asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the average gross hourly earnings in manufacturing industry and the economy as a whole in October 1978 and at the latest available date, expressed in terms of pounds sterling, in each member state of the European Community, Japan, the United States of America and Canada.

The latest available comparable figures covering full-time adult manual employees in the member states of the European Community and relating to October 1981 were given in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 21 February.—[Vol. 37, c. 318–319].The comparable figures for October 1978 are as follows:

Average gross hourly earnings (£) of adult manual employees in manufacturing industry
	Based on exchange rates*	Based on purchasing power parities
United Kingdom	1·76	1·76
Federal German Republic	3·21	1·93
France	2·07	1·46
Italy	1·71	1·81
Netherlands	3·13	1·94
Belgium	3·28	2·02
Luxembourg	3·75	2·59
Irish Republic	1·70	1·71
Denmark	4·14	2·38
Source: Eurostat. Hourly Earnings: Hours of work (2–1980).
Note:
*Based on sterling exchange rates in October 1978. As differences in exchange rates do not necessarily indicate equivalent differences in the purchasing power of earnings in different countries, figures have been prepared by EUROSTAT which take account of relative price levels in each country and which modify the picture given by using exchange rates.

Comparable figures for the whole economy and for Japan, the United States, Canada and Greece are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, year by year, what was the average annual increase or decrease in real wages for the United Kingdom from 1979 to the latest available date.

The information is as follows:

Percentage increase
	Average Earnings Index (whole economy)	Retail Prices Index (all items)
1979–1980	20·7	18·0
1980–1981	12·9	11·9
1981–1982	9·3	8·6

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many travel-to-work areas there are with unemployment rates of 20 per cent. or over.

At 10 March, there were 47 travel-to-work areas in the United Kingdom—out of a total of 393—with an unemployment rate of 20 per cent. or over.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish for the latest convenient date the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for (a) men and (b) women for (i) Great Britain, (ii) England and (iii) each English region.

The following table gives the rates of seasonally adjusted claimant unemployment—excluding school leavers—at 10 March.

	Male	Female
Great Britain	15·9	8·4
England	15·5	8·0
South East	12·1	6·2
East Anglia	13·5	7·5
South·West	14·0	7·9
West Midlands	195	10·1
East Midlands	14·8	7·7
Yorkshire and Humberside	17·1	9·1
North·West	19·6	9·9
North	20·6	10·7

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish for the last convenient date the estimated unemployment rates for men and women in Switzerland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, West Germany, Holland, Belgium, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy.

Following is the available information, for December 1982 unless otherwise indicated. The figures are not directly comparable owing to differences in statistical definitions and methods of compilation; they are not seasonally adjusted.

	Unemployed rates
	Male	Female
Switzerland*•	0·4	0·6
Luxembourg†	1·2	2·4
Swedent‡||	2·9	3·3
Norwayt‡¶	3·0	3·5
Austria‡•	2·3	5·1
Denmark‡	10·0	9·5
Finland‡||	6·0	6·2
France†	7·9	11·7
Germany (FR)†	8·0	9·1
Holland†	14·6	13·7
Belgium†	10·7	19·9
Ireland†	15·1	12·7
Spaint‡||	15·1	20·3
Portugal‡▀	4·2	13·6
Greece‡	2·0	3·3
Italy‡	9·0	16·1
Separate figures for male and female are not available for Iceland; the total rate (average for 1981) was 0·4*
* Registered unemployed; rate calculated as a percentage of total labour force.
† Registered unemployed; rate calculated as a percentage of civilian working population.
‡ Labour force sample survey; rate calculated as a percentage of total labour force.
|| Fourth quarter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed in the steel industry in the United Kingdom and each English region in 1964, 1970, 1974, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and at the latest date for which figures are available.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, for Great Britain and England, what is the number of (a) self-employed persons, (b) employers employing one full-time employee, and (c) employers employing two full-time employees.

The latest estimate of the number of self-employed persons is for June 1981. There were then 2,057,000 in Great Britain and 1,793,000 in England.Information on the number of employers employing one or two full-time employees is not available. However, it is estimated, from a sample of records from the 1981 census of employment, that in Great Britain the number of census units with one employee was 120,000 while a further 135,000 reported two employees. A census unit is not necessarily a separate employer. Some units represent one establishment of a larger firm and some only part of the work force at an establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many vacancies and of what type at present are notifed to his offices in (a) the West Midlands, (b) the Black Country area of the region and (c) the Walsall travel-to-work area; what were the figures for May 1979; and what are the percentage differences in the total figures in categories (a),(b) and (c).

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

	Authorised staffing level	Staff in post	Shortfall
(a) Wormwood Scrubs	529	450	79
(b) Brixton	667	602	65
(c) Wandsworth	389	347	42
(d) Pentonville	345	313	32

The shortage of staff in each case is partly offset at present by the use of detached duty staff. Three staff are currently provided each weekday for Wormwood Scrubs, 10 for Brixton, six for Wandsworth and six for Pentonville.

asked the Minister for Trade (1) if any complaints have been made to his Department about any aspect of the work of citizens advice bureaux in Scotland;(2) if he will list the various matters referred to by the Minister for Consumer Affairs on 12 April,

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when was the last date before his answer of 14 April, Official Report, c. 436–37, on which he received representations for reconsideration of clause 10 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Bill; and what information arose that was not available to him during the Committee stage of the Bill.

