asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies in Perthshire have won the Queen's Award for Industry in the last five years.

Two companies located in Perth have gained the Queen's Award for Export Achievement.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what action he has taken with respect to the representations he has received from the newspaper proprietors with regard to his proposal to restrict imports of Canadian newsprint into the United Kingdom;(2) whether it remains his intention to limit Canadian imports of newsprint into the United Kingdom to 500,000 tonnes per annum without attracting surcharge.

For 1984 the European Community has opened a duty-free tariff quota for 500,000 tonnes of newsprint and from this the United Kingdom has received an allocation of 331,400 tonnes. However, these amounts will not be adequate for the year as a whole and the Community is therefore currently considering a proposal for a supplement to the quota. The Government fully accept the need of the United Kingdom publishers for continued access to duty-free newsprint and have been pressing hard for agreement on a supplementary quota. I raised this matter at the Foreign Affairs Council on 19 June and will be pressing for a decision at the July meeting of the Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many investigators currently employed by the radio interference service operated by British Telecom on behalf of his Department are employed full-time on pirate radio investigations; and how many are employed part-time;(2) how many investigators are currently employed by the radio interference service, operated by British Telecom on behalf of his Department.

British Telecom employs 330 technical staff—some part-time—on radio interference duties, which include the investigation of unlicensed broadcasting. No staff are employed solely on investigating the activities of unlicensed broadcasting stations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will be taking any action against the Messenger Newspapers Group Ltd. in relation to its continued failure to file its annual accounts.

No. Accounts for the periods ending 31 March 1982 and 31 March 1983 have now been delivered to the Registrar of Companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if it is known by his Department whether the executive chairman of Messenger Newspapers Group Ltd. has a director's loan account.

Yes. Details of a director's loan account in the name of Mr. S. E. Shah were given in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Acts in the accounts for the period ending 31 March 1983 filed with the Registrar of Companies recently.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice he has received about the future development of carbon fibre; and if he will list the projects he intends funding which involve the use, the research and the development of carbon fibre.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will refer the proposed takeover by the Dee Corporation plc of Booker McConnell to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

My right hon. Friend will announce his decision as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total expenditure on regional grants and assistance to enterprises situated within (a) the city of Leicester, and (b) Leicester, East constituency in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983, respectively.

[pursuant to the reply, 19 June 1984, c. 89]: During the period in question, the Leicester travel-to-work Area (TTWA) which includes both the city of Leicester and the Leicester, East constituency, has not been eligible for regional assistance. However, eligible projects in Leicester qualify for the many national schemes of assistance operated by my Department. Since May 1979, 155 offers totalling over £2·3 million have been made to firms in the Leicester TTWA under section 8 of the Industrial Development Act 1982. Exceptionally, figures for the city of Leicester within the Leicester TTWA are available for assistance under SEFIS 2 and flexible manufacturing systems: under the former, there have been 85 applications for assistance for which offers of over £361,860 have been made; and two offers of assistance totalling over £747,000 have been made under the flexible manufacturing systems. Details of assistance for these schemes is not available on a. constituency basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what progress the Health and Safety Executive has made in conducting the inquiry directed by the Health and Safety Commission under section 14(2)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 as to the causes of the accident at Abbeystead on 23 May; and if he will make a statement.

Since my statement on 24 May, at columns 1249–53, the number of people who died as a consequence of the explosion at the Abbeystead water pumping station on 23 May has, sadly, risen to 15.I understand that the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission has today announced that the Health and Safety Executive is reasonably certain that the explosion in the valve house at the Abbeystead plant was caused by the following sequence of events.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people in Hyndburn have never had (a) full-time employment and (b) part-time employment.

The following is the available information for unemployed claimants on 10 May in the area covered by the Accrington and Great Harwood jobcentres, which correspond closely to the Hyndburn constituency. The figures relate to the numbers of unemployed school leavers—that is, young people who had not entered employment since terminating full-time education.

Age	Number
Under 18	131
18	74
19 and over	111

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of (a) unemployed men and (b) unemployed women in the London borough of Wandsworth have been out of work for (i) one year, (ii) two years and (iii) three years at the latest available date.

On 5 April, the latest date for which analysis by duration of unemployment is available, in the Balham, Clapham Junction and Tooting jobcentre areas, which correspond closely to the London borough of Wandsworth, 19·8 per cent. of male unemployed claimants had been out of work for between 52 and 104 weeks, 10 per cent. for between 104 and 156 weeks, and 9 per cent. for over 156 weeks. The corresponding figures for female unemployed claimants were 14·7 per cent., 5·9 per cent., and 3·9 per cent., respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of persons aged between 50 and 65 years who are registered as unemployed in the Greater London council area.

