asked the Attorney-General if he will bring forward amendments to the Solicitors Acts in view of Her Majesty's Government's policy of encouraging competition.

The Government are also committed to consumer protection and the maintenance of professional standards. With these principles in mind the Government are considering the relevant recommendations of the Royal Commission on legal services and the Royal Commission on legal services in Scotland.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will introduce legislation to prohibit restrictive practice agreements between the Bar Association and the Law Society in connection with drafting deeds of transfer in house conveyancing.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him to a similar question on 25 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses there are below the tolerable standard in the Glasgow eastern area renewal area; and what information he has as to those in the area covered by the Glasgow, Shettleston constituency.

Information on housing below the tolerable standard is only available centrally in respect of whole district council areas, and is published in Scottish housing statistics. The hon. Member may wish to consult the city of Glasgow district council for information relating to smaller areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is his estimate of the numbers of male and female unemployed adults and young persons; and what percentage of the population this represents in the Barrowfield area of Shettleston as outlined in the census indicators of urban deprivation;(2) what it his estimate of the numbers of male and female unemployed adults and young persons; and what percentage of the population this represents in the Wester Carntyne area of Shettleston as outlined in the census indications of urban deprivation;(3) what is his estimate of the numbers of male and female unemployed adults and young persons in the Glasgow eastern area renewal area of Glasgow; and what percentage of the population of the area this represents.

The Scottish analysis of the 1981 census to produce indicators of urban deprivation is not yet complete, but the available information from that source is as follows:

Economically active persons not in employment
	Wester Carntyne	Barrowfield	GEAR
Adults (persons aged 16 and over)
Male	192	202	3,469
Female	53	58	1,028
Young persons (aged 16–18)
Male	24	42	373
Female	24	23	261

Economically active persons not in employment as a percentage of all economically active persons in the category
	Wester Carntyne	Barrowfield	GEAR
	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.
Adults (persons aged 16 and over)
Male	54	43	30
Female	34	21	14
Young persons (aged 16–18)
Male	56	63	40
Female	60	46	33

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) when and for what reasons strip searches have been introduced for prisoners in Armagh prison;(2) how many prisoners in Armagh prison have been subjected to strip searches: on how many occasions; and for what reasons.

The search procedures at Armagh prison were introduced in November 1982 in the interests of security and the safe custody of inmates. In the period up to 1 March 1983, 97 prisoners had been searched on a total of 772 occasions. The need for such searches will continue to be kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether prisoners in Armagh prison are subject to strip searches during their menstrual periods; and whether any have refused such a search during that time.

Yes; but when a prisoner says that she is menstruating a woman hospital officer is called and is present at the search. One prisoner has refused to cooperate with the search on this ground.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many representations he has received concerning strip searches of prisoners in Armagh prison; and if he will make a statement.

About 30 letters have been received, including five from Northern Ireland and 14 from the Republic of Ireland. In addition, about 90 stereotyped letters have been received from the United States of America.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners in Armagh prison, on how many occasions and for what purposes, have been placed in solitary confinement; how many with only a mattress and Bible; how many with only a mattress; and on how many occasions the mattress was removed.

Since 1 March 1982 there have been 51 serious offences against prison rules by 22 women prisoners in Armagh which have led to awards of cellular confinement as a punishment. Seven of these awards were made by the board of visitors, and the remainder by the governor.The number of occasions on which the prisoners concerned were awarded cellular confinement is as follows:

Occasions cellular confinement awarded
Number of prisoners	Number
10	1
8	2
1	3
1	5
1	7
1	10

It is normal practice for a prisoner on cellular confinement to have her mattress removed at breakfast time; it is returned late in the afternoon. All such prisoners have a Bible in their cell, and items of furniture are not removed.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions prison visitors were present at the strip searches of prisoners in Armagh prison; whether the prisoners had the right to refuse to be strip searched before prison visitors; whether any objected to the presence of prison visitors when being strip searched; and with what results.

On one occasion two women members of the board of visitors, who under prison rules have access to all parts of the prison, asked three prisoners if they would agree to the members watching the search procedure so that they could report to the full board. I understand that none of the prisoners objected but that, if they had done so, the board members would have respected their wishes.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Irelad what categories of prisoners, other than those convicted or on remand for scheduled offences, are subject to strip searches at Armagh prison.

Only 10 women prisoners at Armagh have been convicted of, or are on remand for, offences other than scheduled offences. All prisoners are liable to the same search procedures on entering or leaving the prison.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many officers engaged in strip searches at Armagh prison have medical qualifications; and if he will list the qualifications held in each case;(2) on how many occasions a doctor has been present at the strip searches of prisoners at Armagh prison.

The women officers who carry out the search procedures do not have medical qualifications; only hospital officers have these. However, the search involves only a brief visual inspection—no contact is involved—and it has not been necessary to ask a doctor to be present during such a search.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why Catherine Creaney, at present in prison in Armagh prison, was placed in solitary confinement from 31 January to 7 February with only a mattress and a Bible; why for three of those days she was without a mattress; and if he will make a statement.

