asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the numbers, names and locations of hospitals which have closed since 30 June 1981.

In the period from 1 July 1981 to 28 February 1983 health boards closed seven hospitals as follows:

Economically active residents and residents not in employment. Districts wards, Dundee city
	£4 Residents		EA Residents not in employment
	Total	Males	Total	Per cent.	Males	Per cent.
1. Wellgate	1,763	973	240	13·6	155	15·9
2. Baxter Park	1,708	948	200	11·7	121	12·8
3. Craigie Bank	1,738	982	155	8·9	103	10·5
4. Craigie Barns	1,762	1,043	126	7·2	79	7·6
5. West Ferry	1,983	1,167	237	12·0	169	14·5
6. Broughty Ferry	1,683	973	113	6·7	72	7·4
7. Balgillo	2.093	1,229	92	4·4	58	4·7
8. Eastern	1,849	1,087	110	5·9	69	6·3
9. Douglas	2,255	1,256	449	19·9	289	23·0
10. Drumgeith	2,058	1,185	388	18·9	255	21·5
11. Longhaugh	2,064	1,214	619	30·0	401	33·0
12. Whitfield	1,945	1,222	744	38·3	519	42·5
13. Fintry North	2,684	1,548	615	22·9	378	24·4
14. Fintry South	2,504	1,450	475	19·0	322	22·2
15. Caird	2,345	1,344	486	20·7	305	22·7
16. Midmill	2,252	1,361	818	36·3	553	40·6
17. Clepington	1,169	658	126	10·8	82	12·5
18. Maryfield	1,769	985	194	11·0	127	12·9
19. Coldside	1,655	969	316	19·1	221	22·8
20. Hilltown	2,035	1,122	413	20·3	262	23·4
21. Central	1,413	780	161	11·4	118	15·1
22. Riverside	1,655	952	108	6·5	60	6·3
23. Dudhope	1,764	986	322	18·3	231	23·4
24. Logie	1,446	807	151	10·4	96	11·9
25. Law	1,662	900	225	13·5	143	15·9
26. Ancrum	2,038	1,087	157	7·7	96	8·8
27. St. Ninians	2,260	1,188	245	10·8	147	12·4
28. Menzieshill	2,219	1,235	230	10·4	133	10·8
29. Gourdie	1,990	1,120	350	17·6	237	21·2
30. Pitalpin	2,307	1,309	389	16·9	243	18·6
31. Lochee West	2,188	1,193	373	17·0	225	18·9
32. Lochee East	2,171	1,250	474	21·8	315	25·2
33. Rockwell	1,436	800	152	10·6	98	12·3
34. Fairmuir	1,847	1,036	160	8·7	111	10·7
35. Trottick	2,321	1,399	577	24·9	410	29·3
36. Gillburn	2,273	1,315	401	17·6	284	21·6
37. Downfield	2,429	1,368	232	9·6	146	10·7
38. St. Mary's	2,304	1,308	424	18·4	260	19·9
39. Ardler	2,070	1,124	356	17·2	199	17·7
40. Blackshade	2,073	1,140	308	14·9	173	15·2
41. Monifieth West	1,799	1,054	100	5·6	67	6·4
42. Monifieth East	2,171	1,284	98	4·5	48	3·7
43. Gowrie	1,978	1,196	118	6·0	83	6·9
44. Sidlaw	2,313	1,415	155	6·7	76	5·4

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department now has information from the 1981 census on the number of unemployed and on the unemployment rate, for males and both sexes, by district council ward boundary in Dundee.

The information is as follows:

asked the Leader of the House if he is satisfied that the arrangements for the surveillance of mail to right hon. and hon. Members is adequate to ensure the safety of staff of the House and Post Office staff handling such mail.

Yes. The arrangements are kept under constant review.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much energy in terms of millions of tonnes of coal equivalent has been saved each year since 1979 in the United Kingdom in (a) the domestic sector, (b) the industrial sector, (c) the commercial sector and (d) the transport sector; and what proportion in each case was attributable to the Government's energy conservation policy as distinct from the effects of the recession.

The changes in final energy consumption in million tonnes of coal or coal equivalent, between 1979 and, separately, 1980 and 1981, are as follows:

	mtcoe
	1980 change on 1979	1981 change on 1979
Domestic	-2·53	-2·52
Industrial	-16·12	-20·53
Commercial etc.	-0·49	-0·47
Transport	+0·27	-1·63

