asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will report progress on the eighth round of offshore licensing.

I am pleased to report good progress with the round. I intend to license seven of the blocks offered for cash tender.The successful bids for these blocks have raised a total of £32¾ million. The highest bid was over £10 million for block 21/15b from a group led by Amerada Exploration Ltd.I have today placed details of the awards in the Libraries of both Houses. This brings the cash tender part of the round to a satisfactory conclusion.Assessment continues of applications for the remaining blocks—those in the southern basin and in previously undrilled areas which are to be licensed on the basis of the usual criteria. Interviews with applicants are already in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when the memorandum being prepared by the Central Electricity Generating Board on comparative generation costs for power stations present and planned will be published.

Though this is a matter for the CEGB, I understand that the board intends to publish the memorandum shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will publish the reports of the independent consultants on gas and electricity standing charges.

The reports were commissioned by the industries. I hope that they will publish the results as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what recent discussions he has had with the British Gas Corporation concerning standing charges.

My Department is in regular contact with the British Gas Corporation about standing charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what response has been made by the Central Electricity Generating Board to the recommendations made by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in its report of 20 May 1981; and if he will make a statement.

I have now received the response of the Central Electricity Generating Board to the 1981 report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. This report was part of the Government's policy under which the activities of the major nationalised industries are to be scrutinised by the MMC approximately every four years. I anticipate that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade will wish to refer the efficiency and costs of the CEGB to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission again in two to three years' time. I am placing copies of the board's response in the Library of the House. This gives the board's comments on the MMC's findings and describes the actions which it has since taken to meet the commission's recommendations.The commission found that in most of the areas within its terms of reference, particularly those relating to cost control, the management of plant maintenance, and management information systems, the CEGB's practices were broadly satisfactory. A number of fields were identified where improvements could be made, and in one area, namely the appraisal of new investments, the commission found that the board showed serious weaknesses; in this respect its conduct operated against the public interest. The most important part of the CEGB's response is therefore addressed to this finding.Against the background of my statutory responsibility to approve the board's investment programmes, my Department has had discussions with the board about its approach to investment appraisal, paying particular attention to methodology and the assumptions employed. The board in its response confirms that it has now adopted techniques whereby new investment is assessed against a wide range of possible economic futures, and against similarly wide ranges of assumptions. It has also amended its practices in determining for investment purposes all the central estimates of the cost and performance factors that are relevant to major capital projects. Its statement of case for Sizewell B reflects this approach. I consider that the board's appraisal practices should benefit considerably from the changes it has introduced in order to meet the commission's criticisms. Accordingly I do not propose to issue a direction under section 12 of the Competition Act.Nevertheless my Department will continue to explore with the board its development of investment appraisal techniques, and to scrutinise carefully its application to particular projects, within the framework of my responsibility generally to monitor the performance of the CEGB and the electricity supply industry. We shall also continue to set the industry demanding financial targets, external financing limits and performance aims. I look to the industry to continue to improve the efficiency with which it uses its capital and manpower resources, and generally to reduce its costs so that electricity prices to consumers can be kept as low as possible.The board's response also covers a number of areas such as demand forecasting, quality assurance, stock control, manning levels for engineering and management staff and power station construction to which the commission drew attention and where it considered the board's policies and procedures could profitably be reassessed. The commission also commented on the board's bulk supply tariff which has since been the subject of a review by the industry and on which I made an earlier statement to the House on l2 November.Parts of the commission's report were addressed to the CEGB's relationship with various public sector trading bodies. In particular, the commission criticised the basis of the joint understanding between the CEGB and the NCB, under which, in return for guaranteed quantities being taken by the CEGB, the NCB undertook to maintain its price increases at no more than the inflation rate. The new coal supplies arrangement negotiated between the two boards with effect from November 1982 reflects the continuing development of their commercial relationship.The commission also saw defects in the present trading arrangements between CEGB and British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. It noted that the relationship was predominantly of monopoly supplier and purchaser and was concerned that the terms of trading might not sufficiently promote efficiency. This matter is being studied urgently in the re-negotiation of the terms of trading between the two organisations.The commission criticised the agreement between CEGB and British Rail for the carriage of coal to power stations. This can be pursued through the normal channels of commercial negotiation between the two boards but the Government are keen to ensure that here, as in other fields, there is increased efficiency and cost-cutting.The board's detailed response to the MMC report reflects the importance that the new CEGB chairman, Sir Walter Marshall, attaches to the issues raised by the Monopolies Commission. He and I regard as particularly important the CEGB's responsibility for the timely and successful completion of major construction projects, and I note with approval the strenuous efforts the board has been making to improve performance at its construction sites and the management of its major projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the United Kingdom are currently employed in (a) the retail distribution of milk, (b) liquid milk processing, (c) manufacture of glass milk bottles and (d) manufacture and maintenance of electric milk floats.

