asked the Secretary of State for Wales what consultation he had with Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin concerning the proposal to establish a Welsh language education development body; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth (Sir. J. Stradling Thomas) met representatives of several Welsh language groups on 25 June 1985. Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin was represented at that meeting and was able to present its views on the proposal to establish a Welsh language education development body.

	Full-time		Part-time
Grade	Male	Female	Male	Female
Radiographers
Basic	37	170	1	89
Senior II	10	76	—	41
Senior I	23	74	—	7
Superintendent IV	5	11	—	—
Superintendent III	9	20	—	—
Superintendent II	3	5	—	—
Superintendent I	7	5	—	—
Teacher	1	2	—	—
Senior Teacher	4	1	—	—
Principal Teacher II	2	1	—	—
Principal Teacher I	1	1	—	—
Principal Teacher 24+	—	1	—	—
Speech Therapists
Senior II	—	36	—	17
Senior I	1	36	—	10
Chief IV	—	4	—	2
Chief III	—	9	—	—
District Chief II	—	2	—	—
District Chief I	—	3	—	—
Clinical Psychologists
Basic grade, probationary period	4	7	—	—
Basic grade, post-probationary period	10	6	—	2
Senior	16	12	—	6
Principal	18	5	—	1
Top grade	1	—	—	—
Top grade with greater responsibility	1	—	—	—
Hospital pharmacists
Pre-registration students	5	12	—	—
Basic	13	42	1	16
Staff	60	53	1	7
Principal III	17	1	—	—
Principal IV	4	1	—	—
Principal V	1	—	—	—
Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers
Junior—Scale A	6	8	—	4
Junior—Scale B	34	74	—	37
Basic	205	241	2	26
Senior	104	31	—	6
Chief	90	8	—	—

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many music therapists there are employed by health authorities in Wales; and whether he has any plans for allocating more resources to develop such services.

No music therapists were employed by health authorities in Wales on 30 September 1984, the latest date for which information is available. It is for health authorities to plan and develop their services according to their policies and priorities and to deploy their resources accordingly.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will break down by grade, sex, full and part-time staff the numbers in Wales of (a) radiographers, (b) speech therapists, (c) clinical psychologists, (d) hospital pharmacists, (e) medical laboratory scientific officers, (f) medical physics technicians, and (g) physiological measurement technicians.

The latest available information relates to 30 September 1984, when staff numbers were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many day-care places are available for children in each Welsh authority; and what were the comparative figures for October 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984.

Number of day care places available for children
	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
Clwyd	178	178	205	221	236	253
Dyfed	—	—	—	—	—	—
Gwent	153	154	93	116	116	116
Gwynedd	—	—	40	60	60	60
Mid Glamorgan	127	127	127	127	145	260
Powys	10	10	10	—	—	—
South Glamorgan	492	447	385	366	338	397
West Glamorgan	40	10	44	44	130	140

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many jobs in Wales have been created in (a) the service sector, (b) the public sector, (c) the manufacturing sector and (d) the private sector so far in 1985;(2) how many Welsh jobs have been lost in

Information is not available in the form requested, but data on net changes in the numbers of employee in employment are provided in the Department of Employment's quarterly estimate series. These do not distinguish between public and private sector employment, but the manufacturing and service industry figure are as follows:

Staffed beds allocated
Hospital	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
Clwyd:
Abergele	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

The available information relates to 31 March. Figures for 31 March 1979 to 1984 are given in the table and include places provided by other registered premises or persons as well as facilities provided by the local authorities.

Thousands
	December 1984	June 1985
Manufacturing industries	207	204
Service industries	576	583

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many acute geriatric beds there are in each Welsh general hospital now; and what are the figures for the years 1979 to 1984, inclusive.

The table gives the numbers of staff beds allocated to non-psychiatric geriatric specialties in each hospital classified as acute, mainly acute and partly acute in Wales. The figures relate to 30 June 1985 and to 31 December for the years 1979 to 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many primary care teams for the elderly currently operate in Wales; and in which counties they are in operation.

The idea of teams to ensure comprehensive provision for the elderly has been advocated in a consultative document recently published by our Department. While elements of such teams already exist in many parts of Wales, I am not aware of any that involve all the components discussed in the consultative document.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales in how many Welsh hospitals geriatric and medical advice and assistance are readily available for pre- and post-operation elderly patients.

