Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Wednesday 27 July 1983

The Arts

Expenditure

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the arts what was the overspending on the arts budget in the financial year 1982–83; and what it is estimated to be in the financial year 1983–84 on present expenditure levels.

The total provisional outturn for 1982–83 on the Class X Votes—13 to 23 inclusive—covered by the Office of Arts and Libraries programme was £205·868 million, representing a net underspend of £0·554 million or less than 0·3 per cent. against the total adjusted cash limits for the year. Within the total, only the cash limit for the Victoria and Albert museum—Class X Vote 15—was exceeded, by £0·041 million or 0·4 per cent; this excess will be deducted from the museum's cash limit for 1983–84. Detailed information is not readily available on the 1982–83 outturn for building and maintenance expenditure on the national museums and galleries and the British Library, provision for which forms part of the relevant Votes of the Property Services Agency—Class XIV.The implications for the OAL programme of the overall 1983–84 cash limit reductions announced on 7 July will be the subject of a separate announcement. There are no present grounds for expecting any overspend against the reduced 1983–84 cash limits.Local authority current expenditure on public libraries and museums in England, which is not directly cash-limited, is provisionally estimated to be about £343 million in 1982–83, compared with the provision of £302 million underlying the rate support grant settlement for the year. For 1983–84, the outturn is forecast to be around £369 million, compared with £313 million underlying the RSG settlement; the latter figure, however, takes no account of the margin within the overall settlement which was unallocated between individual services. Detailed information is not readily available on the likely levels of local authority capital expenditure on libraries and museums in 1982–83 and 1983–84.

Arts And Libraries Programme (Cash Limit Reductions)

asked the Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the arts if he will announce the 1983–84 cash limit reductions which will be applied to institutions funded from the arts and libraries programme.

In the light of the Government's announcement on 7 July, the 1983–84 cash limits on the relevant Votes will be adjusted in line with the following reductions in planned provision:

	1983–84 Reduction
Institution	£ million	Percentage of 1983–84 Estimate
British Museum	0·125	1·0
Science Museum	0·077	1·0
Victoria and Albert Museum	0·104	1·0
Imperial War Museum	0·041	1·0
National Gallery	0·068	1·0
National Maritime Museum	0·041	1·0
National Portrait Gallery	0·018	1·0
Tate Gallery	0·054	1·0
Wallace Collection	0·008	1·0
Arts Council	0·920	1·0
South Bank Theatre Board	0·006	2·0
British Film Institute	0·072	1·0
Museums and Galleries Commission	0·050	2·0
British Library	1·022	2·2

These reductions apply mainly to recurrent expenditure. Their level has been calculated after taking full account of the estimated £0·9 million savings to Government funds in 1983–84 from postponing the start of the Theatre museum building project, provision for which was borne separately on the Property Services Agency Vote — Class XIV, Vote 3. The overall cash limit reduction on that PSA Vote will also take account, where appropriate, of the scope for savings in capital and maintenance expenditure on the national museums and galleries and the British Library.In addition

(a) A total of £0·017 million—equivalent to 2·1 per cent.—will be deducted from the gross provision to be made available in 1983–84 for Office of Arts and Libraries administration — for which a token Summer Supplementary Estimate is being sought following the transfer of functions—and from the provision for OAL research, surveys, and so on.

(b) The 1983–84 cash limit for the Victoria and Albert museum will be reduced by £0·041 million, following excess expenditure of that sum against its 1982–83 cash limit.

Wales

Health Education

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if a decision has been made on the creation of a health education advisory committee for Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the working party set up to look into ways in which the activities of the principal agencies with responsibilities for health education in Wales might be improved has been considered very carefully. After consultation with the health and local authorities and the Health Education Council it has been decided to establish a health education advisory Committee for Wales. The proposed terms of reference, composition and initial duration of the committee will now be the subject of detailed consultation with all those interests, which it is hoped will be able to contribute to its work. A copy of the consultation document has been placed in the Library. The committee will be chaired by my right hon. Friend's nominee on the Health Education Council. It will be established on 1 January 1984. It is hoped that the committee will be a useful means of co-ordinating health education activities in Wales, of advising providing agencies on health education matters, of assisting the work of the Health Education Council and of supporting the Welsh representative on the council.

Industrial Plants

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many foreign-owned industrial plants opened in Wales in 1982 and 1983 to date.

Eleven.

Mid-Wales (Financial Assistance)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether Her Majesty's Government have made proposals for the restoration of aid from, respectively, the European regional development fund, the European social fund and the European Investment Bank, to the area of Mid-Wales covered by the Development Board for Rural Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The European Investment Bank has announced various global loan facilities under the new Community instrument by which small and medium sized industrial, service and tourism ventures in the non-assisted areas of Mid-Wales may benefit. Discussions are continuing with the Commission on the provision of European regional development fund assistance to that part of Mid-Wales covered by the Development Board for Rural Wales on the basis of the scheme of aid announced on 28 June 1982.—[Vol. 26, c. 213–214.]. — Eligibility under the European social fund is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment in consultation with the Commission. The European social fund is under review and questions of geographical coverage remain to be determined in that context.

Labour Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the unemployment figures for Wrexham categorised by sex, age and the duration of unemployment for the last month for which statistics are available; and what were the figures four years previously.

I am writing to the hon. Gentleman and will place a copy of my letter in the Library.

Energy

British Nuclear Fuels Ltd

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made in his discussions with British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. as reported in the eleventh annual report (1981–82) on how costs for treatment and disposal of nuclear waste and the decommissioning of plant inherited by the company on its formation in 1971 should be met.

The Government have decided to accept responsibility in principle for the costs that BNFL will incur in treating and disposing of nuclear wastes, and in decommissioning plant, arising from programmes carried out prior to 1 April 1971, to the extent that Government Departments were responsible for those programmes.

Nationalised Industries (Objectives)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any further statement to make about objectives for any of the industries for which he is responsible.

I have settled objectives for the Electricity Council with Mr. Philip Jones, who became chairman on 1 April 1983, in the following terms.

"This letter sets out the objectives which the Government wish you to pursue as Chairman of the Electricity Council. The objectives elaborate the responsibilities and obligations placed by Statute on the Electricity Council, and in particular the duty to promote and assist the maintenance and development by Electricity Boards in England and Wales of an efficient, coordinated and economical system of electricity supply.

1. Your prime objective must be by all practicable means to promote and encourage maximum efficiency throughout the industry including sustained and detailed attention to cost control by the various Boards in England and Wales through all aspects of their activities. In this context:

(a) You should encourage Boards to set challenging cost control and efficiency targets wherever practicable, and monitor them carefully;

(b) You should advise me on the setting of financial and performance targets for the electricity supply industry in England and Wales and for each Board individually; you should keep me informed on progress towards their achievement;

(c) A wide range of performance indicators should be developed and published.

2. It must also be your objective to increase the scope for competition in electricity supply. In consultation with individual Boards as necessary, you should review the prospects for the injection of private risk capital into areas of the industry's operations and make positive recommendations to me wherever possible. You should encourage the Boards to develop cooperation with private generators of electricity, within the framework laid down in the Energy Act 1983, and ensure that effective commercial and technical arrangements exist to take full economic advantage of their potential contribution to supply. I would like you to take a special interest in this area. You should also encourage the Boards to adopt and support schemes for the combined production of heat and power in accordance with the provisions in the Energy Act.

3. I shall require Boards to set out their capital investment proposals comprehensively for my approval, giving an account of the strategic framework against which they have been developed. I shall also require them to continue to pay close attention to the methodology used in capital investment appraisal.

In advising me on these proposals it should be your objective to promote the production and distribution of electricity at the lowest possible cost consistent with maintaining adequate standards e.g. of security of supply.

4. Each year, prior to submission to the Department of the Board's Capital Investment Memorandum and the Investment and Financing Review, the Electricity Council should prepare a strategic plan for the industry which will be reviewed with Government. This plan should set out up to date financial and sales forecasts, and the strategic options and issues facing the industry as well as the industry's preferred planning objectives. I shall require the Board's detailed plans for the efficient operation and cost reducing investment to be developed within this framework. The Board's plans should also take full account of the objectives agreed with Government as well as the financial and performance targets agreed and the industry's external financial limits. Bearing in mind the requirements of S.8(5) of the Electricity Act 1957, you should ensure regular, timely and effective information flows from the Boards to assist the Government and the Electricity Council to monitor performance in relation to those objectives, targets and limits.

5. You should, in consultation with the Boards, and as appropriate with Government, develop and promote a framework of electricity pricing principles, within which the Boards set their prices so as to reflect the costs at the margin of meeting demands on a continuing basis, and so as to be consistent with the financial framework set by Government.

6. Subject to objective 2 above, you should seek to ensure that both the contracting and sales of appliance activities of the Area Boards are carried out effectively and economically so as to yield a proper return on the assets employed.

7. Subject of course to European Community and other international obligations, you should encourage the Boards to assist UK manufacturing industry to secure orders in export markets, in particular through the provision of support services through British Electicity International.

8. You should ensure that the industry remains sensitive to the impact of its policies and prices on consumers, and that these are properly presented to the industry's consumer representative bodies and to the public at large.

9. You should seek by all practicable means to promote close working relationships within the industry. In this connection, I draw attention to David Howell's statement of July 1980 which I attach.

10. Finally, I should make clear that the Government may wish to give further guidance to you at a later date or to impose constraints from time to time, for wider reasons, on your ability to achieve one or other of these objectives."

Electricity Generation (Plutonium Production)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is yet in a position to give up-to-date figures for the rate of plutonium production in the fuel of the electricity generating boards' Magnox, advanced gas-cooled reactors and pressurised water reactors.

The following figures are based on fairly typical current or design operating conditions:

	(1) (2) Tonnes total plutonium per GWey generated (net)^*	(3) Per cent. Pu-239
Magnox	0·80	60–80
AGR	0·25	50–60
PWR	0·30	55–60
^* ie for a station operating continuously at 1000 MW(E) for a year.

Notes:

1. The above figures are based on the assumption that 1000 MW(E) is sent out—that is after deduction of any electricity consumed at the station for operational or site purposes. This "net" basis is that commonly used in statistics published by the United Kingdom generating boards.

2. The production of plutonium per annum in any particular station is affected by the fraction of the year in which that station operates, its level and mode of operation, fuel irradiation history and other features of the design and operating regime. Estimates in terms of plutonium produced per unit of electricity are also affected by the thermal efficiency of the station.

3. The isotopic composition of the plutonium produced varies significantly with fuel design and management and in particular the irradiation of the discharged fuel. None of the boards' separated plutonium in stock with British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. has a Pu-240 content of less than 15 per cent.

4. In order to calculate future arisings of plutonium for planning purposes an assumption must be made about average availability expressed as the proportion between the amount of electricity expected to be generated in a given year, and the amount that would have been generated had the station been assumed to be run continuously for that year at its planned capacity.

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (House Sales)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made in the sale of houses owned by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

Further to the reply of my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, Central (Mr. Moore) of 17 November 1982, Official Report, there were 325 applications from tenants at Harwell and Culham, 76 at Risley, and nine at Winfrith. I am glad to be able to say that the authority has decided it can sell houses to all these applicants, and will continue to keep its housing needs under review.

Plutonium Production

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a table of figures for plutonium production.

The following table sets out the allocation or use of plutonium produced in the magnox reactors of the SSEB an CEGB at 31 March 1983:

Allocation of Plutonium produced in CEGB or SSEB Magnox reactors.
Position at 31 March 1983	Tonnes (Nearest½tonne)
Plutonium in irradiated fuel
(a) Estimated in fuel in CEGB/SSEB Magnox reactors	9
(b) Estimated plutonium in fuel discharged from CEGB/SSEB Magnox reactors, but not yet reprocessed	3½
Separated plutonium
(c) In stock at British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. as oxide	17
(d) In process at British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. in intermediate other forms (eg nitrate)	½
(e) Sold or leased to UKAEA for Fast Reactor R&D since 1969	5
(f) Exported for civil purposes to countries other than the US	½
Sub total	35½
(g) Balance (see note (g) below)

Notes

(a) These figures are derived from the known tonnage of fuel elements and their estimated overall average irradiation and cannot be accurately calculated.

(b) As for (a). About 30 per cent. of amount shown was held by BNFL.

(e) About 20 per cent. of amount shown was held by BNFL. The reduction of ½ tonne from the previous answer results from the return of a small quantity of material now included in Item (c).

(g) The balance of plutonium produced in the boards' magnox reactors was consigned to the United States before 1971 under the United States/United Kingdom defence agreement, and as stated by the Prime Minister, on 21 April 1964, was used by United States for civil purposes. Because of the barter arrangements under which this plutonium was consigned, it would not be in the national interest to publish this figure.

Overseas Development

Aid Agencies

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that the contribution made to the United Kingdom overseas aid programme by the centre for overseas pest research, the land resources development centre and the tropical products research institute will be safeguarded and enhanced.

The Government's response to the Foreign Affairs Committee's report on these units, published today makes it clear that it is the intention that the three organisations mentioned, the first two of which have now been amalgamated as the tropical development and research institute, should continue to make an effective contribution to the British development effort.

National Finance

Cash Limits

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the revised cash limits for 1983–84 following his public expenditure statement of 7 July.

I said in my statement this afternoon that a list of revised cash limits would be published in the Official Report. Revised cash limits are shown in the following two tables.Five other cash limit changes are included in the table, as follows:

(i) £1,500,000 has been added to the cash limit for Class X, Vote 3, Universities etc. (Department of Education and Science), to allow for part of the costs of pay awards to clinical academics.

(ii) £4,219,000 has been added to the cash limit for Class XII, Vote 5, administration and miscellaneous services (Department of Health and Social Security), to allow for the additional administrative costs arising from

Central Government cash limits 1983–84, following the reductions announced by the Chancellor on 7 July
Table 1: Voted cash limits
Class	Vote	Accounting department	Description of expenditure	Cash limit as at 7 July	Reduction	Revised cash limit
				£ thousand	£ thousand	£ thousand
I	1	Ministry of Defence	Pay etc. of the armed forces and civilians, stores, supplies and miscellaneous services	6,123,554	60,370	^*6,063,184
	2	Ministry of Defence	Defence procurement	7,556,780	160,000	^*7,396,780
	4	Property Services Agency	Defence accommodation services etc.	915,815	15,000	^*900,815
	5	Ministry of Defence	Dockyard services	426,825	5,000	^*421,825
II	1	Foreign and Commonwealth Office	Overseas representation: diplomatic, consular and other foreign and commonwealth services	333,509	4,000	329,509
	3	Foreign and Commonwealth Office	British Broadcasting Corporation: external services	77,082	500	76,582
	4	Foreign and Commonwealth Office	British Council	40,383	500	39,883
	6	Cabinet Office	Other external relations: secret service	71,500	715	70,785
	8	FCO: Overseas	Overseas aid Development Administration	1,027,363	19,691	1,007,672
	9	FCO: Overseas Development Administration	Overseas aid administration	25,444	210	25,234
III	3	Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Other agricultural and food services	97,824	2,932	94,892
	5	Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Support for the fishing industry	26,703	500	26,203
	6	Forestry Commission	Forestry	59,361	879	58,482
	7	Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food	Departmental administration	193,198	350	192,848
IV	2	Department of Trade and Industry	Miscellaneous support services	32,492	650	31,842
	4	Department of Trade and Industry	Export promotion, trade co-operation, corporate and consumer affairs	196,377	200	196,177
	5	Department of Energy	Industrial support	85,283	1,680	83,603
	6	Department of Trade and Industry	Scientific and technological assistance	330,252	7,933	322,319
	7	Department of Energy	Scientific and technical assistance: nuclear energy	210,291	2,850	207,441
	9	Export Credits Guarantee Department	International trade: export credit services and insurance of investment overseas (central services)	25,855	223	25,632
	11	Registry of Friendly Societies	Registry of Friendly Societies	1,695	18	1,677

changes in social security benefits announced in the Budget. The net effect of this change and the 7 July measures on this cash limit is a reduction of £2,000,000.

These two increases will be charged to the Contingency Reserve, and will therefore not add to the planning total of public expenditure.

(iii) £250,000 has been added to the cash limit for Class XI, Vote 1, health and personal social services, England. There is a corresponding reduction in the cash limit on new towns' expenditure DOE/NT1. This is to allow a transfer of resources from Peterborough new town to the district health authority. There is no net increase in public expenditure.

(iv) The cash limit for Class I, Vote 1, Defence—pay, etc. of the armed forces and civilians, stores, supplies and miscellaneous services, has been reduced by £370,000 to allow for a transfer to Class II, Vote 2, international subscriptions (Foreign and Commonwealth Office), which is not subject to a cash limit.

(v) £15,000,000 has been added to the cash limit for Class VIII, Vote 7, Urban Development Corporations, England, to allow for a transfer of urban programme resources originally earmarked for urban development grant within the non-voted cash block DOE/LA1. DOE/LA1 has been reduced by the same amount, so there is no net increase in public expenditure. The effect on the cash limit for Class VIII, Vote 7 of this change and the 7 July reduction is a net increase; all the other changes shown in the table are reductions.

