asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the new income limits for entitlement to rate rebate.

I refer my hon. Friend to my statement in the House on Monday, 17th January, when the Draft Rate Rebates (Limits of Income) Order, 1972, and the Draft Rate Rebates (Limits of Income) (Scotland) Order, 1971, now approved by both Houses of Parliament, were debated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in the context of the reorganisation of water services, whether he proposes that the charges for water services will continue to be calculated on a basis of the general rate.

Pending further consultations, there is nothing that I can add to paragraphs 34–41 of the Explanatory Memorandum appended to the Department's Circular No. 92/71, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will request all London boroughs to survey all land within their areas which can be designated for local authority housing purposes.

Such a survey has already been initiated by the Action Group on London Housing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, following his discussions with outer London borough councils, he is now able to publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the total superficial area of land now to be made available by those councils to the housing stress areas of inner London.

Discussions with London authorities about their housing proposals are a continuous process. The Action Group on London Housing has asked all London authorities to identify potential housing sites in their areas and to indicate when and by whom they might be developed. The results of this survey should help to show the potential for dealing with London's housing problem as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the results of his conversations with outer London boroughs, particularly Bromley and Redbridge, concerning the provision of available land for building local authority dwellings, to assist the rehousing of four-bedroom need families in Shoreditch.

Discussions with London authorities about their housing proposals are a continuous process. The Action Group on London Housing has asked all London authorities to identify potential housing sites in their areas and to indicate when and by whom they might be developed. The results of this survey should help to show the potential for dealing with London's housing problem as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the elected members of the London Borough of Hammersmith as to the effect of the provisions of the Housing Finance Bill upon the amount of rented accommodation and rent levels within the boroughs; and whether he will make a statement.

I have sent the hon. Member a copy of the official letter which has been sent to the council in reply to its representations on the proposals in the Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has made of the proportion of council and private tenants residing in the London Borough of Hammersmith whose rent would be increased if the Housing Finance Bill were to become law in its present form.

As the fair rent depends on all the circumstances of each dwelling, I cannot provide the estimate requested, although the local authority may be able to assist the hon. and learned Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce further measures to encourage the sale of council houses.

Local authorities already have discretion to sell on very reasonable terms. We have issued a Circular encouraging them to do so, and I have emphasised this in many speeches. Sales, however, depend on their willingness and energy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the local authorities that have not yet prepared schemes for the sale of council houses.

Not yet.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the number of council houses sold since June, 1970.

In the 16 months between 1st July, 1970, and 31st October, 1971, local authorities in England and Wales sold 16,763 council dwellings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about his proposals for a new Construction Agency.

Mr. H. J. Cruickshank, Deputy Chairman of Bovis Holdings Limited, has only recently conducted, on my behalf, an inquiry into the constructional activities of that part of D.O.E. which was formerly the Ministry of Public Building and Works. The object of the inquiry has been to recommend changes directed towards improving the efficiency and effectiveness with which D.O.E. discharges these activities. It would be premature to make any statement about the future organisation and management of those activities until I have completed my consideration of Mr. Cruickshank's appreciation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will encourage local planning authorities to grant planning permission for a larger proportion of bed-sitting one-bedroom type accommodation to be erected by private enterprise, in order to provide more dwellings for the young married, the aged and single persons, so freeing larger accommodation.

My right hon. Friend recognises the need for this type of accommodation in certain areas. But it would not be appropriate for him to give guidance to local planning authorities on a matter which is primarily for local consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce legislation to make it compulsory for motorists to use headlamps when driving in conditions of poor visibility.

I propose to seek powers for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now give his revised estimates of approximately how much council house subsidies will be in 1975–76 compared with what they would have been by then under the existing system.

If the existing subsidy system continued, the estimated net charges on the Consolidated Fund in connection with housing in England and Wales for 1975–76 might be about £550 million. Under the Housing Finance Bill, the total net charges are estimated to be about £350 million in that year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total Government subsidy for local authority housing in 1971, and what proportion of this went to subsidise flats in blocks of five storeys or more.

