Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Thursday 30 June 1983

Attorney-General

District Land Registry

asked the Attorney-General whether the District Land Registry is to have new premises in Birkenhead.

Yes. New premises are to be constructed for the District Land Registry on the Old Market site in Birkenhead. A contribution towards the cost of the new building is to be made from urban programme resources. Accordingly, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit on the land Registry Vote—Class XIII, Vote 17—will be increased by £350,000 to £65,140,000 and the cash limit DOE/LA1, which includes provision for capital spending on the urban programme, will be reduced by £350,000 to £2,964·7 million.

Rossminster Group

asked the Attorney-General whether he is yet in a position to say whether any legal proceedings are to be taken against the Rossminster group whose premises were searched four years ago, or against any of the persons concerned in its activities.

The board has decided, on the advice of leading counsel and after consultation with me, that no criminal proceedings will be instituted against Rossminster Ltd. or any of the other companies or individuals from whose premises documents were taken under warrant on 13 July 1979, or against any of their employees.The board will now be taking steps to deal with the liabilities for tax and, where appropriate, for interest and penalties that have come to light in the course of the investigation.

Home Department

Postal Votes

35.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to allow persons on holiday a postal vote for both parliamentary and local elections; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he is giving to assisting holidaymakers to exercise their right to vote.

We consider that it is wrong in principle that anybody who goes on holiday should be unable to vote. The Home Affairs Select Committee report on the Representation of the People Acts recommends that holidaymakers should be able to apply for postal votes. We are considering this recommendation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the regulations governing eligibility for postal votes.

The Home Affairs Select Committee's report on the Representation of the People Acts published in April recommends that the Home Office should review the existing criteria for eligibility for absent voting facilities. We are now considering this recommendation.

General Election (Postal And Proxy Votes)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many postal and proxy votes were cast in the 1983 general election (a) as a percentage of each constituency's electorate and (b) as a percentage of the votes cast.

Information about postal votes in the 1983 general election is not yet available centrally. The number of postal votes cast in each constituency will be published in "Election Expenses" in due course. Information on proxy votes is not collected centrally.

Public Disorder

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis concerning incidents of public disorder which took place in All Saints road, Notting Hill, London, on Tuesday, 21 June, including the ethnic breakdown of the people involved in the disturbances; and if he will make a statement on the contents of the report.

I believe my hon. Friend may have in mind an incident on 20 June. We understand from the Commissioner that at about 3 pm on 20 June two police officers on foot patrol in All Saints road saw a man whom they believed to be wanted on warrant for various offences enter a community centre. They informed the local inspector, who deployed a district support unit nearby and entered the centre and made an arrest. As the arrested man was being taken from the premises, there was a disturbance in which the inspector sustained a head injury which required treatment in hospital. The police estimate that most of those involved in the disturbance were black. Other officers came to the inspector's help and a man was arrested for obstruction. A crowd of about 50 spectators gathered outside the premises, but there was no disorder in the street. At 9 am on 21 June a man was arrested in All Saints road in connection with the assault on the inspector. A sizeable crowd gathered, but the only incident was that one of the crowd spat at an officer and was arrested. The man appeared in court on 23 June and was bound over.We deplore the injury to the officer, and the action by those who attempted to hinder the police in the proper execution of their duties.

Parkhurst Prison (Repairs)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects work to start on the repairs and renovations to Parkhurst prison.

The major reconstruction of the unoccupied parts of Parkhurst prison is still being considered by the Government. Routine repairs and maintenance continue in the occupied portion.

Albany Prison

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the inquiry into the recent disturbances at Albany prison on the Isle of Wight to start taking evidence.

In accordance with standard procedures the governor of Her Majesty's prison Albany has submitted an initial report on the incident. He is now preparing additional material which is required to complete it.

Prison Places (Costs)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the approximate weekly cost per place for the most recent available period for the following types of prison: category B dispersal, category B non-dispersal, category C medium/short-term, category C short-term, young offender establishments — cells and young offender establishments—cubicles.

Estimates of the weekly cost per place are not available. The only available information on weekly costs is as follows:—

Average weekly cost of keeping a person in custody in 1981–82
	£
Establishments for males
Dispersal prisons	412
Other closed training prisons	192
Local prisons and remand centres	181
Open prisons	141
Borstals and YP centres	191
Detention centres	176
All female establishments	263

The majority of these costs relates to staff costs in establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average weekly cost of keeping a prisoner in custody in the financial years 1980–81, 1981–82 and 1982–83 in each of the following establishments: local prisons holding remand prisoners, other local prisons, junior remand centres, remand centres, category A/B training prisons, category B training prisons, category C training prisons, open prisons, closed borstals and young prisoner centres, open borstals, detention centres and female establishments.

Average weekly costs of keeping a prisoner in custody are available for the following categories of establishment:—

	1980–81	1981–82
	£	£
Establishments for males
Dispersal prisons (cat. A/B training prisons)	369	412
Other closed training prisons (cat. B and C)	173	192
Local prisons and remand centres	168	181
Open prisons	127	141
Borstals and YP centres (inc. open borstals)	180	191
Detention centres	156	176
All female establishments	215	263

Figures for 1982–83 are not yet available.The majority of these costs relates to staff costs in establishments.

Prison Expenditure

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total prison expenditure for 1982–83.

The accounts do not distinguish prisons from other prison service establishments, ie borstals, remand centres and detention centres. Total expenditure on all these in England and Wales in 1981–82, including headquarters expenditure, was £502,625,000. The 1982–83 figures are not yet available.

Prison Rules

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the prison rules for youth custody establishments.

The Youth Custody Centre Rules (S.I. 1983/570), Detention Centre Rules (S.I. 1983/569) and the Prison (Amendment) Rules (S.I. 1983/568) were laid before Parliament on 22 April 1983 and came into force on 24 May simultaneously with part I of the Criminal Justice Act 1982.

Prisoners (Statistics)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the highest and lowest daily total of prisoners being held in police and court cells for each week since 1 May 1983.

The information is as follows:

Week beginning	Highest daily total	Lowest daily total
1 May	374	357
8 May	412	383
15 May	394	355
22 May	437	394
29 May	401	373
5 June	434	408
12 June	476	452
19 June	418	340

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the location of all the police and court cells where prisoners are currently being held with the numbers in each on the latest available date.

On the night of 23 June the numbers and location, by police area, of prisoners held in police custody were as follows:

	Number
Metropolitan Police district	128
Bedfordshire	5
Cambridgeshire	7
Essex	14
Hampshire	27
Hertfordshire	9
Kent	26
Northamptonshire	8
Suffolk	5
Surrey	12
Sussex	51
Thames Valley	41
Warwickshire	7
TOTAL	340

Harmondsworth Detention Centre

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will give details of the regime at the Harmondsworth detention centre; how many detainees the centre can accommodate; what has been the average period of residence per detainee over the past 12 months; and how many persons have been detained there during that period;(2) what steps are taken to provide access to legal representation to detainees at the Harmondsworth detention centre.

Harmondsworth provides accommodation for both sexes and may also hold children. Detainees are in general free to go where they wish within the centre, and may spend their time as they choose. Television is provided, and there is a small open-air recreational area. Visiting is permitted daily. Public pay telephones are provided and may be used by detainees at any time. The centre is staffed by employees of Securicor Ltd, whose instructions are to treat all detainees with humanity, kindness, courtesy and understanding.The centre has accommodation for 66 detainees. Three thousand three hundred and sixty eight persons were detained there in 1982. The average period for which they were held was less than two days.Detainees may be visited by officers of the United Kingdom Immigration Advisory Service or by legal representatives at any time. Notices in the centre draw attention to the free services which are provided by UKIAS and give a telephone number through which they can be contacted.

Electoral Law

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to clarify the status of electoral law where cases in the Scottish courts give a different interpretation of the Representation of the People Acts to those made under English law.

If the hon. Gentleman has a particular case in mind perhaps he would write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legisation to prohibit persons from registering as voters for general election purposes in homes in which they are not permanently resident, and which are used only for holiday home purposes.

It is for the electoral registration officer to decide in the first instance whether a person is qualified to be registered as an elector. The courts have held that, in order to qualify, a person's residence at a particular address must have "a considerable degree of permanence". If someone wishes to object to the inclusion of a name in the register he may do so during the period from 28 November until 16 December set aside for the purpose.

Attendance Centres

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average cost of an attendance centre order in the most recent year for which figures are available.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 June to a question asked by the hon. Member fo Battersea (Mr. Dubs).—[Vol. 44, c. 54.]

Refugees (Custodial Sentences)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people, admitted as political refugees, are currently serving custodial sentences; and if he will list the nature of the offences for which they were convicted and the lengths of their sentences.

The information requested is not available.

Non-British Subjects (Custodial Sentences)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were undergoing custodial sentences of over six months at the latest convenient date who are not British subjects.

Information on the nationality of prisoners is not collected centrally. The only readily available information is given in the following table.

Prisoners in prison department establishments on 30 April 1983 who were serving sentences of over six months^*by country of birth
Country of birth	Estimated number†
United Kingdom	19,400
Commonwealth	1,400
Other‡	1,200
Not recorded	1,000
Total	23,000
^* Excluding borstal training.
† Components and the total have been rounded independently.
‡ Including the Republic of Ireland and Pakistan.

Serious Crimes (Computers)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the progress of the experimental work at present taking place into the use of computers in the investigation of serious crimes.

An experimental computer system code-named MIRIAM, which provides comprehensive facilities for assisting the police in the investigation of major crimes has now been installed and will begin operational trials with the Essex police in July.While the work has been progressing the Department has examined ways of using microcomputers in major investigations and of transferring data from a microcomputer to a larger facility if the limited capacity of the microcomputer is exceeded. This work is now virtually complete, and guidance will shortly be issued to chief officers.

Murder Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers have been murdered in the course of duty in each of the past 30 years.

In England and Wales, one, in 1965.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen have been murdered in the course of duty in each of the past 30 years.

In a case of homicide it is not possible in the absence of a court decision to distinguish between offences of murder and manslaughter. The available information is given in the following table:

Offences currently recorded as homicide where the victim was a police officer on duty by the result of court proceedings or other outcome
England and Wales			Number of offences
	Decided by the court to be
Year initially recorded	Number of offences (victims)	Murder	Sec 2 Manslaughter	Other Manslaughter	Other outcome
1953	—	—	—	—	—
1954	—	—	—	—	—
1955	—	—	—	—	—
1956	—	—	—	—	—
1957	—	—	—	—	—
1958	2	1	1	—	—
1959	1	1	—	—	—
1960	1	1	—	—	—
1961	2	—	—	—	2^*
1962	—	—	—	—	—
1963	—	—	—	—	—
1964	—	—	—	—	—
1965	2	1	—	—	1†
1966	4	4	—	—	—
1967	1	—	—	1	—
1968	—	—	—	—	—
1969	1	—	1	—	—
1970	1	1	—	—	—
1971	2	2	—	—	—
1972	1	1	—	—	—
1973	2	1	—	—	—
1974	1	1	—	—	—
1975	3	1	1	—	1‡
1976	—	—	—	—	—
1977	1	1	—	—	—
1978	1	1	—	—	—
1979	1	—	—	1	—
1980	1	1	—	—	—
1981	2	1	—	1	—
║1982	6	3	—	—	2^*
^* One suspect committed suicide
† Suspect unfit to plead
‡ No suspect
║ Provisional

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many homicides by shooting there have been since 1967.

The information requested, which is given in the following table, is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", (table 4.3 of the latest issue for 1981, Cmnd. 8668, and table 9.5 of the volume for 1977, Cmnd. 7289).

Offences currently recorded as homicide by shooting
Year	Number of offences
1967	41
1968	40
1969	24
1970	23
1971	36
1972	30
1973	29
1974	46
1975	43
1976	43
1977	28

Year	Number of offences
1978	35
1979	48
1980	19
1981	32
1982	^*46
^* Provisional

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been convicted of the murder of police officers since 1957; and in each case what was the weapon used.

The available information is given in the following table.

