asked the Secretary of State for Energy what were the percentage increases in the prices of electricity and gas, respectively, in each year since 1978.

The information requested is given in the following table.

asked the Prime Minister if she will set out in the Official Report (a) the price of gas, (b) the price of electricity and (c) average earnings in 1974; if she will also set out comparable figures for 1984; and if she will show the increase in (a), (b) and (c) in financial and percentage terms over the last 10 years.

The information requested is given in the following table.

asked the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government favour the establishment of a regime for the control of Antarctica or for the enlargement of the Antarctica treaty of 1959.

We believe that the maintenance and development of the Antarctic treaty system is the right way to manage Antarctic activities. The agreements which constitute this system are open to accession by any member of the United Nations.

asked the Prime Minister why she did riot include the petition which she received in her reply about representations on the future of Hampstead heath, Official Report, 11 June, column 329.

This was the result of a clerical oversight for which apologies are due to the hon. Member.

asked the Prime Minister how much was paid in each type of grant given by the Welsh Office and other Government Departments to (a) each of the eight county local authorities and (b) the borough and district local authorities of Wales in each year from 1978–79 to 1983–84; and what grants are expected to be paid in 1984–85, in each case giving the figures in cash and in constant prices.

The information requested will take some time to assemble. I will write to the hon. Gentleman when it is available and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what considerations are preventing a conclusion being reached on the report of the group which considered automatic inter-local education authority recoupment for further education; and if he will set a date by which conclusions shall have been reached;(2) when he expects the group considering the introduction of automatic inter-local education authority recoupment throughout the further education section to report to him, if he will then place a copy of the report in the Library; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he will list his powers to secure changes in the arrangements between local authorities for the recoupment of fees; and if he will make a statement.

Officials from the Department and the local authority associations produced a report last year about the relationship between block grant, recoupment and pooling. One possibility considered by the officials was the abolition of recoupment for NAFE students with adjustments to block grant being made instead. The Department is now considering the views expressed on the report by the AMA and the ACC. A copy of the report is being placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to provide incentives to all teachers who have obtained an O-level in additional mathematics, or to make the passing of this examination a requirement for teachers; and if he will make a statement.

All new entrants to intitial teacher training must have attained the standard required to achieve a grade C or above in the GCE O-level examination for mathematics or a grade 1 in the CSE examination. My right hon. Friend does not have plans to stipulate an O- level in additional mathematics as a requirements for entry to teaching or to provide incentives to teachers who possess such a qualification.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many biology graduates have taken up posts teaching physics in secondary schools in England in 1984.

In the 12 months ending 31 March 1983, the latest period for which figures are available, the number of biology graduates entering maintained secondary schools in England and Wales was 622. Information on the deployment of teachers is not regularly collected by the Department. The latest available is for 1977 when it it estimated that of 7,700 graduates in biology in maintained secondary schools in England and Wales some 700 taught physics, around 130 of whom taught this subject for more than one quarter of their time. Similar information for 1984 is expected to be available by the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total number of (a) headteachers, (b) assistant teachers and (c) educational administrators employed by local authorities in England.

The total full-time equivalent number of teachers employed by local education authorities in England for service in nursery, primary and secondary schools was 410,539 in January 1984. The latest information on the number of headteachers is for January, 1983, when there were 25,512 in nursery, primary and secondary schools. Information on the number of educational administrators is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many authorities in England recognise the problem of dyslexia and provide remedial facilities to help these handicapped children; and if he will list those which do.

The Education Act 1981 deliberately seeks to avoid categorising children and the information requested is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he plans to increase the grant of £1 million available to local education authorities towards the cost of providing in-service training with regard to children with special educational needs for teachers in ordinary schools, as recommended by the report "Teacher Training and Special Educational Needs" by the working group on special education of the advisory committee on the supply and education of teachers; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has already announced an increase in the grants available for 1984–85 under the in-service teacher training grants scheme in certain priority areas, including special educational needs in ordinary schools. If claims for grant are distributed between the priority areas as he intends, about £2 million will be available for this purpose in 1984–85.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he proposes to take on the recommendations made to him in the report "Teacher Training and Special Educational Needs", prepared by the working group on special education of the advisory committee on the supply and education of teachers; and if he will make a statement.