13 April. The proposals outlined in my right hon. Friend's answer of 14 April were formulated not on the basis of hitherto unavailable information but because he judged it necessary in the light of representations to restate the means of achieving the original intentions of the clause.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by how many prison officers at Her Majesty's prisons (a) Wormwood Scrubs, (b) Brixton, (c) Wandsworth and (d) Pentonville are under, or over, establishment; and if he will list their establishment figures.

The information requested, relating to all grades in the prison officer class as at 13 April, is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inquiries were made of the police national computer by the Metropolitan police force for the years 1981 and 1982, broken down by division, central department and branch.

The information requested is not available, but we understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that some sample figures of transactions conducted by divisional terminals were recorded for a 28-day period in 1981 and 1982. The information obtained is set out in the following table:

Number of PNC inquiries over a 28-day period
Division		1981	1982
Cannon Row	'AD'	2,331	3,466
Rochester Row	'AR'	2,019	2,286
Gerald Road	'AL'	2,499	3,403
Kensington	'BD'	5,128	5,606
Notting Hill	'BH'	4,377	5,776
Chelsea	'BC	4,192	3,795
West End Central	'CD'	5,459	5,608
Vine Street	'CV	3,865	4,815
Bow Street	'CB'	5,964	4,002
Paddington	'DD'	4,109	4,008
Marylebone	'DM'	4,249	3,604
Harrow Road	'DR'	3,851	4,345
Hampstead	'EH'	2,269	3,039
Holborn	'EO'	3,247	2,994
Kentish Town	'EK'	4,466	5,594
Hammersmith	'FD'	3,743	3,615
Shepherds Bush	'FS'	2,842	2,793
Fulham	'FF'	3,126	2,937
Stoke Newington	'GN'	4,120	5,515
Hackney	'GH'	3,602	3,294
Leman Street	'HD'	2,711	2,375
Bethnal Green	'HB'	3,265	2,153
Limehouse	'HH'	3,570	3,761
Heathrow	'ID'	4,158	3,485
West Drayton	'IW'	3,077	3,535
Barkingside	'JB'	2,112	2,600
Chingford	'JC'	2,713	2,869
Ilford	'JI'	2,423	3,126
Leyton	'JL'	2,727	3,093
Romford	'KD'	4,454	3,987
East Ham	'KE'	3,461	4,515
Dagenham	'KG'	3,334	3,846
West Ham	'KW'	4,537	4,635
Brixton	'LD'	3,805	4,092
Clapham	'LM'	3,221	3,697
Streatham	'LS'	3,425	2,055
Kennington Lane	'LK'	3,375	3,794
Southwark	'MD'	3,437	5,353
Peckham	'MM'	3,805	4,482
Carter Street	'MS'	3,187	5,012
Kings Cross	'ND'	3,008	3,419
Islington	'NT'	1,911	1,298
Holloway	'NH'	5,268	6,291
Catford	'PD'	4,297	5,162
Lewisham	'PL'	4,042	4,013
St. Mary Cray	'PM'	1,957	2,264
Bromley	'PR'	3,085	3,576
Wembley	'QD'	3,187	3,853
Kilburn	'QK'	4,596	5,056
Harrow	'QA'	3,683	3,770
Greenwich	'RD'	4,355	3,469
Woolwich	'RW'	3,665	3,441
Bexleyhealth	'RY'	3,468	4,229
Golders Green	'SG'	3,128	3,501
Barnet	'SA'	2,467	3,552
West Hendon	'SW'	2,559	3,592
Hounslow	'TD'	4,185	4,896
Twickenham	'TW'	1,485	2,901
Richmond	'TR'	1,806	2,691
Chiswick	'TE'	3,285	2,499
Kingston	'VD'	2,694	4,759
Wimbledon	'VW'	3,039	2,690
Tooting	'WD'	2,304	2,665
Battersea	'WA'	2,989	3,377
Wandsworth	'WW'	3,311	3,127
Ealing	'XD'	5,174	4,998
Southall	'XS'	4,038	3,741
Ruislip	'XR'	2,412	2,967

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inquiries made of the police national computer were of (a) the vehicle indexes, (b) the criminal names index and (c) the wanted/missing persons index in the last convenient period of time.

The number of inquiries made of the police national computer during the period 6 March to 2 April 1983 for the indexes requested was as follows:

	Vehicle indexes	Criminal names index	Wanted/Missing persons index
Week beginning 6 March	754,351	153,743	135,026
Week beginning 13 March	737,628	152,628	134,193
Week beginning 20 March	724,555	146,867	127,216
Week beginning 27 March	682,165	135,396	124,707

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give brief details of the computer systems in use or planned for the Metropolitan police force.

We understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that details of Metropolitan police computer systems currently in use are as given in the following list. Future developments involving the use of computers in his force are currently under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his role in deciding what computer systems the Metropolitan police force has.

As police authority it is my right hon. Friend's responsibility to give prior approval to any expenditure on computers for the Metropolitan police in excess of the delegated financial powers of the receiver for the Metropolitan police district.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Metropolitan police force is planning to introduce a computerised criminal information system.

In addition to the existing C department computer facilities, details of which were given in another place—[Vol. 441, c. 87–88]—the Metropolitan police are considering whether to introduce a computerised system to hold crime report information. It would replace crime books, some associated indexes and the present crime statistics computer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to introduce adequate fire regulations regarding the safety hazards of double glazing; and if he will make a statement.

We are not persuaded that legislation to control the installation of double glazing in private houses is necessary. Nevertheless, we accept that there may be a potential safety hazard arising from certain types of fixed glazing, and we are considering how it might be drawn to the attention of the public, both through the trade and by television publicity.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any relationship is planned between the fingerprint index on the police national computer and the system recently ordered by the Metropolitan police to computerise fingerprints; and if he has any plans to connect the Metropolitan police fingerprint system to other police computer systems.

The fingerprint records of some persons held on the Metropolitan police automatic fingerprint recognition system may also be held on the police national computer, but there are no plans for any electronic link between the two systems, which use different methods of encoding; nor are there any current plans to connect the Metropolitan police system to any other police computer system.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bytes are available on the police national computer for police officers to enter a comment about a vehicle in the stolen and suspect vehicles index.

For each entry in the stolen and suspect vehicle index, 120 bytes are available to record a comment. More than one entry per vehicle is permitted. On 9 April 1983 the average number of entries per vehicle was 1·054.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the actual number of entries and the maximum number of entries in each index of the police national computer and the number of bytes available for police officers to enter a comment about a person in the wanted and missing person's index.

The number of entries in each of the main indexes of the police national computer on 3 April 1983 was as follows:

	Numbers
Stolen and suspect vehicles	304,049
Stolen vehicles (chassis/engine numbers)	406,651
Vehicle owners	30,479,914
Fingerprints	3,148,415
Criminal names	4,635,327
Wanted/Missing persons	116,506
Disqualified drivers	254,896
Cross-references between the criminal names index and local records	927,118

The number of entries that the indexes may hold is limited only by the availability of computer storage.For each entry in the wanted and missing persons index 100 bytes are available to hold comment. More than one entry per person is permitted. The average number of entries per person on 21 March 1983 was 1·074.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to place members of the Metropolitan police drug squad in European and other countries to gain information about the importation into the United Kingdom of heroin.

I understand that the Association of Chief Police Officers—ACPO—is currently considering a recommendation from its national drugs conference held earlier this month relating to posting abroad police officers for drugs intelligence liaison work. Any recommendation from ACPO on this matter will be carefully considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government's White Paper about laboratory animal legislation has now been completed; and, if so, when it will be published.

The Government's proposals have not yet been completed, but we hope to publish them shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer of Thursday 17 March, Official Report, c. 217–18, whether he now proposes to take any further action in the case of Mr. K. K. Abrol; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is seeking independent medical advice on some of the matters raised in Mr. Abrol's application. He hopes, once this has been obtained, to be in a position to reach a final decision on whether Mr. Abrol's case should be referred to the Court of Appeal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider his decision to refuse political asylum to Selim Duzgun who, if returned to Turkey, would face persecution at the hands of the military authorities because of his involvement in democratic and Kurdish political movements.

Mr. Duzgun has now been recognised as a refugee and granted asylum in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters he has received (a) from hon. Members and (b) from the public on the question of the new, lower salary scale for trainee probation officers; and if he will make a statement on the dispute.

The number of letters received (a) from hon. Members and (b) from the public about the decision to reduce the salaries of probation students commencing with those starting training in 1983 is 233 and 89, respectively. I regret the intention of the National Association of Probation Officers to take industrial action in protest against that decision, the reasons for which are contained in the reply I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Islington, Central (Mr. Grant) on 28 February.—[Vol. 38, c.3.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances the police are allowed to charge for the costs of providing police escorts or police attendance at functions organised by non-statutory bodies for which advance notice of crowd control requirements have been notified; and if he is satisfied with the present arrangements.

The practice of charging for the attendance of police officers is governed by section 15 of the Police Act 1964, which provides that a charge may be made by the police authority if the chief officer of police has been requested to provide, and has provided, special services at any place. "Special services" are services which would not normally be provided in pursuance of the general duty of the police to preserve law and order. My right hon. Friend is considering whether, additionally, demonstrators should be required to meet the costs of policing their demonstrations, as part of his review of the Public Order Act 1936 and related legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 51 Cypriots deported during 1982, and the 42 Cypriots deported since 29 April 1982, were deported under each of the relevant sections and subsections of the Immigration Act 1971.