The total payments of subsidies, including improvement contributions, to local authorities, new towns and housing association in England and Wales in 1971–72 is estimated at about £200 million. Additional subsidies under the Housing Subsidies Act, 1967, in respect of flats of five or more storeys account for about 4 per cent. of total subsidies under that Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to improve the roads between Norwich and the East Anglian ports.

A number of major schemes are in hand on the roads between Norwich and the East Anglian ports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he proposes to issue to local authorities on the implications of the decision of the Court of Appeal in Dutton v. Bognor Regis Urban District Council.

An appeal to the House of Lords may still be lodged and in these circumstances it would seem premature to issue guidance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further action he will now take to help Waltham Forest Borough Council, in view of the long waiting lists for homes there.

The Department is in continuous contact with the council about its housing problems.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what experiments have been carried out into the use of single-decker buses capable of running both on rail and road and which could utilise tracks in those areas where the normal train service would be un-remunerative.

None, though some feasibility studies have been carried out on buses running on disused rail track.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to announce the decision as to whether a public inquiry should be held into the proposed route of the A5111 trunk road through Allestree, Derby.

My right hon. Friend intends to hold a public inquiry, but arrangements must await consideration of some alterations now proposed near Markeaton Park.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that there are sufficient planners now in local government service; what increase will be required under local government reform; and what are the arrangements for training sufficient planners for the local government service.

I have received no representations from local authority associations about any current insufficiency in planning staff, but with increased public participation, and as work on the preparation of structure plans and local plans intensifies, increased demands will be imposed on local authority planning departments. As regards local government reorganisation, I have invited the local authority associations to let me have their concerted views on the deployment of staff on reorganisation to ensure continuity and administrative economy. In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in the number of planning students in the universities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many cases of rents being demanded in excess of those permitted by Section 20 of the Rent Act, 1968, have been brought to his notice; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether he will circularise rent officers recommending them to advise tenants of their rights under Section 20 of the Rent Act, 1968, when considering applications for rent registration.

Rent officers already provide tenants, following any application for rent registration, with a copy of the leaflet, "Rent Regulation", which explains the contractual rent limit under Section 20 of the Rent Act, 1968. I have had some general representations from tenants' organisations and others of overcharging on registered rents. The Francis Committee recommended that it should be made an offence to require or receive rent in excess of the registered rent and this is being carefully considered. Where a rent has not been registered, the contractual rent limits under Section 20 are probably more widely exceeded. The Housing Finance Bill will replace that limit by new safeguards for sitting tenants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect on the size of the rent, that is, average registered rent as a percentage of the average previous rent, rent registration has had in Greater London, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, and in Putney, respectively.

For rents first registered during the years 1966–70, the average registered rent represented an increase over the average previous rent of 11 per cent. in greater London and of 19 per cent. in the London Borough of Wandsworth. No separate information is available for Putney.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to curtail by administrative action the rise in land prices which has taken place in Southern Hampshire during the last year.

I am applying to Southern Hampshire the relevant items of the policy for land availability stated in the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, South-East (Mr. Rost) on 8th December last. Interim plans have been prepared to make more land available pending approval of a structure plan.—[Vol. 827, c. 1287.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the requirements for a vehicle test certificate for American cars already legally imported into this country.

The requirements for an "M.O.T." test certificate are effectively the same for any car, no matter what its country of origin.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he is having with the Association of Municipal Corporations on housing improvement grants.

Officials of the Association and the Department are in continuing contact. I understand that the Association is preparing a paper on improvement grants, and an early discussion will be arranged as soon as it is ready.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies and with what organisations, have taken place on the medical aspects of lead in motor gasoline; and what are the latest conclusions on the significance of lead emissions from motor vehicles for community health.

I listed the nine major research studies now being undertaken into lead pollution in my reply of 3rd August to my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Walthamstow, East (Mr. Michael McNair-Wilson), and I am sending my hon. Friend details of those specifically relating to human health. The Government's Chief Medical adviser, supported by a group of medical experts on lead toxicology, advised me last month that he does not find evidence of any general hazard to health from the present levels of lead in the atmosphere, but that it would be advisable to halt or, if possible, reverse the trend in lead emissions. I shall be making a further announcement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes any changes in the Government's Green Belt policy.