This report was submitted to my right hon. Friend on 5 June and he will need time to consider his response jointly with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied with the operation of the provisions of the Education Act 1980 which relate to parental choice.

Yes, in so far as my right hon. Friend's powers and responsibilities are involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to set up a scheme to finance prospective school leavers who choose to carry on with full-time education, at the same level as for those taking part in the youth training scheme.

No. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on 7 February at column 554.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now make a statement on his response to the projections given by the University Grants Committee in its letter of 1 November 1983 in the light of the Association of University Teachers' document, "The Real Demand for Student Places", and the Royal Statistical Society's report, "Projections of Student Numbers in Higher Education".

My right hon. Friend expects to publish the Department's revised projections of demand for higher education next month.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is available to him about the centres financed by the Medical Research Council which are carrying out experiments or observations on spare embryos fertilised in vitro; and if he will list them.

The Medical Research Council currently funds three research programmes using human ova fertilised in vitro. Approval for each programme has been obtained from the appropriate scientific and local ethical committees; and in each case the work conforms to the council's published guidelines on "Research related to human fertilisation and embryology". The MRC experimental embryology and teratology unit has a collaborative project on aspects of early human development with the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Cromwell hospital London where an in vitro fertilisation programme is under way. The MRC reproductive biology unit in Edinburgh is studying the chromosomes of cleavage stage embryos to determine the incidence, nature and origins of chromosomal abnormalities. In addition, research is supported through a grant in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the university of Cambridge on the establishment of criteria of normal development for the early human embryo and their application to detect causes of abnormality and reproductive failure.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to meet members of the Medical Research Council to discuss the proposed level of grant for the period 1984–85.

My right hon. Friend has no such plans at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has anything to add to his reply to the hon. Member for Buckingham on 20 June, Official Report, column 306, so far as it relates to grade-related criteria to be introduced into the new GCSE examination.

The purpose of grade-related criteria will be to define the levels of attainment in various aspects or areas of a subject which candidates will need to demonstrate in order to achieve particular grades. Our intention is that they should be embodied in the national criteria for the general certificate of secondary education and in GCSE syllabuses as soon as practicable.The Secondary Examinations Council is setting up working parties to prepare proposals for grade-related criteria and the associated assessment systems for a first batch of 10 subjects—English, mathematics, French, history, geography, physics, chemistry, biology, craft, design and technology (CDT), and Welsh. These subjects account between them for more than two thirds of total subject entries in the existing 16-plus examinations. The working parties are due to complete their work in the summer of next year. Local education authorities, examining groups and others concerned will be invited to comment. The Secondary Examinations Council will then prepare final versions for approval by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and myself. Further batches of subjects will be tackled in subsequent years.As stated in my letter of 20 June to the examining boards, published in the

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding the possible closure of (a) the biostatistics unit at Cambridge, (b) the pneumoconiosis unit attached to Llandough hospital, Cardiff and (c) the mineral metabolism unit at Leeds infirmary; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has not received any representations regarding the possible closure of these Medical Research Council units. I understand that the future of the units is being considered by the council but that no decisions have yet been taken.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts when he next proposes to meet the chairman of the Arts Council to discuss the council's proposals for funding the London orchestras.

My noble Friend meets the chairman regularly to discuss matters of mutual concern.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts what is the current level of Arts Council funding for the Theatre Royal, Stratford.

In 1983–84, the Arts Council funded the Theatre Royal to the extent of £172,000. The grant for 1984–85 is not yet finalised.

asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State answering in respect of the Arts if he will increase the level of funding for the Scottish Arts Council.

It is for the Arts Council of Great Britain, and not for my noble Friend, to determine the Scottish Arts Council's level of funding.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ensure that some of the aid given to Zimbabwe is used to discharge Zimbabwean obligations to British subjects.

Our aid programme is designed to assist the development of poorer countries. In the case of Zimbabwe, this should help to create the economic conditions in which the Zimbabwe authorities will be in a position to ease current restrictions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the powers under which officers of the Metropolitan police photograph persons at police stations; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to his questions on 21 November 1983 at columns 7–8.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to regulate the circumstances in which police officers may photograph or film events other than in police stations for operational or record purposes; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been arrested by police forces in England and Wales, released with a subsequent report back date and no entry made on the charge sheet in (a) 1982, (b) 1983 and (c) so far in the current year; and if he will make a statement.

