asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the unemployment figures of males and females for the towns of Fraserburgh and Peterhead in the years 1980, 1981 and 1982, respectively; and what are the latest figures available.

The information is set out in the following tables.

Table 1
Annual average of unemployed registrants (the old basis of the unemployment count) in Fraserburgh and Peterhead jobcentre areas;
	1980	1981	1982
Fraserburgh
Males	372	557	673
Percentage	8·9	13·3	16·1
Females	215	340	409
Percentage	5·7	9·0	10·8
Peterhead
Males	434	599	710
Percentage	6·0	8·3	9·8
Females	405	411	491
Percentage	9·6	9·8	11·7

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the cost of conducting a house condition survey in Scotland, similar to those held in England and Wales in 1981, based on the following sample sizes (a) 0.5 per cent., (b) 1 per cent., (c) 5 per cent., (d)10 per cent. and (e) 100 per cent. of the Scottish housing stock.

The English house condition survey of 1981 was based on a sample of about 0·05 per cent. of their total housing stock. The best estimate I am able to make is that the direct cost of a similar survey in Scotland based on the hon. Member's smallest sample size of 0.5 per cent. might be approximately £600,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the number of inmates of borstals and detention centres who are problem drinkers; and what provision is made for them.

Because of the difficulty of identifying inmates who may be problem drinkers, no central records are kept. Selective studies of various young offender groups have been made but no general systematic survey has been undertaken of young offender establishments and accordingly no reliable estimate is available.In borstals and detention centres, as in the prison system as a whole, medical officers supervise treatment for the physical consequences of drink abuse. Most young offender establishments also have psychiatrically-qualified medical officers or visiting psychiatrists prepared to offer psychotherapy if this is indicated and the trainee is willing to accept it. A few establishments have special courses for problem drinkers, and some have an Alcoholics Anonymous group or a group offering counselling about drink related problems. All young offender establishments are encouraged to run social skills courses which include coverage of drink, drug and inhalant abuse.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the draft code of minimum standards for prisoners will be published.

I have nothing at present to add to the reply given to the hon. Member's question on this topic on 17 December 1982.—[Vol. 34, c. 284.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funds he made available in 1981 for facilities for drug dependents.

During the financial year 1981–82 grants totalling £384,107 were made to organisations providing facilities for drug dependents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug addicts were notified to him in each police authority area in each of the past 10 years.

Information for the United Kingdom, which is available only for the years 1975 to 1981, is given in the following table. Corresponding information for 1982 will become available later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time the number of occasions where robberies have taken place where security firms have been in any way involved, the amounts of moneys stolen or reported lost, the number of arrests and charges arising from such incidents and, where prosecutions ensued, with what results.

This information is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will request the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, when publishing his annual report or making public statements on the efforts and efficacy of the police in detecting and preventing crime, giving details of their strengths of establishment and so on, also to give details of the extent to which there have been increases or decreases in civilian back-up staffs, employed within the police service, the improvements and increases in plant, equipment such as cars, mechanical and electronic equipment, including two-way radios which help or support the police or the saving of manpower.

It is not my right hon. Friend's practice to instruct the Commissioner on the contents of his public statements, but I am sure he will bear in mind the points the hon. Member has raised.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time up to and including 31 March, the numbers of reports of attacks on the person and those commonly referred to as muggings which have taken place in the Metropolitan Police districts covering the London borough of Newham; in how many cases arrests were made and charges proceeded with; and in the latter cases what were the results of such proceedings.

Mugging is a term with no legal definition. We understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information available is as given in the following table. Information is not readily available on the court proceedings for persons charged.

Certain offences of robbery of personal property*
London Borough of Newham	1981	1982
Offences recorded by the police	131	165
Offences cleared up†	23	26
Persons arrested and charged†‡	33	36
* Offences of robbery of personal property following a sudden attack in the open, there having no previously association between the assailant and the victim.
† The offence may have been recorded in previous years.
‡ Excludes persons who were charged but who had been arrested for another offence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the incident involving Myra Hindley which occurred recently at Her Majesty's prison, Cookham Wood, Rochester, Kent; who else was involved; what were the reasons for the fight; and what action is to be taken against those responsible to prevent a repetition in the future.

