asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable for Avon and Somerset concerning incidents of public disorder which took place in the St. Paul's area of Bristol 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 understand from the acting chief constable that at about 9.00 pm on 21 June two police officers on foot patrol in the St. Pad's area saw a man whom they believed to be driving whilst disqualified. With the assistance of other officers who arrived in police vehicles they arrested the man. These events attracted a crowd of about 50 youths, who attacked the police. The police were able to take the arrested man to a police station, but during the attack two officers were injured by missiles, and one of the officers was detained in hospital overnight. Police vehicles were damaged, including one empty car which was overturned. Later in the night the police righted the car and drove it away.Following the initial disorder, until 3.00 am on 22 June there were intermittent incidents in the area in which, typically, small groups of youths would gather, throw stones at officers, and then disperse quickly. In addition, eight shop windows were broken, and goods were stolen from three of them.Altogether, about 70 officers were deployed in the area, 11 more of whom were injured slightly. A total of eight police vehicles were damaged. Three more people were arrested during the night, and a further five people suspected of involvement in the incidents were arrested subsequently. The first man to be arrested has been charged with motoring offences. The others arrested have been charged variously with causing criminal damage, burglary, possession of offensive weapon, assaulting the police and offences under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1936. The police estimate that most of those involved in the disorder were black.I understand from the acting chief constable that for some months the area had largely been free from tension. We share his hope that the actions of an irresponsible minority should not jeopardise relations between the police and the great majority of the local community, who fully support the police in their efforts to maintain law and order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the highest number of prisoners held in police custody so far in 1983.

There were 563 prisoners held in police custody on 29 March. Of these 308 were held in London and the south east and 255 in Manchester as a result .of industrial action at Her Majesty's prison Manchester. The largest number held in London and the south east was 476 on 14 June. This coincided with industrial action at Her Majesty's prison Wandsworth.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were held in (a) prison department custody and (b) police custody on the most recent convenient date.

On 24 June 1983 there were 43,286 prisoners held in the custody of the prison department and 340 held in that of the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many places are available in detention centres.

The certified normal accommodation of the detention centre system is 2,268. Of these places 790 are in junior detention centres and 1,478 in senior detention centres.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average annual number of unlawful killings made known to the police in the most recent five years for which figures are available and in the five-year period up to and including the year 1964.

The number of homicides initially recorded by the police is published each year in 'Criminal Statistics, England and Wales' (table 4.1 of the latest volume for 1981, Cmnd. 8668). Including the provisional figure of 619 for 1982, the average annual number of homicide offences initially recorded in the period 1978–82 was 592; in the period 1960–64 the corresponding average number was 290.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the percentage increase or decrease in the number of serious offences in which firearms were reported to have been used made known to the police in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what was the comparable figure for the year 1964.

The number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used increased by 22 per cent. between 1980 and 1981, as may be derived from table 3.1 of the latest issue of 'Criminal Statistics, England and Wales for 1981'. Comparable figures are not available before 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the annual average of serious crimes involving the use of firearms made known to the police over the most recent five-year period for which figures are available; and what was the comparable annual average for the five year period up to and including the year 1964.

The annual number of offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used averaged 6,400 between 1977 and 1981 as may be derived from table 3.1 of 'Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1981'. Comparable figures are not available before 1969.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage increase has occurred in the numbers of robberies made known to the police in which shotguns, pistols or rifles were used over the past 10 years.

The information requested can be derived from table 3.4 of the latest issue of "Criminal statistics, England and Wales" for 1981. The number of robberies recorded by the police in which shotguns, pistols, or rifles were reported to have been used increased by 270 per cent. between 1971 and 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the percentage increase in crimes and offences made known to the police between 1945 and 1964 and between 1964 and 1983; and what was the comparable percentage change in the numbers of unlawful killings made known to the police over the same periods.

