asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the arrangements made for the participation by Welsh firms in offshore oil exploration and the rapid development of these activities from bases in Wales.

Yes, at the present time. But I am keeping a close watch to see if need arises to alter or develop existing arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce a speed limit in the village of Llangurig.

No. For the reasons I have already explained to the hon. and learned Member I do not think that this would be effective.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those school projects, nursery, infants, primary and secondary, respectively, which will be affected by the recently announced cuts in public expenditure ; and if he will make a statement.

Welsh Office Circular 309/73 advised local education authorities in Wales that projects designed to meet basic needs, special and nursery education would be eligible for approval up to 30th June 1975. It is not possible to list the detailed improvement projects on which a start will be deferred until my Department has undertaken consultations with local education authorities in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now specify the distribution of the reductions in the rate of growth of public expenditure announced on 17th December last between the various services for which his Department is responsible, and the consequential changes to take effect during the course of the current financial year, respectively.

The reduction in capital expenditure in 1974–75 for the services for which my Department is responsible is as follows:

	£ million
Roads	9·8
Education	3·6
Other Environmental Services	8·6
Health and Personal Social Services	3·4
Total	25·4

On procurement in 1974–75 I estimate the reductions to be as follows:

	£ million
Roads	1·8
Education	2·4
Other Environmental Services	0·3
Health and Personal Social Services	2·1
Total	6·6

There will be consequential reductions in capital expenditure in the current financial year of about £1 million each on educational and other environmental services.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what level of grant in aid will be paid to the Development Corporation for Wales in the current financial year ; and whether he intends to give any financial assistance to the corporation in future years.

Existing arrangements provide for grant in aid to be paid to the Development Corporation for Wales up to a maximum of £45,000 in the current year. These arrangements come to an end in March. Following a review of the corporation's work and taking account of the rôle it can play in attracting new industry to Wales, and especially to those areas which will be affected by the rundown of steelmaking, I have decided to continue the grant in aid for a further three years. A grant will be paid up to a maximum of £67,500 in each of the years 1974–75, 1975–76 and 1976–77 subject to conditions that will be discussed with the corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to encourage the recycling of waste products such as glass and paper in the light of the current shortages and future needs.

The Government have made clear the important contribution that the reclamation and recycling of waste material makes to our raw material supplies. This is reflected in their continuing research programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will discuss with manufacturers the shortage of chassis for the building of public service vehicles.

The vehicle industry is aware of the shortage of chassis and is doing all it can to meet outstanding orders from coachbuilders for public service vehicles.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the loss of production in the motor car industry following the introduction of the three-day week.

Production figures for the month of January will be published in due course. In the meantime my Department is in contact with the motor industry about the effects of the emergency arrangements. It would not be helpful to disclose this information piecemeal and prematurely.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received the report on the present economic situation in the Northern Region from the North of England Development Council ; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received this interesting report and is having it examined.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what effect the three-day working week has had on the economy in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region ; and if he will make a statement on how long he now expects imposition of the three-day working week to continue.

Output at a relatively high level is being achieved owing to a combination of managerial ingenuity and excellent co-operation from labour. The relaxation for the steel industry beginning today will particularly benefit Scunthorpe, Sheffield and Rotherham. My noble Friend the Secretary of State for Energy will keep under review the present restrictions on working.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further consideration he has given to the question of imposing a 10 per cent. levy on sales of cinema films to television, in view of the proposed sale to ITV of six James Bond films for £850,000.

I have now received a recommendation from the Cinematograph Films Council and am considering it.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the steel shortage arising from the lack of coking coal ; what consideration he has given to a system of priority allocations of available steel ; and if he will make a statement.

BSC is now receiving about 60 per cent. of normal supplies of coking coal, but is achieving steel production at a somewhat higher proportion of normal. It estimates that up to 12th January it has lost some 357,000 tonnes of steel output through shortage of coal.With steel supplies so greatly reduced, there is no room for any general system of priority allocations. If requirements were met in full over a substantial area then others would be denied steel altogether and parts of industry would be brought to a standstill. Nevertheless there are some activities which we must try as far as possible to keep going during the emergency—the next stage of the North Sea oil and gas programme is an obvious case. The Government are in touch with the steel industry on the identification of such special requirements and the maintenance of essential services.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he proposes to take in the light of the recommendation contained in the report of the committee of inquiry concerning the vessel "Festivity", and if he will make a statement.

The court's views on manning will be taken into account in the use of the powers in the Merchant Shipping Act 1970 to prescribe minimum standards of manning for merchant ships. In the meantime this aspect will be discussed with representatives of the industry with a view to preventing a recurrence of this sort of case. My Department is also pursuing the court's suggestion that the possibility of certain modifications to the steering and electrical systems be explored, and will draw attention to the recommendations for the proper reading and recording of draughts and the need for practice in hand steering on vessels equipped with automatic pilots.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he is satisfied that the northern and southern runways at Heathrow Airport are being evenly used now that the reslabbing of the southern runway is completed ; and whether he will give composite figures for numbers of planes and duration of use for the last two months ;(2) when he expects the runway alternation system agreed in June 1973 for Heathrow to be in full and regular use following the resurfacing of the southern runway ;(3) whether he will give the average number of hours per day the northern runway at Heathrow has not been used for each of the last 12 weeks.

