asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what would be the cost per year if the present extensions to the less favoured areas were approved by the European Economic Community Commission provided the present level of benefits to farmers was maintained.

The European Council of Ministers has yet to consider the United Kingdom case for extending its less favoured areas (LFAs) and it cannot be assumed that the case will be accepted as it stands. Moreover, the Government have consistently made it clear from the initiation of the marginal land survey that any extension of the LFAs in the United Kingdom which might eventually be agreed by the Council of Ministers carries with it no Government commitment to provide additional aids from public funds to the extended areas. In these circumstances any assessments of possible benefits are purely hypothetical.However, if it were assumed that the proposed extensions were approved and the farmers in those areas were to receive the same level of benefits as farmers in existing LFAs, at current rates of livestock compensatory allowance and capital grants, the additional cost per year might be in the region of £16 million to £18 million.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what have been the changes in average farm size in the United Kingdom and other European Economic Community countries between 1973 and the latest year for which figures are available.

The information available is set out below:

	Average size of holding*hectares
	1973	1980
United Kingdom	62·0	68·7
Germany	13·0	15·3
France	22·8	25·4
Italy	†7·5	‡7·4
Netherlands	13·9	15·6
Belgium	13·1	15·4
Luxembourg	21·7	27·6
Ireland	†17·7	‡22·5
Denmark	21·9	24·9
Greece	†4·3	‡4·3
Source: Eurostat.
* Hectares of utilisable agricultural area on holdings of one hectare and over.
† 1970.
‡ 1977.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for each commodity covered by the common agricultural policy what were the producer prices in 1973, 1978 and the latest year for which figures are available.

Commodity price trends for the years 1977 to 1981 are given in table 26 of the Annual Review of Agriculture 1982 White Paper (Cmnd. 8491). Corresponding figures for 1973 are given in table 27 of the 1978 White Paper (Cmnd. 7058).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the 542,000 tonnes of butter subsidised on the European Economic Community market in 1981 was sold in the United Kingdom.

Of the 542,000 tonnes of butter subsidised on the Community market in 1981, 37 per cent. was sold on the United Kingdom market. In addition, the levy on 94,000 tonnes of New Zealand butter imported into the United Kingdom in 1981 was reduced by an amount equivalent to the consumer butter subsidy. Taken together, these tonnages represent 88 per cent. of the total United Kingdom butter consumption in that year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what rules govern international trade in agricultural products; and when these were agreed.

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which came into effect in 1948, is the only multilateral instrument governing international trade. It covers trade in agricultural products which in several respects are covered by provisions different from those for trade in general. Some of these, including those affecting export subsidisation of agricultural products, were revised in 1955.The basic rules have since been further developed, most recently in the Tokyo round of multilateral trade negotiations when a number of new codes, or agreements clarifying and expanding the basic rules, were established. One of these was the so-called subsidies code, which specifies ways in which export subsidies may be used on primary products in accordance with GATT. Texts of the general agreement and the codes are available in the Library.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether there are any records of Belgian fishing vessels actually fishing in the six to 12 mile belt between Lyme Bay and Lands End since 1964.

While our records of sightings for recent years show that Belgian vessels have fished off south-west England, they are not kept in a form which enables the hon. Members's question to be answered.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made with the case for extension of the United Kingdom's less favoured areas; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minster of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the final United Kingdom submission and formal application on the marginal land issue has been sent from London to the European Economic Community; and on what date it was sent.

Following the recent discussions which my officials have had with the European Commission, I am pleased to say that today we formally submitted a case for an extension of the United Kingdom's less favoured areas by more than 1 million hectares of marginal land in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. This extension will require the agreement of the Council of Ministers and at this stage I cannot say how long it will take to secure that agreement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is yet able to announce when he proposes to present a formal application to the European Economic Community for financial aid for farmers of marginal land in the United Kingdom; and for what sum he intends to ask.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I have given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Rossendale (Mr. Trippier) and the hon. Member for Londonderry (Mr. Ross).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many parliamentary questions have been answered orally by Ministers of his Departments since May 1979.

A total of 473 parliamentary questions have been answered orally, in the House of Commons, by Ministers of my Department since May 1979. Supplementary questions have not been included in this total.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much lime was purchased by the farming industry in the years 1979, 1980 and 1981, respectively; and what is the latest figure for 1982.