Cubic ft×109
	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982
Argyll	1·1	2·1	1·4	1·4	1·9	1·7	1·1	2·7
Auk	—	1·6	2·7	1·7	1·2	0·8	0·9	0·9
Beatrice	—	—	—	—	—	—	0·3	1·1
Beryl	—	3·5	27·8	8·7	7·1	4·9	3·6	3·8
Brent	—	1·3	18·8	56·4	118·2	44·6	43·1	39·6
Buchan	—	—	—	—	—	—	2·1	3·0
Claymore	—	—	0·3	4·2	1·5	0·4	0·5	0·5
South Cormorant	—	—	—	—	0·2	5·3	2·8	2·0
North Cormorant	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1·3
Dunlin	—	—	—	1·2	9·4	7·9	6·4	3·3
Forties	1·4	17·5	36·7	41·4	39·9	32·2	28·2	26·1
Fulmar	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	10·2
Heather	—	—	—	0·7	3·5	1·2	2·9	3·8
Montrose	—	0·6	4·6	6·4	7·1	6·5	5·3	4·1
Murchison (UK)	—	—	—	—	—	1·7	11·2	7·6
Ninian	—	—	—	0·1	16·0	19·5	17·1	7·5
Piper	—	0·2	23·5	28·1	16·1	11·0	6·5	4·8
Statfjord (UK)	—	—	—	—	0·3	2·5	0·7	1·1
Tartan	—	—	—	—	—	—	4·4	3·0
Thistle	—	—	—	5·3	6·7	7·9	7·4	7·7
Terminals
Flotta	—	—	3·3	4·2	4·3	1·6	1·2	0·6
Sullom Voe	—	—	—	—	—	—	3·1	8·0

Since 1978 flaring from each oilfield on the UKCS has been given in the annual report to Parliament by the

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, of the 138 significant discoveries referred to in appendix IV of the 1982 Brown Book, how many he considers economically and commercially viable under the modified North sea tax proposals included in the Budget.

The economic and commercial viability of hydrocarbon discoveries is a matter for the licensee's judgment. The important tax changes announced in the Budget are aimed at promoting the development of the North sea, and I look forward to a favourable response from the companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much gas was flared from each oilfield on the United Kingdom continental shelf in each year since production started.

The quantities of gas flared from each oilfield on the United Kingdom continental shelf in each year since production started, are shown in the following table:Secretary of State for Energy, entitled "Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom"—The Brown Book.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the total amount of gas which has been produced by United Kingdom offshore gasfields in each year since production started;(2) what is the total amount of gas which has been produced by United Kingdom continental shelf oilfields in each year since production started.

Gas production volumes from the start of production are as follows:

Gas Production
Million Cubic Metres
Year	From Offshore Gas Fields	In Association with UKCS Oil Production*	Total
1967	472	—	472
1968	2,020	—	2,020
1969	5,060	—	5,060
1970	11,101	—	11,101
1971	18,285	—	18,285
1972	26,462	—	26,462
1973	28,854	—	28,854
1974	34,805	—	34,805
1975	36,256	—	36,256
1976	38,405	10	38,415
1977	40,166	138	40,304
1978	38,170	327	38,497
1979	38,237	991	39,228
1980	35,903	1,387	37,290
1981	35,786	1,618	37,404
1982	34,066	4,210	38,276
* Mainly methane, but includes other gases consumed at production facilities.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement on the implications for the United Kingdom of the recently announced decision of the Libyan General National Maritime Transport Company to suspend its cargo reservation system.

The Government have consistently opposed measures by other countries which have the effect of preventing or restricting free competition in world shipping because of the harm this causes to all our interests. We therefore noted with grave concern the introduction of a cargo reservation system in the trade between the United Kingdom and Libya. Together with other Governments affected, we made our concern known to the authorities in Tripoli. I am pleased to see that it has now been announced that the cargo reservation system has been withdrawn. It is most important to the Government that this should result in a situation where British carriers will again be able to take advantage of the opportunities offered in this trade in free and fair competition with Libyan and third country carriers, and the Department will of course continue to monitor closely developments in the trade to see whether this happens.

asked the Minister for Trade how many deaths and injuries have occurred upon vessels of under 1,600 tonnes in each of the past five years.

One death and 97 non-fatal injuries on United Kingdom registered ships under 1,600 tonnes have been reported between 1 October 1982 and 11 March 1983 under the Merchant Shipping (Safety Officials and Reporting of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences) Regulations 1982. Information for the period before October 1982 is not available in the case of non-fatal injuries; in the case of deaths, it could be provided only at inordinate expense.

asked the Minister for Trade how many vessels under 1,600 tonnes are registered under the British flag; how many officers and men are employed upon them; and what proportion are federated vessels.

The Business Monitor series MR 15—General Trends in Shipping—contains some information about numbers of United Kingdom registered merchant ships according to tonnage but does not differentiate between ships covered by National Maritime Board agreements and others. Information on the numbers of seamen employed on federated and non-federated ships in particular tonnage is not collected and could not be assembled at a reasonable cost.

asked the Minister for Trade what is the level of the quota agreed by the European Commission for imports into the United Kingdom from Turkey of woven cotton fabrics (MFA category 2) and for T-shirts (MFA category 4).