On 5 April, the latest date for which an age analysis is available, there were 66,211 unemployed claimants aged 50 to 64 years in the Greater London council area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of persons aged between 18 and 21 years who are registered as unemployed in the Greater London council area.

On 5 April, the latest date for which an age analysis is available, there were 17,380 unemployed claimants aged 18 years, 19,537 aged 19 years and 80,510 aged between 20 and 24 years in the Greater London council area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage rate of unemployment in (a) west Yorkshire and (b) Kirklees at the latest date for which figures are available; how many people in both areas have now been jobless for more than a year; and what has been the percentage rate of increase in unemployment for both areas since June 1979.

On 10 May, the rate of unemployment in the west Yorkshire metropolitan county was 12·7 per cent. The corresponding figures for the Dewsbury and Huddersfield travel-to-work areas, which correspond closely to Kirklees metropolitan district, were 14·3 per cent. and 11·6 per cent., respectively.On 5 April, the latest date for which an analysis by duration of unemployment is available, 46,236 claimants had been unemployed for over 52 weeks in west Yorkshire, while 7,695 had been unemployed for over 52 weeks in the Dewsbury and Huddersfield travel-to-work areas.The following table gives the percentage change in the numbers unemployed in the areas specified between June 1979 and May 1984. The comparisions are affected by the change in the basis of the unemployment count in October 1982 and the provisions in the 1983 Budget which meant that some men aged 60 years and over no longer had to sign on in order to receive supplementary benefits or national insurance credits. The figures include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide a comparison of the most recent figures for the level of unemployment in each travel-to-work area in Essex, Hertfordshire and Greater Manchester.

The following table gives the numbers of unemployed claimants and the percentage rates of unemployed on 10 May for the areas specified.

	Number	Percentage rate
Essex
Braintree*	3,811	10·8
Chelmsford*	5,121	7·3
Clacton-on-Sea	3,478	19·2
Colchester	7,087	12·0
Harlow*	6,451	8·8
Harwich	832	9·2
Southend-on-Sea*	30,503	15·5
Hertfordshire
Hertford*	2,575	6·1
Hitchin*	4,275	7·8
St. Albans*	5,539	6·2
Stevenage	4,185	10·9
Watford*	8,885	7·1
Greater Manchester
Ashton-under-Lyne*	14,917	15·7
Bolton*	17,225	15·7
Bury*	9,014	13·6
Leigh*	6,927	15·5
Manchester*	95,556	13·3
Oldham*	12,701	13·7
Rochdale	8,057	16·4
Wigan*	13,582	18·6
*Travel-to-work area comprising two or more jobcentre areas.

Table 2
Unfilled vacancies	Manchester travel-to-work area		Manchester jobcentre area
May each year	At jobcentres	At careers offices	At jobcentres	At careers offices
1978	4,542	936	1,408	482
1979	6,247	1,072	2,340	393
1980	3,576	490	1,302	212
1981	2,135	81	750	23
1982	2,532	110	698	17
1983	3,241	197	915	74
1984	4,152	172	1,210	41

Vacancies notified to jobcentres are estimated to be about one third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication, the figures for jobcentres and careers offices should not be added together. The number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the 12-month period to December 1983, the number of people placed in jobs by jobcentres in the

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the unemployment and vacancy figures in (a) the Manchester travel-to-work area and (b) the Manchester city employment office area at May in each of the years 1978 to 1983 and at the latest date for which figures are available.

Table 1 gives the number registered as unemployed in both the Manchester travel-to-work and jobcentre areas in May each year from 1978 to 1982. It also gives the number of unemployed claimants in May 1983 and May 1984, together with the figures on both bases for October 1982.able 2 gives the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at jobcentres and careers offices in both the Manchester travel-to-work and jobcentre areas in May each year from 1978 to 1984.

Table 1
	Manchester travel-to-work area	Manchester jobcentre area
Registered unemployed
May 1978	40,935	6,205
May 1979	36,634	4,699
May 1980	44,343	5,532
May 1981	78,931	9,381
May 1982	92,818	10,060
October 1982	103,633	10,354
Unemployed claimants
October 1982	92,868	8,258
May 1983	94,238	8,384
May 1984	95,556	8,508

The comparisons between the figures are affected by the change in the basis of the unemployment count in October 1982 and by the 1983 Budget provisions which meant that some men aged 60 and over no longer had to sign on in order to receive supplementary benefit or national insurance credits.Manchester travel-to-work area was 53,613. It is estimated that nationally the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage of unemployment in Manchester at the latest date for which figures are available; how many people in the city have now been out of work for more than a year; and if he will give comparable information, for as near as possible to the same date, in each of the years 1978 to 1983.