Suspects convicted of murder of police officers on duty by type of weapon used
England and Wales
Year offence initially recorded	No of suspects convicted	Type of weapon
1957	—	—
1958	1	Knife
1959	1	Pistol
1960	1	Car
1961	—	—
1962	—	—
1963	—	—
1964	—	—
1965	1	Knife
1966	4	Revolver (3 suspects, 3 victims). Knife
1967	—	—
1968	—	—
1969	—	—
1970	1	Shotgun
1971	3	Pistol. Pistol (two suspects, 1 victim)
1972	1	Shotgun
1973	1	Pistol
1974	1	Pistol
1975	1	Knife
1976	—	—
1977	1	Knife
1978	1	Brick
1979	—	—
1980	1	Knife
1981	1	Knife
1982^*	3	Revolver. Wheelbrace. Sharp instrument
^* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, for the period 1970 to the most recent year, in respect of homicide cases decided by the courts to be murder, he will set out such information as he has as to the number of cases in which the victim was acquainted with the accused; and in how many cases the victim was a member of the suspect's family, such as a spouse or lover.

The readily available information, which is given in the following table, relates to offences currently recorded as homicide and is published annually in -Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" (table 4.4 of the latest issue for 1981, Cmnd. 8668 and table 4.4 of the issue for 1980, Cmnd. 8376). Corresponding information for those offences of homicide decided by the courts to be murder is not readily available.

Offences currently ^* recorded as homicide by relationship of victim to principal suspect
England and Wales							Number of offences
Relationship	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981
Victim acquainted with subject
Son or daughter	46	102	90	61	97	52	74	59	65	68	45	63
Parent	19	12	14	13	18	18	15	12	17	23	18	21
Spouse, cohabitant or former spouse or cohabitant	111	74	71	95	110	93	102	89	102	131	112	115
Other family	25	13	10	13	18	22	15	21	19	12	25	23
Lover or former lover†	18	21	17	12	26	30	39	24	22	25	16	27
Friend or acquaintance	102	76	79	77	91	86	86	79	108	117	99	114
Other associate	36	16	24	15	29	11	25	25	15	27	36	23
Sub-total	357	314	305	286	389	312	356	309	348	403	351	386
Victim not acquainted with suspect
Police or prison officer on duty ‡ ║¶	1	2	1	2	1	3	—	1	1	1	1	2
Stranger (acts of terrorism)	4	—	8	1	43	9	2	3	5	1	4	3
Other stranger	159	61	74	67	62	83	88	77	85	102	153	92
Sub-total	164	63	83	70	106	95	90	81	91	104	158	97
No suspect¶●
Sub-total	43	30	21	35	31	36	43	28	32	41	42	34
Total	564	407	409	391	526	443	489	418	471	548	551	517
^* As at 1 June 1982; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available.
† Includes spouse's lover or lover's spouse or other associate
‡ Includes cases where no suspect has been charged
\|\| All victims shown in the period covered by the table were police officers
¶ Until a case is cleared up, the relationship is not classified, except where the vicitim was a police or prison officer on duty or where the offence was attributed to an act of terrorism
● Excluding homicides of police or prison officers and those attributed to acts of terrorism

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were released from life sentences for murder over the last 10 years; and what was the average length of time served.

We shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of homicide of

Offences curently recorded as homicide, where the victim was a police officer on duty by the result of court proceedings or other outcome and police force area
	England and Wales 1982^*				Number of Offences
Number of offences (victims)	Decided by the court to be			Other outcome	Police Force area
	Murder	Section 2 manslaughter	Other manslaughter
2	2	—	—	—	Greater Manchester
1	1	—	—	—	Durham
2	—	—	—	2 (one suspect committed suicide)	North Yorkshire
1	—	—	1	—	Hertfordshire
^* Provisional

Immigration Act 1971 (Statistics)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently held under the Immigration Act 1971 and under what categories.

police officers on duty were recorded in 1982; of these how many were decided by the courts to be (a) murder, (b) manslaughter under section 2, (c) other manslaughter and (d) undecided; and in which police force areas these took place.

Provisional information for 1982 is given in the following table.

On 28 June 1983 a total of 172 people were detained under the Immigration Act 1971. Ninety-one were the subject of deportation orders; 17 were held under detention orders; 20 were detained after being recommended for deportation by a court; 22 were illegal entrants and 22 were passengers who had been refused leave to enter or required to submit to further examination.

Police (Establishments)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the strengths and establishments of each police force in England and Wales at the latest available date.

The information for police forces in England and Wales is as follows:

All Forces in England and Wales Strength and Authorised Establishment on 31 May 1983
	Strength	Authorised Establishment
Avon and Somerset	2,970	3,020
Bedfordshire	990	1,000
Cambridgeshire	1,142	1,140
Cheshire	1,842	1,845
Cleveland	1,459	1,474
Cumbria	1,118	1,128
Derbyshire	1,756	1,767
Devon and Cornwall	2,735	2,734
Dorset	1,178	1,183
Durham	1,323	1,357
Dyfed Powys	930	934
Essex	2,636	2,643
Gloucestershire	1,140	1,164
Greater Manchester	6,994	6,943
Gwent	969	978
Hampshire	3,073	3,084
Hertfordshire	1,561	1,568
Humberside	1,971	1,972
Kent	2,892	2,875
Lancashire	3,145	3,158
Leicestershire	1,731	1,733
Lincolnshire	1,181	1,183
Merseyside	4,646	4,607
Norfolk	1,260	1,273
Northamptonshire	1,002	1,018
Northumbria	3,327	3,357
North Wales	1,290	1,316
North Yorkshire	1,357	1,368
Nottinghamshire	2,240	2,259
South Wales	3,098	3,105
South Yorkshire	2,869	2,872
Staffordshire	2,084	2,099
Suffolk	1,122	1,124
Surrey	1,587	1,602
Sussex	2,804	2,830
Thames Valley	3,149	3,167
Warwickshire	920	925
West Mercia	1,914	1,923
West Midlands	6,679	6,684
West Yorkshire	5,134	5,154
Wiltshire	1,028	1,042
City of London	823	1,022
Metropolitan	26,479	26,858
TOTAL	119,548	120,488

Capital Punishment

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a list of all countries known to him to retain the death penalty for murder.

The following table lists, according to their general geographical location, those countries or territories which are understood to have retained the death penalty for murder. It is based mainly on information available in 1979 which has been up-dated where later information has been received.

1. Africa

Algeria
Angola
Benin
Cameroon
Cental African Empire
Chad
Congo
Equatorial Guinea
Ethiopia
Gabon
Gambia
Ghana
Guinea
Ivory Coast
Kenya
Lesotho
Liberia
Madagascar^*
Malawi
Mali
Morocco
Namibia
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Seychelles^*
Sierra Leone
Somali Democratic Republic
South Africa
Sudan
Tanzania
Tunisia
Uganda
Upper Volta
Zaire
Zambia
Zimbabwe

2. Asia and Australasia

Afghanistan
Australia (retained in some State jurisdictions)
Bangladesh
China
Fiji
Hong Kong^*
Indonesia
Japan
Kampuchea
Korea (Republic of South Korea)
Malaysia
Pakistan
Philippines
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Taiwan
Thailand
Tonga
Vietnam

3. Caribbean

Antigua
Bahamas
Barbados
Bermuda
British Virgin Islands
Cayman Islands
Cuba
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Haiti
Jamaica
Montserrat
St. Vincent
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos'

4. Central and South America

Argentina

Bolivia
Chile
El Salvador
Guatemala
Mexico
Nicaragua
Paraguay

5. Eastern Europe

Albania
Bulgaria
Czechoslovakia
German Democratic Republic
Hungary
Poland
Romania
USSR

6. Middle East

Egypt
Iran
Iraq
Jordan
Libya
Oman
People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
Saudi Arabia
Syria
Yemen Arab Republic

7. North America

USA (but some States have no death penalty laws in force)

8. Western Europe

Cyprus
Greece
Ireland^* (Republic of Eire)
Liechtenstein^*
Turkey

^* Although the death penalty is retained in law, it has fallen into disuse.

Sources: The Council of Europe and "The Death Penalty", an Amnesty International report (pub. 1979).

Offensive Video Material

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the state of the law relating to outrageous, explicit and offensive video material; and whether he proposes any further action.

I am not satisfied with the current state of the law. The Government fully accept the need for more effective control of the sale and rental of objectionable video cassettes, as we made clear in our election manifesto. I welcome the proposed introduction by the video industry of voluntary controls, but I do not consider that, by themselves, such controls will be sufficient. There will certainly have to be statutory controls and I am urgently considering what form they should take.

Heavy Goods And Public Service Vehicles

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the number of heavy goods and public service vehicles stopped for exceeding motorway speed limits in the last 12 months.

We shall reply as soon as possible.

Prime Minister

Engagements

Q5.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q6.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q7.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q8.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q9.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q10.

asked the Prime Minister what are her official engagements for 30 June.

Q11.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q13.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q14.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q17.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q18.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q19.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q20.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q21.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q22.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q23.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q24.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q27.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q29.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q30.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q31.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q32.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q34.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q36.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q38.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q39.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q40.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q41.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q42.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q43.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q44.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q45.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q46.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 June.

Q47.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

Q48.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

asked the Prime Minister what official engagements she has on Thursday 30 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 30 June.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today, including one with Sir Joshua Hassan, the Chief Minister of Gibraltar. This evening I am giving a reception at 10 Downing street for British exporters.

Greater London

Q12.

asked the Prime Minister if, in considering proposals for the abolition of the greater London council, she will give consideration to making a Minister within the Department of the Environment responsible for Greater London affairs.

I shall bear my hon. Friend's suggestion in mind.

University Entrants

Q15.

asked the Prime Minister what percentage of 18-year-olds are expected to go to universities in autumn 1983 compared with each of the last three years.

Young home entrants to university were 7·5 per cent. of the 18-year-old age group in 1980, 7·2 per cent. in 1981, and (provisionally) 6·9 per cent. in 1982. The University Grants Committee's student number targets imply a figure of about 6·6 per cent. for 1983. The comparable participation rate for higher education as a whole, however, has increased from 12·7 per cent. in 1980 to a provisional figure of 13·5 per cent. in 1982, and that for the non-university sector of higher education from 5·2 per cent. in 1980 to a provisional figure of 6·6 per cent. in 1982.

Ely

Q16.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Ely.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Dinnington Village

Q25.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Dinnington village.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Capital Punishment

Q26.

asked the Prime Minister what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the reintroduction of capital punishment.

The issue of the death penalty is for the House to decide on a free vote. As my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary made clear in the Debate on the Address on 23 June, we will make time available for the House to make its views known at a suitable opportunity.

Hillhead

Q28.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Hillhead.

I have at present no plans to do so.

European Community (Budget Contribution)

Q33.

asked the Prime Minister when next she intends to meet her European partners; and what further proposals she intends to place before them about the United Kingdom contribution.

The next European Council will be on 6 December in Athens. It will consider the results of the negotiation launched by the Stuttgart European Council. The discussion at Athens will depend on progress made in those negotiations.

Theatre Nuclear Weapons

Q35.

asked the Prime Minister what recent information she has received from the United States Administration about the progress of the negotiations in Geneva on theatre nuclear weapons and the likely effect of these negotiations on the deployment within the United Kingdom of ground-launched cruise missiles during 1983.

I have received a full account of the negotiations in Geneva on intermediate-range nuclear forces from President Reagan at the Williamsburg summit at the end of May, and from Mr. Weinberger and Mr. Bush in London on 21 and 24 June. I hope to see ambassador Nitze here in London next week. Progress in the negotiations has been very slow because of Soviet intransigence. If the negotiations result in a satisfactory agreement, we and our allies wil be prepared to make any necessary changes in planned deployments of the cruise missiles and Pershing II missiles in Europe. If the zero option were to be achieved, we would, of course, be prepared to cancel deployments altogether.

Bishop's Stortford

Q37.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Bishop's Stortford.

I have at present no plans to do so.

Rates

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report the share of rates paid in (a) Scotland, (b) the United Kingdom by (i) domestic ratepayers and (ii) non-domestic ratepayers, for each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Following is the information:

Share of Local Authorities Rate Fund Revenue Expenditure financed by Rate Income and Government Grants^*
	Scotland		United Kingdom
	Rates	Grants	Rates	Grants
	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
1977–78	35·3	68·8	37·3	64·5
1978–79	34·5	66·5	36·8	63·2
1979–80	32·6	62·7	36·8	60·5
1980–81	35·6	61·0	38·7	60·4
1981–82	42·7	58·3	43·2	58·1
^* Percentages do not always sum to 100 per cent. due mainly to additions to or drawings from balances.

