asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the recent visit by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the Mining Research and Development Establishment at Bretby.

Research and development is an essential part of a healthy technologically based industry and I therefore welcomed the opportunity to visit the Mining Research and Development Establishment to see at first hand the work which it is doing to improve the working conditions of miners and to ensure that the country obtains maximum benefit from its massive investment in advanced mining equipment. I was greatly impressed by the quality of the work that I saw and feel that there are important opportunities for applying the results of the work widely in the industry in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many pits were (a) working normally, (b) producing some coal, (c) had men reporting for work and (d) had no men reporting for work (i) at the end of March, (ii) at 31 October and (iii) at the latest available date.

I understand from the National Coal Board that the information requested is as follows:

	Working normally	Producing some coal	Some men working	No men working
30 March	38	4	4	130
31 October	45	10	25	94
29 November	46	18	83	27

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the monthly average output of coal during the present dispute; and what was the average output for 1983.

The average monthly coal production from all United Kingdom sources during 1983 was 9.9 million tonnes. The monthly average in the months April to September 1984 was 3 million tonnes.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what response has been made by the South Wales electricity board to the report on the board by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission which was published earlier in the current year; and if he will make a statement.

I have received the initial response of the South Wales electricity board to the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission published on 29 February. It gives the board's comments on the commission's findings and describes the actions it is taking to meet the recommendations. Copies of the board's response have been placed in the Library of the House.I welcome the commission's findings that the board is not pursuing any course of conduct against the public interest, that the board's financial, accounting and budgeting activities are efficiently managed and that the board has taken a vigorous approach to streamlining its management structure in recent years. While the commission questioned SWALEB's record in containing its added costs over the past decade as a whole, it recognised that in recent years the board had made considerable progress in this area and that its added costs declined in 1982–83. This improvement continued in 1983–84 in the results declared after the publication of the commission's report.The commission noted a number of areas where improvements in the board's performance might be achieved, and the board has responded positively to the suggestions. I particularly welcome the assurance that board members will play an increasingly active role in defining corporate strategy through the formulation of quantified short and medium-term objectives. This is an issue which is relevant throughout the industry and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State will shortly be offering advice and guidance on their role to part-time area board members.I am also pleased that in response to other recommendations the board has established an audit committee chaired by one of its part-time members and has responded constructively to the commission's proposal that sufficient investment work should be put out to tender to enable effective comparisons to be made between in-house and private contractors' work. Action on these lines should make an important contribution to maintaining and improving efficiency and competitiveness.In conclusions 39 and 40 the commission called for separate accounts and the establishment of financial targets for appliance retailing and contracting in order to demonstrate that the board continues to compete fairly with the private sector in these activities and that there is no cross-subsidy from the main electricity account. In agreement with the Electricity Council I announced in July measures applying to all boards which fully meet the commission's concerns and should help boards to demonstrate that they are trading fairly and profitably in these activities. In respect of the commission's conclusions on SWALEB's appliance repair business, I am glad to note that the board has taken firm action aimed at eliminating losses by 1984–85 and that financial information will continue to be provided on the progress of this activity.The board indicated in its response that it is actively considering and implementing many other detailed recommendations made by the commission. I expect to make a further statement in due course when I have received the board's final response and report on actions taken. The commission's report also raises a number of issues which have a bearing on the efficiency of the electricity supply industry as a whole. The Electricity Council will be pursuing these points with the aim of ensuring that decisions by the area boards take full account of relevant industry-wide considerations.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the centres in Welsh hospitals where hyperbaric oxygen for the effective treatment of carbon monoxide intoxication is available.

Singleton hospital, Swansea, is the only hospital in Wales to have a hyperbaric oxygen chamber.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many internal drainage districts there are in Wales; and how many of these are administered by internal drainage boards, and how many are managed by the Welsh water authority, for each year for which data are available since 1974.

The information requested is as follows:

Number of internal drainage districts in Wales
	1978	1979–84
Number in Wales	15	14
Administered by boards	4	3
Administered by the Welsh WaterAuthority	11	11

Two of the districts administered by internal drainage boards straddle the border with England.Prior to 1978 the Minister of Agriculture was responsible for land drainage matters in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many monitoring visits have been paid to employers running the youth training scheme since the inception of the scheme in Tameside and Stockport.

The precise information is not available. All 1983–84 schemes in the local authority districts of Tameside and Stockport have been visited and assessed. The programme of visits to 1984–85 schemes is currently under way.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many parents of young people killed on the youth training scheme since April 1983 have received a payment from the Manpower Services Commission in lieu of industrial death benefit; and what the payment was in each case.