Import quotas of 80 tonnes of woven cotton fabrics and 360,000 T-shirts to the United Kingdom from Turkey for the period 10 March 1983 to 15 July 1983 were established by Commission regulation EEC539/83 of 7 March 1983, which also established corresponding quotas for other member states.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will now introduce an order to bring into operation section 19 of the Weights and Measures Act 1979 to make it mandatory to use lined glasses for the serving of beer and cider on licensed premises.

Implementing section 19 would not make it obligatory to use lined glasses for serving beer or cider on licensed premises. However, my hon. Friend the Minister for Consumer Affairs is considering further evidence he has received about alleged increases in the incidence of short measure beer to see whether any action is needed.

asked the Minister for Trade what consideration he has given to the use of privately owned and privately managed ships, respectively, for use in hydrographic surveying.

Following the agreement of joint funding of civil hydrographic surveying by the Ministry of Defence and my Department, as announced by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces on 25 November last, I have considered how best to make progress with those surveys of special importance to merchant shipping. I have decided that there should be substantial private sector involvement in this work. This year and next contracts will be placed with specialist hydrographic survey companies, and in addition a ship will be chartered for survey work to be undertaken by a Royal Navy survey team. In 1983, the survey companies will probably work in the approaches to the Pentland Firth and the chartered ship will be used around the Shetland Islands. All the work will remain under the close professional supervision of the Hydrographer of the Navy.

asked the Minister for Trade whether he will bring up to date the replies dated 7 July 1980,Official Report,c. 4–6 and 14 July 1980,Official Report,c. 387–8 concering trade with the European Community and the rest of the world in certain manufactured products.

The information is as follows:

United Kingdom percentage share of total imports and imports of manufactured goods into various markets
Percentages
	Total imports 1981*	1982 Q1-Q3	Imports of Manufactures 1981*
France	5½	6	6½
FR of Germany	7½	7½	7
Italy	4	4	7½
Bel/Lux	7½	7	†8½
Netherlands	8½	9½	9
Ireland	50	48	45
Denmark	12	11	8½
EFTA	8	7½	8
* Data on manufactures for 1982 not yet available; 1981 figures for both total and manufactures included for comparison.
† As a result of changes made by Belgium/Luxembourg in the classification of certain commodities, this figure is not consistent with the earlier reply. As an indication of the effect of these changes, the United Kingdom share of Belgium/Luxembourg imports of manufactures in 1978 was 11 per cent. on the old basis and 10 per cent. on the new.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the proportionate increase or decrease in the numbers of vacancies for jobs notified to (a) employment offices and (b) careers offices between February 1982 and February 1983.

Following are the increases between February 1982 and February 1983 in the number of vacancies remaining unfilled at jobcentres—employment offices—and careers offices in the United Kingdom.

	Percentage
Jobcentres	11·2
Careers offices	1·4

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table indicating the proportionate increase or decrease of the absolute non-seasonally adjusted unemployed total in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively, between February 1982 and February 1983.

The following table gives the percentage increase between February 1982 and February 1983 for unemployed claimants in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The figures used in the calculations include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted.

	Percentage
England	12·2
Wales	7·8
Scotland	8·7
Northern Ireland	9·6

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people (a) aged 18 and under and (b) aged 19 to 21 years are currently unemployed in the constituency of Macclesfield.

The following table gives, for January 1983, figures for unemployed claimants in the Macclesfield jobcentre area, which corresponds closely with the Macclesfield parliamentary constituency.

	Claimants
Aged 18 years and under	364
Aged 19 years	173
Aged 20 to 24 years*	606
* A further breakdown of this group is not made.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the rank order, highest first, for the percentage increase in the numbers unemployed between May 1979 and the latest common date for the following countries: United Kingdom, the United States of America, West Germany, France and Japan.

The information requested is contained in the following table:

Seasonally adjusted unemployment, national definitions Percentage increase May 1979 to December 1982
	Percentage
West Germany	141
United Kingdom	135
United States	104
France	50
Japan	26

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will resume publication of unemployment figures by standard industrial classification based upon the number of claimants; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Wardell) on 20 December.—[Vol. 34, c. 346–47.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to remedy the gap which exists in the provision of training courses in new technology for those who have left full-time education, but have not been out of it for two years or more; and if he will make a statement.

A wide range of training courses is available in new technology in further and higher education, with private training providers and, for young people, in information technology centres which are currently increasing their scale of operations. There is no general rule which prevents anyone who has been away from full-time education for less than two years from embarking on such courses. This restriction applies only to support under the training opportunities scheme which is directed at meeting the needs of those who have already had a significant period of employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that training opportunities scheme courses are available principally to those who missed out on a chance of training for one type of career.

The training opportunities scheme is designed to cater both for those who received no initial skill training and for those who require retraining.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many training opportunities scheme courses have been taken up by those who have just left full-time education and have been unable to find work.