The information is as follows:

Immigration Act 1971	Cypriots deported in 1982	Cypriots deported during period 29 April 1982 to 5 April 1983
Section 3(5)(a)	32	27
Section 3(5)(b)	—	—
Section 3(5)(c)	2	1
Section 3(6)	17	14
Total	51	42

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the exact whereabouts, with grid reference, of the planned experiment for the automatic reading of car registration plates on a six-lane highway referred to in the 1981 Chief Inspector of Constabulary's report.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Barking (Miss Richardson) on 21 March. — [Vol. 39, c. 335.] The trials took place at the Kent end of the Dartford tunnel.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the manual of guidance concerned with data standards for criminal information systems mention in Police Research Bulletin No. 37, of autumn 1981, page 23, or place a copy in the Library.

My noble Friend will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's experiment to computerise crime intelligence collators' records, mentioned in Police Research Bulletin No. 37 of autumn 1981, page 23, detailing the aim of the project; which police systems are or will be informed and what lessons have been learned from the project; and if he will place any reports in the Library.

This was a reference to a joint project with the Thames Valley police, the purpose of which was to determine, by experiment, whether improved methods of storing and processing criminal intelligence material would make an increased contribution to the detection of crime. My noble Friend will write to the hon. Member about the remaining parts of his question when he has consulted the chief constable of the Thames Valley police.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what date he is seeking comments from interested parties on volumes 1 and 2 of the report of the Committee on the Enforcement Powers of the Revenue Departments.

No specific date has been set. We have so far received only the first part of the report.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the meeting of the European Community Finance Council in Luxembourg on 18 April.

I represented the United Kingdom at this Council. Agreement was reached on an outline negotiating mandate for the Commission for the OECD export credit consensus negotiations which are to take place in Paris next week.Ministers also considered their approach to the Williamsburg economic summit to be held next month. I stressed that firm control of budget deficits remained crucial, and that the prospects for world recovery depended on consolidating and sustaining the gains made so far in controlling inflation.The economic situation in the Community was also reviewed and it was agreed that there should be no change to the economic guidelines adopted last December.After reaching an agreement with a delegation from the European Parliament, the Council adopted the basic decision on the proposal to contract loans under the new Community instrument III.Ministers also briefly discussed co-ordination of the Community's financial instruments, the draft insurance services directive, and preparations for the UNCTAD VI conference. The draft seventh company law directive on consolidated accounts was also further considered. This, together with the draft non-life insurance services directive, will be taken again in May.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the intention of the Board of Inland Revenue to make further statutory regulations under section 40 of the Development Land Tax Act 1976.

Yes. Under Regulation 3(a) of the Development Land Tax (Disposals by Non-Residents) Regulations 1976 (SI 1976/1190) the purchaser of property consisting of a dwelling house from a non-resident vendor is not required to make a deduction from the consideration if that consideration does not exceed £25,000. Regulations will be laid in due course increasing that amount to £150,000.Clause 90 of the Finance Bill now before Parliament seeks to extend the power of the Board of Inland Revenue to make regulations modifying the application of Section 40 of the Development Land Tax Act 1976. There is no immediate intention of making regulations under those extended powers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will introduce the necessary legislation to enable any person who loses valuables as a result of a robbery or mugging, or is injured in any way, to have the automatic right of suing for damages against the person found guilty of such a crime for a period of 10 years from the sentence, with all legal costs for the action being met from public funds, so far as the claimant is concerned.

I have been asked to reply.The proposed legislation would serve no useful purpose. Existing provisions on the use of criminal convictions as evidence in civil actions, on periods of limitation and on legal aid are already adequate for the purpose the hon. Member has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will now provide additional funds for the construction of a bypass on the A617 at Glapwell, Derbyshire; and if he will make a statement.

The A617 is a local road, for which Derbyshire county council is the highway authority. Derbyshire county council did not include proposals for a bypass of Glapwell in its 1983–84 transport policy and programme. It is up to it to consider the case for a bypass, and to decide whether to include it in its annual bid for transport supplementary grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the recovery of the costs of police escorts for road vehicles carrying loads of exceptional size from those using such vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Association of Chief Police Officers takes the view that this duty is part of their general responsibility towards road safety, and I do not therefore consider that it would be appropriate for the police to recover their costs from individual firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many people it is estimated are dependent on public transport (a) in rural and (b) in urban areas.

From the 1978–79 national travel survey and other sources, is is estimated that in Great Britain in 1981, 1¼ million persons in rural areas-16 per cent. of the population of rural areas—lived in households without the regular use of private motor transport. In urban areas, the corresponding figures were 15½ million persons—33 per cent. of the population of urban areas. However, people's dependency on public transport is affected by many factors other than whether their household has regular use of a private motor vehicle.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in view of the considerable expenditure incurred by local authorities in having to repair pedestrian pavements following damage caused by cars and lorries being parked thereon, he will introduce legislation to enable local authorities to claim such expenditures from the owners or drivers of these vehicles.

No; I regret that this would not be practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the now almost universal use of the telephone and television, he will advise all public authorities when building houses to install connection points in each flat or house for the telephone and television.