Since April 1983 the parents of four young people killed either on the youth opportunities programme or the youth training scheme have been paid the equivalent of industrial death benefit. In each case a payment of £78 was made.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how the sum of £78 paid by the Manpower Services Commission to the parents of George McCormack, killed on a youth training scheme in West Lothian on 27 July, was calculated; whether he has any intention of increasing the amount awarded; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are on the community programme schemes in the Stockport and Tameside districts, respectively; and within these numbers how many are being supervised by local authorities and how many by others.

The information is not available in the form requested. On 31 October 1,848 people were employed on community programme projects funded from the Manchester east area office of the Manpower Services Commission, which includes the Stockport and Tameside districts. Of these, 1,450 were working on projects administered by local authorities and the remaining 398 on projects administered by voluntary organisations and other sponsors.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the effect that recent changes in the community programme regulations are having on Merseyside Improvements Limited: if he intends to discuss the matter with the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission and representatives of the company; and if he will make a statement.

We have not received any representation about the effect on Merseyside Improvements Ltd. of the recent changes to the community programme rules, which my right hon. Friend announced on 30 July at columns 121–122. However, representations have been made both to the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission and to this Department about the basis on which Merseyside Improvements Ltd may continue to receive community programme funding. These representations are currently being considered and we have at present no plans to initiate discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will specify the numbers of male and female unemployed persons, expressed in total and separately, registered for each of the unemployment benefit offices in the Greater London area, at (a) May 1979, (b) the most recent convenient date; and if he will express the change in the totals between (a) and (b) as a percentage increase or decrease.

The information for jobcentre areas for the dates requested is available in the House of Commons Library. However, the current figures are not directly comparable with those for 1979, mainly because of the change in the basis of the unemployment count in October 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many males aged 45 years and over were unemployed for 12 months and more in May 1979, how many are currently unemployed; if he will give the figures for the west midlands; and what is the percentage of the work force in each case.

The information is available in the House of Commons Library. The current figures are not directly comparable with those for 1979, mainly because of the change in the basis of the unemployment count in October 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if it is the intention as from 1 March 1985 to harmonise the minimum redundancy payments in Great Britain with the European Economic Community minimum payments.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the current Metropolitan police review of its operational requirement for a computerised crime reporting system has considered the matter of private computers being used or replaced; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that he proposes to review the use within the force of privately owned computers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies he has made of the effect on costs, detection rates and police manpower of the use of computers by police forces; and if he will, in particular, identify the advantages and disadvantages, respectively, in particular categories of work.

The Department has studied various aspects of police computer systems, in collaboraton with the forces concerned. The costs and benefits of such systems vary according to the forces' requirements. The potential advantages include easy access to data; the ability of search databases rapidly; greater ease of transfer of data within a force; a reduction in manual records; automatic production of documents, and improved management information. An analysis of the effects of introducing a computerised criminal information system, including consideration of the effect on the detection rate, may be found in the summary report of the evaluation of the Thames Valley computer system, issued under cover of Home Office circular No. 10/1984, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. the effects on police manpower of introducing a computer are frequently difficult to identify because of accompanying organisational changes, but in principle the use of computers offers the opportunity to deploy manpower more effectively, and to save manpower engaged on the compilation and maintenance of paper records.These potential benefits have to be set against the considerable costs of computer systems and the Department will shortly be issuing further guidance to chief officers of police and police authorities on the considerations to be taken into account in order to ensure that value for money is obtained.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Office what contribution his Department intends to make towards International Youth Year.

The Department will continue to make grants to organisations which encourage young people to involve themselves in constructive voluntary activities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will give any instructions that his Department has issued to the national television licence records office concerning the handling of concessionary television licence applications;(2) what are the criteria under the national television licensing records office's concessionary television licence scheme for pensioners to qualify for concessionary licences.

The national TV licence records office issues the special accommodation for residential care television licence in respect of residential care accommodation for retirement pensioners, physically disabled people and mentally disordered people in accordance with the conditions of eligibility laid down in the Wireless Telegraphy (Broadcast Licence Charges and Exemption) Regulations 1984. The Home Office does not issue formal general instructions, except that in all cases where entitlement is in doubt the records office must seek advice from the Home Office, on whose behalf these and other television licences are issued.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the extension to the concessionary television licence scheme entitlement over the last 15 years.

