asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to remove the provision of food aid from the Overseas Development Administration budget.

Provision for food aid in the overseas aid vote relates to the cost of cereals provided as the British share of the legal minimun obligation of the European Community and its member states under the food aid convention 1980. The British share of the cost of European Community food aid will continue to be attributed to the British aid programme.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when it is proposed to publish "Non-Departmental Public Bodies: Facts and Figures 1982"; and what additional information is to be included in the proposed enlarged edition.

An enlarged booklet, entitled "Public Bodies 1982", will be published in the week beginning 28 February to bring together data from two previously separate annual publications. In addition to the information previously included in "Facts and Figures", it will include details of the nationalised industries and details of Ministerial and non-ministerial appointments made to each body or nationalised industry board.

asked the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the case of David Somes, a former South African policeman, arrested in the United Kingdom on 27 November 1982 and charged with an act of murder in South Africa, but now released.

In the absence of an extradition treaty between the United Kingdom and South Africa there were no legal means of returning Mr. Somes to that country; but as a British citizen (as well as a South African) he was liable to prosecution in this country on a charge of murder. However, the prosecution could not proceed without the evidence of witnesses who are in South Africa and the South African Government failed to give the necessary assurance that those witnesses would be made available. In the circumstances the Director of Public Prosecutions had no alternative but to apply to withdraw the charge.I do not propose to make a statement about the matter.

asked the Attorney-General whether he intends to give general guidance on criteria for prosecution; and if he will make a statement.

I have today placed in the Library of the House a document setting out criteria for prosecution which I have drawn up for the guidance of all who prosecute on behalf of the public. This guidance is being drawn to the attention of chief officers of police by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. This is one of the interim measures which the Government promised in response to part II of the report of the Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure; another was that the Director of Public Prosecutions would, with my approval, ask chief officers to consult him in every case in which the chief officer wishes to continue criminal proceedings contrary to the advice of the solicitor having conduct of the proceedings. The director has now written to chief officers making such a request.

asked the Prime Minister what guidance is given to public bodies in receipt of public funds, in order to secure the effective, efficient and economical conduct of their affairs, on the use of the open insurance market for their insurance requirements.

Where the arrangements for financing a grant-aided body are such that the cost of replacing lost assets would fall directly or indirectly on the Consolidated Fund, the body is advised not to undertake insurance, other than any insurance required by statute. However, if a body can show circumstances which necessitate or justify a departure from this advice, an exception will always be considered.

asked the Prime Minister what guidance is given to public bodies in receipt of public funds, in order to secure the effective, efficient and economical conduct of their affairs, on the use of outside contractors for cleaning and maintenance work.

:'The Government's policy is to encourage further use of private sector contractors by public bodies where this will increase their economy, efficiency and effectiveness. Guidance has been given to central Government Departments on redundancy and costing aspects of contracting out in general and, for contract cleaning, on cleaning standards, the form and operation of contracts, and the pay of cleaners employed by contractors.Revised, and fuller, guidance is being prepared for issue to central Government Departments; and detailed guidance will shortly be issued for the NHS by my right hon. Friend. Local authorities operating a direct labour works organisation are required by the Local Government Planning and Land Act 1980 to put a proportion of their work to competitive tender.

asked the Prime Minister if she will set out in the Official Report those public bodies which are subject to detailed financial control because they rely on Government funds for 50 per cent. or more of their gross expenditure or 50 per cent. or more of their administration expenditure; when a detailed examination of their financial affairs was last carried out in each case; and with what result.

Such bodies can be identified from the lists of executive bodies in "Non-Departmental Public Bodies: Facts and Figures 1981". This information has been updated and will be published shortly as "Public Bodies 1982". However, I regret that detailed information on the most recently examination of all of these bodies' financial affairs is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Prime Minsiter what are the gold reserves in the name of the United Kingdom being held in the United States of America.

It is not the practice to reveal the disposition of the official gold reserves.

asked the Prime Minister which Government Departments chartered non-United Kingdom flag ships directly or indirectly as a result of the Falklands campaign between 1 April 1982 and the latest available date; and if she will list the Departments concerned and the names of the vessels in each case.

The information is as follows:

Vessels name
1. Chartered by Department of Trade on behalf of the Ministry of Defence
Contender Bezant	Bermudian Flag
St. Helena	St. Helenan Flag
Stena Inspector	Cayman Islands Flag
Sandshore*	Norwegian Flag
The first three ships, while flying non-United Kingdom flags, are on the British register.
2. Chartered direct by the Ministry of Defence
Corona	Swedish Flag
Cortina	Swedish Flag
Vinga Polaris	Swedish Flag
Hans Maersk	Danish Flag
Marianne*	Swedish Flag
Hulda Maersk*	Danish Flag
Natalie*	Federal German Flag
None of these ships operated in the South Atlantic.
3. The list does not include single voyage charters.
* Chartered after the end of hostilities.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the operation of the Top Salaries Review Body; and if she will make a statement.

Yes. We value highly the advice given by the Top Salaries Review Body. Its work is invaluable in helping the Government to come to a decision on the salaries of senior public servants.

asked the Prime Minister (1) how many merchant vessels each Department chartered directly or indirectly in 1982; and if she will list the names of such vessels and the purposes to which they were put;(2) how many merchant vessels each Department owns directly or indirectly; and if she will list the names of the vessels and their purposes.

