asked the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how many registered disabled people are employed in the service of the House.

The total number of registered disabled persons employed among the staff of the House for whom the Commission is responsible is seven. Other registered

Number of free pupil meals as a percentage of pupils present Primary Schools
	1983	1982	1981	1980	1979	1978
	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.	per cent.
Barking	17·2	16·3	14·1	12·8	13·2	16·0
Barnet	10·0	8·8	8·1	7·7	8·9	10·9
Bexley	9·6	8·7	6·6	1·7	7·8	8·5
Brent	18·5	16·7	14·0	13·0	13·7	14·6
Bromley	7·6	6·2	6·0	6·2	9·5	10·6
Croydon	9·6	8·3	7·3	9·3	13·4	15·3
Ealing	16·2	15·2	12·7	12·5	12·6	13·7
Enfield	9·1	8·7	8·0	6·9	6·8	7·7
Haringey	21·5	17·0	16·3	14·3	15·9	16·5
Harrow	8·0	7·0	6·6	5·8	6·1	6·9
Havering	8·2	7·5	6·8	6·1	6·6	8·3
Hillingdon	10·3	9·3	8·7	7·7	8·8	9·0
Hounslow	11·6	10·1	9·4	8·5	9·0	10·5
Kingston-upon-Thames	8·1	7·9	7·0	7·6	8·5	10·1
Merton	6·6	7·1	6·5	5·1	8·5	9·7
Newham	16·8	16·6	12·7	11·3	12·1	12·9
Redbridge	6·7	5·9	4·9	4·2	7·7	10·5
Richmond-upon-Thames	7·5	6·4	5·6	6·7	8·6	9·8
Sutton	6·5	6·0	5·3	4·5	10·9	12·5
Waltham Forest	21·2	16·6	15·2	12·4	12·5	11·7
ILEA	35·5	30·9	27·8	24·8	25·0	26·4
Birmingham	37·2	n/a	28·0	21·0	19·6	21·3
Coventry	29·5	26·3	23·3	18·0	18·0	20·0
Dudley	17·4	13·9	11·5	7·7	6·7	7·8
Sandwell	31·9	24·5	21·2	13·4	12·0	14·3
Solihull	14·8	13·3	9·6	6·7	12·9	13·9
Walsall	27·8	23·7	20·3	12·7	12·5	13·5
Wolverhampton	28·1	25·2	21·8	14·1	13·0	15·0
Knowsley	47·9	43·0	37·1	29·3	33·9	36·3
Liverpool	36·3	31·8	30·2	27·3	27·8	29·3
St. Helens	21·9	20·6	16·8	13·3	13·0	14·0
Sefton	19·1	16·9	14·0	11·7	16·1	18·8
Wirral	24·8	24·2	17·0	16·8	16·1	17·8
Bolton	23·5	21·8	18·3	14·1	14·1	17·6
Bury	14·9	12·3	10·0	7·2	10·7	13·5
Manchester	45·1	41·6	38·2	32·3	32·5	36·5
Oldham	28·7	27·0	21·1	12·8	16·7	18·0
Rochdale	27·9	26·4	21·3	16·4	15·6	19·7
Salford	35·0	30·0	26·2	23·4	23·5	24·3
Stockport	16·4	15·2	12·6	11·5	12·3	15·3
Tameside	24·8	21·0	19·5	14·8	15·0	16·8
Trafford	15·1	11·7	9·9	7·9	15·1	18·4
Wigan	20·3	17·5	15·0	11·5	12·7	15·4

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the proportion of schoolchildren in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools, expressed as a percentage, entitled to free school meals in each year since 1975, for each local education authority and for the country as a whole.

Information is not available on the number of pupils entitled to a free school meal. The percentages of pupils taking free school meals in primary and secondary schools for the years 1978 to 1983 are given in the following tables. Information in this form is not available for the years 1975 to 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list all those educational establishments in England and Wales which maintain full-time courses in agriculture and related subjects and the number of places available at each institution for each year since 1979.

The information is not available in the form requested. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the National Consultative Committee for Agricultural Education's list of full-time and sandwich courses in agriculture, horticulture and forestry; full information on courses at all levels and in all modes of attendance, with enrolments from 1979, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish figures showing for 1982–83, 1983–84 and an estimate for 1984–85 of the numbers of (a) full-time and (b) part-time students in England.