People who have been out of full-time education for less than two years are not in general eligible for a place under the training opportunities scheme. However, to meet a specific shortage, some 140 graduates have exceptionally undertaken experimental conversion courses in electronics since 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from the Equal Opportunities Commission concerning the Government's proposals to amend the Equal Pay Act; what response he has sent; and whether he intends meeting the chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission to discuss the commission's response to the draft order on equal pay.

The Equal Opportunities Commission has published its response to the Government's proposals, and I am sending a copy to the hon. Member. My right hon. Friend and I met the chairman of the commission on 17 March for a full discussion of the commission's response.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will extend the youth training scheme to include over 18-year-old handicapped youngsters who, because of the extra time required for their schooling, generally stay on at school until the age of 20.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 March 1983, c. 361]: The chairman of the Manpower Services Commission has recently written to the Secretary of State suggesting that the age limit for the entry of disabled youngsters to the youth training scheme be raised from 18 to 21 years. My right hon. Friend is currently considering this suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of abolishing the personal tax allowance while increasing the one-parent family benefit to a level which ensured that no single parent was worse off.

I take it the hon. Member has in mind the additional personal tax allowance for lone parents. The estimates available are in terms of 1982–83 incomes, benefit rates and tax allowances. In 1982–83 the additional personal allowance was worth £5·08 a week to a basic rate taxpayer. Conversion to an additinal cash benefit at this level, payable to all existing recipients of social security benefits as single parents, and allowing for savings in supplementary benefit, and assuming an improvement in one-parent benefit take-up from 70 to 80 per cent., could have been achieved at no net cost or saving to the Exchequer. However, to ensure that no single parent paying income tax at the basic rate was worse off it might be necessary to assume 100 per cent. take-up of one-parent benefit. A conversion on this basis would have cost about £40 million in 1982–83. Even so, the very small number of single parents paying higher rate tax, and those who would lose a full year's tax allowance in exchange for a part year cash benefit might still lose in the conversion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the net cost, after taking into account savings on means tested benefit, if the additional personal allowance for lone parents were converted into a cash benefit payable at £5 per week.

[pursuant to his reply, 2 February 1983, c. 113]: I regret the delay in this reply, which resulted from the lengthy calculations required to produce the estimate. The calculations have been carried out in terms of 1982–83 incomes, benefit rates and tax allowances, since the 1983–84 rates and so on were not known at the time they were begun. Conversion of the additional personal allowance into a £5 cash benefit for all existing recipients of social security benefits as single parents, allowing for social security savings only in supplementary benefit, and assuming an improvement in take-up of one parent benefit from 70 to 80 per cent. would have led to a net saving to the Exchequer of something under £5 million in 1982–83. However, a higher increase in take-up of one parent benefit would have led to an overall net cost.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the light of changes in the role and scope of building societies recently proposed by the Building Societies Association, Her Majesty's Government will establish an independent inquiry into the law relating to building societies to ensure a wide expression of views before making any proposals to change current legislation.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, pursuant to the answers given by him to the hon. Member for Blackburn, Official Report, 3 December 1981, c. 188–92, 17 February 1982, c. 152–54, and 18 March 1982, c. 198–201, he will publish in the Official Report tables showing (a) the proportion in per cent., (b) the amount in current prices and (c) the amount in constant 1982–83 prices, of personal income taken by taxation and rates for the year 1983–84, taking account of any changes announced in his Budget Statement and any previously announced changes, and for each of the years 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82 for each level of average earnings, each category of taxpayer, and each category of taxation and rates as were used in the above mentioned answers and on a comparable basis.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures the Government have taken in the financial year 1982–83 to ease the tax burden on the low-paid and help eliminate the poverty trap.

[pursuant to his reply, 15 March 1983, c. 128]: Personal allowances were increased in real terms in 1982–83. This increase was proportionately of greater benefit to the low paid than to basic rate taxpayers generally, and alleviated the poverty trap by taking some low-paid families out of tax altogether. It has been possible to achieve much more for 1983–84.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West of 14 March, Official Report, c. 23, why Her Majesty's Government are not proposing to make public money available for marking the centenary of the death of Karl Marx.

We see no good reason to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current projection for the average daily prison population in 1990.

The most recent projection from past trends of the average prison population, made at the end of 1982, gives 48,800 in 1990.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons in each of the past five years who would not normally have a right of entry under the Immigration Act have been allowed to enter because of (a) their studying religion or (b) employment as religious persons.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether vacant land adjacent to Bedford prison has been acquired for expansion of prison facilities.

No, but the possibility is being examined.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how many years it is expected that Bedford prison will be used as a transit prison serving Crown courts in a number of locations.