The Department's employment statistics are analysed according to the 1968 standard classification, which does not separately distinguish the retail distribution of milk, the manufacture of glass milk bottles or the manufacture and maintenance of electric milk floats.For liquid milk processing, minimum list heading 215 of the 1968 SIC provides information for milk and milk

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are aged 60 years and over who have been unemployed for more than one year.

At October 1982, the latest date for which the information is available, the number of unemployed claimants aged 60 years and over in Great Britain who had been unemployed for over 52 weeks was 122,837. The figure excludes a number of claimants unemployed for over 52 weeks, estimated to be about 4 per cent. for all age groups combined.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many persons were employed in the textile industry in Yorkshire in 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982, respectively;(2) how many persons were employed in the steel industry in Yorkshire in 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982, respectively.

I regret that the figures requested are not available. The June 1978 census of employment showed 94,600 employees in textiles in Yorkshire and 49,500 in iron and steel (general) and steel tubes. Censuses were not held in 1979 and 1980 and local figures from the September 1981 census are not yet ready.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the national and the Yorkshire monthly unemployment figures for 1978, 1979 and 1982, respectively.

The national figures for unemployed claimants were published in the January 1983 issue of Employment Gazette, labour market data section, tables 2.1 and 2.2, a copy of which is in the Library.The following table gives, for the Yorkshire counties, the monthly figures for registered unemployed—the old basis of the count—for 1978, 1979 and from January to October in 1982. It also gives the numbers of unemployed claimants—the new basis of the count—for October, November and December 1982. The figures include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted. Estimates of unemployed claimants for dates prior to October 1982 are not available below regional level.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those measures taken by his Department to help small businesses since May 1979.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry today.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider a change in the rules of the job release scheme to give employers of job release applicants more time to identify the person they will employ as a replacement worker.

To help employers who need to carry out lengthy recruitment procedures to identify the unemployed replacement worker they need to employ to replace the job release applicant, my Department will be prepared to consider applications made not more than six months before the projected release date of the applicant. This change will come into effect on 6 April 1983, together with the other changes I announced on 22 December in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield and Tamworth (Mr. Heddle).—[Vol. 34, c. 598–99.].

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps he has taken to keep himself informed of the negotiations between the British Machine Tool Trades Association and the Japanese on the question of reductions in the number of Japanese imports; and if he will make a statement.

The Machine Tool Trades Association has kept the Government informed about its talks with the Japan Machine Tool Builders Association which have included discussion of the problems caused for the United Kingdom machine tool industry by increasing levels of Japanese import penetration of the United Kingdom market for computer numerically-controlled lathes and machining centres.I have noted that since the last round of talks in December it has been announced that Japanese export floor prices of these items are to be raised. Both the MTTA and the Government will continue to monitor the import situation very closely.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list those measures taken by his Department to help small businesses since May 1979.

The Government have introduced nearly 100 measures in order to improve the climate for enterprise from which small businesses can benefit. There are measures to provide incentives, stimulate investment, help with finance and the provision of premises, reduce burdens, encourage exports and provide advice and information. The list of measures runs to nine pages of foolscap and I have therefore made copies of the current list available in the Library. Copies can also be obtained from my Department's small firms service and I have forwarded a copy to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether, in view of the fact that unemployment in the Alnwick and Amble areas is now over 19 per cent., he will consider restoring development area status to these areas.

There are no absolute levels of unemployment at which the status of an assisted area is revised. Unemployment is one of several factors which are taken into account and the position of each area is considered relative to other assisted areas and the rest of the country. On present evidence I am satisfied that intermediate area status is the appropriate assisted area category for the Alnwick travel-to-work area, but I shall keep the matter under scrutiny.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the amounts paid in compensation for criminal damage and injury to (a) property and (b) individuals for the year 1981–82.

