Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Monday 7 March 1983

Trade

Francophone Africa

asked the Minister for Trade what has been the balance and overall level of trade between the United Kingdom and the francophone countries of Africa in the past five years; and what plans Her Majesty's Government have to improve trade with those countries.

The overall level and balance of trade over the last five years was as follows:

£ million
	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982
United Kingdom exports (fob)	355	343	443	470	537
United Kingdom imports (cif)	251	298	332	449	404
Crude balance to United Kingdom	+104	+45	+111	+21	+133

Source:

United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics, SITC(R2) (1981 basis).

Notes:

(a) 'Francophone Africa' has been defined as the following countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Upper Volta, Togo, Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Central African Republic, Zaire, Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, Comoros, Mayotte and Madagascar.

(b) The export figure for 1981 includes an estimate of exports for March to August of that year.

We expect an improvement in trade to result from a number of initiatives taken in the major markets over the last three years. These include the signature with the Cameroon Government of a £40 million aid and credit agreement for the supply of United Kingdom goods and services; the generation of £80 million worth of business from United Kingdom participation in the Transgabonais railway in Gabon; the signature with the Algerian Government of a memorandum of understanding which could lead to the construction by United Kingdom companies of up to 20,000 housing units and several vocational training centres in Algeria; and the supply of £27 million of railway equipment by British Rail Engineering Limited and the British Steel Corporation to Congo. The momentum is being maintained by my own and other Ministers' forthcoming visits to francophone Africa this year, on some of which we will be accompanied by business men.

Egypt (Trade Mission)

asked the Minister for Trade what was the date of the last Government-sponsored trade mission to Egypt; and what plans there are for future missions.

The last sponsored trade mission to Egypt was from 20 to 27 February 1981. At present the BOTB financially assisted outward mission scheme does not cover Egypt. But the board keeps the geographical coverage of the scheme under periodic review.

Mauritius

asked the Minister of Trade if he will set out the current trade balance to the nearest convenient date with Mauritius.

The crude balance of trade (exports valued fob less imports valued cif) may be derived from table IB of the most recent volumes of the Overseas Trade Statistics. Copies are in the Library.

Economic Recovery

asked the Minister for Trade, pursuant to the reply to the right hon. and learned Member for Warley, West (Mr. Archer) on 21 February, Official Report, c. 657, on what evidence he regards the latest Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development forecast for the prospects of the United Kingdom's long-term recovery as being largely baseless.

The forecasts of the OECD are the result of professional and sober appraisal, although like all forecasts they involve a substantial element of judgment. To misinterpret the forecast as saying that Britain's prospects of long-term recovery are being "irreparably damaged" is in my view irresponsible and largely baseless.

Tied Houses

asked the Minister of Trade (1) what stage the European Community proposal to change the brewers' tied house system has now reached; what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the Commission's proposal; and whether it will be subject to approval by Parliament;(2) what assessment has been made of the effect on trade of the European Community proposal to break the tie between brewers and tenants in respect of wines and spirits; what representations he has received from the trade; and if he will make a statement;(3) whether the European Community proposal to change the brewers' tied house system is confined to wines and spirits; whether beer is likely to be affected; and if he will make a statement.

The present regulation has been extended to 30 June 1983. The European Commission has recently sent member states a further draft of the new regulation it proposes should then be introduced. The Government are consulting on these proposals and will take their views into account when deciding what representations to make to the Commission. In the past I have received representations on behalf of brewers, licencees and the manufacturers and suppliers of other drinks. I hope that the eventual regulation, which will not be subject to Parliamentary approval, will take account of these interests, as well as those of the customer.

asked the Minister for Trade what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the European Commission's proposed Community regulation to change the brewer's tied house system.

The European Commission's proposed regulation to take effect from 30 June 1983 would allow a brewer and publican to make an exclusive purchase agreement either for a complete range of drinks for a period of five years or for draught and bottled beer only for a period of 10 years. The first alternative would not, however, be available where the brewer had let the premises to the publican under a tenancy agreement and the second would be subject to a condition that the publican was free to obtain "special beers" in bottles or cans from other suppliers. Thus in the case of tenants the wine and spirits tie would be broken but the beer tie would be able to continue, subject to the exception for special beers.The Government are consulting on these proposals and will take their views into account when deciding what representations to make to the Commission. In the past I have received representations on behalf of brewers, licensees and the manufacturers and suppliers of other drinks. I hope that the eventual regulation, which will not be subject to parliamentary approval, will take account of these interests, as well as those of the customer.I understand that the Commission has based its assessment of the effect on trade on enquiries into the state of competition in the industry between 1969 and 1979, as well as on rulings of the European Court of Justice, which held that networks of brewery agreements could have an effect on trade among member states.

Air Services (Aberdeen)

asked the Minister for Trade (1) whether an order has been laid before Parliament under section 60(3)(L) of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 in respect of the proposed airway between Edinburgh/Glasgow and Aberdeen;(2) whether an order has been laid before Parliament under section 60(2)

(b) of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 in respect of the proposed airway between Edinburgh/Glasgow and Aberdeen.

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

Nitrate (Imports)

asked the Minister for Trade what was the total amount of imports of nitrate and nitrate-based fertilisers in the most recent annual period for which figures are available.

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

Argentina (Export Credits)

asked the Minister for Trade how many claims have been made to the Export Credits Guarantee Department to the latest date by companies affected by economic sanctions against Argentina during the Falklands conflict; how many have been resolved; and how many are still outstanding.

[pursuant to the reply, 28 February 1983, c. 1–2]: It has been the practice of successive Administrations not to disclose details of the Exports Credits Guarantee Department's involvement in particular export transactions or on individual markets.

Balance Of Trade

asked the Minister for Trade what were the main factors which have caused the United Kingdom's balance of trade in manufactured goods to deteriorate with the European Community over the past 10 years; and what were the main factors which caused its balance in manufactured goods to improve with the rest of the world over the same period.

[pursuant to the reply, 28 February 1983, c. 2]: Balances are a poor indicator of changes in trade performance over this period, because of the large price movements which occurred. The balance of trade in manufactures with the EC should be considered in the context of the balance on visible trade and the current account balance with the EC which was better in the last three years than in any previous year since 1973. The EC also has been one of the United Kingdom's fastest growing export markets as is shown by the share of United Kingdom's exports accounted for by the EC which rose from 30 per cent. in 1972 to 41 per cent. in 1982.

Whisky Exports

asked the Minister for Trade what are the figures, in proof gallons, for exports of Scotch whisky to Japan for the last three available years for (a) bottled whisky and (b) bulk malt whisky.

[pursuant to the reply, 1 March 1983, c. 131]: The available information is as follows, and relates to exports of Scotch whisky and Northern Irish whisky in millions of proof gallons:

	1980	1981	1982
Bottled whisky	4·13	2·48	3·36
Bulk malt	6·54	6·03	6·52

Source: Data corresponding to SITC(R2) Item 112·41 (part) in the UK Overseas Trade Statistics

Note: Figures for 1981 include a considerable element of estimation in respect of the months from March to August inclusive and should therefore be interpreted with caution.

Aircraft Movements

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.

[pursuant to the reply, 4 March 1983, c. 253: The Civil Aviation Authority publishes figures on aircraft movements in its monthly and annual statistics to my Department. Aircraft noise monitoring statistics are also sent to the Department on a regular basis. In its statutory capacity as a source of advice to my Department on civil aviation, the authority provides a wide range of data on request and it would be impracticable to list it all.

Prime Minister

Nuclear Tests (Radiation Levels)

asked the Prime Minister what were the maximum radiation levels incurred by service personnel, both British and Australian, at the tests at Monte Bello, Emu Field and Maralinga prior to 1957; and what were the circumstances in which they were incurred.

The maximum radiation exposures experienced by British Service personnel at the tests at Monte Bello, Emu Field and Maralinga prior to 1957 were 7, 8 and 5 rem respectively, and were received in the course of obtaining essential scientific data. The radiation exposures experienced by Australian Service men are a matter for the Australian Government.

United Nations (Information)

asked the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on providing sources of information for the secretary-general of the United Nations in crisis areas.

We have always sought to provide the secretary-general and his staff with accurate information when asked about a particular situation.

Sir Anthony Parsons (Speech)

asked the Prime Minister whether Sir Anthony Parsons' speech at the 31st Stevenson memorial lecture at the London School of Economics was made with her authority.

Yes. The lecture made clear that he was speaking as a retired member of the diplomatic service and not as an adviser to the Prime Minister.

Tourism (London)

asked the Prime Minister what recent representations she has had concerning increasing the number of tourists visiting London; and from what quarters.

I have seen a copy of the letter the hon. Member sent to my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Trade on 27 September of last year.

Energy

Participation Agreements

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he proposes to renegotiate the terms and conditions of participation agreements negotiated by his Department, the British National Oil Corporation and the oil companies operating in the North Sea.

	Four-star petrol		Percentage change from previous June
	Estimated typical pump price	of which tax	Four star petrol pump price	General index of retail price (all items)
Mid-June	Pence/gallon
1973	35·7	22·5	+4·4	+9·4
1974	55·0	27·5	+54·1	+16·5
1975	72·5	37·0	+31·8	+26·1
1976	76·5	38·5	+5·5	+13·8
1977	85·3	44·5	+11·5	+17·7
1978	75·7	38·4	-11·3	+7·4
1979	108·6	48·9	+43·5	+11·4
1980	135·1	63·1	+24·4	+21·0
1981	153·1	82·8	+13·3	+11·3
1982	169·5	92·8	+10·7	+9·2

I have no current plans to initiate renegotiations to the agreements.

British National Oil Corporation

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the specific directives given by him to the British National Oil Corporation in the past year.

In the past year I have given four directions to the British National Oil Corporation:

(i) on 7 July 1982, under section 4(1) of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975 and section 3(1) of the Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Act 1982, to make and submit for my approval a scheme and related agreements to transfer the equity oil part of BNOC's undertaking to Britoil and to secure that Britoil increased its capital accordingly.

(ii) on 29 July 1982, under section 4(1) of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975, not to make payments to, or guarantee any liabilities of Britoil or otherwise discharge Britoil's liabilities without my consent, unless under agreements entered into in accordance with the above scheme or in connection with the forward oil purchase agreement dated 16 June 1977.

(iii) on 28 September 1982, under section 4(1) of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975, concerning the exercise of its right under joint operating agreements to attend operating committee meetings and receive information.

(iv) on 1 November 1982, under section 4(1) of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975, to cancel the direction issued on 29 July 1982.

Petrol Prices

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the average price of petrol per gallon in the United Kingdom in June for each of the past 10 years and (a) the total of tax per gallon for each year, (b) to what extent the tax has been inflation related and (c) how the price increase including tax compare with increases in the retail price index.

The following table sets out estimates of typical pump prices for four-star petrol in mid-June of each year from 1973 to 1982, the tax included in the price, the annual percentage changes in the pump price and comparable changes in the general index of retail prices (all items). From 1977 the estimated prices are based on information provided by oil companies. Matters of taxation policy are for my learned and right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Power Units (Wales)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give for each of the past three years for which figures are available, the number of units generated in Wales by (a) nuclear power stations, (b) coal power stations, (c) oil power stations and (d) hydroelectric and pump storage stations.

I am advised by the CEGB that electricity supplied by generating stations in Wales for the past three financial years was as follows:

	Electricity supplied GWh
Type of station	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82
Nuclear	8,088	7,036	8,917
Coal	8,915	9,234	11,007
Oil	7,114	4,468	3,632
Hydro-electric and pumped storage	566	579	575

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give for each of the last three years for which figures are available, the net annual inflow and outflow of power units between Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom.

The CEGB's integrated power supply system for generation and bulk supply of electricity throughout England and Wales does not identify, as part of its regular measurements, inflows and outflows of electricity between Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom. It is therefore not possible to provide the figures in the form requested. However, it is estimated by my Department that for the years 1979, 1980 and 1981 there was a net outflow of electricity through the public supply system from Wales amounting to 10, 7 and 10 TWh respectively.

Energy Conservation

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he will publish the report of Dr. E. G. Finer on "How the Government Handles Energy Conservation", the Armitage and Norton research report on "Invest in Energy Conservation in Industry" and the Government's response to the report of the Energy Committee on "Energy Conservation in Buildings".

We are still considering these reports, which cover the interests of a number of Departments, which have been asked for comments. We shall publish them as soon as we have considered comments and reached decisions.

National Coal Board (Chairman)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has requested recruitment consultants to assist him in finding a new chairman of the National Coal Board.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 28 February, Official Report, c. 16, concerning the appointment of a new chairman of the National Coal Board, what particular qualities he is looking for in a new chairman.

I am looking for a new chairman with the qualities needed to set the industry on course for an early return to financial viability and so enable it to secure its own long term future and that of those who work in it.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to be in a position to announce the name of the new chairman of the National Coal Board.

I have nothing to add to what the Prime Minister has already told the House.

Home Department

Parliamentary Candidates

32.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give the reasons why he will not consider introducing a provision whereby persons born outside the United Kingdom may only be permitted to stand for election as a parliamentary candidate if reciprocal arrangements exist for persons born in the United Kingdom to stand for election in the country concerned.

Because nationality and not place of birth is the basis of the right to stand for election in the United Kingdom.

Hand-Held Radar Devices

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to complete his review of standards for hand-held radar devices for speed detection; and if he intends to publish the review.

It is hoped that the scientific research and development branch will be able to complete this part of its work by then end of the year. Its findings will be made public as soon as possible thereafter.

Civil Defence Regulations (Grant Aid)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the criteria for grant aid to local authorities under the proposed new Civil Defence regulations; and in what ways such criteria differ from those currently in force.

The criteria for payment of grant aid to local authorities are set out in the Civil Defence (Grant) Regulations 1953, as amended. Broadly, they provide for the prior approval of expenditure by local authorities on civil defence and its subsequent verification and local audit. These arrangements will remain unchanged under the proposed new civil defence regulations. It is, however, proposed to amend the schedule to the 1953 regulations to extend the scope of complete reimbursement to approved local authority expenditure on civil defence communications (and directly related equipment), and the training and excercising of local authority staff and volunteers.

Prisons (Pre-Release Employment Scheme)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons the pre-release employment scheme currently operates.

Twelve.