On such matters as these, this Government believe that it is for public authorities to exercise their own judgment from their appreciation of what is best for their own tenants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the value of timber at ex-wharf prices required in the average timber-framed houses and the number of such houses built each year for the private market; and if he will estimate roughly the total cost of these imports.

For an average three-bedroom timber-frame house, and accepting that timber prices are negotiable, an approximate estimate of the ex-wharf cost of the timber required is £600. In 1982 nearly 26,000 timber-frame houses, in a wide range of types, were started for the private market in England. No figures are available for the total cost of these imports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the number of days' labour involved in the construction of a timber-framed house compared with that of a non timber-framed house.

My Department does not prepare such estimates; but evidence from the housebuilding industry suggests that a three-bedroom semi-detached timber-frame house requires on site 60–90 days' labour to construct, depending on the degree of prefabrication and site mechanisation; and non timber-framed house about 100 days' labour.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any information as to how many temporary prefabricated houses built after the second world war have been demolished and, of the remainder, how many are still used for housing purposes.

The relevant statistical return was discontinued after 1975 at which time, of the approximately 125,000 temporary prefabricated houses erected between 1945 and 1948 in England and Wales under the Housing (Temporary Accommodation) Act 1944, some 15,000 were then in use.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are being taken by water authorities to ensure that customers, particularly those who may have difficulty in paying their bills, are aware of the special payments facilities available and the steps taken to ensure that supplies are maintained.

At my request the National Water Council has reviewed the industry's code of practice on the payment of bills and has produced new guidance for water authorities. The guidance provides a standard set of national safeguards for the consumer and will serve as a model for all authorities. Copies of the model guide have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how it is proposed that compensation under sections 12 to 16 of the Town and Country Planning (Minerals) Act 1981 is to be assessed.

The guiding principles by which compensation is to be assessed are set out in Section 16 of the 1981 Act, with the details to be filled out in regulations. This section requires that before any such regulations can be made there shall be consultation with certain representative bodies. I intend that this consultation should take place shortly, and I will send my hon. Friend a copy of the paper which is issued.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has now considered the proposals recently submitted to him for a model code of practice for empty property owned by public authorities; and whether he will now introduce such a code.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the empty property code on p. 36 of "Homes Wasted". The Government have already issued detailed and practical guidance to local authorities in the Department's publication "Reducing the Number of Empty Dwellings", a copy of which has been sent to every local authority in England. This proposes not only that authorities should consider all possible means of using empty dwellings for both long-term and short-term lettings as in "The Empty Property Code" but should also consider all possible means of bringing them back into use through sales for home ownership as well.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in increasing the availability of modern hostel accommodation through housing associations; which groups are primarily catered for; and how this compares with the position in May 1979.

Under the present Government the Housing Corporation had up to 31 March 1983 approved hostel and other shared housing schemes providing over 7,000 bedspaces in newly built or newly improved accommodation. This includes the accommodation approved under the programme for replacing the Camberwell reception unit. Over two thirds of the 7,000 bedspaces are for single homeless people including the elderly, and about a quarter is for ex-offenders, former psychiatric patients and the mentally handicapped. The remainder is for other groups including unmarried mothers, battered wives, refugees, former drug addicts, ex-alcoholics and the disabled. The number of hostel bedspaces approved in 1982–83 was approximately three times greater than in 1978–79.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) to what factors the Government attribute the low take-up of the coal-firing conversion scheme;(2) if he will make a statement on the value to coal-firing conversions of the European Coal and Steel Community loan scheme; and if Her Majesty's Government will consider extending their own scheme in order that more use might be made of European Coal and Steel Community funds;(3) what information Her Majesty's Government have on successful coal-firing conversion schemes operating abroad, especially in western Europe or the United States of America;(4) on how many projects payments have been made under the coal-firing conversion scheme; what level of payment has actually been made; and what level of payment will finally be made on projects for which payments have begun;(5) how the costs of accepted offers and costs of payments made compares with the level of funds earmarked for the coal-firing conversion scheme;(6) how many applications have been submitted under the coal-firing conversion scheme; what have been the associated project costs; how many offers have been

By 31 March, 386 applications for grant assistance had been received under the coal firing scheme for projects involving £256 million costs. 50 applications involving £62 million costs had been rejected or withdrawn. 200 offers had been made for grant totalling almost £17 million of which 124 for £12 million grant have been accepted and 20 for £2 million grant declined by applicants.Fifty-seven payments have so far been made for grant totalling £1·8 million. The level of payment that will finally be made on projects for which payments have begun is difficult to forecast at this stage but, on some projects, experience with other grant schemes suggests that the total amounts claimed may eventually be slightly below the level of grant offered.A sum of £50 million has been allocated to the coal firing scheme and the costs of accepted grant offers and costs of payments made currently represent 24 per cent. and 3·6 per cent. of that total respectively, although this takes no account of the 136 applications still under consideration.The large number of applications received this year implies that the take-up will be significant. In view of the success of the scheme, there is no need to increase the level of grant. The loans for coal firing available from the European Coal and Steel Community on which the Government offer exchange risk cover under the exchange risk guarantee scheme have been an important extra incentive to some companies to bring forward coal firing projects. The total amount of ECSC loans on which exchange risk cover will be offered is currently limited to £15 million and this has not yet been fully committed.The Department of Energy maintain a close watch on the development and progress of measures to stimulate coal firing in other countries.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in the House on 21 March that the closing date for applications under both the coal firing scheme and the exchange risk guarantee scheme for ECSC coal firing loans was being extended by nine months to 31 December 1983. These schemes could, however, close earlier if the existing allocations were to become fully committed, and companies still considering applying would be well advised not to delay submitting their applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his policy for encouraging the British electronics industry to manufacture video recorders and office equipment in the United Kingdom in order to reduce the cost of importing these products from overseas.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Government are now able to make the statement promised for spring on the Advisory Council on Adult and Continuing Education's proposal for a national development body on continuing and higher education.