The following tables give the information for the Manchester travel-to-work area. Table 1 gives the percentage rates of unemployment for registered unemployed in May each year from 1978 to 1982 and the rates for unemployed claimants in May 1983 and May 1984. Table 2 gives the numbers registered as unemployed for over 52 weeks in April each year from 1978 to 1982 and the corresponding numbers for unemployed claimants in April 1983 and April 1984, the latest available. The tables also include the figures on both registration and claimants bases for October 1982.The comparisons between the figures are affected by the change in the basis of the unemployment count in October 1982 and by the 1983 Budget provisions which meant that some men aged 60 and over no longer had to sign on in order to receive supplementary benefit or national insurance credits.

Table 1
Percentage rates of unemployment
	per cent.
Registered
May 1978	5·8
May 1979	5·2
May 1980	6·3
May 1981	11·0
May 1982	13·0
October 1982	14·5
Claimants
October 1982	13·0
May 1983	13·1
May 1984	13·3

Table 2
Unemployed for over 52 weeks
	Number
Registered
April 1978	10,697
April 1979	11,262
April 1980	9,997
April 1981	16,145
April 1982	32,562
October 1982	37,860
Claimants
October 1982	32,013
April 1983	36,966
April 1984	41,704

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is able to estimate the male and female unemployment rates for each post code sector in Greater Manchester; what study he has made of the estimates of these rates made by the Greater Manchester council, details of which have been sent to him, and if there is any action he will be taking to publish unemployment rates on a more localised basis.

While unemployment data by post code sector are made available on computer tapes to local authorities and all the published statistics are currently based on aggregations of post code sectors, the figures are not published to such a fine level of detail.I have seen the study by the Greater Manchester council and my right hon. Friend will be writing to the right hon. Member about it. While residence-based unemployment rates for small areas are useful indicators of social need, they do not necessarily provide a meaningful indication of an area's overall need for jobs. This is one reason why my Department only publishes unemployment rates for travel-to-work areas which are reasonably self-contained labour markets. We do not intend to publish unemployment rates for smaller areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he is taking following the explosion on the MV Pointsman at Milford Haven on 15 June; and if he will make a statement.

I regret to have to confirm that, as hon. Members will already know, four men died and 17 were detained in hospital with injuries following a number of explosions on the MV Pointsman at Milford Haven on 15 June. I am sure that all hon. Members will wish to join me in expressing our sympathy to the families of those who died, our hope that those who were injured will make a speedy recovery and our admiration for the work of the emergency services, some of whose members themselves suffered injury in dealing with the aftermath of the accident.A factory inspector was on the scene within minutes of the accident. The Health and Safety Commission has directed that a special inquiry be carried out under section 14(2)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any information as to whether the National Coal Board has given registration numbers of cars belonging to its employees to the police during the current dispute.

I have no such information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis concerning incidents of public disorder which occurred at Waterloo, London, on Sunday 10 June; what was the cause and nature of the disturbance; how many persons were involved; how many were arrested; whether there were any injuries; and if he will make a statement.

The commissioner tells me that a "Jobs for a change" festival, organised by the Greater London council, was held in Jubilee gardens on 10 June. Some 8,000 people took part in the event, which included music and theatre groups. Throughout the day there were minor scuffles between people in the crowds. At 4 pm fighting broke out between about 50 youths and other spectators. The youths were chased out of the gardens, and pursued by six people to Waterloo station. Police officers deployed there dispersed all involved. There were six arrests, for conduct conducive to a breach of the peace. The commissioner is unable to say whether or not any member of the public was injured in the incident at Waterloo; he understands that 26 people were treated for minor injuries sustained during the day's events.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested by the police on the picket lines in connection with the current mining dispute to the latest available date; how many of those arrested were employed by the National Coal Board; and, of those arrested who were not so employed, what are their occupations.

The most recent information available centrally about the occupations of people arrested in England and Wales in connection with the miners' dispute relates to the period 14 March to 12 June and is as follows:

Occupation of person arrested	Number of arrests
Miner	2,906
Retired miner	1
Member of Parliament	1
Transport worker	3
Student	35
Health worker	2
Manual worker	31
Non-manual worker	7
Housewife	5
Unemployed	21
Retired (non-miner)	1
Not known/not given	143
Total	3,156

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which sub-category of the stolen and suspect vehicle index of the police national computer the registration numbers of vehicles belonging to miners involved in the current dispute have been placed.

From inquiries made of chief officers of police in the areas concerned, I understand that the registration numbers of some vehicles used by pickets in the current dispute have been entered in the stolen and suspect vehicles index under the category of vehicles seen or checked in noteworthy circumstances. This category is regularly weeded of records entered 14 days or more previously, unless there has been a further recorded sighting of the vehicle.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were brought in 1981, 1982 and 1983 for excessive motor cycle noise.