We know of no such incident.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been in each of the past three years for allowing animals to suffer severe and enduring pain during tests being made on them.

As reported in the three most recent annual Command Papers "Statistics of experiments on living animals" for 1979, 1980 and 1981 (Cmnds. 8069, 8301, 8657, appendix A under the heading "Infringements") no prosecutions were brought in those years in relation to experiments infringing the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what factors he attributes the rapid turnover of the staff of Her Majesty's Inspector of Prisons in 1982; and if he will take steps to ensure that the inspectorate has a more stable staff in future.

The death of Her Majesty's first chief inspector; the transfer of the deputy chief inspector to fill the post of deputy director general of the prison service that had become vacant at short notice owing to a retirement on medical grounds; the retirement of two long-serving members of staff; and the replacement of a consultant by a specially recruited inspector. I very much hope that staff changes in the inspectorate will be less frequent in future, but some turnover of staff is inevitable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give, for the longest and most convenient stated period of time, the number of cases that have been reported and prosecuted within the Metropolitan Police area for the parking of vehicles and heavy commercial vehicles on pedestrian pavements; and if any recent action has been taken by the police to increase the reports and prosecutions in such cases.

We understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the only available information is that in the Metropolitan police district in 1981 there were three prosecutions by the police for parking heavy goods vehicles on the footpath. There may also have been prosecutions under other legislation as a result of vehicles being parked on the footpath, but these are not recorded separately.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the certified normal accommodation of Brixton prison on the latest available date; what was the population of the prison and, of those, how many were awaiting trial and sentence, respectively; what is the average daily number of receptions; and what is the average daily number of visitors to Brixton prison.

On 28 February the certified normal accommodation of Brixton prison was 504; the inmate population was 770, of whom 482 were awaiting trial and 93 were awaiting sentence. The daily average number of receptions based on a 6-day week excluding Sundays over the past 6 months was approximately 150. Over the same period the number of visitors to inmates amounted to an average of 280 daily (Monday to Friday) and approximately 325 on Saturdays; these figures do not include visits by probation officers which averaged approximately 65 per day.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average number of hours' overtime worked by an officer in Brixton prison.

The figure for February, the latest month for which this information is available, was just over 22 hours.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners committed suicide in Brixton prison in 1982.

One.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West on Thursday 31 March, Official Report, c. 276, he will give similar details for the Metropolitan Police districts which cover the London borough of Newham.

The information readily available relates to "K" district of the Metropolitan police, which covers the London boroughs of Havering, Barking and Newham and is given in the following table.

Offences of robbery at Post Offices recorded by the police in "K" district of the Metropolitan police in which firearms were reported to have been used, 1981.
Type of Weapon	Number of Offences
Sawn-off shotgun	6
Other firearms	18
	—
Total	24

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers were injured in 1982.

In England and Wales assaults on prison officers which resulted in sick absence numbered 315; accidents on duty resulting in sick absence numbered 365. Two hundred and twelve assaults and 261 accidents resulted in sick absences of more than three days.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to set out minimum specifications for special cells, protected rooms and stripped rooms in Her Majesty's prisons and safeguards governing their use.

Specifications for construction of cells and special rooms in segregation and punishment blocks and in hospitals are set out in the relevant volumes of the Treasury-approved briefing guides.We are considering, in the light of comments made by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons in his annual report for 1982, whether further safeguards governing the use of special cells, protected rooms and stripped rooms should be introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that prison governors appoint senior experienced members of staff to be race relation liaison officers.

When governors were instructed, in 1981, to appoint race relations liaison officers it was left to their judgment to determine the most suitable officer for the task, bearing in mind that it is the governor who remains ultimately responsible in the establishment for ensuring good race relations. We believe that this is the right approach. However we will be asking each governor to ensure that the liaison officer he has appointed is sufficiently senior for the post, in the light of the view of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons that some very junior officers have been appointed and that such officers may not be best placed to carry the responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were arrested in Whitehall on Saturday 19 March and charged with obstruction, during a protest demonstration connected with experiments on animals; why those who were held at Rochester Row police station for many hours were photographed against their will; when these photographs will be returned as promised; and in how many cases, other than political demonstrations, persons arrested for obstruction have been photographed.

We understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that a total of 58 persons were arrested on this occasion of whom 30 were charged with obstruction; that because of the number of persons detained photographs were taken in order to avoid confusion about their identity; that it would have been open to those persons to have refused to be photographed; that the photographs which were taken of these persons have now been destroyed; and that no information is collected centrally about the number of cases in which persons arrested for obstruction have been photographed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the persons arrested on Saturday 19 March following a protest demonstration connected with experiments on animals and kept in Rochester Row police station were prevented for a long period of time from making a telephone call and making contact with their legal advisers; and in how many cases, and for what reasons, a person was taken from Rochester Row to Paddington police station and kept in single cells from 8 pm on Saturday until 8.30 am the following Monday morning.

We understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that because of the number of persons detained on this occasion it was not practicable to allow them to make a telephone call and contact their legal advisers immediately. In order to avoid overcrowding in the cells at Rochester Row police station a number of persons were transferred to nearby police stations, including six to Paddington police station; all six were detained at Paddington police station from 8 pm on Saturday until 8.30 am the following Monday morning.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will request the police, when making appeals to the public to take precautions against burglary and theft and so on, to emphasise to all and particularly the aged not to allow any person into their homes for any reason unless and until they show identity papers, in particular when dealing with alleged representatives of public authorities.

The Home Office and the police advise all householders always to verify the identity of callers before admitting them. A new Home Office leaflet with advice on this subject, directed particularly towards the elderly, will be available very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many personnel from private security firms are employed by his Department; from which firms; what are their responsibilities; what is the cost; and if he will make a statement.

My Department does not directly employ personnel from private security firms. It has contracts with a number of such firms to escort and detain, under the authority of the Immigration Service, persons held under the Immigration Act 1971, whenever this is not considered an appropriate use of police manpower; to safeguard cash in transit from banks to Home Office establishments in various parts of the country; and for the protection of some establishments. The number of employees from these firms engaged on this work varies according to the demand for their services.Contracts are currently in existence with the following firms:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will allow the Starosta family political asylum; and if he will make a statement.

Both the immigration appeals adjudicator and the tribunal which heard the appeal by Mr. Starosta and his family against the decision to refuse asylum agreed that the refusal of asylum or recognition as refugees was correct. Taking account of what was said by and before the tribunal, however, I decided on 11 April that the family should be allowed to remain exceptionally outside the published rules for 12 months in the first instance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with present conditions for staff and prisoners in Her Majesty's prison, Manchester; and if there is any action he is likely to be taking.

We accept that conditions for both inmates and staff in the prison are in many respects unsatisfactory. A statement of the action being taken to improve those conditions will be published, with the report on the prison by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, on 21 April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reverse the escalating use of firearms by criminals; and if he will make a statement.

The number of firearms reported to have been used in crimes in 1981, the latest year for which figures are yet available, was the highest recorded for almost all types of weapon, but they were used in only about one quarter of 1 per cent. of all notifiable offences recorded. The proportion of offences in which firearms were reported to have been used has not altered significantly in recent years, and in 1981, as in previous years, in no offence group did it exceed 10 per cent.The Firearms Act 1968 already lays down strict controls over the possession and use of firearms. My right hon. Friend is not persuaded that more stringent controls would have a significant effect on the level of crime or that the substantial extra work-load these would create for the police would be justified. Heavy penalties, up to life imprisonment in some instances, can already be imposed for those who use firearms for criminal purposes.The measures which police forces take to combat armed crime are an operational matter for chief officers, and my right hon. Friend is sure that they will continue to do all that they can to ensure that offenders are detected and brought before the courts. In that they have the Government's full support.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the prison authorities segregate mentally disordered prisoners from other prisoners; and whether they receive special treatment.

