Written Answers of 19 October 1981

CIVIL SERVICE

  Retired Civil Servants (Pensions)
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  asked the Minister for the Civil Service by what percentage the pensions paid to retired civil servants have increased since May 1978.

  Mr. Hayhoe:
  About 45 per cent, the same as for all other public service pensioners.

  Ethnic Groups
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether she will take whatever action may be open to her to ensure that within Government Departments and the Civil Service generally and the higher ranks in particular there is a percentage of persons from the various ethnic groups employed on the same percentage basis as the relevant national figure.

  Mr. Hayhoe:
  Recruitment to and advancement in the Civil Service are on the basis of merit alone and the Government are determined that the established equal opportunity policies of the Civil Service with regard to race are rigorously applied. It is unlawful to discriminate in favour of ethnic minority groups in recruitment or promotion under the terms of the Race Relations Act 1976.

  NORTHERN IRELAND
  Departmental Expenditure
  Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his latest estimate of his Department's expenditure for 1981–82 in support of employment and in support of public sector industry and private sector industry, respectively.

  Mr. John Patten:
  The latest estimate of the expenditure in 1981–82 by Northern Ireland Departments in support of employment is £23 million, and in support of public sector and private sector industry is £205 million and £195 million respectively.

  Down's Syndrome
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide an estimate of the number of those in Northern Ireland with Down's syndrome; and if he will express the figure per 100,000 of population.

  Mr. John Patten:
  It is estimated that 2,250 people in Northern Ireland, or 146 per 100,000 total population, suffer from Down's syndrome.

  Epilepsy
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the incidence of epilepsy in Northern Ireland.
  2
  Mr. John Patten:
  Epilepsy is not a notifiable condition. The information requested is not held centrally, and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds his Department is granting to sponsor research into epilepsy; and if he intends to increase them.

  Mr. John Patten:
  No specifically Northern Ireland research projects on epilepsy are being funded at present. The health and social services in Northern Ireland benefit from national research.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Cruelty to Animals (Ritual Slaughter)
  Mr. Gwilym Roberts
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received in connection with cruelty to animals in ritual slaughtering for meat; if he will list these representations in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Fenner:
  In recent months my Department has received a substantial number of representations regarding religious slaughter from members of the public and from organisations with an interest in animal welfare. A number of Members of this House have also made inquiries on behalf of their constituents. The representations cannot conveniently be detailed in the Official Report, but they have mostly been concerned with the welfare aspects of religious slaughter methods.

  Parliamentary debates have always been inconclusive on the question of the possible suffering which may arise from different slaughter methods. Parliament has accordingly taken the view that, in the interests of religious tolerance, the Jewish and Muslim methods of slaughter should be permitted subject to the avoidance of unnecessary suffering. The Farm Animal Welfare Council is now considering the welfare of animals at the place of slaughter, and the Government will give full consideration to any recommendations which the council may make.

  Mr. Gwilym Roberts
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek to amend section 36 of the Slaughter Houses Act 1974 to enable local authorities to have licensing powers over ritual slaughtering and thus, if they wish, to ban it within their area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Fenner:
  We have no plans to seek to amend the law in the manner suggested. Parliament has decided to permit certain religious slaughter methods in the circumstances described in the Act, and I am not aware of any reason for subjecting this national policy to local variation.

  Minced Meat
  Mrs. Renée Short
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the variation which exists in the fat content of minced meat he will take steps to regulate that fat content and to introduce minimum standards of quality: and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Fenner:
  We have no plans to introduce legislation to control the composition of fresh mince. A

  3
  statutory limit on the fat content would restrict consumer choice, in terms of price as well as quality, and might in some cases lead to price increases.

  European Community Sheep Scheme
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total sum paid to the United Kingdom farming industry under the European Economic Community sheep scheme (variable premium) between its inception and April 1981; and how much has been paid in the current year up to the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Buchanan–Smith:
  Payments made from the inception of the scheme on 20 October 1980 to 31 March 1981 totalled £45,295,448. Payments made since 1 April 1981 amounted to £33,992,715 at 6 October 1981. There is a backlog of claims following industrial action by computer operating staff earlier this year and the most recent claims paid are for the week starting 3 August 1981.

  Unfit Meat
  Mr. Colvin
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to increase the minimum penalties for the sale to the public of unfit meat.

  Mrs. Fenner:
  It is the Government's intention that the maximum penalties permitted under a large number of Acts, including the Food and Drugs Act 1955, should be updated as soon as a legislative opportunity arises.

  Aspartame
  Mr. Durant
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration is being given by the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee to the introduction of aspartame into the United Kingdom for use in food and soft drinks; when the committee is expected to report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Fenner:
  Aspartame is one of the substances currently being evaluated by the Food Additives and Contaminants Committee in its review of sweeteners in food. I expect its report to be available for publication early in 1982.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Sir David Price
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest estimate of his Department's expenditure for 1981–82 in support of public sector industry and private sector industry, respectively.

  Mr. Peter Walker:
  The latest forecasts of expenditure by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in support of industry are contained in the main Supply Estimates 1981–82 for Class III, Votes 2, 3 and 5 (HC 190-III) and the Supplimentary Estimates 1981–82 for Class III, Votes 3 and 5 (HC 382). Leaving aside expenditure on land drainage and flood protection—£136·3 million—which includes transfers to the public sector, and civil defence—£8·4 million—the remaining expenditure in these Votes—£286·4 million—is almost entirely for the benefit of private sector industry.

  Forecasts of expenditure by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce on market regulation and production support are contained in the main Supply Estimates
  4
  1981–82 for Class III, Vote I (HC 190-III) and the Supplementary Estimates 1981–82 for Class III, Vote I (HC 382). This expenditure mainly benefits private sector industry.

  The Forestry Commission's latest forecasts of Expenditure are contained in the main Supply Estimates 1981–82 for Class III, Vote 6 (HC 190–III). Of the total voted grant-in-aid of £59·2 million, £5·1 million is spent directly for the benefit of private sector industry; the remainder is for the management of the commission's own estate and for research and development work.

  Dutch Horticulture (Fuel Prices)
  Sir Patrick Wall
  asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Dutch Government are expected to bring their fuel prices for horticulture into line with those charged to industry; if this will now be achieved before the end of this year; and if he will consider the imposition of countervailing duties.

  Mr. Peter Walker:
  This is on the agenda for today's meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers. My right hon. Friend is continuing to press for an early end to the Dutch preferential gas tariff.

  The setting of countervailing duties is a matter for the Commission, but there is no legal basis for imposing them in present circumstances.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Public Disturbances
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will give the reasons why he will not move to appoint a Select Committee to investigate all matters connected with the recent series of riots and to ascertain what action Parliament should take to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

  Mr. Pym:
  I am satisfied that the House already has adequate means of considering these matters without the establishment of a further Select Committee.

  Members (Allowances)
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will propose that hon. Members should receive allowances on the same scales as Members of the European Assembly.

  Mr. Pym:
  No. As the hon. Member has been advised in the past, it would not be appropriate to recompense Members of Parliament for their expenses on a basis determined by, and appropriate for, service in another parliamentary body.

PRIME MINISTER

  Data Protection
  Mr. Dalyell
  asked the Prime Minister if she will consider transferring responsibility for the implementation of the recommendations of Sir Norman Lindop's committee on data protection from the Home Office to the Department of Industry; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister:
  Our proposals for legislation on data protection affect a wide range of interests including

  5
  Government Departments, the National Health Service, local government, industrial and non-industrial organisations in the private sector and the public at large. I am satisfied that responsibility for co-ordinating action should continue to be exercised by the Home Secretary.

  Legal Services
  Mr. Hooley
  asked the Prime Minister when Her Majesty's Government expect to respond to the report of the Royal Commission on legal services, Cmnd. 7648 of October 1979, particularly with regard to the solicitors' conveyancing monopoly.

  The Prime Minister:
  The Royal Commission on legal services' recommendations, many of which are recommendations for action by the legal profession, represent a long-term programme. They must be considered in the light of prevailing circumstances, including the availability of resources: decisions are being taken whenever these permit. In particular, responsibility for criminal legal aid has been transferred to the Lord Chancellor. The recommendations relating to conveyancing are being studied, but no decisions have yet been taken.

  No. 10 Downing Street Notepaper
  Mr. Skinner
  asked the Prime Minister whether she will institute an inquiry into the use of official No. 10 Downing Street notepaper by Mr. Denis Thatcher in writing to the Secretary of State for Wales; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister:
  I have nothing to add to the letter I sent to the hon. Member on 24 September.

  Mr. Victor Lazine
  Mr. Bidwell
  asked the Prime Minister if she authorised the expulsion of Victor Lazine, second secretary in the embassy of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for involvement with people concerned with riots in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister:
  The Government declared Mr. V. N. Lazine persona non grata because he had engaged in activities incompatible with his diplomatic status. Press reports of a connection between him and disturbances in the United Kingdom were without foundation. The interests of our security would not be served by disclosing further details of the case.

  Nationalised Industries (Chairmen's Salaries)
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Prime Minister (1) in view of the application by the organisation representing the chairmen of the boards of the nationalised industries for substantial salary increases, whether she will take whatever action may prove necessary to ensure that any increases will not exceed the Government's policy of 4 percent. as laid down for public servants;

  (2) why the recently announced increase in the salary of the chairman of British Rail was not subject to Her Majesty's Government's announcement of a 4 per cent. maximum increase in salaries in the public sector; and whether the maximum increase will apply to the chairmen and members of other nationalised industries.

  The Prime Minister:
  I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the statement of 15 September which is available
  6
  in the Library of the House, from which he will see that the pay factor is neither a limit on individual increases—some may be less and some more than 4 percent.—nor is it applicable to the present financial year.

  Youth Opportunities Programme
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Prime Minister what is the value at current prices of the £23·50 as originally paid to youth opportunities programme trainees weekly; and if she will ensure that the rate of pay is increased.

  The Prime Minister:
  The current YOP allowance was set at £23·50 in November 1979. Since that time the Retail Price Index has risen by 25·9 per cent. and the allowance would have to be increased to £29·50 in order to restore its real value to the November 1979 level. The Government believe the current allowance still provides young people with an incentive to join YOP, but my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment is reviewing its level following the request for an increase by the Manpower Services Commission.

  Third World (Aid)
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  asked the Prime Minister what new proposals she intends to put to the Mexico summit meeting on aid for the Third world.

  The Prime Minister:
  The Cancun summit is not intended to negotiate precise measures. The ideas which I will advocate on the key issues are foreshadowed in the Government's reply to the Foreign Affairs Committee (Cmnd. 8369).

  Belize
  Mr. Healey
  asked the Prime Minister whether it is proposed that a gift should be presented to the Government of Belize to mark the attainment of independence on 21 September.

  The Prime Minister:
  The House will, I feel sure, wish to send congratulations to Belize on its independence, along with best wishes for the happiness and prosperity of the people of that country. Her Majesty's Government propose to offer a suitable gift to mark the occasion.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Overseas Students (Bursaries and Scholarships)
  Mr. Colvin
  asked the Lord Privy Seal what has been the total annual value of bursaries and scholarships awarded by his Department to overseas students coming to the United Kingdom from the financial year 1970–71 until the present; and if he will give estimates where actual figures are not available.

  Mr. Luce:
  British aid statistics are prepared and published on a calendar year basis. The costs of training in Britain under the programme of the Overseas Development Administration and its predecessors are:

  Year

  £million

  1970

  7.094

  1971

  6.827

  1972

  7.776

  7

  Year

  million

  1973

  9.466

  1974

  10.421

  1975

  14.614

  1976

  16.794

  1977

  18.115

  1978

  19.916

  1979

  30.317

  1980

  43.602

  1981 (Est.)

  43.000

  In addition, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has provided grants to the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission for the provision of university scholarships tenable in the United Kingdom by American graduates as follows:

  Year

  £

  1970–71

  72,943

  1971–72

  84,849

  1972–73

  103,142

  1973–74

  112,197

  1974–75

  134,126

  1975–76

  177,479

  1976–77

  200,974

  1977–78

  252,117

  1978–79

  288,736

  1979–80

  340,889

  1980–81

  445,633

  International Population Programmes
  Mr. Roper
  asked the Lord Privy Seal when he now expects to have completed the review of the Overseas Development Administration's population activities; and whether, in view of Her Majesty's Government's commitment to contribute more to international population programmes, he will expedite decisions on the consequential appointments.

  Mr. Neil Marten:
  The review, of which I informed hon. Members on 21 July 1981—[Vol. 9, c. 781]—has been completed. As a result I have decided that the technical and professional staff at present employed in the population bureau and the administrative staff working on population matters should be drawn more closely together by integrating the bureau into my Department's health and population division. In addition, the division is to be strengthened by the appointment of a population programme officer to widen our advisory capacity. Recruitment of this officer is now in hand.

  We will not now be appointing a new director of the population bureau. My original intention had been to appoint a director on a part-time basis. However, the programme officer will be a full-time appointment and will therefore slightly increase our advisory capacity.

  These changes will come into effect immediately and I am satisfied that they will strengthen my Department's capacity in this important field.

WALES

  Waste Disposal Strategy
  Mr. Anderson
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he proposes to take to launch a regional waste disposal strategy in Wales.

  Mr. Michael Roberts:
  In its recent report on hazardous waste disposal the House of Lords Select
  8
  Committee on Science and Technology included as one of its recommendations a proposal to group waste disposal authorities into waste disposal regions. The report is receiving consideration and the Government's response will be made in due course.

  House Condition Survey
  Mr. Anderson
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales to what extent work on the house condition survey will be taken away from local authority employees and performed by private personnel.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts:
  One half of the surveyors who are needed, other than Departmental staff, have been recruited from the private sector.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Anderson:
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales what figures he has for the degree of homelessness at the latest available date; and how this compares with equivalent dates in the three previous years.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts:
  The number of cases accepted as homeless by Welsh local authorities in 1980 was 5,446. The comparable figure for 1979 was 4,676. Information on this subject was not collected before April 1978.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest estimate of his Department's expenditure for 1981–82 in support of employment and in support of public sector industry and private sector industry, respectively.

  Mr. Nicholas Edwards:
  Relevant figures are contained in the Supply Estimates 1981–82, class XVI, Wales, adjusted by the Supply Estimates 1981–82, Supplementary Estimates (classes 11–XVII civil). These amount to:

  £million

  (a) Employment

  1.745

  (b) Public Sector Industry

  Nil

  (c) Private Sector Industry

  133.521

  Some expenditure in Wales is undertaken by other Departments as a part of United Kingdom expenditure.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Morgan
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether any properties owned by the Welsh Office, or for which the Welsh Office has responsibility, in Colwyn Bay, are occupied by squatters; and, if so, how many properties are thus occupied and what action the Welsh Office is taking to recover possession of them.

  Mr. Michael Roberts:
  None. One property was recently occupied but the Department has now taken possession.

  Clwyd (Speed Limits)
  Mr. Morgan
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will consider the institution of a permanent 30 mph speed limit for vehicles through the village of Pentre, Llanrhaedr YC, Denbigh, Clwyd.
  9
  Mr. Michael Roberts:
  The A525 at Pentre Llanrhaedr YC. Denbigh, Clwyd is a principal road. It is for Clwyd county council as highway authority to consider whether the existing 40 mph speed limit should be lowered.

  Down's Syndrome
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number in Wales with Down's syndrome; and if he will express the figure per 100,000 of population.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts:
  This information is not available.

  Epilepsy
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the incidence of epilepsy in Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts:
  Epilepsy is not a notifiable condition and consequently no reliable information is readily available on its incidence.

  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Wales what funds his Department is granting to research work into epilepsy; and if he intends to increase them.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts:
  The Welsh Office does not at present fund any research into epilepsy. All applications for such financial support are considered on their merits.

EMPLOYMENT

  Closures (West Midlands and Black Country)
  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number, names and numbers of employees involved in firms which have closed since May 1979 in (a) the West Midlands, (b) the Black Country areas and the West Midlands and (c) the Walsall travel-to-work area.

  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  There are no comprehensive statistics of closures. The available information on closures, involving redundancies of 10 or more employees, reported to the Manpower Services Commission as due to occur in the requested areas between May 1979 and September 1981 is shown in the table below.

  Since the information is often provided in confidence, the identity of the firms cannot be disclosed.

  Closures: May 1979 to September 1981*

  Number of firms

  Number of employees involved

  West Midlands

  479

  28,953

  Black Country†

  134

  9,528

  Walsall travel-to-work area

  40

  2,400

  * Prior to January 1980 figures relate to redundancies notified within the month concerned rather than redundancies taking place in the month.Including provisional figures for August and September 1981.† Wolverhampton, Dudley and Sandwell, and Walsall travel-to-work areas.

  Registered Vacancies
  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list, by trade and occupation, the registered vacancies in (a) the West Midlands, (b) the Black Country areas of the West Midlands and (c)the Walsall travel-to-work area.
  10
  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  The following table gives the number of vacancies remaining unfilled in the West Midlands region on 4 September analysed by major occupational groups. Corresponding information for the local areas specified could be given only at disproportionate cost. The statistics relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and do not include those notified to careers offices. Vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the economy as a whole. The number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn during the preceding month, which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the past 12 months 79,333 people were placed in jobs by the employment offices in the West Midlands region. It is estimated that the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.

  Unfilled vacancies

  Managerial occupations (general management)

  8

  Professional and related occupations supporting management and administration

  140

  Professional and related occupations in education, welfare and health

  301

  Literary, artistic and sports

  39

  Professional and related occupations in science, engineering, technology and similar fields

  225

  Managerial (excluding general management)

  291

  Clerical and related occupations

  1,202

  Selling

  1,305

  Security and protective service

  80

  Catering, cleaning, hairdressing and other personal service

  1,106

  Farming, fishing and related occupations

  109

  Materials processing (excluding metal)

  92

  Making and repairing (excluding metal and electrical

  439

  Processing, making, repairing and related occupations (metal and electrical)

  606

  Painting, repetitive assembling, product inspecting, packaging and related occupations

  231

  Construction, mining and related occupations not elsewhere classified

  153

  Transport operating, materials moving and storing and related occupations

  218

  Miscellaneous (including general labourers)

  328

  TOTAL, ALL OCCUPATIONS

  6,873

  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment, what is the total number of registered vacancies in (a) the West Midlands, (b) the Black Country areas of the West Midlands and (c) the Walsall travel-to-work area; and if he will give the figures for June 1979.

  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  The following table gives the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled of employment offices and careers offices in the areas specified.

  June 1979

  September 1981

  At employment offices

  At careers offices

  At employment offices

  At careers offices

  West Midlands Region

  16,191

  4,603

  6,873

  690

  Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area

  1,915

  414

  600

  26

  Wolverhampton travel-to-work area

  634

  128

  236

  34

  11

  June 1979

  September 1981

  At employment offices

  At careers offices

  At employment offices

  At careers offices

  Walsall travel-to-work area

  1,172

  204

  310

  16

  The statistics relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices; vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication the figures for employment offices and careers offices should not be added together.

  The number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn during the preceding month, which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the past 12 months 79,333 people were placed in jobs by employment offices and 9,489 by careers offices in the West Midlands region. It is estimated that the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.

  Youth Opportunities Programme
  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what percentage of school leavers during 1980 and so far in 1981 has been given places on the youth opportunities programme; what was the average period of time involved with the youth oppportunities programme; and if his Department has any information of the numbers who have left the youth opportunities programme and found ordinary employment;

  (2) what percentage of school leavers during 1980 and so far in 1981 was placed in schemes of work experience; what was the average period of time involved in such schemes; and if his Department has any details of the number who afterwards found ordinary employment.

  Mr. Alison:
  In 1980, one in three school leavers took part in the youth opportunities programme. Of these four out of five entered work experience schemes. In 1981 the proportion of school leavers entering the programme is expected to rise to one in two. Of these four out of five are again expected to go into the work experience schemes.

  It is not possible to give the average length of stay on the programme for school leavers only, but for all young people who take part in the programme, the average length of stay is about 23 weeks. Currently some four out of 10 young people who leave the youth opportunities programme go into permanent employment.

  The aim of YOP is to provide a good quality work experience and training to unemployed young people, and this year it is expected that 550,000 young people will enter the programme.

  Industrial Sites (Hazards)
  Sir Bernard Braine
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many industrial sites are listed by the Health and Safety Executive as major hazards in England, Wales and Scotland, respectively.

  Mr. Waddington:
  497 industrial sites in Great Britain are currently listed by the Health and Safety Executive as
  12
  major hazards. It is not the practice to publish any geographical breakdown of the list, for reasons of confidentiality.

  Sir Bernard Braine
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many enforcement notices were served by the Health and Safety Executive on industrial sites listed as major hazards in each of the years 1978, 1979, 1980 and up to the latest convenient date in 1981, in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland.

  Mr. Waddington:
  The numbers of enforcement notices served by the Health and Safety Executive on listed major hazard sites in the years in question are set out in the table below:

  England

  Wales

  Scotland

  Total

  1978

  55

  1

  4

  60

  1979

  34

  —

  3

  37

  1980

  54

  2

  7

  63

  1981 (to 30 September)

  21

  —

  4

  25

  Total

  164

  3

  18

  185

  Sandwell and Dudley
  Miss Boothroyd
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current rate of unemployment in the Sandwell and Dudley travel-to-work area.

  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  At 10 September, the rate of unemployment in the Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area was 15.4 per cent.

  Merseyside
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures for (a) Merseyside, (b Kirkby and (c) Ormskirk; and if he will give the average period of unemployment and the age breakdown in each case.

  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  At 10 September the number of people registered as unemployed in the Merseyside special development area was 130,466. The comparable figures for the Kirkby and Ormskirk employment office areas were 7,319 and 1,887, respectively.

  The latest date for which figures are available for the duration of unemployment and the age of those registered as unemployed is 9 July. At that date, the median length of time for which those in the Merseyside special development area had been unemployed is estimated at 33 weeks. The comparable figures for the Kirkby and Ormskirk employment ofice areas are 40 and 20 weeks, respectively. The following table gives an age breakdown of the total unemployed in the areas at 9 July.

