asked the Attorney-General how many right hon. and hon. Members held office as recorders or were employed in judicial office, respectively, in 1982 and 1983.

Twelve right hon. and hon. Members held office as recorders in 1982 and 1983. In addition, there were four right hon. and hon. Members who were assistant recorders in each of those years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to prevent the dispersal of specialist departmental libraries in universities or university departments which have been closed as the result of abolishing teaching posts or for other reasons since January 1981; and if he will make a statement.

No; library organisation is entirely a matter for individual institutions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information his Department holds about staffing in particular departments of universities.

Information about university staffing is collected by the universities' statistical record. Statistics are published annually in volumes one and three of "University Statistics". The "Commonwealth Universities Yearbook" lists the staff of each university department. Copies of these publications are in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will arrange for form 101-UP, the application form for a state studentship, to be available in Wales in a bilingual format.

A Welsh language version of the application form for the postgraduate state studentships offered by the Department to postgraduate students througout the United Kingdom has been made available for a number of years to the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, at the college's request. Any other higher education institution in Wales which wishes to ask for a supply of the Welsh language version of the form is welcome to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number of tied agricultural cottages in Scotland.

The last survey of agricultural tied cottages was carried out in 1978, when the number occupied by hired workers was put at 14,300.It is estimated that the present number of tied cottages occupied by full-time hired workers in agriculture is now approximately 12,300.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of men and women, respectively, aged 18 and 19 years were unemployed at the last date for which figures are available; and whether he will make a statement.

The latest published figures, relating to the rates of registered unemployment by age at October 1982, can be found in table 2.15 of the January 1983 issue of the Employment Gazette, a copy of which can be found in the Library.Later rates, for the claimant unemployed, are currently in preparation and I will write to the hon. Member when they are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what authority The Verne, Channings Wood and other establishments are being allowed to be in breach of prison rule 27; what other establishments are similarly in breach of rule 27; and when all establishments will be complying with the rule.

The regime at the Verne and at Channing Wood allows prisoners ample opportunity to exercise and to move about in the open air which makes the provision of a formal exercise period unnecessary. Establishments where the regime does not offer such opportunities all provide a daily exercise period which is cancelled only in bad weather or if other difficulties give local management no alternative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has now received on the clauses of the Police and Criminal Evidence Bill concerned with police searches into confidential records; and from which organisations they have come.

My right hon. Friend has received 598 representations from individuals and organisations about Clause 10 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Bill. The organisations that have made representations are the following:

• General Medical Council
• British Medical Association
• Royal College of Surgeons
• Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
• Royal College of General Practioners
• Royal College of Psychiatrists
• Royal College of Radiologists
• Faculty of Community Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians
• Casualty Surgeons' Association
• Health Visitors' Association
• Society of Health Advisers in Sexually Transmitted Diseases
• British Federation Against Venereal Diseases
• Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales
• Medical Women's Federation
• Part-Time Prison Medical Officer's Association
• Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies
• Law Society
• Press Council
• National Union of Journalists
• Institute of Journalists
• Newspaper Society
• Churches Main Committee
• Board of the Division of Ministries in the Methodist Church
• Religious Society of Friends
• Society of Education Officers
• Association of Directors of Social Services
• British Association of Social Workers
• Samaritans
• Befrienders International
• Pitt Street Settlement
• British Association of Settlements and Social Action Centres
• Blenheim Project
• Southwark Council for Voluntary Services
• West End Co-ordinated Voluntary Services for Homeless Single People
• Rochdale Voluntary Action
• National Association of Youth Clubs
• National Association of Community Relations Councils
• National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux
• Advice Services Alliance
• Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants
• Amnesty International
• Associations of Professional Executive, Clerical and Computer Staffs
• Royal Statistical Society
• Hackney Borough Council
• Denholme Town Council

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are known to be mentally-ill or to have had any history of mental illness.

