asked the Lord Privy Seal what has been the cost of administration of the Privy Council Office expressed in constant prices in each of the last five years.

The cost of administration of the Privy Council Office expressed in 1983–84 prices in the last five years was as follows:

	£ million
1979–80	1·0
1980–81	1·2
1981–82	1·0
1982–83	1·0
1983–84	1·0

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the latest figure for journalists accredited to work within the House; how many are employed by newspapers; and how many are employed by broadcasting organisations.

There are at present 301 journalists accredited to the Parliamentary Press Gallery to work within the House. Of these, 187 are employed directly by newspapers and 54 are employed by broadcasting organisations. The balance are employed by news agencies.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay a visit to the parish of Hatfield.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Clachan of Campsie.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received from British war widows and associates; what reply she is sending about the particular case raised; if there is any action she will be taking; and if she will make a statement.

I have received a letter from the president of the British War Widows Associates about one of their members. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Services has replied and a copy has been sent to the right hon. Member.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 5 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 5 February.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will have talks with the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries with a view to stabilising world oil prices.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy maintains frequent contacts with representatives of other oil producing countries, including members of OPEC.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about employment prospects within the aerospace industry.

Employment prospects in the aerospace industry depend primarily on the industry's own ability to compete effectively in domestic and international markets. The industry has a successful record in this respect, and I hope that it will build on this in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the number of people employed in the aerospace industry.

Is is estimated that there were, in November 1984, 163,600 employees in the United Kingdom aerospace industry (as defined by activity heading 3640 of the 1980 Standard Industrial Classification). This figure does not include employment on aviation electronics, which the Society of British Aerospace Companies has estimated at some 35,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will bring forward proposals for the development of teaching company schemes within the tourist industry; and if he will make a statement.

A major review of the teaching company scheme is now being undertaken under the direction of the Teaching Company Management Committee. One of the issues which will be considered is the scope and growth prospects for the scheme. The case for an extension of the scheme into new industrial and commercial sectors, including the tourism sector, will be examined as part of the review.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to the number of public limited companies with a turnover of £1 million per annum which have their headquarters in Cleveland.

According to the records held by the Registrar of Companies, three public limited companies have their registered offices in Cleveland. They, and their most recent notified turnovers, are Amos Hinton & Sons PLC (£125 million), E Upton & Sons PLC (£5·7 million) and Marlborough Technical Management PLC (£7·6 million for eight months ended 31 March 1984 only). Records are not maintained, however, to identify any company operating in Cleveland whose registered office is elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grants under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972 have been made since that date in the borough of Kettering.

The total assistance which has been offered under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972 and the Industrial Development Act 1982 (which consolidated the earlier legislation and subsequent amendments) to firms in the borough of Kettering is approximately £1·2 million. This total comprises offers made under the following section 8 schemes:

	£000
Investment Incentive Scheme for the UK Instrumentation and Automation Industry	59
Clothing Industry Scheme	135
Energy Conservation Scheme	6
Ferrous Foundary Industry Scheme	24
Footwear Manufacturing Industry Scheme	470
Computer-Aided Design and Test Equipment Support	35
Machine Tool Industry Scheme	57
Assistance to the Non-Ferrous Foundary Industry	55
Assistance to the Printing Machinery Industry	254
Redmeat Slaughterhouse Industry Scheme	13
Small Engineering Firms Investment Scheme	21
Small Engineering Firms Investment Scheme (2)	90

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his forecast of the percentage increase in manufacturing output in 1984; and how this compares with the percentage increase in imports of manufactures.

My Department does not provide economic forecasts. Published figures indicate that the index of output of manufacturing industries was 3 per cent. higher in the first 11 months of 1984 than in the corresponding period a year earlier. In 1984 as a whole the import volume index of manufactured goods was some 10 per cent. higher than in 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing United Kingdom imports from the EEC in 1983 as a proportion of the output of United Kingdom manufacturing industry for each standard industrial classification class and the corresponding figure for 1975.