  Numbers registered as unemployed

  Age

  Merseyside Special Development Area

  Kirkby employment office area

  Ormskirk employment office area

  Under 18 years

  13,777

  432

  169

  18 years

  6,562

  427

  73

  19 years

  7,823

  569

  88

  20–24 years

  25,430

  1,729

  292

  25–29 years

  15,656

  1,230

  167

  30–34 years

  11,784

  841

  154

  35–44 years

  15,605

  814

  243

  13

  Age

  Merseyside Special Development Area

  Kirkby employment office area

  Ormskirk employment office area

  45–49 years

  7,366

  378

  92

  50–54 years

  7,237

  426

  136

  55–59 years

  7,524

  415

  153

  14

  Age

  Merseyside Special Development Area

  Kirkby employment office area

  Ormskirk employment office area

  60 years and over

  6,887

  224

  166

  Total, all ages

  125,651

  7,485

  1,733

  15

  High Risk Installations (Canvey and Thurrock)
  Sir Bernard Braine
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many enforcement notices have been served by the Health and Safety Executive on each of the individual high risk installations in Canvey and Thurrock since the publication of its 1978 report; and how many prosecutions have been initiated.

  Mr. Waddington:
  From the publication of the report on 20 June 1978 to 15 October 1981 three enforcement notices have been served on one of the high risk installations in Canvey and Thurrock. One prosecution has been initiated.

  Thames Estuary (Vessel Enforcement Notices)
  Sir Bernard Braine
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many enforcement notices were served by the Health and Safety Executive on ships entering the Thames Estuary, giving prohibition notices separately and indicating whether hazardous cargoes were being carried, in each of the years from 1976 to the latest convenient date in 1981.

  Mr. Waddington:
  From 1 January 1976 to 13 October 1981, 25 enforcement notices were served on ships entering the Thames Estuary. All were carrying hazardous cargoes. The numbers of notices served each year were:

  1976–78

  1979

  1980

  1981

  Prohibition Notices

  Nil

  3

  3

  Nil

  Improvement Notices

  Nil

  17

  2

  Nil

  Departmental Expenditure
  Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his latest estimate of his Department's expenditure for 1981–82 on job maintenance, job creation and job training, respectively.

  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  It is not possible to categorise the relevant programmes of the Department of Employment group under job maintenance, job creation and job training, but the following items of expenditure all contain elements relating to one or more of these three headings. The figures refer to the main estimates provision. supplemented by additional allocations for special measures agreed in July 1981.

  £M

  Community Industry Scheme

  22.0

  Trade Union Education and Training

  1.0

  Grants for the Training of Careers Officers

  0.4

  Grants to Local Authorities for the strengthening of the Careers Service

  7.0

  Community Enterprise Programme

  99.4

  Grants and Loans to Remploy

  46.4

  Grants towards the provision of other sheltered employment

  13.4

  Temporary Short Time Working Compensation Scheme

  388.5

  Job Release Scheme

  166.7

  Grants to Industrial Training Boards and other bodies for training services

  65.8

  Training Opportunities Programme

  244.5

  Unified Vocational Preparation

  4.7

  Youth Opportunities Programme

  413.6

  Staff Training in the Department of Employment Group

  3.8

  16

  Unemployment Costs
  Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will bring up to date the figure quoted by the Manpower Services Commission in its report entitled "Review of Services for the Unemployed", that each additional 100,000 registered unemployed costs about £300 million per annum at 1979–80 prices in transfer payments and revenues forgone.

  Mr. Alison:
  I will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

  Unemployed Persons (Birmingham)
  Mr. Rooker
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men aged 60 years and over are registered with each unemployment benefit office in Birmingham; and how many of these are in receipt of supplementary benefit.

  Mr. Alison:
  This information is not available for individual unemployment benefit offices and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. But it is estimated that for the Birmingham travel-to-work-area as a whole about 7,990 men aged 60 or over are claiming benefit, of whom about 2,220 are receiving supplementary benefit.

  Benefits (Fraud Investigators)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total cost of the special fraud teams operating in the Crewe area in 1981; and how much was saved by disallowing benefit to the claimants concerned.

  Mr. Waddington
  [pursuant to his reply, 31 July 1981, c. 714]The total cost of the special fraud team operating in the Crewe area in February and March 1981 was £7,585. The benefit disallowed totalled £602·63 per week.

  It is impossible to estimate what further savings have been achieved as a result of the deterrent effect of the operation on those who might be minded to cheat.

  Apprentice Training center, Devonport
  Miss Fookes
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the possibility of utilising Manpower Services Commission funds to increase the number of apprenticeships at the Apprentice training center at Her Majesty's dockyard, Devonport.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  [pursuant to his reply, 31 July 1981, c. 714]: The Government are considering urgently whether there is any way in which spare Ministry of Defence apprentice training capacity generally might be put to good use.

  Textile and Clothing Industries
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were working in (a) the textile industry and (b) the clothing industry in each European Economic Community country in 1980.

  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  Following is the available information. The figures are approximate only and are not fully comparable owing to some differences between countries in statistical definitions and methods of compilation.
  17

  Employees in Employment 1980 Thousands

  Textiles†

  Clothing and Footwear

  Belgium†

  68

  55

  Denmark

  13

  18

  France

  293

  314

  Germany (FR)

  333

  352

  Greece

  —*

  —*

  Irish Republic**

  17

  17

  Italy

  437

  —*

  Luxembourg

  —*

  —*

  Netherlands**

  31

  30

  United Kingdom

  420

  353

  * not available† not including manufacture of man-made fibres‡ 1st Quarter** 3rd Quarter Sources: Eurostat—'Employment and Unemployment'Eurostatistics'

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the reduction in employment in manufacturing industry in the principal industrial countries since (a) 1950, (b) 1960 and (c) 1970 in terms of numbers and as percentages.

  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  Following is the available information. Estimates of changes between 1950 and 1980 on a consistent basis are not readily available, and for two main countries only are they available between 1960 and 1980. Because of differences between countries in coverage and definitions the statistics are not fully comparable.

  Disabled Persons
  Dr. Roger Thomas
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the numbers of persons in sheltered employment and the numbers of registered disabled people under section 2 of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 for the latest available date and for each of the past five years, together with the projected number of places available in sheltered employment schemes for the next three years in each case for each of the eight counties of the Principality.

  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  Given below, in table 1, are the numbers of severely disabled people working in sheltered employment in each of the Welsh counties on 31 March 1980 (latest available figure) and on the same date in each of the four preceding years.

  The Manpower Services Commission, which is responsible for the administration of the sheltered employment programme, does not maintain records of the numbers of unemployed registered severely disabled people on a county basis but is able to provide this figure for Wales as a whole. The latest figure and those for each of the preceding five years are given below in table 2.

  It is not possible to predict with any degree of certainty the number of places that will be offered in sheltered employment over the next three years, although there is provision for a modest increase in real terms in Government funding of sheltered employment over that period.

  Table 1

  County

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  Mid Glamorgan

  757

  771

  724

  740

  749

  Gwent

  272

  277

  259

  266

  264

  West Glamorgan

  275

  280

  258

  332

  342

  East Clwyd

  112

  148

  131

  112

  145

  Powys

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Gwynedd

  11

  25

  24

  26

  28

  Dyfed

  58

  66

  28

  61

  62

  South Glamorgan

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  1485

  1567

  1424

  1537

  1590

  Table 2

  Numbers of registered severely disabled people in Wales who were unemployed in March in the following years.

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  Registered Severely Disabled Peopled

  1,501

  1,250

  1,110

  973

  871

  837

  Rates
  Mr. Skinner
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what was the figure for rates as a percentage of average earnings in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979;

  (2) what was the figure for rates as a percentage of average earnings in 1950, 1960, 1970 and 1980.

  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  Average expenditure on rates, which relates to households over the course of a year, is not comparable with average earnings, which relate to individual employees in a specific pay period. However, rates can be expressed as a percentage of total household expenditure as in the following table, which also shows average household expenditure on rates and average gross weekly earnings.
  19

  Average household
  expenditure on rates*

  Average gross
  earnings of full-time employees in April (£/week)舤

  £/week

  As percentage of total expenditure

  Men‡

  Women**

  1970

  0.84

  3.0

  29.7

  16.2

  1974

  1.46

  3.2

  47.7

  26.9

  1975

  1.77

  3.3

  60.8

  37.4

  1976

  2.05

  3.3

  71.8

  46.2

  1977

  2.40

  3.3

  78.6

  51.0

  1978

  2.61

  3.3

  89.1

  56.4

  1979

  3.12

  3.3

  101.4

  63.0

  1980

  4.01

  3.6

  124.5

  78.8

  *Domestic and water rates, net of rate rebates where applicable. The 1980 figures are provisional.Source: Family Expenditure Survey.†Excluding those whose pay was not affected by absence.Source: New Earnings Survey.†Aged 21 and over.** Aged 18 and over.
  Comparable figures for earlier years are not available. However, between April 1950 and April 1960, and between April 1960 and April 1970 the increases in rates (as incorporated in the retail prices index were 56 per cent. and 69 per cent. respectively. Average wages and salaries per head (covering both full-time and part-time employees, and relating to calendar years) increased by 82 per cent. between 1950 and 1960, and by 93 per cent. between 1960 and 1970.

  June 1979 Number unemployed

  Percentage rate of unemployment

  September 1981 Number unemployed

  Percentage rate of unemployment

  United Kingdom

  1,343,865

  5.5

  2,998,789

  12.4

  West Midlands Region

  121,521

  5.2

  349,780

  15.1

  Wolverhampton travel-to-work area

  9,296

  6.4

  24,564

  16.8

  Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area

  13,240

  4.3

  46,912

  15.4

  Walsall travel-to-work area

  9,710

  5.9

  29,083

  17.2

  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest number of those registered unemployed for longer than three months, six months, nine months and over 12 months in (a) the west Midlands, (b) the Black Country areas of the west Midlands and (b) the walsall travel-to-work areas; and if he will give comparable figures for June 1979.

  West Midlands

  Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area

  Wolverhampton travel-to-work area

  Walsall travel-to-work area

  Duration

  July 1979

  July 1981

  July 1979

  July 1981

  July 1979

  July 1981

  July 1979

  July 1981

  Over 13 and up to 26 weeks

  19,707

  63,108

  2,088

  9,021

  1,428

  4,533

  1,385

  5,523

  Over26 and up to 39 weeks

  11,608

  49,999

  1,194

  7,338

  747

  3,364

  798

  4,377

  Over 39 and up to 52 weeks

  9,127

  39,079

  1,007

  5,567

  654

  2,642

  640

  3,277

  Over 52 weeks

  33,753

  74,554

  3,254

  9,877

  2,539

  5,816

  2,394

  6,291

  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the latest number of those registered as unemployed who are 45 years of age and over in (a) the west Midlands,(b) the Black Country areas of the west Midlands and (c) the walsall travel-to-work areas; and if he will give the figures for June 1979;

  Short-time Working
  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Secretary of state for Employment what is the number on short-time working in (a) the West Midlands, (b) the Black Country areas of the West Midlands and (c) the Walsall travel-to-work areas; and what the figures were for June 1979.

  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  Statistics of short-time working are available only for operatives in manufacturing industries. Figures are produced for Great Britain and the regions, but not for local areas.

  During the week ended 13 June 1981 the provisional number of operatives in manufacturing industries who were stood off for the whole or part of the week in the West Midlands region was 70,000. The corresponding number during the week ended 9 June 1979 was 12,000.

  Unemployment Statistics
  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest number of registered unemployed (a) nationally, (b) in the West Midlands, (c) in the Black Country areas of the West Midlands, and (d) in the Walsall travel-to-work area; what percentages these figures represent; and what was the position in June 1979.

  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  The following is the information. The figures include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted; figures for September are normally higher in any one year than those for June.

  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  The numbers registered as unemployed are analysed by age in January, April, July and October.

  The following is the information for July 1979 and July 1981 for the areas specified.

  (2) what is the latest number of those who are registered as unemployed who are under 18 years of age in (a) the West Midlands, (b) the Black Country areas of the West Midlands and (c) the Walsall travel-to-work area; and if he will give the figures for June 1979.
  21
  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  The numbers registered as unemployed are analysed by duration of unemployment in January, April, July and October.

  The following is the information for July 1979 and July 1981 for the areas specified.

  Unemployed aged 45 years and over

  Unemployed aged under 18 years of age

  July 1979

  July 1981

  July 1979

  July 1981

  West Midlands Regions

  36,585

  89,118

  31,553

  39,607

  Dudley and Sandwell travel-to-work area

  4,033

  13,261

  3,608

  5,290

  Wolverhampton travel-to-work area

  2,449

  6,464

  2,825

  2,906

  Walsall travel-to-work area

  2,749

  7,102

  3,055

  3,750

  West Midlands (Redundancies)
  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies in total have occurred in the West Midlands since May 1979.

  Mr. Peter Morrison:
  There are no comprehensive statistics of redundancies. The number of redundancies, involving 10 or more employees, reported to the Manpower Services Commission as due to occur in the West Midlands between May 1979 and September 1981 inclusive is 126,300 including provisional figures for August and September 1981.

  HOME DEPARTMENT
  Self-employed Commercial Agents (European Community Directive)
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will agree to meet a deputation from the UCTA section of the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs to discuss matters connected with the European Economic Community Directive on self-employed commercial agents.

  Mr. Eyre:
  My right hon. Friend, the Minister for Consumer Affairs, has agreed to meet a deputation from
  36
  the UCTA section of the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs to discuss developments on the commercial agents draft directive.

  Parole Board (Chairman)
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 July to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West, if he will give the reasons why he will not dismiss the chairman of the Parole Board.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  I know of no reason to justify such an action.

  Channel Islands
  Mr. Cryer
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refuse to submit for approval any legislation from the Channel Islands which incorporates discrimination in housing or any other area against employees working in the islands on a temporary job or on a contract of a fixed term; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  All legislation submitted by the islands authorities is carefully considered before a decision is reached whether Royal Assent should be recommended. We see no reason to vary this procedure for particular areas of legislation.

  Prisons (Heating)
  Mr. John Grant
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of his instruction to prison governors about reducing prison
  22
  heating; on what basis he calculates that heating in prison establishments should be reduced by 14 per cent.; and what representations he has received from the Prison Officers Association and others about his instructions in respect of prison heating.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  A copy of the instruction—circular instruction 27/1980—was placed in the Library. That instruction referred to a 15 per cent. reduction on the previous year's total energy consumption being required in 1980–81 to contain energy costs within the cash limit. We have received no representations.

  Prison Medical Officers
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress that he has made in enabling prison medical officers to serve short-term attachments in the special hospitals.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  Discussions with the Department of Health and Social Security have commenced, but it is not yet possible to predict when the arrangements will be completed.

  Forensic Psychiatry
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the arrangements for senior registrars in forensic psychiatry to receive training in prison establishments have yet been finalised; and, if not, when he expects them to be completed.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  Arrangements for National Health Service senior registrars in forensic psychiatry to receive training in prison department establishments are made locally. All full-time prison medical officers have recently been asked to assist with the provision of training facilities and have been given guidance on the content of the training which might be provided.

  Foreign Government Employees (Registration)
  Mr. Greville Janner
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation requiring the registration with his Department of people who work in the United Kingdom on behalf of foreign Governments and agencies, and who do not have diplomatic status.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

  Prisons (Medical Records)
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the card index system of medical documentation has now been introduced in all prisons; what has been the reason for the delay in these prisons where it has not been introduced; and in those cases, when it is expected to be introduced.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  A few prison department establishments use a card index system of treatment records. We are examining the possibility of introducing the system in all establishments, but work on this has been delayed by restricted access to some papers as a result of the Civil Service dispute. It is not yet possible to say when this examination will be completed.
  23

  "Prison Statistics England and Wales 1980"
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why "Prison Statistics England and Wales 1980"has not yet been published: and when it is to be published.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  "Prison Statistics England and Wales 1980"—Cmnd. 8372—was published on 30 September 1981. Publication was about two months later than usual mainly because of the additional statistical analyses made to assess the effects of the industrial action by prison officers in the last quarter of 1980.

  Treatment of Prisoners
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he will not place the standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners on the syllabus of prison staff training courses.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  The Council of Europe standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners seek to set out what is generally accepted as being good principle and practice in the treatment of prisoners. The training of prison staff for the English prison service is specifically based on the prison rules and standing orders which embody the good principle and practice inherent in the Council of Europe minimum rules. Copies of the standard minimum rules are available for reference purposes in prison department establishments.

  Prison Officers (Pay and Allowances)
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether prison officers who are suspended from duty because of allegations against them are paid their basic or their average pay and allowances.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  When a prison officer is suspended from duty his pay and allowances may be withheld wholly or in part so long as the suspension continues. In practice, prison officers suspended following allegations against them usually receive their full basic pay including any responsibility allowances; London weighting or inconvenience of locality allowance, if appropriate; shift disturbance allowance, subject to the general Civil Service rule that this allowance ceases after 30 days continuous absence or a total of 60 days absense in any period of 12 months; and a continued entitlement to rent-free accommodation or a housing allowance in lieu. They are not eligible to receive any extra payments for overtime and weekend duties since, under Civil Service rules, these payments are made only for duties actually worked.

  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will arrange for prison staff while attending courses to receive their average pay and allowances.
  24
  Mr. Mayhew:
  Prison staff who attend in-service training courses continue to receive their full basic pay and allowances including any shift pay. They do not qualify for extra payments for overtime or weekend duties during the period of a course since, under general Civil Service rules, these payments are made only for duties actually worked. Staff who attend training courses away from home are provided with free board and accommodation, and receive an allowance to cover any additional expenses.

  Prison Officers (Promotion)
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a prescribed amount of attendance at in-service training courses is, or will be made, a prerequisite for promotion for prison staff.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  A prescribed amount of attendance at in-service training courses is not a prerequisite for promotion for prison staff. A review of training is to be undertaken in the near future which will examine among other matters the desirability and feasibility of establishing some kind of training criterion for promotion.

  Prisons(Violence)
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research or other investigation is being undertaken into the causes and prevention of violence by inmates or staff in penal institutions.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  Research into violent incidents involving inmates is currently being undertaken by prison psychologists in two separate projects at Birmingham and Holloway prisons: both seek to identify precipitating factors and to assist staff in evolving preventive measures. In category 'B' dispersal prisons there is routine monitoring of selected aspects of institutional life to anticipate breakdown in control. Governors have standing responsibility to investigate incidents involving violence by inmates or staff as and when they occur.

  "Walkie Talkie"Radios
  Miss Joan Lestor
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to prevent the illegal selling in the United Kingdom of "walkie talkie"radios which operate on a frequency of 49 MHz.

  Mr. Raison:
  There is no power under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts to prohibit the sale of such equipment, although it may not lawfully be used. We hope that it will be possible to strengthen the existing legislation in this regard when parliamentary time permits.
  25

  Wormwood Scrubs (Inquiry)
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the police inquiry into the incident at Wormwood Scrubs prison on 31 August 1979 is likely to be completed; why it has not yet been completed; and if he will make a statement on the nature of the inquiry and the progress so far made.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  The Metropolitan Police have submitted a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who is considering it. It would be inappropriate to make any further comment.

  Prisons (Suicides)
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many suicides have occurred so far in 1981 in each prison department establishment.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  There have been five deaths in prison department establishments so far in 1981 where the inquest has recorded a verdict of suicide. These occurred in Brixton—one—Long Lartin—one—Manchester—one—and Wakefield—two. There have been some deaths on which an inquest has not yet been held.

  Boundaries Commission (Manpower)
  Mr. John Grant
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed by the Boundaries Commission on 1 September, or at the nearest appropriate date, in (a)1978, (b)1979, (c)1980 and (d)1981; how many of these were full-time, part-time or temporary; what at each date was the authorised complement; and if he will estimate the figures for 31 December 1981.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  The information requested about the staff common to the Boundary Commissions for England and Wales is as follows:

  Date

  Authorised Complement

  Full-time

  In Post Part-time

  Temporary

  1 September 78

  11

  8

  1

  Nil.

  1 September 79

  11

  9

  1

  Nil.

  1 September 80

  16

  14

  1

  Nil.

  1 September 81*

  18

  17

  1

  Nil.

  31 December 81

  18

  17

  1

  Nil.

  * Estimated figures.
  Mr. John Grant
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when authority was last given for an increase in the staff of the Boundaries Commission; and with what effect.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  On 15 July 1981 the permitted complement of staff common to the Boundary Commissions for England and Wales was raised from 16 to 18. This increase has since been achieved.

  Public Houses (Amusement Machines)
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date in February 1980 he received a letter from the National Union of Licensed

  26
  Victuallers; on what date he sent a formal acknowledgement note of receipt; when a substantive reply was sent; whether this was before or after the hon. Member for Newham, North-West wrote to him about this subject on 7 September 1981; and how soon he anticipates that the question of jackpot prizes on amusement machines in public houses will be dealt with.

  Mr. Whitelaw:
  A letter from the Brewers Society enclosing a joint memorandum on behalf of the brewers and the licensed trade was received on 19 February 1980, and a reply was sent on 28 February 1980. I have since made clear in replies to parliamentary questions that the joint document would be taken into account in considering the recommendations of the Royal Commission on gambling on amusement with prizes machines. A change of the kind proposed would require legislation of a controversial nature and I cannot say when parliamentary time would be available for it.

  Police (Complaints)
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time (a) the number of complaints made against the police, (b) the number of those investigated by the police, (c) the number that were found to be justified and unjustified, respectively; and, in the former case, what action was taken against those concerned.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  Information about complaints made against the police and their outcome is contained in the annual reports of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. The reports are available in the Library of the House.