Class	Vote	Accounting department	Description of expenditure	Cash limit as at 7 July	Reduction	Revised cash limit
				£ thousand	£ thousand	£ thousand
	12	Office of Fair Trading	Office of Fair Trading	6,609	53	6,556
	13	Department of Employment	Labour market services	498,072	3,791	494,281
	16	Department of Employment	Manpower Services Commission	1,230,791	22,036	1,208,755
	17	Department of Employment	Administration	186,722	2,472	184,250
	18	Department of Industry	Central and miscellaneous services	75,653	150	75,503
	19	Department of Energy	Administrative and miscellaneous services	24,046	206	23,840
	22	Department of Energy	Sale of British Gas Corporation oil interests	4,000	80	3,920
	23	Department of Employment	Health and Safety Commission	87,873	100	37,773
VI	1	Department of Transport	Roads, etc. England	732,308	14,869	717,439
	2	Department of Transport	Transport services and central administration	114,660	1,578	113,082
	4	Department of Transport	Driver and vehicle licensing	99,896	1,086	98,810
VIII	2	Department of the Environment	Central environmental services, etc.	118,202	1,500	116,702
	4	Department of the Environment	Royal palaces, royal parks, historic buildings, ancient monuments and the national heritage	72,423	340	72,083
	5	Department of the Environment	Central administration and environmental research	170,313	1,508	168,805
	7	Department of the Environment	Urban Development Corporation, England	66,645	†14,004	80,649
IX	1	Lord Chancellor's Department	Administration of justice: England and Wales	86,155	468	85,687
	2	Northern Ireland Court Service	Administration of justice: Northern Ireland	7,942	121	7,821
	7	Home Office	Services related to crime, treatment of offenders, community and miscellaneous services	39,850	651	39,199
	8	Home Office	Prisons: England and Wales	537,245	6,912	530,333
	9	Home Office	General protective services and civil defence: England and Wales	79,550	1,013	78,537
	11	Home Office	Central and administrative services	164,698	1,468	163,230
	12	Treasury Solicitor's Department	Law charges, England and Wales	10,817	94	10,723
	13	The Crown Agent	Law charges, Scotland	12,013	110	11,903
X	1	Department of Education and Science	Schools	180,039	5,786	174,303
	3	Department of Education and Science	Universities, etc.	1,441,559	23,100	1,418,459
	4	Department of Education and Science	Central administration	47,318	856	46,462
	12	Trustees of British Museum	British Museum	12,536	125	12,411
	13	Office of Arts and Libraries	Science Museum	7,728	77	7,651
	14	Office of Arts and Libraries	Victoria and Albert Museum	10,456	104	10,352
	15	Trustees of Imperial War Museum	Imperial War Museum	4,140	41	4,099
	16	Trustees of National Gallery	National Gallery	6,797	68	6,729
	17	Trustees of National Maritime Museum	National Maritime Museum	4,080	41	4,039
	18	Trustees of National Portrait Gallery	National Portrait Gallery	1,789	18	1,771
	19	Trustees of Tate Gallery	Tate Gallery	5,375	54	5,321
	20	Trustees of Wallace Collection	Wallace Collection	791	8	783
	21	Office of Arts and Libraries	Art, Arts Council, etc.	109,359	1,059	108,300
	22	Office of Arts and Libraries	Libraries: England	46,299	1,022	45,277
XI	1	Department of Health and Social Security	Health and personal social services: England	8,539,250	‡║108,108	8,431,142
XII	5	Department of Health and Social Security	Administration and miscellaneous services	713,022	2,000	711,022
XIII	3	Privy Council Office	Parliament and Privy Council: Privy Council Office	917	8	909
	4	HM Treasury	Economic and financial administration	42,876	386	42,490
	5	Customs and Excise	Economic and financial administration	321,011	2,964	318,047
	6	Inland Revenue	Economic and financial administration	751,919	3,904	748,015
	10	Department for National Savings	Economic and financial administration	143,347	1,413	141,934
	12	Management and Personnel Office	Central management of the Civil Service, etc.	30,885	261	30,624
	13	HM Treasury	Central management of the civil service: computers and telecommunications	11,380	107	11,273
	14	HM Treasury	Civil service catering services	301	6	295
	15	Public Record Office	Records, registrations and surveys	8,496	38	8,458
	16	Office of Population Censuses and Surveys	Records, registrations and surveys	23,889	194	23,695

Class	Vote	Accounting department	Description of expenditure	Cash limit as at 7 July	Reduction	Revised cash limit
				£ thousand	£ thousand	£ thousand
	17	Land Registry	Records, registrations and surveys	65,140	663	64,477
	18	Charity Commission	Records, registrations and surveys	4,865	46	4,819
	19	Cabinet Office	Other services	13,996	106	13,890
	20	The Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner and Health Service Commissioners	Other services	1,696	12	1,684
	21	Her Majesty's Stationery Office	Stationery and printing: Payments to the trading fund	7,386	148	7,238
	23	Ordnance Survey	Records, registrations and surveys	17,275	381	16,894
XIV	1	Property Services Agency	Civil accommodation repayment	278,168	4,677	273,491
	3	Property Services Agency	Other civil accommodation services	165,207	6,611	158,596
	4	Central Office of Information	Publicity	49,081	780	48,301
	7	Government Actuary's Department	Other common services	1,030	6	1,024
	8	Paymaster General's Office	Other common services	10,360	109	10,251
XV	2	Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland	Agricultural services and fisheries: Scotland	58,889	946	57,943
	3	Scottish Economic Planning Department	Regional and general industrial support: Scotland	132,276	2,476	129,800
	4	Scottish Economic Planning Department	Manpower Services Commission, Scotland	140,077	2,308	137,769
	6	Scottish Development Department	Roads, transport and environmental services, etc.	148,003	4,852	143,151
	14	Scottish Home and Health Department	Prisons, hospitals and community health services, etc., Scotland	1,360,496	║16,382	1,344,114
	15	Scottish Education Department	Education, libraries, arts and social work: Scotland	112,744	921	111,823
	17	Trustees of National Library of Scotland	National Library of Scotland	2,782	38	2,744
	18	Board of Trustees National Galleries of Scotland	National Galleries of Scotland	2,709	42	2,667
	19	Board of Trustees National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland	National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland	799	11	788
	21	Scottish Record Office	Scottish Record Office	1,445	12	1,433
	22	Registrar General's Office: Scotland	General Register Office for Scotland	3,895	43	3,852
	24	Scottish Office	Scottish Office administration	94,225	510	93,715
XVI	1	Welsh Office	Tourism, roads and transport, housing, other environmental services, education, libraries, arts, health and personal social services, Wales	717,123	║7,039	710,084
	4	Welsh Office	Manpower Services Commission	72,335	1,193	71,142
	5	Welsh Office	Agricultural services, support for the fishing industry, regional and industrial development, Wales	56,215	3,737	52,478
	7	Welsh Office	Other services	31,189	283	30,906
XVII	1	Northern Ireland Office	Law, order, protective and miscellaneous services	389,715	5,000	384,715
XVIII	15	Crown Estate Office	Crown Estate Office	1,681	14	1,667
^* The four cash-limited defence votes are each separate cash limits, but by agreement with the Treasury they are managed as a global cash limit.
† In the case of this vote the £14,004,000 is an increase rather than a decrease to the cash limit. The increase of £15 million a transfer from DOE/LA1 is partly offset by the reduction following the July 7 announcement.
‡ Expenditure on the NHS as a whole in England will remain at planned levels.
║ In addition to the reductions on cash limited health expenditure there will be a saving of £25 million in health expenditure resulting from savings in the NHS drugs bill agreed to by the pharmaceutical industry in the current year.

Table 2: Non-voted cash limits
Department	Cash block Description of expenditure		Cash limit as at 7 July	Reduction	Revised cash limit
			£ million	£ million	£ million
Bank of England	BoE 1	Bank of England administration costs in respect of note issue, exchange equalisation account and debt management.	77·9	1·1	76·8
Department of the Environment	DoE/HC1	Capital expenditure in England on housing financed through the Housing Corporation.	630·0	9·6	620·4

Department	Cash block Description of expenditure		Cash limit as at 7 July	Reduction	Revised cash limit
			£ million	£ million	£ million
Department of the Environment	DoE/LA1	Capital expenditure in England by local authorities on roads aid transport, housing, schools, further education and teacher training, personal social services, the urban programme and other environmental service.	2,964·7	15·0	2,949·7
Department of the Environment	DoE/NT1	Capital expenditure in England by new towns on housing, roads and commercial and industrial investment.	67·3	5·3	62·0
Scottish Office	SO/LA2	Capital expenditure in Scotland on housing by local authorities, new towns, the Scottish Special Housing Association and on schemes financed by the Housing Corporation, and industrial and commercial investment by new towns.	447·1	2·7	444·3
Welsh Office	WO/LA1	Capital expenditure in Wales by local authorities, new towns and the Housing Corporation on roads and transport, housing, schools, further education and teacher raining, personal social services, and other environmental services, and by the Land Authority for Wales.	299·5	0·9	298·6
Northern Ireland Departments	NID 1	Services analogous to Great Britain services covered by cash limits.	1,975·4	6·9	1,968·5

Note:

Figures may not add due to rounding.

Revised external financing limits (EFLs)for nationalised industries in 1983–84 are set out in the following table.
	£ million cash 1983–84 ^* EFL
National Coal Board	1,195
Electricity (England and Wales)	-418
North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board	-2
South of Scotland Electricity Board	274
British Gas Corporation	-43
British National Oil Corporation†	-1
British Steel Corporation	321
British Telecom	-117
Post Office	-51
National Girobank	-½
British Airways Board	1
British Airports Authority	32½
British Railways Board	953
British Waterways Board	41
National Bus Company	65
Scottish Transport Group	18½
British Shipbuilders	158
Civil Aviation Authority	21
^* All EFLs have been rounded as appropriate.
† The figure for BNOC is not a limit. BNOC's trading results are likely to fluctuate from year to year given the uncertainties of oil trading.

There are also revised EFLsfor certain other bodies. These are as follows:
	£ million cash 1983–84 ^* EFL
Water Authorities (England and Wales)	359½
Urban Development Corporations	†81
^* All EFLs have been rounded as appropriate.
† Includes a reduction of 2 per cent. (£1·3 million) in the previously announced limit and a transfer to the Urban Development Corporation of £15 million of resources previously earmarked for urban development grants within the local authority cash limit.

Sterling Deposits

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth in the overseas sector sterling deposits in each of the past five years in cash terms, as a percentage, and as a proportion of the increase in sterling M3.

The figures requested are as follows:

Growth in sterling deposits held by the overseas sector
	£mn	per cent, increase	as per cent, of the increase in £m3^*
1978	-139	-2·5	-2·1
1979	2,999	54·8	45·3
1980	3,002	35·4	27·5
1981	2,558	22·3	27·2
1982	4,496	31·2	55·9

Note: The 1982 increase in based on the new monetary sector while the earlier increases are based on the old banking sector.

^* Overseas sector sterling deposits are excluded from £M3.

Purchasing Policy

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what machinery exists in his Department to monitor purchasing by Government Departments, nationalised industries and other public sector bodies from small firms.

An interdepartmental committee, chaired by the Treasury, provides the machinery for considering, with purchasing Departments, a wide range of procurement issues, including purchasing from small firms. The changes announced on 26 November 1982 to help small firms to tender for Government contracts were discussed in this committee, and further such measures are under consideration.

Investment

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his reply dated 30 June, Official Report, c. 127–28, concerning United States investment in the United Kingdom and the European Community, whether he will publish a table in the Official Report showing (a) the investment gross of loans from overseas subsidiaries, (b) the amount of loans from the parent companies to their overseas subsidiaries and (c) any information available to him as to the corresponding United States figures for investment by United Kingdom and European Community firms in the United States of America.

I have been asked to reply.Exact figures of the loans given by United Kingdom subsidiaries to their United States parent companies are not published by the United States Department of Commerce in its survey of current business. Figures are given only for Europe in total. However it is possible to derive the following estimates for the United Kingdom and the European Community of United States flows of direct investment overseas in manufacturing:

US $m
	US Direct investment overseas in manufacturing before deducting loans and trade received from overseas subsidiaries	Net increase in loans and trade credit received from overseas subsidiaries ((-) represents an increase) (†)	US net Direct Investment overseas in manufacturing
United Kingdom
1979	2·4	‡-0·5	1·9
1980	1·9	‡0·5	2·4
1981	0·4	‡-1·0	-0·6
Rest of European Community^*
1979	3·0	║-0·7	2·3
1980	2·4	║0·5	2·9
1981	0·9	║·0·3	0·6
^* Greece included from 1981.
† These estimates are based on the published United States figures of loans given by European subsidiaries. The figures for the United Kingdom represent the minimum amount that can be clearly allocated to the United Kingdom, and the balance after allowing for other European countries has been allocated to the rest of the European Community.
‡ Minimum.
║ Maximum.

Insufficient data are published for investment in the United States of America to enable any reliable estimate to be made of the loans given by United States subsidiaries to their United Kingdom and European Community parent companies.

Civil Service

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what post in the Civil Service is closest to the salary level of £18,500 on 13 June 1983.

The Civil Service post with an annual pay rate closest to £18,500 is petroleum specialist grade IV. The national salary scale for that grade has a penultimate point of £18,564. But within the administration group the closest annual rate of pay is £19,089, the penultimate point of the national salary scale currently payable to senior principals. The Goverment took the view that the best and more appropriate way to give effect to the House's decision on 19 June was to relate members salaries to the senior principal scale.

Money Supply

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each financial year the underlying increase in sterling M3 in percentage terms after making allowance for all forms of disintermediation due to the operation of controls.

No reliable estimates of the effect of controls on sterling M3 are available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table in the Official Report showing for each quarter since 1974 the percentage increase in sterling M1 and sterling M3 and the difference between each such figure and the rate of inflation two years later.

Quarterly percentage changes in M1 and sterling M3 are published in table 11.1 of "Financial Statistics". The rate of inflation, as measured by changes in the general index of retail prices, is available in the Department of Employment Gazette.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing for each year since 1970 and for 1983 to date the ratio which the increase in sterling lending to the private sector bears to the target increase in the money supply.

Figures for sterling lending to the private sector are published in "Financial Statistics", table 11.3; a run of data appear in "Economic Trends" annual supplement. Monetary targets have been published only since 1977 and were announced in successive Budget and other policy statements to the House.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the amount of interest rate change needed to secure a given change in the growth of sterling M3 and the length of time needed to secure the change.

A change in interest rates may affect the demand for sterling M3 directly if it is associated with a change in the relative return of holding money, and indirectly through its effects on—among other things—the exchange rate, private sector wealth, and economic activity. It is not possible to give a realiable quantification of the size or timing of these effects.

Sterling Lending And Inflation

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect sterling lending to the private sector over the past 12 years has had on the rate of inflation; and whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year since 1970 and the current year to date (i) the percentage increase in sterling lending to the private sector, (ii) the degree of overfunding as a percentage of such lending and (iii) the increase in the rate of inflation.

It is not possible to quantify the effect of sterling lending to the private sector on inflation. sterling lending to the United Kingdom private sector is one counterpart to the change in sterling M3, though there is no simple relationship between the two. In recent years the economic significance of both sterling lending and sterling M3 has been affected by the operation and abolition of the supplementary special deposits scheme and by structural changes in financial markets.Figures for the increases in sterling lending to the United Kingdom private sector, seasonally adjusted, for the years 1970 to 1981, are shown on page 148 of the 1983 "Economic Trends" annual supplement. Figures for later quarters are shown on page 54 of the most recent edition of "Economic Trends". The seasonally adjusted level of sterling lending to the United Kingdom private sector at end-1969 was 9·1 billion. There have been minor breaks in the series subsequently, and a major break at end-1981; the seasonally adjusted level at end-1981 after the break was £70,290 million. The public sector's net funding position is obtained by summing the first four columns of the tables on the pages to which I refer above. Annual values of the retail prices index are given on page 114 of the 1983 "Economic Trends" annual supplement; and for later periods on page 42 of the latest edition of "Economic Trends".

European Community Budget

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his reply dated 7 July, Official Report, c. 173–4, concerning gross receipts and payments from the European Community budget, whether he will give his estimates for the year 1983 and the financial year 1983–84.

I refer the hon. Member to chapter 2.2 of the latest public expenditure White Paper — Cmnd. 8789-II. Subsequent changes in estimates of gross contribution and receipts will, of course, be included in the next public expenditure White Paper.

	(a)	(b)	(c)
	Total benefits paid to unemployed people^*	Total expenditure from the Redundancy Fund	(a) plus (b) as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product
	(£ million cash)	(£ million cash)	(percentage)
1973–74	330	31	0·5
1974–75	400	48	0·5
1975–76	840	107	0·9
1976–77	1150	95	1·0
1977–78	1370	82	1·0
1978–79	1330	89	0·8
1979–80	1420	113	0·8
1980–81	2470	278	1·2
1981–82	4010	421	1·7
1982–83	4910	382	1·9
1983–84	5770	340	2·1
^* Figures include housing benefit paid with supplementary benefit.

Free Ports

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis he proposes to select the experimental free port sites; and if he will make a statement.

Inflation

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he makes of the relative importance of the exchange rate and of monetary targets as constraints upon inflation.

The main constraint on inflation is the Government's determination to maintain monetary conditions consistent with reducing inflation. Both the exchange rate and the money supply convey information about monetary conditions, but their behaviour needs to be interpreted in the light of all the available evidence, including structural changes in the demand for money.

Pay-As-You-Earn

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many manual entries are now required to be made each week in the administration of pay-as-you-earn in the Department of the Inland Revenue.

The Inland Revenue does not keep records of the number of entries for PAYE taxpayers. But with the exception of 2·1 million taxpayers dealt with in centre 1, almost all the 27·4 million taxpayers within PAYE are dealt with manually.

Unemployment (Cost)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will estimate the current cost of unemployment in terms of both lost revenue and the payment of benefits including redundancy pay; what ratio this bears to the current level of gross domestic product; and how that ratio compares with similar figures for each of the preceding 10 years.

Estimates of unemployment benefits and supplementary benefits paid to the unemployed and of expenditure from the redundancy fund in 1983–84, and in each of the preceding 10 years, are given below. It is not possible to give comparable figures for "lost" revenue.

The Government have accepted the recommendations of the working party on free ports that locations for the experimental establishment of free ports should be determined by evidence of trader demand and potential economic viability. A press notice has been published today setting out the criteria under which applications from potential operators will be assessed. A copy of the press notice and of the supporting memorandum of guidance issued by Her Majesty's Treasury will be available in the Library.

Asset Sales

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the effects on public expenditure of special sales of assets in 1982–83 in the same form as the tables given for earlier years on page 2 of the May 1982 issue of "Economic Progress Report".

The proceeds from special sales of assets in 1982–83 were £488 million. This figure is made up as follows:

Special Sales of Assets 1982–83
	£ million (cash)
Britoil shares (first instalment)^*	334
Associated British Ports Holdings shares	46
Eighth round of offshore Licensing—cash tender receipts	33
Sale of Oil Stockpiles	33
Crown Agents Holdings and Realisation Board's Sale of Australian Properties	16
Forestry Commission—Sale of Land, Plantations and buildings	14
Sale of Other Stocks	7
Sale of leases of certain Motorway Service Areas—sale of land and buildings	4
Cwmbran Development Corporation; Sale of Commercial and Industrial Property†	1
TOTAL	488
^* Includes repayment of a debenture of £88 million with interest. Second instalment of £293 million was received in April 1983.
† Receipts contribute to the programme of New Town disposals; rest of the receipts in this programme have accrued in previous years.

This total does not include receipts from the sale of British Rail Hotels (£35 million) or from the sale of the British Airways' subsidiary International Aeradio Limited (£60 million), the receipts from which were retained by the Industries concerned are taken into account in the setting of external financing limits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report the conversion factors, appropriate for special asset sales, for 1979 survey prices into 1981–82 and 1982–83 outturn prices.