Information on notifiable offences recorded by the police is published annually by type of offence in "Criminal statistics, England and Wales" (tables 2.2 and 2.7 of the latest issue for 1981, Cmnd. 8668) and quarterly in Home Office statistical bulletins. Figures on a comparable basis are not available before 1950. Between the 15-year period 1950–64 and the 15-year period 1965–79 the total number of notifiable offences recorded by the police increased by about 160 per cent. and the total number of homicide offences recorded increased by 52 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will extend the concessionary television licences for pensioners living on their own in their own accommodation; and if he will make a statement;(2) what response he has made to proposals made to him by various local authorities concerning extending the concessionary television licence to pensioners living on their own and in their own accommodation.

We have no plans to introduce any general concessionary television licence. We continue to believe that the best way to help retirement pensioners is by maintaining the real value of the pension. Three local authorities who wrote this year on the general subject of concession's have been so informed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of persons unemployed, percentage rate of unemployment, and the total number of vacancies for (a) the Workington travel-to-work area, and (b) Cumbria at the latest date for which figures are available.

At 9 June, the total number of unemployed claimants in the Workington travel-to-work area was 5,293 and the unemployment rate was 17·1 per cent. The corresponding figures for Cumbria were 21,028 and 10·9 per cent.At 3 June the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at jobcentres and careers offices in the Workington travel-to-work area were 181 and 8 respectively. The corresponding figures for Cumbria were 1,500 at jobcentres and 58 at careers offices. Vacancies notified to jobcentres are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication the figures for jobcentres and careers offices should not be added together.The number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the 12-month period to March 1983, 13,535 people were placed in jobs by jobcentres in Cumbria. It is estimated that the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the Workington travel-to-work area have been unemployed for (a) up to six months, (b) six months to 12 months, (c) 12 months to 18 months, (d) 18 months to two years and (e) over two years during the last month for which statistics are available.

The following table gives the figures for unemployed claimants in the Workington travel-to-work area at 14 April, the latest date for which an analysis by duration of unemployment is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to simplify the administration of the community programme when used by small charitable organisations.

I am grateful for the efforts which small charitable organisations have made to provide employment opportunities on community programme projects. The administrative procedures for the programme have been kept as simple as possible. However if my hon. Friend has any further suggestions to simplify procedures, I would of course be grateful to hear of them.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current male employee activity rate in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively; and what it was in each of the past five years.

The latest available estimates of economic activity rates (employed plus unemployed) of males in England, Wales and Scotland are given in the following table. Estimates for other years are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of men and women over 55 years who have been unemployed for more than 12 months.

The latest figures, which are for April 1983, were published in table 2.5 of the, labour market data section of the June issue of Employment Gazette; a copy of the Gazette is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed men over 60 years have left the unemployment register as a result of measures announced in the Budget.

It is estimated that by the date of the unemployment count for June a total of 122,000 men in the United Kingdom aged 60 and over no longer have to sign on at an unemployment benefit office because of the Budget measures dealing with the payment of national insurance contribution credits and the higher rate of supplementary benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the average length of unemployment for men and women over 55 years who have been unemployed for more than 12 months.

The median length of unemployment in the United Kingdom for people aged 55 and over, who were unemployed for over 12 months on 14 April 1983 (the latest date for which data is available) is estimated to be 25 months for men and 27 months for women.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if Her Majesty's Government have any plans to implement the recommendations of the Top Salaries Review Board with regard to the pay of hon. Members.

As I explained to the hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Dormand) on 30 June, I hope that it will be possible for the House to take a view on these matters before it rises for the summer recess.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what criteria the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster uses to decide on the appointment of magistrates in the Duchy.

The primary consideration is suitability of character. Subject to this, it is the objective to ensure that benches reflect a fair balance of the community which they serve.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he is satisfied with the motivation and morale of civil servants employed in jobs involving direct contact with the public.

In my experience civil servants derive both motivation and satisfaction from serving the public efficiently and effectively. I should like to pay tribute to their continued efforts in this respect.

asked the Minister for Civil service what assessment he has made of the personnel management aspects of a Civil Service dispersal policy which can benefit the north-west region.