The new alternation system came into operation on 22nd October 1973 on completion of work on the southern runway. Thereafter, full operation was interrupted by maintenance work on the northern runway from 15th to 23rd November, and since 12th December by a fault in the instrument landing system on the southern runway. The alternation system will be restored as soon as this fault is rectified. The detailed figures requested are not immediately available but I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will ban all ground test running of jet engines at night at Heathrow.

It would not be practicable to ban all ground test running at night. The British Airports Authority aims to keep test running to an essential minimum, but I am exploring the possibility of further reducing disturbance from this source.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consider making payments to British tourist boards to enable them to provide grants or loans to small hotels and other establishments serving tourists, for the purpose of meeting the costs of installing up-to-date fire protection equipment.

No. Proprietors of small hotels and boarding houses may in certain circumstances apply for loans from local authorities under the Fire Precaution (Loans) Act 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employees and former employees of Rolls-Royce Limited hold ordinary shares in the company issued in 1955 in exchange for workers' shares ; what is the total number of such shares now eligible for settlement by the receiver-liquidator ; and what is the par value of these shares.

I understand that there were 2,066 individual holders of workers' shares, totalling 145,000 shares, who received one ordinary share of a nominal value of £1 for each workers' share, but there are no records of how many of these shares, which were freely transferable, are still held by employees or former employees of Rolls-Royce Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken with regard to security precautions at Leeds—Bradford Airport.

Security precautions at Leeds—Bradford Airport are based on advice and guidance from the Government and are kept closely under review. It would be inappropriate to give detailed information about specific measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many tons of fuel oil were exported in November 1973 ; and if he will make a statement.

Information is given against SITC(R) 332.4 in Table VI of the November issue of the monthly Overseas Trade Statistics. Exports are now subject to licensing for all destinations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the current situation with regard to computer policy in relation to the EEC.

In common with other member States we are considering the Commission's policy paper to which my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industrial Development referred in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 10th December 1973.—[Vol. 866 c. 13.] It is unlikely that the draft resolution, which is the important part of the policy paper, will be discussed by the Council before March.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when he expects the proposals for a European patent system to be completed ; and what action he is taking to ensure that the United Kingdom Patent Office is maintained at full establishment in the meantime ;

The European Patent Convention was signed in October 1973 and the Community Patent Convention, which regulates the effects of the European patent in EEC countries, is expected to be concluded in May 1974. Negotiations with other EEC countries and the Commission on the Community Patent Convention have taken place since the United Kingdom became a member of the EEC. Preparatory work on organising the European Patent Office will begin shortly in the hope that the new system will be operating in about 1976–77. It is considered essential to maintain the United Kingdom Patent Office at full strength for the time being and for this purpose a campaign has begun to recruit people of all ages, some of whom may wish to transfer to the European Patent Office when the time comes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he is aware that in the British Patent Office the number of unexamined applications awaiting attention has increased to approximately 50,000, and that the average time for primary examination of applications has risen from nine months to a year in the past 12 months ; and what action he is taking to speed up the examination and dispatch of applications ;(2) if he is aware that in the British Patent Office the number of examining staff below the grade of principal examiner dropped from 503 at the end of 1972 to 471 at the end of September 1973 ; and if he is satisfied with the remuneration and conditions of examiners ; and, having regard to the fact that the response to a recent offer of seven-year contracts has proved negligible, whether he expects to maintain examining staff at the maximum strength of 530 examiners.

During 1973 the number of patent specifications awaiting examination rose by about 2,000 to 49,130 and the average delay in issuing the examiner's first report increased by about two weeks to just over 12 months. I am aware that the examining staff below Principal Examiner fell from 503 at the end of 1972 to 471 by September 1973. By promotion into the examining grades and by the appointment of examiners on seven-year contracts this has now increased to 485 and some further entrants on seven-year contracts are still expected. I am commencing a recruiting campaign for people of all ages, some on a permanent basis and some on period appointments. The remuneration and conditions of employment are under constant review ; they are, of course, largely controlled by the conditions of the general service classes to which they are linked and by competing claims for accommodation respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has recently had with the Council of Engineering Institutions with regard to the registration of engineers.

As I indicated in my reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington (Mr. Stanbrook) on 20th December—[Vol. 866, c. 371–2.]—as a result of my recent discussions with the Council of Engineering Institutions I have agreed with it that mutual recognition within the EEC should be sought for all adequately qualified engineers, whether they are in membership of institutions inside or outside the CEI. My officials are now working out the means by which this agreement can be put into effect.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for a United Kingdom contribution to the development of post-Apollo projects.

I have no plans for a United Kingdom contribution beyond that of 6·3 per cent. towards the cost of the European development of a space laboratory for use with the United States space shuttle.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with members of SBAC regarding future aerospace projects.

I am in regular touch with the aerospace industry on a wide variety of topics, including possible future projects. I have no firm proposals for any new major projects under consideration at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had regarding maritime navigation and communications satellites ; and if he will make a statement.