Prison medical officers make six-monthly returns giving details of those in prison department establishments whom they consider to be mentally disordered within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1959. On 30 September 1982, the most recent date for which statistics are available, this census recorded 286 who were mentally disordered, of whom 210 were diagnosed as suffering from mental illness.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pisoners have been in prison one or more times a year during the last five years.

We shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will ensure that toxic waste from Seveso at present in France en route for an unspecified neighbouring country is not brought into the United Kingdom.

My inquiries suggest that this is not proposed. In priniple this would be a most unwelcome import.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in the Official Report the salary and conditions to be offered to the next chairman of the Yorkshire water authority.

A chairman will be required for the Yorkshire water authority from 1 October 1983, and the post was recently advertised in the press. The terms and conditions of service laid down by the Secretary of State are as follows.The chairman will be required to work on authority business for three and a half days a week and will accordingly be paid 70 per cent.l of a notional full-time salary for the post. This full-time salary is at present £29,291. A contributory occupational pension scheme is available and travelling and subsistence allowances are payable. The other terms and conditions of service for public appointments of this nature apply, in particular relating to the circumstances in which an appointment is to be terminated, and restrictions on political activities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number of tied agricultural cottages in England.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for the last two available years those grant-aided derelict land projects where the land has been reclaimed for sport or recreational purposes, giving the cost and the intended ultimate use in each case.

The information for 1981–82 and 1982–83 is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken to implement any of the provisions of section 2 of the Transport Act 1981.

I give my approval on 5 July 1982 to a scheme made by the Railways Board under section 2 of the 1981 Act to transfer the harbour assets from Sealink UK Ltd. to its subsidiary company Sealink Harbours Ltd. The transfer took place on 11 July 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the employees who were entitled so to do purchased shares in Associated British Ports.

In addition to the 91 per cent. who applied for the shares offered free of charge, 38 per cent. purchased shares under the offer of two shares for the price of one and 2·9 per cent. bought additional shares.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the result of investigations by his Department on the new bus grant and fuel duty rebate given to Mid-Warwickshire Motors Ltd.

My Department's investigations confirmed that there were inadequacies in the mileage records kept by Mid-Warwickshire Motors Ltd. These were discussed with the company and several further versions were produced. On 27 January 1983, the company finally produced figures that I felt able to accept as representing the actual position, insofar as it could by then be ascertained. As a result, notwithstanding certain shortcomings both in the use of the vehicles concerned and in the purchase arrangements, I decided not to take proceedings for the recovery of grant. The Department's claim for repayment of £111,293·20 new bus grant has been withdrawn, and fuel duty rebate totalling £22,069·72 has been released.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward the date of hearing of the current appeal made by Mr. Day of Mid-Warwickshire Motors Gimtool Ltd. against the refusal by the traffic commissioners of a public service vehicle operators licence to his Midlands bus company as soon as possible.

I can assure my hon. Friend that Mr. Day's appeal, like any other, will be dealt with as speedily as the necessary steps and procedures allow.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the reasons why his Department investigated the mileage records of Mid-Warwickshire Motors Ltd.

My Department investigated the mileage records of Mid-Warwickshire Motors Ltd. in the light of a report from the district auditor. Doubts were raised as to the adequacy of the company's mileage records, and as to whether certain vehicles on which new bus grant had been paid had been used in accordance with the grant conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will, in future press releases and published departmental documents, give lengths of road in miles rather than in kilometres.

Highway engineers have been using metric units for well over a decade and therefore find it more useful to receive statistical information in kilometres rather than miles. Metric units are also needed for international comparisons. Given the extra expense involved in quoting both miles and kilometres, statistical information will continue to be issued in metric units only. However, press releases of general public interest—for example, concerning the opening of new roads—usually quote lengths in miles.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is yet able to announce his proposals for the widening and realignment of the M4 motorway between the Heathrow airport spur, junction 4, and the M4/M25 interchange.