Studies have been made in the past of the personnel management aspects of dispersal moves, and these have been taken into account in determining the units of work to be dispersed to the north-west region.

asked the Prime Minister to what the pensioner's Christmas bonus would have to be increased to restore it to the same real value as it had when it was first introduced.

About £38.

asked the Prime Minister if she will consider appointing a Minister with special responsibility for the north; and if she will make a statement.

No. Such an appointment would bring no extra resources to the region and would complicate the machinery of government. The necessary co-ordination can be achieved by co-operation between existing departments and agencies.

asked the Prime Minister if she will give consideration to creating a north of England development agency with similar powers to the development agencies in Scotland and Wales; and if she will make a statement.

I do not believe the interests of the region would be best served by the creation of an additional tier of bureaucracy. The Government will continue to ensure that the north of England receives its fair share of resources as part of an effective regional policy.

asked the Prime Minister how many persons are employed in each Government Department whose basic salary is in excess of £24,000 per annum.

asked the Prime Minister how many persons are employed in each Government department whose basic salary is in excess of £24,000 per annum.

The number of persons employed by each Government Department whose basic salary is in excess of £24,000 is shown in the following table. Numbers of staff for the majority of cases are at 1 April 1983 but for some grades the latest available information is for 1 April 1982.

asked the Prime Minister (1) if she has made any changes in the arrangements of her standing Cabinet Committees; and if she will list these in terms of function and chairmanship;(2) how many Cabinet Committees in the miscellaneous series were created between May 1979 and May 1983.

There continue to be four Standing Committees of the Cabinet: a Defence and Oversea Policy Committee and an Economic Strategy Committee under my chairmanship; a Home and Social Affairs Committee under the chairmanship of my right hon.and noble Friend Lord Whitelaw; and a Legislation Committee under the chairmanship of my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal. Attendance at these Committees will vary accoring to the subject under discussion. Sub-committees of the Standing Committees will be continued or established as appropriate. Membership and terms of reference of the Standing Committees and their sub-committees will remain confidential.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list by name those who work in her office, including career civil servants, temporary civil servants and special advisers.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Prime Minister, further to the reference in the Gracious Speech to the future of Hong Kong, how she proposes to consult the people of Hong Kong on any solution that may be reached with the People's Republic of China; and if she will make a statement.

The views of the people of Hong Kong will continue to be taken fully into account at all stages. As part of the regular process of consultation, the Governor and the unofficial members of his Executive Council are now in London. Other groups and individuals in Hong Kong regularly make their views known to the Hong Kong Government directly or through channels such as the district boards.

asked the Prime Minister what representations she has received about the employment consequences of the closure of the United Biscuits factory, Binns Road, Liverpool; and whether she will meet the shop stewards committee, local hon. Members and church and civic leaders to discuss these consequences.

I have received 10 such representations from employees of the United Biscuits factory in Liverpool and one from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton). While I am always ready to meet hon. Members to discuss closures in their constituences, I think it is more useful for delegations to see the management of the companies concerned and the responsible departmental Minister.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils have taken school meals in each education authority in England and Wales in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982; how many have taken free meals in each instance; and what information he has as to what criterion each authority adopts for eligibility for free meals.

The information requested on provision in England is available in the Library, derived from the Department's annual school meals census. Questions relating to school meals in Wales are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what educational measures apart from the promotion of educational visits and exchanges he intends to adopt in schools as a means of promoting a European awareness amongst British schoolchildren which Her Majesty's Government committed themselves to in the solemn declaration of European union.

The declaration requires the Government to promote, encourage or facilitate an improvement in the level of European awareness taking account of respective constitutional provisions. In the United Kingdom, it is primarily for the local education authorities and the schools to determine what further measures they might need to adopt to promote a European awareness among their pupils. The Department, together with HM Inspectorate, has encouraged them to consider this aspect of the curriculum and offered guidance on it by means of conferences, courses and publications, including for instance the guidance document "The School Curriculum" issued in 1981 and the recent consultative paper "Foreign Languages in the School Curriculum". The Department has also given support to the United Kingdom centre for European education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to be able to announce proposals for changes in the law relating to further education for handicapped young people following his consideration of 'The Legal Basis of Further Education' and comments received thereon; and if he will make a statement.