The only information collected centrally about the use of police bail is contained in clause 8 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1982". No statistics are, however, kept centrally on the number of persons who are bailed by the police before charge and are subsequently not charged.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the national reporting centre has computer terminals attached to the police national computer; and what information from the police national computer is made available to the national reporting centre.

I understand that the national reporting centre has no police national computer terminals itself. It has used terminals elsewhere in New Scotland Yard to obtain access to the police national computer broadcast facility to receive and relay information about the provision of mutual aid from one force to another. No other police national computer facilities have been used.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the written instructions which lay down the requirement for passenger consent before personal letters are read by immigration officials, referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Leyton on 5 June, are confidential to the staff concerned; and whether there are any additional arrangements for passengers to be informed about their consent and complaint rights, other than by word of mouth from an immigration official.

The general instructions to immigration officers, which contain the instructions referred to, are confidential. Reliance is placed on immigration officers to obtain a passenger's consent orally and no written notice is provided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statistical information he requires from police authorities regarding their administration of the Firearms Act.

Police authorities are required to make an individual return to the Home Office of the results of each court proceeding, including offences under the Firearms Act. A list of such offences is given on page 237 of "Criminal Statistics, 1982" (Cmnd. 9048) and information is published on the results of such proceedings in "Criminal Statistics; Supplementary Volume 1". In addition, chief officers of police are required to submit annual returns showing the number of firearm and shotgun certificates on issue as at 31 December within their force areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many teaching posts in (a) primary, first and middle schools and (b) secondary schools are to be funded in the current year in England and Wales under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966.

I regret that the information is not readily available in the form requested. The total number of teaching posts in all schools which will be funded under section 11 in 1984–85 is about 6,800.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Association of Metropolitan Authorities concerning the cost of overtime in policing the miners' dispute; and if he will make a statement.

When my right hon. and learned Friend met representatives of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities on 18 June to discuss the policing of the miners' dispute, they expressed concern about the level of overtime being worked to maintain police cover in forces supplying officers on mutual aid for policing the dispute and suggested that the cost of this overtime should be borne by central Government. He reminded the representatives of the arrangements on this point set out in his statement of 11 May at columns 483–84 and undertook to consider their representations but made it clear that he could give no commitment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) why he has not replied to letters from the hon. Member for Normanton dated 26 March and 2 April concerning the involvement of the police in the miners' dispute;(2) why he has not acknowledged the copy letter recording complaints from Mr. Jones from Normanton, West Yorkshire, incorporated in the letter of the hon. Member for Normanton of 2 April; and if he will now act on this matter.

Because of the pressure of work resulting from matters related to the dispute. A reply will be sent to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the injuries sustained by the police on picket line duty since the commencement of the miners' strike.

The information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Between 14 March and 20 June, 424 police officers had been injured in policing events connected with the dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 11 May, Official Report, columns 483–4, if he will now take steps to collect and keep a record of the amount of police overtime payments being made in connection with the current dispute in the mining industry.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to accept the representations of the Hong Kong Government to allow into the United Kingdom the 25 orphaned Vietnamese boat people presently living in refugee camps in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend is considering proposals put to him by the British Refugee Council, to which he hopes to reply shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the current state of Her Majesty's Government's relations with Papua New Guinea.

Our relations with Papua New Guinea are good. I welcome evidence of the strengthening of commercial and other links between our countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will satisfy himself that the practice of Berufsverbot in West Germany complies with the provisions of the Helsinki agreement and the European Convention on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement.

Berufsverbot permits individual German laender to exclude from the public service individuals who actively support parties whose support for democratic institutions is in doubt. These restrictions are currently being challenged before the European Commission of Human Rights by a number of affected individuals. Further comment would therefore be inappropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Soviet Union about the continued abuse of psychiatry for political purposes in that country and specifically about the case of the psychiatrist Dr. Anatoly Koryagin who has been imprisoned since 1981 and subjected to maltreatment for his protests against such abuse.