We have no proposals to change the existing role of Bedford prison as a local prison receiving prisoners direct from the Crown court centres and magistrates courts within its catchment area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the industrial dispute at Bedford prison was a contributory factor in the recent escape of four prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

We have no indication of any connection between the escape of four young remand prisoners from Her Majesty's prison Bedford early on Monday 14 March and the recent industrial action at the prison. An investigation into the circumstances of the escape is being undertaken by the governor.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what he proposes to do about overcrowded conditions in Bedford prison.

The overcrowded conditions at Bedford prison can be relieved in the long term only by the provision of additional places elsewhere through the prison building programme. In the meantime the population levels are closely monitored and prisoners are transferred to other establishments as vacancies arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the capital expenditure on Bedford prison in each of the past seven years; and what investment would now be required to reduce overcrowding.

Capital expenditure on Bedford prison in each of the past seven years has been as follows:

	£
1982–83 (To date)	1,124
1981–82	3,839
1980–81	14,829
1979–80	8,928
1978–79	21,392
1977–78	10,692
1976–77	24,250

No further investment at Bedford would have much impact on overcrowding, although living and working conditions could be improved, if more land were available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff there are at Bedford prison; how many prisoners there were on 15 March; and how many prisoners there were on average per cell.

On 15 March there were 162 prison officer class staff in post at Bedford prison, and the prison population was 362. Three hundred and thirty-five of these prisoners were accommodated in cells, with an average of 2·36 prisoners to each cell.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis concerning incidents of public disorder which took place in and around the Lewisham concert hall in Catford, London, on Sunday 13 March; and if he will make a statement on the contents of the report.

We understand from the Commissioner that only two minor incidents in or around the Lewisham concert hall on 13 March were recorded by the police. In neither incident were the police directly involved. No charges are likely to be brought.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Vietnamese refugees who came to the United Kingdom as unaccompanied minors for permanent settlement, for whose parents or other close relatives application has been made to come to the United Kingdom, have been joined by relatives; and how many are still unaccompanied.

Records are not kept in such a form as to enable us to say how many of the Vietnamese refugees who came to the United Kingdom as unaccompanied minors have since been joined by relative s and how many have not.The Joint Committee for Refugees from Vietnam has, however, supported applications for the entry of 288 relatives of 48 such refugees and I hope to be able to reply to the committee in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Vietnamese persons who have been granted permission to come to the United Kingdom are awaiting entry.

About 3,000 Vietnamese who have been offered refuge in the United Kingdom have not yet arrived here. It is not possible to say how many of this total are awaiting entry as the circumstances of some may have changed and they may, for example, have been resettled in a third country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Vietnamese persons, presently in Vietnam, have been granted permission to come to the United Kingdom but are awaiting exit permits from the Vietnamese authorities.

Two thousand, five hundred and forty-four applications for Vietnamese in Vietnam to join close relatives settled in the United Kingdom have been approved. One thousand, six hundred and three have been issued with visa promise letters, but it is not possible to say that all are awaiting exit permits as some may have decided not to leave Vietnam and some may have gone elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the fact that the religious beliefs of the Hindus and Sikhs require that a dagger or dirk be worn, he will seek to amend the law to allow those persons whose religion necessitates wearing a dagger to be exempt from the law relating to the carrying of offensive weapons in this respect.

It is not an offence to wear an article solely for the purpose of religious observance. It would, however, be an offence for a person to carry an article if he is intending to use it to cause injury.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are currently employed on guarding remand prisoners in police and court cells in London.

The number of Metropolitan police officers employed at any time on these duties varies according to the number of prisoners held and the number of locations used. We understand from the Commissioner that on 16 March, when 179 remanded and sentenced prisoners were held at 25 locations, 25 sergeants and 85 constables were employed on guarding duties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many industrial disputes are currently in progress in the prison service; what are the stated reasons for the industrial action; how many prison officers are involved; and what has been the length of each dispute.

Industrial action by prison officers is taking place in the following establishments:

• Dartmoor
• Canterbury
• Bedford
• Pucklechurch
• Lincoln
• Pentonville
• Preston
• Feltham
• Latchmere House
• Rochester

It would not be practicable to give detailed information in the form which the hon. Member has requested as to the reasons for these disputes or the number of officers involved. The reasons include disputes over entirely local matters, overcrowding, manpower reports, procedural issues relating to use of force reports, issue of family medicines and procedure for internal investigations. Within the last few days the Prison Officers' Association has threatened national industrial action over the Department's notification of intention to dismiss a particular prison officer for an offence under the code of discipline, which he has admitted, namely, that he disobeyed an order. The officer concerned is, in accordance with normal practice, suspended on full pay pending consideration of his appeal against dismissal. The first stage of his appeal—a personal hearing—is due to take place on 24 March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to increase to £10 the maximum payment for amusement-with-prizes machines in public houses.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police consultative committees as recommended by Lord Scarman which have been set up, the nature of the composition of each and the mode of operation of each.

