Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Thursday 9 December 1982

Trade

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

asked the Minister for Trade (1) if he will list in the Official Report in respect of the British Tourist Authority the number of staff currently employed, the cost of staff remuneration and the number of meetings held in the past 12 months by the members of the authority;(2) if he will list in the

Official Report in respect of the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites the number of staff currently employed, the cost of staff remuneration and the number of meetings held in the past 12 months;

(3) if he will list in the Official Report in respect of the Cinematograph Films Council the number of staff currently employed, the cost of staff remuneration and the number of meetings held in the past 12 months;

(4) if he will list in the Official Report in respect of the Export Guarantees Advisory Council the number of staff currently employed, the cost of staff remuneration and the number of meetings held in the past 12 months;

(5) if he will list in the Official Report in respect of the Overseas Projects Board the number of staff currently employed, the cost of staff remuneration and the number of meetings held in the past 12 months;

(6) if he will list in the Official Report in respect of the Pilotage Commission the number of staff currently employed, the cost of staff remuneration and the number of meetings held in the past 12 months;

(7) if he will list in the Official Report in respect of the Standing Advisory Committee on the Carriage of Dangerous Goods in Ships the number of staff currently employed, the cost of staff remuneration and the number of meetings held in the past 12 months.

The following is the information requested:

Body	Number of staff	Cost of staff	Number of meetings held in the past twelve months
		£
British Tourist Authority	^*336	3,303,987	11
Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites	†Nil	Nil	3
Cinematograph Films Council	†Nil	Nil	9
Export Guarantees Advisory Council	†Nil	Nil	11
Overseas Projects Board	†Nil	Nil	5 plenary 23 Specialist Groups
Pilotage Commission	‡—	—	—

Body	Number of staff	Cost of staff	Number of meetings held in the past twelve months
		£
Standing Advisory Committee on the Carriage of Dangerous Goods in Ships	†Nil	Nil	9

Notes:

^* This number excludes locally engaged staff in overseas offices.

† Support and secretarial assistance, when necessary, is provided as part of their normal duties by civil servants serving in the Department of Trade.

† The Pilotage Commission is an independent statutory body: staff numbers and costs are part of its management responsibilities.

asked the Minister for Trade (1) if he will list in the Official Report in respect of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Household Electrical Equipment the number of staff currently employed, the cost of staff remuneration and the number of meetings held in the past 12 months;(2) if he will list in the

Official Report in respect of the Company Law Advisory Panel the number of staff currently employed, the cost of staff remuneration and the number of meetings held in the past 12 months;

(3) if he will list in the Official Report in respect of the Consumer Protection Advisory Committee the number of staff currently employed, the cost of staff remuneration and the number of meetings held in the past 12 months;

(4) if he will list in the Official Report in respect of the Standing Advisory Committee on Patents the number of staff currently employed, the cost of staff remuneration and the number of meetings held in the past 12 months;

(5) if he will list in the Official Report in respect of the Standing Advisory Committee on Trade Marks the number of staff currently employed, the cost of staff remuneration and the number of meetings held in the past 12 months.

The following is the information requested:

Body	Number of staff	Cost of staff	Number of meetings held in past twelve months
Advisory Committee on the Safety of Household Electrical Equipment	^*Nil	Nil	3
Company Law Advisory Panel	^*Nil	Nil	2
Consumer Protection Advisory Committee	^*Nil	Nil	None
Standing Advisory Committee on Patents	^*Nil	Nil	None
Standing Advisory Committee on Trade Marks	^*Nil	Nil	1

Notes:

^* Support and secretarial assistance, when necessary, is provided as part of their normal duties by civil servants serving in the Department of Trade.

Electricity Consultative Councils

asked the Minister for Trade if he will seek powers to enable him to suspend from office in appropriate circumstances the chairmen or chairwomen of the electricity consultative councils.

The existing powers have been satisfactory to date but I am willing to examine them to see if they need to be altered.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will now consider dismissing the chairman of the Yorkshire electricity consultative council.

Inquiries are still taking place and I hope to have these completed very shortly.

asked the Minister for Trade if he has referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions any matters arising from his Department's investigations into the expenses claims of members of the Yorkshire electricity consultative council.

Yes. The allegations are being investigated by my Department and certain matters were put to the Director of Public Prosecutions on 26 November.

European Courts (Judgments)

asked the Minister for Trade whether there are any cases awaiting judgment pending against him in (a) European courts outside the United Kingdom and (b) the European Commission of Human Rights; if he will list any such cases in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any such cases.

Companies Act 1967 (Disclosure)

asked the Minister for Trade if he has considered raising the thresholds for disclosure of employees' and directors' emoluments under the Companies Act 1967; and if he will make a statement.

In line with the commitment made in Cmnd. 7654—"Company Accounting and Disclosure"—I have reviewed certain thresholds for the disclosure of information under the Companies Acts. In the light of this review, I have today laid regulations raising the threshold for disclosure of employees' emoluments under section 8 of the Companies Act 1967 from £20,000 to £30,000 and the threshold for disclosure of directors' emoluments under section 6 of the 1967 Act from £40,000 to £60,000. The regulations apply to accounts prepared after 31 December 1982.

Energy

Court Cases (Judgments)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether there are any cases awaiting judgment pending

	Year
	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982 (to November)
New applications	15	17	22	21	7	11
Public inquiries	6	7	3	7	—	—
Authorisations granted following a public inquiry	5	6	3	6	—	—
Applications refused following a public inquiry	1	1	—	1	—	—
Authorisations granted without a public inquiry	10	9	13	15	11	6

against him in (a) European courts outside the United Kingdom and (b) the European Commission of Human Rights; if he will list any such cases in the Official Report;and if he will make a statement.

No.

Opencast Mining

asked the Secretary of State for Energy to what extent he has a criterion of the number of objectors to a proposal to mine coal by opencast methods when he decides whether to order a public inquiry into that proposal.

Under the first schedule to the Opencast Coal Act 1958, the Secretary of State is obliged to cause a public local inquiry to be held into an application for an authorisation under section 1 of the Act if relevant local authorities, or those with an interest in the relevant land—"statutory objectors"—object to the board's application and do not withdraw their objection. The Secretary of State also has a discretion to order a public inquiry in other cases where no statutory objections to the application are sustained. It has been my Department's practice in these cases to take into account the nature and weight of non-statutory objections, rather than simply their number, in determining whether it is appropriate to exercise this discretion in a particular case.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the powers whereby either he or his inspectors conducting public inquiries can impose conditions on opencast mining working operations.

Under section 2 of the Opencast Coal Act 1958, the Secretary of State may grant deemed planning consent for opencast coal operations and make this consent subject to such conditions as he may specify. The conditions must include conditions relating to the restoration of the land. These powers are exercisable only by the Secretary of State, as the inspector conducting an inquiry under the Act has no power to grant either an authorisation or deemed planning consent.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will publish details on an annual basis to the latest convenient date of the numbers of applications made by the National Coal Board's opencast executive for opencast mining, the number of public inquiries in each year and the numbers of applications granted and refused following such an inquiry.

The information requested is as follows:

Scotland

Court Cases (Judgments)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether there are any cases awaiting judgment pending against him in (a) European courts outside the United Kingdom and (b) the European Commission of Human Rights; if he will list any such cases in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

The results in a number of cases before the Court of Justice of European Communities and the European Commission and Court of Human Rights could have a bearing on my responsibilities. These cases are listed below. In the case of Campbell and Cosans v. the United Kingdom, where the ground of action arose in Scotland, the only outstanding issue is compensation.

Court of Justice of European Communities

Case 124/81 Commission v. UK (UHT milk imports).

Case 40/82 Commission v. UK (Poultry: partial judgment already given).

Case 165/82 Commission v. UK (Equal Rights).

European Commission of Human Rights

Application No. 7442/76 Shields v. UK (Prisoner's correspondence).

Application No. 7939/77 Ferguson v. UK (Prisoner's correspondence).

Application No. 8712/79 Fischer v. UK (Prisoner's correspondence).

Application No. 9659/82 Boyle v. UK (Prisoner's correspondence, freedom of expression etc.).

Application No. 9658/82 Rice v UK (Interference with prisoner's family life).

European Court of Human Rights

Case No. 6625 Campbell & Cosans v. UK (respect for parents' wishes re corporal punishment; only outstanding issue is compensation).

Smallholders (Grants)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria he applies to determine whether or not a smallholder is deemed to be of the economic status of a crofter for the purposes of eligibility for grant assistance under the Crofting Acts.

The principal criterion used involves a comparison of the income over a three-year period of the smallholder and his or her spouse with the average earnings of a manual worker in manufacturing industry.

Prime Minister

Engagements

Q4.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q6.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q7.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q8.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q9.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q10.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q11.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q12.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q13.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q14.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q15.

asked the Prime Minister ifz she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q17.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q18.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q19.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q20.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q21.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q22.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q23.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q24.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q25.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 9 December.

Q27.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q28.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q29.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q30.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q32.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q33.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q34.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December

Q35.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q37.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q38.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q39.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official engagements for 9 December.

Q40.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q41.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q42.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q43.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q44.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q45.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q46.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q47.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q49.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q50.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q51.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q52.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q53.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q54.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q56.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q57.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q60.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q62.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q64.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q65.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q66.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q69.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q70.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q73.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q74.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q75.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q76.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q77.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q79.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 9 December.

Q80.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

Q81.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

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 Lord Shackleton on his Falklands report.

Diego Garcia

Q5.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Diego Garcia.

I have at present no plans to do so.

President Mitterrand

Q16.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to meet President Mitterrand.

Q48.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to meet President Mitterrand.

Q58.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to meet President Mitterrand.

Q68.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to meet President Mitterrand.

Q71.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to meet President Mitterrand.

Q72.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to meet President Mitterrand.

Q78.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to meet President Mitterrand.

I saw President Mitterrand at the European Council in Copenhagen last week. I have no plans to meet him again in the immediate future.

Moscow

Q26.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will pay an official visit to Moscow.

I have no plans to do so at present.

President Reagan

Q31.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to meet the President of the United States.

On present plans, at the next economic summit in May 1983.

Economic Policy

Q36.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the effect of the Government's economic policies on employment.

The current tragically high level of unemployment largely reflects the failure of previous Governments' policies to tackle the deep-seated problems of the economy. The Government have made it clear that these will not be solved overnight though considerable progress is already being made: inflation has fallen sharply and, over the past two years, underlying industrial productivity and competitiveness has improved. While unemployment remains high, however, the Government will continue to alleviate its effects on the worst afflicted groups through substantial spending on special employment schemes.

Family Income

Q55.

asked the Prime Minister if she will estimate the cost of achieving a £2 post-tax increase in the income of a two-child family by (a) increasing child benefit, (b) increasing the married man's tax allowance and (c) increasing the average level of male earnings.

To achieve a £2 post-tax increase in the weekly income of a two-child family by raising child benefit would mean an increase of £1 per child at a cost of £550 million in a full year. Alternatively, to increase the net income of a basic rate taxpayer by £2 a week, the married man's tax allowance would need to be raised by £350, at a full year cost of £1,170 million. To achieve a £2 increase in net income, gross earnings would need to rise by around £3·25 per week for households paying income tax at the basic rate and national insurance contributions at the contracted-in rate and earning less than the NIC upper limit. A figure for the cost corresponding to those for the first two options cannot be given in this last case.

Ministerial Appointments

Q59.

asked the Prime Minister if she will reduce the number of Ministers in her Administration.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, Central (Mr. McNamara) on 30 November 1982.—[Vol. 33, c. 112.]

Commonwealth Visits

Q61.

asked the Prime Minister which Commonwealth countries she plans to visit in 1983.

At present the only firm plan I have is to visit India in November 1983 to attend the next Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.

Taxation

Q63.

asked the Prime Minister by how much the income tax and national insurance payable by a married man with two children on average earnings has increased since May 1979.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him yesterday by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary.

Anglo-Japanese Trade

Q67.

asked the Prime Minister what progress she has made with the Japanese Government, since her return from Japan, in persuading them to adopt more reciprocal attitudes towards Anglo-Japanese trade.

