Kingdom should be explored in detail. In particular, the institute proposed that consideration should be given to the establishment in the United Kingdom of a flexible system of bonded warehousing comparable to that now operated in the Netherlands.

asked the Minister for Trade (1) what is the total value of British investments in the Republic of South Africa;(2) what is the total value of British investments in Nigeria.

The available information relates only to overseas direct investment. The latest figures, in respect of the end of 1978, are published in table 1 of Business Monitor MA4, 1978 supplement, "Census of Overseas Assets 1978", a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Minister for Trade what controls are exercised by National Air Traffic Services over the separation and route patterns of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and other military aircraft in the vicinity of Dyce airport, Aberdeen.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1982, c. 155–6]: Within the Aberdeen special rules airspace—SRA—surrounding Aberdeen airport all aircraft must comply with instructions from air traffic control. Outside that airspace a flight information service is provided and known aircraft are given advice, which enables them to maintain safe separation from other known traffic. Some of the area is covered by radar. A system of standard routes and procedures is published in the United Kingdom "Air Pilot". This is designed to facilitate safe separation between aircraft operating in the area and between military and civil traffic but the responsibility for separation rests with the pilots, all of whom are subject to the necessary briefings by their operating companies or military formations.

asked the Minister for Trade if he is satisfied with the operation of air traffic control facilities at Dyce airport, Aberdeen; and if he will make a statement concerning recent separation difficulties and the need for secondary surveillance radar.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1982, c. 155.]: The ATC facility at Aberdeen—Dyce—Airport is operated by the National Air Traffic Services—NATS. I understand that the controller, NATS, 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 mustered. The complex air traffic situation in the area has been, and is, kept under constant review and a number of air traffic control improvements have been made as traffic has increased and after consultation with the aircraft operators.The primary radar at Aberdeen airport is to be augmented with secondary radar—SSR—as soon as the equipment can be obtained, installed and tested, and this will assist the controllers in their task.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will bring up to date the information on the steel industry given in the reply of 8 April, Official Report, c. 479, including figures for 1981–82 and output per operative or equivalent measure of productivity.