My officials have recently conducted a review of progress made in developing consultation arrangements since administrative guidance was issued last June. The general picture is encouraging, but because arrangements must be geared to local needs the pattern varies, even within one police area, the information we have cannot readily be presented in the form requested. I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with present progress in experiments now being carried out in the use of tape recorders for interrogation by the police.

Yes. The steering committee established to devise and oversee the field trials held its first meeting in January. Since then further meetings have been held to settle detailed procedures for the trials capable of addressing fully the complicated issues to which tape recording will give rise. Simultaneously progress is being made in the selection of technical equipment, in devising proposals to monitor the trials, and in establishing arrangements to oversee them locally. Approaches have been made to a number of areas to participate in the trials, but final decisions have yet to be made by some of those invited to do so. I hope to be able to make a further announcement soon about the participating areas.I should like to record my gratitude to the steering committee, and in particular the representatives of the police service and the other bodies which have an interest in tape recording, for the ready co-operation they have given and their commitment to ensuring that the field trials are mounted successfully.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish his Green Paper on animal welfare.

We hope to publish our proposals for new legislation to replace the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to amend the law to require the Independent Broadcasting Authority to ensure that commercial television companies observe the terms of their franchise.

The Broadcasting Act 1981 already furnishes the Independent Broadcasting Authority with powers in that regard and we have no reason to think that additional powers are needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the report of the Police Training Council working party on community and race relations training for the police.

This important report is published today. It is the work of a group comprising representatives of the police service, local authorities and members of minority ethnic communities with a particular interest and expertise in police training, and I am grateful to them for producing a report which is thorough and practical.The report makes a number of wide-ranging recommendations for the future development of training in community and race relations which I am confident will help the police to improve their performance in these fields. In particular, it recommends a greatly increased and improved programme of training for officers of all ranks, and the establishment of a training support centre to run intensive courses for specialist trainers and to develop new teaching materials.The implementation of the report's recommendations will be carried forward in full consultation with chief officers of police and the representative bodies within the service.Copies of the report are being placed in the Library and will also be available from my Department upon request.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state, for each district of the Metropolitan police, how many police officers were ordered to resign or allowed to resign in 1982 following investigations or complaints of malpractice.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1983,c. 465]: Information for 1981 is given in the following table; information for 1982 will become available later this year.

Police officers required to resign, dismissed, or who took short notice retirement
Metropolitan Police District 1981		Number of police officers
		Required to resign or dismissed	Short notice retirement*
	Branches
A11	Diplomatic Protection Group	—	2
B6	Communication	1	1
C1	Serious Crimes Squad and Involved Investigations	—	2
C8	Flying Squad	1	1
C11	Criminal Intelligence	—	2
SB	Special Branch	—	1
D8	Training Schools	—	2
	Districts
A	(Part) Westminster	1	2
B	Kensington and Chelsea	3	4
C	(Part) Westminster	4	4
D	(Part) Westminster	2	1
E	Camden	3	1
F	Hammersmith	—	2
G	Hackney	4	1
H	Tower Hamlets	—	1
J	Waltham Forest, Redbridge, etc.	2	3
K	Havering, Barking and Newham	—	1
L	Lambeth	6	4
M	Southwark	1	4
N	Islington	1	1
P	Lewisham and Bromley	1	3
Q	Brent and Harrow	1	1
R	Greenwich and Bexley	2	1
S	Barnet and Hertsmere	2	—
T	Richmond-upon-Thames, and Hounslow	—	1
V	Kingston-upon-Thames, Merton, etc.	3	—
W	Wandsworth	2	3
X	Ealing and Hillingdon	3	—
Y	Haringey and Enfield, etc.	—	1
Z	Croydon and Sutton, etc.	4	1
AD	Airport District	—	3
	Total	47	54
* Officers who have retired whilst disciplinary proceedings have been contemplated or were in the initial stages.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Basildon of 14 March, Official Report, c. 28, what is the reason for the increase in the cost of European Community subsidies for the export of surplus agricultural production to countries outside the Community from 1982 to 1983; if he will express the increase in percentage terms; and if he will make a statement.

The appropriation for expenditure on export refunds in the 1983 Community budget is 3 per cent. less than the corresponding figure in the 1982 budget, although 25 per cent. higher than last year's provisional outturn. These figures show the considerable savings on export refunds last year due to favourable world markets. This year, however, expenditure—particularly for cereals and milk products—is likely to reflect the relatively weak world prices. These developments reinforce the need for restraint in setting common agricultural policy prices in 1983–84, implementation of the guarantee threshold proposals and for careful and cost-effective management of commodity markets by the Commission.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the economic benefit to pig producers of high level copper inclusions in pig foods, and the absence of evidence of any human health or environmental hazard, he will take steps to ensure that inclusion rates for copper are held at their present level.

I assure my hon. Friend that we shall continue to press our Community partners very hard to achieve a satisfactory outcome to the current discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table based on his sample of changes notified to the National Health Service central register, of the number of people who have moved into each county of Wales from other parts of the United Kingdom, analysed by those of working age and those of retirement age.