Where regional strategies and structure plans are not sufficiently advanced to enable the Secretary of State to confirm full green belt status for an area proposed for that protection, he will apply the safeguards afforded by "interim green belt protection".So far as the term "green belt" implies that safeguards against development apply only to belts of land around towns, it shown be known that the Government's protective policy is more extensive than that.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he can yet announce plans to compensate people who have been adversely affected by motorway construction.

I have promised to make a statement when our review of the land compensation code is completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had about transferring the Greater London Council's housing powers to the boroughs; and when he proposes to implement the provisions of the London Government Act, 1963, in this respect.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the G.L.C.'s transitional powers to build in a London borough without the consent of that borough. These powers can be terminated by an Order made by the Secretary of State. The London borough councils have made no request for such an order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reply he has given to the letter from the London Borough of Islington concerning the effect of the Housing Finance Bill on minimum weekly rents payable by that local authority's tenants.

My hon. Friend has sent the hon. Member a copy of the official reply which has been sent to the council

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reply he has given to the letter from the London Borough of Islington concerning the effect of the Housing Finance Bill on unsupported mothers and widows with dependants.

My hon. Friend has sent the hon. Member a copy of the official reply which has been sent to the council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the number of miles of dual three-lane motorways completed during each of the past five years, and the number of miles to be completed during each of the next five years.

The figures for the mileage of trunk road motorways in England completed are as follows:

	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	Total
Miles	75	32	41	97	210	455

The majority of this mileage is dual three-lane and forms part of a total of 652 miles of this standard in use at 31st December, 1971.Present plans envisage the completion of a further 500 miles of dual three-lane motorways in the five years 1972–76 inclusive. The phasing of this programme of motorway construction will depend on the satisfactory preparation of detailed plans and the duration of the necessary statutory procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a general direction to British Railways to increase their carriage of container freight in order to relieve congestion on the roads.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if it is his intention to advertise the post of Housing Commissioner.

No such post exists. If it should become necessary to appoint a housing commissioner. I would expect the appointment to be temporary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a Circular requesting local housing authorities to amend any points scheme regarding home allocation which discriminates against unsupported mothers.

The attention of housing authorities was drawn in 1969 to the report of the Central Housing Advisory Committee on the allocation of council houses, which recommended that local authorities should pay more attention to families, such as fatherless families, who were particularly vulnerable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation in order that all public service buses and other ominbuses are fitted with special electric retarding; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to check the safety level of self-drive hire cars in Great Britain; and whether he will make a statement.

These vehicles are subject to the same spot checks as other cars, and, when three years old, the annual test.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he can now state his plans for encouraging direct-labour building by local authorities in County Durham.

My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the Countryside Commission' reports on the planning of the coastline and the coastal heritage.

The Government welcome the basic objectives of the Commission's recommendations on heritage coasts. A Circular to local authorities on the planning of the undeveloped coastline and on heritage coasts will be issued shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in the interests of public safety, he will sanction the introduction of a speed limit on traffic over the whole length of New Kent Road.

A speed limit of 30 miles per hour already applies to the whole length of this road.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give consideration to extending the powers referred to in his Circular, Roads Number 63–71, to enable agricultural land in excess of the requirements of highway authorities to be cultivated by the adjacent farmer.

The powers in Section 43 of the Highways Act, 1971, to which the Circular relates, already enable highway authorities to license the cultivation of highways land by adjacent farmers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he contemplates taking with regard to local authorities which have proved unwilling to implement Section 15 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act by the co-option of disabled persons to committees whose functions are relevant to their needs.