As I told my hon. Friend on 26 October, in my recent talks with the Japanese Government I underlined the steps Japan should take so as to reduce its large trade surplus with the United Kingdom. Officials have been following up a number of specific issues in Tokyo, including possible areas of industrial collaboration. The new Japanese Government are well aware of our concern about the need for faster progress in opening Japan's market to our exports.

Flags Of Convenience

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the co-operation between the Department of Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in ensuring that the widest possible range of charges are pressed against the owners and operators of flag of convenience British-registered Spanish fishing vessels when offences of manning levels, manning nationalities and the provision of adequate life saving equipment are believed to have been committed.

I am satisfied that there is the closest possible co-operation between the Department of Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in enforcing manning and safety regulations. The Department of Trade carries out inspections to ensure compliance with these regulations. In addition, any deficiencies discovered by MAFF officers in the course of their duties are immediately reported to the Department, and appropriate action is taken. Five ex-Spanish fishing vessels have been detained in recent months until safety deficiencies were corrected.

Unemployment (West Midlands)

asked the Prime Minister what has been the increase in unemployment in the Black Country area of the West Midlands since May 1979; what steps are to be taken to restore the unemployment position in the Black Country to that of May 1979; and if she will make a statement.

In the Black Country area of the West Midlands unemployment has increased by 75,498 since May 1979. Government policies have reduced inflation and interest rates, removed many rigidities in the labour market, and given extensive industrial support especially for new technologies and small firms. However, new jobs will be created only as firms develop and regain markets for goods and services with products which surpass those of our competitors in design, manufacture, quality, price, delivery and service.The renewed success of firms such as Jaguar, whose workers have regained lost markets, most clearly demonstrates the path to success.

Falkland Islands

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied that sufficient means will exist in 1983 to maintain information and cultural links between the United Kingdom and the Falkland Islanders, in view of the decision by the British Broadcasting Corporation to end its programme "Calling the Falklands"; and if she will make a statement.

The British Broadcasting Corporation's "Calling the Falklands" programme is not ending. In 1983 the present temporary pattern of three broadcasts a week will be replaced by a permanent pattern of two broadcasts a week.

Arab League

asked the Prime Minister whether she imposed any conditions upon her receiving the Arab League delegation which is to visit the United Kingdom; and, if so, what are those conditions.

We wished to receive an Arab League delegation in London and still hope to do so.We sought in confidential exchanges to resolve a difficulty about the composition of the delegation in a way consistent with our well-established principles, in particular our attitude to contacts with the PLO.This has not so far proved possible, but we remain in touch with all those concerned.

Home Department

Voluntary Organisations (Grants)

57.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the total amount given by Government Departments in grants to voluntary organisations during the last financial year.

About £140 million was paid by Government Departments direct to voluntary organisations in 1981–82.

Metropolitan Police (Training And Recruitment)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, as the police authority for the Metropolitan Police district, he has made any representations to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the subject of training of recruits and cadets.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind the recent publicity given to essays said to have been written by cadets at Hendon. My right hon. Friend has asked the Commissioner for a full report on this.

Armed Robberies

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish information showing the increases in robberies involving firearms, month by month, between 1980 and 1981, showing each district of the Metropolitan Police and each force separately.

Provision of all the information requested would involve disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any correlation can be established between the disturbances in July and August 1981 and the incidence of armed robberies in that year.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

Civil Disorders

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish information showing the civil disorders which took place, month by month in 1980 and 1981, showing each district of the Metropolitan Police and each police force separately.

The term "civil disorders" is not susceptible of precise definition for this purpose, and is not generally employed to categorise information held centrally. Home Office statistical bulletin issue 20/82 summarises special returns provided by 25 named police forces on people arrested in serious incidents of public disorder in July and August 1981; the incidents covered are ones which, in the opinion of those forces, were more serious than would normally be expected in their areas.

Criminal Offences (Penalties)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give consideration to introducing more severe criminal penalties and to increasing the maximum penalties for those convicted of violent acts against the elderly and disabled.

The maximum penalties for acts of this kind are already severe. The most serious offences of violence, including robbery and assault causing grievous bodily harm, carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The Court of Appeal has repeatedly made it clear that most robberies and offences involving serious violence are offences for which medium or long-term custodial sentences are appropriate. It is for the courts alone to determine the appropriate sentence in individual cases, but the vulnerability of the victim is clearly an important consideration in deciding the type and length of sentence to be given.

Provisional Sinn Fein

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the exclusion orders against the members of Provisional Sinn Fein who have been invited to visit London next week.

After an application by the Metropolitan Police, I have signed exclusion orders in respect of Gerard Adams, Daniel Morrison and Martin McGuinness under section 4(1) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1976. The orders were delivered yesterday in Belfast.

Social Services

Pension Clawback

58.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much revenue he anticipates will be gained by the pension clawback he is considering.

As my right hon. and learned Friend made clear in his autumn statement on 8 November, the Government's public expenditure plans for the social security programme include a reduction of expenditure in 1983–84 of £180 million. That adjustment was made having regard to the fact that the price forecast of 9 per cent. at the last Budget will be higher than the actual rise in prices. The reduction does not represent a judgment on the precise level of the 1983 uprating either generally or in respect of particular benefits, since decisions about that uprating will be made at the time of next year's Budget.

Children (Employment)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he has taken to bring into force the Employment of Children Act 1973; and when he expects this Act to be fully implemented.

Consultations with local authority associations took place in 1975 and 1977. Because of the resource implications for local authorities, it was decided that the introduction of the provisions of the Act would not be justified. It remains inappropriate to impose these further responsibilities on local authorities, but I am glad to say that many authorities have amended their byelaws in the light of the Act's provisions.

Mr Hugh Hourigan

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on the action taken by his Department to bring charges against the dentist Hugh Hourigan of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, found guilty at Aylesbury Crown court of claiming more than £300,000 illegally from the

Summary information on social security earnings rules: December 1982
Benefit	Earnings limit or disregard	Effect on benefit of earnings
1. Category A or B retirement pension (including basic component, invalidity addition, increments, and increases for dependants)	£57 a week^*	If the retirement condition is satisfied then for up to five years after minimum pension age pension reduced by 5p for each lop of the pensioner's earnings between £57 and £61 and by 5p for each 5p earned over £61. the rule ceases to apply after age 65 (women) or 70 (men)
2. Increase of benefit for wife or woman having care of child(ren) of beneficiary receiving
(a) Sickness or injury benefit, maternity allowance or unemployment benefit (beneficiary under pensionable age)	£15·45 a week^*	No increase payable if the wife's/dependant's earnings exceed the limit shown
(b) Sickness, injury or unemployment benefit (beneficiary over pensionable age)	£18·85 a week^*	No increase payable if the wife's/dependant's earnings exceed the limit shown

National Health Service; what were the costs involved in bringing this action; what were the results; and what action has or will be taken to claim back this £300,000.

The action which resulted in the conviction to which the hon. Gentleman refers was taken by the Dental Estimates Board, the police and the Director of Public Prosecutions. Information on the cost of the criminal prosecution is not available. The Buckinghamshire family practitioner committee which had made the arrangements with Mr. Hourigan for the provision of general dental services, had in 1979 already commenced civil proceedings to recover moneys improperly paid to Mr. Hourigan, and had also taken steps to prevent the removal of Mr. Hourigan's assets out of the jurisdiction of our courts. Having regard to the prosecution of those civil proceedings, it would not be proper for me at this stage to go into any further details.

Mental Patients

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the planning and preparation of moves of the mentally ill from hospitals for care and integration into the community takes sufficiently into account the views of those concerned.

My reply to the hon. Member of 17 November 1982—[Vol. 32, c. 198.]—dealt with the general issue of liaison and co-ordinated planning for discharges. The interests of the individual client and his family, if any, are paramount. It is desirable for discharge after a long spell in hospital to involve preparation of the client for the move, including advice on what awaits him and any options.

Earnings Rule

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list each of the social security benefits for which there is an earnings rule, stating in each case (a) the level of earnings at which the rule comes into effect and (b) the effect of the rule on the benefit.

The earnings rules which can effect entitlement to social security benefits serve a variety of different purposes and apply in various different ways. Summary information relating to the present rules is set out in the following table.

Benefit	Earnings limit or disregard	Effect on benefit of earnings
(c) Contributory and non-contributory invalidity pension, unemployability supplement and Category A and C retirement pension (dependant residing with beneficiary)	£45·00 a week^*	Increase is reduced by 5p for each 10p of wife's dependant's earnings between £45 and £49 and by 5p for each 5p earned over £49
(d) Contributory invalidity pension and unemployability supplement (dependant not residing with beneficiary)	£18·85 a week^*	No increase payable if wife's/dependant's earnings exceed limit shown
(e) Non-contributory invalidity pension and Category C retirement pension (dependant not residing with beneficiary)	£11·80 a week^*	No increase payable if wife's/dependant's earnings exceed limit shown
(f) Invalid Care Allowance	£11·80 a week^*	No increase payable if wife's/dependant's earnings exceed limit shown
(g) Category A retirement pension (dependant under pension age and not residing with beneficiary)	£19·70 a week^*	No increase if wife's/dependent earnings exceed limit shown
3. Unemployment benefit	£2 a day^*	No benefit payable if claimant's earnings exceed limit shown
4. Invalid Care Allowance	£12 a weeks†	No benefit payable if claimant's earnings exceed limit shown
5. (a) Sickness benefit	£20 a week^*	If work can be regarded as therapeutic ie is undertaken as part of treatment as hospital patients or for similar beneficial cause then earnings permitted up to limit. No entitlement to benefit where work undertaken which is not regarded as therapeutic
(b) Injury benefit	£20 a week^*
(c) Invalidity benefit	£20 a week^*
(d) Non-contributory invalidity pension	£20 a week^*
6. Unemployability supplement	£1,040 a year	There is no entitlement to the supplement if the claimant is capable of earning more than £,040 a year
7. Supplementary Benefit
(a) Claimant	Disregard of £4 earnings a Week‡	Benefit is reduced by £1 for every £1 of claimant's own earnings over £4 a week
(b) Claimant's wife	Disregard of £4 earnings a week‡	Benefit reduced by £1 for every £1 of wife's earnings over £4 a week
(c) One-parent families	Disregard of £4 a week, plus half the next £16 of earnings‡	Benefit reduced by 50p per £1 of earnings from £4 to £20 a week and by £1 per £1 above £20
8. Family Income Supplement	Prescribed amount for a one-child family is £82·50 a week (plus £9 for each additional child)	FIS is equal to half the difference between the family's gross income (including earnings, but excluding child benefit) and the prescribed amount, up to a maximum of £21 for a one-child family plus £2 for each additional child
9. FROM APRIL 1983
Housing benefit (for claimants not in receipt of supplementary benefit)
(a) Claimant	£18 a week disregards║	Varies with individual circumstances
(b) Spouse	£5 a week disregard║	Varies with individual circumstances

Notes:

^* Gross earnings, less national insurance contributions (where relevant) and reasonable work expenses—fares, trade union subscriptions, tools, overalls and so on.

† Gross earnings, less reasonable work expenses—not tax or NI contributions where relevant.

‡Earnings net of tax and NI contributions, and reasonable work expenses.

║ Benefit assessed on gross income, less statutory disregards.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on how many occasions during the last year it has been necessary to require repayment of pensions because of the application of the earnings rule.

Statistics are not centrally collated on overpayments to pensioners who are subject to the earnings rule.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimate he has made of the cost of administration of the earnings rule.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) on 29 November 1982.—[Vol. 33, c. 82.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the latest estimate he has of the number of pensions which are reduced by reason of the earnings rule.

In week commencing 26 July 1982 it is estimated that 4,054 pensioners—2,437 men and 1,617 women—had their pension either reduced or extinguished by the earnings rule because of the level of their own earnings.

Non-Medical Hospital Staff

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on his proposed review by a senior figure from private industry of nonmedical manpower on hospital staffs.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolks North (Mr. Howell) on 30 November 1982.—[Vol. 33, c. 133.]

Hospital Ancillary Services

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Altringham and Sale (Mr. Montgomery) on 24 June, Official Report, c. 171–72, what further guidance he intends to issue to health authorities allowing them to put domestic and auxiliary services in hospitals out to tender.