The question whether the Advisory Council on Adult and Continuing Education's proposal for a national development body on adult and continuing education represents the most effective and appropriate mechanism for achieving objectives in this area is a complex one which warrants very careful consideration. We shall take no longer that is absolutely necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he proposes to publish the latest report of Her Majesty's inspectorate on the effect of expenditure cuts on local authority maintained education.

Her Majesty's inspectorate is currently preparing a report on the effects of local authority expenditure policies on the education service in England in 1982. The report will be published, as were those produced by HMI last year and the year before.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the estimated cost of providing a full non-means-tested grant to all students in higher and further education.

We estimate the cost to be over £750 million. This is made up by £160 million to abolish the parental contribution for those students now in receipt of mandatory awards and around £600 million to extend maintenance awards on this basis to all full-time students — in advanced and non-advanced further education —who do not at present hold a mandatory or discretionary award. These figures exclude fees, the costs of which are currently paid by public authorities for all mandatory award holders and for most discretionary award holders.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the estimated cost of introducing a £25 a week grant for all students at further education colleges.

In 1982–83 in England and Wales, there were 575,000 full-time and sandwich home students in maintained, assisted and grant-aided institutions of further education. Of these, 215,000 already received either a mandatory or discretionary maintenance award. The cost of introducing a £25 a week grant—£1,300 a year—to the remaining 360,000 students and increasing the grant to current award holders whose means-tested award is below that level would be over £500 million per annum.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is yet able to make the further announcement about fees for overseas students that he promised on 30 March, Official Report, Vol. 40, c. 347.

In my statement of 30 March I said that it was the Government's intention to maintain the well-established position concerning the payment of higher fees by overseas students and that I would make a further announcement as soon as possible as to how this should be done. To ensure that the position is clear for the next academic year, the Government intend to legislate and I have today introduced the Education (Fees and Awards) Bill to that end. This Bill also covers the similar needs which exist in relation to the eligibility rules adopted by a variety of award-making bodies for certain discretionary student awards.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provisions are being made to help students funded by the engineering industry training board's special engineering training awards complete their training after the cut-off of funds scheduled for August.

I have been asked to reply.The Manpower Services Commission is currently reviewing its policies on training award schemes and no decisions have yet been taken about support after August 1983. The views of the engineering industry training board and other interested organisations are being sought.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provisions are being made to help existing engineering group training schemes adjust to the requirements of the new national youth training scheme.

As my Department is responsible for the youth training scheme, I have been asked to reply.The Manpower Services Commission will be ready to advise engineering group training associations and others who wish to ensure that schemes meet the criteria far the youth training scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the unemployment figures and percentage rates of unemployment for men and women in the counties of Gwynedd and Clwyd for May 1976, May 1982 and for February 1983.

The information, not seasonally adjusted, is as follows:

Number and percentage unemployed
	May 1976	May 1982	February 1983
Gwynedd
Males	5,411	8,506	10,033
Percentage	11·8	17·7	21·1
Females	1,236	3,238	3,642
Percentage	4·4	10·4	11·8
Clwyd
Males	8,428	17,162	18,571
Percentage	10·7	20·9	22·4
Females	2,492	6,429	6,794
Percentage	5·2	13·1	13·7

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is, for the latest convenient date, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Wales for (a) men and (b) women.

It was 19·8 per cent and 10·7 per cent. at 10 March 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many emergency calls were handled by single-manned ambulances of the Scottish Ambulance Service in 1981 and 1982.

The information requested is not readily available. I shall write to the hon. Member.

(Leith) asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many drug rehabilitation centres presently exist in Scotland; how many of these are in (a) Edinburgh and (b) Leith; and how many are planned.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk) on 30 March 1983.—[Vol. 40, c. 166.]

(Leith) asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial resources have been made available to combat drug abuse in Scotland during 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982, respectively.

A number of official bodies including Customs and Excise, the police, health boards and local authorities are involved in combating drug abuse in Scotland. Details of the financial resources devoted to this are not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide some temporary financial assistance to Scottish race courses to enable them to survive until 1985 when the present rating difference between English and Scottish race courses is to be removed; and if he will make a statement.