I am still considering the review of 'The Legal Basis of Further Education' and comments on it. But increasing numbers of further education colleges are developing courses geared to meet the varied special needs of handicapped students, particularly those with moderate learning difficulties, and the Department is sponsoring both curriculum development and the production of teaching materials in support of these developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many primary schools in rural areas there have been in the last five years (a) where closures have been approved following section 12 notices and (b) where closures have been rejected; and how many outstanding cases there are.

From January 1979 to May 1983, approval was given for the closure of 255 rural primary schools. Since January 1981 proposals for the closure of 20 such schools have been rejected. In addition, since the latter date local education authorities have determined proposals for the closure of 36 rural primary schools in accordance with section 12(7) of the Education Act 1980, that is proposals for which there were no objections. As at 31 May 1983, there were 118 outstanding proposals to cease to maintain one or more primary schools (urban and rural); our records do not allow us at this stage to identify the number of rural schools involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for 1970, 1977, 1982 and the first four months of 1983 imports from and exports to the European Community of (a) frozen fish fingers, (b) fish fillets and (c) other frozen foodstuffs.

The available information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing imports from and exports to the European Community in 1982 and in the first four months of 1983 of acrylic fibres, acrylic tow, spun yarns of acrylic fibres and carpets made wholly or mainly of acrylic fibres showing the weight as well as the value of trade, together with the corresponding figures for 1970, 1975 and 1978, and details of the European Community tariff on these products.

The available information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing imports from and exports to the European Community in 1970, 1978, 1982 and the first four months of 1983 of titanium dioxide together with details of the European Community tariff on titanium dioxide and pigments made therefrom.

The available statistics relate to overseas trade in titanium oxides of all kinds, but these are believed in practice to consist largely of titanium dioxide. The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will allocate further grant aid specifically to the west midlands for plant modernisation.

The west midlands initiatives announced by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Industry on 21 March 1983 will be of particular benefit to the region and were primarily introduced to ensure that firms in the region take maximum advantage of the national schemes of assistance provided by the Department. These schemes are demand-led and the grant-aid available to the regions will depend on the rate of applications and the success of those applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for gross. value added in manufacturing industry in the latest available year (i) the median, (ii) the upper and lower quartiles, (iii) the upper and lower deciles and (iv) the average.

Apart from the average gross value added in manufacturing industry, which is included in the answer given today to another question by the hon. Member. I regret that the information requested is not available and could not be obtained without significant computer programming and processing.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the average gross value added in manufacturing in the latest available year; and how this compares with the figure for plants employing more than (i) 1,000 workers and (ii) 500 workers.

The average gross value added per establishment in manufacturing .industry (revised definition^*) for 1980 was £½ million for all establishments, £14½ million for establishments employing 500 persons or more and £26 million for establishments employing 1,000 persons or more.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the fall in investment in new plant and machinery in manufacturing industry in each of the past two years; and what is his estimate of the effect this will have on productivity in manufacturing industry.

At constant prices, investment in plant and machinery in manufacturing industry^* (including leased assets) fell by 11·3 per cent. in 1981 (compared with 1980) and by 10·9 per cent. in 1982 (compared with 1981). It would be difficult to isolate from other factors the effect of a fall in investment on productivity. There is scope for improving productivity within existing resources and this is being achieved.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of total output of United Kingdom manufactures is exported to (i) the world and (ii) the European Community.

In 1982 the percentages of United Kingdom manufacturers' sales exported were:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will publish the Government's response to submissions made to him on imported electrical plugs, fuses and other items which fail the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1975.

