asked the Minister for Trade if he will take steps to ban the import of the insecticide Galecron, manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Ciba-Geigy Ltd.

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

asked the Minister for Trade when he expects to bring into force section 55 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1970.

The Merchant Shipping Act 1970 (Commencement No. 9) Order 1982 (SI 1982 No. 1617) provides at Schedule 2 for section 55 of the 1970 Act, as amended and augmented by sections 32(2) and 28(7)(b) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1979, to come into force on 1 July 1983.

asked the Minister for Trade what sections of the Merchant Shipping Act 1970 remain to be brought into force.

The following sections of the Merchant Shipping Act 1970 have still to be brought into force: sections 6, 36, 51, 55, 56, 57 (Part), 59 (Part), 87, 95(3) and also parts of section 100 and Schedules 2–5 mainly in so far as they effect amendments and repeals related to the sections referred to above.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will publish a table showing (a) the five nations with which the United Kingdom enjoyed the largest surplus in manufacturing trade in 1982 and (b) the five nations with which the United Kingdom had the largest deficits in manufacturing trade.

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

asked the Minister for Trade if he will publish a table showing the surplus of deficit, respectively, in manufacturing trade between the United Kingdom and the European Community and the rest of the world, respectively, in the calendar year 1982.

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

asked the Minister for Trade what progress has been made in recent discussions with Japan on the subject of imports into and exports from that country.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 February 1982, c. 64]: Japan recently announced a number of tariff reductions, a review of its standards procedures, and export restraint in certain sensitive product sectors. While we welcome these developments, we shall continue to press both bilaterally and through the Commission for further improvements so as to secure a large increase in the level of our exports to Japan and a more equal trading relationship.

asked the Minister for Trade what progress is being made in his Department's discussions concerning a letter of credit from Coal India for Radmark Engineering (UK) Ltd in Sutton in Ashfield.

[pursuant to the reply, 14 February 1983, c. 65]: I made representations on behalf of Radmark Engineering (UK) Ltd to the Indian Minister concerned during my recent visit to India. I understand that the matter is being reviewed by the appropriate Indian authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what measures are taken to ensure that United Kingdom North sea oil, supplied to trans-shipment centres such as the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, the Bahamas, the United States Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and the Canary Islands, is not subsequently shipped to South Africa.

I cannot monitor indirect trade in United Kingdom North sea oil.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, in view of the conflicting statistical information given in his Department's Brown Book and the Department of Trade export statistics, he will give an authoritative yearly breakdown of the volume of United Kingdom North sea crude oil sold to the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, the Bahamas, the United States Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and the Canary Islands, for the period since 1978.

The discrepancies between the two sources reflect the use of two separate reporting systems with their associated differences of interpretation, definition and approach. I cannot provide any more authoritative alternative. Since last year both series have been available in my Department's "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics."

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of the shipping services supporting and servicing the exploration and exploitation of the United Kingdom offshore oil and gas industry is supplied by United Kingdom flag ships.

This information is not normally available either in the Department of Energy or Department of Trade. The data which is provided in the attached table has been produced through a special exercise. However it does not provide a complete answer as the number and disposition of small standby vessels is not available without extensive additional work.The exact number of vessels changes frequently as charter periods end and others start. There is also a seasonal effect as more vessels are employed during the summer months on offshore construction work.The figures given in the table represent our estimate of the vessels on contract to oil and gas companies operating on the United Kingdom continental shelf in early February 1983.

Service and support vessels on contract on the UKCS
	Total No.	British	Percentage British Flag
Supply boats/anchor handling/supply vessels	115	58	50
Diving support vessels and rapid intervention vessels	22	13	59
Accommodation units	5	0	0

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the occasions when his Department has used its powers to order cuts in North sea oil production rates in post 1975 fields.

There have been no such occasions.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the average cost of a barrel of United Kingdom continental shelf crude oil at 1983 prices; and if he will provide comparable costs for the refined byproducts at the same prices.