A concessionary television licence for old people's homes and certain sheltered housing schemes for pensioners has existed since 1969. Under the original rules of eligibility sheltered housing schemes could qualify only if they comprised groups of dwellings provided specially for retired persons of pensionable age under specified housing legislation and some communal accommodation or facility was also provided within the curtilage of the group of dwellings. The rules were modified in April 1978 so that the communal accommodation or facilities no longer had to be within the curtilage of the dwellings. With effect from 1 September 1984 the conditions of eligibility were extended further to rationalise the way the rules applied to old people's sheltered housing provided by housing associations, and to enable physically disabled and mentally disordered persons in residential homes and sheltered housing schemes to qualify for the concession on the same terms as retirement pensioners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in the United Kingdom are now entitled under the concessionary television licence scheme to claim a concessionary licence; and how many people currently receive licences under the scheme.

We have no accurate figures for the number of people in the kinds of residential homes and sheltered housing schemes which qualify for the accommodation for residential care licence, but we believe that some 568,000 people benefit from the concession.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the national television licence records office takes to supervise the operation of the concessionary television licence scheme by local authorities; and if he is satisfied that all pensioners are fully aware of any entitlement they might have to a concessionary television licence.

Local authorities and other applicants for the accommodation for residential care licence must provide full details of the accommodation in respect of which they claim the concessionary licence and confirm when the licence is renewed annually that the circumstances are unchanged. The national TV licence records office recently issued a leaflet to all local authorities explaining the conditions of eligibility, and we have no reason to believe that retired or disabled people in qualifying accommodation are not aware of their entitlement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the reasons for the proposal by Sheffield city council for a warden service for pensioners in suitably converted houses not entitling the pensioners covered by the scheme for the 5p concessionary licence; and what is the precise definition of a warden used by his Department.

The conditions of eligibility for the accommodation for residential care licence require that accommodation provided specially for retired or disabled people must have some communal accommodation or facility provided in association with it. A warden service can generally be accepted as a communal facility for qualifying purposes, but each application for the concessionary licence must be dealt with on its merits, taking into account all relevant factors. There is therefore no precise definition of what constitutes a warden service for the purposes of the regulations governing entitlement to the concessionary licence, but to be acceptable a warden would be expected to make regular visits to the people under his or her care and to provide appropriate services in response to their needs. The proposals put forward by Sheffield city council did not fulfil these criteria.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many staff are employed at the national television records office to deal with applications for, and inquiries about, the concessionary television licence scheme; and how many applications they dealt with in each of the years from 1979 to 1983;(2) how many applications for concessionary television licences by pensioners were rejected in each of the years from 1979 to 1983.

One person is concerned exclusively with accommodation for residential care licences and a further eight deal with the concessionary licence and other television licensing matters. The number of applications dealt with from 1979 to 1983 and the number of applications rejected were as follows:

	Dealt with	Rejected
1979	1,510	29
1980	1,277	20

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent consideration the Department has given to the abolition of the television licence charge for all pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 13 November at column 204.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many probation areas facilities are now available to enable a court to sentence a young person of 16 years to community service; and when it is expected that such facilities will be available in all areas.

Community service orders may be made in respect of 16-year-old offenders in 47 probation areas. Facilities in the remaining nine areas are expected to become available by 1 April 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the appropriate chief constable as to how many people have been interviewed in connection with the vandalism of National Coal Board property at Cadeby;(2) if he will call for a report from the appropriate chief constable as to how many people have been charged in connection with the vandalism of National Coal Board property at Cadeby.

The chief constable of South Yorkshire tells me that 21 people have been interviewed and eight adults have been charged with offences of burgulary or criminal damage. Additionally, one juvenile has been reported for process by way of summons for burglary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been committed for trial to the Crown court for offences arising out of the mining dispute: and how many have so far been dealt with.

According to information supplied to my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor, the Crown court has been notified of the committal of 165 defendants in cases identified as directly arising out of the mining dispute and has dealt with 31 of them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people, to the latest availalble date, have been arrested and charged with offences arising out of the mining dispute; and how many cases have now been dealt with by the courts.