Immigration

The information requested was as follows on 1 March 1983:

	Number Detained
Ashford remand centre
Nigeria	2
Ghana	6
Morocco	1
India	3
Sri Lanka	1
Turkey	3
Colombia	1
Nationality doubtful	1
United States of America	1
Bedford
Bangladesh	1
Crumlin Road prison. Northern Ireland
India	2
Durham
Holland	1
Holloway
Malagasy/French	1
Manchester
South Africa	1
Risley remand centre
Pakistan	1
Bangladesh	1
Total	27

In addition 49 persons were in custody under both Immigration Act powers and police (or customs) powers on 1 March 1983. Details of their location are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Their nationality is as follows:

	Number in Custody
Algeria	4
Australia	1
Brazil	1
Chile	2
Colombia	1
Cyprus	1
France	1
Gambia	1
Ghana	4
India	1
Iran	1
Israel	3
Morocco	1
Nationality doubtful	2
New Zealand	1
Nigeria	7
Pakistan	7
Sri Lanka	1
South Africa	1
Thailand	1
Turkey	2
UKPH (UK)	1
United States of America	4

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table, showing the prison population detained under Immigration Act powers by prison department establishment and country of origin on the latest convenient date for those who were recommended for deportation by the courts without custodial sentence.

As at 1 March 1983, the information requested is as follows:

	Number detained
Ashford remand centre
Colombia	1
Cyprus	1
Gambia	1
Ghana	7
Iran	2
Israel	1
Philippines	1
Portugal	1
Romania	1
Sri Lanka	1
Turkey	3
Yugoslavia	1
Zimbabwe	1
Bristol
Iran	1
Jamaica	1
Zimbabwe	1
Brixton
Sierra Leone	1
Holloway
Argentine	1
China	1
Sierra Leone	1
Sri Lanka	1
Leeds
Hong Kong	1
Lincoln
Cape Verde	1
Libya	1
Risley Remand Centre
Egypt	1
Hong Kong	1
Syria	1
TOTAL	36

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing the prison population detained under Immigration Act powers by prison department establishment and country of origin on latest convenient date for those who were recommended for deportation and custodial sentence discharged under (a) section 3(5)(a) of the Immigration Act 1971 and (b) section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971.

Persons recommended by a court for deportation fall within the terms of section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1971.The numbers of persons detained pending deportation under

(a) section 3(5) (a) and (b) section 3(5) (b) of the Act on 1 March 1983 were as follows:

	(a)	(b)
Ashford
Colombia	2	—
Egypt	3	—
Ghana	7	1
Hong Kong	1	—
India	2	1
Mauritius	5	—
Morocco	—	1
Nigeria	7	—
Sri Lanka	3	—
Turkey	1	—
Birmingham
India	1	—
Canterbury
Pakistan	1	—
Holloway
Ghana	2	—
Mauritius	1	—
St. Vincent	1	—
Leeds
Hong Kong	1	—
Leicester
India	1	—
Manchester
Pakistan	2	—
Pucklechurch
Canada	1	—
Risley
Pakistan	1	—
Shepton Mallet
Italy	—	2
Swansea
Hong Kong	1	—
Total	44	5

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who were detained as (a) overstayers, (b) alleged illegal entrants and (c) serving non-custodial sentences with a recommendation for deportation, were granted temporary release during 1981 and 1982.

Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The numbers of illegal entrants given temporary release at the time of detection were 380 in 1981 and 394 in 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the number of times decisions were made to deport persons under section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971 during 1982 by country of origin.

In 1982, notices of intention to deport under section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971 were served in 73 cases as follows:

	Numbers
Egypt	1
Germany (Federal Republic)	2
Ghana	3
Holland	1
Hong Kong	1
India	6
Iran	2
Republic of Ireland	12
Israel	2
Italy	3
Jamaica	1
Kenya	1
Malaysia	1
Morocco	2
Nigeria	4

	Numbers
Pakistan	12
Peru	2
Qatar	1
Somalia	1
Spain	1
Sri Lanka	1
Switzerland	1
Syria	1
Turkey	3
Uganda	2
U.S.A.	6
	73

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many appeals were lodged during 1982 by persons whom it had been decided to deport under section 3(5)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971; and how many appeals were allowed, dismissed and withdrawn, respectively.

The information, which has been provided by the immigration appellate authorities, is as follows:

	Appeals
Appeals referred to the appellate authorities	53
Allowed	8
Dismissed	32
Withdrawn	15

Some of the appeals disposed of during one year will have been referred to the appellate authorities during an earlier year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many citizens of European Community member states were (a) removed, (b) deported and (c) imprisoned under Immigration Act powers during 1981 and 1982.

The information requested at (c) could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The other information requested is as follows:

(a) Twenty illegal entrants from European Community countries were removed in 1981 and 30 in 1982.

(b) One hundered and twenty-eight European Community citizens were deported in 1981 and 124 in 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people having been detained under Immigration Act powers and subsequently granted (a) temporary admission, (b) temporary release and (c) bail, then absconded within each category during 1981 and 1982.

The information requested is not available in its entirety. In 1981, 96 passengers absconded out of a total of 5,776 who were granted temporary admission. In 1982, 144 did so out of a total of 6,584. In 1981, 26 illegal entrants absconded after being temporarily released. The figure for 1982 is 20.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons who are currently serving custodial sentences are liable for deportation by country of origin.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost per hour of detaining a person under Immigration Act powers at (a) immigration service accommodation and (b) police port accommodation.

The total estimated cost of detaining a person in immigration service detention accommodation, as assessed in October 1981, was approximately £4·50 an hour plus VAT. This figure includes the cost of providing escorts for detainees in certain circumstances. The cost of detaining a person in police port accommodation is assessed by the port authority concerned and varies from one port to another.

Missing Persons

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many men, women, boys and girls, respectively, were reported missing in (a) Wiltshire, (b) Gloucestershire, (c) Hereford and Worcester, (d) Shropshire, (e) Cheshire, (f)Derbyshire, (g) the west midlands, (h) Warwickshire, (i) Northamptonshire, (j) Nottinghamshire, (k) Cambridgeshire, (l) Bedfordshire, (m) Buckinghamshire, (n) Staffordshire and (o) Oxfordshire, respectively, in each of the last 10 years for which records are available; and how many persons in each category were subsequently traced.

Comprehensive statistics on missing persons are not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Prison Education Departments

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison education departments are linked (a) to the local education authority central office or (b) to a local college of further education or institute of adult education.

Within prison service establishments generally in England and Wales 48 education departments are linked exclusively to their respective local education authority central offices; 52 are exclusively linked to specified colleges of further education or institutes of adult education; and 20 are linked jointly to their respective authorities and specific colleges or institutes. Within these totals the figures which relate primarily to prisons are 30, 37 and 13, respectively.

Prisons (Hospital Accommodation)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in each of the past five years hospital accommodation in prisons has been take over for non-medical purposes.

I regret that this information is not available. Any admission to a prison hospital requires the authority of the medical officer.

Prison Governors (Training)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice about education and training has been given to prison governors in the past two years beyond that contained in those prison standing orders and circular instructions which appear in the Library.

Such additional advice is conveyed in correspondence, during visits (including reviews and assessments) by the Department's professional education and training staff, in regional and national courses, conferences and meetings of various kinds, and by means of inspections of education and training services in individual institutions by HM Inspectorate of Schools and assessments by the prison department's regional teams in which the Department's professional education and training staff participate. The advice is largely concerned with curriculum, programme-building, staffing, equipment, accommodation, finance, organisation and management, and staff in-service training. The LEAs, local colleges of further and adult education, and local public library authorities are associated with this process.

Citizens Band Radio

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to monitor and to reduce the extent of interference in reception of television and radio by citizens band radio.

Interference from illicit citizens band radio is causing serious problems in some parts of the country and British Telecom's radio interference service is dealing with nearly 1,000 complaints of such interference every week. The provision being made in the Telecommunications Bill, now before the House, for strengthening of the existing enforcement powers to control the availability of illegal equipment should lead to a significant reduction in interference from such sources in the future.

Plastic Bullets

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what rules govern the purchase and stocking of plastic bullets by provincial chief constables; and what requirement exists for them to consult their relevant police authority beforehand;(2) if he will give guidance to chief constables on the purchase and stocking of plastic bullets.

It is for a police authority to authorise expenditure on equipment. An authority may delegate spending decisions to its chief constable. Plastic baton round equipment may be purchased and stocked for use in the last resort. Information about these matters is already available to chief constables.

National Finance

Investment Income

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of allowing the first £200 of investment income to be free of tax on investment incomes not exceeding £500.

Such a proposal would entail a reduction in the composite rate of tax paid by building societies on behalf of their investors, and I regret that there is insufficient information on the distribution of taxpayer's receipts of building society interest, taken together with other investment income, to enable an estimate to be made. The only basis on which an estimate could be made would be one which excluded building society interest altogether⁁i.e., exempting the first £200 of investment income for those investors with investment income of less than £500, where "investment income" was taken to exclude any building society interest. I assume that this would be inadequate for my hon. Friend's purposes; and indeed I regret that such an estimate could be provided only at substantial cost.

Mortgage Interest (Tax Relief)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the answer of 31 January to the hon. Member for Grimsby, Official Report, c. 20–22, concerning the distribution of incomes and the amount of tax paid, whether he will publish in the Official Report a

Numbers receiving mortgage relief and average relief by range of total income 1982–83
	(a) Single people		(b) Married couples without wife's earned income		(c) Married couples with wife's earned income
Range of total income (lower limit)	Numbers receiving mortgage interest relief	Average relief per mortgagor	Numbers receiving mortgage interest relief	Average relief per mortgagor	Numbers receiving mortgage interest relief	Average relief per mortgagor
£	Thousands	£	Thousands	£	Thousands	£
(i) Single people or married couples both under 65
1,500	15	60	—	—	—	—
2,000	30	230	65	80	5	40
3,000	50	170	50	180	30	110
4,000	75	230	95	290	50	180
5,000	70	350	150	240	90	240
6,000	120	350	250	310	130	220
7,000	110	370	290	400	190	260
8,000	80	330	325	330	230	260
9,000	70	350	235	420	285	290
10,000	80	400	280	390	515	290
12,000	55	480	215	450	560	380
15,000	25	780	125	730	400	500
20,000	15	1,000	70	1,000	170	860
30,000	5	1,600	30	1,350	45	1,150
(ii) Single people or married couples both over 65
1,500	10	50	20	50	5	50
5,000	5	200	5	250	10	200
7,000	5	200	15	350	10	250
10,000	5	600	5	850	20	400
15,000	5	600	5	500	5	500

Overseas Debt

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1945 the total overseas debt of the United Kingdom, the total overseas debt of the United Kingdom per family and the total overseas debt of the United Kingdom per capita expressed (a) in pound sterling terms, (b) in pound sterling real terms, 1981 equals 100 and (c) in US dollar terms.

I assume my hon. Friend is interested in the total overseas debt of Her Majesty's Government and United Kingdom public sector bodies. Overseas debt includes both foreigh currency borrowing and sterling debt. Since estimates of official sterling debt are not available prior to 1962, the tables below include, respectively, details of foreign currency borrowing outstanding at the end of each year from 1945 and details of total overseas debt only from 1962. Estimates of total debt per household have been provided, as a suitable series based on numbers of families is not available.

table in a similar form showing details of the number of taxpayers in each group receiving relief on mortgage interest and the average relief per mortgagor, together with the assumed rate of interest.

The information is given in the following tables. In view of the small sample underlying some of the cells, particularly for the elderly taxpayers, the estimates for both numbers and average relief may involve considerable sampling error. The figures for the average cost of relief are based on estimates of interest payable for 1982-83, which are calculated on the basis of recommended interest rates prevailing during the year. It has been assumed that the current recommended rate (10 per cent.) will remain in force until the end of the fiscal year.

HM Government and United Kingdom Public Sector
Total Overseas Debt^*
end	$ million	£ million	£ per capita	£ per house-hold	Total at constant prices † 1981 = 100
1962	13,996	4,994	93·5	296	194·0
1963	‡	‡	‡	‡	‡
1964	14,997	5,375	99·5	309	197·8
1965	‡	‡	‡	‡	‡
1966	16,443	5,893	107·8	331	200·8
1967	16,060	6,674	121·5	371	221·2
1968	18,741	7,860	142·5	432	253·1
1969	17,592	7,328	132·3	396	227·5
1970	14,092	5,887	106·0	315	169·5
1971	14,428	5,653	101·5	299	146·9
1972	13,590	5,800	103·8	304	136·7
1973	15,335	6,600	117·9	342	144·0
1974	21,122	8,990	160·5	463	168·0
1975	21,502	10,627	189·8	542	156·1
1976	24,926	14,645	261·7	743	188·5
1977	34,556	18,012	322·1	905	206·5
1978	31,858	15,609	279·2	777	160·5

end	$ million	£ million	£ per capita	£ per house-hold	Total at constant prices † 1981 = 100
1979	33,506	15,059	269·2	746	136·6
1980	34,519	14,431	257·7	707	110·5
1981	27,627	14,457	256·8	702	100·0
^* In addition to foreign currency borrowing, includes overseas holdings of British Government stocks, British Government foreign currency bonds, Treasury bills and notes, local authorities' securities and mortgages and sterling deposits with local authorities.
† Derived using the deflator for gross domestic product at factor cost.
‡ Indicates "not available".

Her Majesty's Government and United Kingdom Public Sector Foreign Currency Borrowing^*
	$ million	£ million	£ per capita	£ per house-hold	Total at constant prices† 1981 = 100
end 1945	║ 1,926	║478	║9·7	‡	‡
1946	║2,950	║732	║14·9	‡	‡
1947	6,069	1,506	30·4	‡	‡
1948	7,383	1,832	36·6	‡	256·8
1949	6,927	2,474	49·2	‡	336·2
1950	6,896	2,463	48·7	‡	333·3
1951	6,723	2,416	47·8	162	304·6
1952	6,811	2,424	47·8	‡	279·8
1953	6,615	2,353	46·2	‡	263·8
1954	6,433	2,310	45·2	‡	253·6
1955	6,039	2,154	42·1	‡	228·5
1956	6,254	2,245	43·7	‡	224·5
1957	6,442	2,293	44·4	‡	220·2
1958	6,280	2,241	43·2	‡	205·7
1959	6,028	2,153	41·3	‡	194·2
1960	5,784	2,063	39·3	‡	183·0
1961	6,136	2,185	41·3	131	187·4
1962	5,409	1,930	36·1	114	160·3

	All companies		Manufacturing		Financial institutions
	Number of companies	Losses	Number of companies	Losses	Number of companies	Losses
	000	£ million	000	£ million	000	£ million
1978	140	2,300	30	800	10	400
1979	160	2,500	35	900	10	400
1980	190	4,500	45	2,000	10	550
1981	210	5,400	50	2,500	10	550

These figures relate to "gross case I" losses from trading of individual companies (ie, not company groups), which do not correspond to trading losses as commonly understood for commercial purposes. "Gross case I" losses are before deduction of depreciation but after deduction of short term interest.