Employment

Trainees (Anti-Discrimination Legislation)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will now take steps to ensure that trainees on all Manpower Services Commission schemes will be covered by anti-discrimination legislation.

My right hon. Friend will shortly be making designation orders under section 13 and 14 respectively of the Race Relations and Sex Discrimination Acts which will give trainees under the youth training scheme and the training opportunities scheme the same legal protection and access to industrial tribunals as is currently afforded to those directly trained by the Manpower Services Commission, the statutory industrial training boards and group training associations.

National Computerised Job Availability Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what progress is being made in the development of a national computerised job availability scheme.

The employment service intends to introduce at the end of this year a computer system

Proportions of Local Authorities' Rate Income
	Scotland		United Kingdom
	Domestic	Non-Domestic	Domestic	Non-Domestic
	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.
1977–78	41·0	59·0	40·3	59·7
1978–79	33·2	66·8	40·1	59·9
1979–80	32·4	67·6	40·9	59·1
1980–81	33·2	66·8	41·6	58·4
1981–82	32·8	67·2	41·9	58·1

asked the Prime Minister what was the total yield from rates in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom for the last year for which figures are available.

The rate yield in Scotland for 1981–82 is provisionally estimated to be £1,255 million and was £10,836 million in the United Kingdom. These figures exclude domestic rate relief grant and rate rebates.

Local Authorities (Revenue)

asked the Prime Minister what proportion of total local authority revenue expenditure in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom was financed by (i) rate income and (ii) Exchequer grant, for the last five years for which figures are available.

Following is the information:which will make information about jobs in other parts of the country more readily available to jobcentre staff and their clients. It will allow selected job vacancy information to be sent from any jobcentre, via existing vacancy circulation computer systems, to a single national computer file to which jobcentre staff will have ready access. The development of further computerised systems to handle job vacancies in the employment service is under consideration, but expenditure on such developments will be authorised only if they prove more cost-effective than present arrangements and offer the prospect of offsetting savings to the taxpayer.

Labour Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what proportion of (a) unemployed males and (b) unemployed females in the Barrow in Furness, Kendal, Whitehaven, Carlisle, Keswick and Penrith travel-to-work areas had been out of work for (i) one year, (ii) two years, and (iii) three years at the latest available date;(2) what proportion of

(a) unemployed males and (b) unemployed females in the Workington travel-to-work area had been out of work for (i) one year, (ii) two years, and (iii) three years at the latest available date.

The following is the information for unemployed claimants at 14 April, the latest date for which an analysuis by duration of unemployment is available.

Travel-to-work area	Unemployed for over 52 and up to 104 weeks		Unemployed for over 104 and up to 156 weeks		Unemployed for over 156 weeks
	Per cent.		Per cent.		Per cent.
	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female
Furness^*	14·4	14·2	10·5	5·5	8·7	4·0
Kendal^*	15·6	10·5	6·4	4·3	2·9	1·9
Whitehaven^*	21·5	14·3	10·5	6·0	8·4	3·9
Carlisle	19·3	14·3	11·7	3·4	9·6	4·6
Keswick	19·5	16·9	7·4	3·9	2·8	2·6
Penrith	19·6	13·2	8·3	3·3	6·9	2·6
Workington^*	27·5	17·6	12·7	7·6	6·7	5·7
^* Travel-to-work area comprising two or more jobcentre areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the unemployment figures for the county of Cumbria, categorised by sex, age and the duration of unemployment, for the last month for which statistics are available.

Duration of unemployment in weeks	16	17	18	19	20–24	25–29	30–34	35–39	40–44	45–49	50–54	55–59	60–64	65 and over	Total
	Males
One or less	166	37	18	12	66	42	36	25	22	13	23	18	19	0	497
Over 1 and up to 2	14	27	28	21	76	41	41	32	30	17	12	25	31	0	395
Over 2 and up to 4	38	70	47	24	130	76	75	52	31	34	36	25	31	0	669
Over 4 and up to 6	10	38	36	31	104	63	34	34	28	24	26	30	32	0	490
Over 6 and up to 8	14	23	16	20	104	54	54	32	20	21	25	36	26	0	445
Over 8 and up to 13	27	73	92	42	198	142	93	104	45	50	54	54	59	0	1,033
Over 13 and up to 26	34	94	163	121	500	309	250	232	137	133	133	149	164	1	2,420
Over 26 and up to 39	29	88	191	120	392	239	188	129	122	94	83	189	214	0	2,078
Over 39 and up to 52	0	32	111	91	266	146	115	99	83	62	74	158	175	0	1,412
Over 52 and up to 65	0	11	63	59	136	94	79	65	48	40	45	90	95	1	826
Over 65 and up to 78	0	1	33	62	167	109	92	80	58	60	51	105	144	3	965
Over 78 and up to 104	0	9	43	75	241	160	124	110	90	71	101	167	258	6	1,455
Over 104 and up to 156	0	0	5	44	321	202	161	130	86	98	138	184	346	4	1,719
Over 156 and up to 208	0	0	0	6	126	78	76	68	57	60	51	62	69	0	653
Over 208 and up to 260	0	0	0	0	17	20	25	21	28	32	29	24	29	0	225
Over 260	0	0	0	0	8	8	15	11	18	21	82	111	65	0	339
Total males	332	503	846	728	2,852	1,783	1,458	1,224	903	830	963	1,427	1,757	15	15,621
	Females
Duration of unemployment in weeks	16	17	18	19	20–24	25–29	30–34	35–39	40–44	45–49	50–54	55–59		60 and over	Total
One or less	142	33	17	16	78	33	16	13	10	9	4	1		0	377
Over 1 and up to 2	10	20	22	13	74	42	26	14	14	13	4	10		0	262
Over 2 and up to 4	16	50	34	28	81	52	39	27	28	14	13	8		0	390
Over 4 and up to 6	15	29	23	13	63	37	21	16	16	11	9	13		0	266
Over 6 and up to 8	14	17	21	23	60	49	19	16	10	11	11	8		0	259
Over 8 and up to 13	17	55	68	40	150	91	55	35	30	21	26	20		0	608
Over 13 and up to 26	35	96	149	118	387	231	111	82	65	47	52	43		1	1,417
Over 26 and up to 39	30	87	158	131	317	182	96	58	54	50	37	53		0	1,253
Over 39 and up to 52	0	30	70	79	229	148	81	50	34	47	42	30		1	841
Over 52 and up to 65	0	10	41	34	101	72	38	22	20	15	11	23		0	387
Over 65 and up to 78	0	6	14	35	80	44	29	15	19	28	24	23		2	319
Over 78 and up to 104	0	7	30	51	100	52	33	19	16	23	28	51		2	412
Over 104 and up to 156	0	0	14	30	112	38	16	20	17	34	58	69		1	409
Over 156 and up to 208	0	0	0	0	58	17	6	10	9	13	20	35		2	170
Over 208 and up to 260	0	0	0	0	11	5	6	2	3	8	13	18		0	66
Over 260	0	0	0	0	5	4	1	3	4	6	19	47		0	89
Total females	279	445	661	611	1,906	1,097	593	402	349	350	371	452		9	7,525

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young persons aged 16 to 18 years were unemployed in the Workington travel-to-work area during the last month for which statistics are available.

At 14 April, the latest date for which the information is available, there were 671 unemployed claimants aged 18 years and under in the Workington travel-to-work area.

The following is the information for unemployed claimants in Cumbria at 14 April, the latest date for which an analysis by age and duration of unemployment is available.

Workington Jobcentre

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons, both male and female, were placed in employment by the Workington jobcentre in the last month for which statistics are available.

Workington jobcentre placed 152 people in the four-week period ending 3 June 1983, the latest for which statistics are available. Separate figures for males and females are not compiles.There is likely to have been a substantial number of people who found jobs in the area other than through the jobcentre. Nationally it is estimated that about a quarter of all engagements are made through jobcentres.

Redundancies (Workington)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies in (a) the textile industry, (b) machine tool industry, (c) general engineering, (d) service trades and (e) steel fabrication work were made in the last month for which statistics are available in the Workington travel-to-work area.

No redundancies were reported as due to occur in the Workington travel-to-work area in the industries specified for May 1983, the latest month for which provisional statistics are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancy notifications were given during the last month for which statistics are available in the Workington travel-to-work area.

There were 287 advance notifications of redundancies in the Workington travel-to-work area in May, the latest month for which statistics are available. Many of these related to seasonal jobs. However, no redundancies were confirmed as due to occur during the month.^*

^* Provisional figures.

Short-Time Working (Workington)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs in the Workington travel-to-work area were being supported by the temporary short-time working scheme during the last month for which statistics are available.

There were no potentially redundant jobs being supported under the temporary short time working compensation scheme in April 1983 in the Workington travel-to-work area.

Index Of Retail Food Prices

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that the index of retail food prices adequately reflects the purchasing habits of (a) the population in general and (b) pensioners.

I am quite satisfied that the general index of retail prices, and the food component thereof, accurately reflects the prices paid by the great majority of United Kingdom households. Prices actually charged in shops throughout the country are obtained each month and the relative importance, or weight, assigned to each in calculating the index is based on expenditure patterns reported by households in the continuous family expenditure survey. Separate prices indices are compiled for one and for two person pensioner households of limited means, where income is mainly derived from state benefits.

Technical And Vocational Education Initiative

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of responses by local education authorities to the technical and vocational education initiative; and what plans he has for extending the initiative.

The Government have been encouraged by the enthusiasm and commitment shown by the 66 local education authorities which submitted proposals, and I am confident that the 14 schemes selected for support will be under way by September.Detailed examination of these schemes has shown that they will not require as much support from the Manpower Services Commission as was originally expected, and I understand that it may be possible for the commission to find from within its existing resources up to another £14 million in 1984–85 and £20 million in subsequent years to apply to an extension of the initiative from September 1984.My colleagues and I would welcome an extension on this basis and I am therefore asking the commission, if it is willing to move forward in this way, to let me have proposals for extending the initiative from September 1984 by increasing the number of five-year projects. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Education and Science, for Wales and for Scotland are consulting the local authority associations.

Wales

Local Authority Building Projects

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to the number of building projects for schools, homes for the elderly, and other public buildings, respectively, proposed to be commenced in the current year, which have been postponed by county councils in Wales as a result of the reduction of the forward indication of capital allocation for 1984–85; and if he will make a statement.

In order to assist local authorities in planning their capital programmes, each was given an indication last February of the minimum level of capital allocation it could assume for planning purposes for 1984–85. In aggregate these amounted to 80 per cent. of capital allocations for 1983–84. The individual forward indications for counties took into account known commitments and anticipated starts on major road and social service schemes. One county council has notified me of its decisions to defer starts on four capital schemes previously planned to start in the current year.

Sewerage (Maes Gerddi Estate)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has now received all the documentation needed by the Welsh Office, from Dwyfor district council, for a public inquiry to proceed into the sewerage problem at the Maes Gerddi estate at Porthmadog; and when he expects this inquiry to take place.

A statement of case was received from Dwyfor district council on 27 June and arrangements for a public local inquiry are being discussed with the parties to the appeal.

Rates

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing revenues from local authority rates in Wales for each year since 1978–79, including an estimate for 1983–84, and

Local authorities' rate income^*
£000's
	Commercial	Domestic	Other	Total
1978–79	42,593	80,969	102,627	226,189
1979–80	51,537	93,628	110,085	255,250
1980–81	65,473	128,985	139,404	333,862
1981–82	77,420	155,454	161,601	394,475
1982–83†	79,478	176,017	161,941	417,436
1983–84‡	80,502	177,016	162,573	420,091

Notes:

^* Net of domestic rate relief and rate rebate grant.

† Latest estimates.

‡ Local authorites' budgets.

Welsh Language

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken since May 1979 to encourage non-Welsh-speaking persons in Wales to try to learn the language.

A sum of £9 million has been made available since 1979 to support the use and teaching of the Welsh language throughout Wales.

Overseas Development

Kenya

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the components of and funding for the new bilateral population project in Kenya.

The integrated rural health and family planning project in Kenya is a six-year multilateral project, divided into two three-year phases. It comprises two parts, designed (a) to promote family planning through the establishment of a new interagency information programme and (b) to strengthen health and family planning services in rural areas. The total cost of phase I is estimated as $61·3 million, of which the Government of Kenya will contribute 18 per cent. Other donors are the IDA, Denmark, Sweden, United States of America, UNICEF and UNFPA. The United Kingdom is contributing up to £896,000 for phase I to meet the costs of up to 24 ambulances, 28 landrovers, 32 motor cycles and 500 visual aid kits.