The available information relates to proceedings at magistrates courts and is for 1981 and 1982 only. In 1981 about 2,800 of the prosecutions at magistrates courts for noise offences were associated with motor cycles, mopeds or scooters; in 1982 there were about 3,200 such prosecutions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under his proposals for hotel television licence fees, if there will be an upper limit applicable to any single hotel property.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his proposals for hotel television licence fees affect suites.

A suite of rooms would count as a single room.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when precisely he intends to introduce his new proposals for hotel television licensing.

We shall be laying regulations before the House shortly to provide for the new television licensing requirements for hotels, but we do not intend that they will come into force until 1 January 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his new proposals for hotel television licence fees will be applicable to sets in staff accommodation.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his new proposals for hotel television licence fees will apply to sets in store.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he proposes to make for seasonal hotels, open only part of the year, or for hotels which keep open only some of their letting rooms year-round, in so far as they will be affected by his proposals for hotel television licensing.

There are difficulties, but we are considering whether special provision needs to be made for seasonal hotels.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if hotel occupancy rates are a factor he will take into consideration in assessing hotel television licence fees; and if he will make a statement.

We took into account the fact that hotels are sometimes less than fully occupied in deciding what new licensing requirements for hotels the law should prescribe.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he proposes under his plan for hotel television licence fees to cope with the situation where an unexpired portion of the licence fee is still valid at the date when the new arrangements are due to, commence.

Hoteliers will not be required to take out special hotel licences or pay additional fees until their existing licences expire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans there are to replace or upgrade either the software or hardware of the Metropolitan police C department computer; and if he will make a statement.

We are making inquiries of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, and I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the current figures for those in Northern Ireland claiming (a) standard housing benefit, (b) housing

	(i) Private*sector tenants	(ii) Owner†occupiers	(iii) Public*sector tenants	Totals
(a) Standard housing benefit	4,962	22,930	42,309	70,201
(b) Housing benefit supplement	383	206	2,197	2,786
(c) Certificated housing benefit and,	13,471	25,517	73,884	112,872
(e) Supplementary benefit (householders only)
(d) Transitional addition payment	243	—	7,574	7,817
* At 29 March 1984.
† At 7 June 1984.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland how many prosecutions for illegal fishing have been made using evidence from, respectively, civil and military aircraft for the latest available year.

During the year from 1 June 1983 to 31 May 1984, prosecutions have used evidence in 14 cases from helicopters, in 19 cases from fixed-wing aircraft and in one case from a military aeroplane.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what instructions his Department has given to procurators fiscal in connection with prosecutions involving the use of forensic evidence.

There are many and varied instructions given to procurators fiscal about forensic evidence including such matters as the employment of expert witnesses and the type of examination required to be done in certain cases.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if any special instructions have been given to procurators fiscal in the islands areas of Scotland regarding prosecutions for offences related to tachograph regulations.

Procurators fiscal have been instructed to report for the instructions of Crown counsel all cases concerning tachograph offences where the locus of the alleged offence is not on the mainland of Scotland.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland whether he will be meeting the Scottish Law Commission to discuss its reports.

The figures are as follows:

No such meeting has been arranged, but my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate and I have meetings, formal and informal from time to time, with the commission.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will state the number of prosecutions for drug-related offences in Strathclyde in each of the five most recent years.

the numbers of prosecutions for drug-related offences in Strathclyde in each of the five most recent years are as follows:

	Number
1979	789
1980	840
1981	594
1982	877
1983	*1,024
* Provisional figure.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland how many people have been prosecuted in Scotland under legislation enforcing the wearing of seat belts.

Provisional figures indicate that the number of persons proceeded against in 1983 where the seat belt charge was the main offence was 275.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what progress he has made with the scheme to facilitate timeous pleas in cases on indictment in the High Court and sheriff courts of Scotland.

Having consulted and met interested parties, there appears to be little prospect at present of establishing mandatory pre-trial discussions to facilitate timeous pleas in the cases to which my hon. and learned Friend refers. The previous Lord Advocate actively encouraged discussion between the Crown and the defence, and the present Lord Advocate is equally in favour of such discussions with a view, inter alia, of encouraging timeous pleas.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now have discussions with ferry operators and with representatives of the appropriate trade unions to decide whether it is still necessary for deck officers to undertake at least 18 months' deep sea service in order to qualify for two masters or two senior officers positions on a ferry.

My Department is already in consultation with the shipping industry about amendments to the deck officer certification regulations. The intention is to amend the regulations so that certificates restricted as to use, for example, on ferries, can be issued to those officers who have been unable to acquire the currently necessary deep sea service.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many persons took their driving test in Leicester and Leicestershire, respectively, during the past five years, by year ended 31 March; how many failed their test; and how this compares with the rest of Great Britain.