What information is available is given in the following table:

	Standard Industrial Classification	Ratio of imports from EC to sales by UK manufacturers (per cent.)*†
	class	1975	1983
Metals	21 and 22	13	22
Other minerals and mineral products	23 and 24	8	10
Chemicals and man-made fibres	25 and 26	11	21
Metal goods	31	4	7
Mechanical engineering	32	11	17
Office machinery and data processing equipment	33	39	75
Electrical and electronic engineering	34	10	18
Motor vehicles and parts	35	13	50
Other transport equipment	36	15	13
Instrument engineering	37	20	25
Food, drink and tobacco	41 and 42	7	7
Textiles	43	9	27
Leather and leather goods	44	9	18
Clothing and footwear	45	8	18
Timber and wooden furniture	46	5	10
Paper, printing and publishing	47	3	6
Rubber and plastics	48	8	17
Other manufacturing industries	49	23	46
Notes
* UK manufacturers' sales are of the principal products of each class, excluding where possible sales of waste products and receipts for work done.
† The information shown in the table is not comparable with the import penetration ratios published by the Department of Trade and Industry in Business Monitor MQ12. The Department's ratios show imports as a proportion of UK home demand, defined as sales by UK manufacturers plus imports less exports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total amount of regional development grants paid to companies in Cornwall during the financial year 1983–84.

£2,252,000. This figure includes all amounts over £25,000 paid in Cornwall in the financial year 1983–84. Grant payments of £25,000 or less cannot be attributed to any unit smaller than a planning region. Figures are not available for grant paid only to companies by county.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which members of the European Community have failed to enact legislation equivalent to the provisions of section 8 of the European Communities Act 1972 relating to cinematograph films; what action has been taken by him to achieve uniformity in that respect; and whether he intends to seek a revision of the legislation following the abolition of the Eady levy on the exhibition of films in United Kingdom cinemas.

Section 8 of the European Communities Act 1972 permitted films from other member states to qualify as British quota films for the purposes of the Films Acts, amended the definition of British films and introduced a new category of "Community Films" in the films register. The Films Bill at present before the House will remove the legislative basis of the quota (which was suspended on 1 January 1983) and the Eady levy. Section 8 of the 1972 Act will therefore in these respects be redundant and the Films Bill proposes its repeal.The EC Commission takes the view that some aspects of the films legislations of Denmark, France, Italy and West Germany are, variously, incompatible with those states' treaty obligations, and there are cases against them. I understand that the Commission is continuing its discussions with the states concerned and United Kingdom officials are in touch periodically with the Commission about these cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the total cost of administration of his Department expressed in constant prices in each of the last five years.

It is estimated that the departmental running costs (including notional pensions liability) of the Welsh Office in real terms for the last five years have been as follows:

	£ million
1979–80	34·0
1980–81	34·0
1981–82	33·4
1982–83	32·5
1983–84	34·8

The real terms figures are those for cash outturn adjusted to 1983–84 price levels by excluding the effect of general inflation as measured by the GDP deflator.The increase shown for 1983–84 is largely accounted for by a change in the method of assessing accommodation expenditure from 1 April 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is his estimate of the number of key workers' houses which are owned by (a) the Mid-Wales Development Agency, (b) the Welsh Development Agency and (c) local authorities in Wales; and how many of these are currently standing empty;(2) what is his estimate of the annual cost to public authorities in Wales, in terms of loss of rent, in holding key worker houses empty; and if he will make a statement.

The ready availability of houses for key workers is important for industrial development and job creation. At 31 December 1984 the Development Board for Rural Wales owned 49 houses specifically for key workers, of which 17 were empty, though seven of these had been allocated. It is estimated that the loss of rent during the current financial year will be £15,000. In addition, housing associations and local authorities in Mid Wales identify houses to which, for a limited time and in return for a guarantee of rent, they give the board nomination rights for key worker tenants. There were 35 such houses at 31 December 1984, of which 15 were empty. Rent guarantee payments made by the board are estimated at £16,000 in the current financial year.The Welsh Development Agency does not provide housing for key workers. It owns a small number of houses originally provided for key workers but no longer used for that purpose.Information on key worker dwellings owned by local authorities throughout Wales is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people obtained a Technical Education Council certificate in electronics in each year since 1980 in Wales; of these what proportion subsequently obtained employment within (a) six months and (b) 12 months; and how many are currently unemployed.

The information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what inspections have been carried out by health authorities of the Hilldene clinic and the Grosvenor house hostel in north Wales concerning hygiene and safety; and if he is satisfied with such inspections;(2) if he is satisfied that circular HN(84)22 is being operated by Hilldene clinic and Grosvenor house hostel in relation to spending money of residents.