I am considering the form of this advice, but meanwhile there is nothing to prevent authorities seeking competitive tenders for these services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many new hospitals are using private contractors for domestic and ancillary services.

I regret that information about use of contractors is not available centrally in this form.

Blood Supplies

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in which health authorities there is a shortage of blood.

We are not aware of significant shortage of blood in any region.

Hospital Waiting Lists (Macclesfield)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the length of the hospital waiting list in the Macclesfield health district.

The numbers waiting for inpatient admissions and out-patient appointments at 30 September 1982 the latest date for which figures are available were 2,302 and 1,658 respectively.

Vehicle Allowances

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the increase in car maintenance costs which have taken place since July 1978 when the war pensioners' vehicle scheme allowances were last increased, he will now increase the allowances; and if he will make a statement.

I am pleased to announce that the car maintenance allowance and the private car maintenance allowance will both be increased from 1 January 1983.The car maintenance allowance is intended as a contribution towards the cost of maintaining a car loaned by the Department under the war pensioners' vehicle scheme. The rate of the allowance is related to the age of the car, and at present ranges from £60 to £160 a year. The new rate will range from £90 to £250 a year.War pensioners who are eligible for the loan of a car may choose instead to receive a private car maintenance allowance as a contribution towards the cost of running their own vehicles. This allowance will be increased from £350 to £550 a year.Both allowances are exempt from income tax, and recipients do not pay vehicle excise duty.The car maintenance allowance is received by some 4,800 war pensioners in England. The private car maintenance allowance is received by some 1,250 war pensioners in England. The increase in the car maintenance allowance will also benefit some 1,700 people in England who are not war pensioners, but who still have vehicles provided by the Department under the former invalid vehicle scheme.Arrangements have been made to pay similar increases to recipients in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Everyone concerned will be given details of the increase when they receive their first enhanced payment.

Drugs (Deaths And Injuries)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the annual number who (a) die and (b) are seriously and permanently damaged as a result of drugs; and if he will detail the sources of his estimate.

1980 data from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys show a total of 2,524 deaths where the underlying cause was use or misuse of drugs. This represents 0·4 per cent. of all deaths. Provisional figures for 1981 are 2,370 and 0·4 per cent. These figures include deaths following accidental poisoning, drug dependence and other forms of abuse or misuse of medicinal products. Drugs may have been mentioned in the certification of other deaths which have been classified to the condition being treated or to the condition actually causing death but these are not routinely tabulated.The statistics are not available on which an estimate of the numbers of people seriously and permanently injured by adverse effects of medicinal products could be based.

Pharmaceutical Companies (Compensation)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many pharmaceutical companies are known to have given voluntary compensation to people damaged by their products.

I have little information on this matter, as pharmaceutical companies are not required to inform the Department when such payments are made.

Neonatal And Perinatal Mortality

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the neonatal and perinatal mortality rates for the five Birmingham district health authorities, subdividing to a basis of local authority wards.

The latest available neonatal and perinatal death rates are for 1981 and the following figures are for the health districts of Birmingham as constituted at the time. Data for local authority wards are not compiled. Rates for health districts can vary quite widely from year to year, owing to the small numbers of events occurring each year.

Neonatal and perinatal mortality rates for the five Birmingham health districts, 1981
	^*Neonatal mortality rate	†Perinatal mortality rate
Central (Birmingham) HD	6·8	14·2
East (Birmingham) HD	9·2	12·8
North (Birmingham) HD	5·6	8·6
South (Birmingham) HD	5·1	8·2
West (Birmingham) HD	9·2	16·0

^* Per thousand live births.

‡ Per thousand live and stillbirths.

Overseas Visitors (Health Treatment)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many overseas visitors have been charged for National Health Service treatment; and what is its total income in each regional health authority area since 1 October;(2) how many extra staff have been recruited to administer the new procedures for the National Health Service treatment of overseas visitors;(3) if the new procedures for charging overseas visitors for National Health Service treatment have been introduced in all hospitals;(4) if he will list the home countries of all overseas visitors who have been charged for National Health Service treatment since 1 October.

The information sought in these questions is not available centrally.

National Health Service Buildings (Asbestos Lagging)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions are being issued to ensure that asbestos lagging used on pipes in National Health Service buildings is replaced as soon as possible; and what steps are being taken in the meanwhile to protect employees and patients in those buildings where it is known asbestos has been used.

The Department does not advocate the wholesale removal of asbestos; such disturbance of the material could create hazards which would not otherwise arise. Guidance was given to health authorities in 1976, and is still extant, that asbestos in good condition should be sealed and left undisturbed. A code of practice was issued to health authorities in 1978 on safe practices when working with asbestos and a safety information bulletin is about to be sent to them drawing attention to new guidance from the Health and Safety Commission introducing more stringent standards from 1 January 1983.

Current legislation and Health and Safety Commission guidance apply to health authorities and thus premises are subject to inspection by the Health and Safety Executive.

Voluntary Organisations (Grants)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish details of grants to voluntary organisations from his Department during the financial year 1982–83 showing the amount awarded to each organisation.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 November 1982, c. 87.]: The tables show details of the headings under which the Department gives grants—and grants in aid—to voluntary organisations. As will be apparent, the details will or may have changed by the end of the financial year, but the information given is the fullest now available.

Grants approved for 1982–83 under section 64 of Health Services and Public Health Act 1968
	£
General Scheme (Sub Head K 2(1))
Action for Dysphasic Adults	7,500
Action on Smoking and Health	115,000
Advocacy Alliance	10,000
Age Concern	228,000
Alcohol Counselling Service	5,000
Alcohol Education Centre	68,000
Alcoholic Hostels	^*191,050
Alcoholism Community Centres for Education Prevention and Treatment	15,450
Alzheimer's Disease Society	8,000
Apex Trust	7,000
Association Aide a Toute Detresse	5,200
Association for all Speech Impaired Children	8,000
Association for Independent Disabled Self Sufficiency	1,000
Association of Breast Feeding Mothers	1,850
Association of Carers	5,000
Association of Professions for the Mentally Handicapped	6,000
Association of Residential Communities	12,000
Asthma Society	2,000
Baby Life Support Systems (BLISS)	3,500
Back Pain Association	12,750
Bexley Moorings	10,500
Birmingham Settlement	9,000
Blenheim Street Agency	7,600
British Association for Adoption and Fostering	243,000
British Association of Immediate Care	25,000
British Deaf Association	21,000
British Diabetic Association	1,500
British Institute of Mental Handicap	24,000
British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association	30,000
British Red Cross-Cosmetic Camouflage	2,070
British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society	5,000
Brook Advisory Centres	30,000
Calibre	8,000

^* Estimate-Hostels claim deficit revenue grant.

	£
General Scheme (Sub Head K2(1))
Campaign for Single Homeless People	24,000
Campaign for the Mentally Handicapped	14,000
Catholic Marriage Advisory Council	27,000
Centre for Policy on Ageing	44,000
Centre on Environment for the Handicapped	22,000
Chest Heart and Stroke Association	5,000
Child Accident Prevention Trust	56,685
Child Poverty Action Group	15,000
Children's Legal Centre	9,500
Church of England Children's Society	56,000

	£
City Roads Crisis Intervention	85,804
Clock Tower Association	4,750
Coeliac Society	7,500
Combat Huntington's Chorea	10,000
Community Drugs Project	5,300
Community Projects Foundation	18,750
Community Service Volunteers	11,000
Cope	70,000
Crossroads Care Attendant Schemes Ltd.	45,000
Cruse	70,000
DHSS Award to mark the World Assembly on Ageing	5,500
Dial UK	12,500
Disablement Income Group	15,000
Downs Children's Association	6,000
Dr. Barnado's	227,535
Elizabeth House Association	10,500
Family Forum	17,126
Family Holiday Association	2,500
Family Planning Association	99,600
Family Rights Group	18,250
Family Service Units	158,000
Family Welfare Association	104,930
Fluoridation Society	15,000
Gingerbread	48,000
Hampshire Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders	20,000
Handcrafts Advisory Association for the Disabled	8,800
Handicapped Adventure Playground Association	1,625
Headway Association	5,000
Helping to get Mentally Handicapped Children out of Hospital—£ for £ Scheme	53,500
Hertfordshire Standing Conference on Drug Abuse	1,700
Holiday Care Service	5,000
Home Base	7,500
Home Start Consultancy	19,000
Hungerford Day Centre for Drug Addicts	12,700
Independent Adoption Society	4,000
Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence	136,000
International Hospital Federation	30,000
International Social Service	30,000
International Voluntary Service	18,000
Invalids At Home Trust	2,400
L'Arche Ltd.	10,000
La Leche League of Great Britain	1,750
Leicester Council for Voluntary Service	15,450
Leonard Cheshire Foundation	12,000
Liverpool Alcoholism Services	27,687
London Voluntary Service Council	12,000
Mastectomy Association	6,000
Maternity Alliance	23,200
Medical Commission on Accident Prevention	22,600
Medical Council on Alcoholism	70,300
Mencap	234,000
Mental After Care Association	30,000
National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society	3,000
National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders	164,000
National Association for the Childless	13,000
National Association for the Deaf/Blind, Rubella Handicapped	12,000
National Association for Maternal and Child Welfare	5,000
National Association for Mental Health	325,000
National Association for Patient Participation in General Practice	1,000
National Association for the Welfare of Children in Hospital	50,000
National Association of Leagues of Hospital Friends	10,000
National Association of Victims Support Schemes	8,150
National Association of Youth Clubs	17,900
National Childbirth Trust	15,000
National Childminding Association	55,000
National Children's Bureau	130,650

	£
General Scheme (Sub Head K 2(1))
National Children's Home	1,875
National Council for One Parent Families	100,000
National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations	32,586
National Council for Voluntary Organisations	20,000
National Council on Alcoholism	241,000
National Eczema Society	7,500
National Federation of Kidney Patients	3,000
National Foster Care Association	21,453
National Listening Library	15,000
National Marriage Guidance Council	20,000
National Out of School Alliance	31,000
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children	193,000
National Youth Bureau	56,800
Norfolk Childrens Projects	45,500
Northern Regional Association for the Blind	49,015
Nottingham Council for Voluntary Service	23,800
Opus	5,500
Organisation for Sickle Cell Anaemia Research	8,000
Outset	9,000
Overseas Doctors Association	7,000
Parent to Parent Information on Adoption Services	4,500
Parents for Children	46,000
Partially Sighted Society	11,000
Physically Handicapped and Able Bodied	15,000
Plymouth Night Shelter	10,434
Possum Users Association	7,750
Pre-School Playgroups Association	350,000
Rainer Foundation	65,375
Rape Counselling and Research Project	20,000
Richmond Fellowship	7,750
Rother Help Centre	22,075
Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation	230,000
Royal School for the Blind	7,000
Samaritans	90,000
Save the Children Fund	150,750
Sexual and Personal Relationships of the Disabled	31,200
Sheffield Family Service Units	8,750
Sickle Cell Society	8,000
Social Work Training Grants	97,442
Society of Voluntary Associates	9,750
Southern and Western Regional Association for the Blind	62,624
Spastics Society	86,000
Spinal Injuries Association	15,000
Standing Conference on Drug Abuse	60,000
St. Albans Diocesan Council for Social Responsibility	22,075
St. John Ambulance	42,000
Study Commission on the Family	15,000
Sue Ryder Foundation	8,000
Talking Newspapers Association of the United Kingdom	750
The Patients Association	5,000
Toy Libraries Association	41,000
Turning Point	72,500
Venture 12 Project	20,000
Voluntary Council for Handicapped Children	29,850
Voluntary Organisations Liaison Committee for Under Fives	3,750
Volunteer Centre	64,315
Westminster Pastoral Foundation	60,000
Widows Advisory Trust	10,000
Winged Fellowship Trust	7,000
Womens Aid Federation (England)	100,000
Womens Health Concern	3,250
Womens National Cancer Control Campaign	74,600

Applications from other organisations are under consideration, and further applications may be received.