The numbers of students, from home and abroad, in universities and colleges of further and higher education in England were as follows:

	1982	1983
Full-time and sandwich	804,000	802,000
Part-time (including evening only)	1,256,000	1,348,000

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many independent special schools there are in the United Kingdom; how many of those passed his Department's inspection first time to be registered; and if the same criteria are used as in the inspection of state schools.

My right hon. Friend's responsibilities extend to England only. The arrangements in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the respective Secretaries of State.In England the terms "independent school" and "special school" refer to different types of institution. A special school is a school, whether maintained by a local education authority or not, which has been approved by my right hon. Friend as a special school under section 9(5) of the Education Act 1944. "Independent school" is defined in that Act in such a way as to exclude any school which is a special school.It is an offence under section 70 of the Education Act 1944 to conduct an independent school which is not registered or provisionally registered. Registration on a provisional basis is granted automatically on receipt of the necessary details from a new independent school, pending a decision about final registration. Information about the number of inspections or visits to independent schools before the granting of final registration could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.The requirements for registration to be made final, or for final registration to be allowed to continue, are set out in section 71 of the 1944 Act. In effect, a minimum standard of acceptability is sought in regard to premises, accommodation, instruction, and the suitability of the proprietor(s) and teachers.I think, however, that the right hon. Member may have in mind the approval which certain independent schools may seek under the Education Act 1981. Under section 11 of that Act a local education authority may not place pupils with statements of special educational need at an independent school unless either the school is approved by my right hon. Friend as suitable for the admission of children for whom statements are maintained or he gives his consent in an individual case. So far 190 independent schools have sought approval under the 1981 Act; 91 have so far been approved, of which one third received approval after one visit by Her Majesty's inspectors. A number of schools have closed since seeking approval, including two which had secured it.As was explained in the Department's circular No. 8/81, in order to secure approval under the 1981 Act independent schools are required to meet similar standards in respect of premises, qualified staff, education and care to those required in maintained and non-maintained special schools. They will also be required, as a condition of approval, to publish information about their facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if it is his intention to exercise his powers under section 19(c) of the Education Act 1981 to make special provision for recognition of (a) teachers and (b) teacher training within Steiner schools; and if he will make a statement.

As the right hon. Member is aware, the advice given by the Advisory Committee on the Supply and Education of Teachers on the subject of teacher training for special education includes recommendations about the training provided by the Steiner movement. My right hon. Friend is considering this advice and will announce his decision as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many places were available in further and higher education for each of the last five years in (a) universities, (b) polytechnics and (c) other institutions; and how many and what percentage of the students concerned were studying for each category of qualification for which records are available.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the future of the national child development study.

I have no particular intentions at present towards the national child development study.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list in the Official Report the cohort studies currently receiving funding from his Department, giving the name of the research body, the name and subject of the research and the amount of funding from his Department in the current year and in total; when the funding is due to expire; and what plans he has to renew it in each case.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when Her Majesty's Inspectorate's discussion paper on the school curriculum is to be published; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate has published today, in the "Curriculum Matters" series, its discussion paper "The Curriculum from 5 to 16". It raises, for comment not only by those professionally involved in education but also by the many others who have an interest in the work of the schools, some important issues about the ways in which a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum can be provided for all pupils in the compulsory years. The paper is a further step towards establishing broad agreement on the objectives for the curriculum which is provided in our schools.The purpose of the paper is to stimulate discussion: Her Majesty's inspectors will be glad to receive views on both the general approach and the detailed considerations set out in the paper. Views may differ on some of the difficult issues raised by the paper. For example, I am not myself satisfied that the discussion of the humanities and social studies gives sufficient prominence to the influence of ideas and beliefs nor to social or political systems, as distinct from impersonal environmental and economic forces. Differences of opinion such as this need to be tested in debate.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I hope that commentators will give particular attention to how broad principles on the content and organisation of the curriculum can best be translated, within the resources available, into reality, how the curiosity, originality and creative talents of pupils can be developed so as to enrich their achievements as individuals and as members of society making free but responsible choices, and to make them aware of the importance of ideas and beliefs in human activities; the range of personal qualities and competence needed to equip young people adequately for employment in a world which increasingly demands versatility and enterprise; and the means of securing appropriate differentiation for pupils of differing ability and aptitudes without detriment to the requirements of breadth, balance and relevance in the curriculum of all pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many places on the assisted places scheme remained unfilled in each year since the scheme's introduction for the following age-groups; and how many of the filled places represent cases where the 60 per cent. requirement has been relaxed in each case, for each of the following age groups: (a) 11 to 13 years, (b) 13 to 16 years and (c) 16 to 18 years.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 March 1985, c. 480]: The numbers of unfilled assisted places in each year's quota were as follows:

Number of places
School year	11–15	VI form
1981–82	795	459
1982–83	793	380
1983–84	605	276
1984–85	459	215

Had the relaxations from the 60 per cent. rule not been given, the totals of unfilled places for each year would have been higher by the following amounts.

School year	Number of places
1981–82	164
1982–83	157
1983–84	134
1984–85	63

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider removing passport and customs control between Britain and other European Economic Community countries.

The possible reduction of passport and customs controls between member states of the European Community is at present under consideration within the Community. While we welcome measures designed to facilitate the passage across Community borders of passengers and goods meeting immigration and customs requirements, we are not prepared to agree to the abolition of all such controls.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Cheltenham of 8 February, Official Report, column 708, what were the main reservations contained in the comments made to his Department by the National Association of Probation Officers concerning the Sexual Offences Bill 1985; whether he has any plans to meet the association's officers to discuss these matters; and if he will make a statement.

In its letter of 22 January the National Association of Probation Officers expressed the view that the Bill would not reduce the nuisance caused by kerb crawling unless there was a large and persistent police presence; that it might lead to allegations of harassment from disadvantaged groups, and to police officers acting as agents provocateurs; that the police already had sufficient powers to deal with this nuisance, but had given little priority to it; that the level of maximum fines under the Bill would lead to increasing use of imprisonment for fine default; and that the way forward was to "decriminalise" prostitution. The association also expressed concern at the fact that provisions dealing with kerb crawling are contained in the same Bill as increases in the maximum penalties for serious sexual offences.The association's views are at variance with those of the Criminal Law Revision Committee, on whose proposals the Bill is based, and I do not agree with them. I conveyed our views in a reply to the association on 12 February, of which a copy has been sent to my hon. Friend. The association did not request a meeting and we have no plans to arrange one.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received, and from whom, and what discussions he has had concerning the issue of kerb-crawling since the second reading of the Sexual Offences Bill 1985; whether he has any new proposals on this issue; and if he will make a statement.

Since the second reading of the Sexual Offences Bill on 25 January we have received representations on the issue of kerb crawling from the Prosecuting Solicitors' Society of England and Wales, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Law Society, the B3 Consultative Committee (Birmingham), Family and Youth Concern, the Wellclose Square Fund and the Joint Moseley and Balsall Heath Committee against Kerb Crawling. All of these organisations welcome the Bill although some offer detailed comments. I have discussed the Bill further with its promoter, my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Drake (Miss Fookes) and the Home Office has had discussions with the Metropolitan police.We are satisfied that the Bill, which is based entirely on the recommendations of the Criminal law Revision Committee, is the correct way to proceed and we have no new proposals on this issue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the number of strip searches carried out on female prisoners in the last year for which figures are available; and what was the number of females involved;(2) what is the number of strip searches carried out on female prisoners so far in 1985; and what is the number of females involved;(3) what was the number of strip searches carried out in each female institution and the number of females involved, in each year since 1981 and so far this year;(4) what was the number of strip searches carried out on teenage girl prisoners in 1984 and so far in 1985; and what was the number of girls involved.

This information is not recorded centrally and its collection would involve disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will explain the circumstances in which female prisoners are subject to strip searches.

This information is contained in my reply to a question from the hon. Member for Foyle (Mr. Hume) on 25 February, at columns 32–33, which referred equally to male and female prisoners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has not asked the Trades Union Congress to renominate a third person to fill the vacancy on the Equal Opportunities Commission; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend wrote to the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress on 15 March to ask him to suggest a suitable candidate for appointment to the commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the inquiry by Assistant Chief Constable Peter Smith into the case of the late Hilda Murrell.

I understand from the chief constable of West Mercia Constabulary that Mr. Smith's review of the investigation of this case, which he began on 4 March, is continuing. He will report to the chief constable in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of his policies during the last year have proved successful in tackling crime in the north-west of England.