The power to register and inspect private nursing homes and mental nursing homes has been delegated to health authorities. The hon. Member should direct any inquiries about the Hilldene clinic in the first instance to the Clwyd health authority, which is its registering authority.I am unaware of the existence of a Grosvenor house hostel in north Wales, but a Grosvenor house old people's home is registered as a private residential care home by Clwyd county council, which is responsible for the registration, inspection and monitoring of such establishments. Inquiries concerning this home should be directed in the first instance to the council.I shall write to the hon. Member about the administration of patients spending money as set out in Welsh Office health notice WHN(84)21.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether any of the Welsh water authority's 940 jobs whose incumbents have been given voluntary redundancy over the past five years have subsequently been left vacant and how many have been filled; and whether any of the persons granted voluntary redundancy have subsequently been re-employed into these or other jobs with the authority.

I regret that the information requested is not held in central records. The question is one for the chairman of the Welsh water authority. I am asking the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police authorities of England and Wales, showing which allow national service and cadet service to count towards pensions.

I do not have the information requested, but I shall be writing to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of registered drug addicts in Warwickshire.

The latest available information on narcotic drug addicts notified to the Home Office in Warwickshire relates to 1983 and is given in tables 3.11–3.13 of "Statistics of the Misuse of Drugs, United Kingdom, Supplementary Tables, 1983", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the liaison of British police forces with Interpol in the fight to combat crimes involving narcotics, is proving effective.

International police co-operation through Interpol is one means whereby the United Kingdom is tackling international traffic in illicit drugs. I understand that co-operation through Interpol has led to an increased number of arrests and of seizures of illicit drugs and we are satisfied that it provides a valuable source of assistance to the police. The international problem cannot be tackled by the police through Interpol alone: the Government's strategy involves activity on a broad front in which Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has a valuable contribution to make in combating illegal importation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many convictions for television licence fee evasion there have been in each calendar year for the past five years; and how many cases were dismissed;(2) in each of the past five calendar years, how many people have been successfully prosecuted for television licence fee evasion; and if he will break this figure down on a regional basis.

The number of convictions and acquittals was as follows:

	Convictions	Acquittals
1980	61,417	941
1981	67,299	504
1982	80,979	268
1983	93,827	284
1984	108,830	313

The regional distribution of convictions was:

Region	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
London	10,382	11,470	13,194	14,461	16,721
South East	3,349	4,469	5,442	6,594	7,392
South West	6,986	6,923	9,792	9,925	10.732
Eastern	3,072	3,851	4,803	6,755	8,499
Midland	7,569	8,668	10,947	13,860	18,577
North East	12,556	13,941	15,901	16,006	17,936
North West	8,403	9,315	10,395	11,529	12,938
Wales and Marches	4,354	4,434	5,582	7,527	7,788
Scotland	4,726	4,148	4,628	6,643	7,619
Northern Ireland	20	80	295	527	628
	61,417	67,299	80,979	93,827	108,830

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many of those convicted of television licence fee evasion during the last five years had been unemployed for over one year;(2) how many of those prosecuted in each of the past five calendar years for alleged television licence fee evasion have been retirement pensioners.

Information of this kind about the circumstances of persons convicted of television licence evasion is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in each of the past five years, what has been the average fine imposed on people convicted of television licence fee evasion.

Information about the level of fines imposed for the special offence of television licence evasion is not kept routinely and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much income the Post Office has received in payment for collecting television licence fees in each of the past five calendar years; and how much this was in each year as a percentage of the full amount of fees collected.

Payments to the Post Office for television licensing work in the last five financial years, including VAT and adjustments for under or overpayments in previous years, and the proportion these payments represent of the total licence fee revenue in each year are as follows:

Year ended 31 March	Payments £ million	Percentage of total revenue
1980	31·5	7·3
1981	28·8	5·4
1982	38·8	6·4
1983	54·3	7·3
1984	49·8	6·5

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that his Department's level of funding to the United Kingdom immigrants' advisory service is sufficient to enable that organisation to operate a translation service; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that the grant-in-aid to the United Kingdom immigrants advisory service is sufficient to enable it to provide advice or assistance for, or other services for the welfare of, persons who have rights of appeal under part II of the Immigration Act 1971. This includes the cost of translations necessary in pursuit of these functions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were granted British citizenship in 1984; and how this compares with the last 10 years.

The information for 1984 is not yet available but will be published in the form of a Home Office statistical bulletin later in the year. Figures for 1983 and previous years were published in table C of the White Paper "Tables of Persons Acquiring British Citizenship 1983", (Cmnd. 9331).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requirements he prescribes for providing and operating a polling station; and if he will make a statement.