Grants paid to registered voluntary children's homes. (Subhead H1(1)(a))
Voluntary organisations	£
The Fellowship of St. Nicholas	1,600
The Adollum House Trust	1,350
TOTAL	2,950

Grants paid to assisted community homes (Subhead H1(1)(b))
Voluntary Organisation	£
Barnado's	33,000
Catholic Child Welfare Society (Diocese of Middlesborough)	83,655
Catholic Child Welfare Society (Diocese of Leeds and Hallam)	17.095
Catholic Children's Rescue Society (Diocese of Salford) Inc	37,127
Brirmingham Diocesan Rescue Society (Father Hudson's Homes)	1,965
TOTAL	172,842

Grants paid to date under the opprtunities for volunteering scheme (sub-head K9)
	Amount paid £
Age Concern England	382,000
Pre-School Playgroups Association	47,000
British Association of Settlements and Social Action Centres	89,800
RADAR	136,500
Consortium on Opportunities for Volunteering—General Fund	714,800
British Council of Churches	184,300
MENCAP	60,700
NACRO	84,000
Community Service Volunteers	61,300
Church of England Children's Society	40,300
MIND	84,200
Spastics Society	27,500
Royal National Institute for the Blind	50,800
Panel of Four Royal Natinal Institute for the Deaf	22,500
Barnardo's	55,000
National Association of Leagues of Hospital Friends	10,450
The Volunteer Centre—for Monitoring the Scheme	7,478·50
Total	2,058,628·50

Grants for social work training (sub-head H5)
Approved Expenditure	£
National Institute for Social Work	147,750
National Children's Home	55,900
VORTEX	9,129
Volunteer Centre	1,530
Total	214,309

Notes:

1. Payments made to date. Final amount not yet determined.

2. Amount approved. Of this £23,250 relates to approval initially given for 1981–82.

Grants to voluntary organisations under Schedule 5 of the Supplementary Benefits Act 1976 (as amended) (Sub-Head B (3)552) (a) General Scheme Grants
The following grants have been approved for 1982–83.
Voluntary organisations	Amount approved 1982–83
	£
1. Aberdeen Cyrenians	4,100
2. Birmingham Committee for Night Shelter	6,400

Voluntary Organisation	Amount approved 1982–83 £
3. Birmingham, St. Anne's	5,300
4. Birmingham, St. Basil's	6,300
5. Brighton, YMCA	4,600
6. Cambridge Cyrenians	1,200
7. Cardiff Cyrenians	3,500
8. Coventry Cyrenians	4,600
9. Edinburgh, People's Palace	5,800
10. Exeter, Shilhay	4,600
11. Glasgow, Kirkhaven	3,000
12. Guildford Cyrenians	2,300
13. Leeds Cyrenians	1,200
14. Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Crypt	3,500
15. London, Bondway	12,700
16. London, Centrepoint	8,100
17. London, Theatre Girls' Club	8,100
18. Lowestoft Night Shelter	3,500
19. Manchester Night Shelter	8,100
20. Norwich Night Shelter	5,800
21. Nottingham, Help the Homeless	3,800
22. Oxford Cyrenians	6,900
23. Plymouth Night Shelter	3,500
24. Portsmouth, Harbour Committee	1,600
25. Portsmouth, St. Petroc's Community Trust	4,100
26. Preston, Homeless in	3,500
27. Sheffield, Joint Standing Committee	5,800
28. Stockton Churches Mission to the Single Homeless	4,600
29. Stoke, Potteries Housing Association	4,100
30. Swansea SASH	4,100
31. Swindon Cyrenians	3,000
32. Taunton Association for the Homeless	4,600
33. Tyneside Cyrenians	4,600
34. Wolverhampton Overnight Shelter Group	5,000
35. Worcester, St. Paul's	3,500
Total	165,400

(b) Camberwell Replacement Scheme Topping-up (Revenue) Grants

Project	Revenue
	£
	^* (a)Projects approved in 1981–82
North Lambeth Day Centre, 2 Walcorde Avenue	5,431
Single Homeless Project, 18 Palmerston Road	2,551
New Horizon Youth Club, 80 Sandringham Road	4,036
Bondway Shelter, 39 Knatchbull Road	9,748
Bondway Shelter, 50 Balham Park Road	10,008
Circle Trust Club, 36 Chadwick Road	6,023
Circle Trust Club, 314 Coldharbour Lane	7,034
Single Homeless Project, 43–44 The Park	8,644
Single Homeless Project, 93–95 Kings Cross Road	15,803
Total 1981–82	69,278
^* (b)Projects approved 1982–83
Single Homeless Project, 27 Norwich Road	6,930
North West Kent Hostel Association, 68 Elliott Row	5,430
Single Homeless Project, 321–323 Katherine Road	7,468
Patchwork Community, 7–8 Micawber Street	1,945
Peter Bedford Trust, 43 Tollington Road	5,932
Peter Bedford Trust, 114 Forest Road	1,225
St. Mungos Community HA Ltd, 25 Claremont Road	3,006
St. Mungos, 64–66 Argyle Street	15,047
Single Homeless Project, 126 St. Georges Avenue	6,255
Single Homeless Project, 47 Knox Road	5,031
Total 1982–83	58,269

^* These annual grants are payable from the opening date of the project. Most projects will not open until 1983–84 or later.

Grant to the Kings Fund Centre:

Year ending 31 December 1982 (Sub-head K2(2))—£287,000. Intermediate Treatment Fund:

Grant in aid (Sub-head K5)—£436,000.

The Department also provided £3,818,000 for the year ending 31 December 1982 to help families with very severely disabled children (Sub-head K3). This is disbursed through the family fund, which is administered by the Joseph Rowntree memorial trust.

Employment

West Midlands

59.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number and percentage of employees in (a) Birmingham and (b) the West Midlands employed in the following sectors in May 1979 and the latest available date (i) primary, (ii) manufacturing, (iii) construction and (iv) services.

The following table gives the numbers and percentage of employees in employment in the West Midlands in the industry groups specified at June 1979—figures for May are not available—and June 1982, the latest date for which provisional estimates are available. Figures are also given for the gas, electricity and water industries, which do not fall within the groups specified. A corresponding analysis of employees in employment in Birmingham is not available.

	Employers prosecuted	Informations laid^*	Convictions	Total penalties (£)
1977	12	44	32	985
1978	11	26	25	2,055
1979	9	14	13	620
1980	8	18	18	975
1981	4	5	5	350

^* One case can cover several informations.

Prosecutions taken by other authorities for the illegal employment of children are not reported to the Health and Safety Executive.

Consett

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of male persons available for work in the Consett travel-to-work area have been in receipt of grants in respect of Manpower Services Commission, European Economic Community and other officially supported training courses, in total and by scheme, in each month since September 1980.

This information is not available.

Voluntary Organisations (Grants)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all the grants obtained by voluntary organisations in Wales from the European social fund during the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

There have been no grants from the European social fund to voluntary organisations in Wales alone in the years 1980–82, inclusive. A few national

Thousands
	June 1979		June 1982^*
Standard Industrial Classification, 1968	Number	As a percentage of total	Number	As a percentage of total
Primary (Orders I & II)	55	2·5	53	2·8
Manufacturing (Orders III-XIX)	964	43·6	725	38·4
Construction (Order XX)	106	4·8	85	4·5
Gas, Electricity and Water (Order XXI)	29	1·3	28	1·5
Services (Orders XXII-XXVII)	1,055	47·8	998	52·8
	2,209	100·0	1,889	100·0

^* Provisional.

Children (Illegal Employment)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many employers were prosecuted by the Health and Safety Inspectorate for the illegal employment of children; how many cases and convictions were involved; and what were the total penalties for each year since 1977.

The following table shows details of prosecutions for illegal employment of children, taken by the Health and Safety Executive's inspectors.voluntary organisations received grants from the fund in this period, a proportion of which will have been used to support operations in Wales.

Unemployment Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish his figures for the number unemployed for the Birmingham area for each month since May 1979 on the old and the new basis.

Unemployment figures for the Birmingham travel-to-work area on both the old and the new basis are only available for October 1982, when they were 125,788—old basis—and 115,605—new basts. Figures on the old basis for earlier dates were published month by month in the Employment Gazette, copies of which are in the Library. The number of unemployed claimants—new basis—in the Birmingham travel-to-work area at 11 November was 114,806.The scale of the difference between the old and new basis for October 1982 would not apply in other months.

Manufacturing Industry

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the net loss of jobs in manufacturing industry in (a) Birmingham and (b) the West Midlands since May 1979.

Precise information about job gains and job losses is not available, but an indication of the net effect can be seen by comparing levels of employees in employment at different dates. Between May 1979 and September 1982, the latest date for which a provisional estimate has been made, the number of employees in employment in manufacturing industries—orders III-XIX of the Standard Industrial Classification 1968—in the West Midlands decreased by 249,000. A corresponding figure for Birmingham is not available.

Youth Opportunities Programme

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of young people in (a) Birmingham and (b) the West Midlands who have completed a youth opportunities programme, have entered employment (i) after six months and (ii) after one year in 1979, 1980, 1981 and for the latest available date.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Wainwright) on 6 December 1982.—[Vol. 33, c. 378.]

Industrial Training Boards

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what financial support will be made available for each of the industrial training boards for the year 1983–84; and how this compares with each of the preceding five years.

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

Redundancy Fund

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is proposing to vary the employment protection allocation of employers' class 1 national insurance contributions to correct the imbalance of the redundancy fund and the maternity pay fund.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he proposes any changes other than that contained in the Employment Protection (Variation of Limits (No. 2)) Order 1982 in the redundancy payments scheme to affect the income and outgoings of the redundancy fund to ensure that it is kept within the limits prescribed by the statutes.

The income to the redundancy fund for the financial year 1983–84 will be cut by a reduction in the employees' primary class I contribution from 0·35 per cent. to 0·25 per cent. Provision for this is made in the Social Security (Contributions, Rerating) Order 1982.No other changes are proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if the redundancy fund is at present overdrawn; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take to bring it back into balance.

The deficit in the redundancy fund is currently £225·8 million, and is being gradually reduced by repayments to the national loans fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if the limit on the borrowing power set by the Redundancy Fund Act 1981 has been exhausted; and if he will be seeking a further extension of the borrowing power in order to finance the outgoings from the fund.

The Redundancy Fund Act 1981 raised the borrowing limit to £200 million, which could be raised again by order to £300 million. This £300 million limit was introduced by the Redundancy Fund (Advances out of the National Loans Fund) Order 1981—SI 1981 No. 1744—and has not been exceeded.We have no plans to seek an extension of the borrowing power and no such extension is necessary to finance outgoings from the fund.

Closed Shop

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is now in a position to publish the draft of a revised code of practice on the closed shop.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Eggar) on 8 December 1982.—[Vol. 33, c. 534.]

Court Cases (Judgments)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether there are any cases awaiting judgment pending against him in (a) European courts outside the United Kingdom and (b) the European Commission of Human Rights; if he will list any such cases in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

The European Commission has instituted proceedings before the European Court of Justice alleging that United Kingdom legislation for which my right hon. Friend is primarily responsible does not comply with the equal treatment directive, which provides for the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for women as regards access to employment, vocational training, promotion and working conditions. The Government have expressed the view that United Kingdom legislation already complies with the directive. In addition, two cases against the United Kingdom, involving a total of seven applicants, which involve matters for which my right hon. Friend is primarily responsible are currently outstanding before the European Commission of Human Rights. The cases concerned are Eaton and others v the United Kingdom and John C. Reid v the United Kingdom. Both involve dismissals from closed shop employment for which there was no domestic remedy during the currency of the last Government's Trade Union and Labour Relations Acts 1974 and 1976, but for which there would have been a domestic remedy had the Employment Act 1980 been in force at the time. The Government are seeking to secure a friendly settlement of both cases.

Industry

New Businesses

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many new businesses have been created in (a) West Yorkshire, (b) Kirklees and (c) the Huddersfield travel-to-work area in 1979, 1980 and 1981 and for the latest date available; and how many of these new businesses have subsequently moved.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many new businesses were created in the London borough of Islington in 1979, 1980, 1981 and to the latest date available; how many jobs were involved overall in each year; how many of these businesses have subsequently (a) moved from the borough or (b) been bankrupted or liquidated; and what job losses were involved, respectively.

This information relating to new businesses is not available with this detailed geographical breakdown.