Between 13 March and 27 November inclusive, 8,394 arrests were made in connection with the miners' dispute. For the number of charges and cases dealt with by the courts between 13 March and 20 November inclusive, the latest period for which figures are available centrally, I refer my right hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Latham) on 22 November at column 242.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the electoral registration officer for the city of Leicester as to the turnout for each ward and polling district box for the local elections in May 1983 and 1984 and the general election in June 1983; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that some of this information has already been given to my hon. Friend by the acting returning officer, who would be happy to give further information if requested. If my hon. Friend has some particular electoral problem in mind, I should be pleased to hear from him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the crime rates and clear-up rates in the Metropolitan police area in each quarter since March 1979; what is the crime rate and clear-up rate in total and for each standard category of crime in each Metropolitan police district in each quarter in 1983 and to date; and if he will give the establishment and numbers of police actually on duty in each Metropolitan police district in each quarter in 1983 and to date.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Oxfordshire about the arrangements which have been made to provide accommodation for (a) police and (b) police horses in or near Didcot power station.

The chief constable of Thames valley tells me that no such arrangements have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Mr. Mohammed Siddique was interviewed by the governor of Her Majesty's prison, Winson Green, the deputy governor of the prison or anyone else on the staff at the prison before 4 November in connection with his wish to grow a beard and told that he must shave.

Permission has been given to Mr. Siddique to grow a beard, and I shall write to the hon. Member about how his application was dealt with.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Mr. Mohammed Siddique applied to the governor of Her Majesty's prison, Winson Green, for permission to grow a beard.

On the afternoon of Friday 9 November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Hampshire police as to why Mrs. Tessa Babcock and her 13-year-old daughter Zoe were handed over by police guarding Longmoor base to soldiers.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any of the people detained at Longmoor camp firing range were subsequently charged.

The chief constable of Hampshire tells me that nobody who was detained at Longmoor camp firing range has yet been charged, although the police are considering the possibility of bringing prosecutions, by way of summons, in some cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any intention of increasing the fixed penalty parking fine of £10 for large vehicles.

We have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to extend to prisons, prison hospitals and remand centres the powers of entry of environmental health officers and their subsequent powers of enforcement in relation to breaches of food hygiene regulations.

No. The primary responsibility for supervising hygiene standards in prison department establishments rests with the medical officers based at each establishment who may call on the advice of environmental health officers as required. We see no need to alter these arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further progress has been made in the discussions by his Department and the Government of Gibraltar on the repatriation of persons from United Kingdom prisons to the Gibraltar prison in order to complete their sentences.

The Government of Gibraltar have indicated that they wish to enter into prisoner transfer arrangements with the United Kingdom. The terms of the Order in Council necessary for this purpose have yet to be settled.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will list those countries which are members of the League of Arab States, of which any passport holders may enter the United Kingdom without also obtaining a visa;(2) whether he will outline his powers available to prevent a visit to the United Kingdom by any person purporting to hold a passport issued by a member country of the League of Arab States which would not also require an accompanying visa and whose presence is riot considered by him to be conducive to the public good.

The countries whose nationals require visas for the United Kingdom are shown in the appendix to the Statement of Changes in the Immigration Rules (HC 169). Any person, whether a visa national or not, who is subject to control under the Immigration Act 1971 requires the leave of an immigration officer to enter the United Kingdom. Any passenger subject to control except the wife and child under 18 of a person settled in the United Kingdom may be refused leave to enter on the ground that his exclusion is conducive to the public good.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received, either directly or through third parties, any request by or on behalf of Yasser Arafat for a visa to enter the United Kingdom during the month of December; and whether he will ensure that any such request is refused, in the interests of security and public order.

An inquiry has been made about the possibility of Mr. Arafat's coming to the United Kingdom in connection with the publication of a biography of him. But no application has been made for a visa and no decision on Mr. Arafat's admission has therefore been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the Scottish Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux concerning Government grants towards citizens' advice bureaux; and how existing Government funding in Scotland compares with that in England and Wales.

I have received written representations from the Scottish Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and I met its chairman and other representatives on 17 July last to discuss the level of its grant-aid.In 1984–85, the limit of grant-in-aid to the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales is £6·4 million. For Scotland the figure is £700,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to introduce new legislation to prevent estate agents giving misleading descriptions of properties for sale.

I see no need at present for new legislation of this kind. However, I am keeping the position under review in conjunction with the Director General of Fair Trading.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to appoint the English advisory committee on telecommunications; and if he will make a statement.

We expect to make appointments to this body shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the United Kingdom market for manufactures was taken by the six original European Economic Community members in 1972 and 1983, respectively.

In 1983 the six original members of the European Community supplied approximately 15 per cent. of the United Kingdom market for the products of manufacturing industry. The corresponding figure for 1975—the earliest year for which directly comparable information is available—was 8·5 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what rates of commission have been agreed by his Department for the British Telecom share issue with the City institutions involved; and if he will detail any rates which are higher than those agreed for previous Government issues, and give reasons for the difference.