These estimates are derived from a small sample and are therefore very tentative.

Mortgage Deeds

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will introduce legislation to give building society borrowers the right to choose the drafting agent for the mortgage deed on payment of the required fee.

No. It is the normal practice of building societies to prescribe a standard form of mortgage deed: the use of a standard form both protects the security

	$ million	£ million	£ per capita	£ per house-hold	Total at constant prices† 1981 = 100
1963	5,272	1,885	35·1	110	152·9
1964	5,876	2,106	39·0	121	165·7
1965	7,043	2,513	46·2	143	190·1
1966	7,026	2,518	46·1	142	183·4
1967	6,704	2,786	50·7	155	197·4
1968	8,136	3,412	61·9	188	234·9
1969	8,182	3,408	61·5	184	226·2
1970	7,172	2,996	54·0	160	184·4
1971	5,944	2,329	41·8	123	129·4
1972	5,160	2,202	39·4	115	111·0
1973	7,712	3,319	59·3	172	154·8
1974	11,926	5,076	90·6	262	202·8
1975	13,821	6,831	122·0	349	214·5
1976	19,564	11,495	205·4	584	316·3
1977	25,286	13,180	235·7	662	323·0
1978	22,365	10,958	196·0	545	240·9
1979	20,210	9,083	162·4	450	176·1
1980	17,010	7,111	127·0	349	116·5
1981	12,922	6,762	120·1	328	100·0
* Comprises long, medium and short-term borrowing by Her Majesty's Government (including borrowing under eurodollar facilities) and borrowing by local authorities and public corporations (including, from 1976, a certain amount of sterling borrowing from banks abroad).
† Derived using the deflator for gross domestic product at factor cost.
‡ Indicates "not available".
║ Long-term borrowing only.

Trading Losses

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the information provided in his replies of 3 March and 22 March 1982, Official Report, c. 150 and 263, on trading losses.

Estimates for 1981, with revised figures for earlier years, are:of a society in minimising the risk of error and also minimises the cost which has to be borne by the borrower. The drafting of the standard form of a mortgage deed is clearly a matter for the building society concerned, not the borrower's agent.The hon. Member may, however, be referring to the practice of building societies in requiring a higher fee to be paid where a borrower does not employ a solicitor as his agent in the negotiation, than where he does so. It is open to the purchaser of a house to choose whether he employs a solicitor to act for him or not. But it is incumbent on a building society when lending its investors' money on the security of any property to be satisfied that there is a good title to the property. Hence, where an applicant for a mortgage has not a solicitor advising for him on the purchase, it is usual for the building society to undertake additional work in connection with investigating and reporting on the title of the property offered as security.It is essential that a society should take steps which it considers necessary to ensure that it has the security required by the Building Societies Act 1962. It seems reasonable that if a borrowers's choice of agent requires the society to incur additional costs to achieve this, the borrower should carry the cost rather than the generality of members.

National Health Service

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the proportion of total public expenditure which is represented by the National Health Service for 1981–82, respectively.

The information requested, derived from figures published in "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1983–84 to 1985–86" (Cmnd. 8789), is as follows. Information for calendar years is not available.

Percentage of planning total
1981–82	1982–83
12·9	13·0

Building Societies

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what shares of the building societies' deposits are represented by the top three, top six and top 10 societies.

The latest year for which figures are available for all the relevant societies is 1981. For that year the proportion of total shares and deposits of building societies held by the largest three, largest six and largest 10 societies were 45 per cent. 59 per cent. and 71 per cent. respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many building societies there were in 1951, 1961, 1971, 1981 and 1982.

The following table shows the number of building societies in Great Britain at the end of the year shown:

1951	1961	1971	1981	1982
807	706	467	253	227

Companies (Publicly Owned Shares)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Chichester on 26 February 1982, Official Report, c. 522, whether he will update the list of sales of publicly owned shares in companies and of the merchant banks advising in each case.

The following table shows the major sales of publicly owned shares in companies which have occurred since my reply to the hon. Member for Chichester on 26 February 1982, together with the merchant bank advising in each case, but excluding those held by the British Technology Group. A final figure for the National Freight Company is also included.

	Value £ million	Merchant bank
1981–82
National Freight Company	5	J. Henry Schroder Wagg and Company Limited
1982–83
Britoil^*	627	S. G. Warburg and Company Limited
Associated British Ports Holdings†	46	J. Henry Schroder Wagg and Company Limited
^* Partly paid—£255 million in November 1982 and£293 million in April 1983, and including a debenture payment of£92 million. Expenses of£13 million have been deducted.
‡ Provisional estimate including loan repayment of£25 million.

The following table shows the sales of shares in companies held by the BTG but not included in the earlier reply. The nature of any advice, including merchant bank advice, taken by the BTG prior to making disposals is a matter for the BTG. The National Enterprise Board has been subsumed into the BTG since the earlier reply.

Company	Receipts£ million
1982
George P. Brown	1·05
Twinlock plc*	0·36
Thermax	0·35
Ferranti Resin Ltd.	0·003
Francis Shaw plc	0·2
* BTG shareholding retained.

Merchant Banks (Advice)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Chichester on 26 February 1982, Official Report, c. 522, regarding the engagement of merchant banks to advise the Government on the sale of assets, whether the procedure and policy adopted have been reviewed in the light of experience.

All aspects of the procedure for sale of Government assets continue to be subject to review in the light of experience, including the procedure for the engagement of merchant banks to advise the Government. We will continue to adapt policy in the light of experience.

European Community (Vat)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the standard rate of value added tax in European Community countries and, where it exists, the preferential rate of value added tax for hotel accommodation.

The information is as follows:

	Standard rate	Rate applicable to hotel accommodation
Belgium	19	6
Denmark	22	22
France	18·6	*7, 18·6
Germany	13	13
Greece	VAT has not yet been introduced
Ireland	35	†23
Italy	18	*10, 18
Luxembourg	10	5
Netherlands	18	4
United Kingdom	15	15

* Luxury hotels (4-star and above) are standard-rated. Others are taxable at the reduced rate.

† VAT rates were increased on 1 March 1983. However, until 31 December 1983 hotels which concluded agreements with travel agents, tour operators or car hire companies prior to 1 December 1982 will continue to charge VAT at the former rate of 18 per cent., but only in so far as the customers are persons resident outside the Republic.

Her Majesty's Stationery Office

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the reasons for the dispersal of Her Majesty's Stationery Office laboratory, Cornwall House, Stamford street, London S.E.1 to Norwich; what discussion has taken place with trade unions; and what loss of employment there will be in London.

This laboratory is being moved to Norwich to join the supply division of HMSO (of which it is now an integral part) in order to improve operational efficiency. This is part of a comprehensive and successful drive by HMSO to improve performance and cut costs. Full discussions have taken place with the trade union side and a joint consultative group has been formed to implement the move. Twenty-one London posts are expected to be transferred to Norwich out of the existing thirty-one. The remaining 10 will be given up in any event as a result of improved efficiency and rationalisation measures.

Attorney-General

Legal Aid (Magistrates' Courts)

asked the Attorney-General when he proposes to make a commencement order for the operation of section 6 of the Legal Aid Act 1982.

It is intended that a commencement order should be made later this year.

Unification Church

asked the Attorney-General what action he is now taking to expedite a decision by the Charity Commissioners in their consideration of the charitable status of the Unification Church.

I have twice written to the Charity Commissioners asking them to hold an inquiry under section 6 of the Charities Act 1960 into the affairs of the two charitable trusts associated with the Unification Church. They have twice declined to hold such an inquiry. Without prejudice to any further action I might take in that connection, I have today written to the Charity Commissioners calling on them to remove the two trusts from the register of charities.

Blood Sales

asked the Attorney-General (1) if he has yet decided whether action should be taken following his receipt of a police report in March 1982 on the sale of blood from a London hospital;(2) if he has yet decided whether action should be taken following his receipt of a report of the sale of blood by Army officers.

In my absence abroad the Solicitor-General has been consulted by the Director of Public Prosecutions concerning certain aspects of the case. Police inquiries are continuing but are expected to be concluded in the near future. Thereafter the Director of Public Prosecutions will make a final decision.

Industry

Assisted Areas

20.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he next proposes to consider adding areas to those that have been given assisted area status.

The Government recognise the need to maintain reasonable stability in regional policy if industry is to take account of it in making investment decisions. For this reason, as has been made clear in the House and elsewhere on a number of occasions since the latest review last summer, we do not envisage making any further changes in the assisted areas during the lifetime of this Parliament, other than in the most exceptional circumstances.

Ariane Launcher

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what additional steps are being taken on the preparation of the Ariane launcher for the MARECS..B launch later in the current year.

It is hoped to launch a replacement MARECS-B satellite on an Ariane flight in mid-1984. Since the failure last September of the Ariane launcher which carried the original MARECS-B, intensive work by the French national space agency CNES, the European Space Agency and the manufacturers concerned has pin-pointed the cause of the failure as in the third-stage turbo-pump and design changes have been made. A close look at certain other important launcher elements has also been made to improve the reliability of the inertial-platform system and the third-stage feed and pressurisation systems. Three operational launches of Ariane are now scheduled for 1983, commencing with the first of the European communication satellites, ECS-1, on 3 June.

Video Recording Equipment

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will take steps to encourage the manufacture of video recording equipment in the United Kingdom under licence from one of the major Japanese producers.

The Department has actively encouraged the production in the United Kingdom of video tape recorders (VTRs). It has been able to offer assistance to one joint venture company set up to produce VTRs, and stands ready to help other new ventures in this field. In addition two Japanese companies, Mitsubishi and Sanyo, have announced plans to commence the assembly of VTRs later this year in Scotland and at Lowestoft respectively. We welcome these developments and hope that the companies concerned will move rapidly towards manufacturing processes incorporating United Kingdom components.

Contract Preference Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proportion of contract spending by the nationalised industries since the inception of the contract preference scheme has been placed with firms in the assisted areas.

This information is not available.

British Steel (Chairman)

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether the final terms for settling the financial arrangements at the termination of the appointment of Mr. Ian MacGregor as chairman of British Steel have been agreed.

The financial arrangements applying to Mr. MacGregor's term as chairman of the British Steel Corporation are set out in a document which was placed in the Library of the House on 15 April 1981. The document makes clear that the first of the two performance-related payments due to Lazard Freres of New York does not fall to be determined by the performance review committee until BSC's results for the year ending March 1984 are known, with the second payment being determined one year later.

Merseyside Enterprise Fund

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the level of Government subvention in each of the last two years to the Merseyside enterprise fund.

In March 1982 the British Technology Group set up the Merseyside enterprise fund with £500,000 of initial capital, which is the extent of the funds made available to it so far.

Steel Industry (Productivity)

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 4 March 1983, c. 266]: Updated information, covering the years 1978 to 1981, was provided in response to the hon. Member's question of 19 April 1982—[Vol. 22, c. 26.] Information as is available for 1982, together with certain figures additional to those included in the previous answer, are given in the following table:

Crude steel produced per process worker^*
	1982† Tonnes
USA	‡
Japan	‡
West Germany	272
Italy	314
France	312
United Kingdom	255
Belgium	282
Spain	‡
Australia	‡
Luxembourg	362
^* Including workers in auxiliary departments and services.
† All figures are estimated. That for italy is based on employment in the first six months and may be a slight understatement of the proper

figure.

‡ Not yet available.

Note:

The 1981 figure for the United Kingdom (estimated in the previous answer) is 244; that for Australia (previously not available) is 232.

Sources:

SOEC, OECD.

Overseas Development

Southern African Development Co-Ordination Conference

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the instances of deliberate interference by South Africa affecting the economic stability of the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference region referred to in the communiqué agreed at the annual donor conference in Maseru on 27 and 28 January;(2) what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to ensure that interference by South Africa does not jeopardise the success of projects funded by British aid in the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference region.

The communiqué issued at the end of the SADCC conference in Maseru on 28 January reflects the serious concern felt by the member Governments of SADCC about what they perceive as deliberate interference by South Africa. The South African Government for their part deny that they adopt such a policy. The level of tension in the region is a matter of very considerable concern and we condemn all external acts which adversely affect the economic development of the SADCC region. It is our policy to encourage the states in the area strictly to adhere to the principle of non-use of violence and non-intervention in each other's internal affairs.

Falkland Islands

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the terms of reference for the Falkland Islands internal communications study of 1977; what was its cost and by whom it was conducted; if any comments were requested or received from the Legislative or Executive Councils of the islands concerning its contents, conclusions, or recommendations; and if he will place a copy of the study in the Library.

The Falkland Islands internal communications study was undertaken in November-December by Mr. J. A. Peat (economic adviser ODA) and Mr. V. 0. Jameson (civil engineer, Forestry Commission). It cost approximately £3,000.The terms of reference for the study were as follows:

1. To assess how well the present internal transport network meets the needs of freight and people for movement round the Falkland Islands in a situation requiring adequate facilities for social, economic and agricultural development.

2. To indicate broadly the capital and recurrent costs of establishing and operating an efficient and cost effective internal transport service taking into account

(a) float planes versus land based planes;

(b) alternative road standards;

(c) any coastal vessel alternatives;

(d) the possible use of hovercraft and hydrofoils.

3. To justify the recommended mix of internal transport services on the basis of

(a) expected freight and passenger movements;

(b) minimisation of subsidy required from Falkland Islands Government to operate the service;

(c) manpower availability to operate the service (this point is of especial importance in relation to pilots and road maintenance labour);

(d) the availability of funds and the alternative demands which will be made on them.

Twenty-four copies of the study were sent to Port Stanley in February 1978 for distribution to councillors and those officials principally concerned. We have no record of comments by the Legislative or Executive Councils.

I am arranging for a copy of the study to be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is an approximate estimate of the value of the civil aid per head which will be provided for the Falkland Islanders in 1983–84 not counting civil work carried out by the armed forces.

The level of disbursements in 1983–84 will depend on proposals yet to be made by the Falkland Islands Government, but I would expect to disburse the balance of the £15 million rehabilitation aid—perhaps about £5 million—and a substantial tranche of the £31 million development aid.The Islands' small population can be expected to rise a little, depending on the Falkland Islands Government's immigration policy, so I cannot usefully predict aid per capita for the next financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated per capita income of the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands.