Details of the quantity of lime purchased by the farming industry are not available but estimates are made of total lime usage in agriculture in the United Kingdom. The estimated level of use for the years in question was as follows:

	'000 tonnes
1979	3,031
1980	3,196
1981	3,542
*1982	3,627
* Forecast.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, further to his answer of 8 July 1980, Official Report, column 139 relating to food costs, he will state the basis of his calculation; and if, on the same basis of calculation, he will estimate the current cost to United Kingdom consumers of buying food.

The estimate in my reply of 8 July 1980 represented simply the sum of the products of (i) the United Kingdom import levy in force in mid-June 1980 and (ii) the estimated annual volume of consumption in respect of each of the main commodities subject to import levies. As stated in my reply of 8 December, I do not consider that a simple estimate of this kind represents the cost to United Kingdom consumers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of the European Economic Community target price for milk was reached in each of the European Economic Community states and by each United Kingdom marketing board in each of the years 1980, 1981 and 1982.

[pursuant to his reply 7 December 1982, c. 462]: The information requested for 1980 and 1981 is set out below, but, as indicated in the footnotes, not all the figures are strictly comparable. Information for 1982 is not yet available.

Producer Milk Prices (a) in EEC member States, expressed as a percentage of the target price (b)
	1980	1981
Belgium	90·8	89·6
Denmark	99·7	98·8
France	95·2	92·5
Germany	95·6	93·4
Greece	N/A	N/A
Irish Republic (c) (d)	79·7	83·8
Italy (c)	122·9	120·4
Luxembourg	89·4	84·1
Netherlands	98·1	95·7
United Kingdom (c) (e)—England and Wales	94·3	93·7
—Scotland	99·9	103·1
—Aberdeen and District	103·9	102·3
—North of Scotland	101·1	103·3
—Northern Ireland (f)	86·5	87·3
Footnotes
(a) producer prices in member States were ex-farm prices, for milk with 3·7 per cent. butter fat, excluding VAT.
(b) average annual price fixed by the Council, less average transport costs, as estimated by the Milk Marketing Board for England and Wales.
(c) milk of natural fat content.
(d) prices for milk for manufacture.
(e) prices relate to the areas covered by the Milk Marketing Board.
(f) these figures are lower than those for earlier years reflecting the termination of Milk Aid in Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will introduce legislation to provide for permission to be granted to children who reach the age of 16 years in the first days of September to leave school before the due date.

No. My right hon. Friend does not consider that such a provision would have significant advantages over the existing arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many parliamentary questions have been answered orally by Ministers of his Department since May 1979.

Of those questions tabled to the Department since May 1979, 516 have been answered orally.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science; pursuant to his reply of 7 December, what deficiencies of educational provision he has pressed Liverpool city council to rectify; and what progress has been made.

My open letter to the leader of the Liverpool city council in June—copied to the hon. Member—spelled out certain important deficiencies of educational provision in the city arising from the fall in pupil numbers. Since then, I have approved proposals to close three small inner city county secondary schools and proposals to reorganise the city's 41 Roman Catholic secondary schools in order to reduce the damaging consequences of falling pupil numbers. The authority has informed me that there is no prospect of further progress on county secondary school reorganisation by next September. Recent letters issued by the Department, which I am copying to the hon. Member, show that I am pressing and shall continue to press for renewed efforts in order to secure a sound educational future for Liverpool's schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will amend the provisions of the teachers superannuation schemes to enable financially dependent husbands, married to women teachers, to benefit.

The scheme does not require amendment; it already provides for women teachers to nominate financially dependent husbands for benefit. However, my right hon. Friend proposes to make a further provision allowing him to confirm that the state of such dependency still exists at the time of the teacher's death.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science pursuant to his undertaking on 22 November, Official Report, c. 684, when he will write to the hon. Member for Middleton and Prestwich to reply to questions put to him on the closure of the De La Salle college of education.

I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how may women were imprisoned for prostitution for each of the past 10 years, indicating their numbers by age groups.

The number of women received into prison department establishments in England and Wales for offences relating to prostitution by age group is published annually in "Prison statistics England and Wales" (tables 3.2 and 5.1 of the volume for 1981, Cmnd. 8654).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the Government's decision to allow Falkland Islanders and British citizens in Hong Kong to be redesignated as British citizens will enable these persons to claim immigration rights; and to what extent he estimates the numbers of such persons who would be able to claim such rights, in each instance.