There are many aspects of Home Office policies which are relevant to the prevention of crime and the detection and punishment of offenders. It would be invidious to single out any one in any individual area of the country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will also send to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East his answer to the question of the hon. Member for Stretford (Mr. Lloyd) Official Report, 12 March, column 83, when the immigration statistics referred to are available.

In accordance with normal practice a copy of the letter to the hon. Member for Stretford (Mr. Lloyd) will be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will make a statement on the creation of new jobs in Hertfordshire;(2) if he will make a statement on the level of unemployment in Hertfordshire.

The Government are committed to maintaining their 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 Hertfordshire and elsewhere. In the meantime we are spending over £2 billion this year on a range of employment and training measures to help the unemployed.In Hertfordshire nearly 1,300 are being helped by the job release and young workers schemes, and in Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, nearly 1,400 people are benefiting from the community programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what figures he has to indicate what improvements industry has made regarding industrial deafness.

There are no figures available which reliably show trends in industrial deafness. However, the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission and I are confident that the noise awareness campaign launched by the chairman and by my predecessor in October 1983 and the noise enforcement initiative launched by the director-general of the Health and Safety Executive in January 1984 are beginning to change the attitudes of designers, manufacturers, employers and workers towards the need to ensure effective protection of hearing against noise. The Health and Safety Executive is monitoring the effect of the enforcement initiative.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, with reference to the current review of the area manpower boards, he will seek to ensure that young people will be represented on the reconstituted boards.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the constitutional position of area manpower boards; and to what extent their constitutions or guides to practice permit co-opted members to vote.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 March 1985, c. 95]: The constitution of area manpower boards is set out in the guide to the working of area manpower boards, a copy of which is available in the Library. Co-opted members do not normally have the right to vote, but exceptionally on certain boards some co-opted members are allowed to vote.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment which area manpower boards have no members who are from ethnic minorities; and what is the proportion of ethnic minorities in the general population in the area they serve.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 March 1985, c. 95]: 36 of the 55 area manpower boards have no members from ethnic minorities. They are as follows. Up-to-date information for the purposes of the comparison requested is not available.

Area manpower boards with no member from ethnic minorities	Approximate percentage of ethnic minorities in total population in area covered by board*
	Percentage
Scotland
Highlands and Islands	†
Grampian and Tayside	1
Central and Fife	1
Lothian and Borders	1
Dumfries and Galloway	†
Glasgow City	‡1
Dumbarton, Argyll and Renfrewshire
Lanarkshire
Ayrshire
Wales
Gwynedd	†
Clwyd and Powys	1
Dyfed and West Glamorgan	1
Mid and South Glamorgan	1
Gwent	—
Northern
Cleveland	2
Durham	1
North Tyne	1
Yorkshire and Humberside
North Yorkshire	1
South Yorkshire	2
Humberside	1
North West
Cheshire	1
Cumbria	†
Midlands
Derbyshire	2
Lincolnshire	1

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many members of area manpower boards are (a) black/other ethnic minority, (b) women and (c) young people under 25 years; and, in each case, how many are full members, co-opted members with voting rights, and co-opted members without voting rights; and what proportion these represent of total membership.

[pursuant to his reply, 12 March 1985, c. 95]: Information on the age of area manpower board members is not available. The breakdown of area manpower board membership by black/ethnic minorities, and women is as follows (with proportions against total membership shown in brackets):

	Numbers	Percentage
Full members
(a) Black/other ethnic minority	8	(0·8)
(b) Women	82	(8·2)
Co-opted members without voting rights
(a) Black/ethnic minority	19	(1·9)
(b) Women	14	(1·4)
Co-opted members with voting rights
(a) Black/other ethnic minority	3	(0·3)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish figures showing for 1982–83, 1983–84 and an estimate for 1984–85, the numbers in England of (a) full-time trainees, (b) apprentices and (c) trainees on day release courses.

Information is not available in the form requested. However, the following information is available:

(a) The 1983 labour force survey shows that there were about 280,000 people undertaking apprenticeship training in the spring of 1983.

(b) There were 409,000 students on day and block release courses in 1982–83 and 448,000 in 1983–84.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give reasons for the decision to increase the age of eligibility for the job release scheme from 62 to 64 years of age for men.