At the European Space Conference of July 1973 the United Kingdom agreed to participate, with a majority contribution, in the development of an experimental maritime communications satellite known as MAROTS. This project is now going ahead under the auspices of the European Space Research Organisation (to be replaced by the European Space Agency) with launch expected in 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the respective annual amounts being spent by European countries on space projects, and set out on what aspects the United Kingdom contribution is to be spent, including any portion on launchers.

During 1973 estimated expenditure on European space projects was as follows:

		£ million
	European Space Research Organisation (ESRO)	European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO)
United Kingdom	8·0	—
West Germany	12·3	11·2
France	10·7	9·9
Italy	6·4	0·1
Netherlands	1·6	0·1
Belgium	1·8	0·7
Sweden	1·9	—
Switzerland	1·4	—
Denmark	1·0	—
Spain	1·0	—

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with the French on the future of Concorde.

None. As I informed the hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Mr. Sheldon) on 19th November 1973—[Vol. 864, c. 935–6.]—I and my French colleague will meet again to review the position when the studies recently submitted by the manufacturers have been fully analysed and presented to us.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will now specify the distribution of the reductions in the rate of growth in public expenditure announced on 17th December last between the individual programmes for which his Department is responsible, and the consequential changes to take effect during the course of the current financial year, respectively.

A breakdown by programme of the DTI share of the savings for 1974–75 was given in my reply to the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen) on 21st December. I do not expect any significant effect on DTI expenditure under the trade, industry and employment, and roads and transport, programmes in 1973–74. Any effects in 1973–74 on capital expenditure by the nationalised industries will depend on how the savings are apportioned within the industries themselves, but it is likely to be small.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent study his Department has made of the need to limit imports into the United Kingdom of non-essential consumer durables from non-Community countries.

The Department keeps the pattern of imports under review but no special study on the lines suggested has recently been made. Increased imports of non-essential consumer durables from non-Community countries represent only a small part of the general rise in imports, a substantial proportion of which is accounted for by fuel, industrial materials and machinery.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consider the presentation of oil import figures in the monthly trade returns separated from other imports of primary commodities, and other imports as a whole.

Separate details of oil imports are published monthly in the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom ; some information is now to be included in the monthly Press notice on the current account of the United Kingdom balance of payments. Figures for December 1973 were released at noon today.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those insurance companies which have not yet submitted their latest annual returns to him, together with those which are currently under investigation.

Nine small insurance companies have not deposited returns within the time allowed. I am pursuing these returns urgently. Publication of the names of the companies involved could give rise to unjustified concern and so frustrate the purpose of the Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT those motor insurance companies that he has restrained from trading.

Motor insurance companies currently subject to restrictions on business under Section 68 of the Companies Act 1967 or Section 13 of the Insurance Companies Amendment Act 1973 are: Bastion Insurance Co. Ltd. ; Falcon Insurance Co. Ltd.; Undeb Insurance Co. Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will refer the question of motor insurance premiums to the Price Commission for investigation.

I do not consider that this would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many reports have been issued by the Yorkshire and Humberside Economic Planning Council ; and if he will also give the dates when the publications took place.

I have been asked to reply.Following is the information:

Title	Publication Date
A Review of Yorkshire and Humberside	1966
Halifax and Calder Valley—an Area Study	1968
Huddersfield and Colne Valley—an Area Study	1969
Employment Prospects in the York-shire Coal Mining Areas	1968–69
Doncaster—an Area Study	1969
Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Strategy	1970
Growth Industries in the Region	1972
Implications of United Kingdom Entry into the Common Market for the Yorkshire and Humberside Region	1972
Environmental Progress Report	1973

asked the Minister for Energy if he will rearrange the hours during which hairdressers may use electricity so as to provide a continuous period throughout the working day.

I regret that I am unable to do this. To allow a continuous period throughout the day would increase electricity demand during the midday period when there is already a peak load on the system.

asked the Minister for Energy what is his estimate of the numbers of days' reserve stocks of oil and coal currently held ; and how it compares with the figures for 13th December 1971.

The Department of Energy issues estimates of oil and coal stocks in weekly statistical statements and I would refer the hon. Member to the copies available in the Library of the House. The level of oil stocks on 13th December 1971 is not known but on 30th November and 31st December 1971 stocks stood at 76 and 72 days' supply respectively. On 11th December 1971 the National Coal Board and the power stations held 10·8 and 16·3 million tons of coal respectively.

asked the Minister for Energy if he will make a statement on the latest situation with regard to oil supplies, with particular reference to the distribution of petrol.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the then Minister for Industry to the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Mr. Conlan) on 10th December 1973. The position is unchanged.—[Vol. 866, c. 7.]

asked the Minister for Energy what were the stocks of oil in and en route to the United Kingdom during each week from 1st November ; and what is the level of oil reserves below which he will need to introduce rationing.

In the weeks ending 17th and 25th November and 1st December oil stocks stood at 64, 63, and 61 days' supply respectively. Estimates of oil stocks since then are in the weekly statistical statement issued by the Department of Energy, which is available in the Library.The amount of oil

asked the Minister for Energy what representations he has received from industry concerning the fuel economy measures introduced in December.