During the financial year 1981–82, the sum of £36,523,503 was paid in respect of claims for criminal damage to property in Northern Ireland and £6,251,314 was paid in respect of criminal injuries to persons.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the foreign languages being taught at universities and institutions within the public

The complete list of courses including the range of foreign languages taught at universities is shown in the annual handbook of the Universities Central Council on Admissions "How to apply for admission to a university", a copy of which is in the Library. A similar compendium for the public sector institutions does not exist but each institution produces a prospectus giving the required information on courses. Two handbooks in the Library which provide a limited coverage of certain types of course in the public sector are the "Polytechnic Courses Handbook" and "Handbook of degree and advanced courses in institutes/colleges of higher education, colleges of education, polytechnics, university departments of education". The following tables give total student numbers in both sectors from 1972–73 to 1981–82 inclusive, in the standard subject classification for statistical purposes. A more detailed analysis is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what investigations or research is being undertaken in connection with schoolchildren's eating habits and the school meals service; and if he will make a statement.

The Department of Health and Social Security is currently conducting a survey of the dietary intake of schoolchildren.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what announcement the University Grants Committee has made to universities about grants for the academic year 1983–84.

The University Grants Committee has announced universities' recurrent grant for the academic year 1983–84 as shown in the table following.For six universities the grant distribution allows some increase in the student number targets which were set in July 1981 and in the related grants. The increases amount to 425 students in science, 30 in business management and 50 in the arts. These are additional to the revisions for 12 universities that were announced in last year's grant letter.The UGC will be writing further to universities about equipment and furniture grant for 1983–84 and about the level of recurrent grant for later years.Following is the text of the general letter about the grant distribution which the chairman of the UGC has sent to all universities. Copies of the annexes relating to grants for individual universities will be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official duties for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her public engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 February.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. After my duties in the House I shall be leaving for a visit to the north west of England.

asked the Prime Minister whether, when she replies to parliamentary questions on Thursdays, she will publish in the Official Report a list of her intended and forthcoming official engagements and of those that have taken place during the previous week.

I do not think it would be wise to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will arrange to meet representatives of the Trades Union Congress.

I have at present no plans for such a meeting.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to British Aerospace, Woodford.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will invite representatives of all North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Governments to talks on the supply of armaments to Argentina so long as the Argentine Government refuse to commit themselves fully and unequivocally to a cessation of hostilities in the South Atlantic.

We have repeatedly made plain to all our NATO partners our views on arms sales to Argentina. They have assured us these will be taken into account.

asked the Prime Minister the performance of which sector of industry she considers best reflects the benefit of the policies introduced by her Administration.

The improvements in productivity and cost competitiveness of manufacturing industry over the last two years reflect our determination to improve the efficiency and performance of British industry as a whole. Within the manufacturing sector the greatest increases in output in recent years have occurred in high technology sectors such as photographic and document copying equipment; telecommunications apparatus; and computers. Output in all these sectors has grown at over 7 per cent. a year for the last three years. This reflects both the worldwide opportunities for high-technology products and the emphasis given in our policies to innovation and the use of new technology.

asked the Prime Minister what were the items discussed at her meeting with the representatives of the banks on 2 February; and if she will make a statement.

This was a wholly private occasion.

asked the Prime Minister to how manpublic posts outside Government she makes appointments; and what were the figures in May 1979.

189 and 192, respectively.

asked the Prime Minister with how many hon. Members she has had meetings since 1 January to discuss factory closures.

Four.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the conditions in which remand prisoners are held; and if she will make a statement.

No. The conditions under which remand prisoners have to be held are far from ideal and the Government are taking steps to improve the situation, subject to the availability of resources.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on the progress of reconstruction and rehabilitation in the Falkland Islands, indicating in particular any new decisions or initiatives since her recent visit.

During my visit to the Falkland Islands I was pleased to see the progress made towards their rehabilitation. The £15 million allocated for this task is now almost fully committed. All the materials for the housing project, providing for 54 new housing units, have been shipped and construction is in hand. Ten mobile homes have also reached the islands and an additional 10 are being shipped for refurbishment and expansion of the temporary boarding facilities for secondary school children. A road works unit recently sailed for Port Stanley to undertake the urgent task of repair of the capital's roads. The final group of recruits for the key professional posts on the islands are now in transit. These include teachers for the new academic year which starts shortly.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to Turriff in the East Aberdeenshire constituency.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the privatisation of nationalised industries.