The most recent figure available is for 1980. This is £2,319.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what provision is made for the education of children living in remote areas of the Falkland Islands; and whether there are any plans to increase the level of such provision.

The Falkland Islands Government provide boarding facilities to enable children from age 8½ upwards to attend school in Port Stanley. The Government also maintain a unit in Port Stanley that provides materials and professional support for education elsewhere on the islands. Such education is undertaken partly by teachers engaged by individual settlements and partly by teachers employed by the Falkland Islands Government who travel to other farms.For the present, the priority is to get these arrangements back into operation for the 1983 academic year just beginning. In the course of the year, the Falkland Islands Government will have the opportunity to consider whether additional provision is needed.

E1 Salvador

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid the Government have given to El Salvador for each financial year since 1979; how much of the total has gone to (a) the Salvadorean Government and (b) other agencies; and whether he will list the projects and agencies involved.

Since 1979 a total of £843,183 has been given for El Salvador as follows:

	£
1979–80	393,999
1980–81	114,652
1981–82	118,945
^*1982–83	215,587
^* Estimate

Of the total sum £455,683 has been provided through the bilateral technical cooperation programme to the Salvadorean Government, and £377,500 through other agencies. In addition £100,000 was provided for UNHCR in 1981–82 to assist El Salvadorean refugees in other countries and £100,000 in 1982–83 to UNHCR to assist Central American refugees including those from El Salvador.

The following projects have been funded under the technical co-operation programme.

(i) Central American Technological Institute (ITCA) at Santa Tecla.

(ii) Veterinary investigation project Soyapango (San Salvador).

(iii) Phase I of a soil and water conservation study in the Acelhuate basin by the land resources development centre.

(iv) Extension of buildings for the rural health training programme.

(v) Senior lecturer in economics at the university of Central America.

(vi) Short term expert on coffee leaf rust.

(vii) Low cost housing programme in cooperation with voluntary agencies (finance provided for tools and equipment).

(viii) Scholarship programme in the United Kingdom including medicine, agriculture, technical education, institutional catering, veterinary medicine, soil and water conservation, surveying, economics and public administration.

The voluntary and international agencies through whom aid has been provided are ICRC, UNHCR, YMCA, CAFOD and Christian Aid.

Malawi (Forestry)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the Vipyha forestry project in Malawi.

The United Kingdom Government have offered to consider co-financing a proposed World Bank project for the development of wood industries in Malawi, including the Viphya. This has been welcomed by the Malawi Government and the bank, and we will be participating in further discussions as the project is formulated.

Senegal

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Lewisham, West on 3 March, which capital projects in Senegal will be involved in the projected increase in aid from 1983 onwards.

No firm decisions have yet been taken on specific projects. The preliminary indications are that projects should be undertaken in the water supply sector.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Alternaria Leaf Fungus

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has from the national vegetable research stations that alternaria leaf fungus is being transmitted from ripe crops of rape to cauliflowers, cabbage and sprouts by way of combine harvesters used to harvest rape; what sprays are effective against alternaria; and if he will offer advice to farmers whose crops may be affected.

In general, the significant spread of alternaria from oil seed rape to vegetable brassicae has been observed only for brassica seed crops in Essex. Nevertheless, the national vegetable research station has evidence that when infected oil seed rape is combined, clouds of alternaria spores are generated which could infect vegetable brassicae downwind. Alternaria can also spread, however, at other times and the relative importance of spread from combine harvesters is not known.Chlorothalonil sprays are effective and other promising fungicides are being investigated. On the few occasions when vegetable brassicae are considered at risk, they should be sprayed if the weather is wet or humid and if they are within half a mile of a heavily diseased oil rape crop that is being combined.

Butter

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantities of subsidised butter from intervention stocks were purchased by educational charities in the latest year for which figures are available; and what was the average subsidy per pound.

Figures on the amount of butter obtained at a reduced price by non-profit making organisations are not kept in a form which enables educational charities to be separately identified. The total amount of butter purchased at a reduced price from United Kingdom intervention stocks by non-profit making organisations, including educational charities, in 1980, the latest full year in which such sales took place, was 5,311 tonnes. The average reduction in price was approximately 48p per pound. Currently an alternative scheme is in operation under which non-profit making organisations can obtain a subsidy on butter purchases on the open market. In 1982 this subsidy which amounts to approximately 53p per pound was paid on 4,934 tonnes of butter in the United Kingdom.

Agricultural Products (Prices)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the European Community index of producer prices of agricultural products directly reflects the prices agreed by the Council at the annual price fixing.

The index of producer prices of agricultural products is a measure of the prices, including subsidies and taxes—for example, milk co-responsibility levy — where applicable, received by producers for agricultural products. Such prices are influenced by many factors, including the prices agreed by the Council of Ministers.

Nitrate Fertilisers

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will discuss with the appropriate Ministers in Holland the effectiveness of their policy of seeking to control and restrict the use of nitrate fertilisers on farmland; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that United Kingdom Ministers have adequate and appropriate advice on these matters.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent advice he has given to the agriculture industry on the use of nitrate fertilisers; and if he will make a statement.

The latest recommendations are about to be published in MAFF reference book 209, "Fertiliser Recommendations". Those for arable crops are contained in MAFF booklet 2191, "Lime and fertiliser recommendations: Arable crops 1983–84". The published recommendations take account of such factors as soil type, previous cropping, winter rainfall and crop yield level.Both the amounts and the timing of nitrogen applications, whether as nitrate or as equivalent chemical forms, are aimed at optimising crop yields and maximising the uptake of nitrogen.

Scotland

Building Control Regulations

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to proceed to public consultation on his proposals for changes in the building control regulations.

My aim is to issue a document for public consultation in the early summer.

University Students (Grants)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current level of grant paid, on average, to a Scottish student attending university; and by how much it would need to be increased to attain the same purchasing power as in 1967 in real terms.

The average maintenance grant payable to Scottish students attending universities in session 1982–83 is £1,229. To attain the purchasing power of the average grant payable in session 1967–68 it would have to be increased by approximately £90.

Housing Associations

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the names of housing associations in Scotland which have not sold any tenanted houses to their tenants, and the names of those housing associations in Scotland which have sold tenanted houses to sitting tenants, giving figures and the name of the scheme in each case.

Details of sales by housing associations to sitting tenants up to 1 March 1983 are as follows:

Housing Association	Number of houses sold	Location
Clyde Housing Association Ltd.	15	Inverkip
Glasgow Fair Housing Association Ltd.	3	Rutherglen (1) Glasgow-Partick (2)
Link Housing Association Ltd.	2	Grangemouth
Total	20

The other housing associations operating in Scotland (of which there is a list in the House Library) had not by 1 March sold any houses to sitting tenants.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many housing association houses are tenanted in Scotland, giving the total number; and if he will give a breakdown region by region and district by district.

Housing associations in Scotland have completed a total of approximately 19,500 new build and rehabilitated houses for fair rent, of which it is estimated that some 18,700 are likely to be tenanted at present. Information on numbers of housing association houses in individual regions and districts is not immediately available in the form requested. I shall write to my hon. Friend shortly about this.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons reside in the 21,000 completed tenanted houses owned by housing associations in Scotland; and what percentage this represents of the total housing stock.

18,700 of the estimated 19,500 completed fair rent houses are likely to be tenanted at present. Completed houses represent less than one per cent. of the housing stock in Scotland. Information on the number of persons per household within different categories of the housing stock is only available from Census returns. The 1981 census figure was 2·4 persons per household for housing association houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will list (a) the names of the 19 charitable housing associations registered with the Housing Corporation in Scotland and (b) the names of the other housing associations operating in Scotland.

The charitable housing associations registered with the Housing Corporation and operating in Scotland are:

Aberdeen YWCA (GB) Housing Association Ltd.
Barony Housing Association Ltd.
Bield Housing Association Ltd.
Castlehill Housing Association Ltd.
Castle Rock Housing Association Ltd.
Central Govan Housing Association Ltd.
Edinburgh Soroptimist Housing Association Ltd.
Eildon Housing Association Ltd.
Glasgow Jewish Housing Association Ltd.
Glasgow Old People's Flats Ltd.
Good Neighbours Housing Association Ltd.
Isaac S. Mackie Housing Association Ltd.
The Margaret Blackwood Housing Association Ltd.
New Lanark Housing Association Ltd.
Oban Housing Association Ltd.
Philemon Housing Association Ltd.
St. John (Glasgow) Housing Association Ltd.
Scottish Council YWCA Housing Association Ltd.
Soroptimist (Dundee) Housing Association Ltd.

My hon. Friend will find the names of all registered housing associations in the list which I have placed in the Library.

Penal System (Prison Officers)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will amend the appropriate regulations in order to permit prison officers to make constructive criticism of the Scottish penal system, without running the risk of disciplinary action being taken against them.

No regulations exists which has the effect implied in the hon. Member's question. Subject to the rules and guidelines which prison officers are bound to observe (including the requirement to obtain permission where that is applicable) they are free to advocate in public how, in their view, the prison service and the penal system might be improved.

Employment Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish figures to show the number of men and women in employment in Scotland as at June 1982.

1,093,000 men and 864,000 women were provisionally estimated to be in employment at June 1982.*

* Table 1.5 of Employment Gazette, February 1983 published by Department of Employment.

Support Financing Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will announce the figures for the support financing scheme for Scotland for the years 1984–85 and 1985–86.

Announcements about expenditure from the health programme on support finance projects in the financial years 1984–85 and 1985–86 will follow statements which will be made at the appropriate time about public expenditure on the NHS in Scotland in these years.

Community Care

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, in view of the representations made, he will consider issuing a consultation document on the transfer of resources to lead to more care in the community in Scotland.

I am concerned to promote community care, and I will be consulting health boards and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities about ways of improving co-operation between health and social work authorities, including possible changes to the supoort finance scheme. I do not think that a general consultation paper is required.

Housing Starts

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what numbers and percentages of housing starts in Scotland have been in the private sector and the public sector, respectively, for each of the past 10 years.

The information requested and currently available appears on page 8 of Scottish Housing Statistics, number 18, which is available in the Library. Figures for the third quarter of 1982 onwards are not yet available.

Transport

Seat Belts

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in his study of the effects of wearing seat belts, he will include the case of Trevor Parker, of Dean Road, Liskeard, Cornwall, in which the police and coastguards considered that his life was saved by not wearing a seat belt when his car plunged over the cliff and caught alight.

The police compile information on accidents using the Stats 19 form. This information will be among the data which will be used to provide an overall assessment of the effect of compulsory seat belt wearing when the renewal of the regulations is to be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what guidelines he has issued to medical boards enforcing the new seat belt law; and whether registered disabled persons are normally exempted;(2) if he will list his powers in respect of enforcement decisions made by medical boards in respect of applications for exemptions from the seat belt laws;(3) if he will set up an appeal procedure in respect of decisions made by medical boards in dealing with applications for exemption from the seat belt laws.

In common with other medical practitioners, doctors giving free medical examinations at DHSS medical boarding centres have received the non-statutory guidelines issued by the Medical Commission on Accident Prevention. Decisions in respect of registered disabled persons depend on the doctor's assessment in each individual case. Section 27 of the Transport Act 1981 gives the Secretary of State no powers over the decisions of individual doctors, nor does it provide for an appeals procedure. However, any applicant who is refused a certificate is entitled to apply to other doctors. I have already said that where a disabled applicant is refused exemption at a DHSS medical boarding centre, I will consider sympathetically the case for a further free examination.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why it was decided to exclude from the seat belt law motor mechanics in front passenger seats of vehicles with trade plates.

Wearing a seat belt could, on occasion, prevent a motor mechanic in the front passenger seat from carrying out adjustments or diagnosing faults when the vehicle was in motion.

B4462 (Junction)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the approximate cost of his Department's proposal for a junction on the B4462 road, as referred to at the public inquiry into the M40 project.

The cost of the Department's published proposals for a junction at the B4462 is estimated at £240,000 at September 1981 prices.

Safety Fencing

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, further to his answer to the right hon. Member for Plymouth, Devonport on Friday 25 February, Official Report, c. 556, whether he will order that safety fencing should be erected at (a) Lynham Inn to Smithaleigh, (b) Drybridge and (c) Linhay Hill.

We recently announced that a review is to be carried out over the entire length of the A38 trunk road between Exeter and Plymouth to see whether the erection of localised sections of central safety fencing can be justified. This review will take into account the three stretches referred to by the right hon. Member.I am not prepared to authorise the erection of the requested lengths of safety fencing in advance of the completion of this review. However, once the results of this comprehensive re-assessment are available and decisions made, I will contact the right hon. Member and inform him of the outcome.

M66 (Denton-Middleton Extension)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the starting date for the proposed M66 Denton to Middleton section ring road extension.

This scheme is included in the main programme for a start of works in 1986 onwards. It is too soon to give a precise starting date; this will depend largely on the outcome of statutory procedures which have still to be commenced.

Wheel Clamps

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he proposes to authorise an experiment with the use of wheelclamps in central London; and what will be the area in which the clamps will be used.

On 16 May, in an area in Westminster south of Bishops bridge road and Marylebone road and north of Buckingham Palace road, Victoria street, Whitehall and the Strand, and in the adjacent area of Kensington and Chelsea between Kensington Church street, Kensington High street and Kings road. Orders have today been laid designating the precise area and prescribing a release charge of £19·50.

Lorry Weights

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 2 March, what is the inconsistency which exists between the wording of regulation 10 of Statutory Instrument 1982, number 1576, and the maximum total weights of locomotives and trailers prescribed in regulations 82 and 83 of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1978.

Regulation 82 of the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1978 sets limits for the laden weight of a locomotive depending on its construction to a maximum of 30,490 kilograms. The associated regulation, number 83 limits the total weight of all the trailers drawn by it to a maximim of 40,650 kilograms. The total weight of a locomotive with all its trailers can amount to 71,140 kilograms. These vehicles are of course only used for special purposes such as the transport of abnormal indivisible loads.Regulation 10 of Statutory Instrument 1982 No. 1576 was intended to be a simple restatement and tabulation of the requirements prescribed at greater length in regulation 87 of the 1978 regulations. In simplifying the wording, the words "motor vehicle" were used instead of the original words "motor tractor, heavy motor car or motor car". This had the unintended effect of bringing locomotives within the scope of regulation 87 which prescribes a maximum combination weight of 32,520 kilograms.

Education And Science

Teachers

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many student teachers qualifying in 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982 have not yet found jobs in the teaching profession.

This information is not readily available. However, surveys carried out in the autumns of 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982 indicated that, respectively, 7,000, 6,000, 6,000 and 5,000 teachers who had successfully completed training in the previous summer, had not obtained teaching posts in the United Kingdom.