The term price of North sea oil (Forties) in January was £21·30 a barrel. Costs of refined products depend on the type of refinery process, the balance of products produced, as well as the markets into which these products are sold, and no reliable figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the cumulative total of associated gas from the United Kingdom continental shelf oilfields that has been flared to date; and what percentage this is of United Kingdom continental shelf gas production in each year since production started.

The cumulative total of associated gas from United Kingdom continental shelf oilfields which has been flared up to the end of 1982, is 27,845 million cubic metres. The percentages of flaring against total United Kingdom continental shelf gas production in each year since oil production started is shown in the following table:

	per cent.
1975	0·2
1976	1·9
1977	7·7
1978	10·6
1979	14·4

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage and total tonnage of United Kingdom continental shelf oil production has been refined in the United Kingdom in each year since 1978.

The tonnage of United Kingdom continental shelf crude oil retained for refining in the United Kingdom in total, and as a percentage of offshore production, is as follows:

	Tonnage retained for refining million tones	Percentage of offshore production per cent.
1978	28·3	53·6
1979	38·2	49·9
1980	39·3	50·0
1981	37·2	42·4
*1982	38·8	38·7
* Provisional.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the latest available figures showing the effects of sea dumping of nuclear wastes on the marine environment, particularly on the ocean floor; and what effect this is having on living forms.

The latest published information on the effects of sea dumping of nuclear wastes in the Atlantic of which I am aware and which is readily accessible is contained in:

(1) the "Review of the suitability of the dumping site for radioactive waste in the North-East Atlantic" published by the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 1980;

(2) the results of a co-ordinated research programme undertaken by a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, in preparation for the next site review in 1984 and published this year by Nuclear Energy Agency;

(3) the section on the dumping of radioactive wastes in the Atlantic contained in the annual report "Radioactivity in Surface and Coastal Waters of the British Isles", published by my Department in 1982 and the more detailed scientific paper to which that section of the report refers.

A copy of my Department's report is already available but I will be placing copies of the other sources in the Library of the House.The evidence, contained in the scientific studies of the north-east Atlantic dump site and obtained from mathematical modelling which are based on the most adverse assumptions, indicates that the dumping programme adds only minimally to the radioactivity already present from natural sources and from fallout and has no significant effect on populations of marine organisms or on the marine environment generally. Work undertaken by my Department found that none of the Caesium-137 in fish in the area of the dump site, including samples taken from near the deep ocean floor, was attributable to the dumping operation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much cereal substitute was imported by the European Community in each of the past three years; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the measures introduced in 1982 to limit such imports.

Imports into the European Community of products commonly referred to as "cereal substitutes" in the latest years for which information is available are as follows. However, the similarity of these products to cereals and therefore the extent to which they can replace cereals in animal feed vary considerably.

	(thousand tonnes)
	1979	1980	1981
Manioc	5,375	4,866	6,594
Maize gluten feed	2,021	2,596	2,589
Milling residues and screenings	2,014	1,950	1,820
Citrus pulp	1,205	1,571	1,347
Maize germ meal	1,036	1,058	750
Sugar beet pulp	224	190	275
Brewers and distillers grains	204	290	336
Total	12,079	12,521	13,711

The measures introduced in 1982 consisted of limits on imports of manioc and an increase in two stages in the import levies on grain milling residues and screenings. The first probably reduced imports of manioc in 1982. It is too early to assess the effect of the second.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much oilseed was imported into the European Community in each of the past three years; and what levy and quota arrangements apply to such imports.

In the last three years for which figures are available, imports were as follows:

	thousand tonnes
1979	14,734
1980	14,674
1981	*12,751
* includes imports into Greece.

Imports of oilseeds into Greece, including imports from other Community countries, are subject to quota arrangements, which are being liberalised. Otherwise imports are free from all tariffs, levies and quotas.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much sugar was produced in the European Community under each quota heading; and how much was exported to third countries in each of past three years.

The available information for the last three crop years is as follows. Figures are in thousands of tonnes, white sugar equivalent.