National Finance

Capital Gains Tax

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the revenue accruing to the Treasury in the last financial year from capital gains tax; and what was the cost of raising such revenue.

The net receipts of capital gains tax in the financial year 1982–83 were £632 million. These receipts exclude corporation tax on companies' gains. Full

distinguishing between commercial, domestic and other rates in the manner of the answer to the hon. Member for Kensington on 10 May 1983, Official Report, c. 248.

The information requested is given in the following table:information on which an estimate of the cost of collection could be made is not yet available. However, if the 1981–82 estimate is uprated by reference to likely increases in costs, the cost of collection in the year 1982–83 would be around £15 million.

Expenditure, Production And Income (Indices)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish indices for each year since 1978–79 with 1978–79=100, comparing (a) public expenditure, (b) retail prices index, (c) index of industrial production, and (d) wages, salaries and income from self-employment.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

Married Man's Tax Allowance

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the net saving in 1983–84 of abolishing the married man's tax allowance for those below pension age and introducing a partially transferable tax allowance equal to 56 per cent. of the single person's allowance; and if he will state the assumptions on which this saving has been calculated including the assumption underlying the treatment of investment income between husband and wife.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

Civil Service (Salaries)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average salary paid to an assistant secretary in the Civil Service at April 1979; how much is now paid on average to an assistant secretary; and how much of an increase this represents.

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

Members Of Parliament (Salaries)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the salary of a Member of Parliament in April 1979; how much is paid to a Member in June 1983; and what percentage increase this represents.

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

Ministers (Salaries)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the salaries of members of the Cabinet, Ministers of State and Under-Secretaries of State, including parliamentary element, at April 1979; how much is paid to these Ministers in June 1983; and what percentage increase this represents.

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

Income Tax

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how much would have to be added to the standard rate of income tax to compensate for (a) the abolition of all rates and (b) the abolition of domestic rates only.

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

Rates

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of a wage earner's gross pay has been taken by rates in each of the last five years for which figures are available for (a) someone on average earnings, (b) someone on half average earnings and (c) someone on three times average earnings.

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

Manufacturing Investment (International Comparisons)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the level of United States investment in manufacturing in the United Kingdom in each of the past three years; and what information he has as to the level of United States investment in manufacturing in the rest of the European Community and United Kingdom investment in manufacturing overseas during the same period.

I have been asked to reply.The latest information published by the United States Department of Commerce in its survey of current business, August 1982, is as follows:

United States net flows of direct investment overseas in manufacturing
United States $ million
	United Kingdom	Rest of Economic Community^*
1979	1,908	2,264
1980	2,397	2,883
1981	-550	576
^* Greece included from 1981.

This investment is net of loans from overseas subsidiaries to their United States parent companies. In 1981 United Kingdom subsidiaries loaned their United States parents at least $1 billion. Excluding these loans the United Kingdom received at least one third of United States direct investment in manufacturing in the European Community in 1981.

The latest statistics of United Kingdom direct investment overseas in manufacturing are published in table 3 on page 286 of British Business 13 May 1983, a copy of which is in the Library.

Transport

Aircraft Noise

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from airlines seeking exemption from the ban on noisy aircraft due to come into effect on 1 January 1986; and what answer he has given them.

A formal approach was made to my Department this week by a number of airlines. I am considering these representations and will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

A326 (Dual Carriageway)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans for a dual carriageway on the A326.

The A326 is a principal road for which Hampshire county council is the highway authority. I understand that it has no plans to provide a dual carriageway on any section of it.

Okehampton Bypass

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is now in a position to announce the route of the A30 Okehampton bypass.

My right hon. Friend hopes to be able to announce a decision on the route shortly.

Tachographs

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what procedures he has for random checking of heavy good and public service vehicle tachographs.

My Department's traffic examiners check the tachograph charts on all heavy goods and passenger vehicles during the course of their normal roadside checks. The police also carry out these checks. To assist enforcement, the Department is installing a computerised system for analysing tachograph charts in each of the 11 traffic area offices. This system will enable enforcement staff to check considerably more tachograph charts in future and increase enforcement of the EEC drivers' hours regulation.The annual roadworthiness test of relevant vehicles includes a check on the presence of a tachograph and integrity of seals. The Department will shortly lay regulations giving effect to a requirement of the EEC tachograph regulation for two-yearly checks of tachograph accuracy and for full recalibration at six-yearly intervals.

Public Service Vehicles

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce a reduced speed limit on coach public service vehicles that do not meet current construction standards for protection of the occupants.

There have been improvements over the years in some constructional standards for coaches, and more improvements are planned. At present there is no evidence to justify the need for a reduction in speed limits for older vehicles. The present motorway speed limit of 70 mph has applied to coaches since its inception in 1965.Bus and coach operators are required to satisfy the traffic commissioners on their maintenance arrangements when applying for their operators' licence. Commissioners can and do take action against those operators who do not meet the necessary standards. In particular the traffic commissioners can suspend, revoke or curtail the licence of any operator who has a prohibition notice served on any of his vehicles because of their unsafe condition.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied that the standards of constuction of passenger coach public service vehicles afford satisfactory protection for the occupants in the event of an accident.

Public service vehicles already provide one of the safest forms of travel by road, but we are continuing our efforts to improve the construction of coaches so as to increase passenger protection in the more serious kinds of accident.We are pressing for minimum standards for the strength of coach bodies and seats to be agreed in an international regulation under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Lebanon

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the Government of Israel to urge the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Lebanon.

Yes. In this connection, the Government have welcomed the agreement between Israel and Lebanon which allows for the full withdrawal of Israeli forces. We support the Lebanese Government's wish to see foreign forces withdrawn to enable them to re-establish the territorial integrity of their country.

Arab League Countries

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the authorities in Saudi Arabia regarding the permitting of public Christian worship by United Kingdom citizens resident in that Kingdom.

I have no plans to do so, but I can assure my hon. Friend that protecting the interests of United Kingdom citizens in Saudi Arabia is clearly a high priority and that Ministers attach importance to this work.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements are made by United Kingdom embassies in Arab League countries where the construction of Christian places of worship is forbidden, for diplomatic staff or British citizens working in those countries to attend Christian worship within embassy property if they so wish.

The difficulty is not a widespread one, but we are of course concerned that British subjects in all countries should be able to worship in private groups in accordance with their conscience. In places where problems may occur, the embassy monitors the situation closely in consultation with concerned members of the British community, and endeavours to ensure that suitable arrangements for worship are made. These may include worship within embassies.

Israel (Access To Holy Places)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations her Majesty's Government have made to Israel about free and unimpeded access of all religions to holy places within Jerusalem or the area previously within the British Mandate, but occupied by Jordan between 1948 and 1967 and currently occupied by Israel.

None.

British Subjects (Custodial Sentences)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table in the Offical Report setting out the number of British subjects known to be serving custodial sentences of over six months in foreign penal establishments, country by country, and indicating the date for which the figure applied to each country.

The figures requested are given in the following table:

British citizens serving custodial sentences of over six months in foreign penal establishments, as at 23 June 1983
	Numbers
Europe
Austria	7
Belgium	9
Denmark	23
France	32
FRG	57
GDR	1
Greece	9
Italy	6
Luxembourg	1
Netherlands	19
Norway	11
Portugal	1
Spain	37
Sweden	13
Switzerland	7
	233
Africa
Angola	7
Djibouti	1
Kenya	3
Libya	3
Malawi	1
Morocco	4
Mozambique	1
Seychelles	2

	Numbers
South Africa	22
Zaire	1
Zimbabwe	7
	52
South Pacific
Australia	3
New Zealand	3
	6
Middle East
Iraq	2
Israel	4
Saudi Arabia	9
Turkey	4
United Arab Emirates	1
	20
Asia
India	2
Malaysia	1
Thailand	7
Japan	1
	11
North and South America
Argentina	1
Bolivia	1
Brazil	1
Mexico	3
Peru	1
USA	37
Uruguay	1
	45
West Indies
Cuba	1
Jamaica	2
	3
TOTAL = 370

Environment

Wildlife And Countryside Act 1981 (Compensation Payments)

36.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many farmers have received compensation under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

One agreement has been made under the relevant provisions of the 1981 Act which came into effect last February. Over 40 voluntary agreements have been concluded by the Nature Conservancy Council under powers deriving from earlier legislation.

Commission For The New Towns

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress towards the winding-up of the Commission for the New Towns.

The commission is making good progress with the disposal of its industrial and commercial assets. Agreement on packages of community-related assets for transfer to the district councils has been reached at Bracknell and at Welwyn-Hatfield and negotiations, are under way at the other towns.

Flats (Service Charges)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the operation of the Housing Act 1980 as regards the definition of flats and required service charges as in the cases of Mr. and Mrs. Brook and Miss Musgrove, details of which have been supplied to him.

While I am satisfied with the general framework provided by the Housing Act 1980 in these respects, subject to certain limited changes in respect of service charges proposed in the Housing and Building Control Bill, the circumstances of the two cases to which my hon. Friend refers are unusual, and I shall write to him about them shortly.

Water Supply (Asbestos)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received a report from the water research centre concerning asbestos in the public water supply; and if he will publish the report.

The Department received in December 1982 the report it had commissioned from the Water Research Centre on research into asbestos in water supplies.Following normal practice, a version suitable for general publication is now being prepared.

Assured Tenancies

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he plans to extend the provisions of assured tenancies to cover the rehabilitation and conversion of existing properties; and if he will extend the rent allowance provisions to cover the higher rents which would be entailed.

This is certainly one option for the future of the private rented sector, and I shall look at it carefully. It would require new legislation. From 1 April 1983 rent allowances have been incorporated in the new housing benefit scheme, which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. Assured tenants continue to be eligible for help under the rent allowance scheme. Eligible rent is assessed on the same basis as for other housing benefit claimants and may only be restricted if the dwelling is unreasonably large or the rent is unreasonably high in comparison with similar tenancies in a local authority's area.

Stansted Airport (Inquiry)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an estimated date for the completion of the Stansted airport inquiry.

The public local inquiries are expected to end on 5 or 6 July 1983.

Mansion Blocks (Report)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has completed his consultations on the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveryors working party report on mansion blocks; and whether he proposes to take any steps to implement its recommendations.

The working party has very recently provided further clarification on a number of points raised on its report by my predecessor. I am now considering the report carefully in the light of those further comments, and I shall announce my decision as soon as possible.

Children's Play

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the Government's provision for children's play.

Subject to the approval of Parliament, I propose to increase by £600,000, the Sports' Council's grant-in-aid for this purpose and the cash limit for Class VIII, Vote 2, from £117,602,000 to £118,202,000. This increase has been met from the provision for urban programme capital expenditure and will not therefore add to the planning total of public expenditure.

Council House Sales (Leicester)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council property tenants are currently in the process of buying their residence from the local authority in Leicester.

Leicester city council has reported that 1,174 admitted right-to-buy claims were being dealt with at the end of March 1983. This figure excludes admitted claims which have subsequently been withdrawn or deferred, as well as those where the sales have been completed.

European Community

Council Of Ministers

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community Council of Ministers.

At present seven meetings of the Council of Ministers are planned for July. The usual written forecast was deposited in the House earlier today.The next Fisheries Council is due to meet on 11–12 July to discuss total allowable catches—TACs—and quotas.The Finance Council is expected to meet on 11 July to discuss the European Community position on the Consensus—international agreement on guidelines for export credits—after the OECD ministerial meeting on 27–28 June. The Council is also expected to consider the Commission's second quarterly review of the economic situation in the Community and the proposal to extend interest subsidies for certain loans granted under the EMS. Ministers may also discuss the international role of the European currency unit, and tax and financial measures in favour of investment.The Energy Council will meet again on 12 July. Ministers are expected to discuss Community energy strategy — progress and guidelines for future action; energy and energy research in the Community—a five-year programme of action and its financing; proposals for a balanced policy on solid fuels; the Community's oil refining industry; and energy demonstration projects.The Foreign Affairs Council is expected to meet on 8 July and on 18–19 July. On 8 July it is expected to concentrate on the procedure for negotiations to be held in accordance with the Stuttgart declaration on the future financing of the Community. On 18–19 July it is expected to discuss the Commission's mandate for the renegotiation of the Lomé convention, which is due to begin in the autumn; progress in negotiations on Greenland's application to withdraw from the Community; and the question of a protocol to accord privileges and immunities to the European Foundation. Ministers will continue discussion of a new regional development fund regulation and may discuss the outcome of European Community/United States talks on agricultural trade.The Agriculture Council is next expected to meet on 18–19 July to consider the distillation rules for wine; the reform of Mediterranean agriculture, which includes fruit and vegetables and olive oil; and beef tariff quotas for high quality fresh, chilled or frozen imports. It may also consider the reform of the processed fruit and vegetable regime, and the question of cage sizes for battery hens.The Budget Council is expected to meet on 20–21 July to discuss the Community's preliminary draft budget for 1984 and probably the preliminary draft supplementary and amending budget No. 2 for 1983.The Steel Council is due to meet on 25 July to discuss the Community steel regime and in particular progress made towards restructuring and renewal of article 58 production quotas.