The rates of commissions payable to City institutions are set out in part IV, section 13, of the prospectus. They are as follows:

• to the United Kingdom underwriters, 0·375 per cent. on the United Kingdom portion of the offer;
• to the Bank of England, 1·25 per cent. on the overseas portion;
• to priority applicants, 1·5 per cent. on their placing shares and 1·25 per cent. on their commitment shares;
• to certain stockbrokers, 0·125 per cent. on applications from priority applicants introduced by them;
• to Swiss Bank Corporation International Limited, 1·25 per cent. on the shares comprised in the application together with a selling concession of 1·25 per cent. on the shares in respect of which its application is accepted.

Commissions paid in past privatisations have varied according to the circumstances. Underwriting and broking commissions taken together have been up to 0·5 per cent. Because the structure of the British Telecom offer is quite different from that of any previous privatisation, it is not possible to make direct comparisons with the rates of commission paid in previous cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what will be the total cost to the Government of the British Telecom share issue; how much of it will be payments to City institutions; and how much of that will be to stockbrokers.

I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Dagenham (Mr. Gould) on 27 November.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on state aids to industry within the European Economic Community.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out in the Official Report the level of exports to the United States of America from (a) the United Kingdom and (b) each of the countries of the European Economic Community in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

The figures, in both national currencies and United States dollars, are in the table. They show substantial increases in exports to the United States both by the United Kingdom and comparable countries in the Community.

European Community Countries' Exports to United States
National Currencies (millions)
	United Kingdom (Pound)	Belgium-Luxembourg (Franc)	Denmark (Krone)	France (Franc)	Federal Republic of Germany (Deutschemark)	Greece (Drachma)	Ireland (Irish Pound)	Italy (Lira)	Netherlands (Guilder)
1979	4,003	61,660	3,744	20,378	20,735	8,028	171	3,874,466	3,586
1980	4,554	63,164	4,307	20,797	21,438	12,505	217	3,543,648	3,689
1981	6,249	87,059	6,113	30,373	25,951	20,734	304	5,843,907	5,506
1982	7,475	105,375	7,665	34,332	28,148	25,424	406	6,998,428	5,741
1983	8,486	136,369	10,853	43,835	32,604	24,639	561	8,526,216	7,885
1984†	4,654	*	6,950	30,500	20,887	25,573	405	5,841,116	5,212
United States Dollars (millions)
1979	8,626	2,103	712	4,790	11,330	216	350	4,663	1,784
1980	10,900	2,160	764	4,921	11,779	293	446	4,138	1,854
1981	12,731	2,345	858	5,588	11,483	374	492	5,141	2,202
1982	13,099	2,306	920	5,224	11,584	381	578	5,174	2,150
1983	12,702	2,667	1,187	5,752	12,786	280	700	5,614	2,767
1984†	6,628	*	704	3,664	7,727	244	460	3,502	1,711
* Not available.
† January to June.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the cost of the export intelligence service (a) to public funds and (b) to subscribers in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

The computerised export intelligence service (EIS) is the principal means by which the British Overseas Trade Board conveys to exporters information about export opportunities overseas. An independent consultants' survey estimated that about £1,000 million of United Kingdom firms' annual export sales followed directly from information provided to EIS subscribers.Firms subscribing to the EIS selective notice service pay 35p for each notice sent to them. The

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further plans he has for privatising publicly-owned enterprises; and if he will publish a list of any such proposals and of the proposed dates of implementation.

My right hon. Friend plans to return to the private sector as many as possible of the publicly-owned enterprises for which he is responsible.The privatisation of British Telecom will be completed very shortly. British Shipbuilders has embarked on the sale of all its warship building interests, aiming to make substsantial progress by 31 March 1985 and for completion by 31 March 1986. One part of BL Jaguar, has already been successfully returned to the private sector; our objective is that all parts of BL should he so returned. Further privatisation within BL will be one of the subjects covered in the 1985 corporate plan which we expect to receive shortly.The British Steel Corporation has a continuing programme of disposal of its non-mainstream business and the creation of joint venture companies with the private sector. Our aim is to restore BSC's bulk steel business to profitability with a view to its return to the private sector in due course.The British Technology Group will continue to dispose of its equity investments as soon as commercially practicable.We aim to return Rolls-Royce to profitability with a view to its privatisation within the lifetime of this Parliament. We have no immediate plans for the privatisation of the Post Office's activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will conduct a review of British restrictive practices law; arid if he will make a statement.