As my hon. Friend made clear in the reply to my hon. Friend's Question on 15th December last, the Act leaves each of the local authorities concerned to settle the final composition of committees dealing with matters in which the chronically sick or disabled have a special interest. My view is that local authorities are competent to decide these matters for themselves, and he does not contemplate any intervention.—[Vol.828, c.99.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date he received from the Home Office a copy of the communication from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, dated 12th November, 1971, regarding the death of a schoolboy in West Ham why it took him until 12th January, 1972 to reply; what information contained in this communication of 12th January was not available in November, 1971; and whether he will take action to ensure speedier replies to taxpayers who write to his Department and to deal more expeditiously with mail from Members of Parliament.

I have written to the hon. Member about all these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make dual braking systems compulsory for coaches liable to be engaged in carrying passengers anywhere in the United Kingdom.

No. But I am considering the alternative of requiring split braking systems.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider introducing amending legislation to his 12-month testing scheme for vehicles over three years old, to make it necessary for the certificate to be renewed every six months.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in arriving at his decision to give consent to the closure of the passenger rail service between Oldham and Rochdale, what consideration he gave to the recommendations of the Transport Users Consultative Committee after its public inquiry, when it stated that there was no way of alleviat- ing the hardship closure of the line would cause; and if he will make a statement.

The committee's recommendations were fully considered along with all the other relevant factors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what improvements in alternative travel services he is making as a result of his decision to agree to the withdrawal of all rail services between Oldham and Rochdale and to the closure of four stations.

The provision of alternative travel facilities here is primarily a matter for the S.E.L.N.E.C. Passenger Transport Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, before giving his unconditional consent to the closure of the passenger rail service from Oldham to Rochdale, he inquired how many British Rail employees would be made redundant; what answer he received; and what account he took of the effect on unemployment in the area.

I was informed that 26 rail employees would be affected and took this into account together with the heavy financial losses in maintaining the rail service and the capacity of the bus services to replace it. I understand that the British Railways Board can offer alternative employment in most cases within the Manchester area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the extent of his own investigation into the costings presented to him by British Rail as to the likely losses from the retention of a passenger rail service from Oldham to Rochdale before he gave his unconditional consent to closure of the line.

All revelant figures were subjected to the normal process of examination and discussion as necessary with the Railways Board.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now reopen discussions with the local authorities and bus associations with a view to trying to ensure a greater degree of uniformity in the method of granting concessionary fares for retirement pensioners.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what reply he has made to the resolution of protest against the building of a fly-over at the Cambridge Roundabout on the North Circular Road, passed at a meeting held in Edmonton on 12th January.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Department's reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the interests of road safety, he will consider introducing legislation to ensure more effective lighting on heavy vehicles, to indicate their shape and size in all weather conditions.

No. Existing regulations should be sufficient.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state, or undertake to ascertain, what amount of toxic waste material has been dumped in disused mines in the South-West, and the areas in which it has been so dumped.

I have no knowledge of any such dumping. If the hon. Member has reason to believe that there has been unauthorised dumping of toxic waste or that there is any risk to health, I would be grateful if he would inform the appropriate local authority. I should emphasise that responsibility for public health and the purity of rivers and water supplies rests primarily on the appropriate authorities in each area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state, or undertake to ascertain, what amount of toxic waste material has been dumped in disused mines in the Forest of Dean, and the areas in which it has been so dumped.

I have no knowledge of any such dumping. If the hon. Member has reason to believe that there has been unathorised dumping of toxic waste or that there is any risk to health, I would be grateful if he would inform the appropriate local authority. I should emphasise that responsibility for public health and the purity of rivers and water supplies rests primarily on the appropriate authorities in each area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent he will now contemplate removing the ban on learner-drivers, who are accompanied by an experienced professional driver-instructor, to drive on motorways in order to gain more experience before their test.

I have no such proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with the build-of the Pleasley bypass on the A617 in the Mansfield constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with the building of the Pleasley bypass on the A617 in the Bolsover constituency.

Preparation of the scheme is well advanced. I am now considering it for a place in the firm roads programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will improve the methods of advising local authorities of the technical means by which handicapped persons' communication and environmental problems can be overcome by local authorities; if he will consider holding a symposium on this subject for the appropriate departments of local authorities; and if he will make a statement;(2) what records his Department keeps of specific individual communication and environmental problems solved for the physically handicapped by various social services departments and local authorities; how such information is stored and distributed to the appropriate departments; and if he will make a statement.