We have raised the question of the abuse of psychiatry for political purposes and the particular case of Dr. Koryagin with Soviet representatives on a number of occasions, notably in the framework of the CSCE follow-up meeting in Madrid.We strongly deplore this abuse of basic human rights and will continue to ensure that the Soviet authorities are in no doubt about our views.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the normal waiting time for the issue of entry visas for Polish nationals; and what steps are being taken to reduce this.

There is at present a waiting time of up to 16 weeks for non-priority entry clearance interviews in Warsaw.We have recently been examining the position in conjunction with the Home Department and hope shortly to implement new procedures in Warsaw which will considerably reduce the waiting time for visas.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the duties of United Kingdom military attachés in countries with which the United Kingdom has friendly diplomatic relations and to which they are formally accredited; and whether he will make a statement.

The duties of the United Kingdom service attachés in question are essentially those concerned with all aspects of bilateral defence relations. These include general exchanges of information; arrangements for visits, deployments and exercises; defence procurement questions and military assistance of various kinds.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the recent allegation by the Government of Israel that a United Kingdom military attaché was engaged in unauthorised photography of a military base; and what response has been given to the Government of Israel.

Her Majesty's ambassador in Tel Aviv has delivered a formal protest to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the incident on 19 June involving the British defence attaché and the Israeli police. This made clear that, contrary to the allegations by the Israeli police, the car in which the defence attaché was travelling that morning had at no time left public roads and that he had not entered any militarily restricted area nor taken any photographs of military installations. The ambassador has registered our strong concern at the unjustified treatment of the defence attaché, especially in view of his diplomatic status and the fact that he had committed no offence.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the increase in the yield of tax if all income tax reliefs and allowances were restricted to the basic rate of tax; and if he will estimate how much this sum represents in terms of reduction in pence in the basic rate of income tax.

The yield of restricting to the basic rate of tax all personal allowances and the reliefs for mortgage interest, retirement annuity premiums and superannuation contributions is estimated to be about £850 million in a full year at 1984–85 levels of income. This is less than the £1,025 million required to finance a reduction of one penny in the basic rate. I regret that estimates for other reliefs are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost of extending capital gains tax rollover relief for business assets so as to include investment assets as well as trading assets.

I regret that the information on which to base an estimate is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the net cost in the current year and in 1984–85 if single person's allowance, married man's allowance, wife's earned income allowance, the additional personal allowance for single parents and age allowance were all replaced by tax credits of £11·50 for each person aged 16 years and over, with an extra £4 for each person aged 65 years and over, these amounts to be deducted from national insurance and other benefit entitlements including supplementary benefit and single parent benefit.

I regret that estimates could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table comparing income tax liability at weekly earnings or joint earnings of £150 and mortgage £15,000, £300 and mortgage £40,000, £450 and mortgage £60,000 and £750 and mortgage £60,000, for each of (a) two single people sharing accommodation, (b) two single people sharing accommodation each with one child, (c) a married couple and (d) a married couple with two children, assuming one and two earners in each case, and that where there are two earners each earns half the joint wage.

Information is in the following table, which assumes that mortgage interest is paid only by earners (at a rate of 10¼ per cent.) and that, in households where there are two single earners, the mortgage is equally split between them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total contribution to central Government funds of revenues from North sea oil and gas in the period up to May 1979 and subsequently.

The total tax take from oil and gas extraction in the United Kingdom and in the North sea—that is royalties, petroleum revenue tax (including advance payments), supplementary petroleum duty and ring fence corporation tax (before ACT set-off)—in the period up to May 1979 was £970 million. From May 1979 to the end of 1983–84, total tax take was £29·3 billion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received objecting to the introduction of value added tax on improvements to existing buildings.

I have received a substantial number of representations about the extension of VAT standard-rating to building alteration work. While many of these have disapproved of this change, others have welcomed the continued relief for certain alterations to listed buildings.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to impose value added tax at the standard rate on car driving test fees and MOT test fees.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the collection of value added tax on the motorcycle part one test fee is being fully enforced from 11 June; why it has not hitherto been collected in some cases; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he is making in achieving the Government's ultimate objective of price stability; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the figures given in respect of the European Community administration costs in the answer of 25 January 1982, Official Report, columns 227–28.