The information requested is not readily available. The following information relates to the traffic area in which Leicestershire lies and Great Britain and is by calendar year:

	East Midlands*			Great Britain
Calendar year	Tests conducted	Number failed	Per cent.	Tests conducted (million)	Number failed	Per cent.
1979	135,436	75,476	55·73	1·57	827,521	52·72
1980	175,139	97,578	55·71	1·96	1,034,239	52·71
1981	179,276	96,680	53·93	2·03	1,064,480	52·40
1982	182,904	96,987	53·03	2·01	1,040,260	51·88
1983	168,869	86,262	51·08	1·89	971,307	51·33
* Now Eastern Traffic Area.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has received the results of the investigations into the problem of cracking in the Trent and B6540 bridges on the M1.

I have received an interim report from the consulting engineers, Mott, Hay and Anderson, and I have placed copies in the Library. The consultants confirm that alkali aggregate reaction is the principal cause of cracking of concrete in the bridges, but they consider that significant loss of overall strength is unlikely to occur in the short term. They recommend that the condition of certain elements of the deck be carefully monitored and that waterproofing and other measures be taken to slow the rate of deterioration. These recommendations are being implemented immediately.The consultants are continuing their investigations and are expected to submit their final report next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average weekly local authority rent in England in April 1979 as compared to the figure for April 1984.

The average weekly unrebated rent in April 1979 for all local authority—including new town—tenants in England was £6·40. On the basis of returns submitted so far by local authorities, the corresponding rent in April 1984 is provisionally estimated at £14·65.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average housing subsidy per dwelling per year allocated by central Government in 1979–80 and 1983–84.

On the basis of claim forms submitted to my Department, the average main housing subsidy per dwelling paid to local authorities in England was £258·38 in 1979–80 and is estimated at £86·37 in 1983–84. The subsidy system has changed during this period, so comparison between the two years are of limited value.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that every disabled person now employed by the Greater Manchester county council will retain employment on the abolition of that county authority.

The bodies that will take over the functions of the Greater Manchester county council will have to comply with the quota scheme for the employment of disabled people. In addition, the protection to be afforded by the staff commission, in providing all county council staff with a proper opportunity to obtain jobs with the successor bodies, will apply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ask water authorities to provide that standing charges should not constitute more than 50 per cent. of the total amount of any bill to any individual customer.

We have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made over the submission of structure plans, including modifications or reviews of approved plans, since 4 May 1983.

Of the 72 initial structure plans needed to cover England, only that for Avon has not yet been approved. The three plans approved since 4 May 1983 are:

Dorset (excluding the South East)	7 July 1983
Cumbria and Lake District	13 December 1983
Isles of Scilly	26 April 1984

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment following his announcement of 24 January, Official Report, column 475–77, whether he has yet consulted the Ordnance Survey Advisory Board about his proposal to revise the Ordnance Survey's financial targets from the financial year 1985–86 onwards; whether he proposes to consult any other body about the proposed revision of the targets; and when he expects to announce the revised targets.

I have had preliminary discussions with the Ordnance Survey about these targets and, in the next few months, will consult the Ordnance Survey Advisory Board and other Government Departments, when the Ordnance Survey accounts for 1983–84 are available. My right hon. Friend will announce updated guidelines shortly after consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to publish the detailed response to the recommendations of the Ordnance Survey Review Committee.

As stated by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in his reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Hickmet), on 24 January 1984, at column 475–77, my detailed response to the recommendations of the Ordnance Survey Review Committee will be published during 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional resources he intends to allocate to the Camden, Barnet and Haringey councils to enable them to pay for maintaining Hampstead heath if the Greater London council is abolished.

The Government's aim is to ensure that the abolition of the GLC does not result in any inequitable shift in the burden of rates within London. Local government is being consulted about the detailed financial arrangements, but it is too early to offer any figures on the financial implications of abolition on individual local authorities. We shall consider carefully any representations which individual authorities wish to make.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date the Building Research Establishment report on Reema hollow panel prefabrication reinforced concrete houses is to be published.

The Department published yesterday six reports by the Building Research Establishment on the following types of prefabricated reinforced concrete house: Ayrshire county council (Lindsay) and Whitston Fairhurst; Dorran, Myton, Newland and Tarran; Parkinson framed; Reema hollow panel; Stent; and Underdown and Winget. Copies of the reports are being sent to local authorities which have reported that there are privately-owned dwellings of these types in their areas, with a request that a copy of the appropriate report be passed to each owner concerned. Copies of the reports have been placed in the Library, together with copies of a revised information paper summarising the finding of all the BRE's investigations to date of prefabricated reinforced concrete houses designed before 1960.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make a statement on the progress of the Land Authority for Wales since 11 May 1983.