1. Production*
	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82
'A' quota sugar	8,927	8,959	9,385
'B' quota sugar	1,792	2,112	2,125
'C' sugar:
a. not carried forward	1,446	1,191	2,518
b. carried forward to following year†	124	—	991
TOTAL	12,289	12,262	15,019

2. Exports
	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82
'A' and 'B' quota sugar	2,321	3,254	‡
'C' sugar≑	1,446	1,191	2,518
Notes:
* Figures include production of cane sugar in the Overseas Departments of France. Production in Greece is included for 1980–81 and 1981–82.
† 'C' sugar carried forward counts against the 'A' quota of the enterprise concerned in the following year. Figures shown for production are actual production in the crop year in question, and exclude amounts carried forward from the previous year.
‡ Figures for 1981–82 are not yet available.
≑ Figures shown are for 'C' sugar not carried forward. Community regulations require such sugar to be exported to third countries, without export refunds or levies, by 1 January following the crop year in. which it was produced.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if, in the current European Community price negotiations for agriculture, he will make it his policy to seek to achieve a price settlement for sugar which will reduce the total area under sugar beet in the European Community.

Yes. The Commission has justified its price proposal by the need to reduce sugar beet area. I have supported its argument and pressed for a still more restrictive price policy that it has proposed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) by how many bulk barrels beer production of United Kingdom brewers in 1982 was below the figure for 1981; and what percentage this represents;(2) what estimates he has made of future levels of beer production; and if he will make a statement.

Beer production in the United Kingdom in 1982 was 36,532,000 bulk barrels, a reduction of 1,182,000 from the 1981 figure. This represents a fall of 3·1 per cent. My Department does not prepare estimates of beer production, but the Brewers' Society has recently said that there are signs the trade could level out in 1983.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantities of rice have been produced in the European Community; what quantities have been exported; and what has been the cost of export subsidies on rice in pound sterling, in each of the past three years.

Details of exports in 1982 are not yet available. Otherwise the information requested is as follows:

	1980	1981	1982
Production (paddy rice—tonnes)	1,055,900	1,001,184	1,084,950
Exports (milled equivalent—tonnes)	379,930	367,229	—
Cost of export refunds*	£26·88m	£9·6m	—
* Converted to sterling from ECUs at the following exchange rates: 1980–1 ECU=£0·60554; 1981–1 ECU=£0·556891

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current situation regarding the outbreak of Bonamia; what measures he proposes to take; and if he will make a statement.

Bonamia has caused very heavy mortalities in French and Dutch oyster beds in recent years and the discovery of the disease in this country is a very serious development. The outbreak was first detected in the River Fal in Cornwall and my fisheries scientists have since sought to determine the extent of the disease. Their investigations indicate that Bonamia is also present in the Helford River, Cornwall and West Mersea, Essex. They propose to conduct further tests in the known infected areas.I have reviewed my current legislative powers to see whether the existing controls might be improved. As a result, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have made the Molluscan Shellfish (Control of Deposit) (Variation) Order 1983. This provides for the isolation of those shellfish beds in Cornwall and Essex where Bonamia has been found.I have also decided to take this opportunity to separate the two important oyster fisheries in Poole harbour and the Solent although no evidence of Bonamia has been reported from either fishery.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for each of the commodities covered by the common agricultural policy, what was the total European Community production in each of the past four years and in 1973.

Information about the levels of production of the main commodities is contained in the markets section of reports entitled "The Agricultural Situation in the Community" published annually by the Commission: data for the years requested are contained in the reports for 1974, 1975, 1981 and 1982, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if the insecticide Galecron is in use in Great Britain.

No.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total amount spent on export subsidies for food to third countries by the nations of the European Community over the past three years; and if he will express the total as a sum per day.

Community expenditure on export refunds over the past three years has been as follows:

	Total annual expenditure		Approximate daily expenditure
	mecu	£ million	mecu	£ million
1980	5,452	(3,300)	15	(9)
1981	4,939	(2,750)	14	(8)
1982*	4,800	(2,650)	13	(7)
* Provisional.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report the totals of various foodstuffs and wine exported to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Eastern Europe, respectively, under the subsidised arrangements of the common agricultural policy during the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what were the comparable totals in each of the previous five years.