I have today published draft orders under the Highways Act for this section of the M4. It is proposed to provide a new westbound carriageway to the south of the existing motorway, and a new eastbound carriageway generally on the line of the existing westbound one. Dual four-lane carriageways are proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in view of the traffic congestion in Uxbridge and Hillingdon resulting from the closure of the slip-road giving access to the M40 (westbound) at the new Denham roundabout, he will take immediate steps to reopen this slip road, and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to her reply, 14 April 1983, c. 450.]: The slip road has been closed for road safety reasons in connection with the construction of the M25/M40 interchange further west. It is to be shortened to provide sufficient weaving distance between the two junctions. I accept that this closure has aggravated congestion in Uxbridge, but the London borough of Hillingdon is introducing traffic management measures to reduce the effect. I am writing in greater detail to my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of (a) the number of mortgagors likely to switch from repayment to endowment mortgages as a result of the introduction of the mortgage interest relief at source arrangements in April 1983, (b) the value of debt outstanding on the mortgages to be switched, (c) the consequent increase in projected tax relief over the life of these mortgages distinguishing between additional tax relief (i) paid on the endowment policy premiums, (ii) deriving from higher interests rates charged on endowment mortgages and (iii) deriving from the fact that the balance of outstanding debt is not reduced during the term of an endowment mortgage.

It is not possible to make a precise estimate of these figures, but the cost of any switch from repayment to endowment mortgages is likely to be small in relation to the total cost of the reliefs for mortgage interest and life assurance premiums.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost of Her Majesty's Government's present television advertising campaign concerning assistance available to small enterprises.

The estimated cost of the television campaign, which began in March and is planned to run in April, May and June, is £1,546,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he was consulted by the Bank of England on its decision to resist the cut in base rates.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many tuberculosis cases were recorded in the Principality in 1980–81, 1981–82 and 1982–83.

The information is as follows:

Number of notifications of tuberculosis
Year ending	Number
March 1981	354
March 1982	320
March 1983	*334
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many mass radiography units there are in Wales; if he will review his policy on radiography units; and if he will make a statement.

There are no mass miniature radiography units in operation in Wales for self referral by the public. Any doctor who considers that there is need for a patient to be X-rayed may refer his patient direct for that purpose to an appropriate X-ray department.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the number of tied agricultural cottages in Wales.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many men and women, respectively (a) in Northern Ireland, (b) in the Ballymena travel-to-work area and (c) in the Coleraine travel-to-work area have been unemployed for more than 12 months.

At January 1983 the information requested was as follows:

	Men	Women
Northern Ireland	40,072	8,088
Ballymena travel-to-work area	3,394	697
Coleraine travel-to-work area	2,219	345

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total cost of operating community-based work preparation units in Northern Ireland, including instructors' wages, trainee allowances, capital costs and other general running costs.

In the year ended 31 March 1983, Government granted work preparation units a total of £10,300,000 to cover all their operating expenses.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the number of tied agricultural cottages in Northern Ireland.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money Northern Ireland has received from the European regional development fund in each financial year from 1 January 1975; how much of these receipts each year represents a cash addition to the Northern Ireland economy; and how much of these receipts was used to offset Government expenditure on Northern Ireland.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 April 1983, c. 408]: The following amounts were received by Northern Ireland from the European regional development fund.

Financial Year	Receipts £ million
1975–76	2·9
1976–77	7·2
1977–78	6·4
1978–79	4·0
1979–80	16·0
1980–81	21·0
1981–82	*16·4
1982–83	*18·0
Total	91·9
* Includes receipts from the Non Quota Section of the European Regional Development Fund.

All these receipts represent cash additions to the recipients. These receipts are subject to normal European community audit arrangements.Receipts for infrastructure projects are paid to bodies responsible for undertaking infrastructure works, thus representing a direct benefit to those bodies by enabling them to reduce their capital indebtedness.Receipts for industrial projects in Northern Ireland, as in other parts of the United Kingdom, are appropriated-in-aid of voted expenditure. Figures for (i) industrial receipts and (ii) infrastructure receipts for each financial year since the inception of the fund are as follows:

£ million
Financial Year	(i) Industrial receipts appropriated-in-aid	(ii) Infrastructure receipts paid to qualifying bodies
1975–76	2·3	0·6
1976–77	3·8	3·4
1977–78	2·5	3·9
1978–79	0·8	3·2
1979–80	3·3	12·7
1980–81	10·2	10·8
1981–82	*7·7	8·7
1982–83	2·5	*15·5
Totals	33·1	58·8
* Includes receipts from the Non-Quota section of the European Regional Development Fund.