The following table is for the year ended September 1982, and is based on a 10 per cent. sample.

Gross moves into each county of Wales from the rest of the United Kingdom*
	Working age†	Retirement age‡
Clwyd	7,740	1,450
Dyfed	7,410	780
Gwent	5,570	610
Gwynedd	5,570	860
Mid Glamorgan	6,000	630
Powys	2,790	320
South Glamorgan	9,000	690
West Glamorgan	4,380	450

asked the Secretary of State for Wales by what percentage farm net incomes in Wales have risen since 1975; and if he will make a statement.

The available figures from the farm management survey—which are not strictly comparable before and after 1977–78 due to changes in the classification of farms and in the treatment of depreciation—show that average net incomes in current money terms for full-time dairy and livestock farms in Wales increased by about 95 per cent. between 1975–76 and 1981–82.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Grimsby on 1 March, Official Report, c. 66, he will publish in the Official Report such information as is readily available relating to welfare payments for children.

In November 1982, 346,000 children were living in families receiving family income supplement and in August 1982 1·75 million children were in families receiving supplementary benefit, but in neither case is it possible to isolate the particular amounts being paid in respect of those children. In 1982–83 the average number of national insurance child dependency additions, including those paid with unemployment benefit, was 1·2 million; the average weekly amount paid to families

	United Kingdom price = 100
Country	Ventolin Inhaler	Adalat 10mg caps	Indocid 25 mg caps	Aldomet 250 mg tabs	Aldomet 500 mg tabs	Dixarit tablets
France	54		60	91	85	n/a
Belgium	54		60	68	55	55
Holland	129		107	99	93	85
Germany	96		122	132	n/a	78
Italy	31		n/a	83	69	n/a
Denmark	108		111	145	127	85

It will be seen that on this basis United Kingdom prices tend to be comparable with or lower than those in Holland, Germany and Denmark, but higher than those in France, Belgium and Italy where medicines have been subject to rigorous price control for several years.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by how much the volume and cost of prescribed drugs rose during the 1982 health workers' dispute; and what were the figures for each month from the month prior to the start of the dispute to December 1982.

In England in 1982, 311 million prescriptions were dispensed with a total net

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the prices in the United Kingdom of (a) Ventolin Inhaler, (b) Adalat 10 mg.,(c) Indocid 25 mg. capsules, (d) Aldomet 250 and 500 mg. and (e) Dixarit; and what information he has about the prices of these drugs in other European countries.

The current NHS trade prices in the United Kingdom are as follows:

	£
Ventolin Inhaler	3.00
Adalat 10 mg capsules × 100	12.31
Indocid 25 mg capsules × 100	5.72
Aldomet 250 mg tablets × 100	506
Aldomet 500 mg tablets × 100	9.90
Dixarit tablets × 100	5.23

Differences in currency exchange rates, pack sizes, presentations, VAT, discount rates, and so on, make true comparison of prices in other European countries unreliable, but on the best information available to the Department an indexation of prices produces the followng results:ingredient cost of £977 million. This is a 3·75 per cent. increase in the number and a 13 per cent. increase in the cost—allowing for volume—over the prescriptions dispensed in 1981. It is not possible to assign the increase to any specific cause.The figures for each month from March to December 1982 are as follows:

1982	Number of prescriptions	Net ingredient cost
	(millions)	(£ million)
March	28·4	84·4
April	25·6	79·2
May	24·8	78·0
June	26·2	83·4
July	26·2	84·4

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent representations the Minister with special responsibility for the disabled has received from the council for the advancement of communication with deaf people: what reply has been sent; if there is any action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

I recently met the secretary of the council and have since approved a further grant to it of £10,000. I am consulting colleagues at the Department of Education and Science about the council's plans for the longer term.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what powers he has to assist patients who need to have operations in countries that are not covered by reciprocal agreements;(2) if he will make an ex-gratia payment to Mrs. Maxine Knight of 26 Playgreen Way, London, SE6 in respect of the operation that she requires to save her life, which has to be performed in Sweden.

Under the National Health Service Act 1977 my right hon. Friend's power to meet the cost of accommodation and treatment provided outside the United Kingdom is limited to cases of persons suffering from respiratory tuberculosis. Otherwise, apart from certain provisions within the European Community, he has no powers to assist patients treated outside the United Kingdom. I am afraid, therefore, that he is not able to make a payment for treatment given in Sweden.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East of 7 March, Official Report, c. 326, the figures for retail pharmacists include the sums retained from chemists' remuneration pending the results of the current discount inquiry and the offset retained by the Government against the increased profit awarded by the Franks panel.

No. The figures given are the actual amounts recovered from reimbursement to pharmacists.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the fact that the in-house tender for Calderdale health authority laundry services was £18,000 less than any private tender, he will reverse his decision to require Calderdale health authority to reduce the cost of its tender and open the tendering process to private contractors.