The various requirements concerning the provision and operation of polling stations with which returning officers and their staff must comply at parliamentary elections are prescribed by schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983. Similar requirements are prescribed for local government elections by the Local Elections (Principal Areas) Rules 1973 and the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) Rules 1973 (as amended).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the plans to reduce staff at the Liverpool passport office.

	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
Standard passports issued	571,799	429,969	538,855	489,775	478,887
94 page passports issued	3,213	2,984	3,557	3,126	2,653
Renewals and extensions	14,730	14,043	17,233	17,652	20,304
Amendments	24,946	20,739	27,021	30,054	28,952
Child additions	23,215	19,268	25,632	23,655	26,019
Collective passports issued	4,143	3,557	4,231	3,872	4,048
Re-entry visas granted	5,784	3,328	5,547	6,000	5,261

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department who decides the amounts to be paid for meals and overnight accommodation under the assisted prison visits scheme.

There are no immediate plans to reduce the number of staff at the Liverpool passport office. The hon. Member will be aware from my right hon. and learned Friend's statement on 24 July 1984, at column 567, of the decision to accept the recommendation of the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the subsequent Rayner review of the passports offices, to computerise the issue of passports. As well as providing a speedier service to the travelling public, computerisation is expected to show some staff savings, but these cannot yet be quantified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed in the Liverpool passport office in May 1979; what were the figures at the latest date; and what is the proposed establishment.

On 1 May 1979 there were 209 staff (including 29 casuals) in post at the Liverpool passport office; on 1 February 1985 the figure was 192 (including five casuals). The authorised complement of 206 is unlikely to change in the immediate future unless there is a significant change in demand for passport services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations have taken place with the Civil Service unions concerning proposed reductions in staff employed in passport offices.

The Home Office trade union side has been consulted about the full computer study now in progress. It has been assured that further discussions will take place before any implementation programme is considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were employed in the passport offices in England and Wales in May 1979; and what was the figure at the latest available date.

On 1 May 1979 there were 941 staff (including 156 casuals) in post at passport offices in England and Wales; on 28 January 1985 the figure was 831 (including 19 casuals).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of (a) applications for passports and (b) other items of business transacted at the Liverpool passport office in each of the past five years.

The following table gives statistics of the passport services provided by the Liverpool passport office in each of the past five years.

The Department of Health and Social Security administers this scheme on behalf of the Home Office and its local offices determine subsistence payments in individual cases. I understand that the rates are broadly the same as for similar claims under the supplementary benefit scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with the International Labour Organisation over the most recent industrial dispute involving employees at the Government Communications Headquarters and their conditions of service.

The Government responded on 4 January to the International Labour Organisation's invitation to comment on the report of the Committee on the Freedom of Association.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will take steps to implement the European Economic Community proposals on parental leave.

The proposals — in the form of a draft directive on parental leave and leave for family reasons — are under consideration within the European Community Council of Ministers. The Government have made clear their serious reservations about this and some other Commission proposals in the employment field.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what new initiatives he is considering to reduce the level of youth unemployment.

The Government are considering a number of options for the enhancement of provision for young people, including the possibilities of extending training opportunities.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been out of work for more than two years.

On 10 January 1985, a total of 761,000 claimants had been unemployed in the United Kingdom for more than two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been out of work for over 12 months to the latest available date; and what were the comparable figures in May 1979.

The following table gives the available information for the United Kingdom. Figures are given for registered unemployed in April 1979 (not available for May) and in October 1982, and for unemployed claimants in October 1982 and January 1985.The comparison is affected by the change in the basis of the unemployment count in October 1982 and by the 1983 Budget provisions which mean that some men mainly aged 60 years and over, not longer need to sign on in order to receive supplementary benefit or national insurance credits.

Unemployed for over 52 weeks—United Kingdom
	Number
Registered unemployed
April 1979	366,711
October 1982	1,169,558

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been unemployed for more than 12 months; and what were the comparable figures for January 1979, January 1980, January 1981, January 1982, January 1983 and January 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been unemployed for more than 12 months; and what were the comparable figures in January for each of the past six years.

The following table gives the figures at January of each year for Great Britain. The comparisons are affected by the change in the basis of the unemployment count in October 1982 and also by the 1983 budget provisions which mean that some men, mainly aged 60 and over, no longer need to sign on at an unemployment benefit office in order to receive supplementary benefit or national insurance credits.

Unemployed over one year
		Number
Registered unemployed
	January 1979	334,800
	January 1980	335,128
	January 1981	430,260
	January 1982	862,543
	October 1982	1,118,157
Unemployed Claimants
	October 1982	942,006
	January 1983	1,058,611
	January 1984	1,131,966
	January 1985	1,136,074

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage of unemployed young people under the age of 25 years in the European Economic Community as a whole; and how this compares with the figure for 1978.