The overall level of receipts is taken into account in the Government's decisions on public expenditure allocations, and their availability enables public expenditure to be maintained at a higher level than would otherwise be feasible.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money Northern Ireland has been allocated from the European social fund in each financial year since 1 January 1973; how much of these receipts were paid to the private sector and how much to the public sector; how much each year represented a cash addition to the Northern Ireland economy; and how much was used to offset Government expenditure on Northern Ireland.

[pursuant to his reply,13 April 983, c. 408]: The following amounts were received by northern ireland from the European social fund.

Table 1
Financial year	Total	Private sector	Public sector
	£ million	£ million	£ million
1973–74	Nil	Nil	Nil
1974–75	3·36	Nil	3·36
1975–76	0·01	0·01	Nil
1976–77	6·43	0·12	6·31
1977–78	7·52	0·35	7·17
1978–79	14·95	0·42	14·53
1979–80	14·96	0·57	14·39
1980–81	23·01	2·00	21·01
1981–82	24·98	2·62	22·36
1982–83	35·24	5·52	29·72
Totals	130·46	11·61	118·85

These receipts represent cash additions to the recipients. These receipts are subject to normal European Community audit arrangements. Receipts earned by the private sector are paid to the claimant as are receipts in respect of certain public sector bodies. The balance of receipts earned by public sector schemes are appropriated in aid of voted expenditure.The overall level of receipts is taken into account in the Government's decisions on public expenditure allocations, and their availability enables pubic expenditure to be maintained at a higher level than would otherwise be feasible.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money Northern Ireland has received up to 31 December 1982 from the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund guidance section; how much of these receipts were paid to the private sector and how much to the public sector; how much of these receipts represented a cash addition to the Northern Ireland economy; and how much each year was used to offset Government expenditure on Northern Ireland.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 April 1983, c. 408.]: The following amounts were received by Northern Ireland from the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund guidance section:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the reply of 28 February, Official Report, c. 35, if, in order to monitor and assess the effectiveness of education and publicity expenditure aimed at countering discrimination against disabled people, he will take steps to identify the elements of such expenditure by his Department directly and in financial support provided by his Department to voluntary bodies concerned with the disabled; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 April 1983, c. 456]: No. It would not be feasible to identify separately the expenditure involved.

asked the Minister for Trade how much steel was imported into each of the European Community countries from the United States of America in 1982.

Information as is readily available relates to ECSC products and is as follows:

asked the Minister for Trade (1) what is the level in tonnes and value of steel products exported to all other countries, and to each European Community country, over the past 10 years;(2) how much steel was imported into the United Kingdom from the other European Community countries, and from all other countries, in each year from 1977.

The information requested is as follows for 1981 and 1982. Figures for years up to and including 1980 may be found in the "Annual Statistics" published by the iron and steel statistics bureau. Copies are in the Library.

United Kingdom Trade in Steel, 1981 and 1982
Country of Destination/Consignment (value: £ million; weight: thousand tonnes)
	Exports		Imports
	Value, fob	Weight	Weight
1981
France	52	170	324
Belgium-Luxembourg	29	145	421
Netherlands	35	138	574
Federal Republic of Germany	96	438	957
Italy	25	85	204
Irish Republic	57	210	24
Denmark	31	120	91
Greece	16	48	1
All other countries	690	2,754	779
Total	1,031	4,110	3,375
1982
France	58	169	355
Belgium-Luxembourg	25	84	431
Netherlands	42	125	484
Federal Republic of Germany	102	309	1,016
Italy	44	160	285
Irish Republic	56	178	36
Denmark	39	135	84
Greece	15	78	6
All other countries	691	2,159	1,150
Total	1,071	3,397	3,846

asked the Minister for Trade if he will list the regulations governing the use of private aeroplanes and the bodies responsible for their enforcement; and whether such regulations also apply to those planes owned and flown by persons in foreign countries when landing in the United Kingdom.