The restrictive trade practices legislation was extensively reviewed in the Green Paper "A Review of Restrictive Trade Practices Policy" (Cmnd. 7512) which concluded that the legislation had been generally effective. I continue to keep the legislation under review, and I am willing to consider proposals to amend it.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from private companies asking for further legal remedies to be made available to them to safeguard themselves from predatory pricing and collusive behaviour; and if he will make a statement.

I have received no recent representations of this nature. The Restrictive Trade Practices Act gives private companies remedies against collusive agreements that have not duly been furnished to the Office of Fair Trading. Specific instances of predatory pricing may be investigated under the Fair Trading Act 1973 or the Competition Act 1980 and, if found to be contrary to the public interest, may be prohibited.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give a general direction to the Post Office, under section 62 of the British Teleconununications Act 1981, to refrain from its major programme of closing Crown and sub-post offices in view of its obligations under section 59(2)(b) of the Act; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Government have reached a decision concerning the recommendation of the review committee on insolvency law and practice, chaired by Sir Kenneth Cork, that the public utilities, on the insolvency of a customer, should be restrained from threatening to cut off supplies unless the outstanding debt is paid in full.

The Government have now considered this recommendation of the review committee and has decided that the major monopoly utilities, which provide services which are essential to the conduct of all businesses, should not be able to secure more favourable treatment than other creditors on the insolvency of a customer by threatening to discontinue supplies. It is intended that the necessary legislative provisions will be introduced into the forthcoming Insolvency Bill in the course of its passage through Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department has information from the 1983 Scottish school leavers survey or other sources on success in obtaining first employment by social class.

The following table shows, for each social class, the percentage of school leavers from session 1982–83 in different categories of post-school activity in October 1983.

Social Class	Full-Time Employment	Unemployed or on YOP	Full-Time Further Education	Other
I	22·4	10·8	60·1	6·6
II	27·3	20·3	47·1	5·3
III*	31·2	27·5	35·2	6·1
III†	33·2	42·9	20·3	3·6
IV	33·2	44·9	18·3	3·7
V	33·5	49·8	10·5	6·2

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what type of sentence has been passed on those persons convicted of rape and sexual assault in Scotland in each of the last three years.

The types of sentence imposed on persons against whom charges of rape, assault with intent to rape and indecent assault—including attempts, and aiding and abetting — were proved in each of the last three years are as follows:

Scotland
Persons
	1981	1982	1983
Rape
Prison	25	18	20
Young Offenders Institution	13	12	2
Detention Centre	—	—	1
Detention Child	1	—	3
Hospital Order	—	—	1
Probation	—	—	2
Fine	1	1	1
	40	31	30
Assault with intent to rape
Prison	10	12	11
Young Offenders Institution	2	5	10
Detention Centre	2	—	1
Detention Child	—	1	1
Hospital Order	—	1	—
Probation	1	—	—
Community Service Order	—	1	1
Fine	2	1	3
Admonished	1	2	1
	18	23	28
Indecent assault
Prison	8	10	18
Young Offenders Institution	—	1	4
Detention Centre	1	1	1
Borstal Training	2	—	5
Detention Child	—	—	1
Hospital Order	—	1	1
Probation	15	14	8
Community Service Order	3	1	1
Fine	40	38	36
Caution	—	1	1
Caution Parent	—	—	2
Guardianship Order	—	—	1
Remit to Childrens Hearing	—	—	1
Admonished	5	10	12
Absolute Discharge	1	—	—
	75	77	92

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prosecutions for rape and sexual assault in Scotland have resulted in (a) convictions and (b) acquittals in each of the last five years.

The outcome of proceedings against persons charged with rape, assault with intent to rape and indecent assault in the last five years was as follows:

Scotland					Persons
	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
Not called to trial
Rape	—	4	—	—	—
Assault with intent to rape	1	—	—	—	1
Indecent assault	6	14	3	1	—
Charge proved
Rape	34	30	40	31	30
Assault with intent to rape	35	21	18	23	28
Indecent assault	66	82	75	77	92
Acquitted
Rape	16	18	24	24	22
Assault with intent to rape	7	7	5	10	10
Indecent assault	15	13	17	12	15

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of rape and sexual assault have been reported to the police in Scotland for each of the last five years; and, of these, how many cases reported have led to prosecutions.