I discussed with the regional and district health authorities their appraisal of options for providing or procuring laundry services for Calderdale, and the implications of investing £2 million in the building of a new laundry. They said that there were options which had not been covered in their appraisal so far. They have undertaken to extend their appraisal to cover all relevant options.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will recommend all regional authorities to take steps to discourage smoking in hospital, especially in maternity departments.

An existing circular already asks authorities to discourage smoking in hospitals, except in special smoking areas, and draws particular attention to the need to discourage smoking by pregnant women and mothers of young children.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in view of the pressure on maternity services in Wolverhampton and its neighbouring districts, and the projected population increase of 30 per cent. over the next decade he will make additional resources available to increase the level of provision and the continuation of the services.

The allocation of resources to Wolverhampton health authorities and to the other 21 district health authorities in the region is the responsibility of the West Midlands regional health authority Over the three years to 1982–83 the west midlands region received growth of 6·7 per cent. and for 1983–84 is to receive a further 1·3 per cent.—both figures above the national average rate of growth, reflecting the fact that the region is relatively deprived.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, further to his answer of 9 March, Official Report, c. 412, about sodium valproate, how many reports were received before the consideration of the issue by the Committee on Safety of Medicines in 1980 and how many since; what has been the severity of the reported reactions; and how many deaths have been reported.

[pursuant to his reply, 15 March 1983, c. 149]: The following table shows the number of reports of adverse reaction associated with sodium valproate registered by the Committee on Safety of Medicines when the suspected reaction significantly affected the brain, liver or pancreas. I must emphasise that these reports do not necessarily indicate a causal relationship in all cases. All of these categories of reaction are considered serious and potentially life-threatening.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list the attacks which have taken place on the international peacekeeping force in the Lebanon during the last month and the perpetrators of such attacks where these are known.

According to reports there have been four attacks in the last month on the multinational force operating in Beirut. On 15 March, nine Italian soldiers were injured in two incidents; on 16 March, five United States marines were slightly injured in a grenade attack; on 17 March, one Italian soldier was injured; on 18 March, French troops escaped injury in a grenade attack. The Lebanese security forces are questioning a number of suspects. It is not yet known who was behind the attacks.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what bases or defence installations are maintained by the United States of America in British dependent territories in the Caribbean.

There is only one—a tracking station in the Turks and Caicos Islands. This is due to be closed not later than February 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any changes have occurred in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office cash limits for 1982–83, subsequent to the answer given to the hon. Member for Dorset, North (Mr. Baker) on 9 February, Official Report, c. 395.

The cash limit for Class II, Vote 5 (Foreign and Commonwealth Services) has been reduced by £1 million from £28,973,000 to £27,973,000. This is to allow for the rephasing of expenditure on the Belize defence force. No other cash limits are affected. The £1 million will be added to the overseas aid programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost in the financial year 1983–84 of increasing the flying hours for air cadets under the Royal Air Force flying scholarship scheme from the present level to the 38 hours minimum necessary to qualify for a private pilot's licence.

£213,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will increase the flying hours for air cadets under the Royal Air Force flying scholarship scheme from 30 to 38.

The object of the flying scholarship scheme is to provide elementary flying training; and we have chosen to increase the number of scholarships in 1983–84 from 300 to 400, rather than add to the number of hours flown by individual pilots.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek to repeal section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947, or make it his practice to pay generous discretionary ex gratia payments to service men injured in duties other than military action where there is a possibility that negligence on the part of others was a factor.

No. The operations and training of the armed forces could not be conducted on the basis that service personnel could sue other service personnel or the Crown for alleged negligence during the course of these activities. It is not possible to define a reasonable dividing line between military action and other activities and no satisfactory basis for treating some service personnel, who are injured on duty and have to leave the service, more generously than others, on the basis of possible negligence by the Crown or other personnel.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many service men have been injured and permanently disabled in each of the past five years in the course of duties other than military action; and if any discretionary ex gratia grants were made to any of them.

In the past five years the number of service personnel who have received serious injuries attributable to service and have been awarded 100 per cent. disability pensions on leaving the service is as follows:

	Numbers
1978	8
1979	8
1980	10
1981	15
1982	10

No discretionary ex gratia payments have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why service men are not able to sue for negligence in the course of their duties, apart from during military action, in the same way as other public servants.

The role of the armed forces is unique in both operational and training terms and this is recognised by the provisions of section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a substantial ex gratia award to Martin Ketterick, an ex-Marine who was seriously disabled during training.

No. Mr. Ketterick's disability is attributable to service and he has been awarded appropriate benefits on the same basis as other service personnel who are disabled and have to leave the service.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if disciplinary action of any kind was taken against any member of the armed forces in connection with the accident to ex-Marine Martin Ketterick.