  Wandsworth Prison
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the times at which each meal is served, and the menu for each, on a typical day at Wandsworth prison.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  The service of meals at Wandsworth prison begins at the following times:

  Breakfast

  7.30 am

  Dinner

  11.30 am

  Tea (Monday to Friday)

  4.45 pm

  (Saturday-Sunday)

  3.45 pm

  Supper

  7.30 pm

  The menu for each meal on a typical day is:

  Breakfast

  Porridge

  Boiled Egg or

  Fried Bacon and Fried Bread

  Tea, Bread and margarine

  Dinner

  Soup and Bread Roll

  —

  Baked Fish or

  Chicken Pie or

  Beefburgers and Yorkshire Pudding Chipped Potatoes

  Peas, Cabbage

  —

  Bread Pudding or

  Fruit Sponge

  Custard Sauce

  Tea

  27

  Meat and onion rissole or

  Sausage Roll

  Curried Beans

  Tea, Bread and margarine Rock Cake

  Supper

  Tea

  Paris Bun—type of scone

  Birmingham Prison
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, during the last convenient period of one week or more, how many hours of prison staff time were devoted to the censorship of prisoners' correspondence at Birmingham prison.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  In a normal week, provision is made at Birmingham prison for approximately 300 man-hours to be spent on censorship duties and on the recording and processing of prisoners' incoming property and valuables.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
  Mr. Colvin
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many payments were made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in the most recent year for which figures are available; and of what total value.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  The latest available figures are as follows:

  Year ended 31 March

  Number of awards made

  Total value

  1980

  17,460

  £15,737,363

  1981

  20,138*

  £21,462,464*

  * Provisional figures.
  Overnight Shelter

  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, following his decision not to proceed with a proposal for an overnight shelter at the Bondway, where the additional overnight shelter is to be located.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  We are still engaged in discussions to find a suitable location for a second shelter where there is need, local support and availability of back-up resources.

  Use of Force Reports
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet issued instructions to prison hospital officers to submit use of force reports.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  A circular instruction has been issued. A copy has been sent to the Library of the House.

  Taxi Trade
  Mr. Bidwell
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is in a position to make a statement further to his answer, Official Report, c. 133, to the hon. Member for Ealing, Southall, on 7 May, that he would be issuing a consultative document on the taxi trade shortly.

  Mr. Raison:
  I regret that we are not yet in a position to say when the paper will be published.
  28

  European Convention on Laboratory Animals
  Mr. Shersby
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the delay in negotiations on the European convention on laboratory animals, he will introduce legislation without a definitive Strasbourg text during the next Session of Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Raison:
  It is the Government's intention to update the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 when parliamentary time permits. The ad hoc committee of experts for the protection of animals, which is drafting the Council of Europe convention, is to meet again early in 1982. It will then consider the further observations of delegations on the latest text and the advice of two workings groups on two ancillary documents. We remain of the view that it would be preferable to await the outcome of the negotiations on the convention.

  Royal Wedding
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost to public funds within the responsibility of his Department arising from the wedding of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  Additional policing costs of the order of £700,000 were incurred by the Metropolitan and City police forces.

  Drinking Water (Radioactive Contamination)
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department has made any assessment of the extent to which radioactive products from nuclear fallout may convert water molecules into molecular water carrying tritium isotopes of hydrogen and of the degree to which this may affect the safe consumption of drinking water.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  I am advised that the radioctive products from nuclear fallout do not emit radiation of the type or energy required to convert hydrogen in water molecules into tritium. Accordingly, fallout radiation will not affect water by producing tritium.

  Juveniles

  Miss Boothroyd
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list in the Official Report the number of cases in the last 12 months which have occurred in the West Midlands when juveniles who have been charged jointly with an adult have (a) appeared separately in a juvenile court and (b) appeared jointly in an adult court; and if he will provide comparable information for the United Kingdom as a whole;

  (2) how many court cases there have been (a) in the West Midlands and (b) in the United Kingdom where (i) juveniles who have been jointly charged with adults have appeared jointly in an adult court and (ii) juveniles who have been jointly charged with adults have appeared separately in a juvenile court.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  The information available relates to the number of juveniles charged with indictable offences who appeared in magistrates' courts which are not juvenile panels. In 1980 there was a total of 7,722 such juveniles in England and Wales, of whom 502 were dealt with in the

  29
  West Midlands police force area. The other information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  London Borough of Hillingdon (Flying of Model Aircraft)
  Mr. Shersby
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to approve the draft byelaw submitted to him by the London borough of Hillingdon concerning the flying of model aircraft in the borough.

  Mr. Raison:
  The London borough of Hillingdon wrote to this Department on 28 July submitting the latest draft of its proposed byelaws to control the flying of model aircraft in parks and pleasure grounds in the borough. These raised two issues of substance, one of which has now been resolved, and we wrote to the council on 5 October asking for its views on the other. Meanwhile, in advance of these byelaws being made and confirmed, the Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers issued a strong recommendation on 11 August that radio-controlled and freeflight models should no longer be flown at Hillingdon House Farm.

  Citizens Band Radio
  Sir Patrick Wall
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of illegal 27 MHz AM citizens band sets operating in the United Kingdom at the time of the introduction of the legal citizens band system.

  Mr. Raison:
  The information available is insufficient to enable us to form a reliable estimate. The indications are that, while the number of users of illicit citizens band radio has continued to increase, the rate of increase is now slower than hitherto in most parts of the country.

  Sir Patrick Wall
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are being made for the conversion of illegal citizens band sets to the new legal system; and if he can estimate the approximate average cost of such a conversion.

  Mr. Raison:
  We have made it clear that we welcome the conversion of illegal CB sets, provided they are made to conform in all respects to the standards set for the legal service, and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has made arrangements to accept a single payment on conversion to discharge outstanding liabilities for import duty and VAT. Arrangements for conversion and the costs involved are not matters for the Government.

  Sir Patrick Wall
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the salient details of the citizens band system that has now been legalised.

  Mr. Raison:
  The technical requirements for equipment are set out in performance specifications MPT 1320 and MPT 1321, and conditions of use are contained in the CB licence application form. Copies of these documents are being placed in the Library. An annual licence fee of £10 will be payable for each group of up to three sets, and licences will be available at post offices from 2 November.
  30
  Sir Patrick Wall
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long he estimates it will take to adjust citizens band frequencies to a common European system.

  Mr. Raison:
  While we know of no move as yet to establish an effective common European CB system, it remains our intention in the longer term to adopt the relevant specification recommended by CEPT. It is not at present possible to estimate when this objective might be achieved.

  Operation Countryman
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the actual or estimated costs of the investigations known as Operation Countryman.

  Mr. Whitelaw:
  Up to 30 June 1981 the cost was £2.54 million.

  "Hit Lists"
  Mr. John Grant
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has now completed consideration of the matters relating to the publication of a "hit list"of 16 premises in the "Islington Press" referred to in his letter to the hon. Member for Islington, Central on 10 August; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he expects to receive the Metropolitan Police Commissioner's report of his investigations into matters arising from the publication of "hit lists"in general.

  Mr. Whitelaw:
  I hope to receive a full report on these matters soon, and I shall then write to the hon. Member.

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England
  Dr. Edmund Marshall
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes there have been since 22 July 1980 in the list of assistant commissioners appointed to assist the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  At the request of the commission my right hon. Friend recently appointed a further eight assistant commissioners to hold local inquiries into the commission's provisional recommendations:
  John Anthony Dyson
  Gary Denis Flather
  Stephen Gratwick Q. C.
  Michael Guy Vicat Harrison
  George Stuart Lawson Rogers
  Nigel Ronald Buchanan Macleod Q.C.
  Michael Mann Q. C.
  Arthur Leonard Mildon Q. C.

  Lord Lucan
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Metropolitan Police Commissioner about progress of the inquiries into the whereabouts of Lord Lucan.

  Mr. Mayhew:
  I understand from the commissioner that inquiries into this case are continuing. There are no significant developments at present.

  Toxteth (Use of CS Gas)
  Mr. Montgomery
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now received a report from the chief constable of Merseyside on the use of CS

  31
  gas in Toxteth, Liverpool on 6 July; whether he has issued guidelines governing any future use by the police in England and Wales of CS gas and baton rounds for dealing with serious public disorder; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Whitelaw:
  I have received from the chief constable of Merseyside a full report of the inquiry he has conducted into the use of CS against rioters in Toxteth in the early hours of 6 July this year. A summary of that report, which the chief constable has given to the Merseyside police authority, is being placed in the Library of the House. This statement also sets out the guidelines which will govern any future use by the police in England and Wales of CS and baton rounds for dealing with serious public disorder.

  As to the use of CS in Toxteth on 6 July, I am in no doubt that in the circumstances which faced the police, the chief constable's decision to use CS—as a last resort—was necessary and justified. The police officers who had the responsibility of firing the CS did so in such a manner as to minimise the risk of injury occurring to members of the public as a result. All the known injuries were caused by "Ferret" CS cartridges fired from 12-bore shotguns, but in no instance were any such weapons aimed directly at individuals. These "Ferret" CS cartridges and the 12-bore shotguns were issued and used because at that time it was not known whether the other CS equipment available would be sufficient for all the officers deployed. The chief constable fully acknowledges that "Ferret" CS cartridges should not be used again to deal with public disorder.

  The guidelines on the use of CS and baton rounds, which have been issued to chief officers of police, after consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers of England and Wales, take particular account of the lessons to be learned from the use of CS in Toxteth. The guidelines cover the following points.

  CS or baton rounds are to be used only with the express authority of the chief officer of police (or, in his absence, his deputy), under the direction and control of a senior officer whom

  Assaults etc. by ethnic appearance of victim and attacker: 1977舑80

  Metropolitan Police District

  Number of offences

  Ethnic appearance of victim

  Ethnic appearance of attacker

  White Skinned European

  Dark Skinned European

  Black Skinned*

  Indian Pakistani

  Chinese/Japanese

  Arabian/Egyptian

  Not Known

  Conspiraciest舤

  Total

  1977

  White

  4,543

  117

  238

  231

  29

  19

  1

  56

  5,234

  Coloured

  1,391

  93

  484

  198

  20

  19

  0

  7

  2,212

  Mixed gang

  166

  8

  44

  21

  0

  1

  0

  2

  242

  Not known

  4,492

  208

  437

  450

  40

  53

  5

  5

  5,690

  Total

  10,592

  426

  1,203

  900

  89

  92

  6

  70

  13,378

  1978

  White

  5,129

  159

  248

  274

  23

  26

  28

  106

  5,993

  Coloured

  1,419

  115

  508

  172

  23

  28

  17

  19

  2,301

  Mixed gang

  238

  15

  83

  21

  2

  1

  5

  3

  368

  Not known

  4,724

  215

  529

  488

  37

  47

  22

  3

  6,065

  Total

  11,510

  504

  1,368

  955

  85

  102

  72

  131

  14,727

  1979

  White

  5,736

  180

  320

  327

  24

  28

  59

  157

  6,830

  Coloured

  1,523

  111

  496

  205

  17

  35

  29

  26

  2,442

  Mixed gang

  254

  8

  60

  32

  2

  8

  5

  2

  371

  Not known

  5,358

  218

  506

  556

  42

  40

  56

  6

  6,782

  Total

  12,871

  517

  1,382

  1,120

  85

  111

  149

  191

  16,425

  1980

  White

  5,829

  162

  312

  305

  34

  38

  96

  81

  6,857

  Coloured

  1,509

  102

  481

  216

  27

  31

  28

  12

  2,406

  32
  he has designated as officer in charge, and by police officers who have been trained in the use of the equipment and know its characteristics.

  CS or baton rounds are to be used only as a last resort where conventional methods of policing have been tried and failed, or must from the nature of the circumstances obtaining be unlikely to succeed if tried, and where the chief officer judges such action to be necessary because of the risk of loss of life or serious injury or widespread destruction of property. Wherever practicable, a public warning of their use is to be given.

  Only CS equipment and baton rounds and riot guns of a type authorised by the Home Office may be used for these purposes. Nothing in the guidelines will affect the principle, to which section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 gives effect, that only the minimum force necessary in the circumstances must be used. The degree of force justified will vary according to the circumstances of each case.

  Criminal Statistics
  Mr. Leighton
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence exists of trends since 1975 in (a) offences of violence generally, (b) offences of violence perpetrated by black people against white people and (c) offences of violence perpetrated by white people against black people in the Metropolitan police district; and whether separate figures are available for the Newham area.

  Mr. Mayhew
  [pursuant to his reply, 15 July 1981, c. 392] gave the following information:

  Recorded offences
  of assault, robbery and other viloent theft Metropolitan Police
  District and London Borough of Newham 1975舑1980

  MPD

  Newam

  1975

  19,278

  672

  1976

  22,742

  889

  1977

  25,793

  911

  1978

  26,907

  978

  1979

  28,061

  981

  1980

  30,123

  1,025

  33

  Ethnic appearance
  of victim

  Ethnic appearance of attacker

  White Skinned
  European

  Dark Skinned
  European

  Black Skinned*

  Indian/Pakistani

  Chinese/Japanese

  Arabian/Egyptian

  Not Known

  Conspiracies舤

  Total

  Mixed gang

  337

  18

  76

  35

  1

  8

  8

  8

  491

  Not known

  4,940

  230

  496

  589

  30

  54

  36

  10

  6,385

  Total

  12,615

  512

  1,365

  1,145

  92

  131

  168

  111

  16,139

  * including West Indian/African.† Victim details not recorded.Table 3

  Offences of robbery and other
  violent theft by ethnic appearance of victim and attacker: 1997舑80

  Metropolitan Police District

  Number of offences

  Ethnic appearance of victim**

  Ethnic appearance of attacker

  White Skinned European

  Dark Skinned European

  Black Skinned*

  Indian/Pakistani

  Chinese/Japanese

  Arabian/Egyptian

  Not Known

  Conspiracies舤

  Total

  1977

  White

  2,437

  106

  85

  286

  20

  28

  0

  64

  3,026

  Coloured

  5,289

  289

  193

  463

  26

  44

  1

  16

  6,321

  Mixed gang

  401

  24

  16

  66

  8

  6

  0

  6

  527

  Not known

  2,180

  102

  67

  150

  16

  21

  0

  5

  2,541

  Total

  10,307

  521

  361

  965

  70

  99

  1

  91

  12,415

  1978

  White

  2,317

  109

  91

  280

  19

  50

  16

  87

  2,969

  Coloured

  4,936

  259

  185

  485

  40

  70

  21

  31

  6,027

  Mixed gang

  707

  55

  35

  83

  7

  14

  1

  8

  910

  Not known

  1,906

  95

  53

  153

  24

  35

  5

  3

  2,274

  Total

  9,866

  518

  354

  1,001

  90

  169

  43

  129

  12,180

  1979

  White

  2,376

  75

  79

  284

  18

  34

  3

  119

  2,988

  Coloured

  4,819

  267

  214

  462

  48

  36

  10

  17

  5,873

  Mixed gang

  567

  32

  20

  53

  4

  13

  4

  9

  702

  Not known

  1,724

  70

  57

  156

  21

  30

  10

  5

  2,073

  Total

  9,486

  444

  370

  955

  91

  113

  27

  150

  11,636

  1980

  White

  2,971

  140

  118

  401

  27

  16

  12

  145

  3,830

  Coloured

  5,672

  363

  231

  598

  74

  48

  19

  62

  7,067

  Mixed gang

  627

  35

  31

  100

  6

  4

  4

  11

  818

  Not known

  1,869

  79

  65

  182

  30

  28

  5

  11

  2,269

  Total

  11,169

  617

  445

  1,281

  137

  96

  40

  229

  13,984

  * including West Indian/African.† Victim details not recorded.** For offences involving two or more victims only the first victim is included.Table 4

  Assaults etc. by ethnic appearance of victim and
  attacker: 1977舑80

  London Borough of Newham

  Number of offences

  Ethnic appearance of attacker

  Ethnic appearance of victim

  White Skinned
  European

  Black Skinned(inct. W/Indian/African)

  Indian/Pakistani

  Others*

  Not Known

  Total舤

  1977 White

  156

  18

  26

  7

  舒

  207

  Coloured

  51

  15

  13

  1

  舒

  80

  Mixed gang

  14

  4

  3

  1

  舒

  22

  Not known

  146

  26

  36

  4

  舒

  212

  Total

  367

  63

  78

  13

  舒

  521

  1978 White

  177

  19

  15

  1

  3

  215

  Coloured

  53

  14

  16

  5

  舒

  88

  Mixed gang

  8

  4

  3

  舒

  1

  16

  Not known

  176

  34

  60

  15

  舒

  285

  Total

  414

  71

  94

  21

  4

  604

  1979 White

  206

  15

  24

  3

  舒

  248

  Coloured

  63

  25

  17

  3

  舒

  108

  Mixed gang

  6

  2

  1

  舒

  1

  10

  Not known

  165

  22

  63

  7

  1

  258

  Total

  440

  64

  105

  13

  2

  624

  1980 White

  207

  15

  18

  4

  舒

  244

  Coloured

  72

  28

  29

  3

  舒

  132

  34 35

  Ethnic appearance of attacker

  Ethnic appearance of victim

  White Skinned European

  Black Skinned (incl.
  W/Indian/Aftrican)

  Indian/Pakistani

  Others*

  Not Known

  Total舤

  Mixed gang

  5

  2

  3

  4

  舒

  14

  Not known

  160

  17

  57

  2

  1

  237

  Total

  444

  62

  107

  13

  1

  627

  * Includes dark skinned European, Chinese/Japanese and Arab/Egyptian.† Excludes conspiracies and victim details not recorded.

  Criminal Statistics (London)
  Mr. Eldon Griffiths
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the number of assualts on persons over the age of 60 reported to the police in the Metropolitan area; and the number of robberies and burglaries reported by such persons to the police in the years 1977–80 respectively.

  Mr. Mayhew
  [pursuant to his reply, 31 July 1981, c. 661–62]: I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the available information is given in the following table. Information is not collected centrally by the Metropolitan Police on the age of victims of offences of burglary. In many cases the age of the victim of assault or robbery was not recorded. In 1977, but not in subsequent years, the Metropolitan Police made an estimate of the age. For assault in particular there was a large number of cases in 1978–80 where the age was unknown, and so trends based only on figures where the age of the victim is shown could be misleading. For robbery, the 1980 figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years because of a change in the basis of counting victims of robbery.

  Certain serious offences recorded by the police
  by age of victim Metropolitan Police District

  Offence

  Year

  Total

  Victim's age 0舑60

  61 and over

  Unknown

  Assaults, etc.

  1977*

  13,307

  12,851

  456

  舒

  1978

  14,596

  13,125

  426

  1,045

  1979

  16,233

  14,383

  468

  1,382

  1980

  16,029

  14,038

  522

  1,469

  Robbery

  1977*

  7,832

  6,946

  886

  舒

  1978

  7,401

  6,404

  823

  174

  1979

  6,824

  6,060

  730

  34

  1980舤

  7,391

  6,525

  813

  53

  *In 1977 only, figures by age group include estimates
  of the age of victims with unreported ages.† Figures for 1980 are not directly comparable with those for
  previous years because the counting basis was changed.

  Severnside Airport Proposal
  Mr. Abse
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade on what dates the Advisory Committee on Airports Policy visited Gwent to study the Severnside international gateway airport proposals; and how many members of the advisory committee participated on each date.

  Mr. Sproat:
  The Advisory Committee on Airports Policy did not visit any airport sites.

  Mr. Abse
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will commission a feasibility study by independent consultants of the offshore Severnside United Kingdom international gateway airport proposal; and if he will ensure that no major developments at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports are approved prior to the completion of such a study.

  Mr. Sproat:
  No. Gwent county council has recently made a submission to the Stansted inspector proposing the development of an airport on Severnside as an alternative to the expansion of Stansted airport. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Trade and for the Environment will take careful note of the inspector's conclusions and recommendations on this and any other relevant matters before reaching a decision on the Stansted proposals, but they do not intend to hold back any developments at Heathrow or Gatwick which have already been approved.

  Fireworks
  Mr. Gwilym Roberts
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps he is taking during the period in and around 5 November to inform the public generally of the dangers associated with the use of fireworks; if he will give details in the Official Report of any publicity campaign; what steps he is taking to involve education authorities in such a campaign; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Sally Oppenheim:
  On 7 October I launched, for the third year, an extensive firework safety campaign to publicise the hazards of fireworks if used carelessly or misused.

  Publicity material available from my Department includes a revised leaflet containing guidance to firework display organisers and a leaflet for registered retailers of fireworks. This year a poster for display in shops has been re-introduced. Television filler films and new radio tapes have been distributed.

  I have also had particularly in mind the importance of getting young people to understand the dangers. For this purpose we have for the third year been able to enlist the

  37
  services of a well-known personality who knows how to put the message over to them, a young comedian who is also featured in one of our posters.

  Earlier this year a poster competition based on the firework code was organised by a national newspaper. The publicity material has been sent to all schools, local authorities, youth organisations, fire brigades, police and national and local press.

  The Firework Makers Guild and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents have worked closely with my Department in this campaign and their material is also receiving a wide distribution.

  Mr. Gwilym Roberts
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to obtain and publish in the Official Report the number of large public firework displays for each of the years 1976 to 1980 and the ratios, number of displays to number of accidents and the total number attending displays to number of accidents for each of these years.

  Mrs. Sally Oppenheim:
  So far as I am aware no records are available that would provide the information that the hon. Member has asked for.

  Furniture Industry
  Mr. Ronald W. Brown
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps he proposes to take to support a viable furniture manufacturing industry in Great Britain following his meeting on 27 July with the deputation representing the British furniture manufacturers and the Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades Union; and if he will publish in the Official Report the statistics provided at the meeting which indicate the extent of penetration of imported furniture and allied products into the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Rees:
  The viability and prosperity of the furniture industry depend ultimately on its success in meeting market requirements both at home and abroad. At their meeting with my predecessor on 27 July the representatives of the industry were, however, assured that they could count on the support and assistance of this Department if they had evidence that imports of furniture were being dumped and that this was causing injury to the Community industry. The figures for import penetration provided at that meeting were estimates made by the industry itself rather than official figures. In my view they do not necessarily offer a reliable guide and I do not think it appropriate that I should publish them.

  Steel (Imports)
  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the percentage of the total sale of steel represented by imports in each year since 1945.

  Mr. Peter Rees:
  The available information is as follows:

  United Kingdom Imports of Finished Steel* as a Percentage of Home Demand舤

  per cent

  1945

  n.a.