My Department receives many communications about imported electrical plugs, fuses and other items that fail (or may be thought to fail) the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1975 and 1976. I should be willing to consider publication of replies to any particular communications my hon. Friend would care to identify.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to review the question of standing charges levied on customers by British Telecom with a view to (a) reducing them, (b) abolishing them for certain categories of user or (c) allowing a basic consumption of units at a reduced rate or free of charge.

Telephone tariffs are a matter for British Telecom. The Government welcome, however, the low-user rental rebate scheme introduced by BT in January this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the estimated cost in grants to industry per new job created for Wales and for each region of England, respectively, between 1978–79 and 1982–83.

Only offers of selective assistance under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act (or its predecessor) are job-related. In each of the five years specified the estimated cost per job for each new job expected to be created was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the crude steel production of each Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member country in each year since 1978.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied that the safety standards of toys and electrical goods entering the United Kingdom from France, Germany and the Far East comply with British safety regulations.

Enforcement of safety regulations is the responsibility of local trading standards authorities. The evidence from recent successful prosecutions shows that most electrical goods found by the courts to be unsafe come from the Far East. This information is not available for toys and there is no evidence of imports from France or Germany failing to comply. If my hon. Friend has, however, such evidence I should be grateful for it. The more effective enforcement of safety regulations is a matter of concern and forms part of our current review of consumer safety legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will define the criteria by which an area qualifies for assisted area status.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to how many pupils left school in Powys in 1982; how many of them are in full-time employment in Powys; and how many of those are employed (a) in agriculture and (b) in other manufacturing industries.

1,625 pupils left maintained schools in Powys in the 1981–82 academic year. There are no centrally-held figures on the destination of these school leavers. Estimates made by the Powys career service however indicate that some 1,300 went into higher and further education, training schemes and full-time employment. Of those 280 who went directly into full-time employment it is estimated that about 70 entered agriculture and horticulture and about 65 entered manufacturing industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to commence construction of the Felinheli bypass; and whether the route for this road is that which was considered at the relevant public inquiry.

Construction of the Port Dinorwic (Felinheli) bypass is shown in "Roads in Wales 1983" as likely to start between January 1986 and December 1988. A route is protected for planning control purposes but detailed proposals have yet to be published; a decision whether to hold a public inquiry can be taken only after assessing any objections received following publication.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the number of factories owned by the Welsh Development Agency, indicating the number of (a) 5,000 sq ft and under, (b) 5,000 to 10,000 sq ft, (c) over 10,000 but not in excess of 20,000 sq ft, (d) over 20,000 but not in excess of 50,000 sq ft and (e) over 50,000 sq ft, showing how many of these in each category are currently in productive use, allocated but not operational and unallocated, respectively.

I have asked the agency to provide the information to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest estimate of the number of applicants currently on waiting lists for local authority rented accommodation in Wales.

This information is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest estimate of the cost of constructing a three-bedroomed council house in Wales.

In 1982 the average cost of constructing a three-bedroomed council house was £23,281.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total spending by local authorities in Wales on housing investment programmes fur each year from 1978–79 to 1983–84 inclusive.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newport, East (Mr. Hughes) on 21 February 1983 by my right hon. Friend. The latest figure available for total local authority gross capital expenditure on housing in Wales for 1982–83 is £138 million. Expenditure figures for 1983–84 are not available. —[Vol. 37, c. 324–27.]

asked the Secretary of Slate for Wales how many men are now in employment in Wales; and how this figure compares with the position five, 10 and 15 years ago, respectively.

The latest estimate, based on the1981 census returns, relates to December 1982 and gives a figure for male employees-in-employment in Wales, which excludes the self-employed, of 507,000. Employment census figures for previous years, based on a mid-June count, are 608,000, 630,000 and 677,000 for 1977, 1972 and 1967 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the figures for injuries sustained by young people while on the youth opportunities programme in Wales for the years 1979–80, 1980–81 and 1981–82.