Care is taken to ensure that prisoners diagnosed as suffering from mental disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1959 are located within an establishment with a full-time and psychiatrically-experienced medical officer, and access to the services of a visiting consultant psychiatrist. Such prisoners are normally located in the prison hospital. Their treatment, including the extent to which they are allowed to associate with other patients, is a matter for the clinical judgment of the medical officer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has revised the calculations of the likely number of casualties arising from the blast, heat and radiation effects of a nuclear bomb; and if he will make a statement on the broad general effect of such a revision on the number of deaths likely to arise from various types of nuclear attack.

The work is not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has now been made in disposing of Haldon open prison.

Tenders have been invited by the appointed agent, the closing date for which is 29 April 1983.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West of 30 March, Official Report, c. 168–172, he will take steps to arrange for all British Members of Parliament to receive the same conditions or payments as Members of the European Assembly where these are presently worse than those now received by such Members; and whether he will itemise the details and the costs of such improvements.

No. It would not be appropriate to recompense Members of Parliament for their expenses on a basis determined by, and appropriate for, service in another parliamentary body.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether, in view of the new scheme introduced by the Government from April to enable civil servants to take a voluntary retirement on pensions at 55 years of age, he will consider introducing a similar scheme of the same basis for hon. and right hon. Members.

The new voluntary early retirement scheme for civil servants over the age of 55, which has been introduced from 1 April 1983, is designed to assist in reducing departmental staff surpluses, to help resolve current management difficulties and to improve efficiency. Such a scheme would not be appropriate for Members of Parliament.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether the review by Sir Alec Atkinson of the selection procedures for administration trainees in the Home Civil Service, and for certain other grades, has been completed; and whether it will be published.

Sir Alec Atkinson's report has now been received by the Civil Service Commissioners, and will be published on Wednesday 20 April. I am arranging for a copy of the report to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Prime Minister if she will consider setting up and providing the financial and other resources necessary for an environmental protection agency with the authority to make and implement regulations to control pollution.

The present arrangements work well and I see no reason to change them.

asked the Prime Minister whether any assessment has been made by Her Majesty's Government of the extent to which Government organisation and funding of a "Buy British" campaign could contravene article 30 of the Treaty of Rome.

Yes. A Government campaign to encourage the purchase of British-made goods regardless of price and quality would contravene article 30 of the Treaty of Rome. But is is the policy of the United Kingdom Government to buy British goods whenever their price and quality are competitive, and I urge everyone to do the same.

asked the Prime Minister if she will receive a deputation from the People's March for Jobs which is due to start in April; and if she will make a statement.

No. The solution to unemployment—as we have consistently said—is in sustainable economic recovery which will create permanent jobs and future prosperity.

asked the Prime Minister how many persons have died in each year to date as a consequence of the release of polonium and other radioactive isotopes into the atmosphere at the Windscale fire of 1957.

There is no evidence that anyone in the United Kingdom has died as a consequence of the release of polonium and other radioactive isotopes into the atmosphere at the Windscale fire of 1957.

asked the Prime Minister how many staff at Windscale have been taken off duty since 1952 because they were contaminated by polonium.

I understand that a complete check would require examination of tens of thousands of records. However, the summary documents and individual records that it has been possible to examine in the time available provide no evidence that any person was permanently withdrawn from further work with radiation as a result of contamination by polonium at Windscale.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will conduct a health screening programme on all persons who may have been affected by the fire at the Windscale reactor in 1957; and if she will make a statement.

The National Radiological Protection Board is the body responsible for carrying out research into radiation hazards from all sources including incidents such as the 1957 Windscale fire. Further to its recent report on the fire, and as part of its long-term research, the board is continuing its studies of the incidence of thyroid cancer using available evidence from the population as a whole. An extended study of the incidence of all cancers in Cumbria is also being carried out on behalf of the Cumbria district health authority, and the NRPB has kept in close touch with this research.In 1975 the NRPB set up a national register of all radiation workers, and the board is analysing mortality amongst these workers looking particularly at death rates from malignant diseases. The register will include data provided by British Nuclear Fuels Limited, which is carrying out its own study of the causes of death of employees and ex-employees at all its sites including Windscale. The findings of all these studies will be published as soon as they become available.

asked the Prime Minister what is the quantity of polonium produced at Windscale since 1952.