In November 1984 39·6 per cent. of those unemployed in the European Community (excluding Greece) were aged under 25 years, as estimated by the statistical office of the European Communities. Comparable figures are not available for 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been unemployed for over 24 months; and what were the comparable figures for April 1979.

The following table gives the available information for the United Kingdom. Figures are given for registered unemployed in April 1979 and October 1982, and for unemployed claimants in October 1982 and January 1985.The comparison is affected by the change in the basis of the unemployment count in October 1982 and by the 1983 Budget provisions which mean that some men, mainly aged 60 years and over, no longer need to sign on in order to receive supplementary benefit or national insurance credits.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current percentage of people unemployed; and what are the numbers involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the present numbers of unemployed in the United Kingdom; and what percentage this is of the work force.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest level of unemployment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for the number of unemployed in the United Kingdom.

On 10 January 1985, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,341,000, which represents an unemployment rate of 13·9 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what conclusions he has drawn from the unemployment statistics since the last quarter commenced for the calendar year 1984.

Recent statistics, including those for January, indicate that unemployment continues to rise. The seasonally adjusted level of unemployment rose by an average of 9,000 a month in the three months to January 1985. This compares with an average monthly increase of 15,000 in the previous three months.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the trend in unemployment.

Recent figures indicate that unemployment continues to rise. The latest statistics indicate that the seasonally adjusted level of unemployment rose by an average of 9,000 a month in the 3 months to January.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any proposals to extend the provisions of the community programme; and if he will make a statement.

The community programme has now reached its target for providing 130,000 jobs for long-term unemployed people. We will continue to review its operation and make whatever changes are necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will include private street works in the eligibility criteria for the Manpower Services Commission's community programme.

All proposals to fund community programme projects are considered in the light of guidance about priorities for selection, the number of places available in each area and the local needs of long-term unemployed people. Projects must provide practical benefits for the community and involve work which would not otherwise be done, but there is no specific restriction preventing private street works.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently employed under the community programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of adults al present on the community programme.

On 14 December, the latest date for which figures are available, 130,027 people were in jobs funded under the community programme. All were aged 18 or over.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further representations he has received about the recently announced changes in the community programme.

During the six months since my right hon. Friend announced the changes to the community programme, on 30 July 1984 at cols. 121–2, we have received some 350 letters. I have also met Lady Platt, Chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the expected level of take-up of the youth training scheme for 1984–85.

Our current forecast is that there will be about 380,000 entrants to the youth training scheme in 1984–85.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many employers have been found to be at fault in cases involving youth training scheme trainees; and how many have been informed that they will not be allowed to participate further within the scheme.

Information is not available centrally on the number or providers and sponsors whose continued participation in the youth training scheme was considered inappropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the future financial arrangements under the youth training scheme.

My right hon. Friend is currently considering the recommendations submitted to him by the Manpower Services Commission about the financial arrangements for the scheme in 1985–86.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the operation of early job release schemes.

As my right hon. Friend announced to the House on 12 November 1984, the full-time job release scheme will continue on the present basis for a further year. The part-time job release scheme is being revised to make it more attractive to both employers and employees, and details will be announced shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently taking advantage of the job release scheme; and what was the comparable figure for each of the past six years.

At 2 January 1985, 78,642 people were in receipt of an allowance under the job release schemes.The comparable January figures requested are as follows:

Job Release Scheme
	Number
1984	88,305
1983	76,876
1982	53,878
1981	61,451
1980	57,158
1979	42,871

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to introduce legislation to make it illegal to impose age limits on job applicants.

None. We do not believe that legislating against age discrimination would be beneficial or practical.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current estimated savings of his Department for 1984–85 as a result of privatisation schemes.

No function performed by this Department has been transferred to the private sector during 1984–85. However, a number of support services are currently contracted out to private enterprise and scope for extending the range is regularly reviewed. Savings are estimated to be not less than £500,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what recent representations he has received over the proposed closure of skillcentres.

Since my right hon. Friend's statement in the House about the skillcentre proposals made to the Manpower Services Commission by the skillcentre training agency, my right hon. Friend and I have received some 120 letters on the subject and met four delegations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the present proposals for the skillcentre network.