First Aid Training

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will issue advice to local education authorities that they should introduce into the school curriculum some mandatory training in first aid; and if he will make a statement.

The Department has published advice on the importance of knowledge about first aid in its booklets "Health Education in Schools" and "Safety at School: General Advice".

Maintained Schools (Including Nursery and Special)—England
	1982		1981
	Numbers	As percentage of pupils in attendance	Numbers	As percentage of pupils in attendance
Pupils in attendance	6,939,140		7,170,237
Pupils taking school meals
—total	3,428,380	49·4	3,515,316	49·0
—on payment	2,464,250	35·5	2,659,034	37·1
—free	964,130	13·9	856,282	11·9
Pupils bringing own food	1,961,060	28·3	1,962,843	27·4

A detailed statement of the returns from local education authorities from which these national figures are taken is being placed in the Library.An analysis of the returns show the following proportions for primary and secondary pupils, as percentages of pupils attending their respective sectors.

Adult And Continuing Education

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for a successor organisation to the National Advisory Council on Adult and Continuing Education.

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Dormand) on 22 February.—[Vol. 37, c. 794–95.]

Church Schools (Education Vouchers)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether church-based schools will be brought within the proposed education voucher scheme his Department has been discussing; and what consultations with the church authorities have taken place.

As my right hon. Friend has stated before, he has yet to reach conclusions on the various possibilities under consideration. He cannot consult representative educational bodies, including the church authorities, as long as no basis for consultation exists.

Rising Fives (Admissions)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in view of the surplus of teachers and teaching accommodation arising from falling school rolls, he will issue a circular to all local education authorities suggesting that they make provision for the admission of all rising fives to state primary education where such provision does not exist already.

No. My right hon. Friend recognises the value of providing educational opportunities for children of this age, and that a surplus of primary accommodation offers scope for development; but he believes this to be a matter best left for decision by local education authorities in the light of their local needs and priorities.

School Meals

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is yet able to announce the results of the October 1982 census of school meals; how they compare with those for 1981; and if he will make a statement.

The information is as follows:

	Primary		Secondary
	1982	1981	1982	1981
Pupils taking school meals	51·8	52·4	46·1	44·6
Pupils bringing own food	34·2	32·3	22·8	22·7

The increase in the proportion of secondary school pupils taking a meal reflects the continuing introduction of cash cafeterias. Of those authorities which have converted all their secondary schools to this system, more than half have increased the take-up of paid meals compared with 1980—some by considerable amounts—with consequential savings in net expenditure. All but one of the authorities which continue with a traditional meal service in their secondary schools have shown a decline in paid take-up over the same period.

A number of authorities have, by a combination of positive measures, reduced their net expenditure on school meals in line with the Government's public expenditure plans. Other LEAs need to continue to examine the effectiveness of their school meals policies to avoid unnecessary strain on their other services and their ratepayers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current price of school meals; and what it was in 1979.

Under section 22 of the Education Act 1980, local education authorities are free to determine the form and content of school meals and the charges made. The average charge for a traditional two-course school meal in autumn 1982 was 50p. The national school meal charge in August 1979 was 30p.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what criteria are used in deciding whether children should receive free school meals.

Section 22 of the Education Act 1980 places local education authorities under a duty to provide free meals to pupils whose parents receive supplementary benefit or family income supplement. It is, however, open to authorities to provide free meals in other cases where they consider this appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children in Accrington are currently receiving free school meals; and what was the figure in 1978.

The information on school meals take-up collected by the Department does not enable parts of local education authority areas to be identified.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Falkland Islands

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many expatriate persons, including husbands, wives and children, but excluding the armed forces, are currently living in the Falkland Islands whether on temporary assignment or indefinitely.

The latest complete figures are those given in the census of 7 December 1980, which showed that out of a total population (excluding all Armed Forces personnel) of 1,812 people, 452 were born outside the Falkland Islands. The latter figure included some born of parents normally resident in the islands. There are currently 62 British expatriates working in the islands on temporary assignments, recruited by the Overseas Development administration for the Overseas Service aid scheme and the technical co-operation programme. It would require disproportionate effort to obtain more detailed information.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether Her Majesty's Government offer any advice to individuals planning to settle in the Falkland Islands; and whether any particular advice is given to women as to the remote nature of life on the islands;(2) if Her Majesty's Government will seek to arrange for prospective settlers to the Falkland Islands to have the opportunity to discuss with a representative group of islanders resident in the United Kingdom the nature of life in the islands.

Immigration into the Falkland Islands is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government, whose recently established office in London is ready to give all relevant advice to any inquirer.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Port Stanley town hall is now available for use by Falkland Islanders for social events.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what claims for compensation Her Majesty's Government have received from James Hamilton Estates, owners of Saunders Island, West Falklands, for damage to wool or other property arising out of recent hostilities.

John Hamilton Estates claimed compensation, but no funds have been paid to it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of the deterioration of farms in the Falkland Islands such as Saunders Island, owned by John Hamilton Estates, which is based in Argentina; and if he will make a statement.

Such questions are being taken fully into account in the wider assessment currently in progress of the whole question of land ownership in the Falkland Islands. John Hamilton Estates is a trust based in Jersey, not in Argentina.

Torture

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in relation to the United Nations draft convention on torture; and if he will make a statement.

We take a keen interest in this convention and hope to see it finalised soon. We are working to this end in the discussions currently taking place at the United Nations Human Rights Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries where, since May 1979, he or Her Majesty's representatives have protested against the torture or ill-treatment of a British subject by the authorities; and how many individual cases were involved in each country.

I am not aware of any cases involving death or torture but during the period in question we have made representations about the alleged ill-treatment of British subjects to the Governments of:

	Cases
Spain	8
Malta	7
Greece	4
Saudi Arabia	2
Iraq	2
South Africa	1
Zambia	1
Zimbabwe	1
El Salvador	1
Soviet Union	1
Turkey	1

Museums, Galleries And Libraries

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.

[purusant to his reply, 4 March 1983, c. 242]: The information requested at (a) as it relates to Museums and Galleries in Great Britain, can only be provided by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Education and Science and Scotland.The Museums (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (SI 1981 No. 438—NI 14) makes no provision for the transfer of objects vested in the trustees of the Ulster museum.

Defence

Merchant Shipping (Defence Role)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has yet received the report of the Ministry of Defence and General Council of British Shipping's working group on the use of merchant ships in the defence role.

No. I understand, however, that the working party set up, announced by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement in the House on 18 October 1982 is making good progress in its examination of ways in which merchant vessels likely to be required in any future emergency might be designed, modified or equipped to fit them for a role in support of naval or military forces or for self-defence.

Defence Equipment (Vat)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, when comparing quotations from overseas suppliers of defence equipment, he deducts from the United Kingdom bids the total cost of value added tax.

All quotations for the supply of defence equipment, regardless of origin, are compared on a value added tax exclusive basis.

Falkland Islands (Potato Supplies)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of sacks of potatoes sent for the services in the Falkland Islands have arrived in a seeding and sprouting condition.

Minimal; precise figures are not: available.

South Atlantic (Military Equipment)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the damage to military equipment from the effects of storms on ships in the South Atlantic and consequent rattling in the hold and of the cost of repair of such equipment.

We cannot afford the time or staff in the Falklands to estimate the cost of damage which might have been caused by storms in transit.

Hms Endurance (Replacement)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will put in hand design studies for the replacement of HMS Endurance.

As confirmed in the White Paper "The Falklands Campaign: The Lessons" (Cmnd. 8758), HMS Endurance is being retained for service in the South Atlantic. The question of her eventual replacement is being kept under review; but I have no current plans to undertake design studies.

"Maritime Defence" (Type 23 Frigate)

asked the Secretary of Defence if he is satisfied there has been no breach of security in his Department in the provision of material for the article on the type 23 frigate in the December issue of Maritime Defence.

The Ministry of Defence was not involved in the preparation of this article.

Exocet Guidance System

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the agreement between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of France whereby British personnel should not open up the Exocet guidance system was concluded.

No such agreement exists.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether full information about the nature of the circuits used in Exocet guidance systems is now available to Her Majesty's Government.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Warrington (Mr. Hoyle) on 22 November 1982 [Vol. 32, c. 364.]

815 Squadron, Royal Navy

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what are the duties of 815 Squadron, Royal Navy.

815 Squadron, which was formed in January 1981, is the parent unit for Lynx helicopters embarked on frigates and destroyers.

Falkland Islands (Social Functions)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any guidance has been given to British Service men serving in the Falkland Islands about the issuing of invitations to social functions to the wives of islanders.

No.

Buccaneers (Fuel Tanks)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of fitting Buccaneers with extra fuel tanks for going to the Falkland Islands.

Fitting extra fuel tanks is a routine operation and there are no identifiable extra costs.

Falkland Islands (Meat Supplies)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement as to the source of meat supplies for the troops on the Falkland Islands; and what percentage of the total consists of meat produced and slaughtered in the Falkland Islands.

I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 4 March.—[Vol.38, c. 249]. No locally produced and slaughtered meat is currently supplied.

Windscale (Plutonium Production)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if Windscale has the capacity to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons.

I have been asked to reply.Yes.

Environment

Architecture (Encouragement)

31.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what help his Department provides, directly or indirectly, to encourage the art of architecture and to improve the quality of the built environment.

Given the Department's wide-ranging responsibility for the construction industry and the building professions, very many of our policies and initiatives aim to encourage the art of architecture and to improve the quality of the built environment. Our recent promotion of architectural competitions—both through PSA and other clients in the private as well as the public sectors—is designed as part of the more general initiative to encourage more enlightened patronage of new buildings and renovation work. Many major schemes to preserve and improve the quality of the built environment have received significant financial assistance through our programmes of inner city and urban aid and through the £12·9 million we provided in 1981–82 in grants for historic buildings and urban conservation.

Departmental Expenditure

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total voted expenditure for which his Department is responsible; and how much of this is covered by the MINIS system.

The main supply Estimates for 1982–83 Provided ·13,884 million for voted expenditure by my Department. The MINIS system covers the administration of all voted expenditure by my Department but not the administration of other bodies when this expenditure is received by them in the form of grants, subsidies etc.

Almshouse Charities

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to make a statement about the outcome of discussions with the National Association of Almshouses about making the statutory accounting requirements for almshouse charities less detailed.

My right hon. Friend laid the Registered Housing Associations (Accounting Requirements for Almshouses) Order 1983, made under section 124 of the Housing Act 1980, today. It exempts almshouse charities registered with the Housing Corporation in England and Wales from many of the provisions of the Registered Housing. Associations (Accounting Requirements) Order 1982, thus reducing significantly the administrative work involved in producing their accounts for submission to the Housing Corporation.

Boundary Commission For England (Mr W W Ruff)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations took place prior to his reappointment of Mr. W. W. Ruff as a member of the Boundary Commission for England on 2 September 1982.

Mr. W. W. Ruff was originally appointed in 1974 by the then Labour Administration. In 1979 he was reappointed, for a further three years only, by my right hon. Friend's predecessor. The short extension—from 1 January to 30 April 1983—of his existing appointment did not justify fresh consultation.

Derelict Land

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the level of Government subvention in each of the past two years by way of derelict land grant.

The total grant paid in respect of expenditure on derelict land reclamation schemes in England was:

1980–81—£24·75 million
1981–82—£29·38 million

Merseyside Urban Development Corporation

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of Government subvention in each of the past two years to the Merseyside Urban Development Corporation.

The level of support to the Merseyside Urban Development Corporation was:

1981–82-£6·1 million
1982–83—£22·5 million (estimated)

Merseyside Innovation Centre

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of Government grant in each of the past two years to the Merseyside innovation centre.

The following grants were made through the inner city partnership to the Merseyside innovation centre:

1981–82-£193,632
1982–83-£157,111

Urban Development Grant

Payments under the UDG scheme will begin only in 1983–84. My right hon. Friend has allocated £60 million for the urban development grant scheme in that year. Local authorities' net expenditure incurred in assisting projects will normally be supported by the central Government at a rate of 75 per cent. On 15 February my right hon. Friend announced his approval in principle to the first 41 projects.

Inner Urban Areas Act

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the level of Government subvention in each of the past two years under the Inner Urban Areas Act in each of the areas for both manufacturing and service industry, respectively.

The following table shows the assistance offered by local authorities to manufacturing and service industries under the Inner Urban Areas Act 1978, in respect of which urban programmes support has been approved:

£000's
	1981–82		1982–83*
Designated district	M	S	M	S
Partnership areas:
Birmingham	†	†	†	†
Greenwich	—	—	9·8	6·8
Lewisham	—	—	26·2	—
Newham	—	—	47·6	28·5
Southwark	62·0	12·0	27·2	33·8
Tower Hamlets	5·7	—	167·3	69·7
Hackney	83·1	49·9	†	†
Islington	†	†	†	†
Lambeth	7·4	111·1	19·1	50·7
Liverpool	251·3	28·4	386·8	575·1
Manchester	187·9	33·2	219·4	232·9
Salford	187·9	33·2	219·4	232·9
Newcastle	—	—	—	—
Gateshead	—	—	—	—
Programme areas:
Bolton	6·0	—	—	—
Bradford	65·2	20·6	13·2	59·7
Hammersmith and Fulham	—	—	—	—
Kingstom upon Hull	57·5	37·4	55·6	22·6
Leeds	—	—	1·0	19·7
Leicester	—	62·2	—	33·5
Middlesbrough	—	—	—	—
North Tyneside	—	—	—	—
Nottingham	112·4	3·7	49·7	82·4
Oldham	33·0	6·4	11·6	12·3
Sheffield	3·3	22·6	37·8	10·3
South Tyneside	—	—	—	—
Sunderland	—	—	—	—

	1981–82		1982–83^*
Designated district	M	S	M	S
Wirral	—	1·2	—	110·5
Wolverhampton	51·1	7·6	173·8	87·5
Other designated districts:
Barnsley	24·6	7·7	17·4	53·1
Blackburn	1·0	—	84·8	54·8
Brent	—	0·8	—	9·5
Doncaster	3·0	13·8	8·0	—
Ealing	—	—	—	—
Haringey	19·2	34·3	30·7	6·5
Hartlepool	—	25·5	—	—
Rochdale	—	—	18·6	45·7
Rotherham	54·0	93·4	42·8	166·8
St. Helens	—	—	—	—
Sandwell	—	—	—	—
Sefton	—	—	—	—
Wandsworth	6·8	58·4	16·0	45·2
Wigan	—	—	—	—
^* 1982–83 figures as at end January 1983, the latest date for which information is available.
† Not yet available.