Miss Creaney was confined to her cell from 1 February to 6 February 1983 as a punishment awarded for offences against prison rules. Between 22 September 1982 and 3 February 1983, Miss Creaney was found guilty of 23 separate offences, 13 of which involved actual or threatened assault.At all times during her period of cellular confinement, she was able to retain in her cell her chair, bed and Bible. Her mattress was removed from breakfast time to late afternoon. On no occasion was she left without her mattress at night.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will specify (a) the museums, galleries and libraries in the United Kingdom the authorities of which are empowered to effect transfers of objects vested in them to the Ulster Museum and (b) the museums, galleries and libraries in the United Kingdom to which transfers are permissible of objects vested in the authorities of the Ulster Museum.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are his estimates of (a) the gross cost in 1983–84 of making every unemployed person between the ages of 60 and 65 years eligible for unemployment pay regardless of the period of unemployment, providing in the case of females that they are not entitled to a state pension and (b) the additional yield in tax and the saving in other benefits.

The estimated gross cost in 1982–83 of paying unemployment benefit to persons between the ages of 60 and 65 whose benefit is exhausted, or who are currently disqualified because their contribution record is inadequate would be some £175 million—excluding females who are entitled to a state pension. The saving on other benefits and additional yield in tax would amount to some £100 million. An estimate for 1983–84 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. It is not possible to estimate how many additional claims to unemployment benefit would be made if there were no contribution conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the cost of hospital patient treatment—diagnosis of alcoholism and alcoholic psychosis—and of alcohol-related diseases in England and Wales and any other costs arising from alcohol abuse which had to be met by the National Health Service in 1980, 1981 and 1982 respectively.

I regret the information is not available in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in the National Health Service are eligible for indexed pensions; how they are broken down by function; and how many ancillary workers have received indexed pensions.

All pensions paid under the National Health Service superannuation scheme are indexed. Currently the scheme has approximately 830,000 "contributing" members and 176,000 members already receiving pensions. The latest readily available information from which an estimate can be made of the number of members by category is as at 31 March 1979 when there were approximately 712,000 "contributing" members. The figures at that date were as follows:

	Number
Female nurses, midwives, health visitors, physiotherapists	236,000
General practitioners (medical and opthalmic)	25,000
Dental practitioners	14,000
Others who are classed as non-manual workers	295,000
Others who are classed as manual workers*	142,000
* The majority of ancillary workers fall into this category.

Ancillary workers who have received pensions cannot be identified from available records.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average amount of family income supplement unclaimed by families entitled to it.

The latest estimate available is £3·50 a week, covers employees only, and is derived from the family finances survey conducted between October 1978 and September 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost of (a) a Kings fund hospital bed, (b) an operating table, (c) a renal dialysis machine and (d) a full body scanner.

Prices for particular pieces of medical equipment vary according to the sophistication of the item. The following figures give a rough indication of the price range for the equipment in question:

(a) Kings fund hospital bed: £180 to £300

(b) an operating table: £3,100 to £11,500

(c) a renal dialysis machine: £4,500 to £5,500

(d) a full body scanner: £450,000 to £650,000

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to consult organisations of and for disabled people before deciding on the format of his Department's proposed prevalence study on disability; and if he will make a statement.

We intend to include such organisations in our consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in relation to the postal surveys of recipients of attendance allowance to estimate the cost of extending invalid care allowance to married women, he will state (a) how the sample was chosen, (b) how large the samples were and what percentage this was of total recipients of attendance allowance, (c) whether the samples were the same in 1980 and in the present survey, (d) what the results were of the 1980 survey and (e) when the results of the latest survey will be published.

The survey carried out in September 1982 was the only postal one. The 1980 survey was based on a statistical analysis of all claims to attendance allowance but without individual inquiries. For the 1982 survey, some 2,100 inquiry forms were issued to attendance allowance recipients chosen by statistically approved random sampling. The 1,600 effective replies represented about ·5 per cent of all recipients of the allowance. The 1980 survey suggested that if invalid care allowance had then been extended to married women, about 110,000 women might have been eligible. The 1982 survey indicates that abut 80,000 could be eligible at a net annual cost of about £60 million. I have no plans to publish the results separately.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the annual change in the number of 18-year-olds in each of the last 20 years.

The Registrar General's estimates of the number of 18-year-olds resident in England and Wales on 30 June of each year are shown in the following table:

	Number of 18-year-olds (thousands)
1962	668·3
1963	665·1
1964	667·5
1965	838·2
1966	768·5
1967	717·3
1968	690·5
1969	670·8
1970	650·3
1971	666·3
1972	675·0
1973	656·1
1974	673·2
1975	695·7
1976	720·7
1977	730·9
1978	740·2

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has decided to accept the recommendations of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council's report on occupational deafness and to introduce legislation to implement them where appropriate.

We are still considering the council's report on occupational deafness and shall announce our decision as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the incidence of new cases of multiple myeloma in females in south west Cumbria for each year since 1969.

Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of multiple myeloma for areas other then health regions are not routinely available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost. Figures for the health region which includes south-west Cumbria are given in the following table:

Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of multiple myeloma (ICD 203) Newcastle hospital region, 1969–73, and
Northern regional health authority, 1974–78: Females
		Registration
Newcastle hospital region	1969	35
	1970	46
	1971	43
	1972	45
	1973	37
Northern regional health authority	1974	54
	1975	51
	1976	62
	1977	60
	1978	41

Figures for 1974 and later years include cases detected from death registrations alone.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with facilities at Manor hospital, Epsom.

The development team for the mentally handicapped has made a number of recommendations for improving services and facilities at the Manor hospital, Epsom. The Mid-Surrey health authority is responsible for the management of this hospital and is taking action on the development team's report.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he is satisfied with facilities at Farmfield hospital, Horley;(2) whether he is satisfied with facilities at Royal Earlswood hospital, Redhill.

The development team for the mentally handicapped has made a number of recommendations for improving services and facilities at Farmfield and Royal Earlswood hospitals. The East Surrey health authority is responsible for the management of these hospitals and is taking action on the development team's report.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with facilities at Botleys park hospital, Surrey.

The development team for the mentally handicapped has made a number of recommendations for improving services and facilities at Botleys park hospital, Chertsey. The North-West Surrey health authority is responsible for the management of this hospital and is taking action on the development team's report.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why his departmental press officer refused to give a copy of the statement on Health Service commercial contractors, after it had been made to the House, to the head of the press office of the National Union of Public Employees; and whether copies had at that time been issued to freelance journalists.

Copies of ministerial statements are not made available to jounalists before they have been made in Parliament. It would be wrong to do otherwise. All journalists who telephoned the Department's press office before the statement on contracting-out work in the National Health Service was made to Parliament were told this. However, it was explained to them that copies would be available to parliamentary correspondents in the Gallery of the House when the statement was made or could be collected from the Department's headquarters when the statement had been completed at the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the Soviet trade delegation are accorded diplomatic privileges and immunities; and whether he has any plans to change the present arrangements.

In accordance with article 5 of the 1934 temporary commercial agreement between the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, only the Soviet trade representative and his two deputies are accorded diplomatic privileges and immunities. I have no plans at present to change the arrangements set out in the agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what training or other facilities are available to assist (a) chairmen and (b) members of industrial tribunals in carrying out their functions.

Chairmen of industrial tribunals, who must be banisters or solicitors of not less than seven years' standing, sit in on tribunal cases on appointment and are provided with a comprehensive handbook on relevant legislation and procedure and an appeals case index.Regional chairmen, who attend conferences twice a year, are responsible for disseminating information gained to other chairmen in their region. The other members of industrial tribunals, who have considerable industrial relations experience, attend a three-day seminar on appointment—including sitting in on a case—and annual one-day seminars subsequently, at which they are briefed on any changes in the law or tribunal procedures. All tribunal members receive copies of relevant Acts, statutory instruments, guides and explanatory booklets on a continuing basis and have access to the law library at the appropriate regional office.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what fees are paid to (a) chairmen and (b) members of industrial tribunals.

Regional chairmen and full-time chairmen receive annual salaries of £25,750 and £24,000, respectively. Part-time chairmen receive a fee of £109 for a sitting lasting up to seven hours and an additional fee of £15·57 for a longer sitting. Other members of industrial tribunals are paid £50 per sitting.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how the number of construction workers employed in (a) Southwark, Peckham and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole compares with the corresponding figures for each of the previous 10 years.

The following table gives the number of people registered as unemployed—the old basis of the count—who last worked in the construction industry in the Camberwell jobcentre area—which corresponds closely to Southwark, Peckham—and in the United Kingdom in each of the 10 years to May 1982, the last date for which information is available.

	Camberwell jobcentre area	United Kingdom
June 1973	208	90,989
June 1974	209	100,479
June 1975	480	159,600
June 1976	753	212,071
May 1977	783	218,523
May 1978	823	201,290
May 1979	666	174,656
May 1980	715	204,574
May 1981	1,165	381,285
May 1982	1,517	389,236

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the current prices of petrol in the main capitals of the European Community and indicate the percentage of the retail price attributable to tax.

The following table sets out estimates of typical pump prices for premium grade petrol in six of the countries in the European Community—not necessarily capital cities—at 7 February 1983, using that day's exchange rates, together with an indication of the percentage of the price attributable to tax.

—	Premium petrol— typical pump prices (pence/litre)	percentage attributable to tax
Belgium	42·2	53
Federal Republic of Germany	37·4	48
France	43·1	52
Italy	50·7	63
Netherlands	40·4	50
United Kingdom	37·3	55

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, in order to expedite the sale of the British Gas Corporation's interest in the Wytch Farm oilfield, he will arrange for its disposal under the Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Act 1982 instead of under the provisions of the Gas Act 1972.