Information is not available exactly in the form requested. The numbers of crimes of rape, assault with intent to rape and indecent assault recorded by the police in the years 1979 to 1983 were as follows:

Scotland					Crimes
	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
Rape	145	166	170	131	139
Assault with intent to rape	162	140	137	120	126
Indecent assault	947	951	950	885	997

The numbers of persons proceeded against for these crimes in these years were as follows:

Scotland					Persons
	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983
Rape	50	52	64	55	52
Assault with intent to rape	43	28	23	33	39
Indecent assault	87	109	95	90	107

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement with regard to the progress of the report by the Building Research Establishment into the incidence and effect of cavity wall insulation in timber-framed houses.

The Building Research Establishment expects to publish its report early in the new year. It will take the form of a BRE information paper giving guidance to building surveyors to help them to assess the risk of damp in individual properties.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the outcome of his consultation on the future of building control in Scotland.

In October of last year I issued a consultative paper which sought views on a range of proposals to improve the building control system in Scotland. I am grateful for the many thoughtful responses from a broad range of interests. The Government's decision to review this system was widely welcomed and general support was given to the principal objectives of the review. I have given careful consideration to all the views expressed and decided to proceed with the proposals with certain modifications as outlined in a statement which I have today placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes he proposes to make to the students' allowances scheme in Scotland in session 1985–86.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy not to bring about a reduction in the student grant in real terms nor abolish the minimum grant nor increase parental contribution nor extend the parental contribution to tuition fees for Scottish students.

The main rates of grant for Scottish-domiciled students will be increased by around 3 per cent. in session 1985–86 and the parental contribution scale will be adjusted upwards in line with earnings. The parental contribution from those in the middle and upper reaches of the scale will also be increased, subject to a maximum contribution of £4,000 per family. The minimum award will be discontinued and the parental contribution from those best able to pay will be extended to tuition fees.These changes are in line with changes already announced for England and Wales. Residual incomes of less than £8,100 will attract no parental contribution; residual incomes above that figure will be assessed so that the next £2,200 (£8,100 to £10,300) will attract contributions at the rate of £1 in £7, the next £4,700 (£10,300 to £15,000) at the rate of £1 in £5, and any residual income above £15,000 at the rate of £1 in £4. For those families with more than one award holder there will be a maximum parental contribution of £4,000.The system of repayment of students' travelling expenses for students who are Scottish residents will remain unchanged.It is my intention that a substantial proportion of the savings from these changes should be redeployed to strengthen and expand the provision of technological courses, and to allow priority to be given to electrical and electronic engineering and related disciplines.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses are kept vacant for their occupiers while the occupiers are in prison; and whether he will introduce legislation to prevent this happening in the future.

This information is not available. The management and allocation of council housing is a matter for the local authorities to which it belongs. It is a condition of a secure tenancy under section 28 of the Housing Act 1980 that the tenant occupies the dwelling as his only or principal home. It is for the courts to interpret the meaning of this provision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to abolish rates on business premises; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish his decision on proposed alterations to the north-east Hampshire structure plans.

Proposed modifications to the alteration to the north-east Hampshire structure plan will be published when my right hon. Friend has completed his consideration of the report of the panel which conducted the examination in public. Following that publication there will be a period for objections and representations to be made before the final decision is taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all grants made by his Department to voluntary organisations, giving both the recipient and the amount, together with the date a grant was first made.

Grants in 1984–85 to voluntary bodies, other than housing associations and excluding grants made by statutory bodies associated with the Department, are as follows:

Grants to voluntary organisations—1984–85
	£	Year grant first awarded
1. Amenity Societies and the Civic Trust
Civic Trust	55,000	1975–76
Council for British Archaeology	3,250	1973–74
Ancient Monuments Society	6,500	1973–74
The Georgian Group	6,500	1973–74
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings	6,500	1973–74
The Victorian Society	6,500	1973–74
2. Keep Britain Tidy Group	510,000	1958–59
3. Special Grants Programme Advisory Committee on the Education of Romany and other Travellers	11,460	1979–80
Advisory Committee on Pollution of the Sea	2,500	1983–84
Association of Community Technical Aid Centres	12,000	1984–85
British Association of Social Settlements and Action Centres: Innovatory Urban Projects Booklet	9,200	1984–85
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers	100,000	1983–84
Byways and Bridleways Trust	4,000	1984–85
Cathedral Camps	10,000	1982–83
Centre for Social Enterprise	15,000	1984–85
Child Accident Prevention Trust: Child Accidents and the Built Environment	4,650	1984–85
Civic Trust: Urban Initiatives Project	10,000	1984–85
Community Links	5,500	1984–85
Community Regeneration	18,118	1984–85
Conservation Foundation	25,000	1984–85
Conservation Trust	8,250	1984–85
Council for Environmental Conservation	27,600	1984–85

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which London local authorities would gain and which would lose from his proposals that the collective funding of voluntary bodies should be met by contributions based on population rather than rateable value; and what would be the percentage change in the contribution for each authority.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress of negotiations for an approved warranty scheme for homes covered by the Housing Defects Act.