Comprehensive figures for 1979–80 are not available. Information in respect of 1980–81 and 1981–82 is set out in the following table, which includes all accidents involving an absence from work of one day or more.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if has any plans to withdraw indemnities given to the Welsh water authority in respect of the fluoridation of public water supplies; and if he will make a statement.

There are at present no plans to withdraw the indemnity given by my right hon. Friend to the Welsh water authority in respect of the fluoridation of public water supplies.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons are employed in public sector administration in Wales; and what was the figure at the same date in each of the last five years.

The numbers of persons employed in public administration and defence (order XXVII of the 1968 standard industrial classification) in December each year of the period referred to were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many young people under the age of 21 years are unemployed in Wales; and what were the correspondng figures for the last 10 years.

The information is not available in the exact form requested. However, in April 1983, the latest date for which such figures are available, 34,493 claimants under the age of 20 years were unemployed in Wales. In previous years the figures, based on registrations and not therefore directly comparable, were:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will require the Welsh water authority to publish figures indicating the revenue cost and the full cost of effluent treatment per unit of volume at each of their works serving areas with a population of 5,000 or more; and if he will publish a table collating such information as is available.

I understand that the Welsh water authority does not produce such information in respect of individual sewage treatment works, of which it has 64 in the category mentioned. I am advised that comparisons between works cannot be made on the basis of costs alone, because of differences in the treatment required and other operational factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the work of the committee of inquiry set up to examine the consequence of coal mining subsidence.

The appointment of the committee to review the operation of the coal mining subsidence compensation system was announced on 21 April 1983. The committee is being chaired by Mr. Lewis Waddilove and is expected to report by the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the Government's present policy on coal liquefaction.

The Government are providing half of the estimated £1 million cost of the basic engineering design phase of the NCB's 2½ tonne per day coal liquefaction pilot plant. Work on this phase began in April and is due to finish in April 1984, when a decision on construction will be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the increase in productivity in National Coal Board deep mining operations over the past 10 years.

In the financial year 1972–73, overall output per manshift in NCB deep mines was 2·33 tonnes. In 1982–83 it was 2·44 tonnes. This is an increase of 4·7 per cent. in ten years.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he intends to call a meeting of the tripartite committee to discuss the plan for coal.

My right hon. Friend will keep this suggestion under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the National Coal Board to discuss pit closures.

My right hon. Friend and I have met Sir Norman Siddall twice in the last two weeks to discuss the coal industry; but the future of individual collieries is a matter for the board in consultation with the industry's trades unions.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his policy on the future size of the coal industry.

It is for the board to match the size of the coal industry to the market it can command.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will recommend the restricting of price increases in the gas and electricity industries to the increase in inflation.

These prices must relate to the industries' costs, which I expect them to keep under strict control. Average electricity prices have not risen at all this year and next year's average should be less than the rate of inflation.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish in the Official Report the terms and conditions of Mr. Ian MacGregor's contract of employment as chairman of the National Coal Board.

My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State gave the House a full account on 28 March, as recorded in c. 21–30 of the Official Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on standing charges for gas, electricity and water.

The level of gas and electricity standing charges has been examined by independent consultants. Copies of their reports are in the Library of the House. Standing charges for water are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what measures he intends to introduce in order to increase the markets for coal; and if he will make a statement.

The best way to increase the markets for coal is to assure customers of reliable supplies at competitive prices. That is the NCB's objective.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will take further measures to assist the development of marginal oilfields in the North sea.

The provisions of the Petroleum Royalties (Relief) Bill, which was introduced on 23 June, together with changes announced in the Budget will provide encouragement to the development of new marginal oil fields.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has agreed the number of power stations required to serve the United Kingdom; and if he has identified the sites.

My Department discusses with the CEGB the generating capacity planned by the board to meet future requirements in England and Wales. Selections of sites for power stations is a matter for the board. Power stations in Scotland are a matter for the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the present position with regard to the scheme for a new cross-Channel electric link proposed jointly by the Central Electricity Generating Board and Electricité de France; and whether arrangements can be made to discuss with the promoters of cross-Channel fixed-link transport schemes the possibilities of achieving economies in this field by some sharing of expenditure where works of common interest are involved.