Radio Telephone Network

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what progress has been made towards the selection of an operator for the second national radio telephone network.

Five applicants submitted bids in the competition to select a licensee to run a national radio telephone network in competition with the Securitel consortium led by British Telecom.When the competition was announced the guidelines issued by my Department were drafted on the assumption that the applications would be based on the cellular radio technology to be chosen by British Telecom. Because of problems which arose before the closing date of the competition on 30 September my Department issued on 3 September 1982 revised guidelines permitting the submission of applications based on any appropriate form of cellular radio technology, but on the understanding that the successful applicant could be required to employ a different form of technology as a condition of obtaining a licence.Accordingly, my consultants, SRI, have evaluated the applications on a basis which is neutral between the different forms of cellular technology and each applicant's choice of technology will not influence my decision on that application.In the course of its general assessment of the applications. SRI formed the view that none of them could be recommended for acceptance in the form originally proposed. I agreed that SRI should approach all the applicants to discuss these shortcomings and in three cases to give the applicants a chance to submit revised proposals.SRI has done this, and on 30 November I received its report. This is now being considered by my advisory panel on telecommunications liberalisation. I hope to receive its views shortly and to announce later this month whether the Government have confirmed their provisional decision to license two competing radio telephone networks, and, if so, to announce the name of the second licensee.As soon as I have announced the result of the competition there will be consultations between my Department, the Home Office, British Telecom, the successful private sector applicant and the Securitel consortium so that an early choice can be made amongst all the various forms of cellular radio technology which are available.It is my intention that our new radio telephone service should commence operation in January 1985 when the relevant radio frequencies become available.

Buxted Poultry Factory, Gainsborough

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, pursuant to the answer of 30 November. Official Report, c. 155, what discussions his Department has now had with regard to the purchase of Buxted poultry factory, Gainsborough, by W. Hermans & Sons Limited of East Markham, Newark; and whether he will make a statement.

Discussions of this nature are a matter of commercial confidence between the Department and the company concerned.

Court Cases (Judgments)

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether there are any cases awaiting judgment pending against him in (a) European courts outside the United Kingdom and (b) the European Commission of Human Rights; if he will list any such cases in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

There are nine separate applications to the European Commission of Human Rights concerning compensation under the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977 in which the respondent is the United Kingdom Government and in which my Department has a responsibility. The Government are contesting these applications and the Commission has arranged a hearing on some of the issues in the week beginning 24 January 1983. I regret that, under the Commission's rules of procedure, the contents of all case files, including the names of the applicants, are confidential, and I am therefore unable to list the applicants in the cases in question.

Wales

Hospital Plan

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report details of progress made in each Welsh health authority towards implementing the proposals contained in the 1966 hospital plan; and what further progress is expected before 1 April 1984.

The present position on each of the proposals is as follows:

Health Authority and Scheme	Position
Gwynedd
Bryn-y-Neuadd Hospital, Llanfairfechan	Phase I completed, no further phases are envisaged
Bangor area—district general hospital (Ysbyty Gwynedd)	Phase I is completed, except for certain additional and remedial works and is expected to be fully in use by Spring 1984. Phase II is tentatively programmed by the DHA for 1985–86
Clwyd
Rhyl area—district general hospital (Ysbyty Glan Clwyd)	Phase I completed and fully in use; Phase II tentatively programmed by the DHA for 1987–88
Maelor General Hospital (Wrexham District General Hospital)	Completion of Phase I anticipated January 1985. Further phases provisionally programmed to start in 1985–85
East Dyfed
Llanelli Hospital—additional patient accommodation and treatment facilities	Plans have been revised, advance works are in progress and construction of a new acute hospital is proposed to commence in 1984
West Wales General Hospital, Glangwili, Stage 4	Completed
West Wales—New hospital for the mentally sub-normal Stage I	Plan to be reconsidered in the light of the Government policy of integrating the handicapped into the community.
Pembrokeshire
Upgrading County War Memorial Hospital and a new hospital at	Completed
Withybush—Stage I
Withybush—further stages	Further phases are under consideration by DHA
West Glamorgan
Morriston Hospital—Stage 1 area laundry	Proposals were revised and an area laundry established at Llansamlet
Morriston Hospital—Stage 2 and further stages	It is now proposed to redevelop the hospital to a district general hospital—work commenced in December 1980, the first phase being due for completion in March 1985
Singleton Park Hospital, Swansea	Stage 3 expected to be ready to start in 1983–84
Neath General Hospital	Stage 1 completed
	Stage 2 due for completion in November 1984
Mid Glamorgan
Bridgend General Hospital	Stage 2 due for completion in December 1984, Stage 3 tentatively programmed by the DHA to commence in 1986–87
Merthyr area—district general hospital scheme (Prince Charles Hospital)	Stage 1 completed, further stage tentatively programmed by DHA to commence in 1985–85
East Glam Hospital—further stages	Tentatively programmed by the DHA for 1984–85
South Glamorgan
Ely Hospital, Cardiff, additional patient accommodation and treatment facilities	Completed
Llandough Hospital, Penarth—development	Expected to be ready to start in September 1983
Gwent
Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny—Stage 2	Completed
Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport—Stage 2	Development phased, the first stages have been completed and the final stage (Stage VI) tentatively programmed by the DHA to commence in 1985–86
West Monmouthshire area—new general hospital (West Gwent)	This proposal is to be the subject of a feasibility study following the completion of the planning of Royal Gwent Stage VI
St. Cadoc's Hospital Caerleon—replacement of wards	Completed

Unemployment Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he plans any measures to reduce the level of unemployment in the Lampeter area; and if he will make a statement.

The travel-to-work area is well placed to benefit from Government policies and programmes providing both employment and training opportunities and in particular the work of the Development Board for Rural Wales and the Welsh Development Agency.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many men, women and young persons have been out of work for more than six months, one year, and two years in the Port Talbot travel-to-work area; and what were the comparable figure for one year and two years ago.

The latest information relates to October 1982 and is as follows:

	Unemployed Over 6 Months	Unemployed Over One Year	Unemployed Over 2 years
October 1982
Males	5,519	3,790	1,775
Females	2,039	1,086	414
Young People aged under 20 years	1,001	462	68
October 1981
Males	4,688	2,845	632
Females	1,793	896	210

	Unemployed Over 6 Months	Unemployed Over One Year	Unemployed Over 2 years
Young People aged under 20 years	749	311	18
October 1980
Males	1,849	989	448
Females	1,007	439	179
Young people aged under 20 years	330	68	5

Rubens Cartoon

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether his consent was required for the National Museum of Wales to spread its payments for the Rubens cartoon over three years; whether it was given; what inquiries he made before so doing; and what financial adjustments were made as regards the spending profile of the museum for those three years.

No such consent was required. Over the three years in which the purchase was financed the normal public expenditure re-pricing adjustments were made to the museum's purchase grants.

Court Cases (Judgments)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether there are any cases awaiting judgment pending against him in (a) European courts outside the United Kingdom and (b) the European Commission of Human Rights; if he will list any such cases in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of no such cases.

Welsh Water Authority

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what consultation he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Water Authority concerning the right of the press to attend meetings of that authority.

None.

Housing Association Movement

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will continue to give financial support in future years to the Welsh housing association movement.

Yes. For 1983–84 the Housing Corporation has received an allocation of £41·3 million, which maintains, in real terms, the level of support provided for the housing association movement in Wales in the current year.

Education And Science

Overseas Students

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department has any information on the number of foreign students who came to the United Kingdom for language courses over the past five years; and what is the trend in numbers taking these courses.

The following table gives the number of overseas students who took courses in languages, literature and area studies in universities and major establishments of further education in the United Kingdom.

1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82
				estimated
2,590	2,770	2,520	2,400	1,930

In addition, a significant number of students have taken English language courses run by the private sector. Their number cannot be estimated accurately, but it is thought to be of the order of 20,000 a year.

European Space Agency

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much the European Space Agency is spending on its scientific programme; what United Kingdom participation there is in it; and if Her Majesty's Government will take steps to expand the programme.

The European Space Agency has a budget of 102 million accounting units for its mandatory science programme—about £55 million at current exchange rates. The Government, through the Science and Engineering Research Council—SERC—pays about 14 per cent. of the above amount. This percentage, according to the agency's convention, is proportional to the United Kingdom's gross national product. In addition, the SERC pays a contribution to ESA's general budget-as does the Department of Industry-and supports university groups in this country to enable them to provide instruments for, and make use of, the agency's science missions.Expansion of the agency's mandatory science programme would require the unanimous consent of all member States. While such expansion would enable more excellent science to be done, I understand that the SERC rightly has regard, first, to the scientific balance of its whole space programme and, secondly, to other calls on its overall budget.

Assessment Of Performance Unit

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if the assessment of performance unit in its recent operations has been concerned with languages other than English.

The National Foundation for Educational Research has been commissioned to develop on behalf of the APU test material for the assessment of 13-year-old pupils in French, German and Spanish. The first national survey is planned for June 1983.

Adult Education

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he has decided to extend the remit of the adult literacy and basic skills unit into the wider field of adult basic education as defined in the Advisory Council on Adult and Continuing Education report "A Strategy for the Basic Education of Adults".

It is not the Government's intention to extend the remit of the adult literacy and basic skills unit into the wider field of adult basic education.

Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1982

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will present to Parliament regulations to correct errors in the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1982.

The amending regulations of which I informed the House in the recent debate on the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1982 will be laid before Parliament as soon as practicable.

Court Cases (Judgments)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether there are any cases awaiting judgment pending against him in (a) European courts outside the United Kingdom and (b) the European Commission of Human Rights; if he will list any such cases in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

Of the applications against the United Kingdom Government which are at present before the European Commission of Human Rights and of which the Government have been notified, six directly concern education in England. All of these applications relate to the use of corporal punishment in schools.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Common Agricultural Policy

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what special concessions to benefit United Kingdom producers and consumers, respectively, were obtained in the 1982 price negotiations under the common agricultural policy.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement which I made in the House on 19 May.

Margarine (Fish Oil)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of fish oil has been used in the manufacture of margarine in the United Kingdom in each of the past 10 years.

The percentages from manufacturer's returns are as follows:

Year	Percentage	Year	Percentage
1972	42·8	1977	33·8
1973	39·4	1978	41·7
1974	41	1979	47·6
1975	42	1980	46·7
1976	38	1981	^*48·6

^* Revised figure.

Opencast Coal Mining

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information is available to his Department as to the length of time land, under the auspices of his Department, reverting to it following opencast coal mining and backfilling operations, normally requires for stabilisation before it is deemed suitable for release for either agricultural or industrial development; and whether he will make a statement.

Where land held by the National Coal Board for opencast coal working is to be restored for agricultural use, my Department, upon completion of the mining operations and the restoration of the site, supervises as agent for the board a programme of agricultural aftercare which normally covers a period of five years.

Subsidised Butter

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that supplies of subsidised EEC butter will be available to independent grocers in sufficient quantity and at prices which will allow their clients, especially in areas of high social need, to benefit from the concession.

This butter is being allocated to the trade in proportion to its normal market share. It is for the trade itself to arrange sales and distribution to retailers. I am sure it will be fair in dealing with its own customers. A maximum retail price of 44p per 250g has been fixed for this butter. While prices will vary according to the varying costs involved in selling to different shops and in different parts of the country, I expect that consumers would generally be able to obtain this butter at prices significantly below those for normal butter supplies in the recent past.

Northern Ireland

Assembly

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will request the Northern Ireland Assembly to debate the future of the New University of Ulster;(2) if he will request the Northern Ireland Assembly to debate the Black report on fishing in Northern Ireland.

The principal policy decisions on the Black report and the future of the New University of Ulster have already been taken by the Government. It is, however, for the Assembly to determine what matters it will debate. I will, of course, refer to the Assembly, in due course, any draft Orders in Council necessary to implement the Government's decision on these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Reporta list of the various orders and other reports and papers which he intends to ask the Northern Ireland Assembly to debate in the next three months, detailing when each such order, report and paper was first published and the date by which comments were invited from interested parties.