  1946

  0.3

  1947

  1.3

  1948

  2.1

  38

  per cent

  1949

  4.8

  1950

  2.5

  1951

  2.6

  1952

  5.9

  1953

  ‡3.0

  1954

  1.8

  1955

  6.2

  1956

  6.4

  1957

  3.1

  1958

  2.2

  1959

  2.5

  1960

  5.3

  1961

  1.8

  1962

  2.7

  1963

  4.8

  1964

  5.3

  1965

  3.0

  1966

  4.8

  1967

  8.5

  1968

  9.2

  1969

  6.4

  1970

  5.6

  1971

  8.9

  1972

  12.8

  1973

  13.0

  1974

  18.1

  1975

  21.1

  1976

  21.0

  1977

  20.6

  1978

  21.4

  1979

  21.4

  **1980

  34.1

  * i.e. excluding material for conversion (see note‡舤home demand is defined as producers' deliveries minus exports
  plus imports.‡Prior to 1954, material for conversion cannot readily be
  excluded from the import data. The proportion for 1954 consistent with
  those given in the Table for earlier years is 3.0 per cent.** The 1980 figure has been increased by the effect
  of the steel strike. n. a. not available.
  Source:

  Based on information, in terms of tonnes, from the Iron and Steel
  Statistics Bureau.

  Motor Cars (Imports)
  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade what
  was the percentage of the total sale of cars represented by imports in
  each year since 1945.

  Mr. Peter Rees:
  Information, based on registrations, is
  available only from 1965, and is as follows:

  New Registrations
  of Imported Cars as a Percentage of Total New Car Registrations in the
  United Kingdom

  per cent.

  1965

  5.1

  1966

  6.4

  1967

  8.3

  1968

  8.3

  1969

  10.4

  1970

  14.3

  1971

  19.3

  1972

  23.5

  1973

  27.4

  1974

  27.9

  1975

  33.2

  1976

  37.9

  1977

  45.4

  1978

  49.3

  1979

  56.3

  1980

  56.7

  Source Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
  39

  World Trade
  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade what
  was the United Kingdom share in world trade in each year since 1945.

  Mr. Peter Rees:
  Comprehensive information is available for
  the year 1948 and for 1951 onwards, but there are some relatively small
  discontinuities in this information. The following percentage shares
  are therefore approximate.

  United Kingdom Share of the Value of World
  Trade

  per cent

  1948

  11.6

  1951

  9.3

  1952

  9.7

  1953

  9.1

  1954

  9.1

  1955

  9.2

  1956

  9.1

  1957

  8.8

  1958

  8.8

  1959

  8.5

  1960

  8.2

  1961

  8.2

  1962

  7.9

  1963

  7.8

  1964

  7.4

  1965

  7.4

  1966

  7.2

  1967

  6.7

  1968

  6.4

  1969

  6.4

  1970

  6.3

  1971

  6.3

  1972

  5.7

  1973

  5.1

  1974

  4.6

  1975

  4.9

  1976

  4.6

  1977

  4.9

  1978

  5.2

  1979

  5.3

  1980

  5.5

  News Publications (Source of Income)
  Mr. Greville Janner
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will introduce legislation to require the declaring, in respect of any news publication published in the United Kingdom, any overseas sources of that publication's income.

  Mrs. Sally Oppenheim:
  No.

  Gas Appliances (Unfair Trading)
  Mr. Greville Janner
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many cases of alleged unfair trading in the supply and installation of gas appliances have been raised with his Department in the last six and three months respectively.

  Mrs. Sally Oppenheim:
  In the past six months five cases of alleged unfair trading by the British Gas Corporation in the supply and installation of gas appliances have been raised with my Department, of which 2 were in the last three months.

  "Melpus Lemos"(Grounding)
  Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade what are the principal conclusions of his Department's
  40
  preliminary inquiry into the groundings of the super-tanker "Melpus Lemos"off Lepe beach in the Solent on 4 August; and if his surveyor's report is to be published.

  Mr. Sproat:
  It is not the practice to publish preliminary inquiry reports on marine casualties which are prepared for consideration within my Department. The report on the grounding of the "Melpus Lemos"has been considered and appropriate further action in the interests of safety will be taken.

  Trade Promotion (Expenditure)
  Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is his latest estimate of his Department's expenditure for 1981-82 in respect of trade promotion and in support of public sector industry and private industry, respectively.

  Mr. Biffen:
  I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

  River Thames (Shipping Accidents)
  Sir Bernard Braine
  asked the Secretary of State for Trade, if he will state the number of ships involved in accidents on the River Thames and Estuary reported to the Port of London Authority in each of the years 1979 and 1980 and for the first six months in 1981, showing separately the number of cases where it was thought necessary to investigate, to call for a report, or to conduct an inquiry under the Merchant Shipping Act; and in how many such cases the ships involved were carrying cargoes of a hazardous or pollutant nature.

  Mr. Sproat:
  I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

INDUSTRY

  British Leyland
  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the average output per man in British Leyland's major car plants in each of the last five years and at the latest date for which figures are available; and what are the comparable figures for major car plants in Japan, the United States of America, West Germany, France and Italy.

  Mr. Norman Lamont:
  Figures on BL's output per man are not available on a plant by plant basis. Such information, even if available, would be commercially confidential. The only available productivity figures for BL are those in the review of BL's 1980 performance, which was laid before Parliament in January 1981. Productivity figures for car plants in other countries are similarly unobtainable.

  There are, in any case, a number of difficulties involved in comparing productivity between car plants, even in the same country.

  Post Office
  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the increase in productivity achieved in the postal division of the Post Office in each of the last five years; and what increase in that division has been achieved since the corporation was split at the latest date for which figures are available.
  41
  Mr. Wakeham:
  The change in productivity of the mails services, measured in ordinary letters and—weighted—parcels handled per man hour, was as follows:

  Percentage

  1976–77

  –1.3

  1977–78

  +0.6

  1978–79

  +2.2

  1979–80

  –2.5

  1980–81

  +1.0

  This series includes the man hours worked but not the new business volume arising from introduction, development and/or expansion of premium and circular delivery services over the period. Nor does it take account of the commitment to give delivery to an additional 1.2 million points.

  Since the split of the corporation did not take place until 1 October 1981, figures on productivity for the post split period are not yet available.

  British Steel Corporation
  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the average output per man in the major steel plants of the British Steel Corporation in each year since nationalisation; and what are the comparable figures for major steel plants in the United States of America, Japan, West Germany, France, Belgium and Luxembourg.

  Mr. Wakeham:
  The information requested on output per man in individual major steel plants, whether in BSC or overseas, is not available. Some broad indicators of productivity in the steel industry are available on a country by country basis, though they have to be interpreted with caution.

  I shall write to my hon. Friend to let him know what information is available.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much financial assistance has been provided to the British Steel Corporation since its incorporation; and how much assistance is expected to be provided in the current financial year.

  Mr. Wakeham:
  Since July 1967 BSC received £5,387 million of Government finance in the period to 31 March 1981, in the form of advances of capital, loans from the National Loans Fund—NLF—and regional development grants—RDG. £150 million of NLF loans were written off in 1972, and a further £3,509 million of capital and loans in the Iron and Steel Act 1981. In the current financial year payments to BSC are expected to be £830 million—including an estimated £21 million in RDG's—of which £79 million is required for the repayment of foreign loans falling due during the year.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry what consideration he gives to the overmanning in the corporation in his decisions on the level of Government aid to the British Steel Corporation.

  Mr. Wakeham:
  An essential element in the current BSC plan is the need to improve productivity by improving working practices and eliminating overmanning. This was taken fully into account in deciding on the level of Government finance for BSC in 1981–82. Since this
  42
  Government came into office, numbers employed in BSC have fallen from 186,000 at end March 1979 to about 110,000 now.

  Motor Car Industry
  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the United Kingdom's share of the world car production in each year since 1945.

  Mr. Norman Lamont:
  The available information is as follows:

  United Kingdom share of Car Production

  Percentage of World Production

  Percentage of Major Manufacturing Countries' Production*

  1945

  na

  18.2

  1946

  na

  8.7

  1947

  na

  7.0

  1948

  na

  7.3

  1949

  na

  6.8

  1950

  na

  6.5

  1951

  na

  7.0

  1952

  na

  7.6

  1953

  na

  7.4

  1954

  na

  8.6

  1955

  na

  8.3

  1956

  na

  8.0

  1957

  na

  9.1

  1958

  na

  12.5

  1959

  na

  11.6

  1960

  na

  11.1

  1961

  na

  9.2

  1962

  na

  9.4

  1963

  na

  10.5

  1964

  10.9

  11.7

  1965

  9.0

  9.6

  1966

  8.3

  9.0

  1967

  8.6

  9.2

  1968

  8.4

  9.0

  1969

  7.6

  8.3

  1970

  7.3

  8.1

  1971

  6.6

  7.4

  1972

  7.0

  7.9

  1973

  6.0

  6.8

  1974

  6.0

  7.2

  1975

  5.1

  6.1

  1976

  4.6

  5.5

  1977

  4.3

  5.2

  1978

  3.9

  4.7

  1979>

  3.5

  4.2

  1980

  3.2

  4.0

  na: not available.* France, West Germany, Italy, Sweden, Japan, Canada, United States of America and the United Kingdom.Source: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

  Steel Production
  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the United Kingdom's share of world crude steel production in each year since 1945.

  Mr. Wakeham:
  The information is as follows:

  United Kingdom's percentage share of World Crude Steel Production

  Year

  Percentage

  1945

  10.5

  1946

  11.6

  1947

  9.5

  1948

  9.7

  43

  Year

  Percentage

  1949

  9.9

  1950

  8.7

  1951

  7.5

  1952

  7.9

  1953

  7.6

  1954

  8.4

  1955

  7.4

  1956

  7.4

  1957

  7.5

  1958

  7.3

  1959

  6.7

  1960

  7.2

  1961

  6.3

  1962

  5.8

  1963

  6.0

  1964

  6.2

  1965

  6.0

  1966

  5.2

  1967

  4.9

  1968

  5.0

  1969

  4.7

  1970

  4.8

  1971

  4.1

  1972

  4.0

  1973

  3.8

  1974

  3.2

  1975

  3.1

  1976

  3.3

  1977

  3.0

  1978

  2.8

  1979

  2.9

  1980

  1.6

  Source: Based on information, in terms of tonnes, from the Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau and the International Iron and Steel Institute.

  Shipbuilding
  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the United Kingdom's share of world shipbuilding production in each year since 1945.

  Mr. Wakeham:
  The available information is as follows:

  United Kingdom's Percentage share of World Completions*: Merchant Ships (100 Gross Tons and Over)

  Year

  Per cent.

  1945

  N/A

  1946

  N/A

  1947

  50.2

  1948

  48.9

  1949

  43.4

  1950

  42.7

  1951

  37.7

  1952

  30.0

  1953

  25.3

  1954

  27.4

  1955

  26.6

  1956

  23.2

  1957

  17.5

  1958

  16.2

  1959

  15.9

  1960

  15.5

  1961

  17.2

  1962

  12.4

  1963

  12.1

  1964

  8.3

  1965

  10.9

  1966

  7.6

  1967

  7.8

  1968

  6.2

  1969

  4.4

  1970

  6.3

  1971

  5.1

  44

  Year

  Per cent.

  1972

  4.5

  1973

  3.5

  1974

  3.6

  1975

  3.4

  1976

  4.4

  1977

  3.7

  1978

  6.2

  1979

  4.8

  1980

  3.4

  * Based on gross registered tons Source: Lloyd's Register of Shipping

  Motor Cycles
  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the United Kingdom's share of world motor cycle production in each year since 1945.

  Mr. Norman Lamont:
  The information asked for is not available. Information is available for United Kingdom motor cycle production since 1945, but not for world production. The Motor Cycle Association has published figures of production by the major producers in 1976 and 1977, but these countries represent only one-third of the countries in which motor cycles are produced—although the proportion of total production is probably much higher. Even so, the United Kingdom's share in the total production by these countries in these two years was less than 0.5 per cent.

  Some information relating to all two-wheeled road motor vehicles—including mopeds, scooters, and so on—is published in "The United Nations Year Book of Industrial Statistics", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.

  Companies (Financial Assistance)
  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much assistance has been provided to companies under the provisions of the Industry Act 1972 in each year since it became law; and how much is expected to be provided in the current financial year.

  Mr. MacGregor:
  The following assistance has been made available under parts I and II of the Industry Act 1972 to companies in Great Britain as follows:

  Part 1

  Payments of Regional Developments Grant

  £M at current prices

  1972–73

  8.1

  1973–74

  107.2

  1974–75

  212.8

  1975–76

  324.9

  1976–77

  407.7

  1977–78

  393.4

  1978–79

  417.0

  1979–80

  330.8

  1980–81

  490.5

  April-Sept 1981

  308.1

  Part II

  Section 7: Offers of Regional Selective Assistance

  £M at current prices

  1972–73

  9.5

  1973–74

  56.3

  1974–75

  70.8

  1975–76

  79.1

  45

  Section 7: Offers of Regional Selective Assistance

  £M at current prices

  1976舑77

  82.4

  1977舑78

  162.2

  1978舑79

  113.5

  1979舑80

  152.2

  1980舑81

  119.6

  April-Aug 1981

  57.3

  Part III

  Section 8: Offers of Selective
  Assistance

  £M at current prices

  1972舑73

  舒

  1973舑74

  0.1

  1974舑75

  7.7

  1975舑76

  36.9

  1976舑77

  99.3

  1977舑78

  106.4

  1978舑79

  162.8

  1979舑80

  71.2

  1980舑81

  36.7

  April-Aug 1981

  10.4

  Estimated gross expenditure for 1981舑82

  Part I

  £M at current prices

  Regional Developments Grants

  483.0

  Part II

  Section 7

  61.2

  Section 8

  89.1

  Space Projects (Exhibition)
  Mr. Warren
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will arrange for an exhibition relating to United Kingdom and European space projects to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker:
  Yes. Arrangements have been made for such an exhibition in the Upper Waiting Hall to take place from Monday 19 October to Friday 23 October 1981.

  Business Opportunities Programme (Exhibition)
  Mr. Colvin
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will arrange for an exhibition relating to the business opportunities programme to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. MacGregor:
  Yes. Arrangements have been made for such an exhibition in the Upper Waiting Hall to take place from Monday 30 November to Friday 4 December 1981.

  Information Technology center
  Mr. Golding
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will establish an information technology center in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker:
  The response to the Department of Industry-Manpower Services Commission initiative to set up information technology centers has been enthusiastic from local authorities, industry and local groups. It will not be possible to satisfy all potential sponsor towns and cities in the first phase of the initiative and I can make no commitment to Newcastle-under-Lyme. I shall announce locations for the first centers within a few weeks.
  46

  Businesses (Manpower)
  Mr. Colvin
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the number and percentage of workers employed in businesses with (a) fewer than 200 employees and (b) more than 2,000 employees.

  Mr. MacGregor:
  The total of all private sector manufacturing employment in the United Kingdom in 1979 was 6.5 million, of which 1.5 million or 23 per cent. were employed in enterprises with fewer than 200 employees and 3.6 million or 56 per cent. in enterprises with more than 2,000 employees.

  Similar information for non-manufacturing enterprises is not available.

  Loan Guarantee Scheme
  Mr. Colvin
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many guarantees have been given by Government under the loan guarantee scheme; and what is their total value broken down into (a) new businesses and (b) existing businesses.

  Mr. MacGregor:
  By the end of September, 838 guarantees had been issued under the loan guarantee scheme in respect of £28.5 million of bank lending. Of this, 483 guarantees, covering lending of £15.5 million, went to new businesses and 355 guarantees, covering lending of £13 million, went to existing businesses.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his latest estimate of his Department's expenditure for 1981-82 in support of public sector industry and private sector industry, respectively.

  Mr. MacGregor:
  Support provided in the 1981-82 Supply Estimates for the British Steel Corporation, British Shipbuilders, BL and Rolls-Royce totals £2,000 million and for other industry totals £880 million.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Education Courses
  Mrs. Renée Short
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what circumstances adult education courses are treated as entertainment and subject to value added tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Bruce-Gardyne:
  The value added tax treatment of adult education courses, except where provided by schools and universities supplying exempt education, depends on the level of the charge made to the participants and the nature and content of the courses.

  When provided free of charge or below cost, such courses are not subject to tax. When provided for profit, they are taxable.

  If the fees are charged at cost, certain of these courses would be exempt from VAT, but sporting and recreational activities are excluded from this exemption unless provided as part of a general educational curriculum.

  This has been the position since the beginning of the tax.

  Mrs. Renée Short
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the practice of Her Majesty's Customs

  47
  and Excise in the treatment of educational courses for the purposes of charging value added tax; whether any guidelines exist with regard to adult or other educational courses; and, if so, if he will publish them.

  Mr. Bruce-Gardyne:
  I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to her other question today.

  The exemption from VAT follows the provisions of group 6 of schedule 5 to the Finance Act 1972. The law is quoted in Customs and Excise Notice No. 701 which contains explanatory notes giving guidance on the effects of the legal provision. Notice No. 701 is issued to persons registered for the tax and is also available at all local VAT offices.

  Coin Machines
  Mr. Hooley
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what study his Department has made of the growth of use of coin machines, including those which give change, requiring a 50p piece and the impact of this on the need for the production of much larger quantities of this coin.

  Mr. Bruce-Gardyne:
  The Royal Mint maintains contact with major coin users, including operators of coin machines. There is no evidence that the growth in demand for 50p pieces is mainly due to the introduction of new coin machines. The Banks have not reported a shortage of 50p coins.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Thornton
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give, for each of the last 10 years, for England and Wales, figures of public expenditure in terms of (a) total capital expenditure, (b) central Government capital expenditure and (c) local government capital expenditure showing in each case, on a comparable price basis, the target figure as set in the public expenditure White Paper published before the beginning of the year and the outturn of expenditure for the year;

  (2) if he will give, for each of the last 10 years, for England and Wales, figures of public expenditure in terms of (a) total current expenditure; (b) central Government current expenditure and (c) local government current

  Income Tax due
  for 1978舑79

  Mid-1978 Home
  Popultion Estimates

  Income Tax per
  head of population

  £million

  thousands

  £

  England

  *17,400

  46,349

  375

  Metropolitan counties and GLC

  7,051

  21,076

  335

  Non-metropolitan counties

  9,960

  25,374

  394

  Northern

  989

  3,099

  319

  Metropolitan counties (Tyne &Wear)

  323

  1,165

  277

  Non-metropolitan counties

  666

  1,934

  345

  Yorkshire & Humberside

  1,680

  4,878

  344

  Metropolitan counties (S. Yorks, W. Yorks)

  1,180

  3,372

  349

  Non-metropolitan counties

  502

  1,506

  334

  North West

  1,990

  6,498

  306

  Metropolitan counties (Gt.Manchester Merseyside)

  1,230

  4,209

  292

  Non-metropolitan counties

  762

  2,289

  333

  East Midlands (Non-metropolitan)

  1,180

  3,750

  313

  West Midlands

  1,860

  5,154

  361

  Metropolitan counties (West Midlands)

  977

  2,712

  360

  48
  expenditure showing in each case, on a comparable price basis, the target figure as set out in the public expenditure White Paper published before the beginning of the year and the outturn of expenditure for the year.

  Mr. Brittan:
  An analysis of outturn compared with planned public expenditure in 1979-80 was published as treasury working paper (TWP) number 16. Similar analyses for 1977–78 and 1978–79 were published as TWP 11 and TWP 13 respectively. Copies of these papers have been placed in the Library of the House. I refer my hon. Friend to table 3 on page 18 of TWP 16 which shows percentage excess or shortfall on plans in volume terms by economic category and spending authority for each year 1972–73 to 1979–80. A similar table was included in both TWP 11 and TWP 13 but the starting date for each is only 1972–73 because it would have been both technically difficult and rather expensive to cover earlier years. Separate analyses for England and for Wales are not available because many services are planned for the United Kingdom as a whole. However, a new functional programme for all expenditure under the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales was introduced in the last Public Expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 8175). A comparison of plan and outturn for this programme is shown on page 13 of TWP number 16. Such an analysis is not available for earlier years because of the expense of its production. Figures for 1980–1981 are not available.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Thornton
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a division of income tax raised between different regions of the country, on any available regional split but preferably showing the difference between metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas, and the amount per head which this represents for population of these regions for the most recent year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Ridley:
  The amount of income tax, in total and per head, from the regions, metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of the United Kingdom for 1978–79 is a follows:
  49

  Income Tax due
  for 1978–79

  Mid-1978
  Population Estimates

  Home Income
  Tax per head of
  population

  £million

  thousands

  £

  Non-metropolitan counties

  881

  2,443

  361

  East Anglia (Non-metropolitan)

  568

  1,843

  308

  South East

  7,400

  16,832

  439

  GLC

  3,340

  9,618

  348

  Non-metropolitan counties

  4,050

  7,214

  562

  South West (Non-metropolitan)

  1,350

  4,296

  315

  Wales (Non-metropolitan)

  754

  2,768

  272

  Scotland

  1,680

  5,179

  325

  Central Clydeside Conurbation

  527

  1,767

  298

  Remainder

  1,160

  3,413

  339

  Northern Ireland (Non-metropolitan)

  388

  1,539

  252

  United Kingdom

  *20,200

  55,836

  362

  Metropolitan (including GLC and
  Central Clydeside Conurbation)

  7,580

  22,842

  332

  Non-metropolitan counties

  12,300

  32,993

  372

  *includes £347 million from Armed Forces and Merchant Navy and from civil servants serving overseas. This sum cannot be allocated among the regions or counties.
  The amount of income tax is derived from the Inland Revenue survey of personal incomes 1978–79. In the survey, incomes, and income tax due, are allocated to counties and regions according to the residence of the recipient, except where his main source of income is chargeable under Schedule D when the allocation is by place of assessment which for the self-employed generally corresponds to place of business. The mid-1978 population figures have been provided by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys and are the numbers resident in the areas shown.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Thornton
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a division of value added tax raised between different regions of the country, on any available regional split but preferably showing the difference between metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas, and the amount per head which this represents for population of these regions for the most recent year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Bruce-Gardyne:
  The amounts of VAT raised in the regions of the United Kingdom are not directly known. However, using estimates of the regional pattern of household expenditure and the latest population estimates, the amounts of tax that can be attributed to each standard region and the amounts that this represents per head of the population in 1980–81 are set out below:

  Region

  VAT borne by residents £m

  Amounts per head of population
  £

  North

  590

  190

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  05

  185

  North West

  1,280

  200

  East Midlands

  730

  195

  West Midlands

  1,050

  205

  East Anglia

  370

  200

  South East

  3,795

  225

  South West

  790

  185

  50

  Region

  VAT borne by residents £m

  Amounts per head of population£

  Wales

  545

  195

  Scotland

  975

  190

  Northern Ireland

  270

  175

  The estimates cannot be further sub-divided.