I have no powers to make such assistance available. I understand that the Scottish Development Agency has told the race course authorities that it has no scope to make financial assistance available but has offered its management services assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many psychogeriatric hospital places in Scotland there are; and which health authorities provide no such places.

Although some of the facilities for the care of patients with mental disability are designated as psychogeriatric places, the majority of elderly patients are treated in other mental illness beds, and figures are not collected which would identify a specific number of places used for psychogeriatric purposes. The majority of patients resident in mental hospitals and psychiatric units in Scotland are over 65 years old.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he hopes to complete his examination of the evidence from the Timex shop-stewards that Timex Corporation had transferred watch part manufacture schedules to other units of Timex including Besançon in France.

I have invited comment from the local management of the Timex Corporation on

(thousands)
	Iron and Steel (General)	Steel Tubes	Iron Castings etc.	Total Iron and Steel
	MLH311	MLH312	MLH313	MIH 311–313
June 1971	23·7	6·8	9·9	40·4
June 1974	22·2	5·7	9·6	37·5
June 1978	19·5	5·7	6·2	31·4
September 1981	12·4	3·7	4·4	20·5

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps have been and are being taken by his Department to assist the Glasgow district council in its promotion of "Welcome Back to Glasgow".

Of the funds made available to it by the Scottish Economic Planning Department the Scottish Tourist Board has allocated £25,000 to support directly the "Welcome Back to Glasgow" promotion. This contribution will assist a United Kingdom campaign covering advertising, print, trade promotions and allied activities. Additionally, the Scottish Tourist Board has seconded a member of its marketing staff to Glasgow district council for a period of one year to administer the campaign budget.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had regarding increasing the limit of housing improvement grants; and if he will make a statement.

I received requests of this kind from two local authorities earlier this year. Both authorities have been invited to reconsider their proposals in the light of the increase of 20 per cent. in approved expenditure level for improvement and repairs grants announced by my right hon. and learned Friend in his Budget statement on 15 March.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is, for the latest convenient date, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for (a) men and (b) women in Scotland.

On 10 March 1983 the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 17·7 per cent. for males in Scotland and 10·3 per cent. for females.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were employed in the steel industry in Scotland in 1964, 1970, 1974, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and at the latest date for which figures are available.

Estimates of employment in the iron and steel industry in Scotland are available from the census of employment as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what numerical distribution he envisages of the terminals attached to the planned Scottish criminal record office computer system for each police force; and which police computer systems will have, or are intended to have, computer-to-computer links with the Scottish criminal record office computer system.

The detailed operational requirement for the planned Scottish criminal record office computer system envisages some 180 terminals distributed among the eight Scottish police forces down to divisional or subdivisional level. It is not intended that force computer systems will have computer to computer links with the Scottish criminal record office computer system. There will, however, be a common use of communications equipment, through an interface connection, which will permit a user of the Lothian and Borders police or Fife constabulary computer systems to access either his own force computer or the Scottish criminal record office computer from the same terminal.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which Scottish police forces have already obtained, or are planning to instal, computers primarily intended to support (a) command or control systems, (b) criminal information systems, and (c) fully computerised criminal intelligence systems; what is his role in approving the function of the computer in each of these cases; and what independent discretion chief constables have in deciding which of these systems is required.

A chief constable who wishes to obtain a computer system for any purpose requires the

District Ward		Resident population not in employment by age group
		Total	16–19	20–24	25–29	30–34	35–39	40–44	45–49	50–54	55–59	60–64	65–69	70–74	75 and over
1	Wellgate	240	40	42	23	24	21	15	17	17	24	16	0	0	1
2	Baxter Park	200	21	36	31	28	9	10	10	17	22	14	1	0	1
3	Craigie Bank	155	13	12	14	14	2	6	13	19	32	27	3	0	0
4	Craigie Barns	126	13	22	12	11	9	4	10	9	18	17	1	0	0
5	West Ferry	237	42	48	24	14	13	13	18	22	23	20	0	0	0
6	Broughty Ferry	113	13	23	10	10	2	14	9	8	11	11	1	0	1
7	Balgillo	92	16	11	11	9	6	8	6	11	10	4	0	0	0
8	Eastern	110	23	12	8	15	9	4	9	7	9	13	0	0	1
9	Douglas	449	77	87	57	39	30	26	29	35	42	26	1	0	0
10	Drungeith	388	52	82	54	53	30	31	23	19	25	18	1	0	0
11	Longhaugh	619	103	141	96	60	56	45	44	34	28	12	0	0	0
12	Whitfield	744	116	156	138	118	59	51	42	35	18	10	1	0	0
13	Fintry North	615	107	126	86	72	51	33	34	47	36	22	0	0	1
14	Fintry South	475	97	93	58	53	24	44	29	40	25	12	0	0	0
15	Caird	486	102	100	54	40	37	42	34	21	37	16	2	0	1
16	Midmill	818	160	142	96	97	61	53	65	74	53	16	0	0	1
17	Clepington	126	11	9	14	15	14	11	9	11	16	16	0	0	0
18	Maryfield	194	24	39	21	16	20	16	17	16	16	8	1	0	0
19	Coldside	316	36	43	34	28	15	31	30	32	40	27	0	0	0
20	Hilltown	413	66	72	54	34	26	34	40	35	37	15	0	0	0
21	Central	161	19	35	34	14	11	11	9	9	9	8	1	1	0
22	Riverside	108	14	20	11	10	4	11	9	8	11	9	0	0	1
23	Dudhope	322	48	50	34	31	27	18	23	30	36	24	1	0	0
24	Logie	151	15	35	15	15	15	7	11	9	15	10	4	0	0

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he can provide information from the 1981 census showing the numbers unemployed by age group per district council ward for Dundee.