Disabled People

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the European commissioner for social affairs concerning developing policy and programmes for the social integration of disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend discussed certain aspects of the Commission's programme on the social integration of disabled people at a meeting with Mr. Richard in March. Two projects from the United Kingdom have been put forward as our contribution to the proposed Community-wide network of locally based projects for promoting the social integration of disabled people, and the results of applications for assistance from the social fund are now awaited.

Social Services

National Health Service

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of Government plans to ensure the best value for money spent on the National Health Service.

The reorganisation of the NHS structure came into effect in April 1982, removing a tier of administration by abolishing area health authorities and enabled the proportion of resources spent on management to be reduced by 10 per cent. by 1984–85.

The Government have recently set in train a number of initiatives to ensure that the NHS makes the most efficient use of its money and manpower resources, including the introduction of better controls over NHS manpower, accountability reviews of authorities, the inquiry into NHS management by Mr. Roy Griffiths, encouraging health authorities to contract out support services where this is most cost-effective, the introduction of Rayner scrutinies in the NHS, and a review of NHS collection and use of management information being conducted by Mrs. Edith Körner.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department has participated in a study to assess the viability of means-tested charges for National Health Service patients with incomes above certain levels.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will be able to announce future resource assumptions for the National Health Service.

I am today issuing a circular announcing longer term revenue and capital assumptions as a basis for NHS planning.These resource assumptions are intended as a guide for the next 10 years, and by replacing the unrealistic ones issued in 1978 will enable health authorities to plan ahead with more confidence. The future levels of resources for health services will depend on the success of the national economy and other demands, but I have told health authorities to assume for planning purposes that resources for hospital and community health services could grow at the rate of around 0·5 per cent. a year. This is not a commitment and health authorities must ensure that their plans are flexible enough to cope with more or less resources.The long-term planning assumptions for each region, which I am appending to this answer, are designed to remove steadily the inequalities in the resources allocated to regions which have persisted since the Health Service was instituted 35 years ago.I also expect all parts of the Health Service to make more resources available for direct patient care by continuing to make better use of existing resources. These efficiency savings will be retained by regions in addition to resources provided by the taxpayer. The document which I published in March "Health Care and its Costs" shows how over the last few years the number of patients treated in the Health Service has increased faster than the additional resources put into it. I have taken a number of initiatives to improve performance further — for example, accountability reviews, manpower controls, performance indicators, special attention to audit, and most recently the setting up of the management inquiry under Mr. Roy Griffiths.

Table 1: Long-term Revenue Resource Assumptions
	RHA	1983–84 DFT ^*	Annual growth per cent.
1.	Northern	-3·7	+0·5
2.	Yorkshire	-4·3	+0·8
3.	Trent	-5·0	+1·1
4.	East Anglian	-6·4	+1·6
5.	NW Thames	+10·7	-0·5
6.	NE Thames	+8·7	-0·3
7.	SE Thames	+6·0	-0·3
8.	SW Thames	+6·4	-0·3
9.	Wessex	-4·9	+1·4
10.	Oxford	—	+1·4
11.	South Western	-4·3	+1·3
12.	West Midlands	-3·8	+1·0
13.	Mersey	-1·5	+0·2
14.	North Western	-4·0	+0·4
	Total	—	+0·5
^* DFT=distance from target share of national resources.

Table 2: Long-term Capital Resource Assumptions
	RHA	1983–84 share	1988–89 share	1993–94 share
		per cent.	per cent.	per cent.
1.	Northern	6·4	6·1	5·8
2.	Yorkshire	8·4	7·4	7·7
3.	Trent	8·8	10·5	10·2
4.	East Anglian	3·5	4·6	5·5
5.	NW Thames	5·8	5·8	6·0
6.	NE Thames	6·8	6·8	6·9
7.	SE Thames	6·5	7·1	7·8
8.	SW Thames	5·3	5·9	6·6
9.	Wessex	8·0	7·3	6·7
10.	Oxford	4·0	5·5	6·7
11.	South Western	7·4	9·0	7·6
12.	West Midlands	12·2	12·2	10·2
13.	Mersey	4·6	4·4	4·4
14.	North Western	12·3	7·7	7·9
	Total	100	100	100

Note: Distributions for 1988–89 and 1993–94 are the RAWP component of allocations projected under the present capital resource allocation method.

Table 3: Redistribution of Efficiency Savings 1984–85 and 1985–86
	RHA	Annual growth per cent.
1.	Northern	0·55
2.	Yorkshire	0·60
3.	Trent	0·90
4.	East Anglian	1·70
5.	NW Thames	—
6.	NE Thames	—
7.	SE Thames	—
8.	SW Thames	0·05
9.	Wessex	0·90
10.	Oxford	1·20
11.	South Western	0·75
12.	West Midlands	0·65
13.	Mersey	0·10
14.	North Western	0·60
	Total	0·50

Note: The table illustrates how the first half per cent. of each Authority's efficiency savings are to be redistributed.

Table 4
Capital Planning Assumptions 1984–85, 1985–86 £ million cash
	1984–85			1985–86
RHA	RAWP cash	Percentage share	Total ^* cash	RAWP cash	Percentage share	Total ^* cash
1. Northern	34·5	6·16	39·8	36·9	6·16	42·0
2. Yorkshire	44·7	7·98	48·4	46·0	7·68	49·7
3. Trent	51·2	9·14	58·4	56·0	9·34	65·1
4. East Anglian	19·7	3·52	21·2	21·9	3·65	23·0
5. NW Thames	32·4	5·78	39·9	34·7	5·79	40·8
6. NE Thames	38·1	6·79	44·2	40·7	6·79	44·9
7. SE Thames	36·6	6·53	43·4	39·7	6·62	45·9
8. SW Thames	30·1	5·37	33·4	32·5	5·42	37·1
9. Wessex	46·8	8·35	56·0	50·2	8·34	58·6
10. Oxford	22·4	4·00	26·5	25·2	4·20	24·5
11. South Western	44·4	7·92	47·5	50·3	8·39	53·4
12. West Midlands	71·9	12·83	81·9	78·6	13·10	88·1
13. Mersey	25·3	4·50	28·2	27·0	4·51	27·7
14. North Western	62·3	11·12	70·2	59·8	9·98	67·6
Total	560·4	100	639·0	599·5	100	668·4
^* Includes RAWP plus inner cities bias; dental hospitals re-equipment; strategic shift and brokerage; and teaching hospital support.

Note:

The distribution for each year is that projected under the present capital resource allocation method.

Disabled People

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the European Commission's budget for the network of district projects on the social integration of disabled people (a) in 1983 and (b) in 1984; under what budget line the expenditure is authorised; and what proportion of the total cost of the district projects this represents;(2) what is his estimate of the expenditure by each of the two United Kingdom participants in the European network of district projects on the social integration of disabled people in 1983 and in 1984; and what proportion in each case is being met by

(a) the European Commission, (b) central Government, (c) local government and (d) other sources;

(3) what arrangements have been made for the full participation of disabled people and voluntary organisations in the two United Kingdom districts which are included in the European network of district projects on the social integration of disabled people; and if he will make a statement;

(4) on what date he now expects the European network of district projects on the social integration of disabled people to be started; if he is satisfied with the progress of the Commission in implementing the decision of the Council of Ministers of 21 December 1981 which stated that the projects should begin early in 1983; and if he will make a statement.

Applications have been submitted to the European Commission from the London borough of Lambeth and the royal county of Berkshire as the two United Kingdom projects to participate in the European network of district projects. The EC proposes to provide 50 per cent. matching funding towards the operation and evaluation of projects. In the case of the United Kingdom applications the remaining 50 per cent. is to be found by the local authority. We understand that the EC contribution will come from the budget line for handicapped people within the social fund.The United Kingdom applications, with those from the other member states, will be considered by the European social fund advisory committee which is meeting on 7 and 8 July. More detailed information about financial arrangements will not be available until after that meeting.Considerable preparatory work has already been done involving, among others, local voluntary organisations. Discussions have also been taking place between the Commission, the United Kingdom Government and representatives from the proposed projects. If the applications are successful, the projects are expected to begin in October or November this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made in establishing a European network of data banks on aids for disabled people and in devising a European thesaurus; and if he will make a statement.

The EC has recently launched the Handynet concept which is designed to facilitate the exchange of information in technological and other developments to aid the disabled. Handynet will contain a number of separate projects, among which will be Handyaids — an inventory of technical aids, manufacturers and distributors; Handyvoc — a multi-lingual thesaurus of terms covering technical aids for the disabled and handicapped; and Handywho — a directory of organisations involved.Feasibility studies are being undertaken to determine which data can be pooled and/or exchanged between Community member states and how information technology can help this exchange of data. The Department will be keeping a close watch on developments.

Supplementary Benefit

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many unemployed claimants have been in receipt of supplementary benefit for over a year; and how many children they were responsible for in total at the latest date available.

Some 622,000 claimants and 480,000 dependent children in December 1982, the latest date for which information is available.

Source: Annual statistical inquiry, December 1982 —provisional figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many staff were employed in local offices on supplementary benefit claims on 1 January 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983, respectively.

The numbers of staff provided through the Department's complementing system to deal with the regular continuing work relating to supplementary benefit claims on the dates quoted are as follows:

	Number
1 January 1979	30,679
1 January 1980	29,124
1 January 1981	31,282
1 January 1982	33,246
1 January 1983	33,214

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many appeals were made to supplementary benefit appeal tribunals and how many were heard in each year from 1979 to 1982 inclusive.

The information requested is set out in the following table:

Type of Addition	Paragraph of schedule 3 of the Supplementary Benefit (Requirements) Regulations under which payment was made	Numbers (000s, rounded to the nearest 000)
		December 1981	December 1982
Heating—lower rate	1(1), 2(a)	617	621
Heating—higher rate	1(2), 1(3), 2(b)	377	383
Central heating—lower rate	3(a)	357	422
Central heating—higher rate	3(b)	384	492
Amenity charges payable with rent and estate rate heating addition	4, 5	53	18
Disabled persons' heating	6	71	90
Age related heating	7	488	521
Age	8	424	403
Attendance needs	9	^*	^*
Baths	10	1	3
Blindness	11	35	42
Boarding-out fees	12	^*	^*
Diet—lower rate	13(b), (c)	204	222
Diet—higher rate	13(a)	189	195
Diet—dialysis rate	13(d)	^*	1
Diet—others	13(c)	^*	2
Domestic assistance	14	5	3
Hire purchase	15	3	2
Hospital fares	16	2	3
Laundry	17	94	94
Special wear and tear on clothing	18	7	10
Storage of furniture	19	^*	^*
^* less than 500

Source: Annual statistical inquiries. The figures for 1982 are provisional

Supplementary Benefit Appeal Tribunals
Year	Appeals lodged	Appeals heard
1979	94,178	50,639
1980	94,481	49,355
1981	108,570	49,864
1982	^*129,524	^*55,893
^* These figures are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many training courses were run for members of supplementary benefit appeal tribunals in 1980 to 1982 inclusive; and how many training courses are planned for such members in 1983.

Approximately 100 training courses have been run by senior chairmen for members of supplementary benefit appeal tribunals from 1 January 1980 to date. No further training courses have been planned, pending the appointment of the president of social security appeal tribunals for the new system of adjudication provided for in the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list by reference to the powers under which they were made the number of supplementary benefit additional requirements payments made to claimants in the years 1981 and 1982.