Total provision in the Budget of the European Communities in the last two years was:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of exempting travel expenses incurred by teachers outwith normal hours of duty from tax; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 June 1984, c. 150]: I regret that no central data on teachers' out of normal hours travel expenses exist on which to make an estimate of the cost of the hon. Member's proposal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to close overseas tax havens used by British-registered companies; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 June 1984, c. 224]: I refer the hon. Member to the proposals on controlled foreign companies in clauses 80–89 of the Finance Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates the Government originally made of the effect on the turnover of hot take-away food outlets, particularly fish and chips, of the imposition of 15 per cent. value added tax from 1 May 1984; what is his most recent estimate of the effect on turnover; and what estimates he has made of the consequential effect on the tax yield.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 June 1984, c. 291]: The estimates of the increased revenues as a result of withdrawing the zero rate of VAT from hot food and drink were published in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1984–85" on page 35 in footnote (aa) to table 4.2, "Direct effects of changes in taxation".Some reduction in the volume of demand for hot takeaway food and drink during the early months of the tax was expected but long-term trends cannot yet be identified with accuracy.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out the benefits that have accrued to Wales through the United Kingdom's membership of the European Economic Community.

Wales has benefited generally from being part of a common market of 270 million people and from foreign investment arising from the UK's membership of the Community. Wales has also received substantial levels of Community aid amounting so far to £1,258 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure on personal social services in Wales in the last available year; and how this compares with 1978–79 after pay and price factors am taken into account.

Local authorities have estimated that revenue spending on the personal social services in Wales in 1983–84 was £121·4 million. After making allowance for inflation this would represent growth of about 10·5 per cent. over the level in 1978–79.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will now investigate the possibility of providing radiotherapy facilities for cancer patients in north Wales.

I have already announced my intention to review the whole range of regional services provision in north Wales. This will include radiotherapy and oncology services. In the meantime, I have asked the Welsh Medical Committee to advise me on the whole range of services connected with malignant disease and a working party has already been set up for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many square feet of factory space have been let by Government agencies in Wales in the latest year for which figures are available; and how these figures compare with those for 1978.

In 1983 the Welsh Development Agency, Development Board for Rural Wales and Cwmbran development corporation formally allocated 2·1 million sq ft of factory space. Comparable figures for the 1978 calendar year are not available, but the equivalent figure for 1978–79 was 1·26 million sq ft.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any proposals for the improvement of main roads between Machynlleth and Shrewsbury; and if he will make a statement.

There are proposals for relief roads for Welshpool and for improvement of the A458 from Welshpool to the English border. In addition, a number of minor improvements are being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to improve the harbour at Aberystwyth during the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

A grant of £100,000 to the Ceredigion district council was approved in April for harbour improvements to the facilities available to the local fishing fleet. The Development Board for Rural Wales has applied for approval to give grant aid towards a project by the local authority for redevelopment of that part of the harbour known as the Gap; the proposal is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had, and with whom, concerning investment in the coal mining industry in Wales.

I and my Department have regular contact with the National Coal Board about a wide range of aspects of the coal industry, including the board's investment plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy with regard to grants under the Industrial Development Act 1982 to assist the expansion of privately owned tutorial colleges; what criteria are used in determining grants for such purposes; and how many such grants have been made.

Private sector educational establishments may qualify for grants under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 on the same basis as other projects coming within the scope of the office and service industries scheme. Applications are considered by reference to viability, additionality and the extent to which a market wider than a purely local one is served. Under arrangements announced in July 1974 details of selective financial assistance are published in British Business after the first payment is made. Pending such publication, information relating to individual applications is normally treated in confidence. In this instance, however, the principal of New College, Cardiff has agreed to my confirming that an offer of grant of £80,000 has been made subject to a number of conditions relating to the overall financing of the project. No other offers of assistance have been made for private sector educational institutions in Wales under this scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether any applications have been made to his Department by private educational institutions for assistance under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982.

The Welsh Office has received two such applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the criteria used by his Department in considering financial support under the Industrial Development Act 1982 for (a) manufacturing companies, (b) service industries and (c) educational establishments.