  Public Sector Assets
  Mr. Grylls
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, further
  to his reply to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 30
  July 1981, Official Report, c. 1153, he will show how the
  totals of special sales of public sector assets for 1979舑80 and 1980舑81
  are made-up.

  Mr. Ridley:
  The information is set out in the two tables
  below.

  Special Sales of Assets 1979舑80

  Transaction

  £million

  Net reductions in expenditure

  Sale of shares in the British
  Petroleum Co. Ltd.

  276

  National Enterprise Board舒sale of
  certain shares

  37

  Sale of shares in Drake &
  Scull Holding Ltd.

  1

  New Town Development Corporations
  and the Commission for the
  New Towns舒sale of land and buildings

  26

  Regional Water Authority舒sale of
  land

  3

  Sale of shares in Suez Finance
  Company

  22

  Property Services Agency舒sale of
  land and buildings

  5

  Total

  370

  Revenue offsets to planned
  expenditure

  British National Oil
  Corporation舒receipts of advanced payments for oil

  622

  51

  Transaction

  £ million

  Stamp duty and VAT

  7

  Grand Total

  999

  This table was first published in the 1981 Public Expenditure White
  Paper, Cmnd. 8175 as table 4.11.

  Special Sales of Assets 1980舑81

  Transaction

  £million

  Receipt of premiums levied on the
  seventh round of North Sea
  oil licences

  210

  Change in level of receipts of
  advance payments for oil

  舒49

  Sale of leases of certain motorway
  service areas舒sales of
  land and buildings

  28

  Property Services Agency舑sale of
  land and buildings

  4

  Sale of shares in British Aerospace
  Ltd.

  43

  Payment of premiums levied on the
  seventh round of North Sea
  oil licences grants to British National Oil Corporation

  舑15

  New Town Development Corporations
  and the Commission for New
  Towns舒sales of land and buildings

  52

  National Enterprise Board舒sales of
  certain shares

  83

  Total

  356

  Vehicle Excise Duty (Vintage Cars)
  Mr. Speller
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce a reduced vehicle licence rate for vintage cars used on the public highway for less than a specified number of miles each year.

  Mr. Bruce-Gardyne:
  The existing motoring taxation system substantially recognises variations in annual vehicle usage. Fuel tax paid is proportional to mileage run. And for vehicle excise duty, refunds may be obtained on complete, unexpired months remaining on a licence to meet circumstances when a vehicle is to be taken out of use. Further "use–based"adjustments to vehicle excise duty are not practicable.

  Public Servants (Fees and Salaries)
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take steps, if necessary by introducing legislation, to give members of the public the right to know the fees and salaries paid to any public servant where public money is used to pay the fees, salaries and incomes of these public servants, on a basis similar to that whereby directors of public companies must disclose in their annual reports to their shareholders their annual fees and income from the companies of which they are directors.

  Mr. Brittan:
  No. Information about the pay and conditions of most grades of public servant is already available.

  Taxation and Rates (Limitation)
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the Government's declared policy of limiting salary increases in the public sector to
  52
  4 per cent., he will take whatever action may prove necessary to limit increases in any public activity such as taxation and rates, to a maximum of 4 per cent.

  Mr. Brittan:
  No.

  Peers (Daily Allowance)
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the upper limit of the daily allowance paid for attendance to Members of the House of Lords as at 1 September 1981; and, on the assumption that the peers are married with normal married and other tax allowances, what this tax-free daily allowance is worth on a taxed basis to peers with other incomes of £5,000, £6,000, £7,000, £8,000, £9,000, £10,000, £20,000 and above per annum, respectively.

  Mr. Ridley:
  Since 1 July 1981 the maximum daily allowance for reimbursement of the expenses of attendance payable to Members of the House of Lords has been £46.65. For a married man the gross amounts that at different income levels would leave £46.65 per day after tax are as follows:

  Annual Income

  Value before
  tax of £46.65 per day tax free allowances to a married man

  £

  £ per
  day

  5,000

  66.64

  6,000

  7,000

  8,000

  9,000

  10,000

  20,000

  93.30

  30,000

  and above

  116.62

  Companies (Liquidations)
  Mr. John H. Osborn
  asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to the number of companies which have gone into liquidation or receivership because of tax arrears; what has been the total value of these arrears; and how much has been recovered.

  Mr. Ridley:
  In the year to March 1981, 348 companies were wound up on petitions presented by the Board of Inland Revenue and 879 on petitions presented by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise. Statistics distinguishing between the claims and recoveries made in these cases and those made in cases where winding-up was initiated by other creditors or on a company's own petition are not kept.

SCOTLAND

  Crofter Housing
  Mr. Donald Stewart
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for grant and loan for the building of crofter housing have been approved in each of the last five years and in 1981 to date.

  Mr. Younger:
  The information is given in the following table:
  53

  Number of approved applications for grant and loan assistance under the crofters building grants and loans scheme

  1976

  1977

  1979

  1980

  1981*

  New housing

  193

  165

  241

  151

  153

  97

  Housing improvement

  157

  140

  149

  130

  164

  183

  Total

  350

  305

  390

  281

  317

  280

  *To end of September.

  Railway Viaducts
  Mr. David Steel
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what considerations he has given to listing as structures of historical and architectural importance the railway viaducts at Leaderfoot, Shankend and Slitrig.

  Mr. Younger:
  These structures are already statutorily listed as buildings of special architectural or historic interest.

  Home Helps
  Mr. Gordon Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many households per home help there are (a) in the Tayside health board area and (b) in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  At 31 March 1981, there were 7.2 clients per home help (whole-time equivalent) in Tayside Region and 6.9 clients per home help in Scotland.

  Health Education Unit (Tayside)
  Mr. Gordon Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make extra funds available to Tayside health board in order to enable it to move towards the target figures for staffing of the health education unit as specified by his Department.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  No. My Department in 1974 drew the attention of health boards to suggestions about levels of staffing in health education made by a consultative committee of medical officers of health, but have not themselves specified staffing levels. It is for health boards, in the light of local requirements and such central guidance as may be available, to decide how the funds available to them should be allocated to all the various services for which they are responsible.

  Anaesthetists
  Mr. Gordon
  Wilson asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the availability of anaesthetists in (a) Scotland and (b) Tayside health Area.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  The responsibility for staffing in any particular specialty rests with health boards, and at the present time I have no evidence of difficulties being encountered in the availability of anaesthetists either in Scotland as a whole or in the Tayside health area.

  Royal Dundee Liff Hospital
  Mr. Gordon
  Wilson asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to take steps to upgrade the facilities for psychiatric and psychogeriatric patients at Royal Dundee Liff hospital.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  Two 30-bed units are presently being built at Royal Dundee Liff hospital and funded centrally under the major capital programme. Tayside
  54
  health board who are responsible for the management of the hospital have submitted proposals for further upgrading of facilities and expansion of provision for psycho-geriatric patients. Decisions have yet to be taken on which projects should receive central funding in future; and Tayside health board's proposals will be considered along with those from other boards.

  Blood-Lead Levels (Glasgow)
  Mr. Craigen
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, following completion of surveys for the European Economic Community directive on biological screening of the population for lead in the United Kingdom, his Department will be making efforts to reduce blood-lead levels in the Glasgow area.

  Mr. Rifkind:
  Strathclyde regional council began treating Glasgow's water supply for plumbosolvency in 1978 and has since twice enhanced the treatment; and, following the statement in the House by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Environmental Services on 11 May, I am discussing with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities arrangements for the payment of house improvement grant, in certain circumstances, in respect of lead-lined tanks and lead piping. The surveys to which the hon. Member refers are not yet fully complete but, when they are, I shall write to the hon. Member and his colleagues in the Glasgow area.

  School Teachers (Age)
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average age of (a) primary school teachers and (b) secondary school teachers in Scotland in (i) 1970, (ii) 1975 and (iii) at the latest available date.

  Mr. Alexander Fletcher:
  Detailed information about the ages of teachers in education authority primary and secondary schools, including average age, from 1974–79 is contained in Scottish Education Department statistical bulletin no. 9/B3/1981, a copy of which has already been sent to the hon. Member. Comparable information for 1970 is not available centrally.

  Myoelectric Hand
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the availability of the myoelectric hand for children in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  The report on the trial of the Swedish myoelectric hand for young children was published recently by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. Part of the evaluation of the trial was carried out at Princess Margaret Rose orthopaedic hospital in Edinburgh; and in line with the recommendations of the report, it has been decided that the children in Scotland supplied with hands during the trial should

  55
  continue to be fitted with this type of prosthesis—being supplied with larger-sized devices as they grow older. Following the same assessment as was carried out during the trial, other young children who seem likely to benefit from this form of prosthesis will also be considered for supply.

  Housing
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage and number of houses currently inhabited in Scotland were built prior to (a) 1918 and (b)

  Mr. Rifkind:
  Information on the percentage and number of inhabited houses in Scotland is not available in the form requested. Estimates of the age distribution of the total stock of dwellings in Scotland, as at December 1980, have been published on page 17 of the Scottish housing statistics, number 12.

  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on the basis of his allocation to district councils for housing capital spending in the current year and the average cost of building a new house in the public sector in Scotland, what is his estimate of the number of public sector new houses that can be built.

  Mr. Rifkind:
  It is entirely for local authorities to determine the proportions of their capital expenditure which they wish to devote to new building and to modernisation and rehabilitation. In view of this, and of the decreasing priority which local authorities themselves have chosen to give to new building within capital spending on housing since the mid-1970s, it would be inappropriate to equate capital allocations directly with new building activity.

  Area Health Boards (Finances)
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the allocation in both revenue and capital terms to each area health board in the latest year; and what was the expenditure in both cases.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  The latest year for which both allocation and expenditure figures are available is 1980–81. These are as follows—

  Health Board

  1980–81 £ million Allocation

  1980–81 £ million Outturn Expenditure (Provisional)

  Revenue

  Capital

  Revenues

  Capital

  Argyll and Clyde

  67.898

  1.861

  68.044

  1.302

  Ayrshire and Arran

  43.121

  1.455

  43.393

  1.301

  Borders

  13.154

  0.452

  13505

  0.295

  Dumfries and Galloway

  24.888

  0.741

  24.595

  0.828

  Fife

  43.159

  1.312

  43.115

  1.011

  Forth Valley

  44.269

  1.331

  43.625

  1.293

  Rents percentage

  Rate Fund contribution percentage

  Government Subsidies percentage

  Other income percentage

  Dundee

  52

  25

  21

  2

  Scotland

  56

  18

  23

  3

  Source Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Rating Review.
  56

  Health Board

  1980–81 £ million Allocation

  1980–81 £ million Outturn Expenditure (Provisional)

  Revenue

  Capital

  Revenues

  Capital

  Grampian

  82.911

  2.385

  83.406

  1.592

  Greater Glasgow

  262.057

  5.713

  263.113

  3.759

  Highland

  35.835

  0.937

  35.753

  1.082

  Lanarkshire

  77.473

  2.160

  77.693

  1.988

  Lothian

  154.910

  3.952

  157.615

  2.253

  Orkney

  2.336

  0.078

  2.356

  0.035

  Shetland

  2.987

  0.087

  2.993

  0.058

  Tayside

  96.854

  2.280

  95.971

  2.219

  Western Isles

  4386

  0.187

  4.398

  0.257

  Totals

  956.238

  24.931

  959.575

  19.273

  Total (Revenue and Capital)

  981,169

  978,848

  Boards receive a single allocation of funds to meet their revenue and capital expenditure commitments (apart from major capital projects which are funded centrally) and are free to move resources between the two programmes.

  Allocations to health boards are to meet the cost of providing hospital and community health services.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the level of the air pollutants smoke and sulphur dioxide in Dundee; and how these compare with (a) Glasgow and (b) Scotland.

  Mr. Rifkind:
  The following table, based on measurements at 5 sampling stations in Dundee, 24 in Glasgow and 101 in Scotland, gives estimates of the winter monthly average concentrations of smoke and sulphur dioxide in Dundee, Glasgow and Scotland for the winter period October 1979-March 1980, the latest dates for which data is available.

  Winter Monthly Average 1979–80

  Area

  Smoke(micrograms per cubic metre)

  Sulphur dioxide (micrograms
  percubic metre)

  Dundee

  9

  45

  Glasgow

  50

  80

  Scotland

  35

  53

  Housing Revenue Account
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the latest figures for (a) Dundee and (b) Scotland, showing the breakdown of the housing revenue account in percentage terms as follows, into (i) rents, (ii) rate fund contribution and (iii) Government subsidies.

  Mr. Rifkind:
  Estimated information for 1981–82 is as follows:
  57

  Jay and Peters Reports
  Mr. Gordon Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his response to the Jay report and the Peters report on mental deficiency, with particular reference to the Tayside area; and if he will allocate more funds to ensure that the recommendations of the reports are implemented.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  On the Government's response to the Jay report and the Peters report I refer the hon. Member to my predecessor's reply to his question on 25 February 1981—[Vol. 999, c. 378.] It is for Tayside health board, in consultation with the regional council, to decide, within the resources allocated to them, on the priority to be given to services for mentally handicapped persons living in the area.

  Howie Report
  Mr. Gordon Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his response, with particular reference to the Tayside area, to the Howie report on safety in laboratories; and if he will provide increased funds to ensure that the recommendations in the report are implemented.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  The Howie code of practice was issued to health boards in June 1979 with a request that its recommendations should be implemented over a three year period, the costs being met from the board's general allocations. Many of the recommendations can be implemented as part of the general programme of health boards for improving and replacing laboratory facilities. It is not the practice to make additional allocations of funds for particular purposes and I see no need for doing so in this case.

  Psychogeriatric Care (Staffing)
  Mr. Gordon Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will outline the working of the Aberdeen formula of patient dependency used to define staffing levels in hospitals; and whether, using this formula, there is a shortage of trained nursing staff for psychogeriatric care in the Dundee district of the Tayside health board.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  The Aberdeen formula is a system for calculating the nurse staffing establishments required in hospitals. It is based on the dependency levels of patients but takes into account other factors related to patient care in different specialities. The details of the method of using the system are rather complex, and I shall write to the hon. Member giving a fuller outline. It is recognised that the formula is of limited practical value in its application to psychogeriatric wards. The Department does not collect information on the use of the formula in individual health boards.

  Young Chronic Sick (Tayside)
  Mr. Gordon Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans for the improvement of facilities for the hospital care of the young chronic sick in the Tayside region, including rehabilitation and resettlement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  The responsibility for preparing any such plans rests with Tayside health board.
  58

  Tayside Health Board (Revenue Allocation)
  Mr. Gordon Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the effect on the financial resources available to Tayside health board following the decision to accept the Scottish health authorities revenue equalisation formula as the basis for revenue allocation.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  The allocation of funds made to Tayside health board for revenue expenditure purposes in 1981–82 is £104.5 million. Since the Scottish health authorities revenue equalisation formula was adopted in 1978 the revenue allocations to the board have increased by 0.5 per cent. in real terms.

  Living Standards
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the change in real terms in the standard of living of a married man with a family of two children earning average wages in Scotland since May 1979.

  Mr. Alexander Fletcher:
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Visually Handicapped and Disabled (Employment)
  Mr. Craigen
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to representations from the National League of the Blind and Disabled, Scottish committee, to improve careers office assistance towards the employment of visually handicapped and disabled persons.

  Mr. Alexander Fletcher:
  Mr. Thomas Watson, Scottish area secretary of the National League of the Blind and Disabled, wrote to my right hon. Friend on 12 August to suggest that careers officers and disablement resettlement officers might co-operate in setting up special day centers to provide further education and training for young disabled people who are unable to find a job.

  I consulted the Manpower Services Commission, which is responsible for the disablement resettlement service, about this suggestion and, after careful consideration, the following reply was sent by my private secretary to Mr. Watson on 25 September:
  "The Government are of course very much aware of the problems which disabled young people encounter when they are seeking employment, but believe that the needs and aspirations of such young people can best be met through the Youth Opportunities Programme (YOP) rather than by the establishment of special centers. YOP provides a range of work experience and training courses—many of which are similar to the activities which you suggest—suited to the abilities of all young people, including those who are disabled but fit for employment. Careers Officers and Disablement Resettlement Officers work closely with the Manpower Services Commission's Special Programmes Division to ensure that suitable opportunities are provided for disabled young people. A number of YOP schemes have been designed to cater for their particular needs but many more disabled young people are taking part in ordinary schemes. In recognition of their special needs, however, they are exempt from the 6–week "waiting period"which applies to other young people, and they may if necessary stay on the Programme for longer than the usual 12 months. The Government have given a commitment to find a suitable place on the Programme for all unemployed school leavers by Christmas and, to ensure that this commitment is met not only for this year but also for next, they have recently announced that additional resources will be made available.
  The Day centers to which you refer provide facilities for the more severely handicapped who are unable to work even under

  59
  sheltered conditions. The provision of Day center places is the responsibility of individual local authorities; the number of places in local authority Day centers for the physically handicapped has been increasing steadily in recent years."

  Departmental Expenditure
  Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of his Department's expenditure for 1981–82 in support of employment and in support of public sector industry and private sector industry, respectively.

  Mr. Younger:
  The details of the latest estimate of my Department's expenditure for 1981–82 in support of employment and in support of public sector industry and private sector industry are contained in the Supply Estimates 1981–82, Class XV, Scotland (HC 190–XV) published on 10 March 1981. The relevant Votes and subheads are Class XV,1: Class XV,2: Class XV,3 (excluding expenditure by the Scottish Development Agency on environmental and derelict land clearance schemes): Class XV,4: Class XV,5: and A1, A2, E1, F1, F2, G1, H1,I1, J1 and L1 in Class XV,6. The amounts involved are £98 million, £13 million and £254 million, respectively.

  In addition, other Departments have expenditure in Scotland in support of employment.

  Operations (Waiting Times)
  Mr. Gordon Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are now the waiting times for cardiac operations for patients (a) within Tayside, (b) within the Lothians and (c) within Scotland as a whole.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  Patients from Tayside requiring cardiac surgery are operated on in Edinburgh. The average waiting time for cardiac surgery in Lothian is at present 17 weeks, and for Scotland as a whole 15 weeks.

  Mr. Gordon Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will implement measures to ensure a reduction in the length of waiting-time for urological operations in the Tayside region.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  No. It is for health boards, in the light of local requirements, to determine the relative priorities of the various services for which they are responsible, and to ensure that resources allocated to particular services are used effectively.

  Health Visitors
  Mr. Gordon Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his Department's recommendation for the frequency with which old persons of 80 years of age and over should be visited by health visitors.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  My Department has made no recommendation on this subject, which is entirely a matter for local discretion.

  Down's Syndrome
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of those in Scotland with Down's syndrome; and if he will express the figure per 100,000 of population.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  No firm figures are available; but data from a recent general practice survey combined with
  60
  hospital statistics suggest that there are about 2,100 persons with Down's syndrome in Scotland, giving a rate of about 41 per 100,000.

  Epilepsy
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the incidence of epilesy in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  As epilepsy is not a notifiable disorder no information is held centrally about the number of persons in Scotland suffering from it and it is not possible to make a reliable estimate.

  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what funds his Department is giving to sponsor research work into the causes and treatment of epilepsy; and if he intends to increase them.

  Mr. Allan Stewart:
  No research into epilepsy is currently being supported by my Department or by the Scottish Hospitals Endowment Research Trust. However, funds for research in this field are available from the Department for applications of adequate scientific merit.

  Departmental Posts
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) permanent secretary, (b) second permanent secretary, (c) deputy secretary, (d) under secretary posts within each Scottish Office Department are held by those educated at independent, grant-aided or direct-grant schools.

  Mr. Younger:
  The following table gives the numbers by grade and Department within the Scottish Office who were educated at independent grant-aided or direct-grant schools. There are no second permanent secretary posts in the Scottish Office.

  Permanent Secretary

  Deputy Secretary

  Under Secretary

  Department of Agriculture and
  Fisheries for Scotland

  N.A.

  ‐

  1

  Scottish Development Department

  N.A.

  ‐

  3

  Scottish Education Department

  N.A.

  1

  3

  Scottish Economic Planning
  Department

  N.A.

  1

  1

  Scottish Home and Health Department

  N.A.

  ‐

  2

  Central Services

  ‐

  1

  5

  Total for Scottish Office

  ‐

  3

  15

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Mortality
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the mortality rate by age and sex in England and Wales in 1980 for each of the following categories of disease: (a) infectious diseases, (b) digestive

  61
  diseases, (c) genito-urinary diseases, (d) circulatory diseases, (e) respiratory diseases, (f) accidents and violence, (g) neoplasms, (h) maternal causes and (i) other diseases.