The additional requirements for which provision is made under the supplementary benefit scheme are listed in schedule 3 of the Supplementary Benefit (Requirements) Regulations 1980. The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will state for those offices covering the Workington travel-to-work area the total number of supplementary benefit appeals registered during the last month for which statistics are available;(2) if he will state for those offices covering the Workington travel-to-work area the total number of unemployed people claiming supplementary benefit during the last month for which statistics are available and the figures for the comparable month in the previous year;(3) if he will state for those offices covering the Workington travel-to-work area the total number of supplementary benefit claimants for the last month for which statistics are available and the figures for the comparable month in the previous year.

Three supplementary benefit appeals were registered at the Workington local office during May 1983. The number of cases in action in that office in that month and May 1982 were as follows:

thousands
	May 1983	May 1982
Unemployed claiming supplementary benefit	2·7	2·1
All claiming supplementary benefit	6·1	5·6

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

Single Payments

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list by the regulation under which they were made the single payments paid to claimants in 1981 and 1982.

The information requested is as follows:

	Regulation Number	Numbers (000s)
		1981	1982
7	(Maternity needs)	60	88
8	(Funeral expenses)	11	13
9–10	(Furniture and household equipment)	307	476
11	(Hire purchase)	2	2
12	(Bed clothes)	159	257
13	(Removal expenses)	30	39
14	(Deposits)	1	2
15	(Legal fees)	^*	^*
16	(Housing requirements of discharged prisoners)	^*	^*
17	(Repairs and maintenance of the home)	7	8
18	(Draught proofing)	1	3
19	(Redecorating)	17	41
20	(Fuel meters and reconnection charges)	10	13
21	(Housing costs which arise irregular)	1	2
22	(Travelling expenses)	9	11
23	(Expenses on starting work)	5	7
24	(Debts accrued during absence abroad)	^*	^*
25	(Repatriation expenses)	^*	^*
26	(Fuel costs)	4	278
27	(Clothing and footwear)	51	70
28	(Costs where supplementary benefit not paid or not claimed)	3	6
29	(Prisoners on leave)	^*	^*
30	(Discretionary payments)	5	6
	Totals	684	1,273
^*Less than 500.

The figures for regulation 26 for 1982 are obtained from a special exercise that was carried out to monitor payments awarded because of the exceptionally severe winter weather. The other figures are obtained from the annual statistical inquiries conducted in December 1981 and December 1982. They relate to single payments made during the 12 months preceding the date of the inquiry to persons still in receipt of supplementary benefit at the times of the inquiry, and do not, therefore, record all the single payments made during the year. The 1982 figures are based on partial data, the final figures may be 3 to 4 per cent. higher.

Social Security Appeals

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many appeals before the Social Security Commissioners there were in 1979 to 1982 in which solicitors from his Department provided representation at oral hearings for (a) supplementary benefit cases and (b) all other cases; and what percentage of all hearings in relation to these years these represent.

The precise figures are not available but, in general, the Department provides representation at virtually all oral hearings on supplementary benefit and in about one third of all other cases. The function of the representative is that of amicus curiae, as described by Lord Justice Diplock.(R

v. Deputy Industrial Injuries Commissioner ex parte Moore [1965] 1 QB 456 p. 486.)

Social Security Commissioners

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the responsiblities of his Department in relation to the social security commissioners.

The social security commissioners are appointed by Her Majesty as independent statutory authorities. The responsibilities of the Secretary of State are confined to payment of the commissioners' salaries and provision of the secretarial and administrative support necessary to enable them to carry out their work.

Pensioners

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish tables, for single pensioners and for pensioner married couples, all aged over 70 years, showing net weekly spending power after rent, rates and water rates, assuming average local authority housing costs, in each of the following circumstances (a) no income other than state basic pension, (b) additional £5 a week from private pension, (c) additional £5 a week from £2,500 capital, (d) additional £10 a week from private pension, (e) additional £5 a week from private pension plus £5 a week from £2,500 capital, (f) additional £15 a week from private pension and (g) additional £10 a week from private pension plus £5 a week from £2,500 capital.

The information requested is shown in the following tables:

£ weekly

Retirement pension

Private pension

Income

from capital

Supplementary benefit

Tax

Rent

Rent rebate

General rates

Rate rebate

Water rates

Housing benefit supplement

Net weekly spending power

Single person aged over 70

32·85

—

3·15

—

12·25

4·50

1·40

—

34·60

32·85

5·00

—

12·25

9·50

4·50

3·56

1·40

1·84

34·60

32·85

—

5·00

3·15

—

12·25

4·50

1·40

—

39·60

32·85

10·00

—

12·25

7·20

4·50

2·65

1·40

0·05

34·60

32·85

5·00

—

12·25

7·20

4·50

2·65

1·40

5·05

39·60

32·85

15·00

—

0·74

12·25

6·15

4·50

2·30

1·40

—

37·41

32·85

10·00

5·00

—

12·25

6·15

4·50

2·30

1·40

1·45

39·60

Married Couple aged over 70

52·55

—

3·05

—

12·25

4·50

1·40

—

54·20

52·55

5·00

—

12·25

9·45

4·50

3·54

1·40

1·81

54·20

52·55

—

5·00

3·05

—

12·25

4·50

1·40

—

59·20

52·55

10·00

—

12·25

7·18

4·50

2·64

1·40

—

54·22

52·55

5·00

—

12·25

7·18

4·50

2·64

1·40

4·98

59·20

52·55

15·00

—

12·25

6·13

4·50

2·29

1·40

—

57·82

52·55

10·00

5·00

—

12·25

6·13

4·50

2·29

1·40

1·38

59·20

Note^* It is assumed that the income from savings is taxed at source, eg building society interest.

Housing Costs

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many, and what percentage, of supplementary benefit claimants, including supplementary pensioners, have housing costs, excluding mortgage payments, below £10 per week for households without children and £15 for households with dependent children.

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

Housing Benefit Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the saving in administrative expenditure to the Department of Health and Social Security as a result of the introduction of the new housing benefit scheme; and what is the expected increase in local authority staffing and local authority expenditures resulting from the same scheme.

The Department is saving about £20 million in 1983–84 in administrative expenditure as a result of the introduction of the housing benefit scheme, which, when taken with other savings in accommodation and superannuation, brings the total savings to about £30 million. It will not be possible to make firm estimates of local authority staffing requirements or adminstrative costs until the new scheme has begun to settle down.

Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any plans to allow the Royal National Orthopaedic hospital to be sold off as surplus to requirements.

The lease on the hospital's Great Portland street premises expires in July 1984, and Bloomsbury health authority is consulting on proposals to transfer the services currently provided there to the Middlesex hospital and to the Stanmore branch of the Royal National Orthopaedic hospital.

Attendance Allowance

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he proposes any change in the rule whereby attendance allowance for a severely disabled child is withdrawn as soon as the child enters residential accommodation.

Yes. I have been concerned that this rule may inhibit the development of respite care schemes, which the Government are concerned to encourage, and I am pleased to announce that we intend to seek an amendment to the regulations to allow payment of attendance allowance to continue for the first four weeks that a child is in residential accommodation.We intend to lay the necessary regulations before the House as soon as possible, with a view to implementing the change in August.

Scotland

Scottish Exhibition Centre

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on progress over the input by Scottish-based companies towards the construction of the Scottish exhibition centre; and whether he is encouraging a contribution from public sector bodies.

The first two major construction contracts, worth over £3 million, for the exhibition centre have been awarded to Scottish-based companies; and Scottish-based companies are bidding strongly for a further six contracts worth about £4½ million. As my hon. Friend the then Minister for Industry in Scotland told the hon. Member on 19 April—[Vol. 41, c. 69–70.]—work is assigned wherever possible to local contractors, but they must satisfy the conditions of highest quality work for the lowest price. Any award of contracts to public sector bodies would be made on this basis.

Housing Corporation

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will direct more resources for the Housing Corporation into the renewal of the East Woodlands and St. George's Cross area of Glasgow to facilitate inner city regeneration.

No. It is for the Housing Corporation, when allocating resources for housing association projects, to consider the proposals put to it by individual housing associations in the light of local housing needs as indicated to it by the local authorities concerned.

Rates

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing revenues from local authority rates in Scotland for each year since 1978–79, including an estimate for 1983–84, and distinguishing between commercial, domestic and other rates in the manner of the answer to the hon. Member for Kensington on 10 May 1983, Official Report, c. 248.

Following is the information for Scotland. The figures exclude domestic water rate, domestic element of rate support grant and rate rebate grant.

Rate income
£ million
	Commercial	Domestic	Other	Total
1978–79	169·7	195·7	223·7	589·1
1979–80	202·0	222·1	258·5	682·6
1980–81	279·2	308·5	342·4	930·1
^*1981–82	384·5	412·0	458·4	1,254·9
^*1982–83	434·8	464·1	498·2	1,397·1
†1983–84	440·7	469·8	504·9	1,415·4
^* Provisional.
† Estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he instructed certain local authorities to reduce rates levied; and what consideration he gave to consulting hon. Members beforehand.

As the right hon. Member will be aware from the answer given on 6 May—[Vol. 42, c. 167]—to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Ancram), the letters sent to five local authorities on 5 May contained no such instructions. They initiated formal action which, if pursued to reports, will come to the House for approval in due course. It has never been the practice to consult hon. Members before initiating such action.

					£m
	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84
Temporary loan interest	3·30 Cr	2·64 Cr	1·39 Cr	0·24 Cr	2·35 Debit	2·55 Debit
Balance on services^*	78·81	82·27	79·59	71·79	76·24	82·92
^* excluding Urban Programme expenditure

Glasgow District Council

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the guideline expenditure figure reached for Glasgow district council for the year 1983–84 using the client group approach; what guideline figure is finally being allocated to the Glasgow district council for that year; and how the difference between these figures was calculated.

Housing Improvement Grant

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will uprate the housing improvement grant ceiling for Glasgow tenement properties from the present level in line with changes in the retail price index.

The limit on eligible expenditure applying to improvement grants for pre-1914 tenements in housing action areas in Glasgow now stands at £13,800 in respect of applications approved by the local authority on or after 13 June 1983. This represents a 20 per cent. increase on the level that has applied since 1981 and I see no reason to consider a further increase now.

Urban Programme (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will recalculate the terms of appendices a, b and c attached to the letter sent by his Department to Glasgow district council on 5 May, dealing with the exercise of his powers under section 5 as amended of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966 to exclude in each year expenditure on the urban programme; if he will express the figures at constant November 1982 prices; and if he will break these figures down in each year to show the debit or credit included for temporary loan interest and the balance being spent on the provision of services.

Expenditure on the urban programme is already excluded from the 1983–84 figures in appendix A to the Scottish Office letter of 5 May 1983. It is not readily possible to exclude it from guideline figures for 1982–83 and it is not possible to exclude it from previous years' guidelines. Urban programme expenditure is already excluded from the expenditure figures in appendices B and C. The figures in appendix A are expressed in November 1982 prices up to 1982–82; and thereafter in cash because guidelines after that date are expressed in cash. The expenditure figures in appendix B are already expressed at November 1982 prices.The council's expenditure for the years 1978–79 to 1983–84, at November 1981 prices, showing temporary loan interest and the balance being spent on services, is as follows:

The client group approach was used in calculating the assessment of expenditure need for Glasgow district of £51·76 million. The current expenditure guideline for Glasgow district council for 1983–84 is £66·34 million. The method used for calculating current expenditure guidelines for 1983–84 is set out in Scottish Office finance circular No. 19/1982 issued on 19 November 1982, its addendum of 26 November 1982 and the additional information provided to local authorities on 1 March 1983. Copies of the circular are in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what figure is included in the guideline calculation for the year 1983–84 for temporary loan interest in the case of the Glasgow district council; and how this compares with the figure in the budget for 1983–84 submitted to the Secretary of State for Scotland by Glasgow district council.

In the calculation of the assessed need figure underlying Glasgow district council's current expenditure guideline for 1983–84, a figure of £363,000 —credit—was included for interest on revenue balances. The District Council's budget for 1983–84 included a figure of £2·55 million—debit—for this item.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will recalculate appendices a, b and c attached to the letter sent by his Department to Glasgow district council on 5 May, dealing with the use of his powers under section 5, as amended, of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966 excluding the £4 million for housing environmental improvement grants included in the budget returns by Glasgow district council submitted to the Secretary of State for the financial year 1983–84;(2) if he will recalculate appendices a, b and c attached to the letter sent by his Department to Glasgow district council on 5 May, dealing with his decision to use his powers under section 5, as amended, of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966 excluding the £4 million for housing environmental improvement grants included in the budget returns by the Glasgow district council submitted to the Secretary of State for the financial year 1983–84 and the 5·3 million for area budgets included in the same returns.