The Bill introduced by my noble Friend Baroness Vickers to confer British citizenship on the Falklanders was given a Second Reading in another place on 29 November. If it becomes law it will confer British citizenship, and with it the right of abode in the United Kingdom, on some 400 persons who would not otherwise acquire it, though my right hon. Friend announced in April that no Falkland Islander would have any difficulty over admission to the United Kingdom whether he had a right of abode or not. The hon. Member is wrong in thinking that any decision has been taken under which citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies from Hong Kong who under the terms of the British Nationality Act 1981 will become British Dependent Territories citizens on 1 January 1983 will instead become British citizens.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the time spent on remand in custody.

We have urged all magistrates' courts to give consideration to the specific suggestions for reducing time spent awaiting trial which were included in the report of the working group on magistrates' courts. I know that a number of courts have already adopted measures on these lines. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor gives the highest priority to increasing the resources available to the Crown court and to enhancing its efficiency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many parliamentary questions have been answered orally by Ministers of his Department since May 1979.

In this House, 450 excluding supplementaries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for the central collection of statistics of those persons held under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1959; and if he will make a statement.

Statistics of persons admitted to hospital under section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1959 are collected centrally. The police also record each occasion on which they exercise their power under section 136, but this information is not collected centrally. I undertook on 18 October—[Vol. 29, c. 96.]—to give careful consideration to the possibility of issuing guidance to the police about records. This consideration is in progress, but no conclusion has yet been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hypnotists are employed by the police; and which police forces use them.

No central records are kept on the use of hypnosis by the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average period of time persons in the Indian sub-continent have to wait from the time of application to the issue of an entry certificate to the United Kingdom; and if he will publish the figures for each high commission or embassy.

The regularly published information on waiting times relates to the time between the receipt of the application and the first interview for persons dealt with at the end of each quarter. The quarterly Home Office statistical bulletin "Control of immigration statistics" gives figures for the main settlement queue for Dacca, new Delhi and Islamabad. Some additional information is given in the following table:

Months waited by a person interviewed at the end of the third quarter of 1982
	Main settlement queue*	Husband/fiance queue
Bangladesh
Dacca	16	—
India
Bombay	17	17
New Delhi	14½	17
Pakistan
Islamabad	14	14
Karachi	14	14
*All missions have arrangements under which they grant earlier interviews to certain categories.

asked the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor will ask the Lord Chief Justice to make available to counsel for the appellant copies of the case summary which is now being produced by court officials as a matter of practice for Appeal Court judges.

The summaries in question contain only information already available to counsel.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make an assessment of the balance of advantage to the United Kingdom motor industry of introducing lead-free petrol.

My understanding is that provided any future move is on a European basis, and that the industry is given an adequate lead-time to adjust its production for lead-free petrol, the industry would be unlikely to suffer significant competitive disadvantage from such a move.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make an assessment of the benefits to the United Kingdom balance of trade of United Kingdom motor industry produced cars designed to run on lead-free petrol.

It is already entirely open to United Kingdom manufacturers to produce cars designed to run on lead-free petrol, where they see commercial advantage in doing so. The technical requirements of export markets are not, of course, the only factor determining what products companies sell in particular markets. The United Kingdom industry currently produces a limited number of largely specialist or luxury vehicles for sale in "lead-free" markets such as the United States and Japan.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what measures, other than financial assistance, Her Majesty's Government are considering to improve the competitiveness of the British Steel Corporation.

Measures to improve the internal efficiency and competitiveness of the British Steel Corporation are the responsibility of BSC management. Measures to improve the international competitive environment within which BSC have to work were described by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry in his statement to the House on 22 November following the meeting of European Industry Ministers held in Denmark on 18 November.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the policy of his Department towards the proposals contained in the recent report "Entrepreneurship and the New Firm" by Dr. David Storey of Newcastle university, a copy of which has been sent to him, in particular in respect of its ideas for more positive discrimination in favour of regions and countries within the United Kingdom suffering high unemployment, for regional selective assistance to be more widely used, for the extension of regional development grants to secondhand and leased equipment and for regional variations to be introduced for taxes such as value added tax; and if he will make a statement.

The Government remain committed, as frequently stated in the House, to maintaining to the end of this Parliament the broad shape of current policy. The Department notes Dr. Story's book as a contribution to the discussion of regional and small firms policy over the longer term.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total aid given to manufacturing industry under all the schemes for which his Department is responsible in the last year for which figures are available.