For special asset sales, 1979 survey prices, as used in the 1980 public expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 7841, were equivalent to 1979–80 average outturn prices. Outturn prices for 1981–82 and 1982–83 can be converted into the equivalent of 1979–80 outturn prices by deflating by the movement in the deflator of gross domestic product at market prices. This implies conversion factors of 0·767 for 1981–82 outturn prices, and 0·716 for 1982–83 outturn prices. The figure for 1982–83 is provisional, and figures for both years are subject to revision by the CSO.

Share Sales

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table for each former public corporation or publicly owned company in which shares were sold in the financial years 1979–80 to 1982–83 showing (a) proportion of shares sold, (b) number of shares sold, (c) proportion of shares reserved for employees, (d) number of shares applied for by employees, (e) number of shares bought by employees, (f) proportion of work force becoming shareholders, (g) proportion of share capital initially held by employees, and (h) proportion of share capital now held by employees.

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

Container Corporation Of America

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action was agreed to be taken when he raised the issue of the United States Supreme Court decision in the matter of the Container Corporation of America at the European Community Finance Ministers' Council on 11 July.

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

European Community Budget

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the net cash payment or receipt into the Community budget for each Community country during each calendar year since 1970 including the estimate for the current year, expressed as a total and per capita.

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

Small Businesses

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the consultations on annual accounting for small businesses announced by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 16 March 1983.

Customs and Excise have consulted 4,000 small businesses on the possibility of introducing annual rather than quarterly VAT returns for all those whose VAT payments were below a specified level each year. Of the 2,643 who replied, 42 per cent. were in favour and 58 per cent. against a scheme of annual accounting and payment. Customs also sought the views of 57 trade associations and professional bodies and received 31 replies, seven in favour and 24 against the proposed scheme. The Government are very grateful to all those who assisted in the consultative process by giving their views to Customs and Excise.My right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary made it clear during the Budget debate on 16 March that a scheme of annual accounting for the smallest businesses could not be operated on an optional basis, and that the Government would be willing to consider it only if a clear majority of those concerned were in favour. The consultations have shown that a substantial majority prefer the present arrangements, and the Government have therefore decided not to pursue the annual accounting proposal further at present.

Gross Domestic Product And Manufacturing Output

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the United Kingdom's gross domestic product, and manufacturing output to return to the levels of May 1979.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 July 1983]: GDP Is likely to return to its level of the first half of 1979 sometime this year. Real national disposable income, which takes into account changes in the terms of trade, was already well above the level of the first half of 1979 by the second half of last year.The forecast published with the Budget suggested that manufacturing output over the year to mid 1984, though below the 1979 level, would be rising at much the same rate as in the rest of the economy.

Pension Funds

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider seeking the amendment of the legislation applicable to company pension funds to require fund managers to send annually to all fund members a report summarising the fund's annual accounts, membership, the nature and distribution of investments by the fund, and other such information necessary to make members aware of the fund's performance and progress.

I have been asked to reply.The Government have accepted in principle the need to legislate on dislosure of information to members of occupational pension schemes. We believe this to be one of the most important ways of helping pension scheme members themselves to ensure that their schemes are managed in their best interests.

Employment

Voluntary Organisations (Employment Schemes)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the amount spent by voluntary organisations on schemes to help the unemployed or to provide employment.

I regret that no information is available on the amounts spent by voluntary organisations on these schemes. However, part of their expenditure is reimbursed in grants from the Department of Employment and the Manpower Services Commission. It is estimated that these grants totalled around £120 trillion in 1982–83. This figure includes the reimbursement of wages or allowances to scheme participants.

Coventry

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in Coventry have been unemployed for 52 weeks or more; and what proportion of the total unemployed in Coventry this constitutes.

The unemployment count in April 1983, the latest date for which an analysis by duration of unemployment is available, showed that 16,702 unemployed claimants in the Coventry travel-to-work area had been unemployed for over 52 weeks. This number represented 43·3 per cent. of the total unemployed claimants in the area.

Liverpool

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs were lost in Liverpool in each of the years 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for St. Helens, South (Mr. Bermingham) on 18 July 1983—[Vol. 46, c. 50–51.]. Information about job losses in local areas is not available for the years specified.

Education, Training And Employment (Statistics)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the population of (a) the United Kingdom and (b) England over the age of 16 years and under retirement age is engaged in education, training or employment; and what are the comparative figures for France, Germany, Italy and the United States of America.

The available information comes from the European Community labour force survey. The 1981 estimates for the United Kingdom and England are as follows:

Proportion of the population over the age of 16 years and under retirement age who are either full-time students or in employment
	Per cent.
United Kingdom	73·9
England	74·7

Figures for other countries are not yet available for 1981 but information from the 1979 survey is shown below.

Proportion of the population aged 14 and over but not retired who are either full time students or in employment
	Per cent.
United Kingdom	77·1
France	74·6
Germany	74·3
Italy	63·5

Youth Training Schemes (Advertising Cost)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current cost of advertising the youth training schemes in the media.

The cost to date, in this financial year, of advertising the youth training scheme in the media is £1·589 million.

Wages Councils And Wages Inspectorate (West Midlands)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many establishments in the west midlands has been on the wages council lists for each year since 1972;(2) in how many establishments in the west midlands on wages council lists were arrears of wages or holiday pay paid following inspection in each year since 1972;(3) how many establishments on the wages council lists in the west midlands have been inspected by visit in each year since 1972;(4) how many of the workers in the west midlands covered by wages councils had their wages examined by the wages inspectorate in each year since 1972;

(5) what was the number of workers in the west midlands covered by wages councils for whom arrears of wages, including holiday pay, were paid, following investigations by the wages inspectorate; and what were (a) the total amount of arrears paid to those workers and (b) the number of workers who waived their rights to payments of arrears, for each year since 1972.

The following table gives the information requested. The figures for underpayments

Establishments Inspected in West Midlands 1972–82
	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982
Establishments on register	39,694	38,946	38,135	37,941	34,430	35,674	35,674	32,693	33,341	33,694	32,080
Establishments inspected by visit	3,662	3,904	3,348	2,992	2,643	2,565	2,687	2,556	2,605	1,774	2,405
Establishments at which arrears were paid	550	629	567	660	690	759	716	605	674	598	619
Workers whose pay was examined	19,241	20,786	16,096	14,270	13,235	13,430	13,152	15,327	16,240	9,519	11,538
Workers paid arrears	822	986	868	1,156	1,395	1,541	1,546	1,304	1,372	1,182	1,277
Amount of arrear paid £	13,039	19,897	19,319	32,412	58,184	88,197	81,447	84,337	108,212	115,060	153,205

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many employees in the west midlands have been prosecuted under the Wages Council Acts; and of those prosecuted (a) how many were found guilty and (b) what was the total amount of fines imposed, for each year since 1972.

Since 1972 there has been only one prosecution in the west midlands under wages council legislation. The employer was found guilty and fined £90 in 1978.

Security Firms (Insurance)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will introduce legislation to require private security firms to take out insurance to provide compensation and benefits of a reasonable living standard for employees who are disabled as a result of criminal attacks;(2) what representations he has received advocating legislation to require security firms to insure their employees comprehensively against personal injury; what replies he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

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

Rate Burden

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Northampton North Official Report, 19 July, c. 92, what evidence he has that in some areas the rate burden is sufficiently high to affect firms' decisions on locations.

Evidence on the effects on firms' location decisions of the rate burden is available from two main channels. First, individual firms report their difficulties to hon. Members or Ministers. Such representations indicate that in particular instances rates affect decisions. Second, surveys of business men show the widespread impact of high rates. For example, the July 1983 edition of the Municipal Journal reports that 41·9 per cent. of London-based respondents said rates were a relate only to inspections by visit. They cannot be taken as representative of wages council trades as a whole in the west midlands as the wages inspectorate tends to concentrate on establishments where underpayments are more likely to be found.In 1982 the number of workers who waived their rights to payment of arrears was 69. I regret that figures for earlier years are not available.decisive factor in determining where new plant is to be situated. This survey was conducted by the London chamber of commerce and industry.

Payment Of Wages (Document)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those organisations and individuals who submitted comments on the payment of wages consultative document issued on 10 March by his Department; and if he will indicate which of these replies (a) argued for the need for a more effective protection on deductions from pay from those canvassed in the document, (b) were of the general opinion that the present legislation on payment in cash does not prevent a significant obstacle to the spread of cashless pay and (c) were wholly in favour of the consultative document's proposals.

My Department received over 100 letters from organisations of employers and workers, and from other bodies, in response to the consultative document. Of the five options put forward in the paper, a substantial majority of respondents favoured that which entailed repeal of the Truck Acts and related legislation with the enactment of up-to-date legislation to protect workers from arbitrary deductions from wages. The various views will be taken into account in preparing detailed proposals for further consultation.

Part-Time Job Release Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will announce details of the part-time job release scheme.

Details of the part-time job release scheme, which will open for applications on 8 August 1983, are given in public leaflet PL 728, which can be obtained from jobcentres and employment offices. Application forms are also available at these offices. I would encourage older workers interested in partial retirement to study the details and see if this scheme can help them.The scheme will be open to men aged 62–64, disabled men aged 60 and 61 and women aged 59. Job release allowance of half the full-time rate will be paid to older workers who give up at least half their contractual hours to create a part-time job for an unemployed person.No restrictions will be imposed al employers in the way they organise the hours worked by the part-time job release applicant and the part-time replacement worker, provided that the combined total is not less than the total weekly hours of the original full-time job. This, like other aspects of the scheme, will be kept under review.

Young Persons (Health And Safety)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment in how many of the (a) fatal accidents, (b) major accidents and (c) minor accidents befalling trainees on the youth opportunities programme between 1 April 1981 and 31 March 1982 and of the accidents which have occurred since that date (i) the employer was prosecuted under the health and safety legislation, (ii) the employer pleaded guilty, (iii) a conviction was obtained, (iv) information had been obtained prior to the accident about the employer's compliance with the health and safety legislation and (v) the employer had been inspected by the factories inspectorate.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 July 1983, c. 265–6]. In the period 1 April 1981 to 31 March 1982 two accidents were notified to Her Majesty's factory inspectorate in which trainees taking part in the youth opportunities scheme were fatally injured.During the period 1 April 1982 to date three accidents were notified to Her Majesty's factory inspectorate in which trainees taking part in the youth opportunities scheme were fatally injured.Information in connection with legal action appears in the following table:

Fatal accidents occuring to YOP trainees at premises subject to inspection by HMFI and subsequent HMFI legal action
	1 April 1981 to 31 March 1982	1 April 1982 to date
Fatal accidents to YOP trainees	2	3
Number of informations laid by HMFI in response to above	1	8
Number of "guilty" pleas	0	7
Number of convictions	1	^*7
Number of situations where information about compliance with health and safety legislation had been obtained by HMFI before the accident	0	2
Number of premises inspected by HMFI before the accident	0	2
^* One case to be heard.

Comparable information on non-fatal accidents is not at present available.

Prime Minister

Hotels (Grants)

asked the Prime Minister what grants from central Government funds have been given to hotels in Liverpool in each year since 1970; and what each grant would be at current prices.

Grants have been made available to Liverpool Hotels under the Development of Tourism Act 1969 (Hotel Development Incentive Scheme) as follows:

Year	Total Grant	Value at Current Prices^*
	£	£
1971	5,439	22,214
1972	12,627	48,248
1973	503,074	1,758,584
1974	378,569	1,140,880
1975	28,775	69,808
^* Based on General Index of Retail Prices to first quarter 1983.

In addition, £8,700 was made available through the urban programme in 1982–83 for environmental improvements.

Rayner Scrutiny Team

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the present members of the Rayner scrutiny team, detail the relevant experience of each member and list the team's programme of work.

I announced on 18 July the appointment of Sir Robin Ibbs, a director of Imperial Chemical Industries plc and formerly head of the central policy review staff, to be my adviser on efficiency in succession to Lord Rayner. Sir Robin, who will be part-time, will be assisted by an efficiency unit, reporting through him to me.The members of the efficiency unit, and their relevant experience, are as follows:

Mr. I. B. Beesley (Leader, Under-Secretary), M.A. in politics, philosophy and economics, Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society; Deputy Leader of the Rayner Unit 1981–83, member of Lord Rayner's central team which reviewed government statistical services, 1980, head of the cash limits division in Her Majesty's Treasury.

Mr. B. R. Morris (Deputy Leader, Assistant Secretary), M. Sc. in industrial administration; after a first career in industry, worked in a public expenditure control division in Her Majesty's Treasury 1978–81, and in the Management and Personnel Office with special responsibilities for the development of management guidelines and the Financial Management Initiative.

Mr. C. J. P. Joubert (Economic Adviser), M.A. in economics on secondment from the Department of Environment since 1982; formerly an economic consultant, conducted management studies in the Department of the Environment, including the scrutiny of the control of running costs, and worked on the Management Information System for Ministers (MINIS).

Mr. A. C. Stott (Principal), M.A. in mathematics and law; Management and Efficiency Division MPO since 1981: member of Lord Rayner's Central team which review Research and Development Support Services 1981; previous experience of manpower control (1977–78) and administrative computer policy (1976–77) in the former Civil Service Department.

Ms. C. Caplan (Principal), B.A. in chemistry recently seconded from Her Majesty's Custom and Excise; experience of the planning, administration and control of indirect taxation, and of personnel work.

Mr. I. F. S. Trumper (supernumerary), Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, on secondment from Deloitte, Haskins and Sells.

Ms. E. Bowman (supernumerary), B.A. in politics and psychology, Diploma in administration; on loan from the Office of the Public Service Board, Australian Government, after several years experience in personnel management.

Under Sir Robin's direction the unit will advise on the strategy for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Government services. It will be responsible for running the programme of efficiency scrutinies, overseeing the conduct of the scrutinies and advising on their implementation; and for contributing to the programme of multi-Department reviews and to the series of lasting reforms initiated in 1979. In all of these matters the unit will continue to work closely with the MPO, which is now part of the Cabinet Office, and with Her Majesty's Treasury.

Initially, the unit will concentrate on the 1983 programme of centrally co-ordinated efficiency excises announced in the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester Withington (Mr. Silvester) on 20 December 1982. The programme includes three multi-department reviews—support services for administrative work; procurement and review capabilities — departmental scrutinies and effectiveness reviews of common activities. The departmental scrutinies approved so far are:

Department	Topic
LCD	Investment activity
LCD/DHSS (Joint)	Administrative arrangements for means assessment for civil legal aid
Home Office	Examination of staff training
HM Treasury	Role and operations of the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency
Customs and Excise	VAT Central Unit, Southend
National Savings	Withdrawal arrangements for National Savings Certificates
Inland Revenue/	Examination of the Occupational Pensions
DHSS (Joint)	Board and the Superannuation Fund Office
DES	Payment of grants to voluntary colleges and direct grant schools
Northern Ireland Office	Review of stores in the Department of the Environment (NI)
Scottish Office	Publicity section of the Scottish Information Office
Welsh Office	Handling of Parliamentary business
Environment	The communication requirements of Government policies
DHSS	Policy for recovery of overpayment of social security benefits
Employment	Efficiency of the field activities of the Inspectorates and Medical Services of the Health and Safety Executive
Trade and Industry	Provision of accountancy services to the Department
Trade and Industry	Practice relating to the supervision of insurance companies
Trade and Industry	National Weights and Measures Laboratory
Transport	The driving test organisation
MAFF	Agricultural science and food science central laboratories
MPO	Central recruitment activities provided by the Civil Service Commission

Royal Greenwich Observatory

asked the Prime Minister what offers to purchase the Royal Greenwich observatory have been received since the recommendation of the Rayner review that its staff should be cut and the headquarters sold.

I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science has received an enquiry about Herstmonceux castle.

National Health Service (Review Body)

asked the Prime Minister what progress is being made with the establishment of a review body for nurses, midwives, health visitors and the professions allied to medicine.

The Government have completed consideration of the response to the consultative document issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services on 22 February and will be establishing the review body without delay. Its terms of reference will be:

"To advise the Prime Minister on the remuneration, with effect from 1 April 1984, and subsequently, of
i. Nursing staff, Midwives and Health Visitors employed in the National Health Service;
ii. Physiotherapists, Radiographers, Remedical Gymnasts, Occupational Therapists, Orthoptists, Chiropodists, Dieticians, and related grades employed in the National Health Service".

The names of the chairman and members will be announced as soon as possible.The review body will be independent and free to determine its own method of working and to take evidence from interested parties. The secretariat will be provided by the Office of Manpower Economics.The Government will, as proposed in the consultative document, submit evidence on economic and financial considerations, and on such factors as recruitment, retention and motivation of the staff concerned.The establishment of a review body for these groups recognises their special position within the National Health Service and in particular the fact that the great majority of staff in these groups have not engaged in industrial action. Accordingly the Government must reserve the right to exclude from the scope of the review body recommendations any groups that do resort to industrial action.In fulfilment of our commitment to provide new pay arrangements for all nursing staff, the review body will deal with the remuneration of both qualified and unqualified nursing staff, but it will be asked to deal separately with these groups. The nursing and allied professions expressed concern about being combined in a single review body. The Government are satisfied that a single review body is appropriate but it will be asked to provide separate reports on the nursing staff and on the allied professions. Some other groups of professions sought inclusion in the review body arrangements but we have not thought it right to go beyond the groups outlined. The speech therapy profession, at its own request, will not be included.The Government have decided that the health Departments should assume responsibility for negotiating changes in terms and conditions of service with the staff sides of the groups covered by the review body and for keeping it fully informed of any agreed or proposed changes in terms and conditions of service. The Department will look to NHS management for advice and assistance on such negotiations. No change is envisaged in the composition of the staff sides. There will no longer be any need for the nurses and midwives or the professional and technical 'A' Whitley councils. The health Departments in consultation with NHS management and staff interests will take the lead in devising new negotiating arrangements for speech therapists and other staff groups on the PT 'A' council who are not included in the review body arrangements.

Education And Science

Students

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number and percentage of students attending each Scottish university by the following category of origin (a) Scottish, (b) English, (c) the rest of the United Kingdom and (d) overseas.

Information in respect of individual Scottish universities is not available. However, the following table covers all Scottish universities in 1981–82 the latest year for which information is available:

Domicile	Numbers	Percentage
Scotland	36,143	73·6
England	7,546	15·4
Other United Kingdom	1,083	2·2
Overseas	4,341	8·8

Kampuchean Students

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many Kampuchean students are currently studying in the United Kingdom; and if he will facilitate an increase in their number.

In the academic year 1981–82, the latest for which data are available, there were two Cambodian students on courses of higher education in the United Kingdom, and one on a course of non-advanced further education. We have no Government relations with any authorities in Cambodia and no plans to facilitate an increase in the number of Cambodian students in the United Kingdom.

Primary Schools

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in the cases of which primary schools in England and Wales a proposed closure was not proceeded with in the academic years 1981–82 and 1982–83.

Following are the primary schools in England for which closure proposals have been either rejected by my right hon. Friend or withdrawn by the local education authority concerned in the school years 1981–82 and 1982–83. Schools in Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

	Authority
1981/82 Rejections
Bolton by Bowland CE Primary School	Lancashire
Oldfield First School	Badford
Keighley Strong Close Nursery	Badford
Dodworth CE Infants School	Barnsley
Thomas Wall Nursery	Sutton
Clifford CE First School	Sheffield
Barley Lane Infants School	Redbridge
Barley Lane Junior School	Redbridge
Pamphill CE Prmary School	Dorset
Rushbury CE Primary School	Shropshire
Harwell Nursery	Oxon
Withdrawn
Warfield County Primary School	Berkshire
Milton CE Primary School	Oxfordshire
East Keswick Primary School	Leeds

	Authority
Staplegrove Voluntary Primary School	Somerset
1982/83 (up to 30 June 1983) Rejections
Beadnell CE First School	Northumberland
Merrivale Nursery	Nottinghamshire
St. John's CE First School	Staffordshire
Stawley County Primary School	Somerset
Gislingham CE Primary School	Suffolk
Mellis CE Primary School	Suffolk
Somerleyton County Primary School	Suffolk
St. Clare's RC Junior and Infants School	Birmingham
St. Stephen's RC Junior and Infants School	Birmingham
Falxton Primary School	N. Yorkshire
Milwich Green Lea First School	Staffordshire
Dilhorne CE Primary School	Staffordshire
Pensnett Nursery	Dudley
All Saint's CE First School	Newcastle
St. Andrew's CE Primary chool	Manchester
Barwick in Elmet CE Junior School	Leeds
Barwick in Elmet County Infants School	Leeds
Salterlee Junior and Infants School	Calderdale
St. Werbugh's CE Primary School	Staffordshire
Withdrawals
Nazareth RC Primary School	Hampshire

Croxteth Comprehensive School, Liverpool

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the future of Croxteth comprehensive school in Liverpool.

In accordance with its own proposals which were approved by my right hon. Friend, Liverpool education authority ceased to maintain Croxteth comprehensive school with effect from the end of the 1982–83 school year. I understand that Liverpool city council, as part of its plans for the reorganisation of its county secondary schools, intends to publish proposals to re-establish a county school in the premises of the former comprehensive. If it does so, my right hon. Friend would consider those proposals on their merits.

Institute Of Hearing Research

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of the work of the Institute of Hearing Research.

the programme of research being undertaken at the Medical Research Council's institute of hearing research continues to develop well. The annual report from the institute for 1981, which summarises the work being carried out both at its headquarters and at its out-stations, is available in the Library. The 1982 report is not yet available.

Defence

Research And Development

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of defence expenditure has been devoted to research and development in each of the last five years; what information he has as to the comparable figures for each member state in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation; if he will seek to express these figures on a basis consistent with the United Kingdom figures; and if he will make a statement.

The proportion of defence expenditure devoted to research and development in each of the last five years was as follows:

Year	Per cent.
1978–79	14
1979–80	14
1980–81	15
1981–82	13
^*1982–83	13
^* The figure for 1982–83 is based on original Estimates provision.

Information for other NATO countries is not available on a comparable basis.

South Georgia

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made regarding the 1982 Shackleton report's proposal to build an air strip in South Georgia.

There are no current plans to construct an airfield on South Georgia.

Royal Air Force

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with the possibility of extending the role of the Royal Air Force into further fields of air force activity.

I am pleased to be able to announce that a Royal Auxiliary Air Force aeromedical evacuation squadron is to be formed on 9 September 1983 at the Princess Alexandra hospital Royal Air Force Wroughton. This is a new area of activity for the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and is expected to provide the basis for significant assistance to the armed services.

Argentine Navy (Inquiry)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will take steps to obtain, and assess the implications for Royal Navy anti-submarine precautions, details of the information at present being given to the Argentine navy inquiry into the attempted torpedoing of HMS Invincible by the Argentine submarine San Luis.

We have no firm evidence that a torpedo attack was conducted against HMS Invincible. As we said in Cmnd. 8758, a number of improvements were already planned in our ASW capability and we are examining what other measures are required in the light of the Falklands campaign.

Panavia (Air Show)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any facilities for air-to-air refuelling have been offered by the Royal Air Force to Panavia for the exhibition of two Tornado aircraft at the Japanese international aerospace show between 29 October and 6 November 1983.

An air-to-air refuelling facility was considered as a means of transporting two Tornado aircraft to the Japanese international aerospace show. However, in view of the pressure that this would exert upon its limited resources, the RAF was unable to assist.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any assistance has been offered by his Department to Panavia to allow it to exhibit two Tornado aircraft at the Japanese international aerospace show between 29 October and 6 November 1983.

A request has been received from Panavia to exhibit two Tornado aircraft at the Japanese international aerospace show. The Government have carefully considered this request but has reluctantly decided that the cost and diversion of resources necessary to position Tornado in Japan could not be justified on this occasion.

Attorney-General

Rock Climbers (Injuries)

asked the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor will consider introducing legislation to clarify the law relating to occupier's liability so that landowners are not liable for injuries suffered by rock climbers on their land.

Such legislation has already been introduced. Clause 2 of the Occupiers' Liability Bill, which received its Second Reading in another place on 12 July 1983, amends the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 to enable landowners to permit recreational access to their land subject to terms which exclude liability for dangers arising from the state of the land. Such an exclusion will not be available where access to the land is given for business purposes.

Home Department

Crime Statistics

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are serving sentences of imprisonment who were convicted of theft and handling stolen goods, or fraud and forgery, or criminal damage; and what is the average length of sentence and the cost of imprisonment for such a sentence.

The information available is given in the following table. Average weekly costs for such prisoners are not available separately. However, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question by the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Dubs) on 30 June about the average weekly costs of keeping a prisoner in custody in various categories of establishment.—[Vol. 44, c. 105.]

Persons^† serving sentences of immediate imprisonment in prison department establishments in England and Wales on 31 May 1983 for certain offences.*
Offence type	Estimated number^*	Average length of sentence^‡*
Theft and handling stolen goods	5,000	17 months
Fraud and forgery	1,200	23 months
Criminal damage ║	300	13 months
^* The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate..
† Excluding fine defaulters.
‡ Average effective length of aggregate sentence being served including sentences being served consecutively which may be for other types of offence.
║ Excluding arson.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for the year 1982, how many robberies took place in the Metropolitan police area where a firearm was used; in how many cases the firearm was discharged; in such cases how many innocent persons were injured; and what was the clear-up rate.

I will write to the hon. Member.

Protection Of Animals (Experiments)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the Government's policy towards the amendments proposed in document 5049 (1983) of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe to the draft European convention on the protection of animals in experimental procedures; and what is his policy towards the proposal that the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe should arrange for the periodical convening of a committee of experts to review the terms and observance of the convention in member countries which ratified it.

The Government do not believe that these amendments, which have not yet been endorsed by the parliamentary assembly, would make any significant improvement to the draft. The proposal for the periodic review of the terms and observance of the convention is acceptable to the Government in principle, subject to appropriate budgetary provision being available, and to there being an adequate period of experience of the working of the new arrangements to form the subject of such reviews.

Immigration

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present waiting time for an entry visa to be issued to men living in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh who are seeking to join their wives in the United Kingdom.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 21 July by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the question from the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Meadowcroft).—[Vol. 46, c. 194.]

Citizenship

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many grants of citizenship were made for (a) registration with entitlement of adults, (b) registration of minors and (c) naturalisation and discretionary registration between 1 April 1982 and 31 March 1983.

The number of grants of citizenship made during the period 1 April 1982 to 31 March 1983 was as follows:

	Numbers
Registration as an entitlement	52,634
Minors	13,668
Registration at discretion and naturalisation	13,116

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the estimate of vie cost in 1983–84 of additional inquiries into applications for naturalisation and discretionary registration;

(2) what is the estimated income during 1983–84 from the fees charged for the acquisition of citizenship by (a) naturalisation and (b) registration.

The recommendations in the recent report of the Home Affairs Committee, following its inquiry into British nationality fees, are being fully and carefully considered. This will take time. It is not possible, therefore, at this stage to estimate income during 1983–84, as it depends in part on the future level of fees, nor to estimate the cost of additional inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for (a) registration with entitlement, (b) registration of minors, and (c) naturalisation and discretionary registration were received between 1 April 1982 and 31 March 1983.

The number of applications for citizenship made during the period 1 April 1982 to 31 March 1983 was as follows:

	Numbers
(a) Registration as an entitlement^*	70,098
(b) Minors^*	10,406
(c) Registration and naturalisation at discretion	15,330
^* Applications made by minors during February and March 1983 are included in (a) and not in (b).

Nationality Division

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimate for the 1983–84 staff and accommodation costs of the nationality division of the Home Office.

£3,460,000.

Criminal Offences (Sentences)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the average original sentences given, and the average sentences served, for the offences of arson, rape, the murder of a police officer, the murder of a prison officer and terrorist offences, respectively, in respect of persons convicted over the longest period for which figures are conveniently available.

We will reply as soon as possible.

North Koreans

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been made for visas by nationals of North Korea to enter the United Kingdom since May 1979; how many have been granted; and how many refused.

The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Metropolitan Police

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) for each district of the Metropolitan police for the years 1981 and 1982, how many officers have been (a) dismissed, (b) forced to retire or (c) allowed to resign due to behaviour on duty of a racist nature;

(2) for each district of the Metropolitan police for the years 1981 and 1982, how many officers have been punished under the discipline regulations by (a) suspension, (b) demotion, (c) caution or (d) reprimand following behaviour on duty of a racist nature.

Racist behaviour by police officers may constitute or be comprised in any of a number of offences under the discipline code. It would not be possible without disproportionate effort and cost to identify those disciplinary cases in which such behaviour played the primary or a significant part.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for each year since 1972, how many civil claims there have been against the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis for (a) false imprisonment, (b) malicious prosecution, (c) assault, (d) trespass and (e) wrongful interference with goods; whether the claims were successful or not; where successful, whether they were settled in court or outside; and what was the size of the settlement in full.

The information readily available in respect of compensation claims, excluding claims for damage to vehicles, employers' or occupiers' liability, against the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is as follows:

Year	Number of cases initiated	Number of cases concluded	Total amount paid £
1976	52	7	7,521
1977	71	4	1,150
1978	105	12	50,945
1979	95	7	1,991
1980	86	11	9,035
1981	92	21	31,871
1982	104	24	77,824

It is not possible to distinguish payments made in respect of a particular cause of action because in a number of cases the payment covered more than one cause of action.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for each year since 1972, how many officers were (a) dismissed, (b) forced to retire, (c) allowed to resign, (d) suspended, (e) demoted, (f) cautioned and (g) reprimanded as a result of inquiries subsequent to a successful civil action brought against the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

This information is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for E district Metropolitan police, for each year since 1972 (a) how many people have been stopped and searched by police in a public place, by age, sex and race, (b) how many of these people were subsequently charged with an offence disclosed by the stop and search, (c) how many persons were in the main categories of offences so charged and (d) how many people were convicted of such charges.

We understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information currently available to him for E District (Camden) is as given in the following table. The figures are based on information recorded in station registers for operational purposes and, as this form of recording is unsuitable for the preparation of statistical summaries the resultant figures may be subject to some error. Details of the age, sex and ethnic appearance of those stopped, and the offences with which those subsequently arrested were charged and the numbers convicted are not collected centrally on a regular basis and such information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Persons and vehicles stopped and resultant arrests^*
E District Metropolitan Police	Numbers
Year	Persons or vehicles stopped	Resultant arrests^*
1977	26,843	ֵ
1978	24,130	ֵ
1979	24,374	2,344
1980	24,635	1,862
1981	25,759	2,200
1982	32,065	2,632
^* Persons proceeded against by means of a charge, referral to juvenile bureau, a caution or in some other way; arrests not followed by any action are not included.
ֵ Not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for E District Metropolitan police, how many officers are currently under suspension pending inquiries into allegations of (a) assault, (b) corruption, (c) racist behaviour and (d) perjury.

One officer based in E District is currently suspended from duty following allegations of perjury. The investigation in this case has been completed, and the papers have been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for his consideration of the criminal aspects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether officers in E District Metropolitan police have access to (a) plastic bullets and (b) CS gas; and what is the rank and position of the officer who is entitled to authorise their use.

We understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that baton rounds — "plastic bullet" — and CS equipment for dealing with serious public disorder in the Metropolitan Police district is stored centrally. In accordance with the guidelines on the use of this equipment which were summarised in a reply on 19 October, 1981—[Vol. 10, c. 29–30]—the equipment is to be used only with the express authority of the Commissioner — or, in his absence, his deputy. CS equipment for use against armed, or violently insane, persons in buildings from which they cannot otherwise by dislodged, is also stored centrally and may be used only on the express authority of the Deputy Assistant Commissioner 'A' (Operations) or, in his absence, his senior officer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for E District Metropolitan police, for 1982 how many men were charged with (a) buggery, (b) gross indecency and (c) soliciting or importuning for immoral purpose.

We understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that records available to him for 1982 show for E district (Camden) no men charged with buggery and 13 men charged with indecency between males. Information on soliciting or importuning for immoral purpose is not separately available.

Environment

Housing (Ethnic Minorities)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department has supported or been associated with any recent research into the housing needs of elderly people from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Together with a number of other Government Departments, my Department has contributed financially to, and is represented on the advisory group for, a major national 'survey of racial minorities' carried out by the Policy Studies Institute in 1982. This research will provide information, among other things, about housing tenure and conditions and household size relating to ethnic minority households, including those containing elderly members. The results are expected to be available later this year.

Housing (Disabled Persons)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has completed the report to the secretary general of the Council of Europe concerning the action taken by the Government with regard to resolution AP(77)8 on the adaptation of housing and surrounding areas for the needs of disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

The report referred to was sent to the Secretary General in January this year.

Liverpool International Garden Festival

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the estimated total cost of the Liverpool international garden festival.

The approved budget of the international garden festival is for a gross expenditure of £15.9 million; this will be partially offset by private sector sponsorship; in addition, gate receipts, which it is too soon to estimate with any accuracy, will provide revenue for the festival.

Birds Of Prey

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many prosecutions under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 have been initiated by his Department as the result of registration infringements relating to birds of prey in captivity.

None. Prosecutions under section 7 of the Act are initiated by the police on the basis of information provided by the Department. The RSPB and other organisations act similarly. I understand that several prosecutions are pending; I am aware of one successful prosecution to date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of birds of prey in captivity registered under section 7 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Since initial application of the registration provisions, approximately 6,500 adult captive hawks have been registered with the Department. By the end of the current breeding season it is estimated that a further 1,500 to 2,000 young birds will have been registered.

Partnership Funding

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make changes in the arrangements for partnership funding to give proportionately greater help to deprived outer urban areas.

Partnerships are encouraged to concentrate urban programme resources on the areas of greatest need. It is open to the local authority to put forward proposals for some partnership expenditure in deprived outer areas. In Liverpool such flexibility is encouraged. My right hon. Friend's promotion of Knowsley to programme authority status earlier this year is an example of the way in which urban deprivation in outer areas of conurbations has been recognised.

Denny Inclosure

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he intends to publish the report of the public inquiry into the planning application by Shell Petroleum Ltd. to drill for oil in the Denny inclosure, in the New Forest, which was the subject of a public planning inquiry in 1982;(2) when he intends to announce his decision about the Shell Petroleum Ltd. application to drill in the Denny inclosure, in the New Forest, which was the subject of a public planning inquiry in 1982.

I hope to publish the inspector's report, and my conclusions upon it, later this year, but I am not yet in a position to give a firm date.

Russells Nurseries, Hampstead

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now call in the planning application by Camden borough council in respect of Russells nurseries site in Hampstead NW3.

No. I am satisfied that the issues raised by this planning application are of local significance only and for that reason my Department's intervention in the handling of the application by Camden London borough council would not be justified.

Tower Blocks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people are living in local authority tower blocks or other high rise accommodation; and how many of them are families 'with young children.

For Great Britain in 1981 about 1 per cent. of households had the floor level of the main living part of their accommodation at the fourth floor or above. Of these households just over 20 per cent. were families with children.

Aldridge-Brownhills District Plan

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations, and from whom, he has received from the public in connection with the proposed Aldridge-Brownhills district plan.

The Department has received 13 representations about the Aldridge-Brownhills local plan. Of these, 12 are from local residents, including a petition with 350 signatures, and one is from the House Builders' Federation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what he intends should be the mechanism for the proposing and altering of the Aldridge-Brownhills district plan following the abolition of the metropolitan counties.

Our proposals for the reorganisation of the services provided by the metropolitan counties will be contained in a White Paper to be published in the autumn.

Minis

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish the fourth round of statements from his Department's management information system for Ministers.

I have placed a set of MINIS 4 statements for DOE(c) and PSA in the Library. They describe the organisation and work of the Department during 1982–83, and show plans for 1983–84. They are also on sale to the public.

Almshouse Charities And Hostels Associations

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has decided how almshouse charities and hostels associations should be required to use surpluses appearing in their grant redemption funds.

My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales have decided that grant redemption fund surpluses arising from the accommodation of almshouse charities and associations specialising in the provision and management of hostels, to which licence charges rather than fair rents are applied, should be used in the first instance to offset revenue deficits assessed and approved by their Departments in any accounting period. They propose that any sums remaining from these surpluses should be retained by these almshouse charities and hostels associations for use on their housing activities. Individual associations affected will be notified in due course in accordance with section 131(5) of the Housing Act 1980.

Cycle Racks

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide Sheffield-style cycle racks at Government buildings.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 July]: The style of rack used in the provision of cycle parking at Government buildings is, at the moment, left to local decision, but I am reviewing policy in this area.

Scotland

Sheltered Housing Bedspaces

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sheltered housing bedspaces there were in the Strathclyde region and in Scotland at the latest convenient date.

Local authorities reported that there were 8,435 sheltered bedspaces in Strathclyde region and 22,081 sheltered bedspaces in Scotland at the end of March 1982. Returns for March 1983 are still incomplete.

Private Sector House Building

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has or intends to issue guidance to district councils regarding the encouragement of private sector house building by the diversion of resources from the public sector programme similar to the instruction to East Kilbride Development Corporation contained in paragraph 2.60 of the Strathclyde structure plan as modified by his first review and alteration of that plan.

The passage referred to in my right hon. Friend's modification of the Strathclyde structure plan reflected the importance he attaches to the growth of private house building in Scotland. Similar considerations underlay the circular issued by the Scottish Development Department on 20 July 1983 (SDD 21/1983) to local authorities; in particular, the circular includes advice on joint venture schemes whereby authorities co-operate with builders to develop land in their ownership for low cost housing, and encourages authorities to review urgently their land holdings with a view to selling any that are surplus to requirements. Copies of the circular are in the Library.

Housing (Capital Allocations)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the district councils which received additional capital allocations in 1983–84 to help with dampness problems in their housing stock and give the sum allocated in each case; and which of these districts had their housing revenue account capital allocation reduced—in that year —because they did not meet his rate fund contribution guidelines; and by what amount in each case.

Because of the buoyant receipts from council house sales, my right hon. Friend was able to authorise on 30 March additional consents on the housing revenue account (HRA) block totalling 18.4 million to 22 authorities for work related to condensation and dampness. At the same time he confirmed to 16 of these 22 authorities that, in accordance with arrangements previously notified to them, the consequence of their decisions to set a rate fund contribution above a certain level was a related reduction in their capital allocation in the HRA block. The information is set out in the following table:

£ million
Authority	Addition	Reduction
Ettrick and Lauderdale	0·050	—
Roxburgh	0·300	—

Authority	Addition	Reduction
Clackmannan	0·100	0·029
Falkirk	1·400	0·487
Stirling	0·080	0·757
Nithsdale	0·300	—
Stewartry	0·032	—
Wigtown	0·200	—
Dunfermline	0·100	0·545
Aberdeen	0·500	1·262
Edinburgh	0·300	2·168
West Lothian	0·300	0·161
Clydebank	0·750	0·135
Glasgow	5·000	—
Hamilton	0·100	0·445
Inverclyde	0·100	0·744
Kyle and Carrick	0·400	0·180
Monklands	0·100	0·657
Motherwell	0·100	1·444
Renfrew	0·500	1·226
Angus	0·100	0·360
Dundee	0·610	0·876

Drug Addicts

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines are given to health boards for relative usage of drug clinics and the general practitioners service for dealing with addicts.

None. The treatment of patients, including drug addicts, is a matter of clinical judgment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportions of drug addicts have been cared for, respectively, by drugs clinics, hospitals and general practitioners in the last five years.

This information is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of drug addicts who attend drug clinics.

This information is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost of treatment of drug addicts in each year since 1977.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many known drug addicts in Scotland have received medical treatment for their addiction during 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982, respectively; and what special help central Government plan to give to the statutory authorities to deal with the problem.

Information is not held centrally about the number of drug addicts who receive medical treatment for their addiction; but the number of persons in Scotland formally notified as being addicted to narcotic drugs, including re-notification of previously known addicts, during these years was as follows:

	Number
1979	135
1980	126
1981	249
1982	391

The Scottish Home and Health Department will shortly be inviting statutory authorities and voluntary organisations to apply for grants to assist local initiatives for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug misusers.

Nursery Education

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information his Department has on the number of children on waiting lists for nursery education in Scotland.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the percentage of children aged three and four years receiving nursery education in each region and island authority in Scotland.

The following table shows the percentage of three-year-olds and four-year-olds, and of these two age groups combined, who were attending education authority nursery schools at September 1982.

Authority	Percentage of three-year-olds	Percentage of four-year-olds	Percentage of three and four-year-olds
Borders	7	29	18
Central	19	40	29
Dumfries and Galloway	3	14	8
Fife	16	68	41
Grampian	11	27	19
Highland	5	18	11
Lothian	35	53	43
Orkney	12	20	17
Shetland	9	15	12
Strathclyde	19	37	28
Tayside	19	29	24
Western Isles	13	46	20
Scotland	19	38	28

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many three and four-year-olds are receiving nursery education in each of the four Scottish cities; what these figures are expressed as a percentage of each age group; and how they compare with the Scottish average.

At September 1982 there were 3,280 three-year-olds and 4,659 four-year-olds attending education authority nursery schools in Glasgow. Figures for the other Scottish cities are not readily available.The following table shows, for Glasgow and Scotland, the percentages of three-year-olds and four-year-olds attending, and the percentages for the two age groups combined:

	Glasgow	Scotland
Percentage of three-year-olds	39	19
Percentage of four-year-olds	60	38
Percentage of three and four-year-olds	49	28

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many placing requests were made by parents relating to nursery schools in the latest available year; how many were successful; and if he will provide a breakdown per education authority.

Information gathered by my Department on school placing requests is related solely to primary and secondary education.

Blood Supplies

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many units of blood have been supplied by the Blood Transfusion Service to (a) National Health Service hospitals and (b) other hospitals since May 1979 in Scotland.

The information is not available in precisely the form requested. The information which can be supplied about blood issued by regional transfusion centres is as follows:

	Units^*issued
Year ended 31 March	NHS hospitals	Other hospitals	Total
1980	—	—	264,589
1981	—	—	265,161
1982	276,734	1,052	277,786
1983	271,809	1,486	273,295
^* A unit represents one donation of blood.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to which private hospitals in Scotland blood from the Blood Transfusion Service has been supplied since May 1979.

Blood has been supplied to the following private hospitals and clinics:

Bon Secours hospital, Glasgow
The Edinburgh private clinic, Edinburgh
Fernbrae private clinic (Dundee) Ltd, Dundee
Nuffield McAlpin clinic, Glasgow
St. John's nursing home, Aberdeen
St. Raphael's hospital, Edinburgh

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what handling charges per unit have been paid by private hospitals in Scotland for blood supplies from the Blood Transfusion Service since May 1979.

None.

Mccoll V Strathclyde Regional Council

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the costs to public funds of the case of McColl v Strathclyde regional council.

Some costs have still to be settled, but approximately £700,000 has been paid.

Legal Aid

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied with the operation of section 18(2) of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1967 so far as it applies to disclosure of information to him by the Law Society of Scotland in cases of major public importance or where costs are substantial.

I am satisfied that section 18(2) does not operate to prevent the disclosure of information to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State where this is necessary for the proper performance of his functions under the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the parliamentary accountability of public funds expended under the legal aid system in Scotland.

Procedures for the assessment and taxation of legal aid accounts are designed to ensure that where a legal aid certificate is granted expenditure is properly incurred. My right hon. Friend will be reviewing the arrangements in the light of his powers under the legal aid legislation.

Legal Costs

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek to amend the law so that costs in excess of £250,000 must be disclosed by the Law Society of Scotland to him.

I do not consider such an amendment to be necessary. Legislation does not prevent the disclosure to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State of the cost of such cases.

Teacher Training

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made by the working party on primary teacher pre-service training; and if he will make a statement.

I have received an interim report from the working party recommending guidelines for the new four-year primary degree. Copies have been placed in the Library. I have approved the working party's recommendations and colleges of education and other interests are being so informed. I am grateful to the working party for reporting so quickly.

Building Control

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in reviewing the system of building control in Scotland.

I shall shortly be issuing a consultation paper setting out proposals for simplifying the building standards regulations and improving the operation of the building control system in Scotland by such measures as improving liaison and co-ordination among building control authorities, increasing the scope for participation by the private sector in the operation of building control, and other matters. As I indicated in answer to my hon. Friend, the Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Henderson) on 11 November 1982, we are at the moment confining ourselves to improvements which in the main can be made within the framework of the existing Scottish Building Acts.—[Vol. 31, c. 213–14.]

Capital Transfer Tax (Objects In Lieu)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will specify any objects which have been accepted in satisfaction of capital transfer tax since 1 April; and how much tax was satisfied in each case.

The following objects have been accepted in satisfaction of capital transfer tax:

(a) Four portraits dated 1747 by Allan Ramsay of members of the Erskine family;

(b) the papers of Sir William and Lady MacTaggart.

The amounts of tax involved are £9,040 and £14,840 respectively.

The Ramsay portraits were offered on condition of their being allocated to the House of Dun, which the National Trust for Scotland will be opening to the public in due course; until then the portraits will remain in the safe keeping of the National Galleries of Scotland. I am seeking advice on the allocation of the MacTaggart papers.

Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when section 45 of and schedule 5 to the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 are to be brought into effect.

I propose to make a fifth and final commencement order bringing section 45 of and schedule 5 to the 1980 Act and the paragraphs of schedules 7 and 8 consequential to these provisions into effect on 15 November 1983.Section 45 of the 1980 Act introduces new arrangements for those from age 16 to 21 who are sentenced to detention by the courts. From 15 November, those sentenced to a period of detention will serve that detention in a young offenders institution unless the period is from 28 days to four months, when it will be served in the tougher regime of a detention centre. The semi-determinate sentence of borstal training and the fixed sentence of three months in a detention centre will no longer be available to the courts.Schedule 5 to the 1980 Act introduces new arrangements for the post-release supervision of young offenders. From 15 November, those sentenced to detention for a period of from six months to less than 18 months will be under supervision, following release, for six months and those sentenced to longer periods of detention will be under supervision for at least 12 months and, in certain circumstances, for longer periods. Post-release supervision will not, however, extend beyond the age of 23 years.

Transport

Marine Pilots

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the progress of the consultations being undertaken by the Pilotage Commission on the proposals to reduce the surplus of United Kingdom marine pilotage by some 40 per cent.;(2) when he expects the Pilotage Commission to report to him its findings about the reactions of various parts of the shipping industry to the Samuel Montagu report on aspects of pilotage;(3) if he will list all the bodies and individuals who have been consulted by the Pilotage Commission so far on the findings of the Samuel Montagu report on aspects of pilotage; and if he will also list those further bodies and individuals the commission still intends to consult.

In August last Samuel Montagu and Co. Ltd. were invited by the Under-Secretary of State for Trade to advise him on the financial implications of proposals put to him by the Pilotage Commission for paying compensation to surplus pilots; and in March, after considering the Samuel Montagu recommendations, he asked the commission to take the matter forward as quickly as possible with representatives of the interests concerned, in order to establish whether the recommendations provided a basis for agreement.

Airports (Privatisation)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the British Airports Authority's study on the prospects for selling its airports to the private sector; and whether it will cover the airports as a whole or treat them separately.

I expect to receive the board's report next month, though the board has already made known its view that the authority should remain as one unit. I shall consider all the options.

Helicopters (Crop Spraying)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he is satisfied with the present system of control and licensing of crop spraying helicopters; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he has received any representations about indiscriminate spraying by crop spraying helicopters that has affected domestic dwellings and gardens.

Procedures for aerial crop spraying are subject to approval by the Civil Aviation Authority and I am satisfied that the authority's arrangements for controlling spraying operations by helicopters and fixed wing aircraft are adequate. I am asking the authority's chairman to write to my hon. Friend explaining how controls on aerial crop spraying operate, and to send him a copy of the bulletin the authority prepares annually analysing complaints it has received about spraying.

Disabled Persons (Car Stickers)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what rules apply to the issue of disabled car stickers; in what way they differ from the previous regulations; and what is his estimate of the numbers benefiting from such stickers both before and after the change in rules.

The Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) Regulations 1982 (SI 1982 No. 1740) which came into force on 16 March of this year were designed to reduce abuse and to ensure that badges are issued only to those with very severe mobility problems. The previous seven entitlement criteria for badges have been simplified and rearranged into four categories:

(1) recipients of mobility allowanced;

(2) the blind;

(3) those using vehicles supplied by a Government Department or receiving a grant in respect of their own vehicle, or

(4) people with a permanent and substantial disability which causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking.

Badges should be issued virtually automatically to people in the first three categories, which are much simpler than the previous descriptive criteria. Local authorities have been asked to exercise particular care in applying the fourth criterion.Some 680,000 badges were in use at the beginning of this year in England, Wales and Scotland; it is too early yet to say how many people will receive badges under the new rules.

Road Traffic Act 1974

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now implement section 7 of the Road Traffic Act 1974.

Implementation of a national ban on footway parking has been deferred because at present local authorities and the police cannot devote the necessary resources to introduce and enforce it. The Greater London council is currently consulting on the possibility of introducing a London-only ban under the GLC (General Powers) Act 1974.

Pedestrian Casualties

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many pedestrians were killed or injured on pavements and verges in each of the last five years.

Pedestrians killed or injured on footway or verges (Great Britain):

	Number
1978	4,970
1979	5,428
1980	4,876
1981	4,707
1982	5,019

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what share of total pedestrian casualties in the United Kingdom since 1974 has taken place on footpaths or verges.

Almost 7 per cent.—41,600—of the total of 606,000 pedestrian casualties in Great Britain took place on footpaths or verges between 1974 and 1982.Annual figures, available in the Library in "Road Accidents Great Britain", show that the proportion has been increasing over the period but that pedestrian casualties in other situations have decreased.These data are not readily available for Northern Ireland.

Pavement Parking

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from local government associations, local authorities and safety organisations with regard to vehicles being parked on pavements.

The local authority associations and a number of individual local authorities have expressed concern about parking on pavements. I have had no approaches from safety organisations. All the representations have recognised the practical difficulties involved in introducing and enforcing a parking ban. The subject is on the agenda for the national annual consultative meeting with the local authority associations which my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, is holding today.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost per annum for each of the last three years for repairs to pavements and verges damaged by vehicles parking upon them.

I regret the damage caused by parking on pavements and verges, but it is not feasible to identify the costs separately.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure a reduction of pavement parking in inner London.

The enforcement of the existing laws in relation to pavement parking in London is the responsibility of the Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police and the London borough councils. The maximum penalties have recently been substantially increased. The bringing into effect of the ban contained in the GLC (General Powers) Act 1974 is the responsibility of the Greater London council.

Pilotage Districts

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will reverse his predecessor's decision that reorganisation of the London pilotage district should be carried out before any other of the 80 pilotage districts are dealt with in view of the consequential holdup in the remainder of the United Kingdom;(2) when he expects to approve the proposals for the reorganisation of the Isle of Wight pilotage district.

My noble Friend Lord Trefgarne decided in August 1981 that he would prefer not to reach conclusions on the draft byelaws introducing important changes for the Isle of Wight pilotage district, among others, that had been put to him, until he had considered the Pilotage Commission's views on the proposals for the London district, together with the public's reaction to them.In April 1982 the commission put its recommendations to the then Under-Secretary of State for Trade. I understand he was advised, however, that the principal element of these recommendations — that pilotage certificates should be issued without examination—was ultra vires the Pilotage Act 1913. It was therefore necessary to devise alternative proposals if the matter was to be taken forward. This task fell to the Department of Trade. It took several months and was further complicated by the examination given to the linked problem of compensation for surplus pilots. It now falls to me to look urgently at these complex and difficult matters and I hope to reach conclusions before too long. I am conscious of the delay that has been incurred and of the anxiety that prevails amongst all concerned with pilotage matters. I am, however, no less conscious of the deep divisions between the parties and of the acute difficulty of reaching conclusions that will prove generally acceptable.Against that background I do not think it would be any easier to reach equitable arrangements for the Isle of Wight, or the other major pilotage districts, than it would be for London. And because of the size of the London district, and the volume and variety of its shipping, I tend to my predecessor's view that the conclusions reached on it are likely to be of general application, and so should preferably be taken first.

Single Line Working

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the effect on time keeping and service to the travelling public consequent upon the introduction of single line working on lines previously served by double track.

None. It is for the railways board in each case to assess the likely effects on its customers.

Road Construction

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the reasons for the differences between the expenditure figures for road construction in 1981–82 prices given recently in the answer of 11 July, Official Report, c. 598, with the cash outturn figures in the public expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 8789, in particular in terms of the price assumptions used.

I will write to the hon. Member.

Aveton Gifford (Traffic Lights)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide further advice and assistance to Devon county council in respect of the ultrasonic traffic lights at Aveton Gifford in view of the fact that they do not work.

My Department will continue to give technical advice and assistance to Devon county council until the new traffic control system in Aveton Gifford is operating satisfactorily. Such an assurance was given to the county engineer, in writing, by my officials on 7 July 1983.

Modbury

asked the Secretary of State for Transport which road signs on the A38 direct travellers to Modbury; and if he is satisfied that their number is adequate.

There are no local direction signs on the A38 indicating Modbury. To reach this town from the A38 traffic would normally pass through Ermington which is signed at both the Wragaton and Ivybildge interchanges.Although I am generally satisfied with the signing arrangements on the trunk road, a review is currently being undertaken on local information signs in this area in consultation with Devon county council.

M25 (Service Areas)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now make a statement about his policy regarding the provision of motorway service areas on the M25.

Yes. I have today sent to the local planning and highway authorities a consultative paper setting out our policy and proposals. A copy has been placed in the Library. The main conclusion, on which comments are invited, is that four service areas are needed on the M25, at approximately 30-mile intervals.Two sites have already been identified where a motorway service area would be acceptable on traffic engineering grounds and would not seem to be environmentally intrusive. One is close to the southern entrance to the Dartford Tunnel and the other at the junction with A1(M) at South Mimms. We will press ahead as quickly as possible with the steps necessary for the development of service areas at these two locations, which will serve those stretches of M25 between the A1, M11 and M20 on which the need for services is most urgent.There is also a strong case for the development of two further MSAs on the western side south of the M4 and in east Surrey. But we recognise that all potential sites in these areas will raise environmental and possibly other problems. I am therefore appointing consultants to advise on the best locations in these areas and to help my Department to draw up detailed proposals for planning clearance. Subject to confirmation for the policy in the consultative paper, they will be asked to report by the end of February 1984 so that the two service areas can open as soon as possible after the completion of the M25.

Trade And Industry

Small Firms

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied that small firms receive sufficient help and advice with technological matters from Government sources.

We are always considering whether the services available from private sector bodies need to be supplemented by Government sponsored schemes. The small firms technical inquiry service was introduced in June 1982 to meet an identified need that small firms have for technological advice. It has dealt with over 3,000 inquiries since it started.

24.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce further measures to assist small firms in tendering for central and local Government contracts.

The Government are considering ways to assist small firms' access to Government contracts. In particular, we are looking at the feasibility of setting up a viewdata database of information on Government procurement. We are also examining the scope for standardising and where possible simplifying the approval procedures used by Government Departments. Local authorities are autonomous bodies as regards their purchasing, but we encourage them to take into account the particular needs of small firms.

48.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to ensure that small firms secure a fair and proper share of the business generated by public procurement programmes.

We have published a short booklet for small firms on "Tendering for Government Contracts" and introduced a number of changes to tendering and approvals procedures which help small firms' access to Government contracts. Information about some further developments were given in my earlier answer to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North-West (Mr. Bellingham).

49..

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will complete his programme of publicity called "How to Make Your Business Grow".

The programme of publicity was almost complete at the time of the announcement of the general election. I am considering future publicity on Government assistance available to small firms and what form this publicity should take. The booklet "How to Make Your Business Grow" will continue to be available. For the benefit of the House I arranged for an exhibition of the schemes for small firms to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall from 18 to 22 July.

Consumer Protection

16.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take further action to increase consumer protection.

The essential framework of consumer protection legislation is already established. The most effective further action which can be taken in the interest of consumers is to continue to seek free and fair competition in the market place and this I intend to do. Detailed consideration is also being given to a number of issues such as consumer safety, comparative pricing and consumer credit.

Home Improvements (Report)

22.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he proposes to introduce legislation as a result of the report of the Director General of Fair Trading on home improvements.

I warmly welcome the Director General's report, which will be of considerable value to the public. Most of its recommendations do not require legislation for their implementation by those to whom they are addressed. I am arranging for careful study of the recommendations addressed to the Government, including those which would require legislation.

Loan Guarantee Scheme

23.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will raise the limit on the loan guarantee scheme from £75,000 to £250,000.

No. The present pilot scheme is designed to help smaller businesses which have the greatest difficulty in raising medium-term finance and the average size of loan, about £33,000, shows that there is little pressure to raise the limit. Larger loans can of course comprise a scheme loan and conventional facilities.

Local Enterprise Agencies

25.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many local enterprise agencies have been approved for tax relief.

I am pleased to say that to date 92 local enterprise agencies have been approved for tax relief purposes.

British Aerospace

26.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to meet the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions regarding the future of British Aerospace.

I have agreed to meet a delegation from ASTMS, a member of the CSEU.

Leicester (Labour-Intensive Industry)

27.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will take steps to assist those industries in Leicester which are labour intensive.

The Government already have a wide range of measures to help industry throughout the country. As well as help with awareness, training, advice and consultancy, Leicester companies are eligible for grants under our support for innovation programme. I hope all industries in Leicester, whether labour or capital-intensive, will not hesitate to approach my Department with good innovative projects.

European Year Of The Small And Medium-Sized Enterprise

28.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what he hopes that the European year of the small and medium-sized enterprise will achieve.

I hope the European year will fulfil its objective of focusing greater attention on the role and needs of the smaller firm in Europe, and lead to practical action in member states. This Government had already demonstrated its commitment to helping small firms.

A320 Airbus

29.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has yet received the further information from British Aerospace in support of its application for launch aid for the A320 Airbus referred to in the answer of 27 June, Official Report, c. 17.

No, though I expect to very shortly. But the Government will also wish to consider other factors such as the outcome of the marketing exercise referred to in the same answer.

Insolvency (Cork Committee Report)

30.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in his consideration of the proposals contained in the report of the Cork committee for reform of the laws relating to insolvency.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley).

British Shipbuilders

31.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has yet reached a decision on the request by British Shipbuilders for special emergency help.

As I told the House in the debate on the British Shipbuilders borrowing powers order, the Government are prepared to consider help to BS on a case-by-case basis. We have also requested an extension of the intervention fund on 31 October. The Government take the view that any further help for BS must be considered in the context of the overall business and the corporate plan. The Government are discussing this with the corporation.

Regional Policy

32.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consult affected local authorities in his review of regional economic policy.

The review of regional economic policy is not a matter for my Department only. The Association of District Councils and many other bodies representing both local government and industry have already made their views known to us.

44.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he now expects to make a statement on his review of regional policy.

I would refer the hon. Member to my written reply to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he now expects to announce new initiatives in regional policy.

It is too early to say. We must consider carefully what changes might be made to regional policy so as to make it more effective and more economical in creating genuine jobs. We shall make a statement in due course.

European Community (Trade Barriers)

33.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with European Community policies to prevent impediments to trade.

Not completely. Her Majesty's Government play a full part in Community discussions on this topic. Our policy is to persuade the Community to remove impediments to both internal and external trade.

42.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has for removing barriers to trade in invisibles within the European Community.

The Government attach a high priority to removing the remaining barriers to trade, in both visibles and invisibles, throughout the Community. We will continue to work in all appropriate sectors to secure the adoption of the necessary Community legal instruments. Important among these, in the sectors within my Department's area of responsibility, is the proposal for a second Council directive on non-life insurance. We have continued to press for the adoption of this directive in terms which will genuinely liberalise the Community's insurance market.

America (Industry And Trade Policies)

34.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the Government of the United States of America about industry and trade policies; and if he will make a statement.

On 18 July my right hon. Friend and I met Senator William Brock, the United States Trade Representative. We took the opportunity to raise with him a number of matters of current concern, including the recent US measures to restrict imports of special steels; the renewal of the United States Export Administration Act; and the problem of unitary taxation.

Office And Service Industries Scheme

35.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will review the working of the office and service industries scheme.

The Government are currently reviewing regional economic policy, including the office and service industries scheme. We shall make a statement in due course.

United Arab Emirates

36.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on British trade with the United Arab Emirates.

Her Majesty's Government are firmly committed to expanding trade with the United Arab Emirates. Our exports in the first five months of 1983 were £239 million roughly the same level as last year, when the United Kingdom enjoyed a healthy overall balance in our trade.

Company Liquidations

37.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the latest figure for company liquidations in 1983; and how this compares with the comparable period in 1982.

There were 6,811 company liquidations in England and Wales in the first half of 1983 compared with 6,204 in the first half of 1982, a rise of 10 per cent. The figures relate to compulsory and creditors' voluntary liquidations, the two types which arise from insolvency.

Moneylending

38.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he intends to take to tighten up the law on moneylending.

There is no need to tighten up the law on moneylending. Many of the practices publicised by the Director General of Fair Trading recently are criminal offences under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and other law. The Director General, who has responsibility for the enforcement of the Act, has appealed to victims of malpractice to come forward and I hope this will assist the enforcement authorities to bring offenders before the courts.

Film Industry

39.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on present Government policy on the British film industry.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Information Technology is continuing, with my noble Friend the Minister for the Arts, the review of policy towards the film industry begun last year by the former Under-Secretary of State for Trade. I hope to report on our conclusions later in the year.

Industrial Investment

40.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is satisfied with present levels of industrial investment.

No, but the fall in investment over the past few years reflects the severe effects of the world recession and of very low real rates of return. By bringing down inflation and reducing industry's costs the Government are now providing the private sector with the prospect of higher real rates of return. I would expect investment to increase as the recovery gathers strength.

North-West Industrial Development Association

41.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the future level of Government funding for the north-west industrial development association.

A consultancy study of ways in which the north west of England may best be promoted as a location for industrial and commercial development is being commissioned jointly by my Department and the North West Industrial Development Association. The consultants should report in the autumn. The future level of Government funding for the association will not be determined until the results of the study are known.

Japan

43.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on trade between the United Kingdom and Japan.

The Government remain concerned at the increasing imbalance in our trade with Japan. Following strong pressure by Her Majesty's Government and our Community partners, the Japanese Government introduced a number of helpful import liberalisation measures and gave assurances to the Community on export moderation in certain product fields. However, as my right hon. Friend and I emphasised earlier this month to Mr. Uno, the MITI Minister, much more remains to be done, particularly to change the structure of the Japanese market, which inhibits imports of manufactured goods.

Trade Descriptions Act 1968

45.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will extend the provisions of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 to houses, flats and other property.

I have no plans at present to do so, but I shall keep the position under review in consultation with the Director General of Fair Trading.

Manufactures (Statistics)

46.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total deficit in manufacturing trade with the European Community over the past five years; and what was the comparable figure for the five years before the United Kingdom joined the European Community.

The total deficit on trade in manufactures with the rest of the European Community over the period 1978 to 1982 was £12·4 billion on the balance of payments basis. On the same basis there was a total surplus on this trade of £0·8 billion over the three years 1970 to 1972; figures on this basis are not available prior to 1970.

Steel Industry

47.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has rejected the European Community proposals that a further contraction of the British steel industry should be effected.

The Government's definitive response to the Commission's decisions on restructuring is being formulated in the light of further discussions with the British Steel Corporation and having regard to the need to ensure that other member states fully implement the capacity cuts required of them. I can assure the hon. Member however that as in the past any reductions in United Kingdom capacity that take place will be necessary in order to develop a viable and efficient steel industry in the United Kingdom.

Motor Vehicles (Imports)

50.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total number of motor vehicles wholly manufactured abroad imported into the United Kingdom in January 1983 compared with January 1973.

The information is as follows:

Imports of Motor Vehicles
	(Numbers in thousands)
January 1973	48·0
January 1983	74·1

Source: United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics, SITC(R2) groups 781 (part), 782 and 783, and equivalent coverage under SITC(R1).

Notes:

(a) figures relate to assembled passenger motor cars and commercial vehicles—as defined above—assembled and unassembled.

(b) figures include:

(i) vehicles incorporating United Kingdom-made components;

(ii) incomplete or unfinished vehicles having the essential character of a complete or finished vehicle, but excluding chassis fitted with engines.

Investment

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he monitors investment by British firms in manufacturing overseas.

Statistics are collected of direct investment by United Kingdom concerns in manufacturing firms overseas. These are published in "Business Monitor, MA4, Overseas Transactions," copies of which are in the library.

British Telecom

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide in the Official Report an analysis of the £2,000 per annum average cost of each British Telecom public telephone kiosk; and if he will make a statement.

This is a detailed matter for the board of British Telecom and I am inviting the chairman of British Telecom to write to the hon. Member on it and to send a copy to me, which I will place in the Library of the House.

Telephone Handsets

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to ensure that the new telephone handsets being manufactured by British Telecom will include adaptations for hearing impaired and physically disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

The Government fully recognise the importance of the telephone to hearing impaired and physically disabled persons. We are determined to ensure that telephone apparatus continues to be available which will make it possible for the hearing impaired to use the telephone. Problems have arisen because modern designs of telephone are based on microchips and cannot be inductively coupled to present hearing aids. This is the result of changes in technology and has no connection with Government policy on telecommunications. Because of the seriousness of the problems and the anxiety they have caused, the Department has started discussions with the Royal National Institute for the Deaf and with the British Association of the Hard of Hearing about solutions which will enable disabled persons to benefit from the new technology. A working group involving these organisations is being set up to investigate the problem in detail and to identify arrangements which will fully protect the interests of the hearing impaired.The Telecommunications Bill contains special provisions for the hearing impaired and other disabled persons. When granting licences under the Bill and when approving apparatus the Secretary of State and the Director General will be under a statutory duty to act in ways best calculated to promote the interests of users of telephone apparatus who are disabled. The Bill also enables public funds to be made available to meet the costs of developing telephone apparatus which is capable of being used by disabled persons. The working group will discuss how these powers can be used to safeguard the interests of the hearing impaired.

Microcomputers

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many primary schools are still waiting for microcomputers; and what is the situation in Norfolk.

Under the Department's "Micros in Primary Schools" scheme over 13,200 applications have been received and nearly 8,700 have received their microcomputers. A total of 172 applications have been received from Norfolk; of these we estimate that about 130 have received their microcomputers.

Greenfield Development

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and industry whether he will direct the English Industrial Estates Corporation to use existing vacant or dormant industrial land rather than greenfield sites for development.

No. EIEC is subject to normal planning constraints and can thus only build on land that has been designated for industrial or commercial development by the appropriate planning authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many square feet of industrial and commercial development have been built (a) on greenfield sites and (b) in the inner cities in the last three years by the English Industrial Estates Corporation; how many have been let and how many remain vacant; and how many, and what, projects are in the pipeline in (a) greenfield and (b) inner city sites.

I regret that I am unable to provide this information, since the Department of Trade and Industry no longer maintains records of this kind. However, the English Industrial Estates Corporation only obtains greenfield sites where planning permission by the relevant local body has already been granted for commercial or industrial development. I have asked the chairman of EIEC to write to the hon. Member.

Manufacturing Industry (Profits)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to how the rate of return on United Kingdom manufacturing on a pure profit basis compares with the same rate in other main manufacturing countries.

Comparisons of real rates of return were given in an article "International comparisons of profitability 1955 to 1980" in "British Business", 15 Ooctober 1982. It is hoped to publish an updated article next month.

Clothing And Textile Industries

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the estimated value added by the United Kingdom clothing and textile industries in 1981 and 1982.

The information for the most recent two years for which firmly based estimates are available, 1980 and 1981, is as follows:

Gross value added at factor cost
£ billion
	1980	1981
Textiles^*	2·15	2·15
Clothing†	1·26	1·22

Notes:

^* Classes 26, 43 and group 455 of SIC 1980

† Group 453 of SIC 1980

Source: Report on the Census of Production, 1981

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of (a) textiles and (b) clothing produced in the United Kingdom were exported in each of the past five years for which figures are available.

Exports as a percentage of United Kingdom manufacturers' sales, in terms of value, were as follows:

Per cent.
	Textiles	Clothing
1978	29	19
1979	29	19
1980	33	20
1981	33	22
1982	32	20

Textiles and clothing are defined as products classified to minimum list headings 411–429 and 441–449 respectively of the standard industrial classification (revised 1968).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the percentage change in import penetration of clothing and textiles in the United Kingdom over the past five years.

Import penetration of textiles and clothing in terms of value increased from 29 per cent. in 1978 to 38 per cent. in 1982.

Textiles and clothing are defined as products classified to minimum list headings 411–429 and 441–449 respectively of the standard industrial classification (revised 1968).

Bankruptcies

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many firms went bankrupt in the first quarter of 1982 and the first quarter of 1983;(2) how many personal bankruptcies there were in the first quarter of 1982 and the first quarter of 1983.

The available information is as follows:

Insolvencies in England and Wales
	Bankruptcies^*	Company Liquidations†
1st quarter 1982	1,396	3,122
1st quarter 1983	1,767	3,397
^* plus deeds of arrangement—the figures are before consolidations and rescissions.
† compulsory and creditors' voluntary liquidations.

The bankruptcy figures cover all individuals and partnerships. Separate figures for the self-employed and other individuals are unreliable on a quarterly basis: in recent years, the former have accounted for between 75 and 80 per cent. of total bankruptcies after consolidations and rescissions.

Statutory Auditors

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he intends to make available English translations of the latest editions of the draft eighth directive on the qualifications of statutory auditors.

Texts of draft directives are prepared by the Council secretariat, according to the meetings scheduled by the presidency. Texts reflecting the latest state of discussion on the draft eighth directive are unlikely to appear until after the summer break.

Radio Spectrum (Report)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the report of the independent review of the radio spectrum, 30–960 MHz, has been received; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the independent review of the radio spectrum (30–960 MHz) was submitted to the then Home Secretary on 7 June 1983, and is being published today as Cmnd. 9000. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House. The matter now falls within my right hon. Friend's jurisdiction in view of the recent transfer of the radio regulatory department from the Home Office to the Department of Trade and Industry.I am very grateful to Dr. Merriman and his colleagues for their thorough and wide-ranging analysis of the problems of regulating the radio spectrum. The conclusion and recommendations in the report cover both the pattern of use in the range 30–960 MHz, and the machinery for frequency management. We shall be giving these recommendations careful study and will announce our conclusions in due course.

Price Marking

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the progress of his review of the Price Marking (Bargain Offers) Order 1979.

Statutory consultations were completed earlier this year on interim proposals to simplify the existing Bargain Offers Order but there was wide disagreement between interested parties about the suggested action. In these circumstances I have decided that the existing order should remain in force unamended for the time being. In the light of the results of our wider review of legislation on misleading price and value claims, I intend to consider again whether any changes are needed.

Cycles

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what was the total value of exports of new cycles and cycle accessories of British manufacture in 1982;(2) what was the total value of imports of new cycles and cycle accessories in the United Kingdom in 1982.

[pursuant to the reply, 26 July 1983]: Information on trade in bicycles and cycle accessories is available in the overseas trade statistics of the United Kingdom for 1982 under SITC (Rev. 2) 785.2 and 785.39. A copy of this publication is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total value of raw materials imported for the manufacture of cycle accessories in 1982.

[pursuant to the reply, 26 July 1983]: Imports of raw materials for the manufacture of cycle accessories can not be separately identified in the overseas trade statistics of the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cycles were sold in Great Britain in 1982; how many in 1982 were of British manufcture; and how many of the cycles of British manufacture were partly assembled from imported parts.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 July 1983]: Estimates made by the Bicycle Association of Great Britain place the number of cycles sold in the United Kingom last year at 1·7 to 1·8 million, of which around 1·1 million were of United Kingdom origin. There are no estimates of the number of cycles sold which were assembled from imported kits, but the amounts involved are not thought to be large.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Kampuchea

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he plans to have talks with other European Community Foreign Ministers over the future of Kampuchea.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to do so. Developments in south east Asia, including Cambodia, are regularly discussed within the European Community in the framework of political co-operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what criteria Her Majesty's Government have supported the Democratic Kampuchean Coalition as the United Nations representative of Kampuchea.

At last year's General Assembly of the United Nations, the credentials committee, which examines the credentials of all representatives at the General Assembly, recommended acceptance of the credentials of the delegation of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea. We supported the committee's recommendations, which are made on the basis of technical considerations. In our view the maintenance of the existing representation of Cambodia at the United Nations is in line with our overall objective, which we share with the ASEAN countries and the majority of United Nations members, of bringing about the implementation of the recommendations of the International Conference of Kampuchea-Cambodia. These call for the withdrawal of Vietnamese forces, the establishment of a neutral and independent state and the holding of free elections

Brunei

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current position on the discussions taking place with the ruler of Brunei and Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make a statement.

Lord Belstead visited Brunei in April to discuss with the Sultan the detailed arrangements for defence co-operation between ourselves and the Government of Brunei after Brunei resumes full international responsibility as a sovereign and independent state at the end of this year. A wide measure of agreement was reached. Confidential contacts on outstanding issues continue through the diplomatic channel.

Mr Dennis Buisson

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has had direct contact with his opposite number in Turkey to discuss the case of Mr. Dennis Buisson, arrested for allegedly trespassing on military property while bird watching.

No. The British embassy in Ankara has, however, kept in touch with the Turkish authorities and was pleased to learn on 22 July that Mr. Buisson's passport was to be returned to him and that he would be free to leave Turkey.

Diplomatic Relations

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report the countries with which the United Kingdom does not have diplomatic relations; and if he will make a statement.

As my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) said on 5 May, we do not have diplomatic relations with the following states:

Albania
Argentina
Cambodia
Comoros
Guatemala

Hong Kong

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the next round of talks on the future of Hong Kong to begin; and if he will make a statement.

The next round of talks will take place in Peking on 2–3 August.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has plans to pay an official visit to Hong Kong.

My right hon. and learned Friend looks forward to visiting Hong Kong. He has no firm plans to do so at present, but I hope to be able to undertake a visit of this kind in the near future.

Dependent Territories

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the system of government in each of the United Kingdom's dependent territories; and how many persons are entitled to vote in local elections.

A brief description of the system of government in each of the dependent territories has been placed in the Library. Information on the number of persons entitled to vote in elections in each territory will be placed in the Library as soon as it is available.

Namibia

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed with the South African Government the situation in Namibia.

My right hon. and learned Friend has not yet had an opportunity to discuss Namibia with the South African Government. But we are in regular touch with the South African authorities and the other parties involved through our representatives in South Africa, in other African countries and at the United Nations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent action Her Majesty's Government have taken to encourage the implementation of United Nations resolution 435 on the independence of Namibia.

We are in close touch with our partners in the contact group, and with all the parties concerned, about implementation of the United Nations plan for Namibia. We are supporting the United Nations secretary general in the execution of his mandate under Security Council resolution 532 and have made clear our readiness to assist him in any way we can.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the current state of negotiations in the Western contact group of nations regarding independence for Namibia.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 July to my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mr. Proctor).—[Vol. 44, c. 167.]

Brandt Commission

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to lay the White Paper on the Brandt Commission's memorandum before the House.

The White Paper on the Brandt Commission's memorandum will be laid before the House on Thursday 28 July, and published the following day.

Northern Ireland

Community Psychiatric Nurses

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many community psychiatric nurses the northern health and social services board employs; how many such nurses are employed by the northern health and social services board in the area covered by the Antrim, North parliamentary constituency.

There are eight community psychiatric nurses employed by the northern health and social services board. The nature of their work is such that community psychiatric nurses are not limited to geographical districts within each board area and it is not possible therefore to provide a breakdown of these figures by parliamentary constituency.

Day Centres

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many day centres there are in the northern health and social services board area; and how many places in these centres are allocated to people with mental illness;(2) how many day centres run by the northern health and social services board are located in the area covered by the Antrim, North constituency; and how many places are provided for mentally ill people in these day centres.

There are 11 multi-purpose day centres in the area of the northern health and social services board. Places are not allocated between different client groups and usage depends on local needs. Information is not available on the places taken up by the mentally ill. The total number of places available at 31 December 1981 was 652. Records are not held by parliamentary constituency.

Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve(Long Service Medal)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he intends to issue a long service medal to the part-time Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve; and what lengh of service is envisaged to qualify for it.

Full-time and part-time members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve may be awarded the long service medal. The length of qualifying service is 15 years.

Armagh Prison

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners were placed in segregation in Armagh prison for reasons of good order and discipline in each year from 1978 up to the present time.

Since 1978, four prisoners in Her Majesty's prison, Armagh, have been removed from association with other prisoners in the interests of good order and discipline under prison rule 25; one in 1978, two in 1982 and one in 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many disciplinary offences were recorded against prisoners in Armagh prison for each year from 1978 up to the present time.

The number of offences against discipline recorded for prisoners in Her Majesty's prison, Armagh, in these years is as follows:

Year	Number
1978	1,037
1979	1,779
1980	640
1981	518
1982	445
1983 (to 22 July)	187

Blood Supplies

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many units of blood have been supplied by the blood transfusion service to (a) National Health Service hospitals and (b) other hospitals since May 1979 in Northern Ireland;(2) what handling charges per unit have been paid in Northern Ireland by private hospitals to the blood transfusion service for the supply of blood since May 1979;(3) to which private hospitals in Northern Ireland blood from the blood transfusion service has been supplied since May 1979.

The two private hospitals in Northern Ireland, the St. John of God hospital and the Ulster independent clinic, obtain blood supplies from the nearest general acute hospitals, unlike the Health Service hospitals, which receive their supplies direct from the regional blood transfusion centre. Handling charges are not required to be paid. The numbers of units supplied are as follows:

	Health Service Hospitals	Others
1979	^*62,567	†103
1980	81,092	361
1981	68,154	434
1982	66,590	381
1983 (to June)	31,597	294

Notes:

^* Covering period April-December 1979.

† Covering period May-December 1979.

District Council Elections

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what will be the arrangements for district council elections in Northern Ireland in 1985.

Under article 4(1) of the Northern Ireland (Local Elections) Order 1977, district council elections in Northern Ireland are held according to the principle of proportional representation, each elector having one transferable vote. The local government boundaries commissioner is currently carrying out a review of the number, boundaries and names of local government districts in Northern Ireland and the number, boundaries and names of the wards into which each district is divided. I shall be bringing proposals before Parliament which will provide the means by which the wards recommended by the commissioner shall be subsequently grouped into district electoral areas for the purpose of elections and which will establish procedures so that interested parties may make representations on the proposed groupings of wards.

Social Services

Non-Contributory Invalidity, Pension

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will give, for the latest available date and for each of the past five years, the numbers and percentages of (a) claims, (b) successful claims, (c) appeals and (d) successful appeals for non-contributory invalidity pension.

Doubts have arisen about the accuracy of our claims statistics and I shall write to the hon. Member about this. The information on appeals is as follows:

	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982
Appeals to local tribunals
Total appeals	4,700	2,000	2,000	1,700	1,600
Successful appeals
Number	2,050	780	300	620	620
Percentage	44	39	40	37	38
Appeals to the commissioner
Total appeals	94	409	226	210	^*
Successful appeals
Number	66	293	66	57	^*
Percentage	70	72	29	27	^*
^*1982 figures not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the reply of 6 July, Official Report, c. 129, regarding savings on the administration of the test, if he will state the current costs for administering non-contributory invalidity pension and non-contributory invalidity pension for married women; and if he will express the costs for each benefit as a percentage of the total expenditure on that benefit.

The estimated cost of administering the two benefits in 1983–84 is about £8½ million. It is not possible to apportion this at all precisely, but non-contributory invalidity pension probably accounts for about three quarters and non-contributory invalidity pension for married women for the other quarter, representing about 5½ per cent. and 3½ per cent. of relevant benefit expenditure respectively.

asked the Secretary, of State for Social Services how many of the new or renewed claims for non-contributory invalidity pension for married women, listed in the table given in his answer of 6 July, Official Report, c. 129–30, were decided each year following a medical assessment.

The information is not available in the form requested. The only claims which can be decided without a medical assessment are those from people who fail to meet the age, residence or presence conditions. These currently comprise some 2½ per cent. of all claims.

Community Health Councils

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current inclusive annual cost of maintaining community health councils, and the cost of these in the North-West Thames regional health authority area.

The cost in 1981–82, the latest year for which figures are available centrally, was £5·4 million for England as a whole and £0·54 million for the North West Thames regional health authority area.

Leeds General Infirmary (Nurses)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many additional nurses need to be employed at the Leeds general infirmary to bring the nurse staffing levels to the regional average per 100 occupied acute beds.

Staffing levels at individual hospitals are a matter for district health authorities and we do not calculate such detailed local information centrally.

Abortion Act 1967

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will take steps to implement the provisions of the Abortion Act 1967 evenly;(2) if he will introduce legislation to extend the provisions of the Abortion Act 1967 to the whole of the United Kingdom.

Under Northern Ireland law, abortions may be carried out only where the mother or child is at substantial medical risk. This is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The Act already applies to other parts of the United Kingdom.

General Practitioners

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will set up an urgent investigation into the organisation and the quality of the training schemes for general practitioners.

No. I have no evidence that the schemes of training for general practitioners, all of which must be approved educationally, are unsatisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the controls over general practitioner deputising services are being fully and properly exercised.

There are substantial legislative and administrative controls on the use of deputising services by general practitioners, which are exercised locally by family practitioner committees advised by professional advisory committees. Generally, the arrangements are working well, but I am aware that concern exists in some areas about the extent to which doctors use deputising services, and the standard of those services.I wrote yesterday, to the chairmen of all FPCs asking them to review local arrangements concerning doctors' deputising services and to give me an assurance that their committees are fully carrying out their statutory responsibilities. A copy of my letter has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

North Staffordshire Health Authority (Resources)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by what percentage the revenue allocation to the north Staffordshire health authority falls short of the resource allocation working party target.

The latest target figures published by the West Midlands regional health authority in March 1983 showed that at the beginning of the 1983–84 financial year the north Staffordshire health authority was 14·1 per cent. below its revenue target.

Theatre Nurses (Vacancies)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the number of vacancies for theatre nurses at hospitals in England and Wales; and how this compares with the position three years ago.

We do not collect detailed information of this kind centrally.

Benefits

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what are the reasons for the withdrawal of state benefits from those with savings over £2,500 irrespective of their contribution records;(2) if he will make equal benefits available to all regardless of the level of their savings; and if he will make a statement.

Of the social security benefits, only supplementary benefit can be affected by the level of a person's savings as such. Supplementary benefit is not payable where a claimant's capital resources exceed £2,500. This limit is to be raised to £3,000 with effect from 21 November.Unlike the national insurance benefits, entitlement to supplementary benefit does not depend on the payment of contributions. Supplementary benefit is a means-related scheme and has always reflected the general principle that above a certain level capital should be assumed to be available to be drawn upon for living expenses before benefit becomes payable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the reason for the campaign by his Department's Longbenton, Newcastle upon Tyne centre, which is sending leaflets to pensioners and claimants urging them to use banking rather than local post office facilities for the collection of pensions and other benefits; what is the estimated total cost of the campaign; if he will publish a list of the categories of individuals who are being sent such leaflets; and if he will make a statement.

One of the changes being introduced as part of the Government's moves to make the social security system more efficient and more secure is the payment of certain benefits, on request, direct to bank and building society accounts by credit transfer. To bring this alternative method of payment to the notice of all eligible beneficiaries who may wish to make use of it, the Department's central offices at Newcastle upon Tyne and North Fylde will be writing to about 10 million recipients of retirement pension, widow's benefit, mobility allowance, child benefit, war pension and attendance allowance.The total cost of these invitation exercises is expected to be about £2 million. The savings likely to be achieved from operating the new method of payment are exepcted to be significantly in excess of that.

Health Visitors And School Nurses

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to reply to the request from the Health Visitors Association sent to him in July 1982 and the further reminder sent in June 1983, for a national inquiry into the proposed role and functions of health visitors and school nurses.

We are giving careful consideration to the request from the Health Visitors Association for a national inquiry into health visiting and school nursing, and have sought the profession's views. We will reply to the Health Visitors Association in due course.

Child Mortality

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any information is available to him as a result of studies on the effects of parental unemployment on child mortality.

I am aware of one study^* which showed a statistical association between mortality at the ages of 0–4 and the unemployment rate. The study does not demonstrate any casual link. The data used were for 1971. Since that date all child mortality in the 0–4 range has shown a considerable and steady trend downwards, by over 30 per cent.—from 4·08 per 1,000 population in 1971 to 2·73 in 1981.

^* Association of childhood mortality with housing status and unemployment, M. E. Brennan and R. Lancashire. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. March 1978. Vol. 32 No. 1.

Blood Supplies

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total cost to the National Health Service of a unit of blood.

Blood is donated to the National Blood Transfusion Service free of charge. The estimated cost to the NHS of collecting, handling and processing each unit of whole blood is £19.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many units of blood were provided in the last year for which figures are available to the private medical sector.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many units of blood have been supplied by the national blood transfusion service to (a) National Health Service hospitals and (b) other hospitals in England and Wales since May 1979.

In 1982 regional blood transfusion centres in England and Wales issued 1,837,575 units of blood, of which 31,437 units went direct to non-NHS hospitals. Information is not available centrally on the number of units supplied to non-NHS hospitals through NHS hospital blood banks.In the previous three years total blood issues by transfusion centres were:

	Number
1981	1,836,674
1980	1,793,172
1979	1,705,190

Details of issues to non-NHS hospitals for these years are not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now impose a charge for every unit of blood provided by the National Health Service to the private medical sector.

I am considering the views of the National Health Service and the private sector on the possibility of a handling charge and expect to be able to make an announcement soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what handling charge is made by non-National Health Service hospitals to the national blood transfusion service for blood supplied.

I assume that the hon. Member intended to ask what charge is made by the national blood transfusion service to non-National Health Service hospitals for the supply of blood. None.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many units of blood have been supplied to non-National Health Service hospitals in the north-west region by the national blood transfusion service from May 1979 to the latest date;(2) if he will publish in the

Official Report the names of non-National Health Service hospitals which have been supplied with blood by the national blood transfusion service in the north-west region from May 1979 to the latest available date.

In 1982, the first year such information was collected centrally, 1,414 units of blood were issued direct from the North West regional transfusion centre to the Alexandra hospital. Information about the issue of blood to other non-NHS hospitals through NHS hospital blood banks is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the operation of the national blood transfusion service; and if he will make a statement.

We are rightly proud of the national blood transfusion service which, with the support of its 2 million voluntary donors, succeeds in meeting this country's demands for whole blood.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current cost of running the national blood transfusion service.

The cost of running regional blood transfusion centres in England in 1981–82, the latest year for which figures are available, was £37·7 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make it the policy of Her Majesty's Government not to supply blood to any private hospital which charges patients for the blood.

I am not aware that any hospital charges patients for blood itself and would deprecate any moves to do so. I believe it is common practice for most non-NHS hospitals to reflect any cost of processing the blood in their charges to patients.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many units of blood have been supplied to non-National Health Service hospitals in the Merseyside area by the blood transfusion service since May 1979 to the most recent date;(2) if he will publish in the

Official Report the names of non-National Health Service hospitals which have been supplied with blood by the blood transfusion service in the Merseyside area since May 1979.

No non-NHS hospitals have received supplies of blood direct from Mersey regional blood transfusion centre. Information about the issue of blood to non-NHS hospitals through NHS hospital blood banks is not held centrally.

Drug Addicts

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what guidelines are given to health authorities for the relative usage of drug clinics and the general practitioner service for dealing with addicts.

None. When a patient consults his general practitioner it is for the latter to decide whether he should be referred to a clinic.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportions of drug addicts have been cared for, respectively, by drugs clinics, hospitals and general practitioners in the last five years.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many drug-abuse centres exist within the United Kingdom; how much money is being spent by the National Health Service on these centres; and what measures are being taken to discourage drug abuse.

105 hospitals in the United Kingdom are understood to be providing some facilities for the treatment of drug addiction. Information on money spent by the National Health Service on these centres is not held centrally. Responsibility for control of the supply of controlled drugs lies with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department. Information about action being taken by this Department was given in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Sir B. Braine) on 13 July.—[Vol. 45, c. 367.]

Attendance Allowance

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now introduce legislation to provide that attendance allowance be paid fully for the first six months of a sickness which is deemed to be within the other criteria relevant to paying attendance allowances.

As was explained to the hon. Member on 31 January 1983—[Vol. 36, c. 27]—the purpose of attendance allowance is to help severely disabled people who have long-term attendance needs. We could give no priority to removing the six months qualifying condition for the allowance.

Supplementary Pensioners (Home Security)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions local offices of his Department are given concerning claims by supplementary pensioners for locks or chains with which to make their homes secure.

There are no instructions to local offices on this point, as there is no provision under the supplementary benefit scheme for single payments to be made for security devices.

Elderly Persons (Ethnic Minorities)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department has supported or been associated with any recent research into the needs of elderly people in the ethnic minorities.

The Department has commissioned the centre for policy on ageing to conduct a short-term study on ways in which social services and volunteer activity might be organised to meet more directly the special requirements of elderly people in ethnic minority groups; Leeds is one of the areas being studied. In addition, the Department has supported a number of general studies relating to the ethnic minorities which concern elderly people as well as other age groups.

South Thames Regional Health Authority (Headquarters)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether there will be cost savings from moving the head offices of the South Thames regional health authority to Chatham;

	1979 and 1980^*		1981		1982		1983†
Vaccine or combination of vaccines	Awards by Secretary of State	Awards by Vaccine Damage Tribunal	Awards by Secretary of State	Awards by Vaccine Damage Tribunal	Awards by Secretary of State	Awards by Vaccine Damage Tribunal	Awards by Secretary of State	Awards by Vaccine Damage Tribunal
Pertussis/Diphtheria/Tetanus (Triple)	155	118	3	26	2	9	—	2
Triple/Polio	51	68	5	19	5	7	—	4
Triple/Smallpox	—	1	—	1	—	—	—	—
Triple/Measles	—	1	—	—	—	—	1	—
Triple/Polio/Smallpox	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
Pertussis	10	28	—	6	5	2	2	2
Pertussis Polio	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
Pertussis/Diphtheria/Polio	—	11	—	2	—	—	—	—
Pertussis/Polio/Tetanus	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
Pertussis/Diphtheria/Rubella	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
Diphtheria/Tetanus/Polio	2	1	1	1	—	1	—	—
Polio	15	10	—	1	1	3	1	1
Polio/Tetanus	—	—	—	—	1	—	—	—
BCG	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
Measles	21	12	1	1	2	1	—	1
Smallpox	65	11	—	4	2	1	—	—
Diphtheria	2	—	1	2	—	—	—	—
Rubella	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Pertussis/Diphtheria	13	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Provocation Polio‡	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

(2) what estimate he has made of the net costs of a move of the head offices of the South Thames regional health authority from Croydon and the Elephant and Castle to Chatham;

(3) whether, in estimating the claimed cost gains from a move of the South Thames regional health authority, he has taken into account the probable costs of unemployment and other social security costs to staff in (a) Croydon and (b)inner London from the move;

(4) what is the estimated cost of the Mountbatten house premises in Chatham which are being considered for purchase by the South Thames regional health authority.

The regional health authority is considering an option appraisal on the future location of its headquarters, but this has not yet been submitted to the Department.

Vaccine Damage

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, for each vaccine or combination of vaccines, if he will express the number of vaccine damage payments, in each year for which figures are available, as a rate of one per thousand children given the vaccine or combination of vaccines.

I regret that the information to calculate rates in the form requested is not available, but I shall write to the right hon. Member as soon as suitable data can be assembled to give an indication of the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of vaccine damage payments made in each year since the scheme came into operation, categorising them according to the vaccine or combination of vaccines thought to have caused the damage; and if he will distinguish between awards made by his Department and by tribunals.

The information is as follows:

	1979 and 1980 ^*		1981		1982		1983†
Vaccine or combination of vaccines	Awards by Secretary of State	Awards by Vaccine Damage Tribunal	Awards by Secretary of State	Awards by Vaccine Damage Tribunal	Awards by Secretary of State	Awards by Vaccine Damage Tribunal	Awards by Secretary of State	Awards by Vaccine Damage Tribunal
All prescribed diseases	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	—
	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total	338	266	11	63	18	24	5	10
^* Separate Figures for these years are not available.
† To 11 July.
‡Disablement through contact with third persons who was vaccinated against polio.

Hospital Beds (Shropshire)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospital beds there are within the Shropshire health authority area at present; how many patients are currently given treatment within the hospitals located in the Shrewsbury and Atcham area; what percentage of these lives in Wales; whether it is proposed that Shrewsbury should remain the hospital centre for Shropshire and Mid-Wales; and in which other regional health areas there have been established, or there are plans to establish within three years, more than one district general hospital.

For the year ended 31 December 1981, the latest period for which figures are available centrally, the average daily number of available beds in hospitals in the area covered by the former Salop area health authority was 2,578·1. Information about the numbers of patients treated in the Shrewsbury and Atcham area and about the percentage of these living in Wales is not collected centrally.Hospitals in Shropshire, including Shrewsbury, will continue to serve some residents of Powys, but in its "Regional Strategy 1979–1988", published in 1979, the West Midlands regional health authority said that district general hospital services for Shropshire would be provided from two sites, the Royal Shrewsbury hospital and Telford.I shall write to my hon. Friend with details of the regional health authorities which have established, or plan to establish within three years, more than one district general hospital.

Supplementary Benefit (Wrexham)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people claimed supplementary benefit from the Wrexham local office at any time during the last month for which information is available; and what were the figures one year earlier and four years earlier.

The number of claims to supplementary benefit made at the Wrexham local office in the four weeks ended 5 July 1983 and comparable periods in 1982 and 1979 was as follows:

	Number
1983	5,493
1982	4,632
1979	5,323

Source: Local office management returns.

Some people may have made more than one claim to supplementary benefit within each period.

Medicines (Imports)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the Medicines (Exemption from Licences) (Importation) Order 1978 allows the importation of medicines from foreign countries which are then made available for general prescription, as opposed to supply for particular patients within the United Kingdom.

The Medicines (Exemption from Licences) (Importation) Order 1978 permits the importation of medicinal products for supply against prescription. We are concerned that drugs imported into this country for general prescription should be of the same standards of safety, quality and efficacy as those manufactured here and we are urgently considering whether additional measures may be necessary to ensure this.

St Thomas's Hospital (Lithotripter)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the costs and benefits to the West Lambeth health authority arising from its agreement with the British United Provident Association concerning the new lithotripter at St. Thomas's hospital.

The benefit is that the lithotripter will be available free of any capital or servicing cost to the National Health Service for treating an estimated 900 Health Service patients a year. The main direct costs will be those of replacing the electrodes used in the treatment, which has been estimated at an average of £210 for each treatment of an NHS patient, and of employing the staff to operate the machine. The latter is still under discussion but even so the overall cost seems likely to compare very favourably with that of treating the same patients by conventional surgery.

Allergy Sufferers

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the provision by the National Health Service of desensitising treatment and vitamin therapy for sufferers from allergies.

This is a matter for the judgment of the individual doctor. I understand that many such courses of treatment are prescribed through the National Health Service.

International Population Conference

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether Her Majesty's Government have received a request to establish a national preparatory committee or focal point to ensure appropriate liaison within the United Kingdom in preparation for the international population conference to be held in Mexico City in August 1984.

Yes. Consideration is being given to how the preparatory work for the conference should be organised.

Drug Companies (Profits)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which drug companies have agreed to take a cut in their profits in the current financial year; and, in each case, by how much.

All the major companies have agreed to reduce prices by the equivalent of 2½ per cent. by 1 August. The impact on profits will of course vary from company to company.

Breast Milk Substitutes

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will now state what action the Government will take to implement the aim and principles of the World Health Organisation's code of marketing of breast milk substitutes in the United Kingdom.

A code of practice for the marketing of infant formulae in the United Kingdom and a complementary health circular for the guidance of health professionals will come into effect on 2 August 1983. The expressed aim of this code of practice, prepared by the Food Manufacturers Federation in consultation with the United Kingdom Health Departments and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is to contribute to the provision of safe and adequate nutrition for infants by the protection and promotion of breast-feeding, and by ensuring the proper use of infant formulae, when this is necessary, on the basis of adequate information and through appropriate marketing.The health circular stresses that it is the Government's policy to promote breast-feeding and advises health workers about the action they should take to do so. The circular also commends the Government publication "Present Day Practice in Infant Feeding 1980" and is accompanied by copies of the publication for key health bodies in the expectation that they will ensure the publication's wider distribution among relevant health service personnel.The provision of the WHO international code of marketing of breast-milk substitutes, as recommended in the preamble to the WHO code, have been used as the basis for the FMF code of practice and the health circular so as to implement the aim and principles of the WHO code in a way appropriate to national circumstances in the United Kingdom. I understand that the Government's policy on implementing the code is in line with the policies being pursued within their own countries by other member states of the European Community.A monitoring committee, consisting of eight members to be nominated by the Government from among health professionals and the consumer interests and four members nominated by the Food Manufacturers Federation, is being established to monitor compliance with the FMF code of practice. In addition, the committee will have an independent chairman nominated by the Government.

Prescription Charges

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether prescription charges are payable on items supplied and personally administered by general practitioners; and if he will make a statement.

For some time the charging position has been confused. Patients of dispensing GPs, usually those in rural areas, have had to pay a prescription charge if their doctor supplied them with items he personally administered—such as 'flu vaccine—unless of course they were exempt. Patients of doctors who do not dispense all medicines but who have supplied and administered such items have not had to pay a charge.The drafting of recent changes to regulations might have meant, however, that these prescribing doctors should charge. It is quite unnecessary to impose such apparently new charges. I have decided therefore to clarify the position as soon as possible.From 1 September patients will not have to pay prescription charges for items supplied and personally administered by either prescribing or dispensing doctors. The necessary regulations will be laid before the house shortly.

Occupational Deafness

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made towards implementing the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council's recommendations on occupational deafness and a revision of the schedule of prescribed diseases.

I am pleased to announce that regulations were laid today, to take effect on 3 October 1983. People using certain types of wood-working machines and chain saws will be able to claim benefit for occupational deafness, as will those working in the immediate vicinity of most prescribed processes. The minimum qualifying period of employment in a prescribed occupation will be reduced from 20 years to 10 years and the period since leaving such employment within which claims must be laid will be increased from one year to five years. Special transitional arrangements will allow claims to be accepted from people who last worked in a prescribed occupation in the five years preceding the date of IIAC's report—8 October 1982.The regulations will also introduce a revised schedule of prescribed diseases. The terms of prescription of a number of the diseases will be clarified and extended, in line with recommendations by IIAC.

Health Promotion Research Trust

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has any progress to report following his reply to the hon. Member for Scarborough (Sir M. Shaw) on 27 October 1982 about the establishment of the Health Promotion Research Trust.

I am glad to be able to inform the House that on behalf of United Kingdom Health Ministers I have agreed with the Tobacco Advisory Council that the trustees of the Health Promotion Research Trust will be:

Sir John Butterfield—Chairman
Mr. G. W. Redgate—Vice Chairman
Professor Eva Alberman
Baroness Birk

Miss Angela Buxton
Miss Eileen Cole
Mr. R. E. Edwards
Mr. Ian McCallum
Dr. Johnathan Miller
Sir Hector Monro, MP

I welcome the fact that the people who have agreed to serve as trustees are distinguished in their various fields and have been selected from all walks of life, with a strong emphasis on the well being of young people.The secretary to the trust will be Mr. R. S. King. In its operation the trust will be completely independent of both the Government and of the Tobacco Advisory Council. It will be empowered to commission research up to a total cost of £11 million over the next four years.As soon as the trust has been formally established, a further announcement will be made by the trustees. In the meantime, I am glad to tell the House that the preparatory work of the trust is already under way and that the trustees have received over 100 research proposals for consideration and have begun to establish a panel of independent scientific referees to assist them.I and my colleagues are grateful to the Tobacco Advisory Council and to Sir John Butterfield and his colleagues for their co-operation in facilitating this important and valuable new source of finance for the health research community.The Tobacco Advisory Council is already providing the independent scientific committee on smoking and health with trust funds to the extent of £3 million for the purposes of research into the effects on the health of smokers of product modification undertaken by the tobacco industry, and the companies represented by the council are continuing to invest heavily in their own long-term programmes of research into smoking and tobacco products.This new trust, while excluding research designed to examine the use and effects of tobacco products will enable a broad programme of research into health promotion to be mounted. In commissioning the programme, the trustees will not be prevented from sponsoring projects which also incorporate information on the smoking habit, where this information may be necessary to achieve the purposes of the research programme.

Central Fund

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will announce the Government's decision on the central fund proposals.

After very careful consideration, I have advised the sponsors of the central fund proposals that complex new legislation would be required to implement their scheme in its present form. I have invited them to prepare and submit alternative proposals if they wish to do so. I have placed a copy of the report from the Occupational Pensions Board on the central fund proposals in the Library of the House of Commons.

National Insurance (Class 1)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what class 1 national insurance contributions are payable by employees reaching pensionable age.

No primary — employee's — class 1 contributions are payable or any earnings for a period of work after pensionable age —65 for a man, 60 for a woman—on any earnings paid after pensionable age for a period of work before that age—unless the earnings were properly payable before that age.We have recently discovered that, because of a misinterpretation of section 4(1) of the Social Security Pensions Act 1975, the guidance issued by the Department to employers and local social security offices has been wrong. It incorrectly linked primary class 1 contribution liability for someone reaching pensionable age to the date of payment of earnings, instead of to the period to which the earnings relate. This means that some people reaching pensionable age since 6 April 1978 will have overpaid primary class 1 contributions. Those affected are employees who received some or all of their pay in advance and who got a payment of earnings before pensionable age for a period of work after that age, and any employee who got a late payment of earnings after pensionable age which was properly payable before that age. In both cases, any primary class 1 contributions paid on earnings for a period of work after pensionable age will have been paid in error and may be refunded. It is unfortunate that this mistake was made in the implementation of the 1975 Act, and I regret that it did not come to light sooner.Although we cannot identify from our records which employees are affected, we have already been in touch with those employers whom we know to pay wages wholly or partly in advance to advise them of the mistake and ask for their help in tracing overpayers. We shall be taking further steps to bring the mistake to the attention of those who may have been adversely affected by it and to make it clear that they are entitled to a refund. We are taking urgent action to correct our guidance to local social security offices and will similarly correct our guidance to employers at the earliest opportunity.

Sick Pay

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any new proposals to make concerning qualifying days for statutory sick pay.

The Social Security and Housing Benefits Act 1982 allows an employer to decide, by agreement with an employee, which should be the qualifying days for statutory sick pay, in order that those days should reflect the employee's normal terms of employment or pattern of work. However, in some cases this facility has been abused by so-called "optimising" or "maximising" schemes which vary the qualifying days accorded to the employee's spells of incapacity and have the effect of allowing the employer to charge the State, through self-deduction, with large amounts of his normal wage bill. It is the Government's intention to include a clause in the next Social Security Bill to prevent this practice and to take power to substitute a different pattern of qualifying days in cases where they have previously operated on this artificial basis.

Driving (Alcohol And Drugs)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to which Governments have established a central databank of toxicological information at national level, as recommended in section 513 of the report of a World Health Organisation ad hoc technical group, "The Influence of Alcohol and Drugs on Driving".

I have been asked to reply.To our knowledge no Government have established a national data bank of toxicological information specifically for road safety purposes.However, a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, do publish lists of substances to be avoided if driving. These are compiled on an ad hoc basis using, where appropriate, the limited amounts of information available from direct researches, but relying for the most part on reported general side effects, such as drowsiness, which could possibly interfere with driving.In the United Kingdom, this information is included in the booklet "Medical Aspects of Fitness to Drive" published by the Medical Commission on Accident Prevention.

Table 1 Waiting times by region
All specialties except maternity, 1979	Percentage
	Admissions within stated time as percentage of all admissions from waiting lists
Region or other grouping	Under 28 days	Under 92 days	Under 183 days	Under 274 days	Under 366 days
Northern	27·8	54·7	72·2	80·5	84·7
Yorkshire	28·2	57·1	76·9	86·9	92·6
Trent	11·3	56·9	74·7	84·8	90·3
East Anglia	31·6	59·9	78·4	87·3	92·1
NW Thames	39·9	67·4	85·7	92·1	95·4
NE Thames	36·1	63·5	79·0	86·8	91·3
SE Thames	37·5	67·5	82·8	89·8	93·7
SW Thames	34·3	66·4	83·4	90·9	95·1
Wessex	28·7	59·2	78·2	87·2	92·6
Oxford	28·5	56·9	73·8	81·3	85·3
South Western	32·5	59·8	76·6	85·4	90·3
West Midlands	29·8	57·9	75·8	84·9	90·2
Mersey	38·0	64·3	79·4	88·2	93·3
North Western	33·6	62·2	79·4	88·2	92·8
Board of Governors hospitals	31·0	71·3	87·1	92·2	96·1
WALES	37·3	66·4	82·4	89·8	93·6
ENGLAND AND WALES	33·0	61·5	78·7	87·1	91·7

Table 2 Waiting times by speciality
England and Wales, 1979	Percentage
	Admissions within stated time as percentage of all admissions from waiting lists
Speciality	Under 29 days	Under 92 days	Under 183 days	Under 273 days	Under 366 days
General Medicine	65·8	84·9	91·7	92·9	93·5
Paediatrics	46·8	67·8	79·4	86·0	87·6
Infectious Diseases	62·5	87·5	87·5	87·5	100·0
Diseases of the Chest	71·6	87·1	88·8	90·5	90·5
Dermatology	63·3	89·8	94·2	95·5	96·9
Neurology	57·5	86·5	92·8	94·1	94·3
Cardiology	35·0	72·2	86·2	94·7	95·4
Rehabilitation	67·4	84·3	91·7	92·8	94·2
Genito-urinary medicine	50·0	66·7	66·7	83·3	83·3
Rheumatology	50·3	78·6	91·0	94·8	96·2
Geriatric medicine	79·3	91·7	95·2	95·4	95·8
Units for Younger Disabled	50·0	91·7	100·0	100·0	100·0
General Surgery	38·3	67·0	82·5	89·4	92·9
Ear, Nose and Throat	18·1	46·2	68·0	80·3	87·9
Traumatic and Orthopaedic	21·3	48·9	68·9	79·4	86·0
Ophthalmology	20·8	49·9	71·5	83·2	89·7
Radiotherapy	87·4	98·7	99·0	99·0	99·2

Hospital Waiting Lists

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of patients requiring in-patient treatment are treated immediately and what percentage go on National Health Service waiting lists; of those on waiting lists, what percentage are treated within one month, three months, six months, nine months and 12 months, respectively; and if he will give these figures for each region and each speciality.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 July 1983, c. 207]: The latest available information on admissions to NHS hospitals is published in the hospital in-patient inquiry summary tables for 1979, based on a one in 10 sample of patients in non-psychiatric hospitals in England and Wales. 49·5 per cent. of patients in the sample were admitted immediately and 27·1 per cent. from waiting lists. The remaining 23·4 per cent. includes patients transferred from other hospitals and those admitted on previously booked admission dates.Information on waiting times of patients admitted from waiting lists by region and specialty is given in the following tables.

Admissions within stated time as percentage of all admissions from waiting lists

Speciality

Under 29 days

Under 92 days

Under 183 days

Under 273 days

Under 366 days

Urology

29·7

62·1

81·6

90·4

94·9

Plastic surgery

24·2

47·7

63·4

72·5

80·1

Thoracic surgery

58·3

79·9

89·5

94·1

96·5

Oral surgery

19·0

50·1

73·8

86·0

92·3

Orthodontics

5·6

61·1

77·8

83·3

88·9

Neurosurgery

37·4

62·4

72·4

76·2

77·1

Gynaecology

35·2

66·5

83·4

91·0

94·8

General Practitioner, Dental

36·6

73·2

85·4

92·3

97·6

General Practitioner, Other

24·4

57·6

76·3

83·6

90·4

Other Specialist Units

45·4

74·9

87·3

91·2

92·6

All specialities except maternity

33·0

61·5

78·7

87·1

91·7

Note: The figures in italics are based on a small sample and may not be reliable.

Volume 46: debated on Wednesday 27 July 1983

Written Answers To Questions

The Arts

Expenditure

Arts And Libraries Programme (Cash Limit Reductions)

Wales

Health Education

Industrial Plants

Mid-Wales (Financial Assistance)

Labour Statistics

Energy

British Nuclear Fuels Ltd

Nationalised Industries (Objectives)

Electricity Generation (Plutonium Production)

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (House Sales)

Plutonium Production

Overseas Development

Aid Agencies

National Finance

Cash Limits

Sterling Deposits

Purchasing Policy

Investment

Civil Service

Money Supply

Sterling Lending And Inflation

European Community Budget

Free Ports

Inflation

Pay-As-You-Earn

Unemployment (Cost)

Asset Sales

Share Sales

Container Corporation Of America

European Community Budget

Small Businesses

Gross Domestic Product And Manufacturing Output

Pension Funds

Employment

Voluntary Organisations (Employment Schemes)

Coventry

Liverpool

Education, Training And Employment (Statistics)

Youth Training Schemes (Advertising Cost)

Wages Councils And Wages Inspectorate (West Midlands)

Security Firms (Insurance)

Rate Burden

Payment Of Wages (Document)

Part-Time Job Release Scheme

Young Persons (Health And Safety)

Prime Minister

Hotels (Grants)

Rayner Scrutiny Team

Royal Greenwich Observatory

National Health Service (Review Body)

Education And Science

Students

Kampuchean Students

Primary Schools

Croxteth Comprehensive School, Liverpool

Institute Of Hearing Research

Defence

Research And Development

South Georgia

Royal Air Force

Argentine Navy (Inquiry)

Panavia (Air Show)

Attorney-General

Rock Climbers (Injuries)

Home Department

Crime Statistics

Protection Of Animals (Experiments)

Immigration

Citizenship

Nationality Division

Criminal Offences (Sentences)

North Koreans

Metropolitan Police

Environment