My right hon. and noble Friend, and before that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, have received a large number of representations from both industrial organisations and individual firms. The great majority have concerned particular problems of interpretation or application. The need for major economies in the use of electricity and the measures introduced to bring this about have been generally accepted by industry.

asked the Minister for Energy if he will make a statement on his choice of nuclear reactors.

The Government hope to make decisions fairly soon.

asked the Minister for Energy if he will now propose special financial incentives on capital expenditure directed towards energy conservation and more efficient energy conversion.

asked the Minister for Energy whether he will introduce permanent legislation designed to conserve fuel and energy in view of the increased price of oil and the need for a cut-hack in unnecessary use of energy resources.

This is an area of policy which my Department will wish to study.

asked the Minister for Energy what are his latest estimates of the availability of naphtha to the British petrochemical industry ; and what shortfall he anticipates over the next two months.

I am examining the prospects for all fuels and I cannot at present predict what the level of availability of naphtha for the petrochemical industry might be in the coming months, but I have no reason to believe that supplies will deteriorate in the near future.

asked the Minister for Energy what is the total investment in North Sea oil exploration ; what is the British proportion of that investment ; what results have been gained in new investment ; and what is the value of contracts for British companies since he set up the Offshore Supplies Unit.

The companies estimate that up to the end of 1973 they have spent about £1,000 million on exploration and development on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf of which about one-third has been on exploration. A breakdown of this figure between British and foreign investment is not available. With regard to the last part of the Question, the information will be available when we receive from the oil companies the full returns of their purchases in 1973.

asked the Minister for Energy whether he will seek powers to introduce a scheme for the mobilisation of resources to build oil rigs and accelerate development of the North Sea oilfields under public control.

No, Sir. But any proposals from shipyards for the creation of facilities for rig building would be considered.

asked the Minister for Energy what inquiries he is making into the recent oil rig mishaps in the North Sea.

As I said in the House on 16th January 1974 my Petroleum Production Inspectorate is carrying out an investigation into the loss of the Transocean 3, and into the incidents involving the Transworld 61, with the assistance of the owners of those oil rigs and the petroleum production licensees.

asked the Minister for Energy when he exempted from the three-day week those firms with orders to print the electoral rolls by 15th February next.

Instructions were issued to our regional offices on 2nd January that licences could be issued to firms printing electoral registers where this was necessary to meet the statutory deadline of 15th February.

asked the Minister for Energy how many newspaper insertions, and at what cost, were used to publicise the distribution of petrol rationing coupons ; and how many newspaper insertions, and at what cost, were used to publicise power control regulations.

In order to publicise the distribution of petrol coupons 310 newspaper insertions were used at a cost of £285,638. This helped successfully to ensure the issue of over 15·2 million basic ration books and the issue of business rations, with a minimum of trouble. The introduction of the various power control regulations, particularly the three-day order, affected the whole of industry and commerce, so it was necessary to obtain the widest publicity possible, 134 insertions costing £183,029 were used.

asked the Minister for Energy whether he is aware that to base the supply of fuel oil upon last year's consumption penalises those firms which had no cause to use fuel oil except as a standby ; whether he is further aware that William Playne & Co. Ltd., of Longfords Mills, Minchinhampton, whose trade is over 80 per cent. export is penalised because of this ; and whether he will review the situation and make a statement.

Under the allocation scheme, a firm is not entitled to supplies of oil for standby generators for use when electricity is restricted by the three-day working regulations. I am, however, looking into the specific case raised by my hon. Friend and will write to him.

asked the Minister for Energy what recent measures he has taken to ensure adequate supplies of petrol in rural areas.

The arrangements made by the Department of Trade and Industry, and being continued by my Department, in conjunction with the oil industry to deal with the petrol supply position in rural areas have been working satisfactorily and do not at present call for further action on my part.

asked the Minister for Energy if his Department still accepts the estimates given in the International Management and Engineering Group's report for the United Kingdom industry's share of the offshore oil industry by the late 1970s.

The estimates given in the IMEG Report of the United Kingdom's prospects in the offshore market for equipment and services were, of course, the professional opinion of the authors, and they were considered on this basis. In relation to the estimated involvement of British enterprise the broad recommendations were accepted as a helpful basis for planning. However, a study is in hand of the North Sea programme which may change some of the predictions in the report.

asked the Minister for Energy if he will publish estimates of orders for United Kingdom equipment placed by Norwegian manufacturers of steel and concrete production platforms and drillings rigs to be used in the United Kingdom sector of the Continental Shelf, and where possible give these estimates as a percentage of the total manufacturing price.

Some United Kingdom equipment will be used in the production units of the platforms. The proportion of the total manufacturing price could be as high as 25 per cent. in a particular case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will issue a circular to all magistrates drawing their attention to the judgment of the House of Lords in Broome v. Director of Public Prosecutions, in relation to Section 134 of the Industrial Relations Act, that there is no right conferred upon pickets to stop vehicles entering premises with the intention of persuading the occupants not to work.