The main criteria used in considering applications for assistance are the same for both manufacturing and service industries. Projects must have good prospects of viability, must create new jobs or safeguard existing jobs and should strengthen the national and local economy. The greater part of project costs must be financed by the applicant or from private sector sources and the applicant must show that without assistance the project will not take place either at all or on the basis proposed. Assistance is not normally given for projects which have already begun.In addition to these general criteria, applications under the office and service industries scheme must demonstrate that the business to be established by a project will serve a market wider than a purely local one. Private sector educational establishments may qualify for assistance on the same basis as other projects coming within the office and service industries scheme. No separate criteria are applied to this type of project.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now consider changing the arrangements announced by the then Secretary of State for Industry on 31 July 1974 for disclosing details of financial assistance to individual companies under provisions currently enacted in the Industrial Development Act 1982.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce legislation to enable local education authorities to apply for assistance under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the answer of 13 June, Official Report, column 464, if he will name the area health authorities in Wales which provide a full domiciliary physiotherapy service and those which provide a limited service; and which is the authority which provides no such service at all.

The three health authorities providing a full service are Clwyd, Gwent and South Glamorgan; a limited service is provided by Pembrokeshire, East Dyfed, Powys, Gwynedd and Mid-Glamorgan; West Glamorgan does. not provide this service.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received about the implications for his regional policies of the proposed sale of Duolite International Limited of Talbot Green, Mid Glamorgan.

I have received one representation—from the South Wales region of the Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trades Union.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what action he proposes to take, in view of the proposed sale of Duolite International Limited, to prevent job losses.

It has been made very clear to both the Diamond Shamrock Corporation and Rohm and Hass that my Department stands ready to consider sympathetically any proposal to sustain and develop a viable plant at Pontyclun. I have discussed this matter fully with a senior representative of Diamond Shamrock. Although I was very sorry indeed to learn of the decision to close the Pontyclun unit, ultimately Government cannot impose their own judgment in commercial matters such as this.I understand that consideration is being given to whether the sale of the Duolite business to Rohm and Hass may constitute a merger qualifying for reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission under the merger provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what action he proposes to take on the recommendations made to him in the report, "Teacher Training and Special Educational Needs," prepared by the working group on special education of the Advisory Committee on the Supply and Education of Teachers; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is considering the recommendations in conjunction with his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will study the implications for regional policy in Wales of sales between multinational companies which attempt to circumscribe the future industrial use of the sites sold.

No. Terms of sales between companies, multinational or not, are essentially matters for the commercial judgment of the companies themselves. Where appropriate, the views of the Office of Fair Trading could be sought.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the reply of 4 May, Official Report, column 244, how many dogs are being used in hydatid research; and what is the cost involved in purchasing the animals.

No dogs are being used at present in the research projects associated with the pilot programme of work to assess the feasability of eradicating hydatid disease. About 2,300 local dogs are being dosed orally with anthelmintic as part of the pilot programme. None of these dogs has been purchased by the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the requirements of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 are applied in respect of the animals being used for research into hydatid disease; and whether dogs have been purpose-bred for this research.

The requirements of the Act do not apply to the hydatid research projects as they do not involve experiments on animals. No dogs are used at present in these projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he will provide some parking and picnic areas along the M4 motorway in Wales.

Picnic areas can sometimes be provided as part of service areas, as at Pont Abraham, but it is for the private sector to exercise its commercial judgment and come forward with proposals for development as it sees fit.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the local education authorities in Wales which employ at senior advisory level an officer with specialist knowledge of the needs of hearing-impaired children; and how many advisers are employed in this specialty in each of the local education authorities in Wales.

The information requested is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will undertake a tour of the South Wales valleys to examine at first hand, alongside local housing authority leaders, the problems of poor housing; and if he will make a statement.

I and my officials are in frequent contact with local authority leaders. As I have said on many occasions, I am fully aware of the problems of Welsh housing.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will institute a conference on the problems of housing in Wales with a view to establishing a plan for improving housing conditions in Wales which will be implemented by the Welsh housing authorities in conjunction with his Department; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 30 April, at column 5.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to the latest estimate of United Kingdom-owned and controlled funds blocked in Zimbabwe; how many individuals and bodies corporate are affected; and what information he has as to the amount of funds that have ceased to be blocked in each of the last three years and the number of individuals and bodies corporate who have benefited.