This Government, like previous Administrations, do not publish information about quantities of special materials produced for our defence nuclear programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he now intends to implement the Thompson report on the youth service; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is now considering the comments on the report made during consultation, which ended on 31 March, and expects to make a statement in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science on what basis the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave), made public statements on the British Broadcasting Corporation's "Today" programme on 12 April as to the policy of the University Grants Committee in the allocation of funds for new posts in universities for research staff.

I am sending the hon. Member the relevant announcements and a transcript of the interview to which he refers.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to find employment for unemployed disabled people who suffer from partial disability; how many unemployed partial sufferers from multiple sclerosis have found work in the Principality in the most recent year for which figures are available; what action he proposes to take to increase the numbers; and if he will make a statement.

The Government, through the Manpower Services Commission, seek to help all disability groups to find employment. Although information is not available on the numbers in any particular disability group who have found work, a total of 2,033 disabled people were placed into employment by the Manpower Services Commission in Wales during the year ending March 1983.The Government and the commission have endorsed as the basis for a way forward the commission's recent review of assistance for disabled people, which confirms the commitment to maintain and if possible, improve the level of assistance for disabled people. The recommendations of the review include a reorganisation of assistance to provide more professional help for disabled people with special needs and improving the opportunities to influence employers policies and practices for disabled people by the setting up of special teams. These recommendations are to be introduced progressively during 1983 and the early part of 1984, beginning with four regions, including Wales, in April 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his purchasing policy regarding the Welsh water authority; if he proposes to issue an instruction to the authority to discriminate in favour of Welsh firms which tender on a competitive basis; and if he will make a statement.

The Welsh water authority's purchasing policy is a matter for it, but I understand that its select lists for tenders for projects of up to £300,000 value are compiled from firms local to the project. It also encourages all contractors to use local labour and, in general, is sympathetic to the interests of local firms in matters relating to purchasing and the letting of contracts.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to increase the exchange of information about research into wave power with other countries.

The present arrangements are considered to be adequate. Wave energy research workers in the United Kingdom have well-established channels for exchange of information with those in other countries, and good communication between research workers exists. A considerable amount of material has been published and discussed at conferences and elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many local authorities have commented on his Department's consultants' report on the feasibility of combined heat and power district heating in the nine areas designated.

Local authorities concerned in each of the nine areas studied in detail have commented on the consultants' report.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what measures he is taking to ensure that small firms are made aware of the business expansion scheme.

As my hon. Friend knows, we are currently carrying out another substantial marketing programme of Government measures to assist small businesses, and I assure him that the business enterprise scheme features prominently in that.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what are the latest figures available for the output of manufacturing industry; and what are the comparable figures for 1978.

In the three months ended February of this year, the index of manufacturing production is provisionally estimated to have been 88·6 (1975 = 100), 1 per cent. higher than in the previous three months.A comparable figure for the three months ended February 1978 is 103·5.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will make a statement about his future plans for funding British Leyland.

As I announced to the House on 28 February, the Government have approved BL's 1983 corporate plan and its associated funding requirement. This means that, in addition to the remaining £100 million of the £990 million previously approved, a final sum of up to £100 million will be made available to BL if needed during 1983 and 1984 provided performance has been satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry why he has increased to 500 employees the size of firm eligible for aid under the small engineering firms investment scheme.

I have raised the limit for SEFIS 2 from 200 to 500 employees to assist investment by genuinely independent medium sized as well as small firms. Companies in this employment range are not numerous but they often share the same problems of lack of resources needed to make vital investment.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what discussions he has had with other European Governments about standards for direct broadcasting by satellite using multiflex analogue components MAC C as recommended by the Part committee; how the British preference for a structure map multiflex can be resolved with the European Broadcasting Union's preference for the packet multiflex for sound; and what decisions have been reached.

Following visits by a team led by Sir Anthony Part and the emergence from the European Broadcasting Union's technical committee of new proposals for a sound transmission system based on the French packet multiplex system and in an endeavour to achieve a common European standard, the Government have decided to postpone a decision on a United Kingdom DBS sound standard until after the meeting of the EBU's technical committee in Copenhagen taking place this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what revised proposals he has received from the chairman of the British Steel Corporation for the future of the United Kingdom steel industry.