Geriatric and medical advice and assistance are available to all hospitals in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether, in view of the changes now being introduced requiring farmers to pay for services received from the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, farmers in Wales will continue to be able to receive the service and advice through the language of their choice whether Welsh or English.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he anticipates being able to publish the report, findings and recommendations of the committee which he established to consider problems arising over the management of blocks of private flats and matters of management, maintenance, service charges and related issues and the circumstances of long lease holders of flats whose common services are managed at their expense by an agent appointed by their landlord.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Mr. Wheeler).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received the report of the committee on the management of privately-owned blocks of flats, chaired by Mr. Edward Nugee, QC; and if he will make a statement.

I have now received the report, which is being published today, and I have placed copies in the Library. My right hon. Friend and I are extremely grateful to the committee for the work it has done and the way it has carried out its tasks. The report makes many recommendations, and we will consider these in detail as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the members appointed to the Residuary Body for Tyne and Wear, their present or former professions, and the fees they will receive.

The information is as follows:

Tyne and Wear Residuary Body
Member and Present or former profession (on appointment)	Remuneration to be paid (£ per annum)
Mr. Jock Robertson (Chairman)
Formerly chief executive, Northumbrian water authority	16,000
Mr. Kenneth Douglas
Formerly managing director, Austin and Pickersgill Ltd.	5,600
Mr. Henry Foakes
Formerly chief Executive, Northumberland county council	5,600
Mr. Stuart Sisterson
Partner, Storey Sons and Parker, chartered surveyors	5,600
Mr. Roger Spoor
Partner, Arthur Young, chartered accountants	5,600

Remuneration for the chairman is on a two days a week basis; for the other members, one. Remuneration is subject to abatement, if applicable, in respect of public sector pension received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the members appointed to the Residuary Body for Merseyside, their present or former professions, and the fees they will receive.

The information is as follows:

Merseyside Residuary Body
Member and Present or former profession (on appointment)	Remuneration to be paid (£ per annum)
Mr. Leslie Pocock CBE
Chairman, Liverpool district health authority	17,600
Mr. Norman Brodrick
Formerly local agent, Bank of England	5,600
Mr. Duncan Forbes
Formerly chairman, Booker Line	5,600
Mr. John Hill
Formerly treasurer, Liverpool metropolitan city council	5,600
Mr. William Hughes
Formerly director personnel and management services, Wirral metropolitan borough council	5,600
Mr. Leslie Jones
Formerly superintending estates officer, Department of the Environment, north west region	5,600
Mr. Kenneth Medlock
Vice-Chairman, Merseyside chamber of commerce and industry	5,600

Remuneration for the chairman is on a two days a week basis; for the other members, one. Remuneration is subject to abatement, if applicable, in respect of public sector pension received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the members appointed to the Residuary Body for Greater London, their present or former professions, and the fees they will receive.

The information is as follows:

London Residuary Body
Member and Present or former profession (on appointment)	Remuneration to be paid (£ per annum)
Sir Godfrey Taylor (Chairman)
Formerly chairman, Southern water authority	50,000
Mr. Alan Blakemore CBE
Formerly town clerk and chief executive, London borough of Croydon	12,000
Mr. Jack Esling
Formerly general manager, personnel, Thames water authority	24,000
Mr. Wallace Mackenzie OBE
Group managing director, Slough Estates, plc	12,000
Mr. Michael Roberts
Partner, Deloitte, Haskins and Sells, chartered accountants	18,000
Mr. Jack Wolkind CBE
Formerly chief executive, London borough of Tower Hamlets	12,000
Councillor Peter Bowness
(appointed from the London Co-ordinating Committee of successor councils) Leader of the council, London borough of Croydon	6,000

Remuneration for the chairman is on a full-time basis; for Mr. Esling on the basis of four days a week, Mr. Roberts three, Messrs. Blakemore, Mackenzie and Wolkind two, and Councillor Bowness one. Remuneration is subject to abatement, if applicable, in respect of public sector pension received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the members appointed to the Residuary Board for Greater Manchester, their present or former professions, and the fees they will receive.