During 1983–84 the Land Authority acquired about 65 hectares (161 acres) of land and disposed of about 73 hectares (180 acres) for residential, industrial and commercial purposes. Its land bank consists of about 435 hectares (1,076 acres). About £4·73 million was spent on acquisition of land and provision of infrastructure, and income was about £6·28 million. In the past year the authority has published reviews of its housing land availability studies for the counties of South Glamorgan, Gwent and Clwyd.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will issue new guidlines on employment policies relating to women civil servants following the decision of the employment appeal tribunal in Home Office v. Holmes.

No. A programme of action for equal opportunities for women in the Civil Service—which has been agreed with the Civil Service unions—was announced in the House on 9 February 1984 at column 718. One of its main items encourages an expansion of opportunities for part-time work where that is feasible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the total amount of newspaper and television advertising spent by the Central Office of Information was placed with the provincial press in the last financial year for which figures are available.

The amount spent by the Central Office of Information on newspaper and television advertising, in the financial year 1983–84, was £22·4 million. Of this £11·4 million was spent on press advertising, of which 6·3 per cent. was spent in the provincial press.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration is being given by the Central Office of Information to increasing the share of Government advertising placed with the provincial press.

The limited funds available for Government advertising are spent in order to obtain the best possible value for money in terms of the cost of space in relation to the target audience.Local and provincial newspapers are used whenever a campaign requires a restricted geographical coverage. Such campaigns include support for the local activities of, for example, the blood transfusion service, tax offices, Department of Transport public inquiries, small firms centres, jobcentres, and so on.The cost of reaching any broad target audience through the provincial press will always be significantly greater than that of using national newspapers. Consequently, for national campaigns, it is COI's practice to use provincial newspapers only in those areas of the country where the respective national newspapers afford a less than adequate coverage of the requisite target audience. On cost-efficiency grounds, COI would be unable to justify increasing the use of the provincial press for Government advertising campaigns beyond the level dictated by local marketing requirements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees in his Department in each year since 1979, have been allowed paternity leave under the rules set out in paragraphs 685–688 of the Civil Service pay and conditions of service code; and what was the average umber of days allowed.

The code paragraphs quoted deal with the granting of special leave for domestic distress. There is no provision in the code for paternity leave as such.In certain circumstances, special leave for domestic distress may be granted to male staff under code paragraphs 686

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was (a) the authorised complement of staff and (b) the actual number in post in the Capital Taxes Office on 1 April 1982, 1983 and 1984, respectively.

The figures are as follows:

	Complement	Staff in post
Capital Taxes Office
England and Wales
1 April 1982	621	618½
1 April 1983	621	602
1 April 1984	671	659½
Northern Ireland
1 April 1982	40	38
1 April 1983	35	34
1 April 1984	34	34
Scotland
1 April 1982	106	110½
1 April 1983	103	105
1 April 1984	104	101

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of staff in post in the development land tax office on (a) 1 April 1983 and (b) 1 April 1984; and what further reductions are planned.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer to his previous question on this subject on 10 May 1983, at column 282. As stated in the answer given on that occasion, the number of staff in post on 1 April 1983 was 93. The number of staff in post on 1 April 1984 was 89. It has been necessary to defer the planned reduction to 84 at that date because of additional work burdens.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount of building society holdings in the current year for which figures are available, compared with the previous 12 months; how many registered building societies there are in the United Kingdom; and how often he meets representatives of the Building Societies Association.

For details of building society shares and deposits, I refer my hon. Friend to tables 7·4 and 7·5 of Financial Statistics.The number of registered building societies at 31 December 1983 was 206.My right hon. Friend the Chancellor and I meet representatives of the Building Societies Association periodically as and when matters of mutual interest and concern arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information from computer files outside the Inland Revenue will be used for setting up the PAYE computer system.

In reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Irving) on 24 March 1982, at columns 189–90, it was announced that the Inland Revenue would utilise basic information—name, address, date of birth, title—from the Department of Health and Social Security records in order to avoid the substantial and expensive task of keying in that information from its own paper records. That process is continuing. In the case of taxpayers dealt with by some Government Departments and other employers with established computerised payrolls, it may be possible for the Inland Revenue to obtain the information directly. The employer is likely to have the most up-to-date information, for example, on the employee's address. In these circumstances, where the employer is willing to supply computer tapes containing the employee's address, together with the other basic information referred to, the Inland Revenue proposes to use that source rather than the Department of Health and Social Security exchange.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the United Kingdom's current financial contribution to the independent European programme group, the projects being carried out in the United Kingdom and those programmes with British participation.

The independent European programme group (IEPG) has no operating budget or international secretariat and the United Kingdom therefore makes no direct financial contribution to support its work.No project is currently being carried out exclusively in the United Kingdom. A number of fields are being examined to assess the potential for both intra-European and transatlantic co-operation, all of which are at a fairly early stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees in his Department, in each year since 1979, have been allowed paternity leave under the rules set out in paragraphs 685–688 of the Civil Service pay and conditions of service code; and what was the average number of days allowed.