The statutory instruments which regulate the use of all civil aircraft registered in the United Kingdom are:

(i) The Air Navigation Order 1980.

(ii) The Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Control Regulations 1981.

(iii) The Air Navigation (General) Regulations 1981.

(iv) The Air Navigation (Noise Certification) Order 1979.

(v) The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Atomic Energy Establishments) Regulations 1981.

(vi) The Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) Regulations 1969.

and insofar as they apply to such aircraft they apply wherever they may be.The Civil Aviation Authority has statutory responsibility for the enforcement of these regulations. Except where the context requires otherwise, these regulations apply to any aircraft not on the British register whenever it is within the United Kingdom or on or in the neighbourhood of an offshore installation.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will take steps to correct the effect of the import duty on fully or partly assembled microcomputer systems being 6 per cent. as against 17 per cent. on the components.

The Government are aware of the concern in the United Kingdom equipment industry at the effects of this tariff differential and we are actively considering with the various industrial interests concerned how best to take matters forward.

asked the Minister for Trade whether his Department has investigated the possibility of charging for services provided by the coastguard and maritime rescue services; and if he will make a statement.

As mentioned in the report of a resource control review of Her Majesty's Coastguard, my Department is studying the practicability of recovering search and rescue costs from those for whose benefit the service is provided. When this study is completed, I shall consider whether there is a case for changing the current practice whereby most of the costs are met by the taxpayer. I fully appreciate the wide ranging implication of such a change, and I would envisage the fullest consultation with those concerned with search and rescue before deciding to introduce it.

asked the Minister for Trade when he first discussed the Rayner report on coastguard services with Her Majesty's Chief Coastguard.

Firework injuries m Great Britain (4 week period in October-November)
Year	1982	1981	1980	1979	1978
Place of Accident
1 Family or private party	189	231	168	239	359

I received the report at the end of February and it has been under consideration since then.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will review his earlier decision to cease publication of the names of British companies paying wages below the lower poverty level in South Africa, in view of the fact that the numbers of workers involved has doubled since 1980.

No. The reasons for not naming British companies whose South African subsidies might be paying workers at rates below the lower poverty datum level were fully explained by my right hon. Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Nott) on 27 June 1980. —[Vol. 987, c. 1030–31.] There have been no developments since then which would justify reconsideration of the Government's policy.

asked the Minister for Trade what are the figures for the percentages of the workers employed by British companies in South Africa who are paid below the lower datum level given in table 4 of the analysis and summary of companies' reports submitted under Cmnd. 7233 as 2·5 per cent. for 1978 and 1 per cent. for 1982, to the nearest 0·01 per cent.

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

asked the Minister for Trade whether he will now lay the orders necessary to increase the monetary limits in the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

I plan to lay the orders increasing the limits shortly, at the same time as the regulations to implement the remaining provisions of the Consumer Credit Act. In order to avoid unnecessary complications, I propose that the new limits should take effect immediately after the regulations come into force, that is about 18 months after they are laid. The orders will raise the limits to the levels announced on 20 July 1982 except that I have now decided that the limits under section 118(1) (b) and 120(1)(a) should be raised from £15 to £25 in Jane with the increase proposed for the limit under section 17(1) for small agreements.

asked the Minister for Trade what are the fireworks injuries statistics for 1982.

According to reports from hospitals in England Wales and Scotland, 626 people required treatment for injuries caused by fireworks during a four-week period in October and. November 1982. This is the second lowest figure ever recorded and 55 lower than 1981. The figures for 1982 and the preceding four years are as follows: