asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many 1983 16-year-old school leavers are not taking advantage of a place in the youth training scheme and are currently unemployed in the Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and Huddersfield areas; and how many unfilled places remain on the scheme.

The available information is as follows:

	Unemployed 1983 16-year-old school leavers eligible for the youth training scheme	Unfilled places on the youth training scheme
Calderdale	179	270
Kirklees*	380	300
Bradford	362	1,420
* Kirklees includes Huddersfield.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the occupations of those persons who made complaints to industrial tribunals in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, and 1983, respectively, for unfair dismissal for trade union membership or trade union activities.

Occupational data on unfair dismissal complaints are collected only on a 10 per cent. sample basis. Because the number of complaints of unfair dismissal on grounds of trade union membership or activities is small, as I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member on 1 November 1983—[Vol. 47, c. 319]—an occupational analysis on such a sample basis would not have any statistical validity.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will set out the number of community programme places allocated to each employment district indicating how far over or under target each district was at the end of 1983;(2) if he will set out the criteria on which district allocations of community programme places have been made, the organisations or individuals whom he consulted in drawing up those criteria and when they will next be reviewed.

Statistics on the allocation of places to employment districts are not maintained centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.Places on the community programme are allocated to regions broadly according to the incidence of long-term unemployment. The same general principle is then applied by each region in the distribution of places to particular areas. Variation between regions and areas in the initial response to the programme has led to some temporary redistribution in order to ensure a speedy take-up of available places. The need for consultation has therefore not arisen, but my right hon. Friend has the benefit of the views of the Manpower Services Commission and is always willing to take account of any other views which may be expressed.The regional position on 20 December was as follows:

Community Programme: Regions
	A	B	C
	Filled Places on 20 December	Filled Place ceiling	Col. A as a percentage of B
London	5,345	10,500	51
South East	8,994	11,700	77
South West	5,551	7,670	72
Midlands	24,460	25,640	95
Yorkshire and Humberside	13,414	14,300	94
North West	19,644	21,200	93
Northern	12,224	12,500	98
Wales	9,091	9,610	95
Scotland	16,259	16,880	96
TOTAL	114,982	130,000	88

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, for each year since 1979, the number of permits current, the number of permits issued and the number of permits cancelled by wages councils under section 16(1) of the Wages Councils Act 1979 entitling employers to pay less than the statutory minimum remuneration.

The secretary of the wages councils has provided the following information:

Permits issued by all Wages Councils
	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
New permits issued during the year	22	27	7	14	8
Permits cancelled during the year	27	26	26	27	17
Permits current at 31 December	118	119	100	87	78

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give for 1983, or for the latest year for which figures are available, the average percentage of the statutory minimum remuneration allowed to permit holders by the Licensed Residential Establishments Wages Council.

I understand from the secretary of the Licensed Residential Establishment Wages Council that for 1983 the average wage which employers were required to pay workers for whom a permit had been issued under section 16 of the Wages Council Act 1979 was around 83 per cent. of the statutory minimum rate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he now expects the Equal Opportunities Commission to submit its draft code on sex discrimination in employment.

Following a period of long and fruitful consultation, I understand that the Equal Opportunities Commission is likely to submit its draft code to my right hon. Friend for approval in the course of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will revise the criteria of eligibility for the enterprise allowance scheme so that those who have ceased to be eligible for unemployment pay can apply.

No. The scheme is primarily intended to help overcome the deterrent effect of the potential loss of unemployment or supplementary benefit on unemployed people who are considering starting up in business on their own.

Brown asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers have refused to take up places on youth training schemes since July 1983.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1984, c. 612]: I regret that the total number of refusals is not available. The number of young people whose benefits were reduced for unreasonable refusal of a suitable opportunity between 1 September 1983 and 31 December 1983 was 378.

asked the Attorney-General if any magistrates for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne have not attended 26 petty sessions annually during the past three years.

Yes, for various reasons which were satisfactory to the advisory committee or the Lord Chancellor such as illness, recent appointment and personal or business affairs.

asked the Attorney-General how many attendances at petty sessions there were by each magistrate for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne for the past three years.

The information required cannot be provided except at disproportionate costs. The average attendance for the bench as a whole was 35 during the 12-month period ending 30 September 1983.

asked the Attorney-General what is the average age of (a) the magistrates and (b) the members of the advisory committee on the appointment of magistrates for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.

The average age of the magistrates on the Newcastle upon Tyne bench can be ascertained only at disproportionate cost, but there are nine male and 11 female under 40, 36 male and 17 female between 40 and 49, 41 male and 32 female between 50 and 59 and 15 male and 12 female between 60 and 69. The average age of the members of the advisory committee is 59 years six months.

asked the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor is satisfied that all magistrates in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne reside within 15 miles of the city boundaries.

All justices of the peace are required to reside in, or within 15 miles of, the area of the commission, in this instance the county of Tyne and Wear, unless in any particular case the Lord Chancellor has dispensed with this requirement. All the justices on the Newcastle upon Tyne bench meet this residential requirement, with one dispensation.

asked the Attorney-General how many of the present magistrates for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne (a) answered and (b) did not answer question 16 on the application form for the magistracy; and what are the total numbers of magistrates for each political party.

The information required in the first part of the question cannot be ascertained except at disproportionate cost, but virtually all candidates answer question 16 on the application form. But some give answers such as "floating voter", "uncommitted", "vote for the best candidate". The political opinions of the justices on the Newcastle upon Tyne bench, which is not synonymous with membership of political parties, are recorded as 78 Conservative, 63 Labour, 10 Liberal, 1 Social Democrat and 22 Independent or uncommitted. These opinions were noted at the time of appointment and are not updated.

asked the Attorney-General which persons or bodies in any area are entitled to know the identity of the members of the local magistracy.

The extent to which the names, or names and addresses, of justices of the peace can be made available to the public depends entirely on the views of the justices themselves. The services of a magistrate can be obtained on application to the local clerk to the justices.

asked the Attorney-General how the general public in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne are advised of meetings of the advisory committee on the appointment of magistrates for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.

They are not so advised.

asked the Attorney-General if he will stop the practice of appointing Treasury counsel at the Central Criminal Court.

I am assured by the Director of Public Prosecutions that he finds the availability of a standing panel of Treasury counsel at the Central Criminal Court invaluable to the efficient and expeditious handling of the many cases he prosecutes at that court. Accordingly, I have no plans to discontinue the practice, although I have reduced the number of senior Treasury counsel.

asked the Attorney-General whether it is the Lord Chancellor's intention to retain fully the status of the Crown court presently held in Bodmin if the court is transferred to Truro.

Yes. It is proposed that Truro should be a first tier centre, as is Bodmin at present.

asked the Attorney-General if he will estimate the costs of refurbishing the existing Crown courts at Bodmin to bring them up to the standard required.

I have been asked to reply.Studies have shown that it would not be possible to refurnish the existing Crown courts to meet current requirements. The Shire hall is a listed building of granite construction on an island site, containing only two court rooms, and expansion is not practicable. The current requirement is for three court rooms, with adequate accommodation and separate circulation for judges, jurors, defendents and public. In view of the Lord Chancellor's decision to move the Crown courts to Truro, it is unnecessary to update the estimate for refurbishing the Bodmin courts.

asked the Attorney-General how many divorces have been made final in Northern Ireland in each year since 1970.

The information requested by the hon. Member is given in the following table:

	Number
1970	309
1971	341
1972	360
1973	395
1974	382
1975	437
1976	574
1977	569
1978	599
1979	757
1980	919
1981	1,429
1982	1,504
1983	1,655

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will estimate the saving in cost of procuring four Ohio class Trident nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines from the United States instead of building in the United Kingdom four Trident nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines of a new class, as presently planned;(2) if he will estimate the saving in cost of procuring three 16-tube Ohio class Trident nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines from the United States instead of building in the United Kingdom four 12-tube Trident nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, as presently planned;

No. We are firmly committed to building our own force of four 16-tube Trident submarines—three would not be adequate to a continuous deterrent—and it would not be appropriate to speculate on the cost of alternative procurement options.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the value and number of defence contracts awarded to Messrs. Harland and Wolff, Belfast, in each of the past 10 years.

The information requested is as follows:

Year	Contracts
1974	1
1975	5
1976	1
1977	—
1978	2
1979	3
1980	1
1981	3
1982	2
1983	1
The total value of these contracts is approximately £3·5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has authorised any assistance of any kind to the Legion of Frontiersmen; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what funds and other assistance his Department gives to the Reserve Forces Association; and if he will make a statement.

My Department makes an annual grant of £10,000 to this association.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations have been made to the Government about Greg Zepp and Ms. Yolanda Dolling; and what action the Government have taken.

We have received one letter. No action has been taken as the Government have no involvement in this case.

asked the Prime Minister how many Ulster Unionist Members are on the United Kingdom delegations to the North Atlantic Assembly and the Assembly of the Council of Europe.

There are no Ulster Unionist Members in the United Kingdom delegations to either the North Atlantic Assembly or the Assembly of the Council of Europe.

asked the Prime Minster what action is available to Her Majesty's Government following the default by the Common Market on the payment of £42 million due to Her Majesty's Government on 31 December 1983, in view of the failure of the President of the Commision to reply to the letter on the subject sent by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs dated 3 January; and if she will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding such defaults on payments by the Common Market.

The Commission is still considering its response to the letter from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on this complex and difficult question. Pending its response, I have nothing to add to my statement to the House on 7 December 1983.

Terminations of pregnancy to residents of Wales
	Area of Residence
Place of Operation	Clwyd	Dyfed	Gwent	Gwynedd	Mid Glamorgan	Powys	South Glamorgan	West Glamorgan
1982
National Health Service
Clwyd	260	—	—	17	*	—	—	—
Dyfed	—	282	*	*	—	*	—	*
Gwent	*	—	542	—	12	18	*	*
Gwynedd	—	—	—	238	—	—	—	—
Mid Glamorgan	—	*	20	*	248	*	25	—
Powys	—	—	—	—	—	19	—	—
South Glamorgan	—	*	*	—	*	—	375	*
West Glamorgan	*	238	*	—	236	*	*	966
Outside Wales	22	*	*	*	-	47	*	*
Private Sector
Gwynedd	—	—	—	18	—	—	—	—
South Glamorgan	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Outside Wales	536	157	374	188	449	105	516	67
Total	820	686	948	472	953	196	929	1,046
1983‡
National Health Service
Clwyd	292	*	—	19	*	*	—	—
Dyfed	*	301	*	*	*	20	—	*
Gwent	—	—	390	10	16	14	*	—
Gwynedd	*	*	—	242	—	*	—	*

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has now completed his review of the need and scope for the introduction of a Welsh special grants programme; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) rehabilitation units and (b) new build units the Housing Corporation will be enabled to fund in Wales in 1984–85; and how this compares with the units funded in this way in previous years.

In recent years approvals have been at the rate of about 600 new build and 1,200 rehabilitation units per annum. My right hon. Friend has not yet settled with the Housing Corporation its development programme in Wales for 1984–85.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report details of the total number of abortions performed on women normally resident in Wales in each health district in each year since 1974 within the National Health Service in Wales, in each health district within the private sector in Wales, within the National Health Service outside Wales and within the private sector outside Wales, respectively.

Information on terminations of pregnancy analysed by area of residence and area of termination prior to 1982 is not readily available. The data available for 1982 and provisionally for 1983 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now make a statement about the future of the Cwmbran Development Corporation.

I have discussed with the chairman of the corporation the best way of proceeding to an orderly wind-up of the affairs of the corporation, and have concluded that to allow the corporation a reasonable time to complete its major remaining tasks within the level of resources likely to be available the target date for windup should be 31 March 1988. Resources will not be available to the corporation for additional public sector housing, but it will be able to co-operate fully with and encourage private housing developers who wish to build in the area. Progress towards the wind-up of the corporation will be reviewed next year.In the meantime, the corporation will continue to dispose of its industrial and commercial assets to the private sector and its houses to its tenants wherever practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether senior officers of the Metropolitan police are required on appointment to inform him of membership of any private organisation which may influence their behaviour.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the circulars relating to the changes recently announced under section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971 to be ready for distribution; and if he will place copies in the Library.

A circular describing revised arrangements for voluntary repatriation will be ready for distribution to local authorities and other appropriate recipients as soon as the necessary arrangements for the introduction of the revised scheme have been completed. I confirm that copies of the circular will be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many trips abroad have been made by Ministers in his Department since May 1979; and what was the cost.

Home Office Ministers have made 15 official visits overseas since May 1979, at a total cost of approximately £40,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to prohibit the registration as charities of paramilitary organisations; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to do so. An organisation may be registered as a charity only if its purposes are charitable at law. It is for the Charity Commission to decide whether or not an organisation qualifies for registration. Its decision is subject to review by the courts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce an implementation date for the new fixed penalty provisions in part III of the Transport Act 1982.

I intend to bring part III of the Transport Act 1982 into force not later than April 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he intends to amend the regulations to allow teaching service in the independent sector to count for the purpose of a new entrant fulfilling the requirements of a probationary year.

My right hon. Friend has over a long period considered the possibility of devising arrangements whereby probation could be served in suitable independent schools and has had discussions with the Independent Schools Joint Council and with representatives of the local authority associations, but has had to conclude that it is not possible to devise an acceptable arrangement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his practice not to appoint academics with backgrounds in the arts to posts such as chairman of the national advisory body for public sector higher education in view of the need to foster science and engineering.

My right hon. Friend will continue to make it his practice to appoint to any given post the candidate he believes best suited to fill that post.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will seek to devise a formula for the distribution of resources for public sector higher education which takes simultaneous account of the needs of major institutions, such as polytechnics, and local colleges with a few advanced further education courses serving local need.

Yes. This has been and will continue to be one of the central objectives of the approach recommended by the national advisory body for local authority higher education, and accepted by my right hon. Friend, to the distribution of the advanced further education pool in successive years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied that the recommendations of the national advisory body submitted to him in late 1983 will not lead to a dispersal of resources in public sector higher education.

My right hon. Friend believes that the recommendations of the national advisory body—NAB—will result in an improved distribution of resources across local authority higher education in 1984–85. As he indicated when accepting those recommendations, he is looking to the NAB for further advice on how the resources available may be concentrated to best effect in future.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement comparing the academic assessment of each institution made by the national advisory body for public sector higher education.

For the purposes of its 1984–85 planning exercise, the national advisory body for local authority higher education assessed each institution in the light of information and data received from a wide variety of sources and in accordance with a range of published criteria. It would be impractical to specify how this material was applied in detail in each case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions in the past 10 years civil servants employed in departments under his control have been disciplined for leaking information.

It would not be appropriate for me to give details of the kind requested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the consultancy firms which have received contracts from his Department, the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise, respectively, in the past four years, stating subjects of such contracts and the fees paid in each case.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many trips abroad have been made by Ministers in his Department since May 1979; and what was the cost.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his policy to show the difference between the actual receipts from assets sales in any one financial year and thy: value of fixed and current assets as shown in any previous year's audited accounts, when presenting his financial statement and Budget report.

No. The value of fixed and current assets as shown in audited accounts follows certain accountancy conventions, and is intended to reflect either, in the case of historic cost accounts, the depreciated original cost of the assets or, in the case of current cost accounts, the depreciated replacement cost, or more generally, the value of the assets to the business itself. In neither case does this necessarily correspond to the market value of the business.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria he uses to estimate the revenue from asset sales in any one financial year.

The Government's estimates of revenue from special sales of assets take into account all known relevant factors. There are always considerable uncertainties attached to the estimates as outturn is dependent upon market conditions at the time of sales and the detailed content and timing of the programme.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his policy, when selling public assets on a partly paid deferred basis, to charge interest on those parts of the sale left unpaid.

The interest benefit of a partly paid offer is reflected in the price investors are prepared to pay. Interest is, however, chargeable where payment of an instalment after the due date is accepted.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Inland Revenue will give charitable status for tax purposes in Scotland to the David Livingstone Missionary Society.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is content with the treatment of changes in the public sector's holdings of bank deposits in the current definitions of the public sector borrowing requirement and sterling M3.

On current definitions, changes in deposits held by the public sector with United Kingdom banks affect the size of the PSBR; and these deposits are included in sterling M3 and M3—but not in the other monetary aggregates. Although the level of public sector depositis is relatively small, changes in individual months can be large. These changes, however, are erratic, and tend to be reversed over a fairly short period. They are of no economic significance. In future, therefore, public sector deposits will be excluded from sterling M3 and M3—with effect from the beginning of the next target period—and from the PSBR—with effect from the 1984–85 financial year. These changes in definition are likely to have only minor effects on annual totals.Further details of the proposed re-definitions, and figures for earlier periods, will be given in

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the estimated costs of the experimental task force dealing with the practice of moonlighting for 1983–84.

[pursuant to his reply, 6 February 1984, c. 437]: The estimated costs in 1983–84 of the experimental task force are £1·3 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the estimated yields from (a) capital transfer tax, (b) capital gains tax and (c) investment income surcharge set out in the financial statement and Budget report still reflect the anticipated revenue from these taxes in 1983–84; and if, where the most recent estimate differs from this estimate, he will state that estimate.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1984, c. 602]: The yield in 1983–84 from (a) capital transfer tax and (b) capital gains tax is still uncertain, but present indications are that the estimates in the financial statement and Budget report 1983–84 will be equalled, if not exceeded.No separate estimates of the yield in 1983–84 from investment income surcharge were given in the financial statement and Budget report. However, the yield accruing from the surcharge in respect of investment income received by taxpayers in 1983–84 is estimated to be about £290 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revenue received from the taxation of those having company cars for 1981–82 and 1982–83.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 February 1984, c. 732]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 7 February.—[Vol. 53, c. 559–60.]

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what stage has been reached in each of his surveys of the ethnic origin of non-industrial civil servants in the northeast and county of Avon, respectively; and what other surveys are planned or have started among civil servants in other parts of the United Kingdom.

The ethnic surveys of serving civil servants in the north-west and in Avon started in November 1983. The results should be available in the spring. Sample monitoring of recruitment schemes will not start until the spring, when the main bulk of recruitment takes place. We will need to decide how to proceed once the results of these surveys are known.

asked the Minister of Civil Service what consideration he has given to the monitoring necessary for compliance with the Commission for Racial Equality's code and in particular its recommendations concerning ethnic monitoring and positive action, respectively, from 1 April

As the hon. and learned Member knows, we are at present holding surveys of the ethnic origin of non-industrial civil servants in the north- west economic planning region and the county of Avon. Some recruitment schemes in both areas will also be monitored starting in the spring. We shall want to see the results of these surveys before we decide what to do next. We have kept closely in touch with the Commission for Racial Equality, whose code of practice has been circulated to all Departments drawing their attention to its provisions and to the date it comes into operation. The kind of positive action it recommends can be undertaken only where under-representation can be demonstrated.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many trips abroad have been made by Ministers in the Privy Council office since May 1979; and what was the cost.

There have been eight trips abroad by Ministers for whom the Privy Council Office is responsible since May 1979. The total cost to the Privy Council Office was £606.31.

asked the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission has received any recent request from trade unions representatives of employees of the House for a meeting to discuss industrial relations.

In the course of consultations on a disputes procedure, the trade union side of the Whitney Council has indicated that, failing resolution of certain points in discussion with management, it will seek a meeting with the Commission.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many trips abroad have been made by Ministers in his Department since May 1979; and what was the cost.

A total of 266 visits abroad have been made by Ministers in my Department between May 1979 and January 1984 at a cost of £114,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Council of Ministers, meetings on 6 and 7 February in relation to the payment of the hill livestock compensatory allowances, and other capital grants which were suspended on 31 December 1983.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1984, c. 619.]: I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made in the House yesterday.—[Vol. 95, c. 1031–38.]

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is satisfied that the new rules he introduced for the allocation of international road haulage permits for British hauliers have resulted in more firms being able to participate in the scheme.

Yes. Three hundred and four newcomers have received an allocation of permits in the last 12 months. The total number of allocations is 6 per cent. higher than a year ago.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether any restriction is imposed on foreign hauliers entering the United Kingdom by issuing annual quotas on a restrictive basis; and what countries are affected.

Our agreements with Austria, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Yugoslavia provide for an annual quota of general road haulage journeys in each direction. I am prepared to concede these on a mutual basis. Similar agreements exist with the Republic of Ireland and Turkey, but the quotas are sufficient to accommodate demand on both sides.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make representations to those countries in the European Community which continue to limit the number of foreign vehicles entering their territory by imposing annual quotas.

I argued very strongly for liberalisation of road haulage in the Community at the Council of Transport Ministers on 20 December 1983, and I shall continue to do so at every suitable opportunity. Other national delegations wanted harmonisation of lorry weights as the price for conceding liberalisation of road haulage.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding self-regulation through insurance arrangements for design standards of vehicles used for the carriage of dangerous goods by road.

One, in July 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving licence applications his Department receives in a normal year.

Of the 6·6 million licence-bearing transactions processed in 1982–83, 1·2 million were applications for a first provisional licence.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what actions have been taken by his Department to limit the number of flights by People Express airline across the Atlantic; how many flights by People Express he currently permits; and what refusals he, or his predecessor, have given to which other airlines wishing to increase their number of flights across the Atlantic since June 1979.

Neither my Department nor the Department of Trade and Industry, which previously held responsibility for international aviation matters, has taken unilateral action to restrict the number of flights allowed to People. Express Airlines. The capacity to be operated by United Kingdom and United States airlines across the Atlantic is determined in consultation with the United States authorities in advance of each operating season in accordance with the principles and procedures laid down in the Bermuda 2 air services agreement. This process does not lend itself to identifying refusals by one side or the other, but it is not uncommon for the initial proposals made by the airlines in these discussions to be scaled down by agreement.So far as People Express is concerned, it is currently entitled to operate five services per week in each direction between Newark and Gatwick. This summer it will be entitled to operate seven services a week, and provision has been made for further increases in 1985 and 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, following the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the national air traffic services part of the Civil Aviation Authority, he will conduct an efficiency audit of the Civil Aviation Authority.

In its recent study of part of the Civil Aviation Authority's national air traffic services, the Monopolies and Mergers Commission investigated whether the authority could improve its efficiency and thereby reduce its costs. It would not be sensible to commission further studies of this type until the authority has had an opportunity to respond to and follow up the MMC's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his current consideration of the privatisation of the British Airports Authority; and whether he expects this privatisation to take place in 1985.

A number of options for introducing private capital into the British Airports Authority are still being considered; none has been ruled out at this stage. Timing of any measure will be determined by the need for legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what problems he has encountered in the implementation of sites of special scientific interest management agreements; and if he is satisfied that the Nature Conservancy Council is adequately funded to service them.

The implementation of management agreements for sites of special scientific interest is a matter for the Nature Conservancy Council. I am satisfied that the Nature Conservancy Council has been adequately funded for this purpose, but the Government are constantly keeping the situation under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his reply of 25 January, Official Report, c. 616 to the hon. Member for Copeland, he will describe the evidence which shows that the proportion of the electorate actually paying rates may be lower than 35 per cent. in some areas, and the evidence which shows that local elections are more heavily influenced by national rather than local issues.

As the rates White Paper explained—paragraph 2.2—the average figure of 35 per cent. relates to the number of households paying full domestic rates as a proportion of the electorate. It is based on estimates for England and Wales of (i) the number of registered electors, (ii) the total number of households and (iii) the number of households receiving assistance with their rates. The relationship between these factors is far from uniform across the country.The evidence that local elections are more heavily influenced by national rather than local issues has been widely accepted for some years. This was for example the advice given to the Layfield committee in 1975—local government finance report of the committee of inquiry under the chairmanship of Frank Layfield Esq. QC, appendix 6, pages 98–101.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Mid-Staffordshire of 23 January, Official Report, c. 401, specifically what steps he is taking to keep a close watch on the implementation of section 142 of the Local Government Act 1972.

My Department receives representations about the use made of this power, and examples of material published. These are examined and recorded for reference.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report those councils which have had to change their policy for discretionary grants in view of the reduced funds available for 1984–85; and if he is aware of other councils considering such changes.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Come Valley (Mr. Wainwright) on 30 January.—[Vol. 53, c. 82–83.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate, for all the urban development grants approved to date by his Department (a) the average ratio of public-to-private sector funding and (b) the average sum of public money made available per permanent new job created; and if he will give the relevant totals on both the above points in (i) the service sector, (ii) manufacturing and (iii) total.

To date, 111 offers of urban development grant have been accepted or are outstanding. The Department's records distinguish between industrial projects — in which the principal element is the provision of accommodation or other facilities for industry—commercial projects—including shops, offices, hotels and recreational facilities—and housing projects—in which the principal element is the provision of private sector housing. In decisions on UDG applications, regard is had to all relevant benefits of projects and not only to costs per job. In particular, costs per job are not relevant to housing projects.

	Number of projects	Average ratio of private: public funding	Average public money per claimed permanent job £
Industrial	48	3·67:1	2,488
Commercial	41	3·75:1	4,367
Housing	22	4·01:1	*
All except housing	89	3·71:1	3,295
All	111	3·76:1	*
* Inapplicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received regarding his consideration of the proposed shopping complex Centre 21 at Enderby, Leicestershire; and if he will list them.

The decision dismissing the appeal by Penwise Properties (Wakefield) Ltd. was quashed by the High Court. The appeal is now being redetermined. Representations in connection with the redetermination of the appeal have been received from two private individuals and the following 13 organisations or bodies:

• Leicester city council
• Harborough district council
• Gedling borough council
• Northampton borough council
• Leicestershire Co-operative Society Limited
• H. Samuel PLC
• The Leicester chamber of trade
• National Association of Shopkeepers
• The National Market Traders' Federation
• Messrs. Titmus, Sainer and Webb, solicitors, on behalf of Lewis' Limited
• Arthur Collin Ltd.
• Cecil Jacobs Ltd.
• Joseph Fox—furriers

In addition, my right hon. Friend the Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson) and the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West (Mr. Janner) have written to me on behalf of constituents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has now received in response to his White Paper, Cmnd. 9063 "Streamlining the Cities"; and how many were (i) in favour of and (ii) against (a) abolition of the Greater London council and (b) abolition of the metropolitan county councils.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave in reply to a question from my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Hexham (Mr. Rippon) on 6 February.—[Vol. 53, c. 467.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer of 2 February, Official Report, c. 373, if he will ask each of the individuals and bodies responding to Cmnd. 9063 to send a copy to the Library for the use of hon. Members.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham) on 8 February.—[Vol. 53, c. 653.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff per 1,000 employed in (a) the Yorkshire water authority and (b) the West Yorkshire metropolitan county council are paid more than £20,000 per annum.

This information is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what work time has been lost through industrial action at the Government communications headquarters since 25 January.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what have been the amounts for support finance for the mentally handicapped disbursed over the last five years.

The amount disbursed in each year in respect of projects for the mentally handicapped since the support finance scheme was introduced in March 1980 ire as follows:

	£
1980–81	178,230
1981–82	182,839
1982–83	115,211
*1983–84	953,964
* Estimated outturn. Includes expenditure on two projects providing car for both the mentally and physically handicapped.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what improvements in policy to help the mentally handicapped in Scotland have arisen from his comparative study of the Department of Health and Social Security consultative document "Care in the Community, 1981."

"Care in the Community" outlines several possible ways of overcoming the legal, administrative and financial obstacles to transferring long-stay hospital patients to more appropriate forms of care in the community. It did not consider policies for specific client groups, such as the mentally handicapped.My right hon. Friend is taking into account in his current review of the Scottish support finance scheme consequent changes in the English joint finance scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what principal changes in policy for the mentally handicapped in relation to hospital and community care have taken place since 1979.

The report on "Scottish Health Authorities Priorities for the Eighties", which was endorsed by my right hon. Friend, gave high priority to the needs of the mentally handicapped and to reducing dependence on hospital provision for such persons. Since then there have been significant improvements in provision for the mentally handicapped in the community and also for those who still have to remain in hospital.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will establish equivalent Scottish bodies to carry out the work performed in England by the former national developments group for the mentally handicapped and the current development team for the mentally handicapped.

The former English national development group for the mentally handicapped produced a report in 1980 entitled "Mentally Handicapped: Progress, Problems and Priorities". A similar report, entitled "A Better Life: Services for the Mentally Handicapped in Scotland", covering much the same ground, had been published in 1979 by a programme planning group of the Scottish Health Service planning council and the advisory council on social work. The recommendations in the Scottish report were endorsed in "Scottish Health Authorities Priorities for the Eighties", published in 1980 and commended to health boards by my right hon. Friend. The Scottish hospital advisory service has responsibilities in Scotland broadly similar to those of the English development team for the mentally handicapped.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what target figures have been adopted for care of the mentally handicapped in hospital and the community, respectively; and what progress has been made towards these targets.

The target figures recommended in the Peters report, "A Better Life: Services for the Mentally Handicapped in Scotland", and endorsed by the report "Scottish Health Authorities Priorities for the Eighties", were 1·2 hospital beds and 0·6 community places per thousand of the population. At the end of 1982, the latest date for which figures are available, approximately 1·33 hospital beds and 0·24 community places had been provided per thousand of the population.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what funds, other than support finance, are to be made available for expediting the return of mentally handicapped children to the community.

The current policy of reducing dependence upon hospital provision for the mentally handicapped is given effect by health boards and local authorities from the general financial resources available to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the categories of persons whom he expects to be consulted under clause 4(3)(a) of the Rating and Valuation (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill.

Clause 4 of the Rating and Valuation (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill provides that before determining a rate under section 108 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, a local authority shall consult persons liable to pay rates in respect of lands and heritages other than dwelling-houses — construed in accordance with section 7(3) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966—and bodies appearing to the local authority to be representative of persons so liable.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in how many employment areas in Northern Ireland the unemployment rate is above 20 per cent.

At 12 January 1984, 12 of the 13 travel-to-work areas in Northern Ireland had unemployment rates above 20 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the cost of action community employment schemes in each of the last three years.

The information is as follows:

	£ million
1981–82	1·68
1982–83	5·25
1983–84	*10·81
* Estimated

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many unemployed people have been given employment under the action community employment scheme in Northern Ireland in each of the past three years.

The information is as follows:

	Places provided
1981–82	904
1982–83	2,102
1983–84	*2,958
* to date

Places are often filled by more than one individual in the course of the year. The precise information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many school leavers at Easter and in the summer of 1983 in Northern Ireland have not yet got jobs.

The information is not available in the form requested. Of those minimum age school leavers who left full-time education in 1983, 2,348 were still unemployed on 31 December 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many mass pickets leading to breaches of the peace or disruption of a work place have occurred during labour disputes in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Statistics on the number of pickets leading to either breaches of the peace or disruption of a work place are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many working days per 1,000 employees have been lost in Northern Ireland as a result of industrial stoppages in each of the last five years.

The information is as follows:

Working days lost per 1,000 employees
Year	Number
1978	524
1979	1,421
1980	98
1981	147
1982	214

Statistics for 1983 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last carried out an analysis of information required for ethnic monitoring of his Department; and whether he proposes to take steps within his Department to comply with the monitoring provisions of the Commission for Racial Equality's code in ethnic monitoring.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 February 1984]: No analysis has been made of information required for ethnic monitoring. My Department is not represented in the north-west economic planning region and the county of Avon in which surveys of the ethnic origins of non-industrial civil servants are being undertaken. The Government will need to decide how to proceed once the results of these surveys are known.The Race Relations Act does not apply to Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is his intention to consider present or former civil servants from within his Department for the post of deputy director general of the Office of Telecommunications or whether this appointment will be first subject to advertisement nationally.

Under clause 1(5) of the Telecommunications Bill the appointment of a deputy director general and other members of the staff of Oftel will be a matter for the director general of telecommunications.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will visit Liverpool to assess the effect of Government industrial policies in the area; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what Government grants have been made to companies in the tobacco industry during the past five years.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what review the Government have conducted with their appointed merchant bankers and stockbrokers of the potential benefit to the Exchequer of disaggregating British Telecom; and if he will publish the results.

The privatisation of British Telecom in separate parts would pose severe organisational and accounting problems. It would not be feasible in this Parliament on terms which would be advantageous to the Exchequer.