As this information is not held centrally I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Prime Minister what are the numbers and percentages of registered disabled people employed in each Government Department; if she will break the figures down by category of occupation; and if she will make a statement.

The number of registered disabled people employed by Government Departments is collected once a year. The latest available figures show that on 1 June 1982 the numbers and percentages of registered disabled people employed by departments were:

Department	Disabled
	Number	percentage
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	219	1·77
Cabinet Office	7	1·33
Charity Commission	3	0·93
Crown Estate Office	1	0·90
Crown Office Scotland	3	0·33
Government Actuary's	1	1·61
Health and Social Security	1,665	1·76
Home Office	201	0·57
Industry and Trade	220	1·46
Information, Central Office of	14	1·40
Inland Revenue	1,207	1·65
Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce	11	1·88
Public Prosecutions Director of	4½	2·03
Public Record Office	15	3·70
Registers of Scotland	4	0·67
Royal Mint	38	3·27
Scottish Courts Administration	10	1·07
Scottish Office	121½	1·65
Customs & Excise	375	1·47
Defence	2,617½	1·26
Education and Science	59	1·69
Employment Group	1,602	2·73
Energy	11½	1·03
Environment (incl. PSA and Transport)	829½	1·59
Export Credits Guarantee	27	1·53
Fair Trading	8	2·69
Foreign and Commonwealth	88½	1·46
Friendly Societies	4	3·35
General Register Office (Scotland)	9	2·92
Land Registry	110	1·96
Law Officers'	—	—
Lord Advocate's (Scotland)	—	—
Lord Chancellor's	194½	1·90
Management and Personnel Office	20	1·55
National Investment and Loans Office	3	5·04
National Savings	233½	2·62
Northern Ireland Office	—	—
Ordnance Survey	49	1·57
Overseas Development	25½	1·31
Paymaster General's Office	21½	2·40
Population Censuses and Surveys	51	2·07
Privy Council	2	5·88
Scottish Prison Service	10	0·37
Scottish Record Office	1	0·75
Stationery Office	153	3·04

Department	Disabled
	Number	percentage
State Hospital Carstairs	2½	0·60
Treasury	63½	1·55
Treasury Solicitor	l1½	2·73
Welsh Office	52	2·32
Total	10,379½	1·59

Average level of compliance 1·59 per cent.Breakdown by occupational group is as follows:

	Numbers
Administration Group	4,529
Science Category/Group	68
Professional and Technology Category	203
Social Security Category/Group	574
Secretarial Category/Group	400½
Security Category	103
Data Processing Category/Group	61
General Service Classes	838½
Departmental Classes	377
Other Non-Industrial Grades	888
Industrial Grades	2,337½

The basic policy followed is that disablement is of itself no bar to recruitment or advancement in the Civil Service. The test applied is ability to do the job, and the

Tax year	Threshold at current prices	Threshold as percentage of average manual earnings	Break-even point at current prices	Break-even point as a percentage of average manual earnings
	£	per cent.	£	per cent.
Married man with 2 children under 11 years
1945–46	268	85·0	268	85·0
1946–47	314	100·0	376	119·7
1947–48	352	105·8	434	130·4
1948–49	368	102·6	453	126·3
1981–82	2,145	32·1	3,855	51·6
1982–83	2,445	*33·5	4,341	*59·5
Married man with 4 children†
1945–46	379	120·3	379	120·3
1946–47	411	130·9	540	171·9
1947–48	470	141·2	644	193·5
1948–49	492	137·1	686	191·2
1981–82	2,145	32·1	5,565	83·2
1982–83	2,445	*33·5	6,237	*85·6
* Provisional.
† 2 children under 11; 1 child aged between 11 and 15; 1 child 16 or over.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the proportion of income tax payers liable at each tax rate;(2) if he will estimate the numbers of people who would be taken out of taxation by a 10 per cent. increase in personal allowances for 1983–84;(3) if he will estimate the costs of a 2 per cent. reduction in the standard rate of income tax for 1983–84;(4) if he will estimate the costs of a 10 per cent. increase in personal allowances for 1983–84.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report the proportion of income taken in tax on earned income for a married man

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing for (a) a married man with two children under the age of 11 years and (b) a married man with four children, the income tax threshold at current prices and as a percentage of average manual earnings in 1981–82 and 1982–83; and how these compare with corresponding figures for the tax years between 1945–46 and 1948–49.

The information is shown in the following table. Comparisons of tax thresholds with years before 1979–80 for married men with children are affected by the conversion of child tax allowances into non-taxable child benefit. The table therefore also shows the "break-even point", the level of income at which the amount of tax due equals the amount of child support (family allowance or child benefit) received. Further information is available in appendix C of Inland Revenue Statistics 1982, a copy of which is in the Library.with a dependent wife on two-thirds of average male earnings, 1½ times average male earnings, five times average male earnings and 10 times average male earnings, respectively, for each tax year from 1978–1979 to 1982–83.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report the proportion of income taken in tax on earned income for a married man with a dependent wife and two children on two-thirds of average male earnings, 1½ times average male earnings, twice average male earnings, five times average male earnings and 10 times average male earnings, respectively, for each tax year from 1978–79 to 1982–83.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report the proportion of income taken in tax on earned income for a single person on two-thirds average male earnings, 1½ times average male earnings, twice average male earnings, five times average male earnings and 10 times average male earnings, respectively, for each tax year from 1978–79 to 1982–83.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what requirements there are for British banks and licensed deposit-taking institutions to report to Her Majesty's Government their participation in syndicated loan operations to public utilities and other organisations in Argentina; and what requirements existed in (a) 1982, (b) 1981, (c) 1980 and (d) 1979, respectively.