The Government are currently considering the British Steel Corporation's corporate plan for 1983–86.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the number of applications for Industry Act 1972, section 7, assistance received by his Department from the Barnsley travel-to-work area in 1980, 1981 and 1982, the sums of money involved with each successful application and the dates on which the payments were made.

Details of applications received and offers made under section 7 of the Industry Act (subsequently the Industrial Development Act 1982) in the Barnsley travel-to-work area in 1980, 1981 and 1982 are as follows:

	1980	1981	1982
No. of applications received	1	6	5
No. of successful applications	0	5	3
Value of offers made (£'000)	—	333	373

Details of individual payments made are confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will indicate the number and value of applications for job creation grants under the office and service industries scheme which have been approved for firms in the Barnsley travel-to-work area since August 1979, together with the number of jobs involved.

There have been no applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will indicate the number of applications for job-creating loans under the European coal and steel community made from the Barnsley travel-to-work area, the sums of money involved with each successful application and the number of jobs involved.

One loan from the European Coal and Steel Community has been made. The value of the loan was £250,000 and it is estimated that this will create 170 jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the number of applications for loans under the small firms' loan guarantee scheme in the Barnsley travel-to-work area since the scheme's inception, the number of applications approved and the sums of money involved, as well as the number of successful applicants who have since gone out of business.

No separate figures are available for the Barnsley travel-to-work area. To 31 March 1983 my Department issued 706 guarantees to firms based in the Yorkshire and Humberside region, in respect of £20·4 million of bank lending; demands were received on 42 of those guarantees. Very few applications are rejected by my Department, but figures are not available for those that are turned down by the banks.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much assistance under the Industry Act has been given to firms making pipes and drains for sewage for the latest convenient period.

I regret that the figures requested are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects A320 Airbus orders to be made by British Airways; how many earlier models of the European Airbus have been purchased by British Airways; how many factories and workers in the United Kingdom are engaged in the manufacture of the Airbus; what is the estimated value to the United Kingdom of its share of the sales of the European Airbus so far; and if he will make a statement.

British Airways are currently considering which aircraft would best meet their future needs. They are evaluating the proposed A320 along with other options. British Airways have not so far purchased either the A300 or the A310. I understand from British Aerospace that some 5,500 of its personnel are directly and indirectly engaged in Airbus work at eight BAe sites. There is further Airbus-related employment in subcontractors and equipment suppliers. The value of the British Aerospace element in sales of Airbus aircraft since BAe became a partner in Airbus Industries in 1979 amounts to about £300 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many applications have been received for help in the financial year 1983–84 under the loan guarantee scheme.

Figures for the early part of financial year 1983–84 are not yet available, but in the financial year 1982–83 my Department issued 6,045 guarantees, in respect of £198·9 million of bank lending.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much of the cash allocations for 1982–83 for research and innovation remains unspent; how much has been spent and on what projects; and how much will be spent next year.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has approved any plans by the English Industrial Estates Corporation for further public investment in the assisted areas of England, or elsewhere, during the next financial year.

Yes. My right hon. Friend has approved provisional proposals by the corporation for allocating £27 million grant in aid to the travel-to-work areas in the assisted areas of England where new industrial and commercial development is needed to help reduce unemployment. Provisional allocation of resources Ls as follows:

English Industrial Estates Corporation 1983–84 planned resources allocation
TTWA	£'000
North west
Birkenhead	1,722
Blackpool	215
Bolton	646
Lancaster	108
Leigh	215
Liverpool	4,629
Northwich	215
Rochdale	431
Rossendale	215
St. Helens	538
Southport	323
Whitehaven	215
Widnes	538
Wigan	646
Workington	431
North east
Central Durham	108
Consett*	2,940
Darlington and south west Durham	215
Hartlepool	646
Morpeth	215
North Tyne	323
South Tyne	1,184
Teesside	1,722
Wearside	1,184
Yorkshire and Humberside
Barnsley	215
Bridlington	108
Goole	108
Grimsby	108
Hull	754
Mexborough	431
Rotherham	646
Scunthorpe*	1,960
Whitby	108
South west
Fatmouth	108
Helston	108
Ilfracombe	108
Liskeard	108
Newquay	108
Penzance	108
Plymouth	538
Redruth	108
Torbay	215
East midlands
Gainsborough	108
Mablethorpe	108
Skegness	108
Total	27,100
* Steel closure area.