The necessary information is not held centrally, and to obtain it would involve disproportionate effort.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the number of man weeks involved in the private sector refits since 1979 of HMS Oracle, HMS Orpheus, HMS Torquay and HMS Fearless.

The direct labour man hours charged to each vessel by the refitting contractor were as follows:

	Man hours
HMS Oracle	876,803
HMS Orpheus	1,185,371
HMS Torquay	285,000
HMS Fearless	1,009,241

Because of the varying methods by which work is brought to account by different firms, it would not be possible without considerable effort, including detailed consultation with the respective contractors, to present the above information on a man week basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many families with children are claiming supplementary benefit in the city of Manchester; what the figures are for the past three years; and how these figures compare with those for the rest of England and Wales.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are claiming supplementary benefit at the latest available date compared to the figure for May 1979.

4·3 million at December 1983, compared with 2·8 million at May 1979.

Williams asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of the numbers of (a) claimants and (b) persons dependent on supplementary benefit.

(a) 4·3 million claimants; and (b) 7·2 million persons at December 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how he intends to preserve the independence and value to the nursing profession of the National Staff Committee for Nurses and Midwives.

The National Staff Committee for Nurses and Midwives is accountable to the newly formed National Health Service Training Authority which is accountable to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are at present being cared for in rest homes for the elderly, totally or partly maintained by financial support from his Department; and how many people were in this category, 12, 24 and 36 months ago, respectively.

Separate information is not held in respect of homes for the elderly. However, the number of supplementary pensioners—men of 65 and over, and women of 60 and over—in residential care and nursing homes in Great Britain in the four most recent years for which information is available was as follows:

	1979	1980	1981	1982
(i) in private and voluntary homes, in receipt of supplementary pension to meet or help meet the charge.	11,000	12,000	12,000	14,000
(ii) in local authority homes, or sponsored by local authorities in private or voluntary homes.	20,000	24,000	21,000	16,000

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the answer of 26 January, Official Report, column 700, he will list each of the combinations of grade and area of work for ambulance staff included in the total number of such combinations listed in that answer for such staff; and if he will make a statement.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the answer of 24 May, Official Report, column 504, he will list by name each of the grades of ambulance men, including trainees, ambulance officers and control assistants, listed in that answer; and if he will make a statement.

The grades are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the age of the property or the heating system is an overriding factor in considering applications for estate rate designation irrespective of the type of heating system installed or the tariff in force.

No. The type of heating system—including, where appropriate, the fuel tariff—is the primary factor, but others, including the age and size of the properties, the standard of insulation, the age and condition of the heating system, the degree to which the system is actually used by tenants on the estate and the availability of cheaper alternative forms of heating are taken into account.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the costs per student day calculated from the last year's audited accounts of the White Hart training centre in Harrogate; and if he will compare these with those of previous years.

The costs were as follows:

Financial year	Participant days	Gross cost of centre	Cost per participant day
		£	£
1980–81	9,592	371,234	38·70
1981–82	8,175	406,226	49·69
1982–83	10,087	434,396	43·06
1983–84	11,799	414,615	35·14

The training centre is now the responsibility of the new National Health Service Training Authority which, in recognition of the demands on the limited resources available to the service, is continuing to look for economies in the administration of all its training establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate how many (a) tenant households, and (b) owner-occupier households were eligible to receive housing benefit in 1983–84, and the average benefit per household; if he will provide a table showing the distribution of tenant households and benefit according to (i) weekly income in excess of the appropriate supplementary benefit scale rate, in £10 bands of income up to £150 above scale rate, and (ii) weekly rent payable, before rebate, in £5 bands up to £30; if he will provide two tables showing for (w) tenant households and (x) owner-occupier households, the distribution of households and benefit according to (y) weekly income in excess of supplementary benefit scale rate, as above and (z) rates payable per week, before rebate, in £2 bands up to £20.

Information on which to base such estimates will not be available until the end of the year when the results of the 1983–84 family expenditure survey have been analysed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many requests for a review of housing benefit determinations have been received by public authorities in Great Britain; how many review board hearings have taken place; what numbers of these hearings have resulted in the determination being altered; and how many cases heard by review boards have concerned (a) eligible rent or rates, (b) non-dependents' or sub-tenants' contributions, (c) over payments, (d) amenity charges and (e) other matters.

On the basis of statistical returns made to the Department covering the period 1 April 1983 to 31 March 1984, 8,430 requests have been received for officer level reviews of housing benefit determinations. Of these, 336 cases have been referred to review boards. A decision has been reached in 335 cases; 303 original determinations were revised and 32 were upheld. 281 of the revised decisions relate to a hearing involving student claimants in one authority. The cases referred to the review boards fell into the following categories; some cases have been counted under more than one heading.

