asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is the policy of the Midlands Electricity Board (MEB) to cut off the supply to old-age pensioners during the period of "freeze up" and to threaten court proceedings where they owe only small amounts; if so, what steps the Government propose to get this policy changed; and whether an independent body exists to which users may appeal against harassment and other action by MEB officials and their agents.

The issues raised in the noble Lord's question are primarily the responsibility of the MEB. However, that board in common with the rest of the electricity and gas industries operates a Code of Practice on the payment of bills. This gives guidance on pay-as-you-go facilities and other possible sources of help available to those who may have difficulty in meeting their bills. The code also lays down safeguards against disconnection for potential cases of hardship; in particular it provides that pensioner households will not be disconnected during the winter months (1st October to 31st March). Following an independent review of the code last year by the Policy Studies Institute the industries have recently agreed to introduce changes to improve contact with those consumers the code is designed to help. Details were given by my honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Energy in answer to a Written Question on 29th March (Official Report, Vol 21, col. 25). A copy of the industries' proposals was placed in the Library of the House.If the noble Lord's Question is prompted by any particular case, then I suggest this be taken up in the first instance with the chairman of the MEB. Any consumer who is dissatisfied with the board's response to a complaint may pursue the matter with the Midlands Area Electricity Consultative Council (MECC), the body statutorily appointed to represent consumers' interests. I am sending the noble Lord a copy of the industries' Code of Practice and details of the MECC.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many employees working in employment to which a union membership agreement applied were unfairly dismissed between 16th September 1974 and 15th August 1980 by reason of non-membership of a specified or other appropriate trade union:

Comprehensive statistics with which to answer the question are not available. During the period cited dismissal for non-membership of a specified union under a union membership agreement was regarded as fair under the Trade Union and Labour Relations Acts 1974 and 1976 unless the employee genuinely objected on grounds of religious belief to being a member of any trade union whatsoever or, between 16th September 1974 and 25th March 1976 only, on any reasonable grounds to being a member of a particular union, in which cases dismissal was unfair. The Government are aware of 17 employees whose dismissals between 16th September 1974 and 15th August 1980 were found to be unfair on one or other of the grounds cited above. Of these, 11 were employed in manufacturing and six in transport and communications.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What evidence exists to suggest that more than 70 persons dismissed from employment to which union membership agreement applies between 16th September 1974 and 15th August 1980, who did not bring or, if they brought, did not succeed in, proceedings before an industrial tribunal for unfair dismissal would have succeeded in such proceedings if the provisions of the Employment Act 1980 had been in effect.

Evidence exists in the work of two researchers, Professor John Gennard and Miss Helen Jackson.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many employees dismissed since 15th August 1980 from employment to which a union membership agreement applied succeeded in proceedings for unfair dismissal on the ground that they objected to being members of a trade union or any trade union by reason of a belief or conviction other than a religious belief or conviction.

I am not aware of any successful complaints of unfair dismissal since 15th August 1980 in which the employee objected either on grounds of conscience or of other deeply-held personal conviction (which includes objections on grounds of religious belief or conviction) to union membership.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What provision they intend to make to enable the Engineering Industry Training Board to support the intake of craft apprentices and technicians this summer, in view of the predicted shortfall in the recruitment of apprentices in the engineering industry caused by the current recession.

A total of 12,500 craft and technician trainees are expected to be recruited to the engineering industry this summer. Of these the Manpower Services Commission has agreed to support 2,000 through the Engineering Industry Training Board at a cost of £7,900,000.House adjourned at ten minutes past nine o'clock.