Provisions of around £950 million has been made in 1981–82 for such expenditure under the Industry Act and Science and Technology Act. Details of the provision are available in the 1982–83 Supply Estimate (class IV) which were published on 9 March 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what aid was given to the textile and clothing industries under all the schemes for which his Department is responsible in the last year for which figures are available.

Details of aid to the textile, clothing and footwear industries under the Industry Act 1972 were set out in my reply to the hon. Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Garrett) on 18 November—[Vol. 32, c. 275–6].In addition, in the financial year 1981–82 I estimate that a further £1·8 million was offered or paid to the textile and clothing industries under other schemes operated by the Department of Industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry for what reasons United Kingdom companies receiving financial support from his Department are barred from bidding for Government contracts.

There are no reasons for companies receiving financial support not to be allowed to compete for Government contracts; indeed, my Department encourages them to do so whenever possible. However, before any supplier is invited to tender, the purchasing department will ensure that he can meet its requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many parliamentary questions have been answered orally by Ministers of his Department since May 1979.

A total of 466 oral questions, not including supplementary questions, have been answered by Ministers of this Department for the period May 1979 to November 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proposals he is considering concerning the feasibility of using alternatives to asbestos in order to reduce the incidence of asbestos-related diseases.

The Department of Industry has made the asbestos industry aware that it continues to be willing, under the terms of the various financial assistance schemes, to respond positively to requests for support for projects involving asbestos substitution. For reasons of commercial confidentiality it is not possible to be specific, but support has been offered, or is being considered, for a wide range of projects which cover many of the major applications of this material.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish figures for (a) employment in the steel industry in Scotland, (b) steelmaking capacity in Scotland, (c) steel production in Scotland and (d) the estimated total demand for steel in Scotland for each of the years 1967, 1970, 1975, 1980 and 1981.

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

asked the Prime Minister what rules concerning the continuation or retention of pension rights from a former employment apply to staff entering the Civil Service.

Paragraph 6 of schedule 16 to the Social Security Act 1973 provides that a member of a pension scheme, who is over 26, who has five years' qualifying service, and who leaves before the retiring age, shall have his accrued rights preserved in that scheme. A person who comes into the Civil Service may, instead, have his accrued rights transferred to the Civil Service scheme. This applies also to those who are not entitled to preserved benefits. Transfers of pension rights depend, however, on the payment of a transfer value by the sending scheme. The detailed provisions for entrants to the Civil Service are set out in rules 6.9 to 6.14 of the rules of the principal Civil Service pension scheme, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of Her Majesty's Government's reliance on the normal practice of manufacturers, rather than on specific information, in assessing the availability of components, including those manufactured in the United Kingdom, to the French manufacturers of Exocet, Official Report 6 December, c. 337, she is satisfied that the terms of the memorandum of understanding under which the purchase of Exocet for the Royal Navy was made conditional upon a proportion of components being manufactured in the United Kingdom can be monitored adequately by Her Majesty's Government.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister what was the distance from the "General Belgrano" to the nearest British surface vessel at the time the cruiser was torpedoed.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence told the House on 13 May—[Vol. 23, c. 1030]—the "General Belgrano" and a group of British warships could have been within striking distance of each other in a matter of some five to six hours, converging from a distance of some 200 nautical miles.

asked the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government were consulted in advance about the content of President Reagan's speech in Brazil on 1 December calling for negotiations between the United Kingdom and Argentina over the Falklands; and what subsequent communications on the subject she has had with the United States Government.

No. The matter is being pursued through diplomatic channels.

asked the Prime Minister what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the provision of accommodation for letting by local authorities.

The Government's priorities for housing expenditure by local authorities were set out in respect of England by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment in the housing investment programme allocation letters to local authorities of 21 December 1981 and 25 November 1982, in respect of Wales by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales in letters to local authorities of 24 November, and in respect of Scotland by my hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for home affairs and the environment in Scotland, in the Estimates debate in the Scottish Grand Committee on 8 July 1982. Copies of the relevant letters are available in the Library of the House.

asked the Prime Minister what was the total cost of the British delegation to Copenhagen for the Council of Ministers.

The precise cost of the British delegation on this occasion will not be available until all accounts have been received, but the estimated total cost is £17,600.