In this period there have been no requirements to report participation in syndicated loan operations apart from the Bank of England's general reporting requirements for statistical and supervisory purposes in which syndicated lending would be an unidentified element in aggregate lending to particular countries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the computerisation of the pay-as-you-earn system that is currently being undertaken by the Inland Revenue will be restricted to schedule E taxpayers; and what internal controls will be placed on access to the computerised data.

There are no plans at present to extend the PAYE computer system to taxpayers outside schedule E. Various internal controls are being imposed on access to computerised data. Both physical and software security checks have been incorporated in the system being developed so that staff in tax offices will have access only to those records which are appropriate to their own office. Even tighter controls apply to making changes to computerised data and to repayment transactions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Argentine official observers or supervisors are still in British firms in Argentina.

This information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report the level of earnings at which for a two-child family deductions in tax and national insurance contributions are equivalent to income from family income supplement at April and November of each financial year from 1971–72; and if he will also express the figures at 1971–72 prices.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the answer of 1 February 1982, Official Report, c. 19–22, and give the latest comparison of the current income tax rate of the member states of the European Community, showing at what levels of income tax becomes payable and at what rate, giving £ sterling equivalents, and showing separately the effects of income tax alone and the combined effect of income tax and social security contributions by the wage earner.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate tax revenue for 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82 and 1982–83 as a proportion of gross domestic product.

Total taxation, including national insurance contributions and local rates, as a percentage of GDP at market prices is as follows:

Year	Percentage
1978–79	34·3
1979–80	35·9
1980–81	36·7
1981–82	39·8

I ask the hon. Member to await the Budget forecast for a preliminary estimate for 1982–83.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange for the minting of special commemorative £1 coins to mark the issue of this new coin.

Yes. Her Majesty made a Proclamation on 11 February 1983 under the Coinage Act 1971 giving details of two such coins. One will be a silver proof version and the other will be a silver piedfort version also struck to proof standards. They will be available by mail order direct from the Royal Mint. The price and date of issue will be announced later by the Royal Mint.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the changes proposed in the report of the review of the collection service, he will consider mounting a short experiment to monitor the number of occasions between 18 February and 5 March when the collection offices at (a) Taunton and (b) Huddersfield contact employers paying pay-as-you-earn and national insurance contributions per month (i) in excess of £15,000 and (ii) between £3,500 and £15,000.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 February 1983, c. 437]: No. The Inland Revenue is satisfied that the closure of some collection offices proposed in the review of the collection service will not impair its ability to make contact, where this is necessary, with employers in the categories mentioned.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to impose fiscal or other penalties on multinational firms which close down profitable factories in the United Kingdom in order to subsidise loss-making plants in other countries.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 February 1983, c. 438]: The Government welcome foreign investment for the benefits it yields to the United Kingdom economy. Companies cannot be expected to invest here by choice unless they are free to conduct their operations in the light of their best commercial judgment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is satisfied tht sufficient expertise is available to the Registry of Friendly Societies to perform its tasks.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1983, c. 319]: I have reviewed this with the Chief Registrar. Our long-term aim is to have a smaller but technically more proficient registry, concentrating on its primary functions.Initially the registry requires a modest increase in senior staff so that it has the expertise, particularly in accountancy, necessary to protect the interests of investors in building societies and the other mutual financial institutions for which it is responsible. I have agreed to short-term increases in the registry's manpower ceilings from 121 to 125 at 31 March 1983 and 129 at 31 March 1984.At the same time there will be management studies of the registry's functions and activities, including its information systems and computer needs. The studies will cover financial management, on the lines of the Government's general initiative for larger departments. They will seek improvements in efficiency and so future savings in staff, which will be reflected in the registry's manpower levels in 1984–85.The costs associated with the additional manpower and the management studies will be reflected in the registry's estimate for 1983–84. Recruitment of some of the additional staff will begin immediately. Furthermore some of the management studies are particularly urgent because of the registry's enforced move of building at the end of 1983.Subject therefore to Parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the 1982–83 cash limit for Class IV Vote 11 will be increased by £39,000 from £983,000 to £1,022,000. The increase will be charged to the Contingency Reserve and will not therefore add to the planning total of public expenditure. The supplementary estimate sought for Class IV, Vote 11 will be for £35,000; this takes account of the cash limit reduction, announced on 21 December, following the change in the national insurance surcharge.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number, age, sex and location of those mentally disordered prisoners currently awaiting transfer to hospital; and what is the regional health authority area for which each one is awaiting a place.

Twelve prisoners are currently awaiting transfer to hospital under section 72 of the Mental Health Act 1959. The other particulars requested are as follows.