The latest year for which complete information is available is 1981. The volumes of the main agricultural products exported from the European Community to the Soviet Union and to other eastern European countries are as follows. These represent total exports, some of which may not have received export refunds. Similar information for the earlier years requested was contained in my replies of 8 June 1982—[Vol. 25, c. 26–28]—and 21 October 1982—[Vol. 29, c. 203–4]—to my hon. Friend.

European Community exports of agricultural produce in 1981
	Exports to Soviet Union	Exports to Eastern Europe*
	000 tonnes	000 tonnes
Wheat	857	2,989
Barley	806	1,249
Wheat Flour	598	65
Malt	198	‡
Butter and butteroil	‡	72
Skimmed milk powder	—	‡
Beef and veal	100	134
Pigmeat	2	44
Poultrymeat	86	19
Sugar (refined)	580	191
Wine†	1,018	205
Source: Eurostat and United Kingdom overseas trade statistics.
* Excluding USSR: German Democratic Republic, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania.
† Thousand hectolitres: Converted by MAFF from data recorded in tonnes, using the approximate conversion rate of 1 tonne=9·8 hectolitres.
‡ Less than 500 tonnes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the threshold for income tax in 1983–84 for (a) a single man and (b) a married man with two children if those thresholds were to represent the same proportion of the average manual earnings as they did in the financial year 1947–48; and what would be the loss of income to the Exchequer if the tax thresholds were set at this level for 1983–84.

The hon. Member asks for comparisons with a period when the tax threshold included child tax allowances. These have now been replaced by non-taxable child benefit. If thresholds in 1983–84 were set at the same proportion of average manual earnings as in 1947–48, they would be (^*): (a) single person £3,205; (b) married man with two children £8,215. To estimate the cost of such a change, it would be necessary to know whether the hon. Member envisages the reintroduction of child tax allowances and, if so, how large they would be and whether child benefit would continue to be paid and at what level.(

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken recently to deal with the problems caused by the black economy in Northern Ireland.

The Inland Revenue keeps its procedures for tackling tax evasion in the black economy in all parts of the United Kingdom under continuous review.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his estimates of revenues from tax and excise duty on beer fell short of his target in the financial year 1981–82; and if he will make a statement.

Excise duty receipts from beer in 1981–82 were £1,356 million (provisional), £84 million (5·8 per cent) below the 1981 Budget estimate of £1,440 million. Budget estimates for VAT are made only globally and, in consequence, there was no forecast of VAT revenue from beer. I believe that the shortfall in excise duty receipts from beer was mainly attributable to a fall in demand below expectation as a result of the continuing effects of the recession.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the most recent figure of the contributions made and grants received from the European Community since 1973; and if he will express the net contribution since 1973 as a sum per day;(2) if he will set out the effect of the revised procedures for spending the 1982 European Community rebate in consequence of the negotiations with the Budget Committee of the European Assembly; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revenue from royalties, petroleum revenue tax, supplementary petroleum duty and corporation tax from North sea oil and gas for each year since production started.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much income has been forgone by the Treasury as a result of the amendment of the Oil Taxation Act 1980 which permitted oil companies to set against petroleum revenue tax the cost of delivering oil to their customers as opposed to the previous allowance to land oil in the United Kingdom only.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent meeting of the International Monetary Fund interim committee in Washington.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mr. Clark) yesterday.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he has decided to close the local Inland Revenue stamping offices and to centralise a postal service at Worthing; what advantages in terms of (a) efficiency and (b) manpower will be achieved; and if he is satisfied that services to solicitors and others will be as prompt in all cases.

[pursuant to the reply, 10 February 1983, c. 438]: In 1981 a staffing survey suggested that there might be gains in efficiency if the provincial stamp offices were closed down and most stamp duty work was concentrated in a central office. Following the report a detailed study of the financial and other implications of the provincial office proposals were carried out. As a result of this, the Board of Inland Revenue announced on 3 February that it had decided to retain almost all the provincial offices, although some transfer of work might be necessary in a number of instances to make the offices viable. In the case, however, of the offices at Sheffield and Glasgow the level of work does call into question the justification for their retention, and the board is discussing its future with representatives of the legal profession and the trade unions concerned. If these offices were to close it would be the intention to transfer the work to Leeds and Edinburgh respectively. The board will be reconsidering the proposal to concentrate head office postal work in the light of the decision to retain the provincial offices.

asked the Attorney-General how many magistrates' advisory committees publish the names of members; and what adverse comment or experience has been received as a result.