Useful information is at present collected and published in a variety of ways by a large number of agencies, including Government Departments; but my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services and I doubt that it would be practicable to set up a central depository of information about all facilities for the physically handicapped. This would need the co-operation of a very wide range of statutory and voluntary bodies and manufacturers, and would require an organisation to collect, process and evaluate information and to publish reports, which is beyond the present resources of Government Departments. My Department is, however, engaged on a study to establish how far the housing needs of the disabled can best be met; and is examining, with the Central Council for the Disabled, the possibility of publishing a booklet reviewing outstanding local authority schemes to provide access for the disabled to council premises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will sanction immediately the construction of a bypass to the A419 through Stratton St. Margaret, particularly in the light of increased traffic on this stretch of road following the opening of the M4.

A scheme to by-pass Stratton St. Margaret is now being considered for transfer to the firm roads programme of schemes planned to start in 1973, and a decision is expected by March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an early decision on the proposed gyratory road system at Star Hill, Rochester.

Draft Orders are being prepared for publication this summer. If the Orders are made, I hope it will be possible to include the scheme in the programme in 1972–73.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will advance the starting date for the northern arm of the Strood ring road in the City of Rochester.

Rochester City Council, as the highway authority, is responsible for this principal road scheme. It has not yet submitted the report needed to enable this scheme to be considered for a place in the national programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding the name to be given to the proposed No. 4 local government area.

My right hon. Friend has received a number of suggestions including representations in favour of "Teesside", "No. 4", "North Yorkshire and South Durham", "Teesside and Cleveland", "Teesland" and "Tees". More recently, several local authorities have suggested "Cleveland".

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the trade unions covering members of staff in local authorities about the various service conditions matters arising from local government reorganisation; and what continuing consultations he has arranged.

Twenty-six consultation papers have been sent to over eighty unions and staff associations. Four dealt specifically with staffing matters, including compensation and the appointment of a staff commission, and, where necessary, there will be other further consultations. Revised compensation proposals will be issued fairly soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a progress report on the establishment of machinery for consultation with appropriate trades unions and staff associations concerning the implications for local government personnel of the proposed reorganisation of local government in England and Wales.

My Department and the Welsh Office, which are together responsible for consultations on matters which affect local authority staffs as a whole, have already sent some 30 consultation papers to more than 80 trade unions and staff associations concerned. These papers cover all apects of reorganisation, including the transfer and protection of staff, the setting up of staff commissions for England and Wales and arrangements for compensation. Replies have been received to these papers and consultations are continuing where these are shown to be necessary. It is also expected that the two staff commissions to be set up will themselves wish to consult the interested parties, including the staff associations, about the arrangements to be made for staff transfer and protection.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what period of time has elapsed since he received the report from the public inquiry into the proposed Barrow—Arnside M6 link road; when he expects to announce a decision on the matter; and if he will make a statement.

A link road to the A6 was first proposed to the Minister of Transport in 1963. The inquiry report reached my Department in February, 1971. My right hon. Friend will announce his decision as soon as possible but the proposals and alternative possibilities, together with their environmental and economic effects, are having to be considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he is having at present concerning the costing of water under the new regional water authorities; and if he will publish for discussion any proposals which he is currently considering.

I ask my hon. Friend to await the proposed consultation paper on the financing of the reorganised water services.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent consultations have taken place with Kent local authorities concerning the runway siting and other matters related to the proposed Foulness Airport.

As promised, we shall be consulting local authorities in Kent and Essex on runway siting and related problems before taking a decision. We hope to start discussions shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps to expedite the research studies which are being carried out for the Urban Motorways Committee into the environmental effects of urban motorways, and arrange for early publication of the findings, in view of the anxieties of people in Newham and elsewhere on the likely effect of motorway construction in their neighbourhood.

The research studies are nearly completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in the context of the reorganisation of water services, if he proposes that the regional water authorities shall have responsibility for monitoring estuarial pollution.