The National House Building Council is doing further detailed work in order to reach a decision on the arrangements referred to by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Powley) on 12 November at column 133.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in the Official Report the effect on each water authority of the autumn statement's changes in loan repayments.

In 1985–86 the water authorities net borrowing and other external finance will be limited to £203 million, of which £20 million is for the Welsh water authority. English water authorities are still being consulted on the allocation of external finance to individual authorities, but only the Thames water authority will be expected to repay outstanding loans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many new appointments he estimates will be created in other public sector bodies as a consequence of his approval to abolish the Merseyside county council; and if he will make a statement.(2) how many employees of the Merseyside county council can expect to be made redundant as a result of his proposal to abolish the metropolitan counties; what the cost will be in terms of compensation; and if he will make a statement.

The numbers, in each case, will depend on detailed decisions to be taken by successor bodies. The explanatory memorandum to the Local Government Bill contains an overall estimate of its effects on public service manpower and the cost of redundancy compensation. I cannot, at this stage, make worthwhile estimates at the level of individual metropolitan county councils.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the annual savings to the ratepayers of Merseyside of abolition of the Merseyside county council; how much his proposals are likely to save each domestic and each industrial ratepayer within the county; and if he will make a statement.

We estimate that the overall rationalisation savings arising from abolition of the metropolitan counties will be £50 million annually. On average, this represents about 3 per cent. of MCCs' rate fund current expenditure, which is equivalent to a reduction of about 6 per cent. in the total MCC precepts. Further savings are expected to arise as successor authorities carry out services more economically.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is proposing to collect information which will enable him to monitor the staff numbers and costs arising from his Department's work arising from the abolition of the Greater London council and the metropolitan county councils.

I have already arranged for the information given in my hon. Friend's reply of 28 November to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) to be updated regularly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is proposing to make amendments to his Department's MINIS system of management control in order to monitor the costs of abolition of the Greater London council and the metropolitan county councils.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 19 Conservative London borough leaders known to him to support the abolition of the Greater London council.

The Conservative leaders of the following London borough councils have expressed their support for the abolition of the GLC, and their belief that there is no need for an elected upper tier authority for London after the GLC is abolished:

• Barnet
• Bexley
• Brent
• Bromley
• Croydon
• Ealing
• Enfield
• Hammersmith and Fulham
• Harrow
• Havering
• Hillingdon
• Kensington and Chelsea
• Kingston upon Thames
• Merton
• Redbridge
• Sutton
• Waltham Forest
• Wandsworth
• Westminster

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in the event of the abolition of the Greater London council, what he intends to do with the council's own art collection.

Property of the Greater London council required by successor bodies in connection with their functions or that belongs with other property transferred under the Bill, will be appropriately transferred at abolition by order under clause 92. Property not so transferred will vest initially in the London residuary body under clause 59.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what percentage the rate levied by the Yorkshire water authority is to increase in 1985–86; and to what extent any increase is (a) in line with departmental policy and (b) as a result of departmental guidelines or directions.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Wainwright) on 26 November 1984, at column 395.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many supporting statements of rate demands will be published in an individual inner London borough in 1986–87; and if he will indicate which authorities will be responsible for publishing these statements, assuming the implementation of his current proposals for the abolition of the Greater London council.

We have already announced that the new Inner London education authority will be required to provide certain information direct to ratepayers in respect of its expenditure and precept for 1986–87 and future years. We are discussing with the local authority associations the information which rating authorities will be required to provide to ratepayers with rate demands concerning their own and their other precepting bodies' expenditure, in accordance with section 14 of the Rates Act 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the authorities which in their 1984–85 supporting statements of rate demands did not give details of the total rate change which results from grant changes as suggested in the code of practice on publication on rate demands and supporting information by local authorities.

This information is not monitored centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the equalisation arrangements between inner and outer London in the London arrangements element of the rate support grant; and on what assumed levels of spending they are based.

I refer the hon. Member to annex L to the "Rate Support Grant Report (England) 1984–85", a copy of which is in the Library.