I have already referred the following proposals for draft orders to the Assembly for consideration:

Title of proposal	Date of publication	Closing date for comments by interested parties
General Consumer Council (Northern Ireland) Order	30 September 1982	8 November 1982
Rates (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order	29 November 1982	7 January 1983
Licensing (International Airports) (Northern Ireland) Order	3 December 1982	14 January 1983

In the next three months it is my intention to refer the following proposals, which have been amended to take account of comments received during the consultation period, to the Assembly for consideration:

Title of proposal	Date of publication	Closing date for comments by interested parties
Property (Discharge of Mortgage by Receipt (Northern Ireland) Order	25 February 1982	8 April 1982
Access to the Countryside (Northern Ireland Order	15 February 1982	13 April 1982
Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order	8 July 1982	3 September 1982

In addition, the following proposals for draft orders will be referred within the next three months to the Assembly, as soon as they are published.

Proposal for a draft Housing (Northern Ireland) Order

Proposal for a draft Fire Service (Northern Ireland) Order

Proposal for a draft Education (Northern Ireland) Order

Assembly Members may, if they so wish, debate the numerous departmental reports which have been sent to them since October. It is not my present intention to request the Assembly specifically to debate any of these reports, but several are already the subject of motions tabled for debate. I shall ask the Assembly to consider the following consultative papers to be published before the end of February 1983:

(a) Consultative document on education and training of mentally handicapped children.

(b) Discussion paper on co-operation between statutory and voluntary sectors in the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland.

(c) Regional strategic plan for the health and personal social services.

(d) Consultative document on planning control.

Ruc (Service Medal)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will now make a statement about the qualifying date for the Royal Ulster Constabulary service medal.

The RUC service medal is unique. No other police force in the United Kingdom enjoys the distinction of such a medal nor is there any precedent for its award. It is an acknowledgement of the difficult and dangerous conditions under which RUC officers have been working and living since 1971, which carry risks of an altogether different order from those faced by the RUC before 1971 or by any other police force in the United Kingdom since then.Before 1971 the RUC was very much involved in dealing with riots and civil disorders of various kinds. In 1969 and 1970, three members of the force were killed, and a considerable number injured, in the course of duty. In recent years other police forces in the United Kingdom have also had to face civil disorders of a similar kind, and policemen have been killed and injured from time to time in the course of their normal police duties.Since 1971 the RUC, unlike other forces, has continuously been the target of terrorist attacks which are the consequence of a deliberate policy of assassinations. Members of the force are a principal target by virtue of their occupation. This campaign of terrorist assassination has been recognised as the justification for the award of the service medal. It is not being awarded for death, gallantry or meritorious service, which are already recognised in other and more fitting ways. It follows that the starting date for qualifying service should be related to the year—1971—in which this significant development in terrorist tactics took place.I am, accordingly, satisfied that the starting date of 1 January 1971 is the correct one.

Court Cases (Judgments)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether there are any cases awaiting judgment pending against him in (a) European courts outside the United Kingdom and (b) the European Commission of Human rights; if he will list such cases in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

One case against the United Kingdom which involves matters for which I am responsible is currently outstanding before the European Commission of Human Rights. It concerns matters related to prisoners' correspondence.I also have an interest in the outcome of the two actions before the European Court of Justice referred to in the answer given to my hon. Friend by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 29 November.—[Vol. 33, c.

46–47.]

Droppin Well Bar, Ballykelly

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why, in view of information that the Limavady area was at high risk of terrorist attack, the Ulster Defence Regiment mobile patrol from Ballykelly was sent to the Kilrea area some 20 miles away and had to be recalled from there when the bomb exploded in the Droppin Well Bar in Ballykelly on the night of Monday 6 December.

the operational deployment of the Ulster Defence Regiment is a matter for the general officer commanding; in whose professional judgment and advice I have every confidence.

Transport

Storage Structures

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether the working party which he set up in March 1982 to look into the procedures for considering applications to moor floating structures for the storage of gas or oil has completed its work; and when he expects to announce the outcome of this review.

The working party has completed its work, and the Government are considering its recommendations. My right hon. Friend hopes to be able to make an announcement soon.

A40 (Traffic Flow)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average daily traffic flow on the A40 between the Hoover factory, Perivale, and the Target roundabout; and if he will make a statement.

The 24-hour average weekday traffic on this length of the A40 is of the order of 60,000 vehicles.

Mileage Recording

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will give details of the difficulties of introducing a scheme of recording mileage in vehicle documentation held at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre.

[pursuant to her reply, 6 December 1982, c.405]: We are still considering this suggestion with my right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade. There are two important practical constraints about my hon. Friend's suggestion. My Department is preparing to replace the computers at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre. This requires a period of about two years of stability during which changes of the kind suggested by my hon. Friend would not be practicable. Recording vehicle mileage information would also require additional resources not only at DVLC but also at the local offices and the Post Office.The other constraint is that this apparently straight forward suggestion would not stop the organised and persistent offender supplying false information on disposal or acquisition of a vehicle.The Department would be unable to confirm the information provided by a check on every vehicle concerned.

Environment

Homes Insulation (Double Glazing)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in which European Economic Community countries the installation of double glazing in either new or existing dwellings is mandatory.

Double glazing is effectively mandatory for all windows in new dwellings in Denmark and the Federal Republic of Germany. In all other member States of the European Community, except for Belgium, Ireland and Luxembourg, regulations may require windows to be double glazed—or in the United Kingdom, triple glazed—in certain circumstances—for example, when the area of glazing exceeds a stated proportion of the external walls.In no member State is the installation of double glazing mandatory in existing dwellings.

Statutory Sick Pay

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make provision in the rate support grant for 1983–84 to cover the additional staff costs of local authorities required to implement the terms of the Social Security and Housing Benefits Act 1982 relating to statutory sick pay.

I have seen no evidence that local authorities generally will need to incur significant net additional costs as a result of the introduction of the statutory sick pay scheme.

Water And Sewerage Workers (Wages Negotiations)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why, and under what statutory authority, he or his Department's officials intervened in the wages negotiations of the water and sewerage workers requesting that a 6 per cent. wage increase be reduced to 4 per cent.

I have nothing to add to the statement I made to Standing Committee B on the Water Bill on 2 December.—[c. 142.]

Council House Building

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, on the basis of current costs, how many council houses can be built with proceeds to local authorities in the West Midlands from the sale of council houses in the year ended 30 June.

I shall answer this question shortly.

Structural Work And Christmas Trees (Mobile Access Platforms)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what investigations have been undertaken by his Department into the general use of mobile access platforms for the repair of public buildings and other similar operations which have hitherto required the use of scaffolding;(2) whether full consideration was given to the use of labour available under the youth opportunities programme or other similar programmes for the erection of the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square;(3) whether he will list the newspapers in which invitations to tender for the erection of the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square were advertised, the number of firms which replied, the highest and lowest tender, the name of the successful bidder, the contract price agreed and any contract conditions relating to the method of erection;(4) what survey was conducted by his Department into the methods employed to erect Christmas trees elsewhere; and whether this disclosed a general practice of using scaffolding for both erection and dismantling;(5) whether it is his intention to use scaffolding to dismantle the tree in Trafalgar Square in due course.

The type of equipment used for public works is normally left to the contractor, but mobile platforms are extensively used to inspect buildings and in other instances where it is appropriate: for example, where access to high levels is required intermittently or for a short time.The work on the tree is not suitable for untrained workmen and so the use of labour available under the youth opportunities or similar programmes was not considered. The Department does not normally advertise invitations to tender in newspapers but invites tenders from a selected list of suitable firms. In this case, five firms were invited and four tendered on the basis of using scaffolding; a further five were invited, and three replied, on the basis of using mobile access platforms. It is not the Department's policy to reveal tender prices, but I can say that allowing for the cost of labour all the bids for the use of access platforms were higher than those using scaffolding and that the cheapest tender using a platform cost about twice as much as the successful bid. The highest tender was thirteen times as great. The contract was awarded to D & R Scaffold (London) Ltd.The tenders showed conclusively that the most economic method on this site is the use of scaffolding. This will be used for the dismantling of the tree. A comparison with different sites would not seem appropriate.

Nuneaton (Urban Structure Plan)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the implications for the urban structure plan for Nuneaton, in particular in the vicinity of Bermuda village, of the proposed opencast coal mining operations there.

If the proposed opencast mining operations in the vicinity of Bermuda village are approved by the Department of Energy and the site is then worked and restored, this seems likely to assist the implementation of the Nuneaton and Bedworth urban structure plan. In particular, policy 4B which makes provision for land for new industrial development at Bermuda—phase 2—and policy 7A relating to the reclamation of derelict land are relevant.

Land Use (Agreements)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many agreements have been achieved under section 52 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 between landowners, the National Coal Board, and local authorities on an annual basis to the latest convenient date;(2) if he will list his powers to intervene or override agreements under section 52 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971; and if he will list on an annual basis the number of occasions when these have been used.

Section 52 empowers local planning authorities to enter into agreements with persons having an interest in land for the purpose of restricting or regulating the development or use of that land. My right hon. Friend is not party to these agreements, he maintains no records of them and has no power to intervene in or override them.It is, however, open to applicants for planning permission, who do not wish to enter into such an agreement, to appeal to him if planning permission is subsequently refused or granted subject to conditions to which the applicant objects. The appeal is then determined on its merits.

Court Cases (Judgments)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether there are any cases awaiting judgment pending against him in (a) European courts outside the United Kingdom and (b) the European Commission of Human Rights; if he will list any such cases in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of only one current European case against the United Kingdom involving matters for which I am primarily responsible. This relates to the Leasehold Reform Act and is likely to be heard by the European Commission of Human Rights early next year.

Wildfowling

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Government have considered the Nature Conservancy Council working group review of criteria for wildfowling bans in severe weather; and whether he will make a statement.

The Government have accepted the recommendations of the Nature Conservancy Council working group to review the criteria and arrangements for shooting bans in severe weather, and will implement the proposals which require Government action. I am encouraged that it has proved possible for all the group, which included representatives from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, the British Field Sports Society, the British Trust for Ornithology, the Game Conservancy, the Nature Conservancy Council, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the University of Durham and the Wildfowl Trust, to reach agreement on such a difficult subject.The report calls for the decision on an order banning shooting to be made after 13 days of continuing frost as recorded by more than half of 13 selected meteorological stations and for the ban to come into effect on the fifteenth day. It will apply to all birds listed on schedule 2, part I, to the Wildlife and Countryside Act, except the capercaillie—as its food supply is not affected by hard weather—and it will not be lifted until there has been at least seven days without frost.With regard to publicity, we intend to advertise any ban in the classified columns of the appropriate national press and have given interested organisations details of the arrangements to publicise as they wish. In addition, we shall again issue a press notice and we will offer service announcements to the BBC's studio 4 and provide tapes for use on local and commercial radio.

Chief Inspector Of Audit (Report)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the report of the Chief Inspector of Audit for 1981–82 is to be published.

The Chief Inspector's report is being published today and copies have been placed in the Library.I welcome the report, which highlights important areas where better value for money could be achieved in local government services.Copies of the report are being sent to every local authority in England and Wales.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

International Labour Conventions

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish comparative tables of the number of international labour conventions applied in Hong Kong and in other South East Asian countries.

As at 1 January 1982, the situation was as follows:

Number of conventions applied
	Number
Hong Kong	^*47
Indonesia	8
Malaysia	11
Philippines	21
Singapore	21
Thailand	11

^* 29 applied in full, and 18 with modifications

Hong Kong

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current level of Hong Kong Government spending on their public works programme; and whether he will make a statement on the Government of Hong Kong's undertaking to invest vigorously in the territory.

The Hong Kong Government's current commitment for non-recurrent expenditure on their public works programme—which excludes public housing and the Mass transit railway—is some HK$27,000 million. Non-recurrent expenditure for 1982–83 is expected to be about HK$8,900 million and recurent expenditure about HK$1,328 million. At least as much expenditure is expected in 1983–84. In his speech to the Legislative Council on 6 October 1982 the governor outlined an ambitious programme of further development and stressed the firm intention of the Hong Kong Government to invest vigorously in the future.

Miss Rhona Ritchie

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the amount of entertainment expenses allowances paid per month to Miss Rhona Ritchie, former first secretary at the British embassy in Tel Aviv; whether such expenses are tax-free; how, and in what way, accounts were rendered; and whether she was in any way restricted in the use of such money.