No. Magistrates' courts are accustomed to taking account of the decisions of the superior courts without the need for any special action on my right hon. Friend's part.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what security arrangements are being made at Heathrow Airport involving his Department ; and if he will make a statement.

The primary responsibility for security at Heathrow rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, but I am concerned in the arrangements in a number of ways. If the hon. Member has any particular point in mind I shall be glad to deal with it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now specify the distribution of the reductions in the rate of growth in public expenditure announced on 17th December last between the various services for which his Department is responsible, and the consequential changes to take effect during the course of the current financial year, respectively.

The distribution of the savings is as follows:

	£ million
	Capital	Procurement
Courts	2·0	0·7
Prisons	5·0	1·0
Police	7·8	5·6
Fire	2·7	1·8
Urban Programme	0·5	0·5
Probation	Nil	0·4
Totals	18·0	10·0

In view of the effect of earlier reductions in expenditure, and the predominantly local authority nature of the services, it is impracticable to estimate the consequential effect in the course of the current financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the total number of illegal immigrants detected during the year ended 31st December 1973, showing how many of them have been permitted to remain in the United Kingdom and how many have been deported or are awaiting deportation.

Statistics of illegal entrants for January to September 1973 were included in the quarterly immigration statistics placed in the Library of the House in December. The figures for the fourth quarter of 1973 should be available in February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff of his Department, apart from those in research establishments, are employed in work connected with fire prevention and the saving of life from fire.

About 450.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest available figures for the numbers of deaths from fire in 1973 ; and how these compare with 1972 and 1971.

The provisional figure for deaths in fires in the United Kingdom in 1973 is 855. The figures for 1972 and 1971, respectively, are 1,078 and 822.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total annual Government expenditure on research into fire prevention.

Total Home Office expenditure on fire research in the financial year 1973–74 is estimated at £421,000. It is not practicable to give a separate figure for fire prevention research.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest available figures for the cost of fire damage in 1973 ; and how these compare with 1972 and 1971.

According to information published by the British Insurance Association fire damage in Great Britain in the first eleven months of 1973 cost £167·3 million. The figures for the same period in 1972 and 1971 are £99·8 million and £97·5 million respectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has anything to add to his statement of 24th July 1973 about agricultural and horticultural marketing.

Yes, Sir. Over the last few months detailed discussions have taken place between officials of the Agricultural Departments and the producer organisations, represented by the steering group of BAMDO. These discussions have been concerned with how the arrangements outlined in my right hon. Friend's statement of 24th July should be implemented so as to achieve the new impetus which the Government and the producer organisations want to see put into improved marketing.The Government have now decided that the Central Council for Agricultural and Horticultural co-operation should be strengthened by establishing within it a marketing unit. This new unit will be concerned with examining what markets want and what outlets there are for individual commodities. This information will be assembled through direct inquiries carried out by the staff of the unit and from developing contacts with processors, merchants and others concerned in the industry. It will be used to guide the development staff in the field who are directly concerned with promoting and developing improvements in co-operative marketing. Development work should, in this way, become more closely orientated to market needs, to the advantage not only of producers but also of users and consumers. The Government want to involve the producer organisations themselves closely in the effort to improve marketing: so, in order to bring them directly into their new aspect of the work of the central council, the producer organisations will be nominating members to a market policy committee which will guide the work of the new marketing unit. The budget of the unit will be settled by the council in consultation with the committee.The Government have also decided to strengthen and fortify the development of co-operation in marketing. This is to be done by making funds available to Agricultural Co-operation and Marketing Services Ltd. and the agricultural organisation societies through the central council, so that these organisations can employ additional field staff. Funds will also be provided to develop the legal and accounting advice available to the development staff.To implement these arrangements, the Government will be asking Parliament to approve an increase in the funds available to the central council to over £600,000 in the first year of operation. This would be in addition to expenditure on grants. The central council will devote the major part of its improved resources to the development of marketing, in particular to supporting the ACMS and the agricultural organisation societies. My right hon. Friends and I hope that this new initiative on marketing will thrive and grow. If it does, the Government will be very ready to consider increasing their contribution to it. Its attitude is bound to be influenced by the willingness shown by producers' organisations to back their faith in what is now being started by themselves contributing to the additional resources required.The Commission of the European Communities is being informed of these arrangements, as required by Article 93 of the Treaty of Rome.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now announce a ban on beam trawling within the 12-mile limit.

The results of consultations with the fishing industry about possible beam trawling restrictions are now being assessed. I have regarded it as essential that all those interested within the industry should have the chance of putting their point of view, but I intend to announce a decision shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the increase in retail food prices in the United Kingdom during 1973 ; and what have been the comparable increases in other EEC countries.

The increase in the United Kingdom was 16·7 per cent. For the other countries I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 17th January.—[Vol. 867, c. 143–4.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the distribution of food coupons to post offices.

Food is in ample supply and no coupons have been distributed either to post offices or in any other manner.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of driving instructors at the Army School of Transport ; how many are men and how many women ; and whether sex is taken into account when making appointments.