The information is as follows:

Greater Manchester Residuary Body
Member and Present or former profession (on appointment)	Remuneration to be paid (£ per annum)
Mr. Peter Hadfield JP (Chairman)
Formerly chairman and managing director of Bass North West Ltd.	17,600
Mr. Kenneth Alford OBE
Partner, W. H. Robinson and Co., chartered surveyors	5,600
Mr. Brian Scholes OBE
Formerly chief executive, Bolton metropolitan borough council	5,600
Mr. Clifford Singleton OBE
Formerly chief executive, Blackburn borough council	5,600
Mr. Robert Willan
Chairman and managing director, The Willan Building and Property Group	5,600
Councillor Bernard Coyle JP
(appointed from the Greater Manchester Co-ordinating Committee of successor councils) Leader of the council, Wigan metropolitan borough council	5,600

Remuneration for the chairman is on a two days a week basis; for the other members, one. Remuneration is subject to abatement, if applicable, in respect of public sector pension received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if meetings of the Greater Manchester Residuary Body will be open to the public;(2) if the minutes of meetings of the Greater Manchester Residuary Body will be made available to the public.

This is a matter for the Greater Manchester Residuary Body.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the members appointed to the Residuary Body for West Midlands, their present or former professions, and the fees they will receive.

The information is as follows:

West Midlands Residuary Body
Member and Present or former profession (on appointment)	Remuneration to be paid (£ annum)
Dr. Malcolm Skillicorn (Chairman)
Corporate director, public affairs, GKN Group	17,600
Mr. Geoffrey Jackson CBE JP
Managing director, Jackson of Coventry, Ltd	5,600
Mr. John Meeting JP
Agent, Calthorpe, Edgbaston and Elvetham Estates	5,600
Mr. William Page CBE
Formerly chief executive, Birmingham metropolitan city council	5,600
Mr. Kenneth Williams
Formerly chief executive and town clerk, Wolverhampton metropolitan borough council	5,600
Councillor Joseph Adams
(appointed from the West Midlands Co-ordinating Committee of successor councils) Leader of the council, Sandwell metropolitan borough council	5,600

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the members appointed to the Residuary Body for West Yorkshire, their present or former professions, and the fees they will receive.

The information is as follows:

West Yorkshire Residuary Body
Member and Present or former profession (on appointment)	Remuneration to be paid (£ per annum)
Mr. Tom McDonald OBE (Chairman)
Partner, Armitage and Norton, Chartered Accountants	16,000
Mr. Keith Bridge
Formerly chief executive, Humberside county council	5,600
Mr. Donald Hanson
Chairman and managing director, Woolcombers (Holdings) plc	5,600
Mr. Anthony Mallett CBE
Formerly chief executive, South Yorkshire metropolitan county council	5,600
Mr. Roger Suddards
Partner, Last Suddards, solicitors	5,600
Councillor George Mudie
(appointed from the West Yorkshire Co-ordinating Committee of successor councils) Leader of the council, Leeds metropolitan city	attendance
council	allowance

Remuneration for the chairman is on a two days a week basis; for the other members, one. Remuneration is subject to abatement, if applicable, in respect of public sector pension received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the members appointed to the Residuary Body for South Yorkshire, their present or former professions, and the fees they will receive.

The information is as follows:

South Yorkshire Residuary Body
Member and Present or former profession (on appointment)	Remuneration to be paid (£ per annum)
Mr. Bernard Cotton CBE (Chairman)
Deputy chairman, Baker Perkins plc	16,000
Councillor Irvine Patnick OBE (Deputy Chairman)
Leader of the opposition, South Yorkshire metropolitan county council	13,200
Mr. Malcolm Simpson
Formerly director of finance, Leeds metropolitan city council	5,600
The Hon. Neil Turner
Chairman, Edward Turner and Associates	5,600
Mr. Philip Wolf
Formerly regional director, Manpower Services Commission	5,600

Remuneration for the chairman and deputy chairman is on a two days a week basis; for the other members, one. Remuneration is subject to abatement, if applicable, in respect of public sector pension received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will allocate additional resources to Great Grimsby borough council under the housing investment programme for housebuilding and modernisation; and if he will make a statement.

Decisions have not yet been taken on the distribution of resources for housing investment programmes for 1986–87.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will list in the Official Report those local authorities which have not yet modified definitive maps in existence prior to the implementation of the Wildlife and Countryside Act to indicate public rights of way, in accordance with section 53 of the Act; and whether he will make a statement;(2) whether he is satisfied with the progress of the implementation of sections 53 to 66 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act in respect of public rights of way.