The proposals in the Manpower Services Commission paper, MSC/84/66, a copy of which is in the Library, were endorsed by the Commission on 24 January. My right hon. Friend and I are considering the Commission's conclusions and will of course keep the House informed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to confirm the decision over the future of Manpower Services Commission skillcentres.

My right hon. Friend and I are considering the conclusions of the Manpower Services Commission on the future of the skillcentre network, and we will of course keep the House informed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what he is doing to reduce unemployment in Bradford.

The Government are concerned about the level of unemployment in Bradford and a substantial number of people in the area are benefiting from our special employment and training measures. We are committed to maintaining our economic policies, which are directed at holding down inflation and public borrowing, while encouraging enterprise, flexibility and competitiveness in industry and the labour market. That is the only way to generate lasting jobs in Bradford and elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is (a) the latest figure of unemployed, (b) the number of those unemployed for over one year and (c) the number of people on Government training schemes.

At 10 January 1985 there were 3,341,000 unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom of whom, 1,316,000 people had been unemployed for over one year.At 31 December the provisional figure for people in training on the youth training scheme was 301,896. At 30 November, the latest date for which figures are available 33,335 people were in training on the training opportunities scheme.It is estimated that for 1984–85 as a whole, around 132,000 people will be helped through the Government's adult training schemes (including the training opportunities scheme).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the approximate increase in the employment of married women for the past year.

I regret that this information is not available. An estimate of the change between the spring of 1983 and the spring of 1984 will be made when the results of the 1984 labour force survey become available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the extent to which managing agents are topping up youth training scheme allowances.

I regret that comprehensive information is not available. Such information as is available indicates that only a small number of managing agents top up the level of the youth training scheme allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to increase the number of wages inspectors.

There are no plans for an increase.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will extend training opportunities in new technology for people made redundant from traditional industries.

As part of the Government's adult training strategy, our training programmes are being concentrated increasingly on skills which are likely to be in real demand, including new technology skills. Unemployed people and those who are about to be made redundant will benefit substantially from these changes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what recent reaction he has received to the code of practice for the employment of disabled people.

Since the new code of practice was formally launched by the Prime Minister on 14 November, the Manpower Services Commission's disablement advisory service has been promoting it among employers throughout the country. Initial indications are that it is being favourably received both by employers and by organisations representing disabled people. In addition both my right hon. Friend and the chairman of the commission have received a very positive response from the chairmen of major companies to whom they wrote immediately following the launch, seeking support for the code.The hon. Gentleman will welcome the fact that the code has been endorsed by the Select Committee on Employment, the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Disabled People, the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation, the CBI and the TUC.The Manpower Services Commission will continue closely to monitor the response to the code.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with the operation of section 1 of the Employment Act 1982 enjoining public companies to include in their annual reports a statement of their communication, consultation and involvement policy.

The reports which have been seen so far tend to confirm previous research evidence that employee involvement arrangements in companies are very widespread and take a great variety of forms. Some reports are however disappointing and the Government will continue to encourage companies to make full use of the opportunity which section 1 offers to review and, where necessary, improve their employee involvement arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what advice he received from the centre for urban and regional studies at Newcastle university about the placing of Amble in a travel-to-work area extending across the whole of the Alnwick district council area.

The centre for urban and regional development studies collaborated with the Department in last year's review of the travel-to-work areas and in developing the methodology described in the supplement to the September 1984 edition of Employment Gazette, a copy of which is in the Library. The new travel-to-work area of Alnwick and Amble is smaller than the previous travel-to-work area of Alnwick which also contained the Amble area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce legislation to provide for a statutory minimum weekly wage.

No. A national minimum wage would raise employers' costs and threaten jobs, including the jobs of those it was designed to help.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will initiate discussions with trade union leaders on the balloting of members before strike action.

Statutory provisions governing the holding of secret ballots before the calling of strikes or other industrial action were introduced by the Trade Union Act 1984 following the failure of most trade unions to adopt this practice voluntarily. These provisions have been in force since 26 September 1984 and are described fully in the Department's booklet "A guide to the Trade Union Act 1984". Moreover, the well publicised legal proceedings arising from the recent industrial action at Austin Rover will have left trade union leaders in no doubt about the potential consequences of failing to ballot their members before instructing them to strike.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what have been the total wage costs of the Manpower Services Commission in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Wage costs for the last three years were:

	£ million
1981–82	195·2
1982–83	207·3
1983–84	216·5

Wage costs include staff salaries, the employer's share of earnings-related national insurance and superannuation costs.These wage costs represent 17·6, 15·5 and 12·3 per cent. respectively of the total Manpower Services Commission expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current average rates of pay for homeworkers.