Partnership Programme

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of Government subvention in each of the past two years under the partnership programme in each area.

The resources allocated to the partnerships in 1981–82 and 1982–83 under the urban programme are shown below. Grant, at the rate of 75 per cent., is paid to local authorities on net expenditure.

Partnership allocations, 1981–82 and 1982–83
£ million (cash)
	1981–82	^1982–83*
Birmingham	16·9	22·7
Docklands	28·3	†17·0
Hackney‡	15·0	10·35
Islington‡	15·0	10·35
Lambeth	9·2	12·5
Liverpool	17·6	22·8
Manchester/Salford	16·8	23·1
Newcastle/Gateshead	14·0	18·0
^* In October 1982, local authorities were invited to submit bids for further capital allocations, in addition to the original allocations shown in the table.
† The 1982–83 allocation for the former docklands partnership, which has been succeeded by the London Docklands Development Corporation, covers continuing commitments only.
‡ The Hackney/Islington partnership was split into two separate Partnerships in May 1982.

Merseyside

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total level of public funds made available to Merseyside for each of the past two years; and what is the estimated total provision for 1983–84.

The figures for the areas for which I am responsible are as follows:

	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84
	£m	£m	£m
Transport supplementary grant	19·3	30·5	30·7
Derelict land grant	1·5	1·8	1·2
Housing investment programme	64·2	84·3	66·6

	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84
	£m	£m	£m
Merseyside Development
Corporation—urban programme	6·1	22·5	26·8
Other urban programme	22·5	30·9	31·0

Urban Aid (Liverpool)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total amount of urban aid under the urban aid programme made available to the city of Liverpool in each of the past three years; and of this, how much has been paid in actual and percentage terms to voluntary organisations; and how much to the local authority.

The total amount of urban programme resource made available to the Liverpool partnership was as follows:

	£ million
1980–81	18·026
1981–82	17·935
1982–83	27·485

The amount paid in grants to voluntary organisations from the Liverpool inner city partnership resources was detailed below:

Percentage of allocation
	£ million	Per cent.
1980–81	1·578	8¾
1981–82	2·501	14
1982–83	^*2·470	9
^* Estimated.

Sheltered Accommodation

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional provision of sheltered accommodation has been made by local authorities in each of the past four years.

The information available about new building is as follows:

Numbers of Sheltered Dwellings for the Elderly: England Local Authorities and New Towns
	1979	1980	1981	^*1982
Tenders approved	4,405	2,735	†	†
Started	†	‡1,661	3,454	4,200
Completed	†	‡4,784	5,742	3,600
^* Provisional.
† Not available.
‡ 2nd half year.

In addition, about 800 sheltered units were provided in 1980–81 by conversion or adaptation of existing local authority dwellings and about 1,000 in 1981–82: figures for other periods are not available.

Fair Wages Resolution (Shepherd Construction)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the Property Services Agency did not ensure that Shepherd Construction advised the trade unions concerned (a) that it had secured the contracts for the young offenders establishment at Appleton Thorn and (b) of the names of its sub-contractors; and if he will ensure (i) that Shepherd Construction and its subcontractors observe the Fair Wages Resolution in repect of wages, hours and conditions of employment, (ii) that the sub-contractors do not use labour-only sub-contract labour and (iii) that the requirements relating to the use of asbestos are observed.

The contractor has the full responsibility under the contract for making all necessary site arrangements and agreements to ensure that he can meet his contractual commitment in terms of both time and cost. The Property Services Agency does not seek to detract from that responsibility by becoming involved in such matters.The contract contains a fair wages condition; any complaint made to the Property Services Agency would, in line with normal practice, be passed to the Department of Employment for its consideration.Whilst the Property Services Agency when considering the admission of firms to its approved list takes into account any available information about difficulties the firm may have encountered as a result of non-adherence to the declaration of intent on direct employment contained in the working rules of the national joint council for the building industry, activities on particular sites are considered to be adequately controlled by the Inland Revenue's tax deduction scheme.The contract requires the contractor to comply with all enactments, regulations and working rules relating to safety, health and welfare and in particular with the Asbestos Regulations SI 1969 No. 690 during cutting and drilling operations. Any failure to so comply would be a matter for investigation by the inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive.

Mobile Homes

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions he has reached about the provisions of the Mobile Homes Bill dealing with the sale of a mobile home.

I have today tabled an amendment to the Mobile Homes Bill which, if it is accepted by the Committee considering the Bill, would remove the obligation on a mobile home resident who wishes to sell his mobile home to offer it first to the owner of the site. It would therefore be open to the resident to achieve the best price he can for his mobile home, subject to a commission for the site owner. Under the amendment, the site owner would still be able to buy the mobile home if he wishes to do so, in competition with other potential buyers, and he will have the advantage that the price he pays will not include the commission he would receive if someone else bought it.We have also considered the responses to the consultation paper we issued in November 1982 about the level of commission. We have decided that the maximum level of commission for agreements under the Bill should be 10 per cent., and an order prescribing this amount will be laid before the House after the Bill has received Royal Assent. The maximum level of commission for agreements under the Mobile Homes Act was 15 per cent.

Grant Related Expenditure

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make available his Department's paper "Grant Related Expenditure 1983–84".

I have today placed copies of this document in the Library of the House. Copies have also been sent to every local authority in England and to the local authority associations.

Housing Associations

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many tenanted houses have been sold by housing associations in England to date, giving the name of each housing association and the area involved as well as the numbers sold.

I shall answer this question shortly.

Water Industry (Graduate Engineers)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give any currently available figures for the number of graduate water engineers entering the water industry over the period 1965 to 1983.

I shall answer this question shortly.

Water Purity

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what recent advice or information he has received from the standing advisory committee on water purity; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make public the draft report of the nitrate sub-committee which has been prepared for submission to the standing advisory committee on water purity; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he has received a copy of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report ENV/WAT/82·2 completed by that body's expert group on water pollution stemming from the use of agricultural fertilisers and intensive animal production on 21 October 1982; and if he will make a statement.

The most authoritative advice on nitrates and the impact of nitrate based fertilisers on water supplies is the seventh report of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution, published in 1979. Aspects of the subject have also been dealt with by committees of the Department of the Environment, the Department of Health and Social Security and the National Water Council. Reports of the standing technical committee on water quality were published in April 1978 and October 1979; a further report should be published in the next few months and a fourth is now in draft but not yet approved by the committee. It will be published in due course.OECD Document ENV/WAT/82·2 is being prepared by a multi-national group of experts for the OECD water management policy group. United Kingdom officials are aware of the document, which examines problems associated with the use of fertilizers and their possible impact on water supplies in OECD countries. It is not specific to the United Kingdom and will not represent the views or policies of any particular member country of OECD. The report is in draft form and has not yet been approved for distribution by the group or higher levels in the OECD organisation.The situation relating to nitrate levels in drinking water is being kept under review in the United Kingdom and in international bodies. Current medical advice in the United Kingdom is that water supplies should contain less than 50 mg/litre nitrate, but a supply containing between 50 and 100 mg/litre is acceptable provided health authorities are advised. If required, bottled water can be supplied but this is very unusual. Water undertakings take action to ensure that even where water sources may have high concentrations of nitrates the water is blended or treated so that what is supplied complies with the recommendations.The United Kingdom advice and practice are based on recommendations of the World Health Organisation which have been endorsed by the Royal Commission on environmental pollution and are supported by various United Kingdom committees, including the joint committee on the medical aspects of water quality and the standing technical advisory committee on water quality.

Hyndburn (Needs Assessment)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what the precise factors were in assessing Hyndburn's generalised needs index assessment; and how this was used to determine Hyndburn's eventual allocation.

The precise factors taken into account within the generalised needs index are:

(a) household/dwelling balance;

(b) overcrowding;

(c) dwellings in poor condition (unfit dwellings lacking basic amenities, and dwellings requiring major repair expenditure);

(d) homelessness; and

(e) requirement for local authority mortgages.

The way in which these factors are calculated, and Hyndburn's score on each of the indicators within the GNI, are set out in the paper which I placed in the Library in reply to my hon. Friend for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) on 25 January—['Vol. 35, c.

406.] The GNI governs the distribution of 60 per cent. of each region's share of the housing investment programme allocations, outside London, to individual authorities. The remaining 40 per cent. is allocated on the basis of the "local discretionary element", that is the Department's judgment of the relative needs of each individual authority in any given year.

Wales

Llanelli General Hospital (Ante-Natal Clinics)

14.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he last consulted the chairman of East Dyfed health authority regarding the continuing planned non-provision of ante-natal clinics at Llanelli general hospital.

I last wrote to the chairman of the East Dyfed health authority in January about the withdrawal of this outpatient service.

National Health Service Reorganisation (Early Retirements)

15.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, following the recent reorganisation of the National Health Service in Wales, how many employees have opted for early retirement; and what has been the cost of this.

Eighty nine, of whom 55 had retired up to mid-February. The cost will be substantially financed from contributions to the NHS superannuation scheme; the balance has been estimated at £285,000 for 1982–83.

National Health Service (Ancillary Workers)

16.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the total numbers employed on ancillary services within the National Health Service in Wales in 1970, 1974, 1979, 1980 and the latest year for which figures are available.

In 1974, 11,740; in 1979, 11,879; in 1980, 11,989 and in 1982, provisionally, 11,784. Figures for 1970 are not available.

Schoolchildren (Foreign Languages)

17.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department takes steps to promote the learning of modern foreign languages by a wider number of schoolchildren in Wales.

The importance of the study of modern foreign languages was clearly recognised in "The School Curriculum" published in March 1981. The need for local education authorities and schools to develop effective policies in this area of the curriculum will be one of the themes of a forthcoming consultative document on foreign languages in schools.

South Wales Num (Delegation)

18.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales why he refused to meet a delegation from the South Wales National Union of Mineworkers.

Because the points raised in the request for a meeting last October lay within the management responsibility of the National Coal Board. It was made clear at the time that I would welcome hearing the views of unions at future meetings with the Wales TUC as in the past.

Welsh Development Agency (Job Creation)

19.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many jobs have been provided in each of the Welsh counties in factories erected by the Welsh Development Agency from its inception to the latest convenient date; and how many jobs will be provided in factories now being erected by the agency.

The information is not readily available but I will ask the Welsh Development Agency how it can help my hon. Friend.

Road Improvements (Consultants)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the tendering procedure used by his Department in relation to the appointment of consultants to undertake work on major trunk road improvement schemes in Wales; where advertisements are placed inviting tenders for such consultancy work; whether any consultants are approached directly with an invitation for them to tender; and if he will publish a list of those consultants who may be approached in this way.

Consultants are appointed on the basis of their expertise, quality of work and general suitability rather than through formal competitive tendering. They are engaged on the basis of standard agreements negotiated centrally by the Government with the Association of Consulting Engineers, from whose members consultants are chosen to work on the preparation of individual improvement schemes.

Consultants Fees

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the road project in Wales on which the company R. Travers Morgan is being used by his Department as consultants; what have been the fees payable to it in relation to each of these contracts; and on what date it was engaged, in each instance, for such consultancy work.

R. Travers Morgan is currently engaged by the Welsh Office on the following schemes:

A55 Llanddulas-Glan Conwy (Colcon 1)
A55 Glan Conwy—Conwy Morfa (Colcon 2) including the Conwy tunnel crossing.
A55 Conwy-Morfa—Aber (Colcon 3) including Penmaenbach/Dwygyfylchi. Penmaenmawr.
Bypass, Penyclip, Llanfairfechan bypass and Aber.
A483 Ruabon bypass—Newbridge bypass—Chirk bypass.

Current estimated fee payments for the detailed design and supervision of the work on the Colcon schemes, currently valued at £260 million were given to the hon. Gentleman in answers to his earlier questions on 8 February [Vol. 36, c.

298].

R. Travers Morgan was appointed in 1969 to undertake survey works of various route options for improving the A55 along the Colcon length. It subsequently undertook preparation of the draft scheme and orders for the route chosen by the Secretary of State as his preferred route, work for and participation in the 102 day inquiry into the proposals in 1975–76 and subsequent work leading up to start of detailed design in particular on the Conwy crossing scheme. Fee payments for this work amount to £5·5 million.

R. Travers Morgan was appointed in 1970 to undertake similar survey and preparatory work in respect of the A483 schemes and fee payments for this work have amounted to £0·8 million. The current estimate of fee payments in respect of detailed design and supervision of the A483 schemes involving works to a value estimated at £32·0 million is £1·6 million.

Laser Technology Treatment

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the nearest centre in the United Kingdom where a patient residing in West Wales can obtain the new laser technology treatment for space-occupying lesions of the central nervous system.

Operations of this kind can be performed by both laser and ultrasonic equipment. An ultrasonic machine will come into surgical use this month at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Laser equipment at Morriston hospital is likely to be in use in the late summer.

Unemployment And Job Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) unemployed people there are and (b) vacancies exist in the travel-to-work areas of (a) Shotton, (b) Wrexham, (c) Rhyl, (d) Barry, (e) Brecon and (f) Llanidloes, respectively: and if he will make a statement.

In the travel-to-work areas of Shotton, Wrexham, Rhyl and Brecon the figures are as follows:

	Number of unemployed on 10 February 1983	Unfilled vacancies on 4 February 1983
		(a) Employment offices	(b) Careers offices
Shotton	9,175	170	—
Wrexham	8,634	250	3
Rhyl	4,144	91	11
Brecon	607	67	1
Barry^*	3,871	56	2
^* An employment office area of the Cardiff travel-to-work area. Llanidloes forms part of the Newtown travel-to-work area, and separate figures are not available.

Note: Vacancy statistics are not a measure of the total number of vacancies in the economy. The figures relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled on the date of the count.

Employment (Newport)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest figure of the number of females unemployed in Newport, Gwent; and what percentage of the female working population in Newport this represents.

On 10 February female unemployment in the Newport travel-to-work area totalled 3,545, or 10·7 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest figure of the number of people unemployed in Newport, Gwent; and what percentage of the working population in Newport this represents.

On 10 February unemployment in the Newport travel-to-work area totalled 13,854, or 15·4 per cent.

School Uniforms

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many children attending each comprehensive and other form of state secondary school in Wales are getting clothing grants to provide the authorised school uniform; how the figures for each school, where comparisons are possible, match up with the figures in 1979; and whether any schools, because of high clothing prices, have been forced to abandon mandatory school uniform.