  Death rates per million population by cause, sex and age England and Wales 1980

  Age

  Cause

  Sex

  0舑4

  5舑9

  10舑14

  15舑19

  20舑24

  25舑29

  30舑34

  35舑39

  40舑44

  Infectious diseases

  M

  67.1

  7.95

  5.49

  13.2

  8.69

  8.24

  15.3

  18.3

  22.3

  (ICD 001舑139)

  F

  69.4

  6.61

  8.42

  7.63

  8.50

  6.08

  3.29

  11.3

  14.3

  Digestive diseases

  M

  58.5

  9.65

  3.99

  6.33

  14.1

  14.1

  28.9

  64.8

  100.9

  (ICD 520舑579)

  F

  42.3

  3.61

  2. 10

  7.12

  8.50

  14.6

  28.0

  42.0

  63.0

  Genito-urinary diseases

  M

  11.8

  3.41

  2.00

  1.95

  3.26

  5.30

  5.46

  9.82

  23.7

  (ICD 580舑629)

  F

  10.4

  1.20

  1.05

  763

  3.97

  8.51

  11.0

  12.7

  13.6

  Circulatory diseases

  M

  38.1

  7.95

  15.5

  34.6

  47.3

  85.3

  171.5

  432.2

  1,045.5

  (ICD 390舑459)

  F

  37.5

  7.82

  10.5

  20.9

  38.5

  60.8

  80.1

  164.1

  342.2

  Respiratory diseases

  M

  3571

  23.3

  25.5

  36.0

  31.0

  40.6

  45.3

  62.9

  105.0

  (ICD 460舑519)

  F

  299.2

  17.4

  18.4

  19.3

  28.3

  28.0

  32.4

  52.0

  78.7

  Accidents and Violence

  M

  194.6

  105.6

  110.8

  597.7

  576.9

  487.9

  4281

  424.3

  464.7

  (ICD 800舑999)

  F

  138.1

  52.3

  54.7

  158.3

  171.1

  149.5

  132.2

  166.8

  195.4

  Neoplasms

  M

  59.8

  70.4

  44.4

  68.2

  103.2

  117.1

  182.9

  305.1

  555.8

  (ICD 140舑239)

  F

  64.6

  50.5

  44.2

  52.4

  71.4

  109.4

  243.0

  466.9

  802.4

  Maternal causes (ICD 630舑676)

  F

  舒

  舒

  舒

  2.04

  6.80

  10.3

  9.87

  8.67

  4.29

  Other diseases*

  M

  2,5922

  65.3

  64.9

  92.1

  91.8

  86.5

  87.4

  121.1

  125.9

  F

  2,077.8

  70.3

  56.8

  64.1

  57.2

  70.5

  68.0

  79.4

  108.1

  Age

  Cause

  Sex

  45舑49

  50舑54

  55舑59

  60舑64

  65舑69

  70舑74

  75舑79

  80舑84

  85+

  All Ages

  Infectious diseases

  M

  33.4

  58.8

  75.1

  98.7

  136.8

  174.7

  264.0

  320.3

  622.4

  51.2

  (ICD 001舑139)

  F

  31.7

  30.2

  42.2

  60.5

  66.7

  75.9

  1568

  179.6

  343.0

  40.0

  Digestive diseases

  M

  160.5

  218.1

  400.8

  570.8

  896.7

  1,351舑9

  2,279.2

  3,445.6

  5,397.2

  2992

  (ICD 520舑579)

  F

  123.0

  164.1

  245.8

  408.2

  588.6

  933.4

  1,750.2

  2,906.3

  5.257.3

  354.9

  Genito-urinary diseases

  M

  29.8

  48.8

  92.3

  178.6

  330.1

  669.1

  1,511.4

  2,718.7

  6,060.6

  155.7

  (ICD 580舑629)

  F

  38.3

  54.0

  94.7

  131.5

  219.6

  411.6

  794.6

  1,363.3

  2,832.6

  158.4

  Circulatory diseases

  M

  2,219.3

  4,382.7

  7,494.1

  11,886.7

  19,034.4

  30,776.4

  48,354.7

  71,794.7

  115,986.9

  5,965.4

  (ICD 390舑459)

  F

  679.7

  1,331.1

  2,534.1

  4,821.2

  8,823.5

  16,508.8

  30,046.9

  52,730.1

  108,261.4

  5,8321

  Respiratory diseases

  M

  215.7

  465.6

  997.1

  2,062.8

  4,039.7

  8,394.6

  16,928.8

  31,429.2

  62,751.8

  1,765.0

  (ICD 460舑519)

  F

  153.2

  307.2

  531.2

  932.8

  1,671.6

  3,274.8

  6,886.7

  14,806.7

  41,754.2

  1,626.0

  Accidents and Violence

  M

  448.1

  492.9

  560.5

  619.3

  610.8

  813.0

  1,188.0

  2,000.0

  3,759.2

  490.2

  (ICD 802舑999)

  F

  242.3

  274.9

  315.9

  333.4

  456.7

  669.7

  1,064.4

  1,715.7

  1,810.8

  338.1

  Neoplasms

  M

  1,150.3

  2,366.7

  4,322.4

  7,210.8

  11,048.5

  15,921.4

  21,243.7

  25,351.1

  27,813.3

  2,898.8

  (ICD 140舑239)

  F

  1,441舑8

  2,411.8

  3,626.9

  4,805.4

  6,216.7

  7,785.2

  9,928.5

  12,254.5

  16,049.9

  2,416.4

  Maternal causes(ICD 630舑676)

  F

  舑

  舑

  舑

  舑

  舑

  舑

  舑

  舑

  舑

  2.77

  Other diseases*

  M

  196.8

  259.7

  388.4

  545.3

  877.3

  1,6111

  2,786.8

  4,369.6

  8,255.5

  543.3

  F

  156.1

  241.3

  368.4

  521.6

  856.8

  1,385.1

  2,665.3

  4,293.5

  10,007.8

  693.1

  *Other diseases includes: Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (ICD 240–279)Diseases of blood and blood-forming organs (ICD 280–289)Mental disorders (ICD 290–319)Diseases of the nervous system and sense organs (ICD 320–389)Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (ICD 680–709)Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (ICD 710–739)62
  Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg:
  The information requested is as follows:
  63 Congenital anomalies (ICD 740–759)Certain causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality (ICD 760–779)Symptoms and ill-defined conditions (ICD 780–799)

  Lobar Pneumonia
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the death rate per million in England and Wales from lobar pneumonia in 1980.

  Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg:
  The death rate per million population from lobar pneumonia in England and Wales in 1980 was 49.3.

  Tuberculosis
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the death rates from tuberculosis in England and Wales in 1980, and so far in 1981, for age groups (a) nil to 14 years, (b) 15 to 29 years, (c) 30 to 44 years, (d) 45 to 59 years and (e) over 60 years.

  Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg:
  The information requested is as follows:

  Death rates per million population for tuberculosis (ICD 010–018), including late effects (ICD 137), England and Wales, 1980.

  Age

  All

  0–14

  15–29

  30–44

  45–59

  60+

  All ages

  0.39

  1.28

  4.41

  25.7

  62.8

  18.3

  Data for 1981 are not yet available.

  Employment Transfer Scheme
  Mr. Field
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the income gained by claimants from the employment transfer scheme to pay for lodgings is treated by his Department as income for computing family income supplement eligibility; and if so, whether he will consider changing the regulations.

  Mrs. Chalker:
  I understand that the supplement officer, the independent adjudicating authority responsible for awards of family income supplement—FIS—in the first instance, would not take account of either (a) the temporary separation allowance which helped with the cost of lodgings under the employment transfer scheme prior to April 1981; or (b) the transfer grant which has subsumed it under the current scheme in considering the gross income of a family claiming FIS.

  Patients' Medical Records
  Mr. Greville Janner
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what provision is made for the disposal of the confidential records of National Health Service patients when such records are no longer required;

  (2) whether additional steps have been taken to ensure the protection of patients' records following the discovery of records on a local authority waste tip in Leicestershire.

  Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg:
  The destruction of confidential records no longer required must be in a manner which safeguards their confidentiality and is the responsibility of the individual health authorities and general practitioners who hold them. Following recent discoveries on public land of patients' records intended for destruction, the Department has written to all health authorities asking them to review urgently their procedures for the
  64
  destruction of all confidential material, and reminding them of the need to use methods which ensure that confidentiality is fully maintained. The Department has also drawn the matter to the attention of representatives of the medical profession.

  Blind Persons (Postal Concessions)
  Miss Joan Lestor
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department has recently given publicity to the postal concessions available to blind persons; and in what form.

  Mr. Rossi:
  Information about the postal concessions available to blind people is included in the Department's booklet "Help for Handicapped People", a revised edition of which was issued in January 1981 for the International Year of Disabled People.

  Brent District Health Authority
  Mr. Pavitt
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the qualifications and experience in health service matters of the chairman designate of the Brent district health authority.

  Dr. Vaughan:
  Whilst it is useful for chairmen of district health authorities to have had previous health service experience, they are appointed primarily for their personal qualities. I have full confidence in the chairman designate of the Brent health authority.

  Departmental Office, Guildford
  Mr. Onslow
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take action to improve the efficiency of his Department's Guildford office.

  Mr. Rossi:
  I wrote to my hon. Friend on 12 October describing the background to the situation at this office and the changes made and in prospect. The position will be closely monitored, and I shall expect to see a considerable improvement in the service offered to claimants.

  Chiropody School, Southampton
  Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to be able to give his permission for the establishment of a school of chiropody at Southampton to serve the Wessex health region.

  Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg:
  Decisions on whether or not to approve schools of chiropody are a matter for the Privy Council acting on recommendations from the Chiropodists Board and the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine. Provided the requirements of these bodies are met, we welcome Wessex regional health authority's proposal, in collaboration with La Sainte Union College, to establish a Wessex school of chiropody in Southampton.

  Youth Opportunities Programme
  Mr. Golding
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps to include young people engaged on the youth opportunities programme within the scope of the 1973 industrial injuries legislation.
  65
  Mr. Rossi:
  Young persons participating in the youth opportunities programme are not entitled to industrial injuries benefit under the Social Security Act 1975 because they are not employed earners. But the Employment and Training Act enables the Manpower Services Commission to make analogous payments to trainees who sustain accidents or contract diseases in circumstances which would have attracted benefit under the industrial injuries scheme had they been employed earners.

  Retirement Pensions
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide comparisons of the weekly rates of retirement pensions in the United Kingdom and those of other European Economic Community countries (a) in money terms and (b) in percentage terms, taking the United Kingdom rate as 100.

  Mr. Rossi:
  In most member States of the European Community retirement pensions are calculated wholly or in part as a proportion of past earnings over widely differing reference periods—for example, whole working life, last 10 years. Consequently there is not normally a national rate of retirement pension on which to base comparisons of the kind requested by the hon. Member.

  Information on the provision of retirement pensions is contained in the Department's publication "Social Benefit Tables for Member States of the European Community: Position at 1 January 1980", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by what percentage State retirement pensions have increased since May 1978.

  Mr. Rossi:
  The basic rate of the State retirement pension increased by 55 per cent. between May 1978 and October 1981. The increase due in November this year will bring this up to 69 per cent.

  Mr. Wigley
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of married women who reached the age of 60 years before 6 April 1979 whose husbands have not reached the age of 65 years and retired, and who were not entitled to a reduced rate retirement pension on their own contributions before marriage because of the "half-test" rule; what would be the cost of waiving the "half-test"rule in these circumstances; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rossi:
  On the information which is available, it is estimated that some 150,000 women may be in the situation described. The cost of waiving the "half-test"for these women is estimated to be about £90 million a year. My right hon. Friend has no plans to change existing provisions.

  Dr. Edmund Marshall
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many women, who have remarried after reaching the age of 60 years, continue to receive retirement pensions as if they were single persons on the strength of their first husband's insurance contributions.

  Mr. Rossi:
  I regret that the information is not available. In any event, a widow who reaches the age of 60 becomes entitled to a personal retirement pension based upon her own or her late husband's contributions, or a mixture of the two, dependent upon which produces the best rate. This retirement pension is not affected by subsequent remarriage.
  66

  Perinatal Mortality (St. Helens and Knowsley)
  Mr. Kilroy-Silk
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Ormskirk, 10 July, Official Report, c. 244, he will specify the active steps the regional and area health authorities have taken to identify changes in services likely to lead to reduction in perinatal mortality in St. Helens and Knowsley; and if he will detail the appropriate improvements that have been made in the service.

  Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg:
  I regret that the information given in the earlier reply to the hon. Member contained some confusion of terminology between infant and perinatal mortality. The accurate information on both rates is as follows:

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  *1980

  Perinatal Mortality

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  20.5

  22.0

  15.8

  20.4

  13.3

  England

  17.6

  16.9

  15.4

  14.6

  13.3

  Infant Mortality

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  13.7

  20.1

  12.4

  15.7

  12.9

  England

  142

  13.7

  13.1

  12.8

  12.0

  * Provisional.
  To improve the situation, St. Helens and Knowsley AHA have intensified their campaign to encourage expectant women to make full use of antenatal services and to stop smoking during pregnancy; additional highly specialised equipment has been purchased for the special care baby unit at Whiston hospital; a further consultant paediatrician post has been established and they have increased the numbers of junior medical staff. Mersey regional health authority has also allocated extra funds totalling £78,000 to schemes which, although not located within the St. Helens and Knowsley area, will benefit St. Helens and Knowsley residents. It has increased the numbers of nursing staff at the Fazakerley maternity unit, which many Knowsley residents attend, and established a central unit at the Liverpool maternity hospital, serving the whole region, to provide longer-term specialised intensive care to babies than is available in more local units.

  Benefits
  Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest estimate of his Department's expenditure for 1981–82 on unemployment benefit and on supplementary benefit in support of those unemployed and their families; and on what average level of unemployment it is based.

  Mrs. Chalker:
  The latest estimates for 1981–82 are

  £million

  Unemployment benefit

  2,004

  Supplementary benefit to the unemployed

  2,000

  based on an average unemployment level of 2,840,000 used in the report by the Government Actuary on the Benefit Uprating Order 1981—Cmnd. 8296.
  67

  National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
  Dr. Edmund Marshall
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what reply he has given to the request from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for more financial aid from public funds.

  Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg:
  The Department is considering proposals submitted by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and we shall inform the society of our decision as soon as it is possible to do so.

  Self-employed Persons
  Mr. Gordon Wilson
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to improve the arrangement by which self-employed persons who become unemployed can claim supplementary benefit.

  Mrs. Chalker:
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 23 June 1981—Official Report, Vol. 7, c.70–71 . The rules for self-employed people who have become unemployed who whish to claim supplementary benefit are analogous to those for unemployed people who formerly worked for an employer, but, before paying benfit, the benefit officer may need to see accounting evidence of the state of the business. If this causes delay, an urgent cases payment may be appropriate. These are matters for the independent adjudicating authorities, but, if the hon. Member has any suggestions for changes in the regulations, I shall be glad to consider them.

  Mr. R. Woodward
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when Mr. R. Woodward of 104 Harrowby Road, Grantham, can expect to receive the pension that was due to him on 11 July 1981.

  Mr. Rossi:
  I am advised that no claim for retirement pension can be traced for a Mr. R. Woodward of that address who would have been due to receive a pension from 11 July 1981. If my hon. Friend will care to write to me giving his constituent's full name, date of birth and, if possible, national insurance number, then I will look into the matter further.

  Down's Syndrome
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of those in England with Down's syndrome; and if he will express the figure per 100,000 of population.

  Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg:
  This information is not available centrally.

  Epilepsy
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the incidence of epilepsy in England.

  Mr. Geoffrey Finsberg:
  Epilepsy is not a notifiable condition and the Department has no record of either the incidence of new cases or the prevalence of epilepsy throughout the population in this country. There have been various estimates of prevalence, all suggesting a rate of between four and six per thousand population. The report
  68
  "People with Epilepsy", which was published by the Department in 1969, estimated that some 190,000 adults and 100,000 children aged 16 and under in England and Wales suffered from epilepsy.

  Nurses
  Mr. Frank Allaun
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the average percentage cut in real wages for nurses if their pay rise is limited to 4 per cent. as proposed, in the light of the most recent estimate of cost of living rises for the current and the coming year.

  Dr. Vaughan:
  In announcing the pay factor of 4 per cent. for the public sector the Government accepted that this would not fully compensate for price increases during the year. The extent of the shortfall for any particular group, such as nurses, will depend on the detail of their settlement and the precise period over which one calculates changes in the cost of living.

  Supplementary Benefit
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table similar to Table 10 of the Supplementary Benefits Commission's annual report for 1975, but for the years 1948, 1956, 1964, 1972 and 1980, showing supplementary benefit levels, including the appropriate rent addition, as percentages of net incomes at two-thirds average male manual earnings, with net incomes defined as gross earnings plus family allowance or child benefit, family income supplement and housing rebates, less income tax, national insurance contribution and the same rent and rates as those paid by the supplementary benefit recipients.

  Mrs. Chalker
  [pursuant to her reply, 7 July 1981, c. 105–6 ]: The corrected information is as follows:

  Date

  (1) Supplementary Benefit level (£)

  (2) Net income from ⅔
  average earning*

  (3) Col. 1 as a percentage of Col. (2)

  Single Householder

  October 1972

  9.28

  18.54

  50 †(53)

  November 1980

  30.86

  56.03

  55 (66)

  Married Couple

  October 1972

  13.97

  19.58

  71 (74)

  November 1980

  45.22

  63.45

  71 (85)

  Married Couple with 2 Children under 5

  October 1972

  17.86

  23.49

  76 (79)

  November 1980

  63.52

  76.56

  83 (95)

  Married Couple with 4 Children (2 under 5, 2 aged 5–10)

  October 1972

  22.36

  27.87

  80 (82)

  November 1980

  84.38

  89.87

  94 (104)

  Notes*Based on estimates of gross earnings determined as follows: October 1972—by interpolation of the Department of Employment's October enquiry (older series) seasonally adjusted.November 1980—by extrapolation of Department of Employment's October enquiry using the average earnings index (new series) of production industries, seasonally adjusted.†Figures in brackets show the effect of applying the long-term rate.

  Social Security Statistics
  Miss Richardson
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update Tables 1.40 and 1.42 of the social security statistics for 1980.

  Mrs. Chalker
  [pursuant to her reply, 23 July 1981, c.219–20 ]: The additional information is as follows:
  69

  Table 1.40

  May

  November

  Average number of children for
  males with child dependents

  2.0

  2.0

  With supplementary allowance

  2.3

  2.2

  Without supplementary allowance

  1.9

  1.9

  Miss Richardson
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update Tables 34.95 and 34.99 of the social security statistics for 1980.

  Mr. Rossi
  [pursuant to his reply, 27 July 1981, c.333–36 ]: The corrected information is as follows:

  The proportion of sickness and invalidity beneficiaries receiving supplementary benefit on a given day in 1980 is 4.8 per cent., not 5.5 per cent. as stated in my reply.

  Regional Health Authorities (Expenditure)
  Mr. Mike Thomas
  asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Radice) Official Report, 24 May 1979, what were the amounts of revenue spending at constant November 1978 prices for each regional health authority area in England for 1978-79 and 1979-80; and what are the estimates for 1980-81.

  Dr. Vaughan
  [pursuant to his reply, 31 July 1981, c. 674]: The following is the information:

  Revenue Expenditure at constant
  price levels on: Hospital Community and Family Practitioner Services

  £million at
  November 1978 prices

  Region

  1978舑79

  1979舑80

  1980舑81(estimated)

  1. Northern

  375

  379

  382

  2. Yorkshire

  424

  427

  430

  3. Trent

  502

  506

  509

  4. East Anglia

  212

  214

  213

  Unit

  Beds available

  Average nightly oddupancy

  Residents leaving for local
  authority tenancies

  Residents leaving for housing
  association accommodation

  Residents leaving for local
  authority part III accommodation

  Camberwell, London, SE15

  550

  425

  5

  2

  舒

  Camden, London, WCI

  35

  30

  5

  13

  2

  Cedars Lodge, London, SW4

  100

  68

  13

  舒

  舒

  Bridge House, London, W10

  120

  92

  18

  舒

  2

  Pound Lodge, London, NWIO

  80

  76

  2

  舒

  2

  Lancelot Andrewes House, London, SE1

  60

  49

  5

  1

  舒

  West End House, London, W1

  80

  60

  舒

  舒

  舒

  Spur House, London, SE13

  150

  132

  78

  4

  舒

  Alvaston, Derby

  104

  54

  舒

  舒

  舒

  Brighton, Sussex

  38

  20

  舒

  舒

  舒

  Sittingbourne, Kent

  76

  64

  舒

  7

  舒

  Fazakerley, Liverpool

  61

  48

  48

  1

  舒

  Bishopbriggs, Glasgow

  81

  63

  18

  舒

  2

  Leeds

  96

  53

  1

  舒

  1

  Glen Parva, Leicester

  100

  75

  5

  5

  6

  Newbury, Berks

  80

  73

  2

  舒

  舒

  Plawsworth, Co. Durham

  112

  77

  7

  2

  2

  Southampton

  80

  77

  舒

  2

  舒

  Stormy Down, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan

  64

  54

  1

  舒

  舒

  Walkden, Manchester

  84

  81

  2

  舒

  舒

  Lye, Stourbridge

  123

  85

  9

  2

  舒

  Winterboume, Bristol

  112

  70

  1

  舒

  2

  Woodhouse, Sheffield

  96

  72

  舒

  舒

  舒

  Unit

  Beds available

  Average nightly oddupancy

  Residents leaving for local
  authority tenancies

  Residents leaving for housing
  association accommodation

  Residents leaving for local
  authority part III accommodation

  Camberwell, London, SE15

  550

  425

  5

  2

  舒

  Camden, London, WC1

  35

  30

  5

  13

  2

  Cedars Lodge, London, SW4

  100

  68

  13

  舒

  舒

  Bridge House, London, W10

  120

  92

  18

  舒

  2

  Pound Lodge, London, NW10

  80

  76

  2

  舒

  2

  Lancelot Andrewes House, London, SE1

  60

  49

  5

  1

  舒

  West End House, London, W1

  80

  60

  舒

  舒

  舒

  Spur House, London, SE13

  150

  132

  78

  4

  舒

  Alvaston, Derby

  104

  54

  舒

  舒

  舒

  Brighton, Sussex

  38

  20

  舒

  舒

  舒

  Sittingbourne, Kent

  76

  64

  舒

  7

  舒

  Fazakerley, Liverpool

  61

  48

  48

  1

  舒

  Bishopbriggs, Glasgow

  81

  63

  18

  舒

  2

  Leeds

  96

  53

  1

  舒

  1

  Glen Parva, Leicester

  100

  75

  5

  5

  6

  Newbury, Berks

  80

  73

  2

  舒

  舒

  Plawsworth, Co. Durham

  112

  77

  7

  2

  2

  Southampton

  80

  77

  舒

  2

  舒

  Stormy Down, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan

  64

  54

  1

  舒

  舒

  Walkden, Manchester

  84

  81

  2

  舒

  舒

  Lye, Stourbridge

  123

  85

  9

  2

  舒

  Winterboume, Bristol

  112

  70

  1

  舒

  2

  Woodhouse, Sheffield

  96

  72

  舒

  舒

  舒

  70

  £million at
  November 1978 prices

  Region

  1978舑79

  1979舑80

  1980舑81(estimated)

  5. North舑West Thames

  504

  492

  496

  6. North舑East Thames

  510

  508

  511

  7. South舑East Thames

  508

  503

  498

  8. South舑West Thames

  394

  391

  393

  9. Wessex

  308

  310

  310

  10. Oxford

  252

  253

  250

  11. South舑Western

  377

  381

  382

  12. West舑Midlands

  586

  595

  594

  13. Mersey

  314

  314

  315

  14. North舑Western

  511

  512

  517

  TOTAL

  5,777

  5,785

  5,800

  Resettlement Units
  Mr. Stallard
  asked the Secreatary of State for Social Services (1) how many beds were provided in each of the 23 resettlement units in England, Scotland and Wales by his Department during the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available; and what was the average rate of occupancy for each unit during the same period;

  (2) how many individuals were provided with accommodation on leaving resettlement units provided directly or indirectly by his Department for persons without a settled way of living, for each of the 23 resettlement units, under the following categories of accommodation (a) local authority tenancies, (b) housing association tenancies and (c) local authority part III accommodation, during the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Chalker
  [pursuant to her replies, 31 July 1981, c.679–80 ]: The information for the 12 months July 1980 to June 1981 inclusive is as follows:
  71

  DEFENCE
  Cardiff and Bristol Airports
  Mr. Abse
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what restrictions, if any, are placed on the operations of any military airfield or range as a result of civil aviation operations at (a) Cardiff airport and (b) Bristol airport.