[pursuant to his reply, 20 April 1983, c. 117.]: the numbers not in employment—that is seeking work or prevented by temporary sickness from seeking work — in each district ward in the city of Dundee district were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide information from the 1981 census showing the composition by age group over 16 years per district council ward for Dundee.

Resident population by age group
District Ward	16–19	20–24	25–29	30–34	35–39	40–44	45–49	50–54	55–59	60–64	65–69	70–74	75–79	80–84	85+
1 WeUgate	229	342	288	195	147	143	174	192	239	210	211	201	156	95	54
2 Baxter Park	177	381	295	232	161	146	168	197	227	155	195	185	158	103	47
3 Craigie Bank	175	167	161	175	151	156	173	279	389	370	378	302	238	103	63
4 Craigie Barns	255	216	130	219	267	217	251	268	256	226	233	195	116	62	29
5 West Ferry	296	301	188	248	177	208	249	311	330	302	266	210	134	80	53
6 Broughty Ferry	257	272	163	217	169	225	229	236	245	216	255	217	187	104	65
7 Balgillo	373	218	207	325	360	362	341	294	194	134	114	98	62	35	11
8 Eastern	232	201	186	327	313	260	264	234	239	195	211	190	146	62	30
9 Douglas	336	371	344	313	190	186	246	290	322	212	132	113	57	24	10
10 Drumgeith	304	354	340	346	248	208	196	215	225	214	214	143	102	57	30
11 Longhaugh	349	486	393	336	319	260	196	191	176	121	128	100	64	34	15
12 Whitfield	311	522	539	427	262	193	138	112	98	65	73	57	33	14	8
13 Fintry North	397	510	418	416	291	231	282	281	306	181	114	71	43	8	10
14 Fintry South	401	414	335	374	247	310	269	298	268	174	156	71	40	15	7
15 Caird	383	383	248	312	254	287	334	245	256	195	182	179	117	59	37
16 Midmill	431	457	353	313	224	278	286	303	274	170	174	152	84	60	19
17 Clepington	131	139	127	143	133	142	126	138	207	219	260	328	258	101	71
18 Maryfield	234	419	265	232	169	168	192	212	201	164	163	160	141	90	47
19 Coldside	171	356	228	228	129	151	165	168	231	250	269	285	179	107	57
20 Hilltown	301	312	221	249	199	230	268	264	228	168	185	145	100	65	23
21 Central	169	All	298	187	116	107	136	155	177	151	129	149	118	84	68
22 Riverdale	203	311	239	214	167	170	226	217	244	228	257	267	221	150	85
23 Dudhope	232	382	223	199	137	139	168	204	275	257	250	189	123	61	49
24 Logie	197	284	172	160	154	151	185	201	234	217	241	251	223	150	109
25 Law	186	289	220	176	151	144	184	235	264	279	359	338	241	139	93
26 Ancrum	283	263	167	223	208	237	334	302	293	232	228	198	136	83	48
27 St. Ninians	422	385	230	151	156	256	313	309	279	167	151	143	104	54	41
28 Menzieshill	311	357	353	281	193	227	276	261	228	177	184	174	124	64	25
29 Gourdie	243	338	252	248	149	157	203	268	334	249	174	159	89	50	28
30 Pitalpin	334	349	329	310	193	250	266	311	287	204	189	144	79	51	15
31 Lochee West	391	298	160	221	222	256	323	290	212	231	253	227	157	92	53
32 Lochee East	339	377	227	209	174	243	309	299	338	272	245	185	138	68	37
33 Rockwell	170	164	120	152	138	153	185	213	241	266	287	329	252	154	106
34 Fairmuir	230	287	177	185	175	213	262	270	298	256	253	227	174	103	42
35 Trottick	430	382	378	432	277	269	290	239	198	139	154	120	49	26	12
36 Gillburn	493	353	226	274	252	296	277	274	196	152	151	117	80	37	17
37 Downfield	351	319	252	315	323	393	316	240	203	172	149	98	64	32	31
38 St. Mary's	361	319	283	310	232	271	259	274	311	201	160	103	57	24	7
39 Ardler	263	408	335	239	223	249	223	186	204	200	196	173	96	40	14
40 Blackshade	262	345	298	365	346	265	175	155	168	160	186	191	101	44	23
41 Monifieth West	297	207	121	251	278	277	269	276	237	209	202	169	129	61	37