My Department's circular, issued on 2nd December, indicated that wherever possible the control of discharges to major estuaries should be unified in the hands of a single authority. I shall, of course, consider any suggestions for modifications of the proposed boundaries then.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in his new proposals, what the duties of the regional water authorities will be in the maintenance of commercial waterways.

They would be similar to those now imposed on the British Waterways Board by Sections 104 and 105 of the Transport Act, 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions have taken place between his Department and London Transport, regarding the further extension of the underground rail system; and if he will make a statement.

I discuss with the London Transport Executive those proposals that have been approved by G.L.C. which is now responsible for London Transport. My main rôle is to decide whether to pay infrastructure grant on agreed proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proggress has been made in the examination of box-girder bridges on the unopened part of the M6 at Birmingham; and when he now expects this section to be opened.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave on 25th January to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Handsworth (Mr. Chapman).—[Vol. 829, c. 394.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have been delayed in their house building programmes by shortage of labour.

I have received no reports of local housing authorities experiencing this difficulty.

Reed asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider reviewing the present definition of derelict land.

The definition for grant purposes is wide enough to permit the encouraging progress now being made by local authorities in the clearance of dereliction. My right hon. Friend is discussing with the local authority associations the undertaking of minor environmental improvement schemes for which similar grants could be available and also the definition used for the annual surveys by local authorities. He also has under consideration the problem of obsolescent buildings not within the definition of derelict land.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had on the level of council building in the London Borough of Hammersmith; and whether he will make a statement.

My Department is in continuous touch with the London Borough of Hammersmith about its housing programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Acts concerning road transport will need altering to comply with the laws governing other member countries if Great Britain enters the Common Market.

Three.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the United Kingdom's entry into the European Economic Community is likely to affect his policy on the ports; and if he will make a statement.

Entry into the Community is not expected to involve radical changes in current policies for ports and port development.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken in the last two months to expedite the clearance of derelict sites; and how much this work will contribute to the reduction of unemployment.

My right hon. Friend has continued to encourage local authorities in the priority areas to make full use of the generous grants for clearing derelict land. In November and December, 1971, 51 schemes by local authorities in England were approved at an estimated cost of over £1·3 million. It is not possible to say how much more employment this will create.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average lapse of time, in the greater London area, between the acquisition by the housing authorities of dwellings required for clearance and the rehousing of the last tenant in each clearance scheme.

As the period of time varies so greatly as between different authorities and different schemes, depending upon the size and complexity of the scheme, to give an average figure would be meaningless.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will set up a wider issues working party in relation to sand and gravel extraction in the South-East, as requested by the London and South-East Regional Planning Council.

My Department has examined with other Departments concerned the complex problems posed by the increasing demand for sand and gravel. I hope to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities have not taken up the Government's financial assistance in declaring general improvement areas.

122 of those authorities in England which have declared general improvement areas have not yet applied for expenditure on environmental improvements to be approved and a Government contribution determined.Following is the information:

List of local authorities in England who have declared general improvement areas but have not yet applied for expenditure on environmental improvements to be approved.
Northern Region
Appleby B.C.	Shildon, U.D.C.
Ashington U.D.C.	Stanley U.D.C.
Blyth B.C	Stockton R.D.C.
Darlington, C.B.C.	Teesside C.B.C.
Flaxton, R.D.C.	Thirsk R.D.C.
Gateshead C.B.C.	Wallsend B.C.
Prudhoe U.D.C.	Washington U.D.C.
	Workington B.C.

Yorkshire and Humberside Region
Aireborough U.D.C.	Kingston upon Hull
Baildon U.D.C.	C.B.C.
Bingley U.D.C.	Leeds C.B.C.
Derwent R.D.C.	Rawmarsh U.D.C.
Doncaster C.B.C.	Rotherham R.D.C.
Grimsby R.D.C.	Sowerby Bridge
Hebden Royd U.D.C.	U.D.C.
Hemsworth R.D.C.	Swinton U.D.C.
Huddersfield C.B.C.	Todmorden B.C.
Keighley B.C.	Wetherby R.D.C.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a further statement on his plans for speeding up the planning machinery.