These changes were first announced on 13 April 1983, at columns 430–31, and came into effect from 1 April 1984. We have made it clear on many occasions that the employment measures are reviewed regularly and changes made whenever necessary to ensure the most efficient and effective use of available resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give a monthly breakdown of the numbers of people employed in the construction industry in the north-west of England in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Estimates of employess in employment by region are only available quarterly, the latest information relates to September 1984.The following table gives, for the dates shown, the estimated number of employees in employment in the north-west region in the construction industry (division 5 of the 1980 standard industrial classification).

Construction industry—North West region
	Thousands
1981
December	115
1982
March	112
June	113
September	113
December	110
1983
March	107
June	107
September	108
December	106
1984
March	104
June	102
September	103

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the function of the Health and Safety Executive in relation to nuclear waste of the description scheduled to be placed at Elstow, Bedfordshire, or at two other sites to be announced.

I have been asked to reply.As my right hon. Friend told the House on 25 October 1983, at column 157, the sites will be subject to licensing by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many residents of the Little Haven nursing home, 24 Kingswood Avenue, Thornton Heath, Surrey, are receiving payment under regulation 9 (Payments to Residential Nursing Homes); and how much has been paid to residents in this nursing home in respect of board and lodging allowances in the last 12 months.

Six residents at the Little Haven nursing home are receiving supplementary benefit under regulation 9 of the Supplementary Benefit (Requirements) Regulations 1983 at the rate appropriate to a nursing home. During the 12 months ending 5 March 1985 they received social security benefits (comprising supplementary benefit, retirement pension and attendance allowance) totalling approximately £63,000, of which approximately £53,000 was in respect of nursing home fees.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he proposes to take to ensure that all mature students in full-time education are better informed of their right to make flat rate national insurance contributions so as to preserve their contributions record.

A leaflet (FB23) "Going to College or University" containing information on the payment of national insurance contributions and social security benefits is currently available. Posters advertising this leaflet and advising students that copies can be obtained from their local social security office were distributed to colleges and universities during last year. We have no plans for further publicity at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) for each of the authorities which fall in the upper quartile of social services authorities when ranked by growth in the proportion of their population aged 75 years and above in the period 1979–80 to 1984–85, for that group as a whole and for all social services authorities in 1978–79, what was the total level of provision and the rate of provision per head of population aged 75 years and over for the following activities (a) local authority residential care for the elderly: total in care; (b) other residential care for the elderly: total in care, (c) day care for the elderly: total available services, (d) home helps: total number or whole-time equivalents, (e) home helps: total number of cases, (f) home helps: total number of hours service provided, and (g) meals: total number provided; what were the equivalent data in the most recent year for which such figures are available; and what were the rates of change over the whole period covered;(2) which authorities fall in the upper quartile of social services authorities when ranked by growth in proportion of their population aged 75 years and above in the period 1979–80 to 1984–85;(3) for each of the authorities which fall in the upper quartile of social services authorities when ranked by growth in the proportion of their population aged 75 years and above in the period 1979–80 to 1984–85, for the group as a whole and for all social services authorities, what was the rate of change in net real expenditure on personal social services in the years 1979–80, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84 and 1984–85, providing outturn data where available and budget estimates where not.

Information is not available to answer these questions in the form specified, and it will take some time to analyse the available information. I shall place the detailed figures in the Library when the analysis is completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much each percentage rise in the pay of (a) staff covered by the Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine; (b) staff covered by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration and (c) staff not covered by review bodies costs the National Health Service, distinguishing between costs falling on health authorities and those falling on other parts of the National Health Service.

The estimated cost of a 1 per cent. increase over 1984–85 National Health Service paybills is shown in the following table. No assumptions have been made about possible changes in the volume or composition of particular staff groups in 1985–86. The full year effect of the staged award made to doctors and dentists in 1984 and of the abolition of the national insurance surcharge have been taken into account. The costings include provision for NHS agency staff, employer's national insurance contributions, and superannuation.

Hospital and Community Health Services: Great Britain
	£ million
Medical and dental staff	11·27
Nurses, Midwives and the professions allied to medicine	39·58
Non review body staff	30·61
Total	81·46

For general medical and general dental practitioners a 1 per cent. increase in the 1984–85 pay bill for Great Britain is estimated to amount to some £9·5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will indicate which drugs on the limited list fulfil the clinical needs previously provided in Ativan.

Ativan is one of the branded versions of the generic drug Lorazepam, which is included in the selected list of drugs to remain available under the NHS.