Two, inner London and Essex. No comments or effects, adverse or otherwise, have come to the notice of the Lord Chancellor in consequence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average daily number of prisoners produced in court for formal weekly remand appearances.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many witnesses who had been hypnotised by the police to assist their recollection of events have subsequently given evidence in court.

No central records are kept of the use of hypnosis by the police, but it is thought that the number of witnesses who have been hypnotised and have subsequently given evidence in court is very small indeed.

Casualties from fires in dwellings by type of dwelling, age, sex and whether trapped*
United Kingdom	Number of persons
	1978†				1979
	non-fatal		fatal		non-fatal		fatal
	total	trapped	total	trapped	total	trapped	total	trapped
Dwellings in single occupation
Total casualties	†3,503	906	†473	265	3,712	1,084	575	359
0–15 years	539	322	65	57	686	394	91	87
16–59 years, fire brigade	233	5	1	—	201	5	—	—
16–59 years, other male	943	209	54	42	1,028	231	71	51
16–59 years, female	773	201	41	30	840	235	73	43
60 years or over, male	298	65	106	64	391	92	116	66
60 years or over, female	456	89	137	71	502	112	221	111
unspecified or unallocated	†261	15	†69	1	64	15	3	1
Detached, semi-detached or terraced houses in multiple occupation
Total casualties	832	321	119	89	1,039	488	144	104
0–15 years	81	54	18	18	116	86	11	10
16–59 years, fire brigade	47	2	—	—	68	—	—	—
16–59 years, other male	279	108	29	24	377	183	33	26
16–59 years, female	214	78	19	14	219	109	21	13
60 years or over, male	71	28	18	10	100	43	35	27
60 years or over, female	122	40	34	22	135	55	41	26
unspecified	18	11	1	1	24	12	3	2
Other dwellings in multiple occupation
Total casualties	850	341	91	57	1,224	613	137	98
0–15 years	118	87	7	7	201	151	14	10
16–59 years, fire brigade	37	—	—	—	80	—	—	—
16–59 years, other male	235	87	15	11	299	153	19	17
16–59 years, female	200	85	15	11	297	164	23	18
60 years or over, male	101	34	17	9	132	63	26	14
60 years or over, female	143	44	37	19	196	73	55	39
unspecified	16	4	—	—	19	9	—	—
Casualties in dwellings in multiple occupation of unspecified or unallocated type	†153	1	†41	—	2	—	1	1
All casualties in dwellings in multiple occupation	†1,835	663	†251	146	2,265	1,101	282	203

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will break down the data for (a) deaths and (b) casualties from 1978 to 1981 from fire in singly occupied dwellings, multiply occupied dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses and multiply occupied dwellings in other buildings according to whether the person dying was (i) aged (1) under 16 years, (2) 16 to 60 years, female, (3) 16 to 60 years, male, (4) 16 to 60 years, brigade, (5) over 60 years, female and (6) over 60 years, male; and (ii) was trapped by fire, smoke or the collapse of the structure.

Some information on the age and sex of casualties from fires in dwellings in single and multiple occupation is published annually in "Fire Statistics, United Kingdom"—for example, table 21 of the issue for 1981, published today. The following table presents information about the circumstances of these casualties for the groups requested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many (a) deaths and (b) casualties there were in 1978 to 1981 due to fire in singly occupied dwellings, multiply occupied dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses and multiply occupied dwellings in other buildings, analysed by the most likely source of the fire;(2) how many fires from 1978 to 1981 there were in singly occupied dwellings, multiply occupied dwellings in detached, semi-detached or terraced houses and multiply occupied dwellings in other buildings; and if he will analyse these data by the most likely source of fire.