Age	Sex	Location	Regional health authority approached
27	M	Wormwood Scrubs	North East Thames
42	M	Wormwood Scrubs	Trent
28	M	Wormwood Scrubs	None (request made for a place in a special hospital)
43	M	Wandsworth	None (request made for a place in a special hospital)
25	M	Wandsworth	North West Thames
20	M	Glen Parva	North West Thames
29	M	Wandsworth	South West Thames
21	F	Styal	Wessex
38	F	Holloway	Yorkshire
34	F	Durham	West Midlands
38	F	Risley	South East Thames
32	M	Wandsworth	North West Thames

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mentally disordered prisoners awaiting transfer to a hospital were released at the end of their sentences in 1982.

Between 6 December 1982, when I answered a previous question by the hon. Member on the matter, and the end of the year, no prisoners whose transfer to hospital under section 72 of the Mental Health Act 1959 was pending were released at the expiry of their sentences. A further check, however, has shown that the number of prisoners released in those circumstances earlier in 1982 was seven—not four as stated in my previous answer. I regret this under-recording and have taken steps to ensure that it does not recur.—[Vol. 33, c. 338–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now remove all unconvicted and untried persons in prison on remand from closed prisons and place them into open prisons, and place the tried and convicted persons in open prisons into the cells so vacated.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange to hold an inquiry aimed at reducing the level of football hooliganism by bringing together representatives of local councils, the police, the football authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Last autumn, following an initiative by my hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for Sport, a liaison group on which are represented the football authorities, the police and the Government Departments concerned was established to advise local agencies on measures to combat football hooliganism. I will see that the hon. Member's suggestion is brought to the attention of the liaison group.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Lewisham, West on 3 February, Official Report, c. 412, when he now intends to place the Metropolitan Police handbook in the Library.

We understand from the Commissioner that the book has been revised to omit material which it would be operationally damaging and not in the public interest to include and, subject to printing, a copy should be available shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the types of firearms and equipment used by police forces in England and Wales in pursuing suspects whom they believe to be armed;(2) whether he has issued guidelines to the chief officers of police in England and Wales about the types of arms and equipment which may be used by police officers pursuing suspects whom they believe to be armed; and if he will make a statement.

Police forces in England and Wales are not required to notify the Home Office of firearms or equipment used, as this is a matter for individual chief officers. Guidance is given to the police by the Home Office and Association of Chief Police Officers jointly as to the types of firearms and equipment recommended.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how may wartime Nazis are on the list held by immigration officers of persons whose entry is certified as being not conducive to the public good.

It is not my right hon. Friend's practice to publish information about the numbers or kinds of persons whose entry to the United Kingdom he has certified would not be conducive to the public good.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether membership of the wartime SS and Waffen SS automatically results in exclusion of an individual from the United Kingdom.

Membership of the wartime SS and Waffen SS, if known, would be an important factor in deciding whether it would be proper to exclude an individual from the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been paid from public funds to the Greater London Council in each of the past five years for the purposes of civil defence emergency planning; for what specific purposes this money was given; how much was devoted to salaries; by what method he satisfies himself that money paid is used for the purpose intended; and if he will make a statement.

The following total sums were paid to the GLC for the purposes of civil defence emergency planning carried out in each of the last 5 years:

	£
1977–78	206,871
1978–79	245,471
1979–80	253,321
1980–81	356,749
1981–82	403,877

The money was paid as civil defence grant under the Civil Defence (Grant) Regulations 1953 (as amended) in connection with the GLC's discharge of its civil defence responsibilities under the Civil Defence (Planning) Regulations 1974.The following sums were included in the total payments for salaries and associated expenses:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now received the third periodical report of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England.

I received the third periodical report of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England on 11 February and presented it to Parliament today, together with the draft of an Order in Council for giving effect to its recommendations without modifications.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the West German Government about the handing over to Argentina of a second MEKO 360-type frigate, currently undergoing sea-trials in the North sea.

As I indicated to the hon. Member on 7 February, the German Government are well aware of our views.—[Vol. 36, c. 275–76.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to be able to announce the placing of design contracts for the turbine generators for the Sizewell power station.

This is a matter for the CEGB.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he requires the Central Electricity Generating Board, in seeking tenders for turbine generator equipment for the Sizewell pressurised water reactor power station and subsequent pressurised water reactor orders, to ensure that all companies seeking to tender be given the same opportunities to do so.

I am advised by the CEGB that all tendering companies are given equal opportunities.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of total production costs to industrial consumers is represented by fuel costs in France, Germany, Italy, Holland and the United Kingdom.

For the United Kingdom it has been estimated that fuel purchases formed about 5 per cent. of the total costs of manufacturing industry in June 1980. A more recent estimate is not available. No data are available for the other countries specified.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the comparative costs of electricity for major industries in each country in the European Community.

In November 1981 the NEDC task force established prices in Europe and the United Kingdom for major industrial electricity users. The relevant trade associations and supplying industries in conjunction with my Department are currently up-dating this price data under the co-ordination of the CBI, which expects to make the results available very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if any of the companies which submitted applications for the eighth round of offshore oil licensing are wholly or partly owned by South African interests; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any South African company or individual holding more than 5 per cent. of the shares in any applicant company in the eighth round. Detailed information about smaller shareholdings is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when it is expected that the scheme by which retirement pensioners are charged no more for standing charges than half the total of the bill will be fully implemented.