Arrangements for the sale of the British Gas Corporation's interest in PL.089, which includes the Wytch Farm oilfield, are already well advanced, and therefore I have no plans to change the legal basis for the disposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy to what extent he expects that the fall in oil product prices will reduce the price of natural gas for industrial consumers.

The price of gas on contract to industrial and commercial customers will be frozen until 1 October 1983, as the British Gas Corporation announced on 8 November 1982. These prices are substantially below the price of the equivalent oil products and I do not expect the present level of oil product prices to cause British Gas to alter the prices it charges for gas supplies to industry.

asked the Prime Minister how many times the United Kingdom has been subject to proceedings before the European Court of Justice; what was the nature of such disputes; and what was the outcome of each of these disputes.

The United Kingdom has been the defendant in the following proceedings before the European Court of Justice:

Case 31/77R Commission v. United Kingdom (1977) ECR 921—the United Kingdom's pigmeat subsidy—interim decision given against the defendant.

Case 128/78,

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 25 February, Official Report, c. 563, if she will take steps to ascertain whether the origin of tinned beef purchased by Her Majesty's Government is Argentine.

As I indicated in my previous reply, all tinned beef is purchased from suppliers in this country, but its origin is not recorded. It would not be possible to establish precisely the country of origin of the meat.However, to the best of my knowledge, no Argentine food products have been imported since the embargo was imposed last year; and any Argentine corned beef still available in Ministry of Defence stocks would have been obtained prior to the embargo.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect on the provisions of inter-Government agreements such as the memorandum of understanding between the United States of America and the United Kingdom relating to sales of defence equipment from the United Kingdom to the United States of America of the speciality metals amendment of the Military Appropriations Bill 1983; and if he will make a statement.

Congress has waived the need for United States speciality metals to be incorporated in "Weapons and Weapons Systems" procured under the two-way street. We are awaiting formal advice on how this waiver is to be interpreted, but there could be an impact on those United Kingdom companies producing equipment at the sub-system and/or component levels and those exporting raw materials. Clearly the loss of the full waiver for speciality metals as passed in the FY 83 Appropriations Act is contrary to the spirit of the 1975 memorandum of understanding with the United States and if the partial waiver for "Weapons and Weapons Systems" still imposes restrictions on the export of United Kingdom defence material to the United States under the two-way street we must press for amending legislation to be introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report a table similar to that contained in his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central of 9 February, Official Report, c. 400–401, stating the number of reductions in staff and all redundancies since May 1979.

The information, in so far as it is available, is as follows:

	Total changes* (1 April 1979 to 1 January 1983)	Number of redundancies
Royal Navy/Royal Marines	-5,247	125
Army	+5,921	194
RAF	+2,745	36
United Kingdom civilian non-industrial staff	-14,808	318
United Kingdom civilian industrial staff	-22,671	4,607
Locally engaged civilians overseas	-4,417	†
* The service figures give the changes in the requirement for trained service personnel, including locally engaged personnel. The civilian figures are changes in actual strengths, adjusted for comparability between the two dates.
† Figures not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the categories of service personnel who will be required to undertake second or subsequent tours of duty in the Falkland Islands during the next 12 months.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion and categories of service personnel are currently serving on second or subsequent tours of duty in the Falkland Islands.

The numbers of personnel currently serving second or subsequent tours of duty are as follows:

	Numbers
Royal Navy
Representing all branches in the RN, and including men in ships in transit	1,289
Royal Marines	Nil
Army
Observation post assistant	1
General employment (mainly artificers)	39
Combat lineman	1
Infantry sgt clerk	1
Infantry corporal	1
Radar artificer	1
	44
RAF
Pilot	1
Mechanics	2
Technicians	3
	6
Total	1,339

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what categories of service personnel have already completed second or subsequent tours of duty in the Falkland Islands.

The information is as follows:

	Numbers
Royal Navy
Representing all branches of the RN	456
Royal Marines	Nil
Army
General employment (mainly artisans such as plumbers, carpenters, electricians)	17
Plant foreman	1
Clerk of works	3
Radio telegraphist	1
Technicians	13
Vehicle mechanic	1
	36
RAF
Air loadmasters (aircrew)	3
Assistant air traffic controllers	2
Gunner	1
Fireman	1
Mechanics	9
Clerks	2
Technicians	18
	36
Total	528

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it will be physically possible for cruise missiles to be fired either from Greenham common of Molesworth before deployment.

The normal concept of operations for the cruise missiles involves their deployment to suitable dispersed locations. They can, however, be operated from virtually any site with suitable geographical characteristics. Use of the cruise missiles will at all times be governed by the understanding on joint decision-making between the Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the cost of temporary secondary school cabins in Port Stanley.

Ten mobile homes were delivered to Port Stanley in February. For the remainder of 1983, they will be use to augment temporary boarding hostel accommodation for secondary school children.The purchase price was £128,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what fees are being paid to consultants planning a new harbour and jetty at Port Stanley.