Information from a survey carried out in 1981 suggests that median gross hourly earnings for people working at home were 180p an hour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of school leavers joined the youth training scheme or entered some form of further or higher education during the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

About 29 per cent. of young people leaving school in Great Britain during the year ending August 1984 were expected to enter a full-time course of further or higher education. It is estimated that a further 38 per cent. have entered the youth training scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he is taking to secure better value for money from his Department's budget.

I lose no opportunity to stress the importance I attach to securing the best possible value for money from available resources. My colleagues and I have this criteria in mind in all the decisions which we make about the Department's activities.Reviews and scrutinies in the Department of Employment Group have made over 4,500 staff savings since 1979, including 1,350 following a study of the payment of benefits to unemployed people. The programme of scrutinies will continue.Improvements in efficiency have contributed to a reduction in MSC permanent staff from 25,300 in April 1979 to 20,800 now, and further reductions will be made in the next few years particularly as a result of recently approved plans to improve the cost-effectiveness of the public employment service while increasing the number of jobcentres. The numbers of people trained under the Commission's adult training programmes will be doubled, within existing resources, by concentrating on more cost-effective and flexible forms of provision. The skillcentre training agency has operated as a trading account since April 1984 and is charged with covering all its costs from receipts. The professional and executive recruitment service also now operates on a self-financing basis.I expect increased efficiency to yield significant savings of over 2,000 posts by 1988 following the planned installation of visual display units in unemployment benefit offices. There has already been a substantial improvement in the ratio of claimants to staff in the unemployment benefit service, from 85:1 in 1979–80 to 114:1 in 1983–84.The top management review systems now operating in all parts of the Department of Employment group under the financial management initiative will be an important means of setting targets relevant to better value for money. The Manpower Services Commission has recently published an account of its top management review process in 1984, and I expect to issue a report this month which will describe the activities of the Department's senior management group in 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many days were lost due to industrial disputes in 1984; and how many of those were due to the dispute in the coalmining industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many days were lost due to industrial disputes in 1984, not counting days lost directly in connection with the present coal industry dispute.

It is provisionally estimated that 26·6 million working days were lost through stoppages of work due to industrial disputes in 1984. Included in the total is an estimated total of 22·3 million working days lost due to disputes in the coal extraction industry, of which 21·9 million is due to the strike which began on 12 March 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment which initiatives have been most successful in generating new employment in the west midlands.

The Government are committed to maintaining their economic policies which are directed at holding down inflation and public borrowing, while encouraging greater enterprise flexibility and competitiveness in industry and the labour market. This is the only way to generate lasting jobs in the west midlands and elsewhere. Telford and the West Midlands metropolitan county have recently been designated intermediate areas to attract industry and investment, and thus improve job prospects. And we are encouraging the growth of employment through initiatives such as the enterprise allowance scheme which is currently helping some 4,500 people in the west midlands to set up their own businesses, and by establishing enterprise zones in Dudley and Telford.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to reply to the letter he received from the hon. Member for Rother Valley dated 8 January, concerning the stopping of unemployment benefit to his constituents.

I replied to the hon. Member on 31 January.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the unemployment rate for Leicester.

I refer the hon. and learned Member to my reply of 18 December 1984 at column 104.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the change in the level of employment in the leisure, tourist and catering industries since 1979.

Estimates of the numbers of employees working in industries selected as being in large part related to leisure, tourism and catering are given in the following table. Many other industries (for example, transport, banking, and general retailing) also in part support leisure activities and tourism, but the proportion of an industry's employment which arises from supporting such activities cannot be identified from the Department's statistics.

Employees in employment in selected industries in Great Britain
Thousand
Activity heading, class or group as in SIC 1980	Industry	June 1979	June 1984	Change
Manufacturing industries
424	Spirit distilling	27	22	-5
426/427	Wines, cider and perry/brewing and malting	71	58	-13
428	Soft drinks	28	25	-3
429	Tobacco industry	32	22	-10
4751/2/3	Printing and publishing of newspapers, periodicals and books	138	137	-1
492/495	Musical instruments, miscellaneous stationers' goods and other miscellaneous manufactures	33	22	-11
4930	Photographic etc. processing laboratories	13	13	—
494	Toys and sports goods	38	26	-12
Service industries
6420	Confectioners, tobacconists, newsagents and off licences	166	159	-7
66	Hotels and catering (excluding canteens and messes)	938	1,008	+70
8460	Hiring out of consumer goods	28	29	+1
969	Tourist Offices and other community services	32	39	+7
97	Recreational services and other cultural services	422	426	+4
9820	Hairdressing and beauty parlours	104	88	-16

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he next expects to meet the new European Economic Community Commissioner with responsibility for employment to discuss measures to reduce unemployment.