The Army School of Transport has posts for five civilian instructional officer driving instructors at grade 2 (supervisory) level. The present holders are all men. These supervisory posts are filled by promotion from those holding grade 4 CIODI posts in other establishments. Both men and women are eligible for promotion and are given equal opportunity for selection. Vacancies for grade 4 posts are advertised in the national Press and since early 1973 such posts have been open to both men and women ; so far three women have applied and one has been selected.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will list the projects in higher and further education set out in her reply to the hon. Member for Lewisham, North on 21st December which would have their 1973–74 starting date reinstated in the event of the industrial disputes in the rail and coal industries being settled by a resumption of normal working in those industries during January 1974.

None. But my right hon. Friend has announced that there will be a limited programme of higher and further education projects eligible for approval between 1st July 1974 and 30th June 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence she has to suggest that the health of students is being affected adversely due to the present level of students' grants.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the cost to public funds in the latest year for which figures are available of the Seals Research Division of the NERC.

Expenditure on the Seals Research Division of the Institute of Marine Environmental Research, a constituent body of the NERC, in the financial year 1972–73 was £31,828.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will now specify the distribution of the reductions in the rate of growth in public expenditure announced on 17th December last as between capital and current expenditure on nursery, primary, secondary and further education for which her Department is responsible, and the consequential changes to take effect during the course of the current financial year, respectively.

The following information relates to the area of my right hon. Friend's responsibilities, that is, education and related services, including local libraries and museums, provided by local education authorities in England and Wales, except for schools in Wales ; and the universities of Great Britain. All expenditure figures are expressed at 1973 survey prices.Dealing with capital expenditure first, some £37 million will accrue from deferring the balance of the 1973–74 schools improvement programme and the whole of this programme for 1974–75, as already announced in Circular 15/73. The equipment grant paid to the universities during 1974–75 will be reduced by £15 million. Savings of some £4 million, mainly on youth service and local libraries projects, are expected to follow from the reductions to be made in the allocations to local authorities for locally determined capital expenditure in 1974–75. Further savings will be found from the higher and further education sectors ; the limited programme for those sectors mentioned in Circular 15/73 has not yet been settled. No reduction is to be made in the size of the nursery capital programme for 1974–75.The main consequential reductions in capital expenditure falling in the financial year 1973–74 are likely to be as follows:

	£m.
Primary and secondary improvements (England)	12
Higher and further education	9
Total	21

Turning to current expenditure, the reduction of 10 per cent. in procurement expenditure on education and related services, as defined above, which local authorities are expected to secure during 1974–75 amounts to £45·6 million. For the universities, in addition to the measures announced in the Public Expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 5519), the remaining part of the supplementation of recurrent grant for price increases in 1973 will be withheld in the academic year 1974–75, resulting in an estimated reduction of grant during that year of £7 million, of which £4·6 million will fall within the financial year 1974–75.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what increase in unemployment in Dorset there has been as a result of the three-day week.

On 10th December 1973, the number of persons registered as wholly unemployed at local offices in Dorset was 2,363 ; no more recent figure is available. On the same date there were no workers laid off and registering unemployment benefit ; I estimate that the number of individuals in this category is now about 1,500 during the week.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in view of the fact that there are at least 2 million job vacancies throughout the United Kingdom as against the figure of 456,000 notified to his Department, what steps he proposes to take to inform himself of the actual figure.

None. Though there is uncertainty about the full total of vacancies I do not consider that the information would justify the very substantial expenditure and burden on employers needed to obtain it. It should be noted that, whilst although it has been estimated that some 25 per cent. of the flow of all vacancies are notified to my Department, it is probable that the proportion of vacancies outstanding—namely, the stock of vacancies—which have been so notified is higher than 25 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the total working population in employment, together with an analysis by sector of employment, public or private, and distinguishing within the public sector between public corporations, central Government and local authorities, as at June 1972, June 1973, and at the latest available date.

The latest information available is for June 1971 and was published in the June 1972 issue of Economic Trends. Similar statistics for 1972 and 1973 will be compiled in due course by the Central Statistical Office and will be published in Economic Trends, those for 1972 in a few months' time.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to receive the report from the joint working group studying the manpower problems of London.

When Sir Reginal Goodwin saw the Prime Minister on 11th January, he suggested that the Government and the Greater London Council should undertake a joint assessment of the future staffing requirements of London's services ; and my right hon. Friend said on Tuesday 15th January that he welcomed this and would consider how the GLC could collaborate. I am unable to say at present when a report might be produced from any such study.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the average percentage increase in wage settlements, excluding efficiency payments, for the 4 million workers under phase 3 up to the end of 1973.

Up to the end of 1973 settlements covering nearly 4 million employees had been received by the Pay Board. The settlements approved or screened by the board at that date covered nearly 2 million employees. Estimates of average pay increases resulting from these settlements are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list his powers under the Industrial Relations Act to intervene in industrial disputes.

My right hon. Friend has powers to apply to the Industrial Court under Sections 37 (remedial action where procedure agreement is nonexistent or defective), 45 (recognition disputes), 138 (discontinuance of industrial action in emergency) and 141 (ballot in emergency). In addition, he has power to refer questions of industrial relations to the Commission on Industrial Relations under Section 121.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what requests he has received from householders in Walsall Road, Perry Barr, for compensation under the provisions of the Land Compensation Act 1973, in view of recent road works converting it into a dual carriageway ; and what reply he has given.