Privatisation continues to be a key element in our economic strategy. It opens up new areas to the disciplines of market forces, promotes competition and efficiency, and improves the quality of service to the consumer.British Aerospace, Cable and Wireless, the National Freight Company, Amersham International, Britoil, Associated British Ports Holdings, some British Rail subsidiaries and parts of British Steel have all been transferred to the private sector.This is a substantial record of achievement. Looking to the future we plan to privatise the British Gas Corporation's major oil interests in 1983–84, to sell shares in British Telecom after the election, and to transfer British Airways to the private sector as soon as possible. We will continue to identify and prepare other potential candidates for privatisation among the nationalised industries.

asked the Prime Minister when she next expects to make an official visit to the European Community in Brussels.

I next expect to visit Brussels on 21–22 March for a meeting of the European Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Sergeant Brian O'Leary of the Metropolitan Police was first suspended on full pay; how long he has been so suspended; what payments in total he has received; whether he will give similar details of the 56 Metropolitan Police officers in like manner, including the reasons for any delay; and whether he will request the Commissioner of Police to lift the suspensions or prosecute them for any alleged offences.

Mr. O'Leary was most recently suspended on 21 July 1981. His present pay is £14,334 per annum. The total of his pay on suspension is not readily available. The details requested in relation to the other officers could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. It would not be appropriate for my right hon. Friend to give directions to the commissioner about how he should carry out the responsibilities laid upon him by the law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average daily number of prisoners who are escorted more than 10 miles from their holding prison to a magistrates' court for a formal weekly remand appearance.

I regret that the information available centrally does not enable an exact figure to be given, but we estimate that the number is somewhere between 240 and 380.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) police officers and (b) prison officers are employed on average each day in escorting prisoners to formal weekly remand appearances; and if he will estimate the total wages costs of these officers.

About 1,300 prison officers are employed each weekday on duties outside prisons. The great majority of these will involve escorts to courts and Crown court manning, but it is not possible to say precisely how many of these staff are employed only in escorts to formal weekly remands. The total wages cost of all these officers, without overtime, is about £11 million a year. The information requested relating to police officers is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken and when, to reduce the numbers of persons in prison on remand awaiting trial; whether he will give at the latest and most convenient stated dates the total numbers of men and women in prison on remand; whether he will give a breakdown of the numbers in each group who have been held in custody for periods of three months or more at quarterly intervals; and how many have been held for one and a half years or more up to the longest stated period of time.

Since the issue last year of the report of the Home Office working group on magistrates' courts, we have pursued a number of its suggestions about ways in which magistrates' courts could be helped to increase their efficiency and so to reduce waiting times and, with them, the length of time which unconvicted persons remain in prison on remand. We have also continued to encourage courts themselves to follow up the working group's suggestions for improvements in their procedures. We shall consider further steps in the light of responses to the report. In addition, my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor has always given the highest priority to reducing delay in the Crown court by the opening of new courtrooms, the appointment of more judges and the more efficient use of resources.The latest statistical information readily available is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the costs of operating the magistrates' courts in Ipswich for the past five years.

Information on the cost of running the magistrates' courts on the basis of individual petty sessional divisions is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young offenders sentenced to borstal training or detention centres have a reading age of under 10 years; and how many young offenders sentenced to borstal training or detention centres are attending remedial education classes.

Of the borstal and detention centre trainees received and tested during the academic year 1981–82, 4,990 were found to have a reading age of less than 10 years. In the week ending 16 October 1981, the latest period for which figures are available, 2,134 borstal and detention centre trainees were attending remedial education classes for literacy and numeracy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of the grant-in-aid paid to the Equal Opportunities Commission over the past five years has been used to finance (a) special groups and (b) research projects; and if he will make a statement;(2) how much grant-in-aid has been paid by his Department to the Equal Opportunities Commission in each year since the commission was established; what proportion of this grant has been spent on salaries and expenses; and if he will estimate the level of grant for 1983–84.

The grant-in-aid paid to the commission since 1976–77 and the proportion of the grant spent on the remuneration and expenses of commission members and staff are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is the Government's intention to reduce the salary scale payable to probation officers in training; what the proposed reduction is; and if he will make a statement.

The salary scale for probation students whose training costs are met by the Home Office was revised in 1982. The new rates, which are based on reductions ranging from 23 per cent. to 0·5 per cent., are due to take effect with students starting their courses this autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the present arrangements for conducting maritime radio operators' examinations, and with the level of fees charged to candidates for these examinations.