This information is not collected centrally.

First-Time Buyers

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from Welsh house builders regarding the provision of new dwellings for first-time buyers.

There have been no recent representations on the provision of new dwellings for first-time buyers. However, Welsh Office Ministers and officials hold regular meetings with representatives of Welsh house builders at which low-cost housing schemes are often discussed.

Employment

Job Losses

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs have been lost by firms manufacturing the following products during the past 12 months (a) watches, (b) typesetting machines, (c) paper and (d) women's clothing.

Information about job losses and job gains is not available but an indication of the net effect can be seen by comparing the levels of employees in employment at different dates. The following table gives, for Great Britain, the provisional figures for changes in the numbers of employees in employment in the industries specified between December 1981 and December 1982, the latest date for which comprehensive information is available. Figures are not available for typesetting machine manufacturing as the Department's employment statistics are analysed according to the 1968 standard industrial classification, which does not separately distinguish this industry.

Changes in the numbers of employees in employment
Industry	December 1981 to December 1982
^*MLH 352: Watches and clocks	-100
^*MLH 481: Paper and board	-3,600
^*MLH 443: Women's and Girls' tailored outerwear	-300
^*MLH 445: Dresses, lingerie, infants' wear, etc	-2,500
^* Minimum list heading of the 1968 standard industrial classification.

Unemployment Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for the unemployment to vacancy ratio (a) within the north-west region and (b) nationally.

The following table gives the number of unemployed claimants at 10 February and the number of vacancies remaining unfilled at jobcentres and careers offices at 4 February in the north-west region and the United Kingdom.Vacancies notified to jobcentres are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of this and of possible duplication between the separate figures for jobcentres and careers offices, the two series cannot be added to provide satisfactory totals from which the ratio of job vacancies to unemployed could be calculated.

		Unfilled vacancies
	Unemployed claimants	at jobcentres	at careers offices
North-west	443,027	10,755	301
United Kingdom	3,199,412	109,782	5,464

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were unemployed in the Oldham travel-to-work area (a) in May 1979 and (b) at the latest possible date.

The following table gives, for the Oldham travel-to-work area, the number of registered unemployed (the old basis of the count) at May 1979 and the number of unemployed claimants (the new basis of the count) at February 1983. It also gives the numbers on both the old and the new bases at October 1982. The difference between the two October figures would not be applicable in other months.

	Numbers
Registered unemployed
May 1979	3,633
October 1982	14,669
Unemployed claimants
October 1982	13,282
February 1983	13,545

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report, for January 1980 and January 1983, respectively, the unemployment figures for (a) England and (b) each county in England, separately, distinguishing males and females by age (i) under 18 years, (ii) 18 years, (iii) 19 years, (iv) 20 to 24 years, (v) 25 to 29 years, (vi) 30 to 34 years, (vii) 35 to 44 years, (viii) 45 to 49 years, (ix) 50 to 54 years, (x) 55 to 59 years, (xi) 60 to 64 years, (xii) 65 years and over and (xiii) the total for all ages disaggregating each of the age categories into categories of weekly duration of unemployment of (1) one week or less, (2) over one and

Changes in numbers unemployed aged:

Under 18 years

18 to 24 years

25 to 34 years

35 to 44 years

45 to 54 years

55 years and over

Number

Per cent

Number

Per cent

Number

Per cent

Number

Per cent

Number

Per cent

Number

Per cent

Registered unemployed

April 1979 to April 1980

Male

+325

+72·2

+372

+13·0

+62

+2·5

-24

-1·4

+16

+1·0

-6

-0·3

Female

+403

+96·4

+288

+16·5

+287

+45·8

+39

+13·0

+70

+22·4

+58

+39·2

Total

+728

+83·9

+660

+14·3

+349

+11·1

+15

+0·7

+86

+4·6

+52

+2·4

April 1980 to April 1981

Male

+79

+10·2

+1,809

+56·1

+1,849

+71·3

+979

+58·3

+803

+50·6

+750

+36·9

Female

-170

-20·7

+607

+29·8

+324

+35·4

+86

+25·4

+131

+34·2

+53

+25·7

Total

-91

-5·7

+2,416

+45·9

+2,173

+62·0

+1,065

+52·8

+934

+47·4

+803

+35·8

April 1981 to April 1982

Male

+186

+21·8

+786

+15·6

+448

+10·1

+345

+13·0

+390

+16·3

+287

+10·3

Female

+226

+34·7

+381

+14·4

+142

+11·5

+82

+19·3

+108

+21·0

+37

+14·3

Total

+412

+27·4

+1,167

+15·2

+590

+10·4

+427

+13·9

+498

+17·1

+324

+10·6

April 1982 to October 1982

Male

+312

+30·0

+616

+10·6

+323

+6·6

+233

+7·8

-23

-0·8

+246

+8·0

Female

+312

+35·6

+483

+16·0

+149

+10·8

+99

+19·6

+48

+7·7

+26

+8·8

Total

+624

+32·6

+1,099

+12·4

+472

+7·5

+332

+9·5

+25

+0·7

+272

+8·1

up to two weeks, (3) over two and up to four weeks, (4) over four and up to six weeks, (5) over six and up to eight weeks, (6) over eight and up to 13 weeks, (7) over 13 and up to 26 weeks, (8) over 26 and up to 39 weeks, (9) over 39 and up to 52 weeks, (10) over 52 and up to 65 weeks, (11) over 65 and up to 78 weeks, (12) over 78 and up to 104 weeks, (13) over 104 and up to 156 weeks, (14) over 156 weeks and (15) the totals.

I shall send copies of the table to the hon. Member, and place them in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish figures in the Official Report to show the latest percentage unemployment rate, non-seasonally adjusted, in (a) England, (b) Scotland,(c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

The following table gives the rates of unemployment for claimants at 10 February.

	Percentage rate
England	13·1
Scotland	16·0
Wales	17·3
Northern Ireland	20·6

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how many people and what percentage total, male and female aged (a) 16 to 18 years, (b) 18 to 25 years, (c) 25 to 35 years, (d) 35 to 45 years, (e) 45 to 55 years and (f) above 55 years in each category unemployment has increased in the Hull travel-to-work area, each year from May 1979 to the nearest convenient date.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 March 1983, c. 214]: The following table gives, for the Hull travel-to-work area, the changes in unemployment since April 1979 in each of the age groups specified. Age analyses of the unemployed are made quarterly in January, April, July and October.

Under 18 years

18 to 24 years

25 to 34 years

35 to 44 years

45 to 54 years

55 years and over

Number.

Per cent.

Number

Per cent.

Number.

Per cent.

Number

Per cent.

Number.

Per cent.

Number

Per cent.

Unemployed claimants

October 1982 to January 1983

Male

-289

-20·0

+ 375

+6·0

+294

+6·2

+247

+ 8·2

+209

+ 8·0

+ 152

+4·6

Female

-272

-21·5

+111

+3·4

+91

+7·0

+42

+8·8

+27

+4·8

+15

+5·1

Total

-561

-20·7

+486

+5·1

+385

+6·4

+289

+8·2

+236

+7·4

+167

+4·6

Young Persons

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the measures regulating the engagement of young people, nominally self-employed persons, but recruited by commercial selling agents, particularly in the fields of doorstep selling of showers, double glazing, burglar alarms and insurance.

There are no measures regulating the engagement of people, including young people, in the field of doorstep selling.

Youth Training Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many firm youth training scheme places have now been offered by (a) private sector firms, (b) public sector firms and (c) national and local government.

I am afraid that the precise information is not available.

Youth Opportunities Programme

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will study the statements made in the week beginning 28 February by the Sheffield coroner calling for tighter safety precautions for young people taking part in the youth opportunities programme; and if he will make a statement.

The Manpower Services Commission has studied the coroner's remarks carefully. As the right hon. Member will be aware, commission officials are closely in touch with the Health and Safety Executive to ensure the safety of young people on training schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons participating in the youth opportunities programme have been injured during the most recent two year period for which figures are available; how many have died; how many have lost limbs; and how this compares with numbers for the same age range in general employment.

The Health and Safety Executive does not compile separate accident statistics for employed young people in this age group. The information requested about accidents on the youth opportunities programme is supplied in the following table, which includes all accidents involving an absence from work of one day or more. The Chief Inspector of Factories's report for 1981 shows that in general employment there were 20 notified accidents per 1,000 employees (all ages and industries); but these figures cover only those accidents resulting in three or more days' absence.

	April 1980-March 1981	April 1981-March 1982
Number of YOP entrants	360,000	553,000
Number of notified accidents	1,719	3,251
Fatalities	4	6
Loss of limb	0	0
Loss of hand or foot	1	1
Loss of finger(s) or toe(s)	22	42
Accident rate per 1,000 trainees	4·8	5·8
Minor injuries (mainly cuts, bruises, sprains) (including above)	1,539	2,974

Unemployed Mineworkers

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) why the answer of 28 February, Official Report, c. 58, relating to the cost of unemployed mineworkers was based on estimates and assumptions made in 1979 rather than the revised assessment given on 8 June 1982, Official Report, c. 41, in answer to a question from the right hon. Member for Doncaster;(2) if, pursuant to the answer of 28 February,

Official Report, c. 58, he will list the further assumptions requited to be made to provide a realistic estimate of the present cost to public funds of unemployed mineworkers;

(3) if, in view of the answer given to the right hon. Member for Doncaster, on 28 February, Official Report, c. 58, he is satisfied that the estimates supplied by his Department on 8 June 1982, Official Report, c. 41, of the average cost to public funds of each unemployed mineworker of £7,188 per worker during the first year of unemployment and £6,326 during the second year of unemployment were accurate;

(4) what new factors have emerged since the answer of 8 June 1982 to the right hon. Member for Doncaster, Official Report, c. 41, that resulted in him being unable to provide a meaningful figure of the present cost of public funds of unemployed mineworkers.

Attempts to estimate the average cost to public funds of each unemployed mineworker would need to include any redundancy and social security payments, any taxes and national insurance contributions which would have been paid in employment, the net value of the contribution of his employment to output and the effect of these payments and receipts on the economy generally.The earlier estimates supplied by my Department were made by updating a 1979 estimate which focused on the first two elements in the belief at that time that the last two could reasonably be disregarded. Since then it has become clear that it is unrealistic to disregard them but that, as stated in my reply of 28 February to the right hon. Gentlemen, the range of possible assumptions is so great that no single realistic estimate can be produced.

Jobcentres

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will indicate the total estimated savings to the employment services division of the Manpower Services Commission if the Rayner recommendations for jobcentre closures are implemented; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the Rayner scrutiny team recommended total savings of the order of £10 million a year. Its recommendations included reviews of a number of jobcentres and employment offices in rural areas, which it estimated would result in savings of about £100,000 if 40 of the offices closed. If these proposals to close 13 offices are implemented in full, the annual savings are estimated to be £30,500. Further reviews will be undertaken during 1983–84.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the list of rural and small town jobcentres with low business volumes in the Rayner report; if he will publish the list of jobcentres which Rayner proposes should be closed or suffer a reduction in services; if he will publish the criteria upon which the closure proposals are based; to what extent the travelling problems of applicants have been considered consequent upon closure; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the report of the Rayner scrutiny of the general employment service in Great Britain, a copy of which is in the Library. Annex 15 of that report lists 54 offices for review by the Manpower Services Commission. With the exception of the offices at Cumnock (listed in error), Lochgilphead and a temporary site office at Pembroke Dock (both closed in 1982), all the offices have been reviewed. As a result the commission proposes to close its offices at:

Berkhamstead	Aspatria
Crewkerne	Dalton-in-Furness
Gillingham (Dorset)	Ramsbottom
Dolgellau	Ripley
Glynneath	Crieff
Llandovery	Haltwhistle
Bethesda

to reduce opening hours at:

Attleborough	Penygroes
Bungay	Beaumaris
Halesworth	Amble
Burnham-on-Crouch	Prudhoe
Ashburton	Filey
Dartmouth	Eyemouth

and reduce the level of service to self-service only at:

Horncastle

Each review took into account population trends and known industrial developments, the extent to which the office is being used, its performance, staffing and costs, the distance to the nearest alternative office and the availability and cost of public transport. Public consultation about the proposals is now under way and ends on 31 March.

In line with the recommendations of the scrutiny report a more comprehensive review of the network will be undertaken before the end of the 1983–84 financial year, taking account of the effects of voluntary registration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, regarding the recent Rayner report and its proposals of jobcentre closures, he will list the local consultations and consultations with local authorities and hon. Members he has had regarding communities which will lose their jobcentres; and if he will make a statement.

In each case where the reviews of offices recommended in the Rayner scrutiny report have led to closure proposals, invitations to comment have been sent to the appropriate Members of Parliament, to the chief executives of county, district and other local authorities, to rural community councils, to major employers, to the commission's local advisory committees, and to other organisations and individuals. The Development Commission, the Association of District Councils and the standing conference of rural community councils have also been invited to comment, and there were national and local press releases.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his reply of 1 March, whether he will take steps to encourage all employers advertising vacancies to notify their local jobcentres as well as advertising in the press.

Employers must remain free to use whichever method of recruitment suits them best.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what changes are being made to the staffing of jobcentres as a result of the introduction of voluntary registration.

As a result of the introduction of voluntary registration the number of staff in the local offices of the Manpower Services Commission's employment service division is being reduced by 1,300 (13 per cent. of the total at April 1981).In line with the recommendations of a recent Rayner scrutiny of the employment service there will be a further review of the staffing needs associated with voluntary registration in the autumn when the picture becomes clearer.

Apprenticeships

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many young people in each year since 1979 have in number and as a percentage entered apprenticeships in Wales and the north-west, respectively;(2) how many apprentices in the United Kingdom have been made redundant since May 1979.

This information is not available.

Factory Inspectorate

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, bearing in mind the new legislation on asbestos and the notification of hazardous substances, he will increase the number of the factory inspectorate.

I am confident that the Health and Safety Commission and Executive will continue properly to deploy their resources to meet their various commitments.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the answer of 25 February, Official Report, c. 553, what are the reasons for the reduction in the number of factory inspectors employed in Scotland since 1979.

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

Health And Safety Commission

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, bearing in mind the 13 per cent. cut in the staff of the Health and Safety Commission since 1979, he is satisfied that a basic level of service to the public can be maintained; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that the Health and Safety Executive continues to maintain a proper level of service.