I regret the information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps Her Majesty's Government take to prevent equipment of technological value to the Soviet armed forces or industrial equipment of potential military or intelligence use being exported to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; whether he has any information about such items being exported to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and if he will make a statement.

Exports to the Soviet Union and its allies of strategic high technology equipment and know-how are controlled by the United Kingdom and its allies on an agreed basis worked out by an international coordinating committee known as COCOM. In the United Kingdom strategic export controls are given effect through the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1981 which is administered by the Export Licensing Branch of my Department. HM Customs and Excise are responsible for enforcement of the controls.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any applications have been made to his Department by private educational institutions for assistance under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982.

Since 1979 my Department has received four such applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will refer to the Monopolies Commission the proposed agreement to sell Duolite International Ltd between Diamond Shamrock Ltd and Rohm and Hass Company in view of the fact that the latter company will then produce 90 per cent. of ion exchange resins in the world.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evidence he has that international companies have sought to include clauses into contracts purporting to prohibit the production of certain industrial products in perpetuity on sites they sell where the product was previously manufactured; what evidence he has that this has occurred in industries which manufacture stratetgic products on only one site; and if he will assess the implications of such contractural clauses on the national interest as it affects strategic products, such as ion exchange resins.

I have seen no such evidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future manufacture of ion exchange resins in the United Kingdom.

I understand that the bulk of ion exchange resins used in the United Kingdom is already imported. I know of no plans for the introduction of new manufacturing capacity in the United Kingdom, which would be a matter of commercial judgment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will now consider changing the arrangements announced by the then Secretary of State for Industry on 31 July 1974 for disclosing details of financial assistance to individual companies under provisions currently enacted in the Industrial Development Act 1982.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what steps he intends to take to strengthen the enforcement of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 in regard to illegal moneylending;(2) what representations he has received about the problems of illegal moneylenders from the Association of Metropolitan Authorities and other organisations;(3) what steps he intends to take to help deal with the problem of illegal moneylenders.

I consider that the present protection against illegal moneylending is adequate. The Consumer Credit Act requires moneylenders to be licensed by the Office of Fair Trading. It is an offence punishable by fine or imprisonment to carry on a consumer credit business without a licence. Enforcement is a matter for the Office of Fair Trading and local trading standards departments. The resources available to local authorities to employ trading standards officers were increased following the enactment of the Consumer Credit Act and the resources available for consumer protection are reviewed annually. I have received no representations from either the Association of Metropolitan Authorities or other organisations about the problems of illegal moneylenders.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will seek to ensure that no jobs will be lost at INMOS in Newport and that the plant has a long-term prospect as a result of his decisions on INMOS' s future.

[pursuant to the reply, 22 June 1984, c. 282]: In considering proposals put forward by the British Technology Group for the transfer of INMOS to the private sector the Government will take into account the prospects for the continuing development of technology at Newport and expansion of activity in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the total cost of the Northern Ireland

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the term managerial interest means in the context of the retirement compensation scheme for the New University of Ulster.

Under the premature retirement compensation scheme for universities, it is for each institution to judge whether, in the light of its own circumstances, the premature retirement of any member of staff is in the managerial interest. For the New University of Ulster, the judgment should rest partly on factors specific to each case and partly on the planned academic and administrative functions of the proposed University of Ulster.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) in the proposed University of Ulster, which member of staff will carry out the duties presently carried out by the rector of the Ulster Polytechnic; and in

Information in the form requested is not readily available, particularly for years prior to the introduction of the current arrangements for the financing of Northern Ireland Housing Executive in 1977–78. The available information is set out in the following table:what ways the duties, powers, privileges and responsibilities of that member of staff differ from those exercised and enjoyed by the registrar of the New University of Ulster;(2) in the proposed University of Ulster, which member of the staff shall carry out the duties carried out by the registrar in the New University of Ulster; and in what ways the duties, powers, privileges and responsibilities of that member of staff will differ from those exercised and enjoyed by the registrar of the New University of Ulster.