These examinations are carried out by British Telecom as agent for the Home Office, and the knowledge and experience which the British Telecom staff concerned bring to this task are greatly appreciated. I am aware, however, of growing concern about the level of fees which we are obliged to charge to candidates in order to recover the costs of administering the examinations. There is also a need to ensure that the examination system keeps pace with the changing demands likely to be placed on marine radio operators in the coming years. A consultation group has therefore been established with a wide membership drawn from persons and organisations concerned with the training and employment of marine radio operators, to advise the Home Office on the future arrangements for these examinations.As a first step however I have accepted an offer from the Royal Yachting Association to assume the responsibility for administering on our behalf one class of examination—that for the restricted (VHF-Only) certificate in radiotelephony. The change will take effect on 1 April 1983, and from that date the fee for the examination will be reduced to £13 from its present level of £20. The administration of the examination will be overseen by a supervisory committee in which all the interested sections of the maritime community will be represented, and whose purpose will be to ensure that the new arrangements operate in the best interests of all maritime users.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what assistance he will make to shipping services to the Scottish islands in 1983–84.

I propose to offer a revenue grant to Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd. of £6·65 million. Taking account of opportunities for economies, this means that in general the company should, for a further year, not require to increase its fares. There are separate considerations in the case of its Gourock-Dunoon service, to which I return.I propose to offer a revenue grant of £0·90 million to the Orkney Islands Shipping Company.I will increase from £2·4 million to £3·3 million the assistance I give to traffic on the roll-on/roll-off service to Orkney and Shetland operated from Aberdeen and Scrabster by P and O Ferries. This will allow the introduction of 15 per cent. discounts on the fares paid by visitors to the islands, in addition to those discounts already provided for island residents and for freight. Discussions have taken place with Orkney and Shetland Islands council and with the shipping company on this proposal.I will also make available assistance of up to £1·45 million to the bulk shipping companies in the north isles and on the west coast to allow them to rebate their tariffs to users on the same basis as in 1982–83. In the case of P and O and the bulk shipping companies, actual grant disbursed will depend on the level of demand for their services and on their commercial tariffs during the year.In the case of the Gourock-Dunoon service operated by Caledonian MacBrayne I have to take account of the effect of subsidy on the competing service provided by Western Ferries Ltd. I have told Caledonian MacBrayne that its subsidy for this route will be restricted, and that fares and tariffs which are low in relation to those on most comparable services will consequently have to increase. The Monopolies and Mergers Commission has examined the financing of this service in a report which will be published shortly.In total I expect Government revenue support in 1983–84 to amount to £12·3 million, an increase of 16 per cent. over the corresponding sum which I estimate will be disbursed this year. This increase represents further progress in the fulfilment of our commitment to increase in real terms Government assistance to sea transport services. I do not propose changes in the system of distribution of these subsidies, pending consideration of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on Caledonian MacBrayne.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make an estimate of the relative proportion of time and money spent by the police in the pursuit of offences connected with motoring compared with crimes against the person.

The detailed information on which to base such an estimate is not held centrally and could not readily be obtained.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the numbers of disabled persons registered at the employment offices throughout the Glasgow area, expressed as a percentage of the total number of unemployed in Glasgow.

On 7 January 1983 there were 4,572 unemployed disabled persons registered for employment at jobcentres and careers offices throughout the Glasgow travel-to-work area; this represented 4·6 per cent. of the total number of unemployed claimants in the area in January.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many builders were unemployed in (a) the Edinburgh travel-to-work area and (b) Scotland at the latest available date.

The industrial analysis of unemployed registrants was last completed on 13 May 1982 and has since been discontinued. At that date, the numbers of persons registered as unemployed in the Edinburgh travel-to-work area and in Scotland who were last employed in the construction industry were 4,161 and 46,521, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the provision for roads and transport within his responsibility in the same detail as shown in table 2·6 of the public expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 8789.

The information requested is contained in "Public Expenditure to 1985–86—A Commentary on the Scottish Programme", which was published on 8 February. This document is available in the Library and I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many apprenticeships there were in the construction industry in (a) Edinburgh and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) local authority and (b) private houses were started and how many completed in 1982 in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow, respectively.