We are aware that the following county councils have made orders under section 53 of the Act:

Avon	Lincolnshire
Derbyshire	Norfolk
Devon	Northamptonshire
Dorset	North Yorkshire
Greater Manchester	Oxfordshire
Hampshire	Somerset
Isle of Wight	Tyne and Wear
Lancashire	Wiltshire
Leicestershire	West Sussex

Apart from Cornwall, Cumbria and Staffordshire and the London boroughs of Bexley and Richmond, who are not yet in a position to make such orders, pending completion of the review they have in progress under the pre-1981 Act system, we have no means of knowing which of the remaining county and London borough councils have made orders, as only opposed orders are required to be submitted to the Secretary of State for confirmation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to make any further member appointments to the London Residuary Body.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given today to the hon. Member for Worsley (Mr. Lewis). I have no plans at present to make any further appointments to the London Residuary Body.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the creation of a single London-wide waste disposal authority; and if he will make a statement.

Section 10 of the Local Government Act 1985 does not permit final conclusions on the establishment of single authorities for waste disposal before 15 November 1985. My right hon. Friend's conclusions will be announced as soon as possible thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will place in the Library copies of responses received from local authorities to his inquiries of June 1985 concerning rate demands;(2) when he expects to publish his new rules governing rate demands and background information accompanying them.

The Rate Demands and Notice of Rates and precepts Rules 1985 (S.I. 1985/1486) were laid before Parliament on 30 September 1985 and came into operation on 22 October 1985. It is not my right hon. Friend's normal practice to place in the Library copies of responses to documents issued for purposes of consultation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received during the past year concerning the listed building status of County Hall.

Numerous representations have been received about the future of County Hall, some of which referred to its status as a listed building.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it a condition of the sale of County Hall that the war memorial be preserved.

The future of County Hall will be a matter for the London Residuary Body to decide.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what conference bookings have been received in respect of the Queen Elizabeth II Centre; and how many have been confirmed.

Thirty-eight bookings have so far been made of which nine have been formally confirmed. In addition, the centre will be in constant use for Government purposes throughout the EC Presidency from July to December 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the maximum booking period for the Queen Elizabeth II Centre.

Two years for formal confirmation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department gives guidance to metropolitan county councils on consultation procedures to be undertaken in advance of major developments.

As local planning authorities, metropolitan county councils have powers, in regulations 4 and 5 of the Town and Country Planning General Regulations 1976, to grant themselves deemed planning permission for development they intend to carry out, or which they intend others to carry out on land vested in them. The regulations prescribe the extent of the consultations to be undertaken, and authorities have been asked to give their proposals the same publicity as they would applications for similar development made by private individuals or bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for transferring the Greater London council's share of the costs of the Lea Valley regional park authority to the London boroughs on the abolition of the Greater London council.

The GLC contributes some 80 per cent. of the costs of the park authority. On its abolition this will be split between the 32 London boroughs and the City of London by way of a per capita levy. In the light of legal advice received since my right hon. Friend's announcement of 12 November 1984 [Vol. 67, c. 134] he has agreed that the six riparian London boroughs should not make double per capita contributions on abolition of the GLC. However he intends in due course to invite the various bodies concerned to consider whether legislation to change those arrangements should be promoted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he proposes to make for the discharge of his functions at Osborne House.

The Civil Service benevolent fund now manage the convalescent home on my right hon. Friend's behalf. With the agreement of the Lord Chamberlain, my right hon. Friend proposes to direct the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England under section 34 of the National Heritage Act 1984 to exercise his remaining functions at Osborne House with effect from March 1986. The Commission will not be empowered, to make significant changes in, or additions to, the presentation of the House, its contents or the grounds to the public, without my right hon. Friend's prior approval.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the Sports Council's proposed grant-in-aid for 1986–87.