Some information on fires in dwellings in single and multiple occupation and the resulting casualties is published annually in "Fire Statistics United Kingdom"—for example, table 25 of the issue for 1981, published today. In the latest issue a change has been made in the classification of sources of ignition following the introduction of an additional classification of cause of fire. The following table presents consistent information about sources of ignition on the latest classification for the periods and types of dwelling requested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what, for 1978 to 1981, was the average number of persons at the discovery of the fire (a) in the room of origin and (b) in other parts of the building for fires in singly occupied dwellings, multiply occupied dwellings in detached, semi-detached or terraced houses and multiply occupied dwellings in other buildings.

Reliable information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many rescues were made by fire brigades from fires in singly occupied dwellings, multiply occupied dwellings in a detached, semi-detached or terraced house and multiply occupied dwellings in other buildings in each year from 1978 to 1981.

The number of persons rescued from fires in occupied buildings by local authority fire brigades in the United Kingdom is published annually in "Fire Statistics, United Kingdom"—for example, table 33 of the issue for 1981. Information on the type of building is given in the following table.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing the total number of (a) crimes and offences made known to the police, (b) serious offences involving the use of firearms, (c) crimes of violence and (d) unlawful killings, in the most recent year for which figures are available and 1963, respectively, with any necessary adjustments for differences in the method of calculating figures.

The information available is published annually in "Criminal statistics, England and Wales"—tables 2.2, 3.1 and 2.7 of the volume for 1981, Cmnd 8668. Separate information on those recorded offences involving the use of firearms has been collected on a comparable basis only since 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about the level of vandalism or of crime involving vandalism in 1963 and in the most recent year for which information is available.

The information available relates to offences of criminal damage (or malicious damage prior to the Criminal Damage Act 1971) and is published annually in "Criminal statistics, England and Wales"—Table 2.14 of the volume for 1981, Cmnd. 8668.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be in a position to give the information requested in a letter to the Minister of State dated 12 January relating to the numbers of (a) applications for citizenship, (b) grants of citizenship and (c) outstanding applications for citizenship which there were up to the end of December 1982.

I shall be writing to the hon. Member shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled people (a) are currently unemployed and (b) have been unemployed for more than

Age	Up to 26 weeks	Over 26 and up to 52 weeks	Over 52 and up to 104 weeks	Over 104 and up to 156 weeks	Over 156 weeks
Under 18	777	96	56	—	—
18 to 24	1,751	643	489	131	8
25 to 34	1,070	498	373	149	53
35 to 44	672	333	329	143	63
45 to 64*	991	686	733	346	244
65 and over	—	—	—	1	—
All ages	5,261	2,256	1,980	770	368
* Includes females aged 60 and over.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will now consider the redeployment of civil servants to areas of high unemployment.

There are at present no plans to extend the Government's dispersal programme beyond that announced on 26 July 1979—[Vol. 971, c. 902–21.] However, in considering the location of new Government work or the relocation of work for operational reasons, the pressing needs of particular areas will be taken into account.

Figures for the total numbers of disabled' people registered as unemployed at jobcentres and employment offices and for those among them who have been unemployed for more than a year are as follows in respect of the areas requested. Figures are for October 1982.

	Number of disabled people
	unemployed	unemployed for more than a year
(i) Great Britain	201,195	114,307
(ii) the North West	28,033	16,107
(iii) Merseyside	9,953	6,014
(iv) Kirkby Employment Office area	349	225
(v) Ormskirk travel-to-work area	404	205

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of unemployed in the Walthamstow-Leyton area; and if he will sub-divide this (a) by age in the following categories: (i) under 18 years, (ii) 18 to 24 years, (iii) 25 to 34 years, (iv) 35 to 44 years and (v) 45 to 64 years and lb) by duration in the following categories: (i) up to 26 weeks, (ii) 27 to 52 weeks, (iii) 53 to 104 weeks, (iv) 105 to 156 weeks and (v) over 156 weeks.

At January 1983, the total number of unemployed claimants in the area covered by the Walthamstow and Leytonstone jobcentres was 10,959. An age and duration analysis of this number is not yet available and the following table gives a breakdown for the area at October 1982, when the total number of unemployed claimants was 10,635.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many meetings have taken place of the performance review committee he set up to determine the payments due to Mr. Ian MacGregor as chairman of the British Steel Corporation; what costs have been incurred by this committee; what criteria were set by the committee; and to what extent they have been achieved.