The scheme applies to all domestic consumers. The British Gas Corporation is adopting the scheme for bills based on meter readings on or after 28 February. Area electricity boards in England and Wales are already applying the scheme though, in one case, the rebate to small consumers is up to half the value of the standing charge.Matters concerning the Scottish electricity boards are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, but I understand that the Scottish boards intend to introduce similar measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are his guidelines in respect of the system of selection in the case of education authorities where some secondary schools are selective and others comprehensive.

Subject to the provisions of sections 6 to 8 of the Education Act 1980, school admission arrangements are entirely a local matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many education authorities have some secondary schools which are selective and some which are comprehensive.

In January 1982, the latest date for which information is available, there were 40 local education authorities in England which had at least one selective maintained secondary school in addition to comprehensive schools. These authorities included:

• 2 authorities with at least one modern school;
• 7 authorities with at least one grammar school;
• 27 authorities with at least one modern and one grammar school;
• 4 authorities with no modern or grammar schools, but with at least one technical or other type of secondary school.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many education authorities have now given full effect to the provisions of section 6 of the Education Act 1980, with regard to parental choice; how many have still to do so; and if he will make a statement.

The provisions of section 6 apply to all local education authorities. While some complaints have been received from parents alleging that the Act was not being operated properly, my right hon. Friend has, to date, not found any such complaints to be substantiated.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what effects on the education system he expects to result from the forecasted expenditure on the service outlined in "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1983–84 to 1985–86".

Provided that costs, including in particular pay settlements, are contained and planned savings achieved, the plans outlined in Cmnd. 8789 should allow local authorities in general to maintain or improve levels of provision. In addition, they allow increased provision for new technologies, new blood in universities, and grants for priority areas in in-service teacher training and for training awards in CDT.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many educational psychologists are employed in Cambridgeshire; and what were the equivalent figures in May 1979.

The Department collects these figures in January of each year. The figures for 1979 and 1983 are 12 and 12 respectively, excluding staff seconded for training.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice Her Majesty's inspectorate is giving to local education authorities about the levels of expenditure on books and equipment in primary schools.

Her Majesty's Inspectors comment on the provision of books and equipment, in primary schools as in other institutions, in their inspection reports and as part of their normal discussions with officers of each local education authority. Their comments reflect what they have observed in the schools they have visited.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the real spending levels on books in primary and secondary schools, respectively, in England and Wales for each year from 1979 to 1982.

The average real terms expenditure per pupil for primary and secondary schools in England respectively in each of the last four financial years was as follows:

	£s. (1981–82 outturn prices)
	Primary	Secondary
1978–79	5·9	10·0
1979–80	5·7	9·6
1980–81	5·9	8·9
1981–82*	5·9	8·6
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make an additional specific allocation of resources for the teaching of science and the recruitment of science teachers in order to improve the academic attainment of 15-year-olds in scientific subjects.

It is for local education authorities and schools to decide how they allocate the resources available to them between areas of the curriculum. In recent years recruitment of science teachers has been better and the number of unfilled vacancies in secondary schools has fallen. The Department's current consultations on science in the school curriculum are concerned with means of improving the teaching of science throughout primary and secondary education.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his reply to the right hon. and learned Member for Aberavon on 7 February, Official Report, c. 618, how many new jobs have come to Wales since May 1979; how many came in the comparable period immediately before this; and what are the job losses in the same periods.

Comprehensive information is not available on job gains and losses. An indication of net changes in employment levels can be obtained from the census of employees in employment covering the period up to 1978 and from the quarterly estimates of employees in employment for the period to June 1982. These estimates do not however give a complete picture: for example they do not include details of the self-employed.However, figures are available as to the estimated number of jobs to be provided from allocations of Government factories or offers of selective financial assistance accepted, giving a figure of over 37,000 in the period from May 1979 to the latest available date (November/December 1982), compared with some 26,000 in the period May 1975 to April 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many jobcentres there are in Wales; which jobcentres are scheduled for closure; and if he will make a statement.

There are 88 jobcentres in Wales. None are scheduled for closure. Four part-time offices out of a total network of 102 (jobcentres and employment offices) are currently the subject of local consultation on closure proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many, and what percentage of the total unemployed in Wales, have been out of work for a year and two years, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

The latest available figures relate to October 1982 when 68,364 or 36·9 per cent. and 30,325 or 16·4 per cent. were out of work for over one year and over 2 years respectively.The Government have endorsed a substantial spending programme amounting to £2·6 billion nationally on special employment and training measures to help the unemployed. Within Wales there is also the continuing commitment to develop job opportunities through the programme of various agencies such as the Welsh Development Agency and the Development Board for Rural Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many young people in Wales under the age of 18 years are available for, but without work; and what percentage this represents of the age group in that region.

The latest available figures relate to October 1982, when 13,596 people under the age of 18 years were registered as unemployed, or 14·6 per cent. of the total population aged 16 to under 18, including those continuing in full-time education.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many engineering jobs were lost in Wales in the years 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982, respectively; how many engineering apprentices have been made redundant in each of these years; and if he will make a statement.