Consultants have not yet been engaged for such work.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the existing jetty at Port Stanley meets British harbour requirements.

The main existing jetty at Port Stanley is barely satisfactory to meet the present heavy demands made on it, but I am not aware of any specific British harbour requirements that apply to jetties.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government are making any payment towards the costs of the new tenant of the shop in Port Stanley.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about British aid to Tanzania.

British aid remains sustantial. In 1982–83 we expect to spend about £20 million. It comprises capital aid and technical co-operation, in fulfilment of our commitments to the Government of Tanzania. We have recently increased to £73 million our total commitment over 1980–86 to the construction of the Songea-Makambako road.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the current programmes of United Kingdom aid in Mauritius and their value.

Our aid programme for Mauritius comprises capital aid and technical co-operation worth in total about £1·5 million a year. There are two extant project loans, each for £5 million: the earlier loan is fully committed and only £500,000 remains to be spent; over £2·5 million has so far been committed from the later loan and nearly £2 million of that spent. Current capital projects are mainly in the infrastructure field. Under technical cooperation arrangements, we finance principally the services of a small number of British personnel in Mauritius and those of British consultants, and the training of Mauritians in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the composition and what are the terms of reference of the committee on the future use of Gibraltar dockyard.

A project study group comprising officials from the Government of Gibraltar and Her Majesty's Government, and using the services of the consultants A and P Appledore International Ltd., Coopers and Lybrand Associates Ltd., and A. R. Belch Associates Ltd. has been asked to prepare such argeements, plans, programmes, financial projections and other measures which will enable the Government of Gibraltar and Her Majesty's Government to decide whether or not commercialisation of the dockyard would be viable.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which company has been appointed to manage Gibraltar dockyard; and what are the dates, duration and terms of the appointment.

The appointment of a company to manage a ship repair yard in Gibraltar is a matter for the Gibraltar Government. I would not expect any such appointment to be considered until the Gibraltar Government, in concert with Her Majesty's Government, have decided whether or not commercialisation of the dockyard will be viable.

asked the Minister for Trade what information relating to aircraft movements (a) is routinely made available to his Department by the Civil Aviation Authority and (b) is from time to time sought by him of the Civil Aviation Authority for the proper discharge of his responsibilities.

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

asked the Minister for Trade (1) if he will make a statement outlining the principles of the arrangement reached between the European Community Commission and the Japanese representatives on voluntary restraint of sales of Japanese video cassette recorders;

[pursuant to his reply, 24 February 1983, c. 489]: The Foreign Affairs Council has endorsed the agreement reached between the Commission and the Japanese Government on moderation in exports to the Community of video tape recorders and certain other industrial products. The Japanese have agreed to restrain exports of VTRs for three years. In 1983 the ceiling—including kits—will be 4·55 million, leaving room for Community manufacturers to sell at least 1·2 million units. The Commission has assured us that the requirements for kits of ventures in the United Kingdom should be fully met. The Japanese authorities will be setting an export floor price, intended to increase the price of finished Japanese VTRs, which should help to establish a viable industry in the Community. Further talks will be taking place on detailed points.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the annual figures of planned aggregate expenditure on general services by districts from 1977 to date and (b) the annual figures of outturn aggregate capital expenditure on general services by districts from 1977 to date.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him yesterday.—[Vol. 38, c. 178.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual tax and national insurance liability of a single wage married couple with two children earning £132 a week, assuming that only the personal tax allowances apply and that the father is contracted in to the state pension scheme (a) gross and (b) net of all benefits; and what are the comparable figures in each of the other European Community member states.

The information requested is given in the following table:

Single Wage Married Couple with Two Dependent Children—Earning £132 a Week
	Income tax and social security contributions (£ sterling)	Income tax and social security contributions, less social security benefits receivable (£ sterling)
Belgium	1,580	850
Denmark	1,895	1,580
France	860	425
Germany	1,795	1,330
Greece	1,255	1,060
Ireland	1,530	1,295
Italy	1,600	1,280
Luxembourg	860	295
Netherlands	2,140	1,440
United Kingdom	1,933	1,363

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information is provided to building society borrowers about the introduction of mortgage interest relief at source.

Each borrower should receive from his lender details of how his loan is affected by the changes. The Inland Revenue has also prepared an explanatory leaflet—Miras 7—for lenders to send to borrowers about the new scheme. In addition, more general information for borrowers is provided in the notes enclosed with PAYE coding notices, in the general publicity in the run-up to the change in April and in the leaflet Miras 6 which is available from tax offices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of tax units having incomes below the tax threshold for each year since 1960; and if he will distinguish between those tax units which have more than one earner.

The available information is as follows:

Number of tax units below the tax threshold
Income tax year	millions
1960–61	7·5
1961–62	7·0
1962–63	7·2
1963–64	9·6
1964–65	9·0
1965–66	8·3

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies have lost the relief available under the business start-up scheme due to the temporary investment of surplus funds in non-qualifying activities; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any. A company does not disqualify its investors from relief by investing surplus funds, so long as it continues to exist wholly or substantially to carry on a qualifying trade.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the Official Report such information as he has as to those countries other than the United Kingdom which levy value added tax on veterinary services.