The performance review committee was set up under an agreement between the previous Secretary of State and Lazard Freres of New York to assess the payments due to Lazard Freres, based on the performance of the British Steel Corporation, in compensation for their agreeing to release Mr. MacGregor to serve as chairman of the Corporation for three years from 1 July 1980. I understand that the Committee has so far met four times. Cost to date total £6,675 and relate entirely to the collation of an extensive range of information as the basis for the committee's assessment. The agreed criteria by which the committee should be guided in determining the performance-related payments were set out in a document deposited in Parliament on 15 April 1981. The first of the two payments does not fall to be determined before BSC' s results for the year ending March 1984 are known.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether any scheme is in operation to reduce the steel casting capacity; and if he will make a statement.

There are two such schemes currently in operation. Following a proposal first made in July 1981 by Lazard Brothers for a rationalisation scheme for the United Kingdom steel castings industry, discussions took place within the industry and it was decided to introduce separate self-help voluntary rationalisation schemes for different sectors in order to reduce chronic over-capacity. The Government are providing substantial assistance under Section 8 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 (formerly the Industry Act 1972) as well as certifying the schemes under section 406 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1970 in order to ensure advantageous tax treatment of compensation paid to companies closing under these schemes. Lazards are acting as trustee and monitoring progress on both schemes. The first scheme, for the high alloy static sector of the industry, was introduced in March 1982. This involved 16 foundries in the sector—accounting for approximately 95 per cent. of United Kingdom open market production—five of these ceasing production, with the remainder paying a levy over five years as a contribution toward closure costs.A similar scheme for the general sector was announced on 11 February by Lazards. This involved the closure of 10 foundries representing 25 per cent. of the relevant capacity of the sector which is the largest in the industry, representing 80 per cent. of all steel castings produced in the United Kingdom.I should like to add that the Government welcome the schemes. While we greatly regret the resulting loss in jobs, radical action of this kind is essential to safeguard the long-term future of the industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether Government purchasing Departments have completed their reviews of the limit of £2,000 on contracts exempted from the normal approval procedures; and, if so, whether he will announce the result.

I am pleased to say that it has now been agreed that the exemption, which will be of advantage to small firms, will be extended to most Government contracts up to a new limit of £5,000.

asked the Prime Minister what recent representations she has had about the hospital conditions in which mentally handicapped people are cared for; what has been her response; and if she will make a statement.

I have received a letter from the right hon. Member concerning the level of care and facilities for the mentally handicapped and in particular conditions at Botleys Park hospital, Chertsey. Health authorities recognise the importance of maintaining and, where possible, improving the standards of care in hospitals for the mentally handicapped. At the same time they do all they can with the local authorities to enable people who do not need hospital care to move to more appropriate care in the community. On the question of conditions at Botleys Park hospital, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services has now received a report from the North-West Surrey health authority. The health authority has drawn up a comprehensive plan to improve both conditions at the hospital and services for the mentally handicapped in the district. I understand the health authority will be releasing parts of the national development team's report on mental handicap services in the district and outlining the action being taken at a press conference tomorrow afternoon. I shall reply to the right hon. Member's letter shortly.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply of 3 February, whether Her Majesty's Government will make representations to seek the extradition of Walter Rauff from Chile so that he can be brought to justice for crimes against humanity; if she will consult President Reagan over this matter; and if she will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government would respond positively to any request for assistance in bringing Walter Rauff to justice, but have no jurisdiction in the case.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the financial constraints on higher and further educational expenditure, he will consider fixing an upper age limit on the granting of mandatory awards.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has made any study of the recommendations put forward by the Equal Opportunities Commission concerning (a) the monitoring of school playgrounds for signs of sex stereo-typical play activity among children, (b) the vetting of teaching materials with particular regard to parenting activities and (c) the introduction of gender-free books into schools to replace books that make sexual distinctions; what conclusions he has drawn from his study; and if he will make a statement.