Miss Ritchie's entertainment allowance ceiling from July 1981 when she took up her duties in the embassy, to March 1982, when she left Tel Aviv, was £842.10. As required by Diplomatic Service regulations, certificates of expenditure supported by guest lists were submitted quarterly to the head of chancery for scrutiny and she was refunded a total of £751·93. This refund of her actual expenditure was tax free.

Diplomats (Expenses)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on entertainment expenses paid to diplomats overseas other than ambassadors; how much was paid in the last convenient period; and what rules apply.

During the 12-month period to 31 October 1982, diplomats overseas—other than ambassadors—received £1,869,835 in entertainment expenses.Entertainment allowances are paid to certain diplomats to cover the cost of official hospitality considered necessary to do their particular jobs overseas effectively. They are accountable and are claimed against expenditure incurred, within ceilings which are regularly reviewed by visiting inspectors. Heads of post co-ordinate entertainment activity and monitor expenditure.

Exports (Promotion)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the percentage of the official time of the staff of the British embassies in each of the "Franc Zone" countries in Africa which is devoted to promoting British exports there.

The percentage of staff effort of our diplomatic missions devoted to export promotion in the "Franc Zone" countries can be roughly calculated as:

	Per cent.
Senegal	23
Cameroon	37
Ivory Coast	39
Gabon	31

Togo and Benin are covered from Accra, Upper Volta and Niger from Abidjan, Congo from Kinshasa, the Central African Republic from Yaounde/Douala and Chad from London.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are taken by the embassies to the Cameroon Republic and the Republic of Angola to promote British trade there; and what percentage of the official time of the staff is spent on such trade matters.

These posts offer the usual range of assistance to British business men, including advice about local market prospects, the provision of the contacts in Government, industry and commerce, the identification of export opportunities and intervention with local authorities as necessary.The percentage of staff effort devoted to trade matters can be roughly

calculated as:

	Per cent.
Cameroon Republic	37
Republic of Angola	31

Lebanon

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government are yet in a position to decide whether British troops are to be sent to the Lebanon as part of the international peace-keeping force.

No decision has yet been taken on British participation in the multinational force in Lebanon. The matter is being discussed with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Lebanon, Dr. Elie Salem, who is visiting Britain from 7 to 10 December.

Saudi Arabia

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received any representations from the Government of Saudi Arabia concerning the level of British exports into Saudi Arabia or the level of British imports from Saudia Arabia; and what those representations were.

No.

Arab League

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Arab League has requested Her Majesty's Government's agreement to the inclusion of a representative of the Palestine Liberation Organisation in its delegation; and what has been Her Majesty's Government's response.

My right hon. Friend made it clear in answer to questions on 24 November that the Arab League had asked us belatedly to accept a PLO representative in the delegation to visit London. Our response was, and remains, to look for a basis on which the Arab league delegation's visit could take place consistent with the principles and policies of both sides.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a date has now been fixed for a visit to the United Kingdom by a delegation from the Arab League.

No. The Arab side postponed the visit arranged for 1–2 December. No new dates have yet been arranged. We hope that this important visit will still take place.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he imposed any conditions upon his receiving the Arab League delegation which is to visit the United Kingdom; and, if so, what are those conditions.

We wished to receive an Arab League delegation in London and still hope to do so. We sought in confidential exchanges to resolve a difficulty about the composition of the delegation in a way consistent with our well-established principles, in particular our attitude to contacts with the PLO. This has not so far proved possible, but we remain in touch with all those concerned.

Court Cases (Judgments)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there are any cases awaiting judgment pending against him in (a) European courts outside the United Kingdom and (b) the European Commission of Human Rights; if he will list any such cases in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

There are no cases pending against the United Kingdom before the European Court of Justice concerning matters for which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has primary responsibility. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office in conjunction with Departments having primary concern for the subjects raised, co-ordinates and conducts, or arranges for the conduct of, cases against the United Kingdom before the European Court of Human Rights and applications before the European Commission of Human Rights. There are no such cases or applications pending against the United Kingdom in which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has primary responsibility for the matters raised.

European Community

Civil Servants (Political Speeches)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in view of the growing practice of present and past officials of the European Economic Community who have an interest in the European Economic Community making controversial political speeches in the United Kingdom, whether he will seek to ensure that the rules applying to British civil servants on political speeches apply to these present and former European officials.

No. The rules relating to public speeches by British civil servants are designed to protect the relationship between officials and Ministers. The relationship between members of the Commission and its officials is a matter for the Commission.

National Finance

Exchange Rate

14.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the influence of domestic and other interest rates on recent changes in the exchange rate.

It is extremely difficult to identify the influence of the factors determining the exchange rate. There is no clear relationship between the exchange rate and domestic or foreign interest rates of the interplay between them. But I can tell the hon. Gentleman that the Government are committed to maintaining sound monetary conditions; and that a policy of aiming to depreciate the currency would never provide a solution to our economic problems.

Capital Projects (Financing)

15.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take measures to encourage the public sector to raise finance for capital projects in conjunction with the private sector.

We have made clear our willingness to consider co-operation between public and private capital where this can produce improvements in efficiency at least sufficient to offset any extra costs and provided the finance is raised in fair competition with the private sector.

Unemployment

16.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the effects of his policies in reducing unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

Inflation is now at its lowest level for 10 years and further falls are in prospect. The underlying increase in average earnings is moderating and improvements in manufacturing productivity continue. Further wage moderation during this pay round is essential to secure lasting improvements in our external cost competitiveness and with it the prospect for sustainable increases in both output and employment.

20.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the net gain to the Exchequer if the level of unemployment were to be 1 million less than the current level.

As a change in unemployment would affect a range of public receipts and expenditures by amounts varying with the causes of the reduction in unemployment, it is not possible to estimate the net Exchequer effect.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Scotland Exchange (Mr. Parry) on 11 November, Official Report, c. 241, what progress has been made with his economic policies designed to reduce unemployment.

Contingency Reserve

17.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total Contingency Reserve originally made for 1982–83; how much of this has already been taken up; and what effect this has had on the Government's economic and financial policies.

The Contingency Reserve for 1982–83 was set at £2,250 million in the last public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 8494) and increased to £2,400 million in the Budget. So far expenditure amounting to about £1,290 million has been charged to it. Containment of additional expenditure within the reserve helps to keep public expenditure as a whole within the planning total determined by the Government.

Balance Of Payments (Manufactures)

18.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the deterioration of £3½ billion in the balance of payments on current account, which he has forecast for 1983 in his autumn statement, is accounted for by the expected deterioration in the balance of trade in manufactures.

When the timing of EC refunds is taken into account, the underlying deterioration in the current account which is forecast for next year is nearer to £2½ billion. This reflects a rising deficit on non-oil trade, due mainly to a deterioration in the balance of trade in manufactures. An expected improvement in the rest of the invisibles account is seen as only offsetting a part of the larger non-oil trade deficit.

Unemployment Benefit (Tax Refunds)

19.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the reasons for the arrangement whereby tax refunds due to people claiming unemployment benefit are not able to be made until the end of a financial year.

Benefits paid to the unemployed are now taxable. If a person continued to receive tax refunds during unemployment, without regard to the fact that he was being paid benefit, he would incur a liability to tax which he would have to settle on his return to work. We decided that the best course would be for claimants neither to suffer deductions nor to receive refunds of tax. Any net refund due is, therefore, calculated and paid at the end of the person's claim or the end of the tax year, whichever is the sooner.

Employers' National Insurance Contribution

21.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much it would cost the Exchequer to reduce the employers' national insurance contribution by 2 per cent.

About £2,500 million in a full year at 1983–84 income levels.

Income Tax And Social Security Contributions

22.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries a person on average income contributes a higher share of his or her income by way of income tax and social security contributions than he or she does in the United Kingdom.

As average income figures for OECD countries are not available, I regret it is not possible to give the information requested.OECD does, however, publish statistics relating to the earnings of an "average production worker" which showed that in 1980 a single person on that income level would have paid a higher proportion of his income in income tax and social security contributions than in the United Kingdom in six of the 21 countries for which information is available. For a married couple with two children a higher proportion would have been paid in five countries.

£ Sterling

23.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the fluctuations in the value of the £ sterling in recent weeks.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the right hon. Member for Stepney and Poplar (Mr. Shore) on 18 November when he said that successive Governments have made it their practice not to make statements about the level of the exchange rate. I do not intend to depart from that practice.

40.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the £ sterling has devalued in comparison with the dollar since (a) October 1979, (b) October 1980 and (c) October 1981.

This morning sterling's exchange rate against the dollar was 1·6130. This was 24·8 per cent. lower than the average rate in October 1979, 33·3 per cent. lower than the average rate in October 1980, and 12·5 per cent. lower than the average rate in October 1981.

56.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current value of the £ sterling in relation to major international currencies.

I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. and learned Friend's reply to the right hon. Member for Stepney and Poplar (Mr. Shore) on 18 November.—[Vol. 32, c. 417.]

Income Tax

24.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what level of income tax starts for a married couple in the United Kingdom, France and Germany.

For a married couple without children tax on employment income starts at the following income levels, expressed in £ sterling:

Country	Amount
United Kingdom	2,446
France	3,480
Germany	3,235

Foreign Currency Debt

25.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will encourage public corporations to consider repaying foreign currency debt at the earliest feasible dates.

The policy on the official debt remains as set out by the then Financial Secretary on 11 March 1981. The Government's aim of substantially reducing the size of debt over the life of this Parliament has been achieved. The total amount now outstanding, of around $2½ billion, is the lowest in relation to our foreign currency earnings since the war. Much of the remaining debt is long term and carries low interest rates, and the terms and maturity pattern provide fewer opportunities for early repayment than hitherto.

Public Sector Borrowing Requirement

26.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the public sector borrowing requirement in the next financial year as a percentage of estimated gross domestic product.

29.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his most recent estimate of the size of the public sector borrowing requirement in the light of Government expenditure and revenue forecasts for 1983–84.

Table 1.8 of the autumn statement, published on 8 November 1982, adopts the conventional assumption that the public sector borrowing requirement for 1983–84 will be as shown in the medium term financial strategy published at the time of the last Budget—that is, 2¾ per cent. of gross domestic product at market prices. Decisions about the appropriate level of the PSBR for 1983–84 are a matter for the next Budget Statement.

Finance Bill

27.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish draft clauses well in advance of publication of the Finance Bill.

I refer my hon. Friend to the Government's reply to the report of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee on budgetary reform, which stated our intention to publish draft clauses in advance of the Finance Bill whenever suitable occasions arise.

Family Income

28.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of taxable households comprising two parents and at least one child are in receipt of both married man's and single person's tax allowance; and how this compares with married households in receipt of two tax allowances.

I take it my hon. Friend has in mind households comprising two adults who are not married to each other. Such a household could be in receipt of both married man's and single person's tax allowance only if one of the two was a married man separated from his wife and maintaining her by means of a voluntary allowance. Such cases are very rare, whereas over 6 million married couples benefit from the married man's allowance and wife's earned income allowance.

47.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate by how much income tax would have to be reduced in April in order to ensure that a married man with two children on three-quarters of average earnings is paying the same percentage of his income on national insurance and income tax as he was on 1 May 1979.

On the basis of the assumptions for 1983–84 in the autumn statement, a reduction of about 5p in the basic rate, or an increase of about £700 in the married man's allowance above its indexed level, would be needed for a married man with two children on three-quarters average earnings to pay the same percentage of his earnings in income tax plus national insurance contributions less child benefit in 1983–84 as in 1978–79.

Inflation

30.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the effect of each percentage point devaluation on inflation.

42.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the impact on the retail prices index resulting from a 1 per cent. fall in the trade weighted effective exchange rate.

55.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his most recent estimate of the likely rate of inflation for the whole of 1983.

In his autumn statement my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer forecast that the inflation rate, as measured by the retail prices index, should fall to 5 per cent. early in 1983 and be around that rate at the end of the year.The answer will depend on a large number of factors—for example, the relative movement of sterling against the different currencies used in the effective exchange rate indicator, whether the exchange rate movement is expected to be temporary or permanent, and the pressures on importers' margins at the time of the devaluation as well as on the stance of Government policy.A broad indication of the order of magnitude involved is all that can be given. In most circumstances the effect on the retail prices index of a 4 to 5 per cent. change in the sterling effective exchange rate may amount to about 1 per cent. after around 12 to 18 months.