	Cases
a. eligible rent/rates	308
b. non-dependants or sub-tenants	6
c. overpayments	4
d. other matters	27

Representations concerning amenity charges are not recorded separately.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many households in Great Britain are receiving housing benefit supplement; what is the average amount of housing benefit supplement being paid; and what percentage of those thought eligible to receive housing benefit supplement are in fact doing so.

It is estimated that in 1983–84 about 200,000 households were in receipt of housing benefit supplement and that the average amount involved was slightly under £3 a week. Information on take-up rates is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many households in Great Britain receiving tax relief on mortgage payments contain one or more non-dependants in respect of whom a deduction would fall to be made under the housing benefit regulations.

The estimated number of such households in Great Britain is 1,240,000 out of an estimated 6,260,000 households eligible for tax relief on mortgage payments.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many households receiving housing benefit in Great Britain contain one or more non-dependants in respect of whom a deduction is, or will be, applicable from November 1984.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what official financial support is available to families wishing to emigrate

The Department does not offer any help with the costs of emigration.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services at what income level rent rebate would no longer be payable to (a) a single pensioner, (b) a pensioner couple, (c) a family whose head of household is in employment, with one dependent child and (d) a family whose head of household is in employment with two dependent children who, in each case, is paying the average local authority rent in Great Britain.

The gross income levels at which rent rebates are no longer payable, based on the estimated average local authority rent at April 1984 of £13·97, are as follows:

	£
a. Single pensioner	75·29
b. Pensioner couple	95·74
c. One child family with one earner	124·34
d. Two child family with one earner	136·34

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what financial and other support is given by his Department to combat drug addiction in the Waltham Forest district health authority area.

I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Sir B. Braine) on 6 June, at column 200, about the early action he has asked health authorities to take to assess the prevalence of drug misuse and to improve local services for drug misusers within the local resources available.In addition, central funds have been allocated to projects in the neighbouring districts of City and Hackney health authority and Barking, Havering and Brentwood health authority, listed respectively in my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Crawley (Mr. Soames) on 9 February, at columns

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the future of Brompton hospital, Frimley, Surrey.

The board of governors of the national heart and chest hospitals is reviewing the future of this hospital in consultation with the West Surrey and North East Hants health authority. Any proposal for substantial variation in the services provided at this hospital would be subject to the formal consultation procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if any social security benefits have fallen in real terms since 1979; and if he will list each benefit.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 June 1984, c. 567]: The following were inadvertently omitted from the list: namely, the higher and the haemodialysis rates of supplementary benefit dietary additions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to improve the trunk roads in Tayside; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Major projects already under way include the Perth western bypass and Killiecrankie stage II on the A9, and Tealing to Tarbrax on the A929. Further substantial improvements which are planned in the short term include Dalreoch to Burnside on the A9; Kingsway stage III in Dundee; Kings way to Powrie; and the Forfar bypass.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total value of grants made towards projects in Scotland by the European regional development fund in the past four years.

Total commitments towards projects in Scotland between 1980 and 1983 amounted to £240 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the actual expenditure on the urban aid programme for 1983–84; what is proposed for 1984–85; and what steps he is taking to avoid under spending by local authorities in the current year.

The outturn for the urban programme in 1983–84 is likely to be under £29 million. The provision for 1984–85 is £26·5 million. these resources are largely committed already, although I expect to be able to approve applications to extend existing projects. My Department will maintain close contact with the local authorities concerned to monitor levels of expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future of the urban aid programme.

Resources for the urban programme are determined each year as part of the normal consideration of public expenditure. I am taking stock of the programme in the light of current demand and representations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the urban aid budgets for 1983–84 and for 1984–85; and if he will make a statement.

Provision for the urban programme in 1983–84 was £34·8 million although provisional outturn is likely to be below £29 million. Provision for 1984–85 is £26·5 million, reflecting previous underspending and the need to make most efficient use of available resources. Since the resources were set, demands on the programme have increased.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is yet in a position to make a statement on his discussions with Leyland Vehicles Ltd, Charles Nickerson of Track Marshall, Lothian regional council, West Lothian district council, the Scottish Confederation of British Industry, and the trades unions about the future of the machine tools complex in Bathgate.

My right hon. Friend is making arrangements to meet Lothian regional council and West Lothian district council as soon as possible; and officials of the Industry Department for Scotland have made contact with Mr. Nickerson and have had talks with Leyland Vehicles. Discussions with the trades unions were held before decisions were reached on the BL corporate plan proposals. It is too early, therefore, to make a statement about the future of the Bathgate plant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied that the perceived requirements of Scottish industry for graduates will be met by the numbers expected to graduate from Scottish institutions of higher education during the remainder of the decade.