The CEGB began trenching work in the Channel earlier this month and it hopes to complete two trenches by the spring of next year at the latest. This will be followed by cable-laying during the summers of 1984 and 1985. Work on the Sellindge converter station is proceeding to programme and the civil works are now at an advanced stage.Questions concerning cross-Channel fixed-link transport schemes are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. However, I understand that no decision will be taken on whether to construct such a link until both Governments have had an opportunity to consider the findings of the group of British and French bankers currently looking into ways of financing the various link options. Consequently, the opportunity for sharing common works does not exist in relation to the present electricity link project. However, with regard to any future projects, this possibility can, of course, be considered by the promoters of cross-Channel fixed-link transport schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is satisfied that United Kingdom heavy users of energy compete on equal cost terms with firms in other industrialised countries.

The latest evidence is that energy prices to United Kingdom industry compare well in general with those on the continent.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals Her Majesty's Government received from the European Commission for a tax on energy consumption to finance the European Community's 1984–1987 programme for the energy sector; what is the expected yield of the tax; on what parts of the economy the tax is expected to fall; whether it is intended that the tax will be in addition to excise and value added tax borne by road users; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the proposed tax.

I have been asked to reply. The European Commission has made no formal proposal for a tax on energy consumption.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the expansion of domestic credit in the first three months of 1983 compared with the first three months of 1979; and to what he attributes the difference;(2) what was the increase in domestic credit expansion in the 15 months ended 31 March 1983 compared with the corresponding period ended 31 March 1979; to what he

attributes the difference; and whether he will publish in the

The table following shows domestic credit expansion, both in nominal terms and as a percentage of £M3, for the relevent periods. DCE as a percentage of £M3 was slightly higher in the 15 months ending 31 March 1983 than in the 15 months ending 31 March 1979, DCE in the first quarter of 1983 was 5·6 per cent. of £M3, compared with 3·3 per cent. in the first quarter of 1979; the main counterparts to the higher DCE in the later period were a higher PSBR and a much lower level of funding—debt sales to the non-bank private sector totalled £3·6 billion in the earlier period and £1·3 billion in the later period. Also sterling lending overseas was £¾ billion higher in the later period.However, any comparison between the periods is complicated, not only by the change in statistical coverage noted in the table, but also by the abolition of exchange controls later in 1979 and the removal of the supplementary special deposits scheme in June 1980; these caused sterling lending overseas, and therefore DCE, to rise more rapidly. As pointed out in a note on DCE in the June 1983 edition of the Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin, these later changes cast doubt on the relevance of DCE as an indicator of monetary conditions in current circumstances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield of corporation tax in the 1982–83 financial year.

£5,564 million. Of this £2,222 million was advance corporation tax and the balance of £3,342 million mainstream corporation tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer who are the members of the tax consultative committee; and what are its terms of reference.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the annual cost of abolishing the half-reckoning rule for unestablished Civil Service before 14 July 1949 (a) for current pensioners including widows and (b) for current serving civil servants.

A division of the cost between pensioners and serving civil servants is not available. It is estimated, however, that the total first year cost, assuming no arrears of pension for those who have already retired and no change in the basis of calculating lump sum retirement benefits, would be £34 million, reducing to £20 million by 1994–95. If the change were to be implemented over a 10-year period, starting with those now aged 70 and over, the first-year cost would be £18 million; the cost in 1994–95 would, of course, still be £20 million. The total cost over 25 years is estimated to be of the order of £550 million, or £460 million if implementation was phased over 10 years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current turnover threshold for value added tax; and what are the equivalent figures in other member countries of the European Community.

The information is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the continuation of value added tax zero rating relief for building alteration services supplied by the construction industry.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will approve a special value added tax scheme for the taxing of sales of secondhand horses and ponies on the dealer's gross profit margin; and if he will make a statement.