These recommendations are not addressed to Ministers. The Government have repeatedly stressed the importance of giving genuinely equal curricular opportunities to boys and girls.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to monitor the number of cases when assisted places have been offered to pupils who are sons or daughters of friends or relatives of heads and staffs of the schools concerned.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report the letter of the then Minister of State to the hon. Member for Rother Valley dated 9 April 1981 relating to the assisted places scheme; and if this letter still represents Government policy.

The text of the letter is as follows: "Thank you for your letter of 25 March about the assisted places scheme.

"The Education (Assisted Places) Regulations 1980, which were approved by both Houses of Parliament last autumn, provide that the schools participating in the assisted places scheme will themselves be responsible for the selection of assisted pupils subject to specified criteria concerning the age and residence of the pupils, the income of his or her parents and the requirement that he or she should be capable of benefitting from the education provided at the school. There is no specific requirement in the Regulations that schools should only select `able' pupils however that were defined.

"However, the schools we invited to participate in the scheme were selected because of their strong academic records particularly as regards the size of their sixth forms and the A level examination results of candidates from the schools. They are schools which are suitable for able pupils and the sort of academic education they provide would not necessarily be appropriate for all pupils. As you note, we have launched the assisted places scheme with the aim of widening educational opportunities for able pupils. However, if a school in the scheme was satisfied that the education it provided would benefit particular pupils of average ability, assisted places could be offered to those pupils (subject to the criteria concerning age, residence and income). One of our principal aims is to widen educational opportunities and parental choice generally and the assisted places scheme will help do this by offering assistance with independent school fees to parents who could not otherwise possibly afford them.

"My Department will be monitoring very carefully both the operation of the assisted places scheme and the continuing academic performance of schools in the scheme. We will be concerned to ensure that the schools run the scheme in accord with the regulations approved by Parliament and that the schools maintain the standards which led us to invite them to join the scheme. Schedule 4 of the Education Act 1980 provides that the Secretary of State may terminate the participation of a school in the scheme if it does not maintain appropriate educational standards or if it contravenes the regulations."

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he intends to revise any of the cash limits within his programme.

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Spring Supplementary Estimate I propose to increase the cash limit on Class X, Vote 22 (Arts, the Arts Council etc.) by £10,500,000 from £102,781,000 to £113,281,000. This takes account of the additional provision for the Arts Council, certain other arts bodies and the national heritage memorial fund referred to in my announcements of 20 and 22 December 1982 and those of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 15 November 1982 and 4 February 1983.The increase will be met from the contingency reserve, and therefore will not add to the public expenditure planning total.

asked the Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the reply by the Minister for Overseas Development to the hon. Member for Basildon of 8 February, whether the Minister discussed the allegations of harassment and torture of white and black Zimbabweans and the matter of law and order in Zimbabwe with the Government of Zimbabwe during his visit; whether he took recent developments in that country into account in deciding to increase the amount of British aid payable to Zimbabwe; whether he asked for any reassurances in this regard from the Zimbabwe Government before signing the new aid agreement; and if he will make a statement.

I did not discuss allegations of harassment and torture or matters of law and order with the Government of Zimbabwe. My hon. Friend the Minister of State discussed certain matters of law and order and allegations of maltreatment during his visit to Zimbabwe in January and was given certain assurances. The purpose of my visit was to enable me to review with the Zimbabwe Government the progress of our aid programme.The agreement that I signed does not increase the amount of aid pledged to Zimbabwe: it provides for £5 million of our independence pledge, together with £15 million of ECGD-backed loans from British banks, to be used to supply British goods, particularly for Zimbabwe industry. The purpose of our aid is to contribute to stability in Zimbabwe which will be beneficial to all sections o the population.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will stop further payments of British aid to Zimbabwe until he is satisfied that those in detention are brought to trial and funds held by British passport holders are released.

No. We do not believe such action would be the right way of expressing our concern about delays in bringing those in detention to trial, nor would the withholding of our aid be a constructive way of trying to solve the problem of blocked funds. The purpose of our aid is to assist Zimbabwe's economic recovery which will, in turn, help the country to meet its financial obligations.