  Mr. Wiggin:
  No significant restrictions have been placed on any military airfields or ranges as a result of the current civil aviation activity at Cardiff and Bristol airports.

  Foreign Nationals
  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign nationals were employed in total by his Department abroad on 1 July in each of the years 1975 to 1981.

  Mr. Pattie:
  Records are not maintained in the form requested, but my best assessment of the number of foreign nationals employed at 1 July for the years in question is as follows:

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  42,700

  37,100

  34,800

  32,700

  30,600

  28,800

  28,000

  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign nationals were employed in the dockyards in Gibraltar on 1 July in each of the years 1975 to 1981.

  Mr. Blaker:
  The number for foreign nationals managed by the general manager, Gibraltar dockyard on 1 July in each of the years in question is:

  Number

  1 July 1975

  341

  1 July 1976

  332

  1 July 1977

  304

  1 July 1978

  295

  1 July 1979

  292

  1 July 1980

  295

  1 July 1981

  294

  There are in addition a number of foreign nationals employed by the
  principal supply and transport officer (Navy) in the Navy base. The
  total PSTO(N) figures are as follows:

  Number

  1 July 1975

  85

  1 July 1976

  85

  1 July 1977

  105

  1 July 1978

  103

  1 July 1979

  101

  1 July 1980

  97

  1 July 1981

  98

  Some of these employees are employed on duties in support of dockyard activities. Employment of foreign nationals in the remainder of the Naval base is very small—under 30.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many German civilians were employed by the British Army of the Rhine on 1 July in each of the years 1975 to 1981.
  72
  Mr. Blaker:
  The numbers of German civilians employed by the British Army of the Rhine on 1 July in each of the years 1975–1981 are set out in the following table:

  Strength at 1st July in

  Number

  1975

  22,365

  1976

  21,854

  1977

  21,510

  1978

  20,416

  1979

  20,014

  1980

  18,590

  1981

  18,058

  Manpower (Bath)
  Mr. Chris Patten
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many civil servants were employed in each grade in each of his Department's establishments in the Bath constituency on 1 July 1975, 1 July 1979 and 1 July 1981;

  (2) how many civil servants were employed in each of his Department's establishments in the Bath constituency on 1 July in each of the years 1975 to 1981.

  Mr. Pattie:
  Since the information sought in these related questions is very detailed and not in every case available, I have written to the hon. Member and placed a copy of my letter in the Library.

  Trident Missile
  Mr. Hooley
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence

  (1) what will be the hull diameter of the new British submarine designed to carry the Trident missile;

  (2) when a decision will be made as to whether to purchase the C–4, extended C–4 or D–5 Trident missile;

  (3) when a decision will be made about the number of Trident missiles which the new British nuclear submarine will carry;

  (4) whether the new nuclear steam raising plant (PWR2) designed by Rolls-Royce will be used in the new nuclear submarines to carry the Trident missile; and if so, what will be the extra cost over the existing plant used in the Trafalgar class submarine;

  (5) what is his latest estimate of the additional cost of refurbishing the Cammell Laird shipyard for building nuclear submarines;

  (6) what is his latest estimate of the cost of improving building facilities at Vickers shipyard to cope with the Trident submarine programme.

  (7) what will be the displacement of the new British submarine to carry the Trident nuclear missiles;

  (8) what extra expenditure will be required at Coulport to provide secure storage of Trident C-4 or D-5 missiles;

  (9) what will be the extra cost of a new warhead assembly building at the Royal ordnance factory, Burghfield, needed for the Trident missile programme.

  Mr. Nott:
  As I made clear to the Defence Committee of the House on 4 March, we are still studying the final configuration of the United Kingdom Trident force and the details of the programme which will bring it into operation. The recent announcement by the United States that it is entering full development of the Trident II (D5) missile with a view to deploying it in its ballistic missile-carrying submarines is an important factor which we shall

  73
  clearly have to take into account in our continuing studies. I shall make an announcement of our final decisions in due course.

  Mr. Hooley
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the extra cost for a new building at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston for plutonium processing in connection with the Trident missile programme.

  Mr. Pattie:
  As my hon. Friend the then Under-Secretary of State for the Army informed the House on 13 January 1981—[Vol. 996, c.562 ]—a new building will be constructed at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston to replace existing facilities for processing nuclear material as part of our policy of improving the existing capital facilities there, and in order to maintain the effectiveness of the British nuclear deterrent. The project is in its preliminary planning stage and firm costs estimates are not yet available. However, it has been the practice of successive Governments not to disclose detailed costs related to the defence nuclear programme.

  Prince of Wales (Wedding)
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost to public funds within the responsibility of his Department arising from the wedding of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.

  Mr. Blaker:
  The total additional cost to the Defence budget amounted to some £17,000.

  RAF Lakenheath Depot (Crash)
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence on what date he received the communication dated 10 August from the hon. Member for Newham, North-West concerning the air crash at the RAF Lakenheath depot; when he replied; and whether he will publish in the Official Report the hon. Member's communication and his reply thereto.

  Mr. Pattie:
  I refer the hon. Member to my letter to him dated 29 September 1981, which set out clearly the reasons for the delay in answering his letter of 10 August. If, in the light of my letter of 29 September, the hon. Member still wishes I will arrange for all of the correspondence to be published in the Official Report.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of his Department's expenditure for 1981–1982 in civilian industry; and how that expenditure divides between British and foreign industry.

  Mr. Pattie:
  Our latest estimate of expenditure on Defence equipment (including materials and services) to be purchased from British industry in 1981–82 is that it is likely to be around £5 billion. As showm in the statement on the Defence Estimates 1981 (Cmnd No. 8212), over 75 per cent. of our expenditure on equipment is with British industry, while about 15 per cent. relates to collaborative projects in which British industry has a substantial share of the work. The remaining 10 per cent. is in respect of contracts placed overseas.
  74

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Full–time Education (Statistics)
  Mrs. Renée Short
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of children left full–time education at 16 years in each of the past 10 years.

  Dr. Boyson:
  Estimates for each year since the school leaving age was raised are as follows:

  Percentage of Pupils
  Leaving Full-time Education in the Academic Year they Reached 16.

  Year

  Percentage

  1973舑74

  65.5

  1974舑75

  62.7

  1975舑76

  61.7

  1976舑77

  62.3

  1977舑78

  62.2

  1978舑79

  62.0

  1979舑80

  60.3

  Further Education
  Mrs. Renée Short
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to allocate extra resources to encourage more children to remain at school after 16 years.

  Dr. Boyson:
  As announced by the Prime Minister on 27 July 1981, the Government are planning an additional £60 million—£50 million for England—in 1982–83 to allow for increased numbers of 16 to 19-year-olds to stay on in full-time education in school or college, particularly in areas of high unemployment.

  Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art (Report)
  Mr. Faulds
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will arrange for the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art to submit the text of its report covering the year ended 30 June 1981 to him by the end of the present calendar year, with a view to its publication early in 1982.

  Mr. Channon:
  Work on the twenty-seventh annual report is under way. It will be published as soon as possible, but I cannot as yet specify a date. As the hon. Member knows from the reply he had in August 1980, we hope to continue the recent trend towards earlier publication.

  Local Museums (Purchases)
  Mr. Faulds
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the balance remaining on 19 October in the fund administered by the Victoria and albert Museum for purchases by local museums; whether he will specify the grants made to date for this purpose during the present financial year; and whether he will list in each case the percentage represented by these grants of the total amounts paid for the individual items.

  Mr. Channon:
  The balance is £890,588.

  In the financial year 1981–82, the fund has so far dealt with 610 grant applications and has paid a total of £897,326 in respect of 360 applications including 81 started in 1980–81. Another 93 grants totalling over

  75
  £400,000 have been offered to date but have not yet been claimed. Of the remaining cases, some are still under consideration while others have lapsed because, for example, a purchase was not completed.

  In almost all instances the grant from the fund is for 50 per cent. of the cost of purchase. Details of individual cases are not readily available.

  Capital Transfer Tax
  Mr. Faulds
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he anticipates that, in pursuance of section 9(6) of the National Heritage Act 1980, a statement will be laid before the House giving particulars of acceptances of property in satisfaction of capital transfer tax which occurred during the financial year ended 31 March 1981.

  Mr. Channon:
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and I intend to lay the statement before the House shortly.

  Computer Studies and Microelectronics
  Mr. Hooley
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are being taken to develop teaching aids and techniques in computer studies and the use of microelectronics within teacher training colleges and the education departments of universities and polytechnics; and what special funding, if any, is being provided by his Department for those purposes.

  Mr. William Shelton:
  The microelectronics education programme announced by my hon. Friend on 4 March 1980 will be developing teacher training materials and methods of in-service training in this field. It is likely that up to one-third of the total resources available for the programme will be used for this purpose, and I hope that training institutions of all kinds will be able to participate. Computer studies will be one of the topics covered, but the programme is also concerned with the applications of microelectronics and the use of micor-computers in a number of other subjects.

  Student Maintenance
  Mr. Colvin
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total cost to public funds of student maintenance for the educational years 1974-75 to 1980-81.

  Mr. Waldegrave:
  Expenditure by the local education authorities in England and Wales, the Department of Education and Science and the research councils on student maintenance since the academic year 1974–75 has been as follows:

  Academic Year

  Expenditure
  million

  1974舑75

  £166

  1975舑76

  £210

  1976舑77

  £251

  1977舑78

  £309

  1978舑79

  £360

  1979舑80

  £437

  Information for the academic year 1980–81 is not yet available.
  76

  Women's Art Work (Exhibition)
  Mr. St. John-Stevas
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will arrange for an exhibition by Mrs. Yvonne Craig of women's art work to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Channon:
  Yes. I understand that arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 9 November to Friday 13 November.

  Bradford University
  Mr. Torney
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how much revenue will be lost by Bradford university because of the increase in fees for overseas students;

  (2) what reduction in student numbers will be caused by the increase in fees for overseas students at Bradford university.

  Mr. Waldegrave:
  My right hon. Friend has no estimate of the likely future effect of the withdrawal of the subsidy for overseas students on student numbers or fee income at individual universities. The number of overseas students entering the university of Bradford was 312 in 1979–80 and 201 in 1980–81.

  Mr. Torney
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many staff at Bradford university are expected to be made redundant because of the cuts imposed upon the university.

  Mr. Waldegrave:
  My right hon. Friend has no estimate of the number of staff who may be made redundant at any individual university.

  Mr. Torney
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science for what reasons the cuts imposed on Bradford university have been disproportionately larger than those imposed on other universities.

  Mr. Waldegrave:
  By long standing convention the allocation of recurrent grant to individual universities is a matter for the judgment of the University Grants Committee.

  University Places
  Mr. Torney
  asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he anticipates that the cuts in university grants will reduce the number of university places available to potential students from lower income group homes.

  Mr. Waldegrave:
  There is no reason to suppose that reductions in university admissions will affect disproportionately applicants from any income group.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  El Salvador (Refugees)
  Mr. Gourlay
  asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards resolution 751 of 1981 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe concerning the refugees from El Salvador

  Mr. Luce:
  Her Majesty's Government have repeatedly made clear their wish to see an early end to the violence in El Salvador and the attainment of a just political settlement through the holding of elections.
  77
  Her Majesty's Government share the concern expressed in the resolution for the plight of Salvadorean refugees, have donated £100,000 to the International Committee for the Red Cross and will shortly be seeking parliamentary approval to provide £100,000 to a similar programme for Salvadorean refugees organised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

  Indonesia (Military Supplies)
  Mr. Newens
  asked the Lord Privy Seal if Her Majesty's Government will cease to supply military equipment to Indonesia in the light of the armed invasion of East Timor and the refusal to allow any effective exercise of self-determination.

  Mr. Humphrey Atkins:
  No, but all relevant factors, including political considerations, are taken into account in reaching decisions on defence sales issues.

  Foreign Diplomats (Expulsions)
  Mr. Greville Janner
  asked the Lord Privy Seal how many diplomats have been expelled from the United Kingdom during each of the years from 1970 to 1981; what were their names, ranks and the missions to which they were accredited; in each case whether the fact of such expulsion was announced by Her Majesty's Government and, if so, whether the reason for expulsion was given; and if either the fact or the reason was not announced, on what basis it was withheld.

  Mr. Humphrey Atkins:
  The information is as follows:

  1971

  105 Soviet officials were expelled of whom 71 were members of the staff of the Soviet Embassy.

  Mr. S. H. A. Aulaqi, Second Secretary, People's Democratic Republic of Yemen Embassy.

  1972

  Mr. A. Amer, First Secretary, People's Democratic Republic of Yemen Embassy.

  1973

  Mr. A. Diaz Rovirosa, First Secretary, Cuban Embassy.

  1978

  Mr. A. H. Ali, Counsellor.

  Lt. Col. F. A. S. Al–Shakir, Assistant Military Attaché.

  Mr. F. H. Al-Kaisi, Third Secretary.

  Major T. M. S. Al-Obaidi, Assistant Military Attaché.

  Mr. F. M. Mahmoud, Counsellor.

  Mr. H. A. R. Hajo, Second Secretary.

  Mr. H. Al-Yousif, Assistant Cultural Counsellor.

  All from the Iraq Embassy.

  1980

  Mr. M. Kusa, Secretary of People's Committee, The People's Bureau of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.

  1981

  Mr. V. N. Lazine, Second Secretary, USSR Embassy.

  Announcements were made concerning the departure of all the above, with the exceptions of Mr. Aulaqi in 1971, Mr. Amer in 1972 and Mr. Diaz Rovirosa in 1973, when it was considered that it was not in the public interest to make any statement. It is still considered that it is not in the public interest to release details of the Soviet officials expelled in 1971.

  Geneva Convention (Ratification)
  Mr. J. Enoch Powell
  asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will seek parliamentary approval before ratifying protocol II to the Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949.

  Mr. Hurd:
  Legislation would be required before the protocols could be ratified.

  Continental Shelf (Delimitation)
  Dr. Edmund Marshall
  asked the Lord Privy Seal what was the outcome of the meeting due to be held during
  78
  September with officials of the Government of the Republic of Ireland concerning the delimitation of the continental shelf between the United Kingdom and the Republic.

  Mr. Hurd:
  The meeting between officials which took place in London on 24 September carried further the discussions on the modalities of the proposed arbitration. A further meeting has been scheduled for November.

  Hong Kong (Vietnamese Refugees)
  Dr. Edmund Marshall
  asked the Lord Privy Seal how many Vietnamese refugees are now in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Humphrey Atkins:
  On 16 October there were 16,885 Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong.

  Angola
  Sir Patrick Wall
  asked the Lord Privy Seal why the United Kingdom cast its vote in the way it did in the United Nations vote on the resolution on Angola.

  Mr. Luce:
  The United Kingdom abstention was consistent with our votes on previous resolutions relating to South African incursions into Angola. We made it clear in our explanation of vote that we supported the paragraphs deploring the incursion and demanding the immediate withdrawal of South African forces but that we were unable to accept the inclusion of language that could only detract from the efforts of the contact group to achieve an internationally recognised settlement on Namibia.

  Turkey
  Mr. Frank Allaun
  asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will refuse to grant the Turkish Government £15 million aid so long as it is torturing political opponents.

  Mr. Humphrey Atkins:
  The Government continue to co-operate with Turkey on the basis of the statement issued by the Foreign Ministers of the then Nine on 15 September 1980, the full text of which was given in a written reply to the hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr. Atkinson) on 18 May—[Vol. 5, c. 29]. The Turkish Government are aware of our concern about allegations of torture. They maintain that such allegations are fully investigated and, where appropriate, the culprits punished. Details of the loan agreement were given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Banbury to my hon. Friend the Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Bulmer) on 21 July—[Vol. 9, c. 78.]

ENERGY

  Energy Conservation
  5. Sir David Price
  asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much his Department is spending in the current year on energy conservation.

  Mr. Mellor:
  The Department of Energy is planning to spend £9.5 million in 1981–82 on energy conservation. This is part of a total planned expenditure by all Government Departments of £149 million.
  79

  Energy Conservation

    European Community (Departmental Responsibility)
    Mr. Charles Morrison
    asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will state what progress he has been able to make within his area of responsibility during the United Kingdom's presidency of the Council of Ministers.

    Mr. Lawson:
    Useful progress has been made at official level on a range of issues in preparation for the meeting of the Council of Energy Ministers on 27 October. I shall inform the House of the outcome of that meeting when I return.

    International Atomic Energy Authority
    Mr. Hooley
    asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total staff of the International Atomic Energy Authority concerned with inspection and control of nuclear installations around the world to enforce the provisions of the non-proliferation treaty; how many countries have accepted inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency; and what is the total number of installations subject to inspection.

    Mr. John Moore:
    The International Atomic Energy Agency has 133 inspectors to carry out inspection duties in countries with nuclear facilities. Safeguards agreements have been concluded and are in force between the Agency and 87 countries. Of this number, 36 do not yet have any nuclear facilities which require safeguarding. Inspections are made at 789 installations.

    Electricity Council
    Mr. Chris Patten
    asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the number of units per employee sold by the Electricity Council in each of the last five years and at the latest date for which figures are available.

    Mr. Mellor:
    The information is:

    Years ending March

    Units sold per supply industry employee million kilowatt hours

    1976–77

    1.17

    1977–78

    1.23

    1978–79

    1.28

    1979–80

    1.28

    1980–81

    1.25

    These figures are based on the average number of employees each year in the Electricity Council, Central Electricity Generating Board and the Area Electricity Boards in England and Wales.

    British Gas Corporation
    Mr. Chris Patten
    asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the numbers of units per employee sold by the British Gas Corporation in each of the last five years and at the latest date for which figures are available.

    Mr. John Moore:
    The number of therms sold per direct employee and per employee (direct and contractor) by the British Gas Corporation in each of the last five years were as follows:
    80

    Therms sold per direct employee thousand therms

    Therms sold per employee (direct and contractor) thousand therms

    1976–77

    137.4

    117.2

    1977–78

    152.0

    129.1

    1978–79

    156.5

    132.5

    1979–80

    160.8

    137.9

    1980–81

    154.7

    136.4

    Electricity Supply
    Mr. Hooley
    asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in the Official Report the number of occasions in each of the years from 1971 to 1980 in which demand for electricity exceeded supply resulting in interruption of supply or significant voltage reduction, excluding the effect of industrial action, and the number of hours on each occasion that the break in supply or voltage reduction lasted.

    Mr. Mellor:
    I am advised by the CEGB that between April 1971 and March 1980 there were four occasions when voltage reductions were required—these reductions occured when demand for electricity exceeded the output of plant under normal operating conditions. There was no occasion when disconnection of demand was necessary. Voltage reductions and demand disconnections resulting from industrial action have been excluded. Details of voltage reductions are as follows:

    Date

    Duration

    Voltage reduction per cent.

    9 November 71

    54 mins

    3

    22 November 71

    19 mins

    3

    20 October 72

    1 hour 53 mins

    3

    13 November 79

    27 mins

    11/2

    Plutonium
    Mr. Hooley
    asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the economic cost of stockpiling plutonium for civil power generation.

    Mr. John Moore:
    The cost of storing plutonium for civil power generation is a negligible component (less than 1 per cent.) of the total cost of reprocessing irradiated fuel.

    Mr. Mudd
    asked the Secretary of State for Energy what exports of plutonium to the United States have recently been authorised, and for what purpose; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. John Moore:
    Approval in principle has been given to the export of United Kingdom civil plutonium to the United States for civil use in its fast reactor programme. Preliminary discussions only have been held with United States Government officials on this subject. It has been made clear in these discussions that any civil plutonium exported would have to remain subject to IAEA safeguards when exported to the United States. The export would be subject to satisfactory commercial negotiations on price, quantities and time scales. These negotiations have not yet commenced.
    81

    United Nations Conference on Renewable Energy Resources
    Mr. Hooley
    asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the findings of the United Nations conference on renewable energy resources held in August in Nairobi which his predecessor attended.

    Mr. Mellor:
    I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today to the question from the hon. Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson).

    Departmental Expenditure
    Sir David Price
    asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of his Department's expenditure for 1981–82 in support of public sector industry and private sector industry, respectively.