Comprehensive and detailed information is not available in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many men were reported as unemployed in Wales, Clwyd and Deeside, respectively, in May 1979 and at the latest available date.

On 13 January 1983, unemployed male claimants in Wales, Clwyd and the Shotton travel-to-work area totalled 133,071, 18,663 and 6,931 respectively. In May 1979 unemployed male claimants in Wales totalled 55,758. Unemployment figures on a comparable basis for Clwyd and the Shotton travel-to-work areas (where in May 1979 unemployed males registrants totalled 7,589 and 1,862 respectively) are available only from October 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how he has carried out his statutory duties in 1981 and 1982 to report to the House on roads in Wales.

The Roads Act 1920 imposes a statutory duty to make an annual report to Parliament of my proceedings under that Act and under part II of the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act 1909. Repeals and re-enactments of legislation since 1920 have created doubt about the existence and extent of this statutory duty. I have kept Parliament fully informed on all aspects of my responsibilities for highways. Following the pattern set by the right hon. and learned Member, this information has been supplemented at approximately two yearly intervals by the publication of "Roads in Wales."

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will take steps to increase awareness among small firms and the self-employed of the range of measures now available for them, and of the changes in legislation to assist them.

I accept that there is a continuing need to increase the awareness among small businessmen of the help available to them, and I take every opportunity to do so. Last year's business opportunities programme and the recent small firms service awareness campaign yielded good results. But it is essential to build on these, and I will shortly be announcing to the House details of a major publicity campaign to begin in March.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received from private sector ship repair companies about the state of the ship repair industry; whether he will publish such representations and his reply; and if he will make a statement.

The main thrust of the numerous letters and representations we have received from the private sector ship repair companies have been about unfair competition from British Shipbuilders' ship repair subsidies. I do not propose to publish these letters. We have made clear to Sir Robert Atkinson the Government's concern that the private sector should not be undermined by public sector losses. He has taken action to endeavour to bring British Shipbuilders ship repair to viability.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the latest available index of United Kingdom manufacturing output.

In November 1982 the index of manufacturing production was provisionally estimated to have been 86·8 (1975 = 100).

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the annual output of manufacturing industry in each of the past five years; and what has been the decline in manufacturing output since 1979.

Between 1979 and the three months September to November 1982, the index of manufacturing production fell by 16 per cent. Annual estimates of the level of the index during the last five years are published in table 7·1 of the Monthly Digest of Statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he expects the level of output of manufactures to be higher in October 1983 than in May 1979.

Clearly no one would expect levels of output achieved at the peak of the economic cycle to be matched during a period of worldwide recession. The last three years have been a period of transition for the United Kingdom during which the problems of years of low productivity and poor competitiveness have been confronted. This has left the United Kingdom better placed to take advantage of any upturn in world activity that may occur in 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many development areas in the United Kingdom have made representations to him with regard to the siting of a Nissan factory in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The Department of Industry received representations about 49 sites from over 35 areas with regard to the siting of a Nissan factory in the United Kingdom. These included proposals for 33 sites in special development areas and development areas. This number was reduced by Nissan, during the company's feasibility study, to 8 sites, all of which are in assisted areas. There has been a number of representations from these areas while Nissan is continuing with its feasibility study.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what discussions he had during his recent visit to Japan concerning the establishment of a Nissan car plant in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

I had a useful discussion with top Nissan management during my recent visit to Japan. Nissan assured me that it was continuing its serious study of the United Kingdom project; I, for my part, reiterated the Government's continuing welcome and support for it. Such an investment would be a most valuable demonstration of Japanese commitment to improving the imbalance in our economic relations.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what further steps he is taking to stimulate the industrial use of information technology.

During the last year my Department has made available substantially increased resources under both existing and new schemes to promote awareness of the importance of information technology in British industry and to encourage its more speedy adoption.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he last met the chairman of British Telecom to discuss the details of the proposed licence to operate under the terms of the Telecommunications Bill; and if he will make a statement.

I had a long meeting with the chairman of British Telecom on Friday 21 January to discuss the proposals for BT's draft licence which I published on 25 January. I look forward to receiving comments from all parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what recent discussions he has had with BL on its policy for the sourcing of components.

BL keeps me and my Ministerial colleagues fully informed of its overall policy on purchases of components. Individual decisions on component purchasing are, however, matters for the commercial judgment of the company.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps he is taking to promote the development of new, modern technological industries with high export potential.

My Department has taken numerous initiatives to promote the development of such industries and has significantly increased the resources available to stimulate industrial innovation. Support for research and development is available to all sectors of industry but special arrangements have been made to encourage the development and application of microelectronics; fibre optics and optoelectronics; robotics, computer aided design, manufacture and test; flexible manufacturing systems, information technology, including software products; and biotechnology.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much public money has been paid in the last 12 months to companies located in London for the purpose of assisting them to locate elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

£1·7 million was actually paid out to companies between 1 December 1981 and 30 November 1982 in relation to office and service projects which entailed a move from London to the assisted areas. In that period about £8 million assistance was offered to companies, some of it connected with the same projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will seek to bring forward the date of introduction of the new cellular radio telephone system so that more car telephones and hand portable transceivers are provided.