My right hon. Friend expects to meet Commissioners Pfeiffer and Sutherland at an informal meeting of Social Affairs Ministers on 8 February. At the meeting there will he a discussion on the creation of new employment opportunities resulting from the modernisation of industry and the introduction of new technology.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many trade unions have indicated their intention to accept public money to conduct ballots of their members.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment which unions have indicated their intention to use public funds to undertake ballots of their members.

I am informed by the certification officer that at the latest available date 28 trade unions have applied for public money since the inception of the scheme. The 28 unions, including two which are affiliated to the TUC are:

Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers (Engineering, Foundry & Construction Section)

• Assistant Masters & Mistresses Association
• Association of Education Officers
• Association of Managerial and Professional Staffs
• Association of Optical Practitioners Ltd
• Association of Public Service Finance Officers
• Association of Public Service Professional Engineers
• Barclays Group Staff Union
• British Association of Occupational Therapists
• British Medical Association
• British Orthoptic Society
• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
• Clearing Bank Union
• Coventry Economic Building Society Staff Association
• Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunication and Plumbing

Union

• Guinness Brewing Staff Association (UK)
• Immigration Service Union
• Institute of Journalists
• Ministry of Defence Staff Association
• National Association of Fire Officers
• National Association of Head Teachers
• National & Provincial Building Society Staff Association
• Nat West Staff Association
• Professional Association of Teachers
• Retail Book, Stationery & Allied Trades Employees'

Association

• Royal College of Nursing of the United Kingdom
• Society of Radiographers
• The Society of Chiropodists

Reports in the press have suggested that a number of other TUC affiliated Unions are changing their attitude to accepting public funds for ballots. The British Airline Pilots Association has indicated that it will seek public funds for ballots and the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs and the United Road Transport Union are reported to be pressing the TUC to lift its boycott.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to increase the number of factory inspectors.

Decisions on the staffing of the factory inspectorate are a matter for the Health and Safety Executive, subject to the overall financial allocation and staff ceiling given to the Health and Safety Commission by the Government. The Executive plans to maintain the factory inspectorate at roughly its present strength in 1985. It is currently recruiting up to 30 general factory inspectors, in addition to the 25 recruited last year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to increase the field staff of the Health and Safety Executive.

Decisions on staff allocations to its field force are a matter for the Health and Safety Executive, subject to the overall financial allocation and staff ceiling given to the Health and Safety Commission by the Government. The executive hopes to maintain its field force at roughly the present level in 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any new initiatives to place before the European Economic Community Employment Ministers to reduce unemployment.

My right hon. Friend will be meeting colleagues from other member states later this week. He will be suggesting that in the social affairs field the Community should concentrate on proposals directly relevant to the task of job generation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current number of apprenticeships in manufacturing industry; and what was the comparable figure in May 1979.

The most recent estimate of the number of people employed as apprentices in manufacturing industries is 82,000 at March 1984, and the earliest comparable figure available is 124,000 at March 1982.The numbers entering traditional apprenticeships will become increasingly irrelevant as a measure of the real level of skills training being undertaken by industry because of both the reform of existing training arrangements and the substantial provision of initial skills training now taking place under the youth training scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the future size of the jobcentre network; and how many were in support of the Manpower Services Commission proposals.

The Manpower Services Commission consulted some 4,000 organisations and individuals about its proposals for the jobcentre network. Replies were received from almost 3,000 of them.There was substantial support for the expansion of the network through the addition of 82 new jobcentres and for plans to make better and more extensive use of new technology. Many of the responses expressed concern at the extent of the proposed centralisation and of the scale of the proposed staff reductions. The revised proposals approved by the Commission in December and subsequently endorsed by the Government contain changes to meet the views expressed during consultation, including a less extensive centralisation of services and a smaller manpower saving.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently taking advantage of the job-splitting scheme; and what are the comparable figures for each year since its inception.

In the current financial year, 187 applications for support have been approved under the job splitting scheme up to the end of December, creating 374 part-time jobs. In 1982–83, from January when the scheme opened, 180 applications were approved creating 360 part-time jobs. In 1983–84, 656 applications were approved creating 1,312 part-time jobs.