No. The appendices to the Scottish Office letter of 5 May 1983 initiating selective action under section 5 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966 were based on the information provided by Glasgow district council in its budget return for 1983–84. The points made subsequently by the district council in its representations about this information have been taken fully into account in reaching the decision on further action under section 5 of the 1966 Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report or deposit in the Library his specific reasons for instructing the Glasgow district council to reduce the rate levied.

I am today placing in the Library of the House a copy of the letter sent on 5 May 1983 to Glasgow district council which sets out the grounds for my decision to initiate selective action under section 5 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966 and propose a reduction of 5p in the council's rate for 1983–84. I am also placing in the Library a copy of the letter of 29 June sent to Glasgow district council in which I propose, in the light of representations, a reduction of 3p.

Pigeons

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why Her Majesty's Government have imposed a ban on the traffic of pigeons between Scotland and the mainland of Europe; how this ban is to be enforced; and for how long it is to remain in force.

The ban has been imposed because of evidence in recent months of a paramyxo virus disease in pigeons in France, Belgium and Holland. Newcastle disease of poultry is one kind of this infection. Pigeon racing between the whole of Great Britain and member states of the European Community has therefore been suspended on veterinary advice and with the full co-operation of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association.A voluntary agreement on the suspension of racing which has been in effect since March was supplemented by statutory controls under the Exportation of Pigeons Order 1983 which came into effect on 23 June. Under this order a licence is required to export to EC countries pigeons destined to fly back to this country. No licences will be issued in the present circumstances and these restrictions will remain in force until no longer needed.

Local Authorities (Expenditure)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will publish in the Official Report details of local authority (i) revenue expenditure and (ii) capital expenditure for (a) Glasgow and (b) Scotland for each of the last five years for which figures are available;(2) if he will publish in the

Official Report the outstanding debt on local authority capital expenditure for (a) Glasgow and (b) Scotland, both as a percentage and as an actual sum, for each of the last five years for which figures are available.

The information is included in "Rating Review", published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, Scottish branch. Copies are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of local authority expenditure for (a) Glasgow and (b) Scotland consisted of Exchequer grants for each of the last five years for which figures are available.

The information requested is set out in the table below:

	Glasgow	Scotland
	per cent.	per cent.
1978–79	36·5	57·6
1979–80	37·3	56·9
1980–81	37·1	56·6
1981–82	32·6	52·5
1982–83	32·4	50·5

Local Authorities (Staff)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report, by number and percentage, the change in local authority manpower in Scotland in the last five years for which figures are available.

Quarterly figures for local authority manpower are published jointly by the Scottish Office and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and are available in the Library.

Assisted Places Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has decided the amount of fee remission grant to allocate to schools participating in the assisted places scheme in respect of session 1983–84.

The allocations of fee remission grant for 1983–84 are shown in the following table. Forty-two schools will participate, one less than in 1982–83 because of the recently announced amalgamation of two participating schools in Edinburgh — St. Margaret's school for girls, Newington and St. Hilary's — which will go under the name of the former.

Region and school	Amount £
Central
Dollar academy	50,000
Dumfries and Galloway
Kilquhanity house	12,000
Fife
St. Leonards	30,000
Grampian
Albyn school for girls	11,000
Gordonstoun	28,000
Robert Gordon's college	34,000
St. Margaret's school for girls, Aberdeen	8,000
Highland
Fort Augustus abbey	46,000
Lothian
Edinburgh academy	52,000
Fettes	60,000
George Heriot's	164,000
Loretto	37,000
Merchant Company schools	648,000
Merchiston castle	66,000
Rudolf Steiner	39,000
St. Denis and Cranley	20,000
St. George's	6,000
St. Margaret's convent	16,000
St. Margaret's (Newington)	46,000
Strathclyde
Belmont house	8,000
Craigholme	23,000
Fernhill	21,000
Glasgow academy	39,000
High school of Glasgow	49,000
Hutchesons' grammar	110,000
Keil	67,000
Kelvinside academy	77,000
Lomond	40,000
St. Alysius' college	105,000
Wellington	17,000
West of Scotland school company	310,000
Tayside
Convent of the Sacred Heart	35,000
High school of Dundee	160,000
Morrison's academy	111,000
Rannoch	28,000
Strathallan	32,000
Trinity college	47,000
TOTAL	2,652,000

Boundary Commission For Scotland

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland who are the present members of the Boundary Commission for Scotland; and when they were appointed.

The members of the Boundary Commission for Scotland are as follows:Mr. Speaker, ex-officio Chairman;The honourable Lord Ross, Deputy-Chairman—appointed by the Lord President of the Court of Session on 14 January 1977;Mr. Andrew A. L. Evans—appointed by the Secretary of State for Scotland on 22 April 1976;Professor Urlan, A. Wannop—appointed by the Secretary of State for Scotland on 6 June 1983.

Education And Science

Standards

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of Government plans to improve standards of education.

The Government are committed to securing improvements in standards of education. In particular, we shall continue to encourage local education authorities and schools to develop and implement the Government's policies for the school curriculum. We shall promote improvements in the selection, training and deployment of teachers along the lines proposed in the White Paper "Teaching Quality" (Cmnd. 8836). We are extending the microelectronics education programme and shall respond to needs identified through the technical and vocational education initiative and the funding of projects to develop a more practical curriculum for lower attaining pupils. We shall introduce a Bill to enable grants to be made to local education authorities. The new Secondary Examinations Council will monitor examinations standards, and will offer advice on national criteria as a basis for a reform of the 16-plus examinations system. We shall seek further ways of widening parental choice and influence over their children's schooling and we shall continue to make available publicly her Majesty's Inspectorate's reports of formal inspection. In the higher and further education sectors, we shall continue to encourage the effective deployment of resources with an emphasis on provision for science, technology and engineering courses.

Trade And Industry

Rolls-Royce Limited

asked the Secretary of Trade and Industry if the Government intend to bring forward proposals for the denationalisation of Rolls Royce Ltd. in the present Session.

No. It is the Government's intention to see Rolls-Royce returned to the private sector during the course of the present Parliament. We recognise, however, that potential investors will require evidence that the company can achieve and maintain a record of profitable trading, and the Government's first priority is therefore to encourage the company's efforts to return to profitability.

Exports (United States)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the value of the United Kingdom exports to the United States of America in the last year.

Details of exports to the United States of America may be found in table V of the monthly Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, copies of which are in the Library.

Steering Location Inquiries

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many steering location inquiries had been received in the non h-west region of his Department; and, of these, how many had been referred to the Cumbria county council industrial development union during the last month for which statistics are available.

In May 1983 the north-west regional office received 30 steering location inquiries. None of these were referred to Cumbria county council's industrial development unit. However, close liaison between the north-west regional office and the industrial development unit, which in the past has resulted in such referrals, has been maintained.

Regional Assistance

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total number and value of offers of regional assistance made to companies in west Cumbria travel-to-work areas, in Cumbria as a whole, in the north-west region and in the northern region for the last month for which statistics are available.

In March 1983, nine offers of assistance totalling £2·28 million were made under the Industrial Development Act 1982 towards projects in the north-west region. Of these two offers totalling £65,000 were made towards projects in the west Cumbria travel-to-work area but no other offers were made to companies in Cumbria. Fourteen offers totalling £652,000 were made towards projects in the north-east region.

Microelectronics Education

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied that sufficient software is available to enable schools to take full advantage of the microelectronics education programme.

A great deal of excellent educational software is already available, particularly that developed under the microelectronics education programme and the Scottish microelectronics development programme.There is, however, a clear need for more software and both the Education Departments, through MEP and SMDP, and the Department of Trade and Industry are continuing to fund further development. However, we would welcome commercial interests playing an increasing role in software production and we are considering how this can best be achieved.

Steel Industry

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether additional assistance can be made available under the private sector steel scheme to companies contemplating further reductions in capacity where they cannot afford the costs of consequential investments which they would have to make in the remainder of their business.

I am pleased to announce that we are now prepared to consider offering assistance above the standard 25 per cent. level, on a basis according to need, towards closure costs in cases where companies are considering further reductions in capacity but cannot afford the consequential costs. Where closures do not involve consequential rationalisation costs, the level of assistance offered remains fixed at 25 per cent.In order to conform with the Community regime for state aids to the industry, assistance is, however, limited to projects that will be at least substantially completed by 30 September 1984. Potential applicants are therefore advised to contact the Department at the earliest opportunity.The allocation of £34·2 million for the private sector steel scheme remains unchanged.

Post Office Engineering Union (Dispute)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the effects of the selective industrial action taken by members of the Post Office Engineering Union.

The present action affects the installation and maintenance of data transmission facilities in part of central London. It is for British Telecom to minimise the impact on its customers of any problems that may result from this action.

Manufacturing (Balance Of Trade)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the latest monthly and annual figures for the balance of manufacturing trade between the United Kingdom and the rest of the Community; and how they have changed in the last 12 months.

The information is as follows:

United Kingdom trade in manufactures^*with other European Community countries
Crude balances		£ million, OTS basis
		12 months ending
May 1982	May 1983	May 1982	May 1983
-439	-672	-4,303	-6,191

Notes:

^* Standard international trade classification sections 5 to 8.

These figures are on the Overseas Trade Statistics (OTS) rather than the Balance of payments (BOP) basis which are available only quarterly. The main difference is that on the OTS basis imports, but not exports, are valued inclusive of insurance and freight whereas on the BOP basis both imports and exports are valued exclusive of insurance and and freight. For comparison purposes, the deficit on trade in manufactures with the European Community in the first quarter of 1983 was £1·9 billion on an OTS basis and £1·7 billion on a BOP basis.

Northern Ireland

Rates

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing revenue from local authority rates in Northern Ireland for each year since 1978–79, including an estimate for 1983–84, and distinguishing between commercial, domestic and other rates, in the manner of the answer given to the hon. Member for Kensington on 10 May 1983, Official Report, c. 248.

Rating statistics for Northern Ireland are maintained in different categories from those requested.

Rate revenue collected
£ million
	Domestic	Industrial†	Other‡	Total
1978–79	40·4	4·5	53·5	98·4
1979–80	45·9	4·8	59·9	110·6
1980–81	57·9	5·7	73·9	137·5
1981–82	66·7	6·3	84·2	157·2
^*1982–83	72·4	6·9	91·8	171·1
^*1983–84	77·3	—	98·1	175·4

Notes

^* Estimate

† from hereditaments that qualify for derating.

‡ from commercial and public hereditaments; it is estimated that approximately 70 per cent. relates to commercial properties.

Households (Statistics)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the latest estimate of the number of households in Northern Ireland; and, of these, how many have dependent children in them.

The Northern Ireland 1981 census of population shows that, as enumerated on 6 April 1981, there were 456,348 households in Northern Ireland. Of these, 209,842 had dependent children. These figures do not include households which, due to difficulties in the taking of the census, were not enumerated.

Plastic Bullets

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many plastic bullets have been fired in Northern Ireland since 11 May; in what circumstances and in what areas the bullets were fired; and how many persons were injured as a result of the use of plastic bullets since that date.

Since 11 May 1983, 84 plastic baton rounds have been fired in Northern Ireland. No injuries are known to have resulted. The circumstances were as follows:

During the evening of 13 May in Londonderry, following rioting in which some 100 youths had hijacked five vehicles and set them on fire, and shots had been fired at a police Landrover, the police fired two plastic baton rounds to extricate themselves from an attack on their vehicles by 50 to 80 youths, during which approximately 40 petrol bombs were thrown; one hit was observed and no injuries were reported.

Over the night of 21/22 May approximately 200 youths were responsible for sustained rioting in Londonderry; a public house was set on fire, and a lorry and a bus were hijacked and set on fire; over 500 petrol bombs were thrown and nine live shots were fired at the police, who returned fire; 44 baton rounds were also fired by the police in an effort to control the riot, but no injuries were reported; during the course of the night two policemen were slightly injured and one person was arrested; the police recovered, and made safe, three crates of petrol bombs.

Over the night of 28/29 May in Londonderry, during rioting started by about 60 to 100 youths, in the course of which some 350 petrol bombs were thrown, the police fired 38 plastic baton rounds to disperse rioters and observed four hits; no injuries were reported.