The Sports Council's grant in aid is increased for the next financial year, 1986–87, from the current £30·6 million to £37 million. This substantial increase reflects our general confidence in the effective work of the council and our support for the programme set out in its corporate plan. The allocation of the additional funds is for the Sports Council to decide, within the framework of the plan; but we expect it will need most: of these funds—about £5 million—to help district and borough councils with projects of wider than local interest in the wake of the abolition of the Greater London council and the metropolitan county councils. Additionally, we have provided the council with about £1 million for more inner city projects, supplementing the extensive and varied work the council is already doing in these important areas, and for other new developments in hand.The Sports Council is engaged in important objectives, in particular to boost mass participation, and especially in areas of need and stress. As for all the Department's sponsored bodies, we look to the council under its new chairman, John Smith, to continue to strive for efficiency and value for money in all its activities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reaffirm that, consequent on the abolition of the metropolitan county councils, metropolitan district councils will not have to pay former metropolitan county council staff they employ to run the devolved services the salary as they received formerly.

[pursuant to his answer, 12 November 1985, c. 120]: Where district councils recruit staff they are free to decide the terms and conditions that they offer (ex-MCC staff may be entitled also to compensation for financial detriment; but that compensation will be paid by the residuary body not the recruiting district). Where staff are transferred by order, they retain their existing terms and conditions; but it will be for district councils to decide whether they wish to have staff transferred to them in that way.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will carry out an investigation into the circumstances at Peterhead prison on 21 July when a young person who was visiting his father was taken to Aberdeen royal infirmary in connection with the suspected swallowing of a controlled drug; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lynch was detained by the police under section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 whilst visiting his father, William George Lynch at Peterhead prison. He was taken to Peterhead police office to be searched under section 23. He was seen to take something from his pocket and put it into his mouth. The police suspected that the article could have been drugs and they attempted to prevent him from swallowing and to recover the article but were unsuccessful. Mark Lynch was immediately taken to Peterhead cottage hospital where he was given an emetic. He vomited as a result and a compressed wad of clingfilm was found amongst the vomit. No chocolate was analysed. Mark Lynch was then detained under section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 but later released.The circumstances have been reported to the regional procurator fiscal at Aberdeen in respect of alleged criminal conduct by the police officers involved in the incident. After further investigation, the procurator fiscal has concluded that no criminal proceedings should be taken against any police officer in connection with this incident and, in this decision, my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate and I have concurred.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the total number of independent retail grocery businesses that have closed within the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Data available from the retailing inquiries conducted by the Business Statistics Office suggest that the number of single outlet grocery retailers fell by about 20,000 businesses between 1976 and 1982 to a level of 36,000.

asked the Secretary of state for Trade and Industry whether there are plans for further seminars on design management as begun by his Department in April; and if he will make a statement.

The series of design management seminars held earlier this year were organised by the design management group of the Society of Industrial Artists and Designers. My Department supported them with a grant to cover a proportion of their costs. Edited proceedings of the seminars will be published in December.I understand that the design management group is considering another event of this nature which will take place probably in autumn 1986 as part of Industry Year.My Department is planning to hold a commitment conference for 70 company chairmen in January 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which of the Design Council proposals submitted to him in June are planned to be introduced.

The proposals were made by the Design Council's policy working party and the council is already taking action on many of them. My Department has helped the council to achieve this by increasing the 1985–86 grant by £500,000 to enable it to expand its regional and its education and training activities and to begin a major awareness campaign aimed at senior management in British industry and commerce.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his policy for the continued funding of information technology education centres; and if he will make a statement.

My Department will continue to provide pump priming financial support to those information tehnology centres which remain eligible to receive it. The future funding arrangements for all ITeCs are being considered by my Department together with other Departments who have an interest in the programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the young designers into industry bursaries scheme.

The young designers into industry scheme is a joint Department of Trade and Industry/Royal Society of Arts initiative to provide recently graduated designers with up to a year's carefully planned and monitored industrial experience. The full quota of 12 textile design graduates are already participating in the first pilot year of the scheme. In the second pilot year, 40 graduates of textile design and industrial product design will be involved. If the pilot years are successful, the scheme will be expanded to cover 200 students over five years. The cost of the scheme is being shared equally by my Department and private industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he will make a statement on those institutions privatised since 1979 where the rules in respect of the investor passing on entitlements in the event of death are the same as those governing the share bonus and bill voucher of the British Telecom offer;(2) how many people he expects to be affected by the statement on page 57 of the British Telecom prospectus in respect of entitlement to share bonuses and bill vouchers of those receiving holdings in British Telecom on the death of the original investor;(3) what representations he has received in respect of the rules made by British Telecom about the entitlement to bill vouchers and share bonuses of those left holdings in British Telecom on the death of the investor; whether he is satisfied with the rule; and whether he will make a statement.