The corporation intends to spend this money on developments which provide the most effective means of reducing unemployment, and in addition to building advance factories it will consider projects for derelict land clearance, site preparation, workshop units, buildings for high technology industries and office accommodation. Detailed announcements about specific projects will be made by the corporation as appropriate.The corporation will, as before, be required to make every effort to reduce the net cost of its activities to the Exchequer by selling off existing assets at current market value and placing the proceeds in the Consolidated Fund.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will list the non-tariff barriers to trade which exist between member states of the European Community.

No such list is available. However, the Commission has recently produced a list of the types of national administrative or legal requirements which can have the effect of hindering the free flow of trade within the Community. This list is annexed to Commission Document 5079/83 of 23 February 1983, which is already available in the Library. The report on the internal market by the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities (HL 204), which was debated in another place on 13 December 1982, also contains evidence on those legal and administrative barriers to trade remaining within the Community.Since the beginning of this year, I have attended two sessions of the Council of Ministers devoted specifically to the removal of the remaining barriers to trade in goods and services within the Community. A statement on the second session is contained in the

asked the Minister for Trade what assessment is made by Her Majesty's Government of the effect on employment of changes in the level of trading deficit in manufactures with the rest of the European Community.

None. It is not meaningful to consider how employment might be affected by changes in manufactured trade with one group of trading partners without taking into account related changes in trade in other goods and services, and with other trading partners.

asked the Minister for Trade whether he will ask the Director General of Fair Trading to investigate the practice of the principal banks of imposing substantial administration charges upon mortgagors who wish to convert a repayment mortgage with the bank concerned to a low cost endowment mortgage arranged other than through that bank.

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

asked the Minister for Trade if he will ask the Director General of Fair Trading to investigate the requirement by banks that where cheques have been lost in robberies such as the recent London security firm robbery, a charge is made to stop payment on such cheques; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Minister for Trade if he is satisfied that the law provides adequate powers to control night flying by aircraft over built-up areas below controlled airspace; and at what height controlled airspace is normally set in such areas.

[pursuant to the reply, 11 April 1983, c. 288–9]: I am satisfied that the law provides adequate powers for the Secretary of State to prohibit or restrict flying for any reason affecting the public interest. Power to prohibit or restrict flying is given in article 66 of the Air Navigation Order 1980.Controlled airspace is designated in areas, and on routes, where the volume of air traffic requires the protection afforded by an air traffic control service. The lower limit of controlled airspace varies considerably, since it must contain the flight paths of aircraft climbing, descending and en route, which require the safety protection which an air traffic control service affords. Near many airports, such controlled airspace begins at ground level to accommodate aircraft taking off and landing. Further away from airports the lower limit is likely to become progressively higher.Outside controlled airspace, the Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Control Regulations 1981 provide such measures as have been deemed necessary to protect aircraft, and to avoid danger to persons and property on the ground. It is significant as an indication of the correction of these measures that available records show that, since 1945, there have been no collisions at night between aircraft flying outside controlled airspace in the United Kingdom.In fact, few civil aircraft cruise at the lower altitudes below controlled airspace at night, and those that do are mainly small ones, and for safety are equipped with identification lights which enable them to be seen by any other aircraft in the immediate vicinity. Furthermore, these aircraft are also provided with an information service by the national air traffic control service which can include details of known traffic. I do not think any further powers to restrict such movements would be justified on noise or safety grounds.

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.

[pursuant to the reply, 15 April 1983, c. 478]: The lack of information in some companies' reports, and the variations in the lower datum level between different localities and during the period covered by the reports, make it impossible to calculate the percentages with the degree of precision requested by the hon. Member.

asked the Attorney-General when the Lord Chancellor last exercised his responsibilities under section 17 of the Commons Registration Act 1965 relating to the appointment of Commons Commissioners.