The information is as follows:

	Per cent.
Austria	18*
Denmark	22*
France	18·6*
West Germany	13*
Italy	18*
Luxembourg	5†
Netherlands	18*
Norway	20*
* Standard rate.
† Reduced rate.

Information on non-European countries is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total of receipts from value added tax levied on accounts for veterinary services in each of the last three available years.

The amount of VAT charged by businesses registered as providing veterinary services on goods and services supplied by them and recorded on tax returns analysed in each of the three years up to and including 1981–82 was £14·1 million, £21·3 million and £24·7 million. Clients receiving veterinary services, if registered for VAT, are able to deduct or reclaim the VAT charged when making their own VAT returns. The amounts deducted or reclaimed are not known.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will introduce further measures to assist small businesses.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 March 1983, c. 210]: I cannot anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Her Majesty's Government will introduce legislation to require the Inland Revenue to forward or redirect mail from relatives of missing persons seeking to trace them while maintaining full confidentiality; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 March 1983, c. 210]: While its strict rules of confidentially prevent the Inland Revenue from disclosing the whereabouts of third parties, it is already its practice to assist, where possible, by forwarding or redirecting mail from relatives who are seeking to trace missing persons. The Revenue's ability to help will depend cruicially upon the accuracy of the information given to it and on whether it can match it with its own local records. It cannot, on grounds of administrative cost, provide an open-ended forwarding or redirecting service, but within reasonable bounds it does its best to assist. By passing on communications the Revenue does not accept any responsibility in the matter and will advise the addressee that his address has not been disclosed to the person who has asked it to forward the communication.In view of this, I cannot accept that legislation would be either necessary or, indeed, desirable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the reply of 28 February, Official Report, c. 23, what assessment he has made of the effect of article 27(1) of the EC sixth directive on VAT regarding the ability of member states to establish their own level of tax threshold for value added tax.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 March 1983, c. 210]: Article 27(1) of the EC sixth directive provides that the Council, acting unanimously on a proposal from the Commission, may authorise any member state to introduce special measures for derogation from the provisions of the directive in order to simplify the procedures for charging the tax or to prevent certain types of tax evasion or avoidance. It expressly states, however, that such measures may not affect, except to a negligible extent, the amount of tax due at the final consumption stage. Any measure to allow member states to increase their levels of tax threshold in real terms would affect tax due at final consumption.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what are the total personal tax allowances for a widow aged under 65 years with two dependent children earning £50 per week gross;(2) what are the total personal tax allowances for a husband and wife with two dependent children where the husband is the sole earner;(3) what are the total personal tax allowances for a married couple with two dependent children where both are in employment and the wife is earning £50 per week gross.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 March 1983, c. 209.]: The total allowances are, respectively, £3,325 in the year of bereavement, and £2,445 in years following; £2,445; and £4,010.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to encourage the dual use of sports facilities in schools by both pupils and other people living in the neighbourhood.

Consistent encouragement has been given for the community use of maintained school premises, including sports facilities; and I hope that local authorities will continue to promote such use so far as practicable within the resources available to them. In December 1982 the Department published a revised version of Building Bulletin 28, "Playing Fields and Hard Surface Areas", a copy of which is in the Library, containing a chapter on shared use.I am preparing to repeat in a modified form the survey of shared and extended use of schools carried out in 1978–79, covering sports among other facilities, the findings of which were summarised in the Department's Statistical Bulletin No. 1 of 1982, a copy of which also is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will specify the museums, galleries and libraries in the United Kingdom to which the authorities of each of the following institutions are respectively empowered to transfer objects vested in them (a) the Tate gallery, (b) the National gallery, (c) the British Museum, (d) the Museum of London, and (e) the British Library; whether he will specify any other similar institutions the scope of whose powers in this respect is identical to that of those five; and whether he will list all those national museums, galleries and libraries in the United Kingdom, other than the Wallace collection, which possess no such powers of transfer.

Specific statutory power exists for the institutions named to transfer objects to other named institutions as follows:

(a) Tate gallery—to the National gallery, and any institution listed in schedule 1 to the National Gallery and Tate Gallery Act 1954 ("the 1954 Act");

(b) National gallery—to the Tate gallery; and, subject to certain restrictions, to the Imperial war museum and the National maritime museum;

(c) British museum—to the British museum (natural history), British Library and any institution listed in schedule 1 to the 1954 Act;

(d) Museum of London—to the National gallery, Tate gallery, and any institution listed in schedule 1 to the 1954 Act;

(e) British Library—to the British museum (natural history), and National maritime museum,

The institutions listed in the first schedule to the National Gallery and Tate Galleries Act 1954 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in view of the statements by some police officers that it is virtually impossible at night to ascertain whether or not motorists are wearing seat belts, he will propose amendments to the regulations designed to assist the police in enforcing the law relating to the wearing of seat belts.