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

There are no such cases pending against the United Kingdom Government before the European Court of Justice or before the European Court of Human Rights, nor applications before the European Commission of Human Rights, in which the matters raised are primarily the responsibility of my office.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will receive the Arab League delegation when it visits London.

I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 9 December.—[Vol. 33, c. 579.]

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what trade unions are recognised by the Paymaster General's office.

The Paymaster General's office recognises each of the three Civil Service trades unions representing staff employed in that office—the Society of Civil and Public Servants, the Civil and Public Services Association and the Civil Service Union.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much income tax was received during the last year for which information is available from each of the following income groups: Under £2,000, £2,000 to £3,000, £3,000 to £4,000, £4,000 to £5,000, £5,000 to £6,000, £6,000 to £7,000, £7,000 to £8,000, £8,000 to £9,000, £9,000 to £10,000, £10,000 to £11,000, £11,000 to £12,000 and over £12,000.

Figures are available on the basis of income tax due for the year, not tax received in a year. Provisional extimates for 1982–83, based on projections from the 1979–80 survey of personal incomes, are as follows:

Range of total income (lower limit)	Total income tax
£	£ million
under 2,000	neg
2,000	400
3,000	1,100
4,000	1,500
5,000	2,000
6,000	2,300
7,000	2,600
8,000	2,500
9,000	2,600
10,000	2,300
11,000	2,100
12,000 and over	14,600
TOTAL	34,000
Notes:
Amounts have been rounded to the nearest £100 million.
neg = less than £50 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the reply given to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North Official Report, 5 March 1981, c. 173, showing the percentage of income tax paid by taxpayers with earnings less than the average male manual earnings and those with less than half the overall male manual earnings in 1980–81; and what is the estimated percentage for 1981–82.

Final figures are not yet available. Provisional extimates for both years, based on projections from the 1979–80 survey of personal incomes and calculated on the same basis as in previous replies are as follows:

	Percentage of total income tax paid by taxpayers with incomes below:
	Average male manual earnings	Half average male manual earnings
1980–81 (revised)	24	3
1981–82	24	3½

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of taxpayers who pay less and who pay more, in each case, income tax and national insurance contributions less child benefit where applicable as a total sum of money in constant prices and as a proportion of gross earnings than they did in 1978–79; and whether he will estimate the comparable numbers of taxpayers in each case for 1983–84 on the basis of announced policy changes and the conventional assumptions incorporated in the latest forecast required under the Industry Act 1975.

I regret this information is not available. Data on liability to income tax is obtained each year from a fresh sample of the records then held in tax offices, and hence it is not possible to assess the change in position for individual taxpayers between one year and another.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the loss of revenue if the tax threshold for a married couple were raised to the national average wage and for a single person to half the national average wage.

If the married man's allowance were raised to the level of average male earnings for 1982–83, and the single and wife's earned income allowance to half that level, the revenue lost would be in the region of £20 billion to £25 billion, assuming unchanged levels of income. This cost is, however, hypothetical as such a large increase in the tax threshold would result in far-reaching behavioural changes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk North on 2 December, Official Report, c. 265, concerning income tax, what would be the total earnings a husband and wife could earn and pay the same amount of tax as they would pay if the husband earned £150 per week and paid tax of £30.89, and what two single persons could earn to pay the amount in tax of £30·89.

In 1982–83, a married couple, with no reliefs other than the allowances mentioned below, will have a joint tax bill of £1,606 (£30.89 per week), if either: (a) their joint income is £9,365 (£180.10 per week) and the wife's earnings are above the maximum value of the wife's earned income allowance of £1,565; or(b) the wife's earnings do not exceed £1,565 and the remainder of the couple's income is equal to £7,800 (£150 per week).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give figures for the State supported sector, including (a) public sector manpower, (b) pensioners, widows and so on, (c) the unemployed and (d) other supplementary benefit recipients, and for private sector manpower, for the years 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982 and showing each charge as a percentage of 1979.