The deployment of individual members of staff and decisions as to the duties, powers, privileges and responsibilities to be attached to specific posts are, under the draft charter of the proposed University of Ulster, matters for the council of the university.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the total number of administrative staff, namely, staff employed in administrative duties on administrative (academic-related) grades 1B, 1A, 2, 3 and 4, employed by the New University of Ulster; of that total how many have been or are being granted premature retirement, in the managerial interest, under the premature retirement compensation scheme in the period leading up to the merger with the Ulster Polytechnic; and what are the total sums paid and projected to be paid by his Department in (a) lump sums and (b) increased pension costs to meet the consequential cost;(2) what is now the total number of staff employed full time by the New University of Ulster; of that total, how many are being granted premature retirement in the managerial interest, under the premature retirement compensation scheme, in the period leading up to the merger with the Ulster Polytechnic; and what are the total sums paid and projected to be paid by his Department in

The New University of Ulster employs 722 full-time staff of whom 35 are in the specified administrative grades. Twenty eight members of staff, of whom 11 are in the specified administrative grades, are seeking premature retirement in the period 1 June to 30 September 1984.The total cost to the Department of Education for Northern Ireland is expected to be about £860,000 of which about £225,000 relates to the administrative group; information is not available to disaggregate the lump sum and pension cost elements in this total.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will publish in the Official Report in relation to the following posts at the Ulster Polytechnic during the academic year 1981–82, (a) pro-rectors and (b) deans of faculties, the actual or estimated total number of hours devoted during the year by each to face-to-face contact with students, namely, in lectures, seminars and tutorials, work directly connected with the teaching of students, namely, in preparing syllabuses, setting examination papers and marking scripts, research and also the total number of hours devoted by each during the year to work connected with the management of the polytechnic, namely, in sitting on committees, dealing with management matters and on controlling nonacademic staff and engaging, within the terms of their employment, in social and recreational activities;(2) if he will publish in the

Information is not available in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was his original estimate of the costs involved in merging the New University of Ulster and the Ulster Polytechnic; and what is his latest estimate, both estimates in real and cash terms.

The original estimate in 1982 was £650,000 and this has now been revised to £900,000; the increase is due mainly to the rise in employers contributions to the universities superannuation scheme. Both estimates are in cash terms; no other estimates are readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Norther Ireland why a privately owned company can have facilities granted by the Eastern Health and Social Services Board to promote insurance and building society activities, and can have deductions made from salaries and wages of employees at the board's expense; and why the same facilities were not offered on a competitive basis to other such companies.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage rise in (a) male and (b) female unemployment since May 1979.

Between May 1979 and May 1984 the numbers of unemployed male and female claimants in the United Kingdom increased by 141 per cent. and 185 per cent. respectively. The figure for males is affected by the 1983 Budget provisions which meant that some men aged 60 and over no longer had to sign on to receive supplementary benefit or national insurance credits. It is estimated that about 162,000 men—that is, 18 per cent. of the May 1979 level were relieved of the need to sign on.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the level of long-term unemployment in the Liverpool travel-to-work area at the latest date; and what were the figures for June 1979;(2) what is the level of long-term unemployment in the Merseyside special development area at the latest date; and what were the figures for June 1979.

The following table gives, for the areas specified, the numbers registered as unemployed for more than 52 weeks in July 1979 (not available for June) and the corresponding numbers for unemployed claimants in April 1984, the latest date for which the information is available. It also gives the figures on both bases for October 1982.The comparisons 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 to receive supplementary benefit or national insurance credits.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures for Liverpool.

We are very concerned about the high level of unemployment in Liverpool. The area benefits from the very highest levels of Government assistance. Among other things, Merseyside as a whole has special development area status and a development corporation; Liverpool itself is an inner city partnership and has an enterprise zone; and it has been chosen as one of the experimental freeport locations. The role of the Merseyside task force in strengthening the area's economy and improving its environment has been enhanced.There are signs that the Government's policies are succeeding in establishing the economic conditions which will help industries in Liverpool and elsewhere become more competitive and start to expand. In the meantime, we are continuing to protect those hardest hit through our special employment and training measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the United Kingdom have never had a job by sex, age group, and jobcentre.