Our aim is to bring the service into operation as soon as possible. Its introduction depends upon the choice of system and the time required to manufacture and install it.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what subjects he expects to discuss at his next meeting with the chairman of the British Steel Corporation.

As usual in my meetings with Mr. MacGregor, I expect to discuss a number of matters of current interest to BSC and the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the increase in capital investment in service industries since 1979.

Capital expenditure in the third quarter of 1982 by the services industries covered by my Department's statistical surveys was £1,375 million at 1975 prices seasonally adjusted; an increase of £229 million (or 20 per cent.) over the quarterly average for 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he is satisfied with the progress being made by Rolls-Royce in its development of the RJ500 engine; and if he will make a statement.

Rolls-Royce is continuing to explore, with the Government's encouragement, the possibility of widening its collaboration with the Japanese to include another major partner. The Government await the outcome of these discussions with interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many jobs have been lost in (a) the British Steel Corporation and (b) the private sector of the steel industry, since Her Majesty's Government agreed with other European Community member states measures to deal with the problems of the steel industry; how these figures compare with job losses in other European Community countries; and if he will make a statement.

Between October 1980, when the present Community steel anti-crisis measures were introduced, and the end of 1982, a total of some 54,000 jobs were lost in BSC, of which some 30,000 were involved in the ECSC production covered by the Community's measures. In the same period, the private sector lost some 12,000 jobs in ECSC production. Total ECSC job losses in other European Community countries for this period were 60,500.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many people are employed in the private and public sectors of the steel industry.

Provisional estimates of numbers employed on ECSC activities in the public and private sectors of the steel industry at the end of last year were 61,200 and 13,400 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the current production capacity of the United Kingdom paper and board industry; and what was the total output of the industry in 1979, 1980 and 1981.

The latest production capacity figure available for the paper and board industry is 3·9 million tonnes in 1981. Total output of the industry in 1979, 1980 and 1981 was 4·2 million tonnes, 3·8 million tonnes and 3·4 million tonnes respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the objectives of the "Design for Profit Campaign".

The main objective of the "Design for Profit" campaign is to encourage managing directors and finance directors of medium and small sized manufacturing firms to be more aware of the benefits, in terms of competitiveness and increased profits, that flow from investment in product design. The campaign will do this mainly by a series of seminars which will be based on case histories of firms with a comprehensive approach to product design.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what part his Department will be playing in the European year of small and medium-sized enterprise.

The Government warmly support the European Parliament's designation of 1983 as the European year of small and medium-sized enterprises, which should intensify the focus on the role and needs of smaller businesses in Europe. The Prime Minister is patron of the year in the United Kingdom and I am president of the United Kingdom committee which held a launch conference in Lancaster House on 27 January and will be arranging other events during the year, and which we have supported financially and in other ways.The Government will continue to work both within the Community and domestically to improve the climate for enterprise by stimulating investment, providing incentives and reducing burdens.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much of the money allocated to research and development into fibre optics has been spent.

Payment under the fibre optics and optoelectronics scheme amounted to £871,300 at 31 January 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has received any recent report from the British Steel Corporation concerning future investment proposals for the industry; and, if so, if he will publish the details.

I have not received BSC's corporate plan for 1983–86 which I expect to deal with forward investment plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what methods, means and procedures have been adopted in locating and appointing the chairmen of the British Steel Corporation; what methods he is now employing; and if he will make a statement.

Before the present chairman, Mr. Ian MacGregor, was appointed in 1980 a firm of executive search consultants was engaged to assist the Secretary of State in securing a suitable candidate. Mr. MacGregor is doing an excellent job at BSC and no decisions have been taken about the future of the chairmanship after his current term of office expires on 30 June 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the annual consumption in the United Kingdom of manganese, vanadium and niobium and what are the countries from which the metals are derived.

Data on the total United Kingdom consumption of these metals are not available but it is estimated that 90 per cent. of the consumption is accounted for by the iron and steel industry. In 1981, the latest year for which data are available, that industry used 165,000 tonnes of manganese, 890 tonnes of vanadium and 490 tonnes of niobium.Manganese comes from South Africa, Brazil and Norway; vanadium from Finland, the Federal Republic of Germany and Austria; niobium from Brazil and Belgium.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if Her Majesty's Government have any plans to follow the example of Japan and stockpile strategic metals on a five-year basis.

We have decided to establish a small stockpile of strategic minerals. Most of the purchases planned for this year have been made or arrangements for them are at an advanced stage. Details of the stockpile are confidential but a supplementary estimate will be submitted to the House shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will introduce special measures to give 50 per cent. or more grant to west midlands industrial companies for modernisation of plant.

There are no schemes, nationwide or regional, which give automatic grants of 50 per cent. or more. But firms in the West Midlands which meet the necessary criteria are already eligible for the following national schemes of assistance currently provided by the Department of Industry:

(a) General support arrangements under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972 for assisting large projects;

(b) Six schemes offering assistance under section 8 of the Industry Act.

(i) Flexible manufacturing—including robotics—scheme;

(ii) Coal-firing scheme;

(iii) Private sector steel;

(iv) Micro-electronics industry support programme;

(v) Computer aided design and test equipment support;

(vi) Small firms loan guarantee scheme.