None. This highway improvement is the responsibility of Birmingham City Council. It will be for it to consider any claims for compensation under the Land Compensation Act 1973. I understand, however, the council intends to publish noise maps in accordance with the provisions of the Noise Insulation Regulations 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his intention to continue the programme of soundproofing of homes affected by noise, introduced by the Government in the Lands Compensation Act 1973.

My right hon. and learned Friend intends to continue implementation of the provisions of the Land Compensation Act and the associated noise regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what dates he expects the sections of M27 between Portsmouth and the Park Gate interchange to be opened to traffic.

Spring 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will call for reports from council housing authorities about their respective home improvement grant schemes, and in particular the cost per house where standard amenities already exist, and whether owner-occupiers who have made applications for the grant have been dealt with on a similar basis ; and if he will make a statement

No. Local authorities have discretion in dealing with applications from private owners and my right hon. and learned Friend makes contributions to local authorities in circumstances which are similar to those in which they pay grants to other persons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now evaluate the consequential changes in public expenditure under the control of his Department during the remainder of the current financial year flowing from the reductions in the rate of growth in public expenditure announced on 17th December last.

The consequential changes are expected to be small. Precise analysis of the factors currently affecting programmes is not, however, possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now confirm the order for the application of a speed limit to the stretch of the A2 between Hartlip Hill and Newington, Kent.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if work on the Boughton/Dunkirk Bypass on the A2 is proceeding to schedule ; and what completion date is expected.

Yes. The new road should be opened to traffic in November 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest position with regard to negotiations in the EEC on the subject of heavy lorries ; if the Government maintain their opposition to any increase in lorry size and lorry weights on United Kingdom roads ; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. David Clark) on 5th December.—[Vol. 865, c. 384.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make a final decision about the introduction of legislation for the compulsory wearing of seat belts in motor vehicles.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Weston-super-Mare (Mr. Wiggin) on 13th December 1973 and to Clause 10 of the Road Traffic Bill.—[Vol. 866, c. 190–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he can give an estimate of the number of lives that might be saved if all motorists wore seat belts.

One thousand two hundred a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the trade agreement between the EEC and India.

A commercial cooperation agreement between the EEC and India was signed in Brussels on 17th December. The agreement provides for co-operation in various fields. It provides for the establishment of a joint commission whose task will be to recommend solutions to any trade problems that may arise and to devise methods for increasing economic and commercial cooperation between the Community and India.Her Majesty's Government welcome the conclusion of this agreement, which represents an important step in giving expression to the joint declaration of intent annexed to the Treaty of Accession.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will seek clarification of the recent submission of the Government of the Irish Republic that the courts of the Republic have the right to exercise jurisdiction over Northern Ireland ;(2) if he will seek clarification of the recent submission of the Government of the Irish Republic that it has the right to exercise jurisdiction over Northern Ireland ;(3) if he will seek clarification of the recent submission of the Government of the Irish Republic that his Government has no right to impose British nationality or citizenship on the people of Northern Ireland ;(4) in the light of the Sunningdale agreement, if he will seek clarification of the official submission of the Government of the Irish Republic that it does not acknowledge Northern Ireland, reaffirm that Northern Ireland could not be reintegrated into the national territory until or unless a majority of the people of Northern Ireland indicated a wish to become part of a united Ireland, and make clear in the new circumstances his policy towards signing the agreement ;(5) in the light of the Sunningdale agreement, if he will seek clarification of the recent submission of the Government of the Irish Republic that it does not recognise Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom.

No. Her Majesty's Government's position on the status of Northern Ireland has been frequently stated and Parliament has made it clear in Section 1 of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will have an investigation made into the affairs of the Hong Kong Police.

No. The hon. Member will, of course, know that the Governor recently appointed an independent Anti-Corruption Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when was the last occasion that a British Minister made an official visit to Hong Kong to discuss the territory's internal affairs.

My predecessor visited Hong Kong from 10th–15th November 1972. Since then a number of other Ministers have paid short visits to the colony for different purposes. I myself visited Hong Kong from 27th September-1st October 1973 in my former capacity as Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Army. As the House is aware, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had intended to visit Hong Kong as well as China this month ; but, as he informed the House on 18th December, he had to postpone the visit.—[Vol. 866, c. 1165.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will call for an investigation into the death of Mr. Kwan Kung who was killed in an accident involving a car on 29th July 1973 in Argyle Street, Hong Kong and the subsequent refusal of the police to prosecute the driver of the car.

No. The accident was investigated by the Hong Kong Police, who found no evidence of any offence by the driver. The police passed all documents in the case to the coroner, who decided that no death inquiry was necessary. The Hong Kong legal department also studied the papers and agreed with the conclusions of the coroner and the police. I will be writing to the hon. Member with further information on this case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of tax lost to the Inland Revenue in 1973 by unlawful use of sub-contractors' exemption certificates.