The figures requested are as follows:

	1979	1980	1981	1982
Public sector
thousands*	7,444	7,392	7,192	7,036
per cent. of 1979	100·0	99·3	96·6	94·5
Pensioners, Widows &c.
thousands†	10,032	10,169	10,316	N/A
per cent, of 1979	100·0	101·4	102·8	N/A
Unemployed
thousands*‡	1,235	1,513	2,395	2,770
per cent, of 1979	100·0	122·5	193·9	224·3
Other supplementary benefit recipients
thousands**	1,181	1,395	1,910	N/A
per cent, of 1979	100·0	118·1	161·7	N/A
Private sector
thousands*	17,645	17,295	16,190	15,664
per cent, of 1979	100·0	98·0	91·8	88·8
* Mid-year estimates.
† Comprises recipients of contributory, non-contributory, industrial disablement and war pensions, and widows benefit.
‡ The new series announced in November 1982 based on claimants at Benefit Offices.
** Excluding recipients of pensions, widows benefit etc. and unemployment benefit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the tax break-even point for a married couple with one child in each year since 1949–50, expressed at current and at constant prices and as a percentage of average manual earnings, including estimates for 1981–82.

The information is as follows:

Year	Break even point at current prices £	Break even point at 1949–50 prices*	Break even point as a percentage of average earnings of manual worker per cent.
1949–50	308	100·0	83·1
1950–51	308	95·8	78·8

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise the figures given in the appendix I of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee report, Session 1981–82 on the Government's economic policy, autumn review and the updated figures given in the answer to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 25 October and the updated figures given in reply to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury on 23 November for those on 75 per cent., 100 per cent., 200 per cent. and 500 per cent. of national average earnings for single, married and married plus two children families, including data on gross earnings, income tax, national insurance contributions, child benefit, net earnings and indirect taxes in each case for each year from 1978–79 to 1983–84 inclusive on the basis of the most recently available price base.

Figures for 1982–83 and 1983–84 were given to the hon. Member on 23 November—[Vol. 32, c. 418–20.]Figures for the earlier years on the same assumptions and definitions and taking account of the revisions published to date are given in the following tables:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the change in the exchange rate for the £ sterling against other European Community currencies between April 1979 and the latest month for which figures are available.

The changes in the average monthly exchange rates of the pound against other European Community currencies between April 1979 and November 1982 are as follows:

	Per cent.
Belgium-Luxembourg	+30·3
Denmark	+33·8
France	+30·6
Germany	+6·3
Greece	+54·7
Ireland	+19·8
Italy	+37·2
Netherlands	+7·3

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate what additional revenue will now accrue to the Revenue as a result of the Chinn v. Collins 1981, W. T. Ramsay Ltd., v. I.R.C., and Eilbeck v. Rawling 1981 decisions.

About £400 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will conduct an investigation into the registration as a bank of the Cyprus Credit Bank Ltd., in view of the contention by the bank that it is registered in the so-called Turkish Federated State of Cyprus which is not recognised by Her Majesty's Government.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest figures available for the average cost of a local government employee; and if he will break down the average cost into pay, national insurance, superannuation and other costs such as office space, heating, lighting, car allowance, travel allowance telephone and others.

I have been asked to reply. The average cost to local authorities in England and Wales of each full-time equivalent employee in 1981–82 is estimated to be £7,360; made up approximately of pay—84 per cent.—national insurance—8 per cent.—and superannuation and pension schemes—8 per cent. The average cost per employee for office space, heating, lighting, etc. is not separately identifiable from other running expenses of services.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 December 1982, c. 624]: The cost of increasing these allowances, assuming that the 1982 level of investment continues, is estimated to be:

	£ million
1983–84	Negligible
1984–85	55
1985–86	75
1986–87	65
1987–88	50
1988–89	30

Falling to zero in years after 1991–92.These figures assume that sufficient profits are available to absorb in full the capital allowances that would be due. Because many companies already have unused tax losses, the actual cost of such an increase in allowances is very tentatively estimated to be about £15 million for 1984–85. The figures for later years will depend very much upon the level of profits in those years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 December 1982, c. 624]: The estimated costs are as follows:

	£ million
1983–84	Negligible
1984–85	20
1985–86	45
1986–87	70
1987–88	100
1988–89	130

The eventual long-term cost is estimated to be £1,500 million a year. These figures are based on present levels of expenditure on new commercial buildings and assume that sufficient profits are available to absorb the allowances in full. Because many companies already have unused tax losses, the actual cost in the period to 1988–89 would be lower. It is not possible to give a reliable estimate of that figure.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take action to ensure that the channelling abroad of reinsurance premiums is not used as a device to evade tax liabilities.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 December 1982, c. 633]: As a matter of course, the Inland Revenue investigates all cases where it believes that tax may be due on funds which are channelled abroad.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many parliamentary questions have been answered orally by Ministers of his Department since May 1979.