Treasury Econometric Model

31.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the working of the Treasury econometric model.

I am satisfied that the working of the Treasury model is properly controlled by Treasury economists on the basis of their professional judgment.

Tax And Price Index

32.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest level of the tax and price index.

In October 1981 the level of the tax and price index was 158·2—January 1978 =100. In October 1982 it stood at 169·9, an increase of 7·4 per cent. on a year earlier.The year on year increase in the tax and price index is not a measure of the annual rate of inflation as such. This is better provided by the RPI itself. The tax and price index provides a guide to the average increase in gross taxable income needed to compensate taxpayers for an increase in retail prices.

Value Added Tax

33.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied that there are no anomalies in the application of value added tax to the building industry.

The provision of reliefs from VAT for a wide range of building industry supplies has required borderlines to be drawn and I am afraid that, inevitably, these have given rise to situations which are arguably anomalous. In his Budget Statement my right hon. and learned Friend announced his intention of giving effect to a clarification of the law provided in a recent House of Lords judgment, which ruled on the scope of the relief for building alteration work. We remain conscious of the need for greater clarity and simplicity in the operation of VAT reliefs in this area. At the moment, however, there is nothing I can add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Howell) on 19 July.—[Vol. 28, c. 156.]

Personal Incomes (Taxation)

34.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much taxes on personal income have increased since May 1979.

Income tax is charged on an annual basis and hence estimates are available only for complete financial years. As the proportion of gross domestic product, income tax is estimated to have fallen from 11·2 per cent. in 1978–79 to 11·1 per cent. in 1982–83.

Husband And Wife (Taxation)

35.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Her Majesty's Government will give further consideration to implementation of the Green Paper on the taxation of husband and wife.

The Government are considering the wide range of views expressed in response to the Green Paper on the present treatment of husband and wife, and possible options for change.

Tax Credit Scheme

36.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the Government's policy towards the introduction of a tax credit scheme.

The Government have no plans at present to introduce a tax credit scheme. A number of the objectives of the 1973 tax credit proposals have since been achieved in other ways. My hon. Friend will be aware that a Sub-Committee of the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee is currently looking at the whole question of the structure of personal income taxation and income support and we look forward to its report.

44.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer which objectives of a tax credit scheme have been met.

Tax credit schemes can take a number of forms and be used to achieve different objectives. The Government's written evidence to the Sub-Committee of the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee—House of Commons Paper 331–IV—examines in detail the extent to which the objectives of the tax credit scheme proposed in the 1972 Green Paper (Cmnd. 5116) have since been achieved in other ways.

Family Taxation (Paye)

37.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the weekly pay-as-you-earn tax for a married man with three children earning £120 a week (a) at the latest available date, (b) in December 1980 and (c) in December 1978.

The weekly amount of income tax payable would be (a) £21·89, (b) £23·62 and (c) £26?·58 per week, assuming that the taxpayer has no reliefs other than the married man's allowance and, in (c), child tax allowances for two children under 11 years and one between 11 and 16 years.

Imf (National Subscriptions)

38.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what increase has been agreed on national subscriptions to the International Monetary Fund; and if he will make a statement.

At the interim committee in Toronto there was widespread agreement that the increase in quotas under the eighth quota review should be large enough to enable the fund to perform its functions in an effective manner in the 1980s. The committee urged the executive board to pursue its work as a matter of high priority so that the issue of the size and distribution of the quota increase could be resolved by the time of the next interim committee meeting.

Companies (Share Purchase)

39.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications for clearance there have been under section 53 of the Finance Act 1982 from companies wishing to purchase their own shares; and how many of these have obtained clearance.

At the end of November 1982, 300 formal applications for clearance had been received by the Inland Revenue. Clearance has so far been given to 210—70 per cent.—and another 56 were still being considered. Only 34 were not cleared.These figures will, I hope, reassure those who had earlier feared that the qualifying tests in section 53 might be unduly restrictive in practice.

Manufacturing Industry (Competitiveness)

41.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect Her Majesty's Government's economic policies have had upon the competitiveness of British manufacturing industry.

The Government have provided a framework of fiscal and monetary policies to reduce inflation and achieve lower interest rates, both of which contribute to improved competitiveness. It has also reduced business costs by reducing the national insurance surcharge. But it is essentially up to industry itself to take the steps necessary to improve its competitive position, notably by controlling the growth of its wage costs.

Total Fixed Investment

43.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he anticipates that the Industry Act forecast of an increase in total fixed investment of 3 per cent. in 1982 and 5 per cent. in 1983 will change as a result of fluctuations in exchange rates.

The Industry Act forecast took into account many factors affecting the likely levels of fixed investment by the public and private sectors over the next year. The impact of particular movements in the exchange rate will depend on what caused them, whether they are sustained and on other developments and reactions at home and abroad.

Wick Airport (Customs Clearance)

45.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make provisions for customs clearance facilities at Wick airport, Caithness, to be available.

No.

Top Income Tax Payers

46.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much in real terms persons paying the top rate of income tax contributed (a) in May 1979 and (b) at the latest available date.

Income tax is charged on an annual basis and hence estimates are available only for complete financial years. The average payment made by those liable at the rate of 60 per cent. or more was £10,000 in 1978–79 and approximately £15,600 in 1982–83, both amounts being expressed in 1978–79 prices.

Merchant Banks (Discussions)

48.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last had discussions with the merchant banks to discuss future economic prospects.

It is not the usual practice to hold formal meetings with bodies representing the merchant banks as such, but my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has met representatives of individual merchant banks on many occasions for discussions of this and other subjects.

Tax Incentives

49.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied that his tax measures since May 1979 have produced sufficient incentives for those on low wages.

The level of income tax is an important factor for work incentives but not the only one. The Government have taken a number of measures, including substantial improvements in the family income supplement, to increase incentives for the low paid. However, the level of direct taxation remains too high and it is our firm intention to reduce it as soon as economic circumstances permit.

Direct Taxation

50.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the levels of direct taxation for families on average incomes or less.

No. The level of income tax remains too high and the Government are committed to reducing those levels as and when economic circumstances permit.

Economic Improvement

51.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further measures he is taking to improve the state of the British economy.

Through the pursuit of balanced fiscal and monetary policies, designed to achieve lower inflation and interest rates, and policies to promote enterprise and initiative, the Government are establishing a framework within which a sustainable improvement in output and employment can take place.

Bank Of England

52.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now answer questions about the operation of the Bank of England in areas of public policy, such as the reinsurance market.

In general, whether I would reply to such questions depends on a number of factors, including the extent to which I have any statutory or other reponsibility for the field of activity concerned. Within Government, insurance, including reinsurance, is a matter for the Secretary of State for Trade.

54.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to meet the Governor of the Bank of England.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer meets the governor of the Bank of England frequently.

Tax Thresholds

53.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about the raising of tax thresholds.

I have received a number of representations on this matter.

Yen

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the value of the Japanese yen against the £ sterling and the United States dollar in constant terms since 1945 to the present day.

The data requested are as follows. They represent the yen-sterling and yen-dollar exchange rates expressed as index numbers and deflated by relative retail prices as published in Internationl Financial Statistics. Thus, the larger is the number, the greater is the purchasing power of the yen, in the United Kingdom and the United States. The data are readily available only from 1949 and up to August 1982.

Exchange rate at constant relative prices
	Yen-sterling	Yen-dollar
1949	54·1	50·0
1950	55·4	41·1
1951	59·3	44·4
1952	58·9	46·0
1953	61·0	47·7
1954	63·7	51·0
1955	61·5	51·0
1956	59·0	50·3
1957	59·0	50·3
1958	57·4	48·7
1959	57·4	48·6
1960	58·7	49·4
1961	60·6	51·8
1962	62·4	54·3
1963	65·2	58·3
1964	65·9	59·0
1965	67·2	62·4
1966	67·8	63·1
1967	69·6	63·9
1968	81·0	65·0
1969	81·6	65·4
1970	82·3	66·3
1971	80·7	70·0
1972	87·8	81·3
1973	103·1	95·2
1974	107·2	99·7
1975	100·0	100·0
1976	115·7	103·1
1977	122·7	116·3
1978	138·3	143·7
1979	109·6	127·7
1980	87·9	118·3
1981	97·5	114·7
^*1982	91·5	92·9

^* August

Manufactures (Duty-Free Imports)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of manufactured goods are admitted duty-free to the United Kingdom.

In 1980 about four-fifths of manufactured imports were admitted into the United Kingdom without payment of customs duty.

Economists

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current complement of economists at the Treasury; what was the equivalent complement in May 1979 and in February 1974; how many economists left the employ of the Treasury since May 1979; and how many economists left between February 1974 and May 1979.

The complement of economists in the Treasury was 65 on 1 October 1982. In May 1979, the figure was 64. I regret that the figure for February 1974 is not accurately known, but it was around 60. These figures exclude seven economists serving in the open structure.Since May 1979, 17 economists have left the employ of the Treasury. Between February 1974 and May 1979, 13 economists resigned.

Public Expenditure

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take further measures to reduce the scale of public expenditure.

The autumn statement, published on 8 November, showed that the ratio of public expenditure to gross domestic product is planned to fall from 45 per cent. in 1982–83 to 44 per cent. in 1983–84. This reverses the upward trend which has persisted since 1977–78. We aim to secure further reductions in the ratio in later years.

Depreciation Allowance

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what would be the costs in 1983–84 and the five succeeding full financial years of raising, in the Finance Bill 1983, the present 75 per cent. first-year depreciation allowance for industrial buildings to 100 per cent.;(2) what would be the costs in 1983–84 and in the five succeeding full financial years of introducing, in the Finance Bill 1983, a 2 per cent. per annum depreciation allowance for new commercial buildings.

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

Free Ports (Committee)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the composition, terms of reference and proposed method of operation of the committee set up under the chairmanship of the hon. Member for Knutsford (Mr. Bruce-Gardyne) to look at the potential benefits to the United Kingdom of free ports.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Hamilton). The composition of the committee has yet to be decided.

Volume 33: debated on Thursday 9 December 1982

Written Answers To Questions

Trade

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Electricity Consultative Councils

European Courts (Judgments)

Companies Act 1967 (Disclosure)

Energy

Court Cases (Judgments)

Opencast Mining

Scotland

Court Cases (Judgments)

Smallholders (Grants)

Prime Minister

Engagements

Diego Garcia

President Mitterrand

Moscow

President Reagan

Economic Policy

Family Income

Ministerial Appointments

Commonwealth Visits

Taxation

Anglo-Japanese Trade

Flags Of Convenience

Unemployment (West Midlands)

Falkland Islands

Arab League

Home Department

Voluntary Organisations (Grants)

Metropolitan Police (Training And Recruitment)

Armed Robberies

Civil Disorders

Criminal Offences (Penalties)

Provisional Sinn Fein

Social Services

Pension Clawback

Children (Employment)

Mr Hugh Hourigan

Mental Patients

Earnings Rule

Non-Medical Hospital Staff

Hospital Ancillary Services

Blood Supplies

Hospital Waiting Lists (Macclesfield)

Vehicle Allowances

Drugs (Deaths And Injuries)

Pharmaceutical Companies (Compensation)

Neonatal And Perinatal Mortality

Overseas Visitors (Health Treatment)

National Health Service Buildings (Asbestos Lagging)

Voluntary Organisations (Grants)

Employment

West Midlands

Consett

Voluntary Organisations (Grants)

Children (Illegal Employment)

Unemployment Statistics

Manufacturing Industry

Youth Opportunities Programme

Industrial Training Boards

Redundancy Fund

Closed Shop

Court Cases (Judgments)

Industry

New Businesses

Radio Telephone Network

Buxted Poultry Factory, Gainsborough

Court Cases (Judgments)

Wales

Hospital Plan

Unemployment Statistics

Rubens Cartoon

Court Cases (Judgments)

Welsh Water Authority

Housing Association Movement

Education And Science

Overseas Students