No. My right hon. Friend has received no request from the Association of Chief Police Officers for any changes in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total amount spent on (a) the construction of new motorways and (b) the maintenance of all roads in the last year for which figures are available.

In 1981–82, £192·9 million was spent on new construction and improvement of motorways, including land acquisition. A further £85·;7 million was spent on preparation, supervision, small improvements, lighting, and miscellaneous items on both motorways and other trunk roads: separate figures for motorways are not readily available.The sum of £179·4 million was spent on motorway and trunk road maintenance, including lighting. Provisional returns indicate that English local authorities spent £792·5 million on road maintenance in the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what would be the cost to the Exchequer if the payment of rates on council houses were excused and the local authorities were reimbursed their loss from the Exchequer;(2) what would be the cost to the Exchequer if the payment of rates by manufacturing industry were excused and the local authorities were reimbursed for their loss by the Exchequer.

The total cost of derating manufacturing industry in England and Wales would have been about £1·25 billion in 1982–83.Comprehensive information distinguishing the rateable values of local authority housing is not collected centrally. On the basis of sample survey data, we estimate that the total cost of exempting council houses from rates would have been something between £1 billion and £1·5 billion in 1982–83. A significant proportion of this cost is already met by the Exchequer through rate rebates or supplementary benefit, as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what numbers and percentages of households in Walthamstow lacked basic amenities in 1981.

The information available for constituencies is on households lacking or sharing the use of a bath and, for Walthamstow, appears in table H of the 1981 census parliamentary constituency monitor for Greater London. For the borough of Waltham Forest as a whole, more informaton is available in 1981 census county report, Greater London, part 1, tables 21 and 27. Both publications are in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of derelict land there are within the county of Greater Manchester.

The total area of derelict land in the Greater Manchester county area, as defined in the 1982 derelict land survey, amounted to 4,036 hectares—9,973 acres.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce details of the 1983–84 urban aid grant settlement; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend announced on 15 November—[Vol. 32, c. 19]—that total resources for the urban programme, including urban development grant, in 1983–84 would be £348 million. Final allocations to individual authorities have yet to be settled, but most partnerships and programme authorities have been notified of the likely level of resources that will be available to them.The sum of £52 million has been set aside for the traditional urban programme. We hope to announce which projects have been approved under circular 23 shortly. Holiday projects worth £1·2 million have already been approved. My right hon. Friend announced details of the first batch of urban development grant projects, which he has approved in principle, on 15 February. —[Vol. 37, c. 161.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what agreements exist with other European countries concerning the import of seal products; upon what authority they were concluded; and with what effect.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Thorne) on 20 December—[Vol. 34, c. 381]—and to my right hon. Friend the Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Sir A. Maude) on 2 March—[Vol. 38, c. 136.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will bring up to date the information given in his reply dated 23 December 1981, Official Report, c. 461, to the hon. Member for Grimsby, concerning steelmaking capacity and production in whatever detail is available to him, together with information from European Community sources or elsewhere showing what reductions in steel-making capacity have been made in the European Community and what has been announced by way of future closures.

The statistical information as is readily available is given in the following table. On the remainder of the question, in respect of the United Kingdom, the Government are considering the British Steel Corporation's corporate plan for 1983–86 and will make a statement as soon as possible. For other countries of the Community, the detailed information available is confidential. It shows, however, that certain member states are now facing up to the need for significant cuts in capacity.

Crude Steel
Million tonnes
	Production		Effective capacity
	1973	*1982	1973	†l982
USSR	131·5	147·5	‡	‡
Japan	119·3	99·5	133·6	‡
USA	136·8	65·7	‡	137·5
China	25·2	37·0	‡	‡
West Germany	49·5	35·9	58·8	67·7
Italy	21·0	24·0	28·1	39·8
France	25·3	18·4	28·1	29·6
Poland	14·1	15·0	‡	‡
Czechoslovakia	13·2	15·0	‡	‡
United Kingdom	26·7	13·8	29·8	25·2

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what progress has been made towards the construction of a vehicle assembly plant by Nissan; and whether he has had any discussions regarding the use of British components and union recognition.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave on 14 February to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Dean). I have no further progress to report.Local content and industrial relations questions are just two of the many aspects of the project covered by Nissan's feasibility study. Details of discussions between the company and the Department must, however, remain confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much money the United Kingdom received under the non-quota section of the European regional development fund during 1981–82; and what percentage this figure represents of the total non-quota section for that year.

A total of 19·8 mecu has been allocated to the United Kingdom during the period 1981–82, representing 27 per cent. of the allocations made under this section of the fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he is satisfied with the level of assistance the United Kingdom receives from the non-quota section of the European regional development fund; and whether he proposes to seek an increase in the non-quota section of the fund.