(c) Support for Innovation, a general support facility promoting research and development: special arrangements within this facility include:

(i) Micro-electronics application project;

(ii) Information technology;

(iii) Fibre optics and opto-electronics scheme;

(iv) Computer aided design, manufacture and test; (for electronic industry);

(v) Computer aided design and computer aided manufacture;

(vi) Software products scheme;

(vii) Advisory services such as the manufacturing advisory service for small and medium-sized companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what discussions he had had with the chairman of Associated British Ports on the future development of the port of Southampton as a customs-free port and its industrial redevelopment.

My right hon. Friend has had no discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many applications he has received from industry in

Period	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982
Import penetration (per cent.)	24½	28½	21½	27½	*34	*37
* The figure for 1981 is an estimate based on six months' full figures and a sample for the remaining six months of the year; the figure for 1982 is an estimate based on figures for the first three quarters.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will enhance the protection afforded to British industry against the exploitation of British research by multinational companies in their plants abroad when their British operations are capable of this work.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 February 1983, c. 435]: The Government encourage multinational companies to establish research facilities in Britain and to apply the results to the benefit of the United Kingdom. I am satisfied that where companies are in receipt of Government assistance for R & D, existing arrangements allow my Department to ensure that the United Kingdom derives maximum benefit from the support provided. Where companies have themselves funded R & D, it is for them to decide, in the light of their own commercial judgment, how the results are to be exploited.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the provisions for legal aid for parents contesting care orders in magistrates' courts will be implemented under the Children Act 1975.

I am not yet able to say when it will be possible to introduce these provisions.

23 applications have been received from companies in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. This accounts for 9 per cent. of total applications received. Of these, 15 have been offered grants totalling over £620,000; 5 are still under consideration and 3 have been withdrawn or rejected.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will estimate the market import penetration levels for (a) the latest available date and (b) each of the past five years in the industrial and domestic dry battery industry.

I regret that there are no market penetration statistics available for dry batteries as such but estimates for a close approximation to them—primary batteries and parts thereof—are given as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what local authority appeal procedures are established for housing benefit cases; whether the bodies set up will be expected to reach unanimous decisions; and, where decisions are not unanimous, whether this will be indicated with reason stated;(2) how many local authorities have established appeal bodies to review housing benefit appeals; how many have yet to do so; and how many appeals have been heard so far.

I refer the hon. Member to part VIII of the Housing Benefit Regulations 1982, which sets out the duties laid upon local authorities in this area. Information is not held centrally on the operation of such review boards as have been established so far.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will review and make a statement on the working of the Children and Young persons Act 1969, with particular reference to its use by local authorities to deny parents or foster parents knowledge of the whereabouts of, or access to, children taken into care.

I am aware that concern has been expressed about cases in which parents have been denied access to children in care under the Children and Young Persons Act 1969 and other enactments. I am considering the representations which have been made to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that leaflets SB21/Nov 82 and SB1/Nov 82 will not when displayed cause confusion because of the similarity of their format.

I do not consider that there is a danger of confusion with these two leaflets. The cover of each leaflet lists in large type the people for whom it is appropriate. Leaflet SB21 is available to unemployed claimants of supplementary benefit through unemployment benefit offices and leaflet SB1, available mainly from post offices and local DHSS offices, is for pensioners and others.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether leaflet SB1/Nov 82 is intended to be given to the unemployed;(2) whether it is intended that all unemployed persons will automatically be issued with leaflet SB21/Nov 82.

Since December 1982 instructions have provided for the automatic issue to all unemployed people of leaflet SB21/Nov 82 instead of leaflet SBI/Nov 82.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent the 17 per cent. drop in sickness benefit claims is due to self-certification; what effect the recession and rising unemployment had in producing these figures; and whether there is evidence that misunderstanding of self-certification forms exists, and that claimants give a medical diagnosis to employers.

Over the six months following the introduction of self-certification in June 1982, claims have been running about 20 per cent. below claims in the corresponding period in 1981. Almost certainly, both the introduction of self-certification and rising unemployment are factors contributing to this decline, but on present information it is not possible to estimate their relative importance or to know whether there are others.We have no evidence that there has been any major misunderstanding of self-certification forms by claimants which would deter people from claiming benefit to which they are entitled. In general, in completing these forms, claimants tend to describe their symptoms rather than give a medical diagnosis.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now state the terms of reference of the team of inquiry looking into National Health Service manpower.

The NHS management inquiry has not been given formal terms of reference. Mr. Griffiths and his team have been appointed as expert advisers on the effective use and management of NHS manpower and related resources. They have been set two main tasks: to examine the ways in which those resources are used and controlled inside the Health Service, so as to secure the best value for money and the best possible services for the patient; and to identify what further management issues need pursuing for these important purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a further statement on the effect on health services of the water strike.

Hospitals, health centres and clinics in a number of districts are having to boil water but no major difficulties have yet been reported. If action were to be taken in any part of the country which caused any protracted break in or contamination of water services to hospitals, it could of course have very serious consequences for the health of patients, and I trust that those taking part in industrial action will bear this in mind and continue to adhere to their undertaking to provide emergency services.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the numbers of disabled people in employment, claiming invalidity pension, and earning up to the therapeutic earnings limit at tie latest date for which figures are available and at the same date in each of the preceding three years.