The 1982 Britoil sale is the only other Government share sale in which an incentive of this type has been offered to investors. The share bonus arrangements for that sale also involved loss of entitlement in the event of the death of a sole investor. It is not possible to predict how many shareholders will be affected by these rules in the BT case. I have had few complaints. I am satisfied that the rules were both necessary and clearly set out in the BT prospectus at the time of the offer.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress in the EUREKA project.

A declaration of principles relating to EUREKA was agreed by the 18 countries participating in EUREKA and the European Commission at the Conference of Ministers in Hanover on 6 November. Agreements have been concluded on the launching of 10 EUREKA projects; three involved United Kingdom firms. Other projects, some involving United Kingdom firms, are still under discussion.The United Kingdom has the chairmanship of EUREKA until May 1986 when we will host the next Ministerial Conference.A copy of the declaration of principles has been placed in the Library of both Houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will make it his policy that elderly and disabled people living alone should be offered free safety checks on all gas appliances in the event of the privatisation of British Gas;(2) if he will make it his policy to offer a subsidised home advisory service for the disabled customers of British Gas if the corporation is privatised;

Safety checks for elderly and disabled people living alone are available now from the British Gas Corporation, which also takes appropriate steps to bring safety issues to the attention of ethnic minorities. The new company will maintain the corporation's excellent safety record and continue to provide help to particular groups who may require it.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what initiatives have been taken by his Department to encourage the conservation of energy in public buildings in Great Grimsby.

Last year the Energy Efficiency Office organised a breakfast seminar on energy efficiency in Great Grimsby for 200 local senior executives, including representatives of public sector bodies.More generally, the Energy Efficiency Office is promoting energy efficiency across the public sector in all regions. It has collaborated with the Audit Commission in devising a system to be used by latter's auditors to help all local authorities in England and Wales assess their energy use and draw up an energy action programme. It has developed a monitoring and targeting system to help local authorities control their energy use. It published, in July, a guide to good energy practice in local authorities, in which a case study by Great Grimsby borough council was featured. It has issued guidelines to help councils use contract energy management companies. It has collaborated with the Department of Health and Social Security in initiatives to improve energy efficiency in hospitals. But the final responsibility for energy efficiency in public buildings in Great Grimsby rests with local energy users and their management.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on his recently announced policy of making money available to local charities so as to provide jobs.

On 4 November, I announced that £3 million has been set aside to help charities provide up to 1,000 new jobs for long-term unemployed people, and expand their services to the community. The jobs will involve work such as help for the elderly and disabled, and caring for handicapped children.This initiative will extend the valuable work already undertaken by voluntary organisations under the community programme. Instead of setting up specific projects, charities will be able to add additional posts to their existing organisation.Recruits should gain very useful experience which will stand them in good stead with future employers.The success of this experiment will be reviewed in the course of 1986.

asked the Paymaster General what is the number of persons made redundant since May 1979 in (a) the Birkenhead travel-to-work area and (b) Merseyside; and if he will present these data on a 12 monthly basis starting at May 1979 in the form used in the answer of 14 November 1983, Official Report, column 316.

The available information, relating to confirmed redundancies is set out below. Figures are shown for the new Wirral and Chester travel-to-work area and for the Merseyside metropolitan county.

Redundancies confirmed as due to occur* from May 1979 to September 1985†
	Wirral and Chester travel-to-work area‡	Merseyside metropolitan county‡
1 May 1979—30 April 1980	4,141	13,820
1 May 1980—30 April 1981	8,935	21,476
1 May 1981—30 April 1982	8,610	18,285

Closures reported as due occur* from May 1979 to September 1985†
	Wirral and Chester travel-to-work area‡		Merseyside metropolitan county‡
	Establishments	Redundancies involved	Establishments	Redundancies involved
1 May 1979—30 April 1980	10	187	70	4,445
1 May 1980—30 April 1981	19	494	114	7,642
1 May 1981—30 April 1982	30	2,232	92	6,736
1 May 1982—30 April 1983	16	970	66	5,444
1 May 1983—30 April 1984	23	1,615	70	4,800
1 May 1984—30 April 1985	12	480	56	2,368
1 May 1985—30 September 1985†	8	575	18	864
* Confirmed by the Manpower Services Commission as due to occur and based on notification of impending redundancies involving 10 or more workers.
† Includes provisional figures for August and September 1985.
‡ Grouping of jobcentre areas approximating to the area.

asked the Paymaster General why people who have been made redundant and are making claims at unemployment benefit offices are included in the unemployment count.