Since May 1979, my colleagues and I and our predecessors have answered orally 396 tabled parliamentary questions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ensure that on each of the proposed new area manpower boards he will appoint in his or her own right a professional training person; and if he will make a statement.

The new area manpower boards are being appointed by the Manpower Services Commission to advise it on the provision of its various services. The commission announced details about the number of boards, their terms of reference and their membership last month and I have placed a copy of its press notice in the Library. One seat on each board has been set aside for a representative of professional education interests. Each board will also have powers of co-option.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to extend the new youth training scheme to the Civil Service; and if he will make a statement.

We are considering what contribution the Civil Service could make to the youth training scheme.

askd the Secretary of State for Employment, if he is satisfied that safety measures in force when obsolete coal-fired power stations containing asbestos are being demolished ensure that there is no danger to the workmen and the public; and if he will make a statement.

Demolition work at power stations involving asbestos is covered by provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Factories Act 1961 together with the more specific requirements of the Asbestos Regulations 1969. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act covers the health and safety of the public.There is also an approved code of practice under the 1974 Act which applies to any work with asbestos insulation. In addition the Health and Safety Commission is developing a number of proposals for further controls on work with asbestos including the licensing of contractors engaged in asbestos removal.I am satisfied that with the new proposals an adequate legislative framework, practical guidance and powers of enforcement exist to protect the work people involved and the public so far as demolition in power stations is concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment during 1981 how many youngsters on

Entrants to the Youth Opportunties Programme
	1979–80	1980–81		1981–82
	Number	Number	per cent.	Number	per cent.
Hyndburn Local Authorities District	60	320	+433*	960	+200*
Preston Area Office	5,100	11,100	+118*	19,990	+80*
* Percentage change over previous year.

It is estimated that about 540 young people entered the programme in Hyndburn local authority district between April and October of this year, and about 11,600 young people in Lancashire over the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current youth unemployment figures for Accrington; what were these figures in 1981, 1980 and 1979; and what was the percentage increase during this period.

At October 1982, the number of young people under 18 years of age registered as unemployed—old basis—in the Accrington jobcentre area was 359. This was 245 per cent. higher than the figure of 104 registered in the area at October 1979. The corresponding figures at October 1980 and October 1981 were 313 and 382, respectively.

Information is not available in the precise form requested. The Manpower Services Commission follows up a sample of entrants to the youth opportunities programme, 12 months after the start of their schemes.The latest survey figures available are for entrants to the youth opportunities programme between April and June 1981. The results are set out below:

Percentage of work experience entrants to YOP who were at the time of the survey:
	per cent.
(a) in employment	41
(b) in full time education	2
(c) on another scheme	9
(d) registered unemployed	43

There is no breakdown of this information available below national level.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many youngsters are currently on youth opportunity programme schemes in Accrington and north-east Lancashire; and what was the percentage change in the numbers of those joining youth opportunity programme schemes from 1979 to 1982.

The following table shows the number of young people who have entered the youth opportunities programme, broken down into areas which coincide as closely as possible with the areas requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers in Accrington and north-east Lancashire have failed to find employment since May 1979.

The information is not available. The unemployment statistics do not distinguish the number of school leavers at May 1979 who are still unemployed. However, the number of unemployed school leavers aged 18 years and under who were claimants in the Accrington jobcentre area and in north-east Lancashire at November 1982 were 227 and 1,518, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish a price index for pensioner households, excluding tobacco and motoring costs.

No. The retail prices index numbers for pensioner households follow the same general principle as that followed for the main retail prices index and aim to cover the whole field of goods and services purchased by households, and not just "essentials" or basic requirements needed to live. The pensioner indices exclude housing costs but this is because of the difficulties of obtaining adequate data. The procedures follow the recommendations of the retail prices index advisory committee which includes representatives of the TUC, the CBI and trade and consumer organisations together with leading academic experts and Government statisticians.The pensioner indices reflect the expenditure patterns of pensioners and in particular the fact that they spend less on tobacco and motoring costs than the general run of households.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to ensure that adjudications on equal pay cases are dealt with by the Central Arbitration Committee rather than by industrial tribunals.

We have no plans to change the current system whereby claims under the Equal Pay Act relating to individuals are dealt with by industrial tribunals and claims relating to collective agreements are dealt with by the Central Arbitration Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give details of the sponsorship and location of the 4,041 places approved under the community programme.