The Lord Chancellor last exercised his responsibilities on 13 October 1982, when he re-appointed three Commons Commissioners, including the Chief Commissioner, for further terms.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what check is made on shipments of live animals into Hong Kong from countries other than China.

A special permit and a specified health certificate are required before such animals may be imported into Hong Kong. Animals intended for slaughter must be taken forthwith to Government abattoirs or depots. Other animals must be confined and isolated in designated areas until permission for their release is given. There are also special regulations concerning the importation of cats and dogs and endangered species.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about relations with Ethiopia.

As my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind) informed the hon. Member for Stockport, North (Mr. Bennett) on 20 October, the British Government have normal diplomatic relations with Ethiopia. We are currently providing considerable emergency aid to Ethiopia for famine relief, as described in the reply by my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Raison) to the hon. Member for Islington, Central (Mr. Grant) on 31 March.—[Vol.29, c. 145; Vol. 40, c. 221.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations are being made to the Government of Zimbabwe to enable those wishing to emigrate from that country to take their savings with them.

Exchange controls in Zimbabwe are entirely a matter for the Zimbabwean Government. It would not therefore be appropriate for us to make formal representations. We have, however, frequently pointed out to the Zimbabwean authorities the difficulties which these controls are causing, particularly for the elderly and those on low fixed incomes, and have been assured that they will be relaxed as soon as financial circumstances permit.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now take steps to establish a British consulate and reopen the British trade mission in Windhoek, Namibia; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans at present for establishing diplomatic or commercial representation in Namibia. We expect to set up a permanent mission in Windhoek once Namibia's independence is achieved and internationally recognised.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what are the implications for British policy of the Federal Republic of Germany's policy of ceasing to support the South-West Africa People's Organisation whether directly or through the United Nations or its relevent agencies, the Council for Namibia and the Institute for Namibia in Lusaka;(2) whether he has yet had any discussions with the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany about their proposed reopening of the German Consulate in Windhoek, Namibia; and if he will make a statement.

The Government of the Federal Republic have not announced any changes in their policy on Namibia. Our policy remains to continue our efforts, in conjunction with our partners in the Five, to achieve an early settlement in accordance with Security Council Resolution 435.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in view of the attack on St. John's school in Buenos Aires, he will ask the British interests unit of the Swiss embassy in Argentina, to assess the danger to British subjects.

This is a matter which we keep under regular review.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 28 March, Official Report, c. 46, whether there has yet been any response by the Government of E1 Salvador to Her Majesty's Government's hope that the circumstances of the death of Marianella Garcia Villas would be fully investigated and the results made public.

I have received no further news. The British ambassador at Tegucigalpa is aware of the continuing concern expressed in this country and has been instructed to make further enquiries of the Salvadorian authorities when he next visits E1 Salvador. Further representations have also been made to the Salvadorean embassy in London.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance was given by his Department to the company Mitchell-Coutts in pursuing its claim for compensation from the Government of Uganda.

The negotiations leading to the formation of the present joint venture company in which the Government of Uganda hold 51 per cent. of the capital and Mitchell Coutts 49 per cent, were pursued by the two parties direct without the involvement of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. This Department and the British high commission in Kampala were kept informed of the progress of the negotiatios but we did not provide specific assistance to the British company.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance has been given by his Department to non-corporate claimants to gain compensation for assets seized by the former military Government of Uganda.

We have sent circular letters to claimants telling them about the enactment of the Expropriated Properties Act by the Uganda Government and summarising its provisions. Our high commissioner in Kampala has had discussions with the Uganda Government about the latter's intentions with regard to compensation and we have had similar discussions with the Ugandan high commissoner in London. We are on the point of passing information to claimants on the procedures which the Uganda Government wish to be followed to establish claims for compensation, and stand ready to give claimants copies of any documents we hold which might help them in drawing up their claims.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what local remedies are available in Uganda for United Kingdom citizens seeking compensation for assets seized by the former military Government.