Health And Safety At Work Etc Act (Prosecutions)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many individuals and how many

Prosecutions taken by Health and Safety Inspectorates and Agencies under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	^*1981
All cases (excluding local authorities)
Informations laid	373	658	706	644	654	477
Convictions
Number	330	576	617	558	575	410
Percentage	88	88	87	87	88	86
Withdrawn
Number	19	46	43	39	44	29
Percentage	5	7	6	6	7	6
Dismissed
Number	24	35	46	47	35	38
Percentage	6	5	7	7	5	8
Average fine per conviction	£131	£121	£148	£214	£233	£222
Local authorities
Informations laid	18	34	194	156	277	243
Convictions
Number	17	34	164	120	240	216
Percentage	94	100	85	77	87	8
* Provisional.

General note to table: One case can cover several informations. Information for 1982 is not yet available. Details for 1975 are not available as the Act was introduced at various stages throughout that year, and comprehensive records were not collated. Full details about the results of local authority prosecutions are not available.

North-West

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men, women and under 18-yearolds have been unemployed for six months, one year and two years in Accrington and north-east Lancashire.

	Accrington jobcentre area			North-east Lanchashire
	Males	Females	Under 18 years included in cols (1) and (2)	Males	Females	Under 18 years included in cols (4) and (5)
	(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)
Unemployed for:
Over 26 and up to 52 weeks	590	235	31	4,473	1,968	227
Over 52 and up to 104 weeks	510	145	12	4,222	1,294	71
Over 104 weeks	312	64	—	3,158	634	—

Manpower Services Commission (University Schemes)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the provisions for people to take

companies were prosecuted under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act during each year since 1974; how many and what percentage of such prosecutions led to conviction and to acquittal, respectively; how many convicted individuals were imprisoned; and what were the levels of fines imposed on convicted individuals and companies, respectively.

The table following gives relevant information for all prosecutions under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Prosecutions of companies cannot be distinguished from those of individuals without disproportionate cost. As yet no sentences for imprisonment have been recorded.

The following table gives, for the Accrington jobcentre area and north-east Lancashire, the number of unemployed claimants, at January 1983, who had been unemployed for the periods specified.up further qualifying opportunities under Manpower Services Commission schemes at university with particular reference to broadcasting and journalism; whether he intends to extend the range of financial support provided; and if he will make a statement.

The Manpower Services Commission is considering whether it can offer support under the training opportunities scheme to a course of training in radio journalism.

Closed Shop

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he proposes to lay the draft of a revised code of practice on closed shop agreements and arrangements.

A draft of a revised code of practice on closed shop agreements and arrangements was laid before both Houses of Parliament on 2 March. Copies of the draft are available from the Vote office.

Social Services

Distalgesic

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what steps his Department has taken since 1980 to inform general practitioners of the dangers of overdoses of Distalgesic;(2) if the Committee on Safety of Medicines is satisfied that the drug dextropropoxyphene is safe as a component of Distalgesic for normal prescribed use;(3) if there have been any changes in the data sheet provided for doctors by manufacturers of the drug Distalgesic since January 1980 which have been reported to the Committee on Safety of Medicines.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he is satisfied with the safety record of the drug Distalgesic; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he is satisfied with the relative cost of the drug Distalgesic; and if he will make a statement.

The dangers associated with overdosage of Distalgesic have been well documented in medical literature. Since 1980 a number of publications supplied to doctors by our Department have included reminders about this problem, including Prescribers Journal and the British National Formulary. The data sheet for Distalgesic was amended in 1982 following the advice of the Committee on Review of Medicines, to include extra warnings on a number of matters, including the danger of over-dosage. The Committee on Safety of Medicines continues to monitor the safety of Distalgesic, and will recommend further action if it considers that this is necessary.

Family Medical Practitioners (Resources)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in view of the report of the general medical services committee of the British Medical Association that 25 per cent. of family medical practitioners work in under-privileged areas, he will make extra financial resources available to such areas.

I have not seen the report to which the hon. Member refers. Allocations to regional health authorities are based on the resource allocation working party (RAWP) formula which takes account of the greater health care needs of less privileged areas.

Nhs (Manpower)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many National Health Service employees were employed full-time and part-time, respectively, in each of 1981 and 1982.

Following is the information:

NHS directly employed staff (England)
	Whole-time	Part-time
30 September 1981	607,700	349,400
30 September 1982 (provisional)	611,700	348,600

Note: Locum medical and dental staff and agency nursing staff are excluded, as are the staff of the Dental Estimates Board and the Prescription Pricing Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the ratio of administrators to doctors working in the National Health Service for 1981 and 1982, respectively.

"Administrators" do not represent a separate group for records purposes. The category of "administrative and clerical staff' includes senior management staff as well staff such as medical secretaries and medical records and ward clerks. The ratio of all staff in this group to doctors in 1981 was 1·77 to 1. A more accurate estimate of staff involved primarily in administration would exclude junior clerical, secretarial and typing staff, giving a ratio of 0·37:1. Comparable figures for 1982 are expected to be available in April. For this purpose, doctors have been taken as all hospital and community doctors plus general medical practitioners, but excluding locums.Staff of the Dental Estimates Board and Prescription Pricing Authority are excluded.

Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total amount of moneys recovered from retail pharmacists under the discount scale for each of the last five years for which figures are available and the total amount recovered during the same period, respectively, from dispensing doctors and from pharmaceutical manufacturers under the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme.

The amounts recovered for discount on drug costs from retail chemists in England were:

	£ million
1977–78	7·7
1978–79	5·3
1979–80	8·7
1980–81	11·3
1981–82	34·4

No discount adjustment was made between 1 October 1978 and 28 February 1979 to repay chemists for earlier over-deductions. The average adjustment was increased from 1·54 per cent. to 5·44 per cent. on 1 June 1981.Reimbursement of the cost of drugs to dispensing doctors is not subject to a discount adjustment.The value of excess profits recovered from pharmaceutical manufacturers in the United Kingdom under the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme were:

	£ million
1977–78	2·630
1978–79	1·676
1979–80	1·268
1980–81	1·619
1981–82	0·718

Benefits (Bedford-Kempston)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are receiving unemployment benefit, supplementary benefit and other social benefits in the Bedford—Kempston area.

Separate figures for the Bedford-Kempston area are not kept by the three Bedford local offices. The total numbers of cases in action at these offices is as follows:

	Thousands
Unemployment benefit at November 1982	2·2
Supplementary benefit at December 1982	13·2

Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.

Figures for other social benefits cannot be obtained except at disproportionate cost.

Death (Statutory Documents)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will issue a comprehensive leaflet, available at offices of his Department, which can be obtained on demand by relatives when a death is recorded, containing all the relevant information and statutory documents which have to be filed regarding claims, wills, death grants, procedures, and so on.

The Department already publishes the leaflet "What to do after a death" (leaflet number D49) which is freely available at the Department's local offices. In addition copies of the leaflet are held by funeral directors, citizens advice bureaux, social service departments, solicitors and many voluntary organisations.

Nhs (Private Contractors)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of the expenditure on (a) laundry, (b) domestic cleaning and (c) catering has been paid to private contractors in the National Health Service for each of the past seven financial years.

The information requested, which is only available centrally for the last five years, for authorities in England is as follows:

	Laundry	Domestic/cleaning	Catering
	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
1977–78	11·6	2·4	0·2
1978–79	14·7	2·4	0·2
1979–80	14·1	2·4	0·2
1980–81	12·0	2·5	0·3
1981–82	11·7	2·1	0·2

Note: The figures were calculated from the annual accounts submitted to the Department by health authorities excluding the Dental Estimates Board and Prescription Pricing Authority.

Elderly Persons (Homes)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what additional provision of elderly persons homes have been made by local authorities in each of the past four years.

The statistics for numbers of local authority residential homes and places do not distinguish between provision for elderly people and for physically handicapped people. Increases in the figures for both groups combined are:

At 31 March	Homes	Places
1978	13	943
1979	10	18
1980	14	511
1981	20	818

Medical Treatment (Unqualified Persons)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of a recent case heard at Preston where a medically unqualified teacher set up a private clinic and performed operations, if he will take steps to ensure that medical or surgical treatment can be performed only by a qualified practitioner; and if he will make a statement.

The clinic in question was being operated quite illegally and was not even registered under the Nursing Homes Act 1975 as amended by the Health Services Act 1980 which it should have been as a clinic which undertook surgical procedures under anaesthesia. The task in cases of this kind is one of detection and enforcement of the law and the person in question was duly convicted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce legislation to provide for the provision of bonds by medical practitioners in private practice in order to provide compensation for persons who have received treatment from unqualified practitioners.

No. It is open to individuals who may be injured to take action through the courts.

Benefits (Clawback)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received from individuals and organisations indicating opposition to the clawback arrangements on pensions and other benefits announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in autumn 1982; and if he will make a statement.

We have received about 325 letters on this subject since October 1982. A number of deputations on pensions generally have also raised the issue. A statement about the 1983 uprating will be made at the time of the Budget.

Drugs (Generic Prescribing)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if on the basis of the 1981 figures available to him, he will estimate the saving to the National Health Service if all prescriptions were replaced by the generic equivalent.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Crewe (Mrs. Dunwoody) on 28 January.—[Vol. 35, c. 551.]

Drugs (Prices)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East, Official Report, 24 February, c. 523–24, concerning drug prices, what the savings would be increased by if, respectively, amitriptyline 25 mg 500 were bought at the current cheapest price of £2·00, diazepam 5 mg 1,000 at £1·20, methyldopa 250 mg 1,000 at £14·50, nitrazepam 5 mg 500 at £1·45, indomethacin 25 mg at £4·00, frusemide 40 mg 500 at £2·10, ampicillin 250 mg 250 at £4·90, imipramine 25 mg 500 at £1·50 and propranolol 40 mg 1,000 at £5·00; and what the total comparable savings would be for Wales and Scotland, respectively.

The potential savings derived from comparing (a) the December 1982 prices for the branded medicines with (b) the prices quoted, from an unknown source, for the particular presentations of the generic versions would be: England £30 million; Wales £2·4 million; Scotland £3·5 million; but all these savings presuppose the medical profession prescribing generic drugs in all cases.

Tadworth Court Hospital

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to be able to make a statement on the future of Tadworth Court hospital.

I shall make a statement shortly.

Supplementary Benefit

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in Wolverhampton are now in receipt of supplementary benefit.

The number of cases in action for the local offices in Wolverhampton at December 1982, the latest available period, were as follows:

	Thousands
Wolverhampton North	17·4
Wolverhampton South	17·2

Source: 100 per cent. count of cases in action.

Children In Care

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has in relation to the further implementation of the Children Act 1975, the access of parents to children in care and parental rights resolutions.

I am glad to be able to announce a number of further steps.

First, we have tabled an amendment to the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Bill to provide that parents cannot sign away their rights to be informed when a local authority passes a resolution assuming parental rights and duties in respect of a child in their care, to object to the resolution and to get the matter referred to a court. This should considerably strengthen the substantial safeguards for parents which the law provides.

Secondly, we are drawing up, in consultation with local authorities and others interested, guidance on the procedures concerned with these resolutions with a view to improving local authority practice.

Thirdly, we intend as soon as possible to table a new clause to the Bill to provide for parents who are refused any further access to their children in care to apply to the courts for an access order.

Fourthly, this proposed new clause will also include a statutory requirement for a Code of Practice to be laid before Parliament dealing with access to children in care.

Fifthly, we intend to bring into force in April 1984 section 64 of the Children Act 1975 which provides for the courts to order that parents should be separately represented in all care proceedings where there appears to be a conflict of interest between parent and child; for parents to be eligible for legal aid for such representation; and for courts to appoint a "guardian ad litem" to safeguard the interests of the child. Regulations will be introduced under section 103 to provide for the setting up of panels from which courts can appoint guardians ad litem in adoption and care proceedings.

Sixthly, we propose to bring into force in England and Wales, around the turn of the year, the procedure of "freeing for adoption" under sections 14 to 16 of the Children Act 1975. This will enable an adoption agency, which may be a local authority, to apply to a court for an order which will free a child for adoption by transferring parental rights and duties to the agency. Thus the question of parental agreement to adoption will be resolved at an earlier stage than at present, and where parents object to adoption an early opportunity will be provided for a court to decide whether adoption would be in the child's best interests.

Seventhly, we shall at the same time introduce a number of other improvements in the arrangements for supervising adoption placements and reporting on them to the court by bringing into force in England and Wales sections 9, 18 to 20, 22 to 23 and 25 of the Children Act 1975.

I believe that these measures taken together will assist the promotion of the interests of children while paying proper respect to the rights and wishes of parents. They will help local authorities to develop the best practice in exercising their important responsibilities in this field. We shall look forward to receiving the report of the Social Services Select Committee, when it completes its current study of children in care, and of course we will be ready to consider any recommendations it may make for further change.

Volume 38: debated on Monday 7 March 1983

Written Answers To Questions

Trade

Francophone Africa

Egypt (Trade Mission)

Mauritius

Economic Recovery

Tied Houses

Air Services (Aberdeen)

Nitrate (Imports)

Argentina (Export Credits)

Balance Of Trade

Whisky Exports

Aircraft Movements

Prime Minister

Nuclear Tests (Radiation Levels)

United Nations (Information)

Sir Anthony Parsons (Speech)

Tourism (London)

Energy

Participation Agreements

British National Oil Corporation

Petrol Prices

Power Units (Wales)

Energy Conservation

National Coal Board (Chairman)

Home Department

Parliamentary Candidates

Hand-Held Radar Devices

Civil Defence Regulations (Grant Aid)

Prisons (Pre-Release Employment Scheme)

Immigration

Missing Persons

Prison Education Departments

Prisons (Hospital Accommodation)

Prison Governors (Training)

Citizens Band Radio

Plastic Bullets

National Finance

Investment Income

Mortgage Interest (Tax Relief)

Overseas Debt

Mortgage Deeds

Trading Losses

National Health Service

Building Societies

Companies (Publicly Owned Shares)

Merchant Banks (Advice)

European Community (Vat)

Her Majesty's Stationery Office

Attorney-General

Legal Aid (Magistrates' Courts)

Unification Church

Blood Sales

Industry

Assisted Areas

Ariane Launcher

Video Recording Equipment

Contract Preference Scheme

British Steel (Chairman)

Merseyside Enterprise Fund

Steel Industry (Productivity)

Overseas Development

Southern African Development Co-Ordination Conference

Falkland Islands

E1 Salvador

Malawi (Forestry)

Senegal

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Alternaria Leaf Fungus

Butter

Agricultural Products (Prices)

Nitrate Fertilisers

Scotland

Building Control Regulations

University Students (Grants)

Housing Associations

Penal System (Prison Officers)

Employment Statistics