Emergency Powers Acts

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will submit to the inquiry by Sir George Baker into the working of the Emergency Powers Acts information for each year since 1973 showing the number of persons convicted of scheduled offences who were convicted on the sole evidence of their own confessions; and whether he will publish such information in the Official Report.

I shall meet as fully as possible any requests for information that Sir George Baker may make. The question of publication of any such material will be a matter for separate consideration.

House Of Commons

Select Committees

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish in the Official Report a complete list of reports of Select Committees, by subject and Session, with full title and reference numbers, arising from the last Parliament, including those yet to be published and those Minutes of Proceedings without reports published subsequent to the Dissolution; and if he will list the references of those Government replies so far made.

To reproduce this list in the Official Report would involve disproportionate costs. I have therefore placed the information in the Library of the House.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Surplus Products

15.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many days' supply are represented by products currently in surplus in the European Community.

The latest available figures on levels of stocks in intervention and assisted private storage in the Community in terms of days' supply are as follows:

	Days
Cereals	33
Oilseeds	1
Butter	128
Skimmed Milk Powder	201
Beef	14
Pigmeat	3
Wine	107
Olive Oil	73

Anadromous Fish

16.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he is undertaking into the exploitation of anadromous fish in saline waters.

Research into the exploitation of anadromous fish in saline waters is aimed principally at improving knowledge of the stocks rather than at the efficiency of catching methods. The major expenditure falls to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. My own Department undertakes work in relation to particular fisheries.

Poultry (Battery Production)

17.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made, and at what public cost, on the development of viable alternative systems to intensive battery production of eggs and chickens.

The detailed information requested is as follows. None of the work has yet progressed sufficiently to determine whether viable alternatives to battery cages exist.A number of research projects related to the welfare of laying hens both in battery cages and in alternative systems is being funded by the European Community as follows:

1. An investigation of the social space around the laying hen.

2. A trial on the effect of group size and social space on egg layers in deep and shallow cages.

3. A study of the effects of rearing conditions on behaviour and production of laying hens kept in battery cages and on litter.

4. Research to study the behaviour of laying hens in the aviary system.

5. An assessment of alternative "get-away" cages for laying hens.

6. Investigations into nest-site selection by the domestic fowl.

7. Investigations into feelings of the domestic fowls.

8. Improvement of poultry cage design.

This programme involves the spending of 890,000ecu (£550,000) over the period 1981–83.

Nationally various alternative systems are being examined. An aviary trial is in progress at the Gleadthorpe experimental husbandry farm and work on a strawyard is planned. Work at three Scottish colleges of agriculture in conjunction with the Poultry Research Centre covers the aviary, perchery, deep litter, strawyard and free range systems. The direct cost to United Kingdom funds in the current financial year is likely to be about £165,000 and in the financial years 1979–83 was about £360,000. In addition there is a considerable amount of research into more general aspects of poultry welfare. The direct cost of this work to United Kingdom funds in the current financial year is estimated to be about £500,000. The poultry industry is also providing support towards parts of the United Kingdom programme.

Food Prices

18.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the change in average food prices between the second quarter of 1982 and the second quarter of 1983.

The requested estimate will become available on 15 July when the retail price index figures for June are published. The latest figures indicate that there was no overall change in average food prices between May 1982 and May 1983.

Young Farmers

19.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will seek to investigate the French scheme for encouraging young farmers to start up in business.

It is important to know as much as possible about agricultural incentives available in other member states of the Community and we shall investigate the French scheme to which the hon. Member refers.

Marginal Land

20.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy for marginal land areas; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's policy is to secure designation of marginal land areas as "less favoured", under directive 75/268. We are assured by the European Commission that a proposal to this effect is imminent and my right hon. Friend will be pressing for an early decision by the Council of Ministers.

Farm Wardens

21.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many hours of training will be required to enable a farm warden to carry out his duties effectively in national emergency.

The type of person selected for these posts would already be familiar with farms and farming in his locality. Further specialised training is unlikely to take more than about a day, but no precise estimate can be given at present.

Farmers

22.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many bankruptcies there were among farmers during 1982.

The number of bankruptcies in agriculture and horticulture in England and Wales in the year ending 31 December 1982 was 78. Comparable figures are not available for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Common Fisheries Policy

23.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the implementation of the common fisheries policy of the European Community.

Negotiations on 1983 total allowable catches and quotas and on elements needed to complete the Community regime on enforcement and on restructuring are currently taking place. Other elements of the common fisheries policy are in general working satisfactorily. I shall maintain close contact with the fishing industry on any problems arising.

Pig Industry

24.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the current state of the pig industry; and whether prices have improved for producers since the recent farm price settlement.

I am very much aware of concern about the poor returns which the pig industry has received in recent months. That is why the Government have successfully pressed the European Commission to improve aids to private storage, to increase export refunds on fresh and frozen pigmeat and to provide special aid of about £6 million for the improvement of pigmeat processing plants in the United Kingdom.We have also agreed to bear the cost of the veterinary charges incurred in meat inspection in export slaughter-houses after 1 June.It is helpful that the recent levels of the average all pigs price have been above those in April this year.

25.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received about the cost of feedstuffs for the pig industry.

The President of the National Farmers Union has emphasised that the cost of feedingstuffs has had a considerable impact on the financial situation of pig producers.

Fishing Nets (Mesh Sizes)

26.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will oppose the plan to increase minimum mesh sizes in the North sea from 80mm to 90mm on 1 January 1984.

I will support an increase to 90mm, which will bring significant long-term gains to fishermen, but I recognise that a later implementation date would allow the industry more time to adjust.

Agricultural Guarantee Expenditure

27.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the sum in the 1983 budget of the European Community in respect of agricultural guarantee expenditure; and what is the current estimate of outturn expenditure for 1983.

The original 1983 budget provided 14,087 million ecu — about £8,000 million — for agricultural guarantee expenditure. The Commission has not offered a revised forecast of outturn, but is likely to propose a supplementary budget in the near future.

Agriculture Industry

28.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the present state of the agriculture industry; and if he will make a statement.

The White Paper "Annual Review of Agriculture 1983" published in February showed that output and income had risen strongly in 1982. Unusually wet autumn and spring weather have had some effect on production prospects this year, but I am confident that the underlying economic position of United Kingdom agriculture is healthy. I am aware of the problems in particular sectors and will continue my right hon. predecessor's efforts to help the industry to overcome them.

Pigeons

29.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received in connection with the ban on pigeon racing from the Continent.

A number of representations have been received from both individuals and pigeon racing interests criticising the suspension of racing by British pigeons from the mainland of Europe.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why representatives of the National Flying Club were excluded from the meeting he held with representatives of pigeon racing organisations on Monday 27 June.

Officials met representatives of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association on Monday 27 June to discuss the disease situation in racing pigeons and the action taken in this and neighbouring countries. I am advised that the RPRA fully represents pigeon racing interests, and the consultation took place on that understanding.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why copies of the Export of Pigeons Order (S.I., 1983, No. 872) which came into force on 23 June 1983, were not made available to the Vote Office or the Library by 27 June 1983.

This order did not have to be laid before the House and, as is normal practice, copies of the order, when printed, will be supplied to Parliament by HMSO.However, because of the interest shown by hon. Members, I did, exceptionally, arrange for a supply of typed copies of the order to be placed in the Library and the Vote Office on 28 June.I am sorry if the procedure for this sort of order has caused inconvenience to Members.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any plans to restrict pigeon racing within the United Kingdom.

Paramyxo virus has been diagnosed as present in some racing pigeons in Cornwall. In these circumstances, consideration is now being given to the urgent adaptation of existing subordinate legislation so that movement controls on pigeons affected with the disease in Great Britain might be introduced to contain the spread of the virus.

River Lune (Conservation)

30.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the temporary byelaws relating to conservation measures on the river Lune, in accordance with the formal request from the North-West water authority submitted to him on 4 May.

I am considering the byelaws submitted by the North-West water authority and the objections to them.

Agricultural Land

31.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the system of classification of agricultural land.

Yes.

Fishing Fleet

32.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the restructuring of the fishing fleet and in particular the deep sea fleet based in Hull.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. McQuarrie) on 27 June.

Beef

33.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if there is any change of policy envisaged with regard to the United Kingdom variable premium scheme for beef; and if he will make a statement.

At the price-fixing settlement on 17 May it was agreed that the beef variable premium scheme should continue for the 1983–84 marketing year. I consider the scheme has proved valuable to both producers and consumers.All forms of aid to beef producers in the Community are being reviewed by the Commission and a report is due to be made to the Council of Ministers by 1 August 1983.

Marginal Land

34.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for a marginal land scheme.

The Government's aim is to secure designation of marginal land areas such as "less favoured" under the terms of EC directive 75/268 and we are pressing for an early decision by the Council of Ministers.

Food Subsidies

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing what consumer subsidies are at present payable on basic foodstuffs; and how this compares with the subsidies payable in 1974–75, taken at present values.

The information requested is as follows:

Consumer foods subsidies expressed at May 1983 values
	At present	Average level in 1974–75 (range shown in brackets) ^*
Milk (p/pint)	—†	6·5 (5·9–7·3)
Butter (p/lb.)	14·3	21·8 (16·2–32·3)
Bread
(p/large loaf)	—	6·6 (1·5–8·8)
(p/small loaf)	—	3·7 (1·5–5·9)
Household flour (p/lb.)	—	1·7 (0–2·9)
Cheese (p/lb.)	—	25·0 (0–35·2)
Tea (p/lb.)	—	13·7 (0–23·5)

Notes:

^* Adjusted by the change in the retail price index between 1974–75 and May 1983.

† A Community subsidy is paid on milk and certain milk products provided in schools(eg 11 p/pint rising to 12½p/pint on milk from the start of the autumn term).

Consumers also benefit from the beef and sheep variable premiums, but their effect on prices at the retail level cannot be exactly quantified. It is relevant to point out that retail food prices rose by 122 per cent. between February 1974 and May 1979 and by 36·4 per cent. between May 1979 and May 1983.

European Community (Expenditure)

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are his proposals for reducing agricultural spending within the European Community.

Following the conclusions of the European Council on 18 June, the Government will join in an examination of a variety of questions relating to the common agricultural policy, including the need for strict financial guidelines. The examination will result in concrete steps compatible with market conditions being taken to ensure effective control of agricultural expenditure by making full use of available possibilities and examining all market organisations.

Volume 44: debated on Thursday 30 June 1983

Written Answers To Questions

Attorney-General

District Land Registry

Rossminster Group

Home Department

Postal Votes

General Election (Postal And Proxy Votes)

Public Disorder

Parkhurst Prison (Repairs)

Albany Prison

Prison Places (Costs)

Prison Expenditure

Prison Rules

Prisoners (Statistics)

Harmondsworth Detention Centre

Electoral Law

Attendance Centres

Refugees (Custodial Sentences)

Non-British Subjects (Custodial Sentences)

Serious Crimes (Computers)

Murder Statistics

Immigration Act 1971 (Statistics)

Police (Establishments)

Capital Punishment

Offensive Video Material

Heavy Goods And Public Service Vehicles

Prime Minister

Engagements

Greater London

University Entrants

Ely

Dinnington Village

Capital Punishment

Hillhead

European Community (Budget Contribution)

Theatre Nuclear Weapons

Bishop's Stortford

Rates

Employment

Trainees (Anti-Discrimination Legislation)

National Computerised Job Availability Scheme

Local Authorities (Revenue)

Labour Statistics

Workington Jobcentre

Redundancies (Workington)

Short-Time Working (Workington)

Index Of Retail Food Prices

Technical And Vocational Education Initiative

Wales

Local Authority Building Projects

Sewerage (Maes Gerddi Estate)

Rates

Welsh Language

Overseas Development

Kenya

National Finance

Capital Gains Tax

Expenditure, Production And Income (Indices)

Married Man's Tax Allowance

Civil Service (Salaries)

Members Of Parliament (Salaries)

Ministers (Salaries)

Income Tax

Rates

Manufacturing Investment (International Comparisons)

Transport

Aircraft Noise

A326 (Dual Carriageway)

Okehampton Bypass

Tachographs

Public Service Vehicles

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Lebanon

Arab League Countries

Israel (Access To Holy Places)

British Subjects (Custodial Sentences)

Environment

Wildlife And Countryside Act 1981 (Compensation Payments)