In addition to 26·4 per cent. of the ERDF aid already provided under the first series of non-quota measures, it is proposed that the United Kingdom should receive 27·1 per cent. of the aid to be provided under the second series of such measures now under consideration. If this is agreed by the Council, it will be reasonably satisfactory. The Government have indicated that they would be prepared to accept an increase in the size of the non-quota section of the fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether, following the 1982 redefinition of United Kingdom assisted areas, he remains satisfied with the United Kingdom's eligibility for assistance under the quota section of the European regional development fund.

The United Kingdom's entitlement under the quota section of the European regional development fund is a fixed percentage, and does not change as a consequence of any redefinition of assisted area boundaries.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) how many areas within the United Kingdom received assistance under the quota section of the European regional development fund from (a) August to December 1982 and (b) August to December 1981;(2) how much money the United Kingdom received under the quota section of the European regional

ERDF—Aid committed to the United Kingdom under the quota section of the fund
£'000s
	1981			1982
	Total	Of which August-December	per cent.	Total	Of which August-December	per cent.
England	73,063	32,521	44·5	116,634	66,437	57·0
Northern region	37,703	19,622	52·0	59,576	18,187	30·5
North-West region	14,001	6,399	45·7	28,331	23,657	83·5
Yorkshire and Humberside region	10,235	5,838	57·0	19,988	18,137	90·7
East Midlands region	4,621	49	1·1	1,415	592	41·8
South·West region	6,502	613	9·4	7,323	5,864	80·1
Scotland	70,734	27,115	30·3	63,627	52,401	82·4
Wales	25,546	9,757	38·2	50,664	35,608	70·3
Northern Ireland	27,941	13,185	47·2	23,449	18,808	80·2
Total United Kingdom	197,284	82,578	41·9	254,374	173,254	68·1

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has any plans to seek an amendment to the present European regional development fund regulations so as to remove the link between areas qualifying for grants under the quota section of the fund and those in receipt of United Kingdom regional funds.

The regulation is made under article 235 of the treaty of Rome, which requires that the Council's decision should be made only on the basis of a proposal from the Commission. However, I would see no justification in a proposal that areas not receiving national regional aid should in general qualify for aid from the European regional development fund's quota section.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the figure for fixed capital formation by industry for 1981 (a) in the north-west and (b) nationally.

Fixed capital formation in 1980 by manufacturing industry (new definition)^* in the United Kingdom amounted to £6,350·6 million at current prices of which the north-west accounted for £980·6 million. Comparable information for 1981 will become available later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total expenditure in Great Britain on development fund from August to December 1982; what percentage this figure represents of the total quota section for that year; and whether he will give the equivalent figures for August to December 1981.

The following table shows for each of the years 1981 and 1982 the total amounts of aid from the quota section of the European regional develoment fund allocated in respect of each region of the United Kingdom and the amount—and percentage—allocated in the period August to December.Detailed breakdown by project of the allocations for the periods August to December 1981 and 1982 were published in

Expenditure in Great Britain on the main items of regional preferential expenditure is as follows:

	£ million
	1981–82 (Outturn)	1982–83 (Estimate)
Cash	867	842
1978–79 prices (using GDP deflator)	566	511

The items included are regional development grants, regional selective financial assistance under the Industrial Development Act 1982, expenditure on land and factories in assisted areas, and assistance provided by the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will press for derelict land clearance areas to qualify for assistance from the quota section of the European regional development fund.

It would not be appropriate to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he considers that a deal limiting Japan to 79 per cent. of the European video recorder market is satisfactory; how he sees the United Kingdom share of the video recorder market developing; and if he will make a statement.

As the hon. Member is aware, the United Kingdom market for video recorders is currently dominated by Japanese imports. Under the agreement reached in Tokyo recently Japanese VTR exports to the EC will be limited to a maximum of 4·55 million units in 1983.The first steps towards a United Kingdom video recorder industry have already been taken by a joint venture company, J2T, formed by Thorn-EMI, JVC of Japan and Telefunken which commenced the asembly of video recorders in Newhaven, Sussex, in October 1982. During my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's recent visit to Japan, two Japanese companies, Mitsubishi and Sanyo, announced that they, too, will be commencing the assembly of VTRs in Scotland and East Anglia, respectively, during 1983. The European Commission has assured us that all VTR kits required by these ventures will be available under the the terms of the recent agreement.My Department will continue to encourage these new ventures to increase both the scale of their operations and the United Kingdom's content of their products to the stage where we shall be able to export United Kingdom made VTRs.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will bring up to date the figures on productivity in the steel industry given in his answer of 4 February 1980, Official Report, c. 15–16.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what further measures he proposes to take with regard to energy efficiency grant schemes to industry.

The Department of Industry will continue to support good projects in industry involving enhanced energy efficiency. Such projects will need to satisfy the Department's normal criteria for support under section 8 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 or under the Science and Technology Act 1965. Both Acts are aimed at improving the competitiveness of British industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what interim arrangements have been made for the funding of the purchase of strategic minerals for the stockpile referred to in the Supplementary Estimate for the Regional and Selective Assistance Vote (Class IV, Vote I) published on 2 March, pending the approval of the Estimate.