Such people who have been made redundant are included in the unemployment count because they are signing on as unemployed and available for work.

asked the Paymaster General how many claimants included in the unemployment count were (a) sick and (b) disabled; and why persons who are sick but still employed are classified as unemployed.

I refer my hon. Friend to my replies of 29 October at columns 331 and 332. No person who is sick but still employed should be claiming unemployment benefit.

asked the Paymaster General why men aged over 60 years who are not working are required to sign on as unemployed; and how many such persons are included in the latest unemployment statistics.

Men aged over 60 years who are unemployed and available for work need to sign on at an

asked the Paymaster General if he will list the number of firms and the number of employees involved in firms which have closed since May 1979 in (a) the Birkenhead travel-to-work area and (b) Merseyside; and if he will present these for each 12 months beginning with May 1979 in the form used in the answer of 14 November 1983, Official Report, column 316.

The available information, relating to confirmed redundancies is set out below.unemployment benefit office in order to claim unemployment benefit. Men aged over 60 do not need to sign on to claim supplementary benefit or national insurance credits. In October 1985 there were 74,847 men aged 60 and over included in the count of unemployed claimants for the United Kingdom.

asked the Paymaster General how many students on vacation who intend to return to full-time education and are unemployed claimants are included in the latest unemployment figures.

Students on vacation who intend to return to full-time education are excluded from the unemployment totals, but recorded separately. On 10 October 1985 there were 33,939 students claiming unemployment benefits in the United Kingdom.

asked the Paymaster General how many persons in receipt of holiday pay for a number of weeks at the termination of employment were included in the latest unemployment figures for the weeks covered by this holiday pay.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Paymaster General why women who are single, widowed or separated with dependent children aged under 16 years, who do not receive unemployment benefit, are included in the unemployment figures.

Such women are included in the unemployment count because they are signing on as unemployed and available for work.

asked the Paymaster General if he will explain the new rules concerning youth training scheme schemes run by voluntary organisations; and if he will make a statement.

Under the two-year youth training scheme, which will commence in April 1986, there will be a single method of funding and administration. Providers will receive a management fee of £110 per contracted place per year and a basic grant of £160 per filled place per month. Organisations—including those in the voluntary sector—which offer places for young people with special needs will receive an additional premium of £110 per filled place per month and those voluntary organisations currently involved in the youth training scheme as mode B1 providers will also be eligible for transitional funding in 1986–87 and 1987–88. Voluntary organisations providing specialised training places for disabled youngsters will receive extra payments of £75 per filled place per month on a permanent basis (but will not be eligible for transitional funding). The new administrative arrangements will give current mode B1 providers much greater freedom than at present in the management of their schemes.

Local authority district	1983–84				1984–85
	Entrants*		Completions†		Entrants*		Completion†
	Mode A	Mode B	Mode A	Mode B	Mode A	Mode B	Mode A	Mode B
Oldham	1,138	451	3	107	1,745	541	552	206
Thameside	1,074	430	—	2	1,187	423	473	177
Stockport	1,570	199	1	5	1,722	393	864	139
Bolton	1,624	481	1	44	1,943	426	876	119
Bury	839	198	4	27	928	204	370	37
Rochdale	956	661	25	56	1,040	695	388	165
Wigan	1,842	802	1	48	2,079	567	1,032	318
Manchester	2,324	1,878	10	245	3,059	1,699	1,167	585
Salford	1,090	893	15	13	1,576	938	508	352
Trafford	1,106	688	3	219	1,140	434	562	164
Greater Manchester Total	13,563	6,681	63	766	16,419	6,320	6,792	2,262
* The entrants figures include a number of young people who have joined more than one youth training scheme.
† The figures quoted for completions exclude young people who left schemes before completing their full entitlement to training.

asked the Paymaster General why no figures are yet available for 1984 regarding the availability for work test; and if he will make a statement.

This information is now available and shows that in 1984 more than 49,000 claims for unemployment benefit were disallowed on availability grounds.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement concerning the future of the Moss Side youth training scheme.