The information requested, as reported by the districts in question, is set out in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Scottish Office publishes any of its official information leaflets in Gaelic or in a bilingual Gaelic-English format.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he has studied the statement issued by the Scottish White Fish Producers Association and the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association dated 10 February, a copy of which has been sent to him, concerning the lack of consultation before decisions were taken which affected the Scottish fishing industry; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make it his practice to consult the Scottish White Fish and Pelagic Associations on any negotiations at United Kingdom or European Economic Community level which have a bearing on the fishing operations and future financial position of the Scottish fishing industry;(3) whether the Canadian agreement on cod imports into the United Kingdom will affect the European agriculture guidance and guarantee scheme for 1982 in so far as it affects the Scottish fishing industry; and if he will make a statement;(4) what discussions were held between Her Majesty's Government and the Scottish White Fish Producers Association and the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association on the decision to cut mackerel export refunds by 10 per cent.; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has seen reports of the statement issued by the Scottish White Fish Producers Association and the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association on 10 February.My right hon. Friend cannot accept the contention that the industry was not consulted about the United Kingdom allocations of tariff-reduced imports of cod and cod fillets under the EC-Canada agreement or the Council declaration on mackerel export restitutions. Information on the former was given to the Scottish Fishermen's Federation's delegation at the October 1982 Council, and at the December Council agreement on the EC-Canada arrangements unblocked the 1982 interim structure scheme, which provides for grants from Community funds for the construction of fishing vessels and is of considerable interest and potential benefit to Scottish fishermen. The terms of the Council declarations on mackerel export restitutions and other matters were made known to the delegation at the January 1983 Council before my right hon. Friends, with the agreement of the industry's representatives, accepted the terms of the common fisheries policy.My right hon. Friend has enjoyed excellent relations with the fishing industry and particularly with the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, of which the Scottish White Fish Producers Association and the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association are members. He looks forward to continuing good relations and he will, as in the past, consult the federation on all major topics affecting Scottish fishermen.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will consult representatives of the fishing industry before the further 10 per cent. reduction takes place on mackerel export refunds on 16 May; and if he will make a statement;(2) if, in view of the fact that the 10 per cent. reduction in the mackerel export refunds will place United Kingdom buyers in a non-competitive position with the Eastern bloc exporters, he will have further discussions with the European Community Commission to seek to protect the interests of the Scottish fishing industry; and if he will make a statement.

The Commission's declaration that the export refunds for mackerel would be reduced by 10 per cent. in February and May was noted by the Council of Ministers in January in the context of the settlement of the common fisheries policy. The February cut has already been agreed by the management committee. The Commission will be putting forward its proposal for the May cut in due course and my right hon. Friend will ensure that the industry is kept fully informed of developments. The Council of Ministers also noted the Commission's intention to keep the situation under review in the light of market conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the funding either by the urban aid programme or housing corporation funds of consolidation costs for housing developments, including housing rehabilitation projects, where areas are adversely affected by mineral underworkings, and development is otherwise impossible.

Consolidation costs are one of the matters that should be included in the investment appraisal carried out by the bodies responsible for building and/or funding a housing development. The district council and the Housing Corporation both have powers to assist in certain circumstances and I do not consider that urban programme assistance would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now encourage health boards to use commercial contractors for their supporting services, such as catering, laundry and cleaning.

The Government firmly believe that the use of commercial contractors to carry out supporting services can lead to substantial financial savings for the Health Service. We must make every effort to ensure that its resources are fully utilised and that its services are operated as cost-effectively as possible.I propose to issue a circular after consulting health boards, asking them to test the efficiency of their supporting services by putting them out to tender. I expect tenders to be submitted not only by commercial contractors but by their own staff on the basis of fair comparison.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those bodies, other than non-departmental public bodies and private companies, who receive grants from his Department.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 January, c. 430]: The following bodies received grant in 1981–82. The list excludes research grants.FORMATION GRANTS TO FISH PRODUCERS ORGANISATIONS (SI 498/1982)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average cost of direct financial assistance to industry from central Government funded agencies, including the cost of administration and promotion of those agencies (a) per head of total population of the area, and (b) per registered unemployed person in the area, in Wales.

Details of expenditure by the Welsh Development Agency, the Development Board for Rural Wales, Cwmbran development corporation and the Wales Tourist Board are published in the annual reports of these bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the evidence on which he based his statement, Official Report, 7 February, c. 618, that Her Majesty's Government had attracted more jobs than in any previous period in modern Welsh history; and how many of these new jobs were in projects already committed in May 1979.

I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. and learned Member for Aberavon (Mr. Morris) on 14 February.—[Vol. 37, c. 15–17] The estimates for the period since May 1979 do not include jobs in projects committed prior to that date.