I am inviting the local authority associations to discuss at an early date various proposals for speeding up the development control machinery within the limits of existing legislation. I also have plans for expediting the handling of planning appeals and for transferring further classes of appeals to inspectors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to require local authorities to impose tests of fitness before a landlord is permitted to let a house or a flat.

No. Local authorities already have power to require the repair of an unfit house that can be made fit at reasonable expense, and by demolition or closing order to ensure that any unfit house which cannot be made fit at reasonable expense is taken out of use.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to promote greater amenity use of inland waterways, including canals.

The Government are organising a national conference to be held in the near future with the following terms of reference:

To examine in the context of the Government's proposals for the future organisation of water services ways and means of developing the rivers, lakes, canals and reservoirs for:

(i) The greater benefit of sport and recreation;

(ii) The enhancement of urban and rural amenities;

(iii) The promotion where appropriate, of inland waterborne commerce.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now take further steps to keep down the cost of land to local housing authorities in urban areas.

The proposals in the Housing Finance Bill and the new subsidies envisaged will ensure that land costs reasonably incurred do not hamper urban housing authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the results of the experimental operation of minibuses by the Post Office in Montgomeryshire, Devon and Westmorland.

I understand from the Post Office that each of these services roughly breaks even on operating costs. They provide a useful service but only for a very small number of people—only two or three passengers a day each on average and down by one-quarter this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy with regard to the issue of Continental permits to haulage contractors in the Wrexham area who have had longstanding contracts for the delivery of merchandise to British ports, and where now the merchandising companies require delivery direct to Continental destinations.

It is no part of British policy to restrict international road haulage by quotas. These are forced upon us by some foreign Governments. Where, as is too often the case, these imposed quotas cannot meet British needs, my policy is to give established international operators generally what they used last year; any increase in quota goes to other hauliers irrespective of where they are based.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the outer London boroughs during the last three months to encourage municipal housing developments in such boroughs.

My Department is in continuous touch with all London boroughs about their housing programme The Action Group on London Housing under the chairmanship of my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State is undertaking a survey of housing potential throughout London. When this survey is complete and the group have formulated its proposals, I will consider with the group what further steps should be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total of public investment in new construction for the year 1970–71, both the absolute figures and per capita, for the regions, respectively, of East Anglia, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside, South-West, South-East, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, North-West, North, and East Midlands.

Following is the information:

	Public Investment in New Construction in 1970–71
Region	(a) In £ million	(b) £ per head of 1970 resident population
East Anglia	73·4	44
West Midlands	220·3	43
Yorkshire and Humber-side	172·5	36
South-West	172·6	46
South-East	761·2	44
Scotland	325·6	63
Wales	134·7	49
Northern Ireland	75·7	50
North-West	329·0	48
North	181·2	54
East Midlands	113·4	34

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he can now announce a favourable decision on the inclusion of the Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, Relief Road, Phase II, in the firm programme of principal road improvement schemes.

My right hon. Friend expects to be able to announce a decision to programme this scheme in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by the committee reviewing the national parks; and if he will make a statement.

The National Parks Policies Committee has obtained evidence from the national park planning authorities and from a wide range of national organisations. It has just started a programme of visits to all the national parks in England and Wales in order to hear local views.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he authorised discussions to take place between Thos. Cook & Son and the Transport Holding Company for the issuing of a prospectus for the sale of Thos. Cook at a time when the matter was still in Committee.

Such discussions did not need my authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the figures for fatalities and injuries arising from road accidents for each of the years following 1965; and if he will make a statement.

Following are the figures:

	Killed	Injured	Total
1965	7,952	380,985	397,937
1966	7,985	384,472	392,457
1967	7,319	362,659	369,978
1968	6,810	342,398	349,208
1969	7,363	345,529	352,894
1970	7,499	355,869	363,368
1971*	6,914	313,416	320,330
* January to November only; complete figures for 1971 will be available early in February