    Mr. Lawson:
    The latest estimate of my Department's expenditure for 1981–82 in support of public and private sector industry in the United Kingdom is £616 million and £76 million respectively. All but £9 million of the £616 million goes to the coal industry: It includes £236 million arising from the announcement by my predecessor in the House of Commons on 16 June 1981 of an increase in the National Coal Board's external financing limit from £886 million to £1,117 million and in the level of grants to be paid to the NCB. The increase in grants is within this revised external financing limit, and is subject to the necessary legislation and approval of Supplementary Estimates.

    Horticultural Industry (Fuel Costs)
    Sir Patrick Wall
    asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the price per gallon of fuel for the horticultural industry in Holland as compared to the cost for Dutch industry and the equivalent costs in the United Kingdom.

    Mr. Gray:
    The main fuel used by the United Kingdom horticulture industry is heavy fuel oil, whereas in the Netherlands gas is the predominant fuel. Figures are therefore not directly comparable.

    I have no specific information on the price paid for heavy fuel oil by United Kingdom horticulturists, but based on the latest EEC Commission weekly Oil Bulletin for small industrial consumers of 5 October, the price to United Kingdom horticulturists after allowance for the rebate on heavy fuel oil duty and the current adoption aid of 5 pence per gallon would be around 46 pence per gallon, equivalent to 26 pence per therm.

    At 5 October exchange rates, I understand Dutch horticulturists are paying 16.4 pence per therm for gas, compared to 28.4 pence per therm for small Dutch industrial consumers.

    Cannock Chase Drift Mine
    Mr. Gwilym Roberts
    asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has now been made in developing the Cannock Chase drift mine; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. John Moore:
    The development of the Cannock Chase drift mine is a matter for the National Coal Board. I understand however that consideration of the development is still at an early stage.
    82

    Windscale
    Dr. John Cunningham
    asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he was informed about the incident that occurred at Windscale on 4 October; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. John Moore:
    At about 10.45 am on Sunday 4 October 1981 the radioactivity monitor on the exhaust stack from the magnox fuel separation plant at British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) site at Sellafield, Cumbria gave a warning of an abnormally high release of radioactivity. The monitor is set at low levels. The plant, in which irradiated magnox fuel is dissolved, was promptly shut down in accordance with the Company's safety procedures. Analysis of the stack samples confirmed that a release of the radioactive isotope iodine 131 had occurred. The plant was therefore kept shut down until Company personnel were satisfied that it was safe to restart operations. They concluded that some fuel which had been stored for too short a period in cooling ponds had been inadvertently fed to the dissolver. Pond storage is provided at nuclear power stations and reactor sites mainly to allow the iodine 131 in irradiated fuel to decay to an acceptably low level.

    The BNFL management decided, after assessing the potential environmental effects, to restart the plant. The removeable iodine was flushed out of the dissolver and safely discharged to the sea. The plant was restarted at about 10 am on 5 October using fuel of proven long storage. Careful surveillance, including monitoring of further releases of iodine still within the plant, continued. The release from the stack of iodine 131, which had been measured at about 1.9 curies in the first 24 hours after the abnormal level was identified, had declined to about 0.4 curies per day by the morning of 8 October and has continued to decline. To date about 7 curies have been discharged. The Company are required by the authorising Departments, Department of the Environment and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to use the best practicable means to minimise discharges. Over the past four years the annual discharge has been less than one curie.

    On Tuesday 6 October BNFL informed DOE and MAFF under arrangements for the reporting of abnormal releases to those Departments. At about 4 pm on that day, BNFL also informed the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate that further investigations had revealed a breach of a technical plant operating limit on 4 October in that irradiated fuel containing an excessive quantity of iodine 131 had been fed to the dissolver. On the late afternoon of 7 October BNFL advised the NIL DOE and MAFF that iodine 131 had been detected, by monitoring, in samples of milk gathered at two farms within a 2-mile radius of the Sellafield site. The highest value measured from the samples collected then and later was 5,000 picocuries (i.e. millionths of a curie) of iodine 131 per litre. On this basis it is estimated that radiation doses to the critical group most liable to be affected, i.e. young children drinking this milk would be no more than a small fraction of the International Commission on Radiological Protection's recommended annual limit to members of the public. On the basis of the daily information obtained, the MAFF, which is responsible for environmental monitoring of foodstuffs, considers that the measured levels of iodine in

    83
    milk confirm this. Milk sampling is continuing at 20 farms of which 12 are close to the site. MAFF has not considered it necessary at any stage to ban the sale of affected milk.

    I am satisfied that this incident, although resulting in a release of iodine 131 has caused no hazard to public health. The amount released to the atmosphere was very small because safety precautions came into play. The NII is investigating the full circumstances of the incident. The inspectorate advise me that, in the light of its investigations, steps are being taken to ensure that no irradiated fuel will be moved from nuclear power stations to Windscale for reprocessing until it has been stored for at least 90 days, to allow the radio-iodine to decay.

    My Department was informed on 7 October by the NII and BNFL of the incident. On 8 October the NII submitted a formal report to the Secretary of State on the basis of the information then supplied to it by BNFL. On 9 October, following the receipt of further detailed information from BNFL, the NII submitted a further report to the Secretary of State which amplified the initial report.

    I have asked that the reporting procedures at all stages for such incidents be urgently examined by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate. I intend to satisfy myself that such procedures are adequate, and that procedures for informing the local community in the event of such incidents are satisfactory.

  TRANSPORT

    Road Programmes (Bypasses)
    Mr. Nicholas Winterton
    asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many communities he considers need bypasses.

    Mr. Kenneth Clarke:
    There is no simple answer, for the reasons set out by Sir Arthur Armitage in paragraph 202 of his report on "Lorries People and the Environment". On trunk roads in England, for which my right hon. Friend is responsible, our programme includes bypasses for those places where we already accept the need for them. I have no doubt that we will continue to identify more worthwhile schemes to add to the programme in future years. Schemes started this year will take through-traffic out of more than 20 individual communities, while progress with the M25 will relieve large areas of outer London and towns beyond it.

    A18 (Dunsville)
    Dr. Edmund Marshall
    asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents have been reported as having occurred on the A18 trunk road at High Street, Dunsville, near Doncaster, during the last period of 12 months for which figures are available, and what were the effects in terms of personal injury and loss of life.

    Mr. Kenneth Clarke:
    During the 12 month period to 31 July 1981, eight accidents occurred along the Al8 trunk road at High Street, Dunsville, resulting in 21 casualties. Of these, two received fatal injuries, eight had serious injuries and 11 slight.

    Channel Crossing (Costs)
    Mr. Nigel Spearing
    asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will tabulate in the Official Report the cost-ratio of present cross-Channel modes of transport for
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    personal and general wheeled cargo together with (a) the comparable land transport cost for 25 miles in the United Kingdom and (b) the expected cost-ratio for each of the Channel crossing proposals.

    Mr. Kenneth Clarke:
    I regret that the information requested is not readily available.

    Hanger Lane Junction
    Mr. Pavitt
    asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now undertake further work at the Hanger Lane junction to assist morning peak traffic from Ealing Road needing to cross the east-bound flow from Western Avenue and the north-bound flow from the North Circular Road, since traffic patterns can now be assessed consequent to the completion of the original construction work.

    Mr. Kenneth Clarke:
    Now that conditions have had a chance to settle down, information is being gathered about present traffic flows on all arms of the junction. When I get this I shall consider if any further minor works such as lane markings would help.

    Associated British Ports
    Mr. Hill
    asked the Secretary of State for Transport on what date he expects shares in Associated British Ports to be offered to the public.

    Mr. David Howell:
    I propose to offer shares in the holding company which will own Associated British Ports to the public as soon as possible.

    Seat Belts (Exemptions)
    Mr. Arthur Lewis
    asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in his preparation for exemptions from wearing seat belts he will consider, in addition to milk, bread and other roundsmen, commercial travellers, doctors, midwives, fire and ambulancemen, police, post delivery van drivers and drivers of all commercial vehicles which make multiple deliveries, and those suffering from asthma, heart complaints, claustrophobia and breathing difficulties; and whether he will consider making the exemption certificates free of charge; and to what extent he estimates the introduction of the compulsory use of seat belts will add to public expenditure.

    Mr. Kenneth Clarke:
    My right hon. Friend will announce his proposals on exemptions as soon as possible and will consult fully before laying regulations. He will be consulting the British Medical Association about fees for medical certificates. Compulsory seat belt wearing should not result in any net increase in public expenditure.

    European Community Driving Licence
    Mr. David Steel
    asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the introduction of a European Community model driving licence by 1 January 1983; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. David Howell:
    The Government supported the first Council directive on the introduction of a European Community driving licence, which was approved by the House of Commons on 4 November 1980 and adopted on 4 December 1980. Under the Directive, driving licences

    85
    issued by Community States can be exchanged by new residents after 1 January 1983. After 1 January 1986 all licences issued by Community States will be in a Community format.

    Mr. David Steel
    asked the Secretary of State for Transport if Her Majesty's Government intend that recognition of driving licences in existing national form should be superseded by the European Community driving licence when the relevant directive comes into force.

    Mr. Daivd Howell:
    No. Licences issued from 1 January 1986 will conform to the model prescribed in the directive on the European Community driving licence, adapted as necessary to meet this country's needs. The United Kingdom is not required to recall and reissue existing licences in the new form, and this would not be practicable.

    Driving Licences (Photographs)
    Mr. David Steel
    asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek to introduce the requirement that a photograph of the driver must be displayed on all United Kingdom driving licences.

    Mr. David Howell:
    No. Inclusion of a photograph on all driving licences would be very costly.

    Departmental Expenditure
    Sir David Price
    asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest estimate of his Department's expenditure for 1981-82 in support of public sector industry and private sector industry, respectively.

    Mr. David Howell:
    My Department's expenditure for 1981–82 in support of public sector industry and private sector industry is expected to be about £900 million and £15 million respectively. Almost the whole of this expenditure is on a Great Britain basis.

    Alcoholmeters
    Mr. Arthur Lewis
    asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that all new road vehicles are fitted with alcoholmeters, as at present being operated by the police in certain districts, including Cambridgeshire.

    Mr. Kenneth Clarke:
    No. Drivers should know the provisions of the law on drinking and driving and it is up to them to decide how best to ensure that they do not commit an offence.

    Dutch Lorries (Overloading)
    Sir Patrick Wall
    asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many Dutch lorries have been stopped and prosecuted, respectively for overloading in Humberside.

    Mr. Kenneth Clarke:
    I regret that figures are not available for the whole of Humberside, but of 442 Dutch vehicles checked by my Department in and around Hull since January 1980, 60 were found to be seriously overloaded, and were prohibited from travelling further until the excess load had been removed. This practice of immediate prohibition imposes a substantial cost on the operator and has proved a more effective deterrent than prosecution, since summonses cannot be enforced once the
    86
    driver has left the country. Drivers are prosecuted where this is practicable. Drivers of 2 of the 60 vehicles were in fact prosecuted.

    National Freight Company
    Mr. Knox
    asked the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on negotiations for the sale of the National Freight Company.

    Mr. David Howell:
    Agreement has now been reached about the terms on which the Government's shares in the National Freight Company Limited are to be sold to a consortium of managers and employees. This follows detailed negotiations since when it was announced that the Government were considering an offer on behalf of such a consortium. The Government have been represented throughout these negotiations by an independent merchant bank, Schroder Wagg, and has accepted its recommendations to agree to the sale now at the price of £53.5 million.

    The consortium will now go ahead with its plans for raising this sum with a view to completion in January.

    The agreement provides for the deficiencies in the Company's pension schemes to be funded from the proceeds of sale, as provided for under Section 49 of the Transport Act 1980. After allowing for this the net payment to the Government will be around £6.5 million.

    With this sale, a major road haulage company is transferred in good running order to the private sector where it belongs. The managers and employees acquire a business which they are confident they can run successfully and competitively, entirely free from Government control and no longer dependent in any way on public finance.

  Members' Tea Room (Working Conditions)
  Mr. Thomas Cox
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the conditions in which the staff work in the Members' Tea Room during warm weather.

  Sir George Young:
  I believe that conditions are as satisfactory as is practicable in an area where hot food has to be prepared.

  Reservoirs, Bridges, Tunnels and Waterways
  Mrs. Renée Short
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was spent in each of the last five years on bringing reservoirs, bridges and tunnels up to standard and on maintaining waterways; and what are the figures for the current financial year and the projections for 1982–83.

  Mr. Giles Shaw:
  Figures for the last five years, supplied by the British Waterways Board, are as follows:

  £million

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  Maintenance of the waterways

  9.672

  12.075

  14.172

  20.193

  23.510

  Reservoirs, bridges and tunnels

  3.135

  4.321

  2.326

  5.151

  4.522

  The board's estimates for expenditure in 1981 are £24.108 million and £3.29 million respectively. The programme of expenditure for 1982–83 is still under consideration.
  87
  Mrs. Renée Short
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest estimate available to him of the amount needed to be spent (a) on essential maintenance of waterways and (b) to bring reservoirs, bridges and tunnels up to standard.

  Mr. Giles Shaw:
  British Waterways Board currently estimates that it requires an additional £90 million to clear its present backlog of waterways maintenance and a further £25 million or more for expenditure on reservoirs, bridges and tunnels.

  Somerset House (Princes Gate Collection)
  Mr. Faulds
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with the project for providing public access on a long-term basis in Somerset House for the Princes Gate collection which was bequeathed to the Courtauld Institute of Art, and which is now temporarily accessible to the public in its Woburn Square galleries.

  Mr. Macfarlane:
  Discussions on this proposal are continuing between this Department, the university of London and the Courtauld Institute.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of council tenants has applied to purchase their dwellings in the areas of the country where disturbances have recently occurred.

  Mr. Stanley:
  The most serious disturbances took place in Brixton, Southall, Moss Side, and Toxteth, which lie within the London boroughs of Lambeth and Ealing, and the cities of Manchester and Liverpool respectively. The information requested is available only for the whole of each local authority. On this basis, the percentages, based on right to buy applications under the Housing Act 1980 received by the end of June and the stock of occupied dwellings held by each local authority under Part V of the Housing Act 1957, were as follows:

  Local Authority

  Per cent.

  Lambeth London Borough Council

  2.8

  Ealing London Borough Council

  6.7

  Manchester City Council

  5.9

  Liverpool City Council

  7.1

  Housing Subsidies
  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the latest figures for the total subsidy given for local authority housing and for all tax relief-related schemes concerning owner-occupation and other payments which go to some owner-occupiers.

  Mr. Stanley:
  Total subsidy for local authority housing in England in 1980–81 was £2,314.7 million. Details are given in a separate written answer today to the hon. Member.

  The cost of mortgage tax relief and option mortgage subsidy in England in 1980–81 was £1,990 million.

  Mr. Winnick
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the latest figures for the total subsidy given for local authority housing, excluding supplementary benefit payments.
  88
  Mr. Stanley:
  The latest available figures are that in 1980–81 local authorities in England received £1,400.6 million in Exchequer subsidies for local authority dwellings and £349.9 million from the Exchequer in rent rebate subsidy at outturn prices. In addition, rate fund contributions to housing revenue accounts totalled £441.2 million and to rent rebates £123 million.

  New Substances (Hazards to Man and the Environment)
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is proposing to take in connection with the implementation of the sixth amendment to EEC directive 64/548/EEC dealing with the protection of the customer and the environment against potential risks which can arise from the placing of new substances on the market.

  Mr. Giles Shaw:
  The directive requires that, before a new substance is placed in significant quantities on the market within the European Community, the manufacturer or importer should investigate possible hazards to man and to the environment. The results of the tests carried out by the manufacturer or importer should be notified to the competent authority of the member State where a substance is first manufactured or first imported at least 45 days before the substance is marketed. In the United Kingdom, the competent authority is the Department of the Environment and the Health and Safety Executive, acting jointly. The Department has set up a unit—the chemicals notification unit—to examine and assess the information relating to the possible environmental effects of new substances. A corresponding unit has been established within the HSE, both to receive notifications and to consider the information on worker-user safety. The two units are working closely together.

  Regulations to implement the directive are being drawn up under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act and the European Communities Act. These will be laid before the House as soon as possible. In the meantime, administrative arrangements have been introduced to allow manufacturers and importers to notify substances in accordance with the directive and thereby facilitate the movement of their goods within the Community.

  Direct Labour Organisations
  Mr. Thornton
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has made any estimate, and, if so, if he will give figures for such past years as are available or could be estimated, of the estimated rate of return by direct labour organisations of local authorities compared with the rate of return achieved by private industry; and if he will give comparable figures for the rate of return which he is now requiring local authority direct labour organisations to achieve and the rate of return which he estimates as currently being achieved by the private sector in comparable work.

  Sir George Young:
  Until the coming into operation, on 1 April 1981, of part III of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, local authorities were not required to make any rate of return on their direct labour operations nor to account for these in any way which would make estimates possible. The directions my right hon. Friend has made under the provisions of the Act now require local authorities to make a 5 per cent. rate of

  89

  return, on a current cost accounting basis, on the capital employed by their direct labour organisations. This requirement is intended to help authorities to identify the true economic cost of their direct labour organisations in the interests of improved financial management and better use of resources. As such, the rate prescribed in the directions is not intended to represent the current rate of return being obtained by private industry at any time, but rather the opportunity cost of capital over a period of time. Rates of return achieved in the private sector were published by the Department of Industry in "British Business"on 18 September 1981.

  Archaeological Areas Act (Gloucester and Lincoln)
  Mr. Faulds
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, since Gloucester and Lincoln have declined nomination as designated areas under part II of the Archaeological Areas Act, whether he will consider using his specific powers in these cases.

  Mr. Macfarlane:
  The order bringing part II of the Act into force will not be made until the end of this year. Meanwhile, there will be further discussions with both authorities and I will let the hon. Member know the outcome.

  Inner Cities Policies
  Mr. Spearing
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations have taken place with hon. Members who represent statutory partnership areas, in respect of new policies for inner city areas subsequent to his visit to Liverpool.

  Mr. Heseltine:
  Whilst in Liverpool, I had two meetings with hon. Members whose constituencies are covered by the partnership area. My noble Friend Lord Bellwin also discussed inner city matters with the hon. Members for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) and Hackney, South and Shoreditch (Mr. Brown), as representatives of the London group of Labour Members of Parliament, on 31 July.

  Welsh Office (Cost of Flat)
  Mr. Skinner
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated total installation cost of the flat constructed in the Welsh Office for the use of the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Sir George Young:
  £12,069.

  Control of Pollution Act 1974
  Mr. Spearing
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had in respect of implementing part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974; and when he expects to be implementing that part of the Act.

  Mr. King:
  I am currently reviewing the question of implementing part II. Any necessary consultation will be part of that process.

  Office Furniture (Purchases)
  Mr. Skinner
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what purchases of office furniture have been
  90
  made by or on behalf of his Department from Harrods since the present Government assumed office; what items were purchased; and what was the total cost of such purchases.

  Sir George Young:
  No purchases of office furniture have been made from Harrods by, or on behalf of, the Department of the Environment since the present Government assumed office.

  Royal Wedding
  Mr. Arthur Lewis
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost to public funds within the responsibility of his Department arising from the wedding of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.

  Mr. Heseltine:
  Present indications are that the final cost will not be significantly different from the earlier estimate of £50,000.

  Sheffield (Housing)
  Mr. John H. Osborn
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses in the Sheffield area fall within the housing society or housing association category; if he will list the main associations, the number of houses within each and the manager, indicating in each case whether public body, or private agent.

  Sir George Young:
  The city of Sheffield's own estimate of housing association dwellings at April 1981 is included in its housing strategy and investment programme, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Details of the main registered housing associations within the Sheffield metropolitan district, their respective holdings, and their management arrangements, supplied by the Housing Corporation, are as follows:

  Housing Associations

  Dwellings

  South Yorkshire

  436

  North Counties

  1,093

  Yorkshire Metropolitan

  126

  North Sheffield

  171

  North Cheshire

  116

  Hallam

  311

  Sheffield Broomhall Abbeyfield Society

  1

  Total

  2,254

  There are, in addition, 396 dwellings owned by co-ownership housing societies.
  The dwellings owned by the Hallam housing association and the co-ownership societies are managed by firms of estate agents. The other associations use their own staff to manage their stock.

  Mr. John H. Osborn
  asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the housing stock in the Sheffield area; and, of this, how much is public council housing, how much private sector housing, and how much housing association or housing society.

  Sir George Young:
  the city of Sheffield's own estimates of dwellings in each sector at April 1981 are included in its housing strategy and investment programme, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  PRISONERS: MENTAL HEALTH
  PRISONERS: MENTAL HEALTH
  PRISONERS: RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ALLEGATIONS
  PRISONERS: RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ALLEGATIONS
  PRISONERS: ASSOCIATION AND EXERCISE
  PRISONERS: ASSOCIATION AND EXERCISE
  PRISONERS: SEGREGATION UNDER RULE 43
  PRISONERS: SEGREGATION UNDER RULE 43
  PRISON SENTENCES AND COUNTRY OF BIRTH
  PRISON SENTENCES AND COUNTRY OF BIRTH
  CS GAS AND BATON ROUNDS: GUIDELINES FOR USE
  CS GAS AND BATON ROUNDS: GUIDELINES FOR USE
  NORTHERN IRELAND: TAX RELIEF ON MORTGAGES
  NORTHERN IRELAND: TAX RELIEF ON MORTGAGES
  BARN CONVERSION: ENCOURAGEMENT
  BARN CONVERSION: ENCOURAGEMENT
  ETHNIC MINORITIES AND EMPLOYMENT POLICIES
  ETHNIC MINORITIES AND EMPLOYMENT POLICIES
  HERRING FISHING: RESTRICTION ON INDUSTRIAL USE
  HERRING FISHING: RESTRICTION ON INDUSTRIAL USE
  NICARAGUA: US AND SOVIET DIPLOMATIC STAFF
  NICARAGUA: US AND SOVIET DIPLOMATIC STAFF
  BRITISH GAS CORPORATION: DISPOSAL OF ASSETS
  BRITISH GAS CORPORATION: DISPOSAL OF ASSETS
  MERGER OF SOCIAL SECURITY REGIONS
  MERGER OF SOCIAL SECURITY REGIONS