The information on which to base such an estimate is not available, but £12¼ million was collected in 1972–73 by deduction at source, which is more than the total estimated evasion in 1969. Those who use certificates unlawfully lay themselves open to criminal prosecution.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the ratio of public expenditure, including transfer payments and debts interest, to gross domestic product in the financial years 1964–65, 1970–71, 1971–72, and 1972–73 ; and what is his latest estimate of the corresponding ratios for the current financial year and for 1974–75, respectively.

The ratios for past years are shown below. Those in the first column are based on public expenditure as recorded. In the second column the public expenditure figures are adjusted to make later years comparable with 1964–65 by excluding investment grants, introduced in 1967, and export and shipbuilding credits, not counted as public expenditure before 1972–73.

RATIO, PUBLIC EXPENDITURE: GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
Per cent.
	As recorded	Adjusted
1964–65	43·8	43·8
1970–71	51·4	50·2
1971–72	50·3	49·4
1972–73	51·0	49·8

Estimates for 1973–74 and 1974–75 would rest on a number of uncertain and arbitrary assumptions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the aggregate value of employees' contributions to life assurance funds in 1960, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1970 and 1973 as paid by those, respectively, with incomes less than £1,000, £1,000-£1,999. £2,000-4,999 and £5,000 and over per year.

This information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions, and in which cases, the Government have used the powers contained in Schedule 2(6) to the Counter-Inflation Act 1973.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date it is intended to hold the second round of talks between Her Majesty's Government, the Government of the Republic of Ireland, and the members of the Northern Ireland Executive ; and if there will be available for that conference the report of the joint commission set up to study the most effective means of dealing with those who commit certain crimes.

The date for the formal conference following the Sunningdale Conference has not yet been fixed. It was agreed that the formal conference would consider reports on the studies commissioned at Sunningdale.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications whether the Government support the conclusion of the communication of the EEC Commission to the Council on Community policy on data processing that it is important that new data communication networks develop as European systems and do not engender new technical divergencies harmful to the user ; and whether he will make a statement.

It is desirable that data communication networks should be compatible not only on a European but on a world-wide scale. A CEPT—Conference of European Postal and Telecommunication Administrations—working group has a study on this objective in hand. I would not wish to come to any conclusions about a procedure for joint projects as suggested by the EEC Commission before definite proposals are made.

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications if he will now give a breakdown of the way in which he plans to arrive at a saving of £138·2 million in Post Office expenditure during 1974–75, and evaluate the consequential changes to take effect during 1973–74, respectively.

I am still discussing with the Post Office how the savings in 1974–75 are to be made ; I expect the saving in 1973–74 to be of the order of £20 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for continuing Government support for the industrial promotion work of the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) ; and if he will make a statement.

I am pleased to announce that I have offered the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) a grant-in-aid of £150,000 per year for the next three years to enable the promotional activities of its industrial group to be expanded.The detailed conditions on which this grant will be paid are under discussion with the council. I am glad to say, however, that we are agreed on the principle that the money should be devoted to the continuation and strengthening of the valuable work which the council is already doing to co-ordinate the promotional efforts, particularly overseas, of the various regional development authorities in Scotland and to project them on an all-Scotland basis.It has also been agreed that the effort in Europe begun by the Committee for European Investment in Scotland, which has carried out essential ground work over the past three years, will continue and will in future be integrated with the world-wide effort which the council will now be able to initiate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has completed his review of crofter housing costs ; and if he will make a statement.

The purpose of my review was to determine the extent to which building costs have risen in the crofting areas since the last increase in grant and loan assistance available to crofters for the erection of new houses. In the light of the results of this review I have decided to increase the grant for a new house, which is at the rate of one-half of the approved cost of labour and material, from the present maximum of £1,200 to £2,300. I also propose that the maximum loan which is available

		Capital
Programme	Central Government	Local Authorities	Public Corporations	Total	Central Government	Current Local Authorities	Total
Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry	0·6	0·2	—	0·8	0·2	—	0·2
Trade, Industry and Employment	—	—	—	—	0·2	—	0·2
Nationalised Industries	—	—	0·9	0·9	—	—	—
Roads and Transport	7·0	9·0	0·5	16·5	0·4	1·6	2·0
Other Environmental Services	—	14·3	2·7	17·0	—	1·3	1·3
Law, Order and Protective Services	0·6	2·0	—	2·6	0·2	0·5	0·7
Education and Libraries, Science and Arts	3·1	8·9	—	12·0	0·4	6·0	6·4
Health and Personal Social Services	6·1	1·4	—	7·5	3·0	1·2	4·2
Totals	17·4	35·8	4·1	57·3	4·4	10·6	15·0

The consequential changes in the current financial year are expected to be small. Precise analysis of the factors currently affecting progress is not however possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish figures for coal and oil stocks available in power stations operated by the South of Scotland Electricity Board and the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board.

Power station coal and oil stock figures for Great Britain are published regularly by my

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now specify the distribution of the reductions in the rate of growth in public expenditure announced on 17th December last between the various services for which his Department is responsible, and the consequential changes to take effect during the course of the current financial year, respectively.

Details of the reductions in 1974–75 are:noble Friend the Secretary of State for Energy.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he intends to issue the circular requiring the housing departments of the local authorities to be responsible for housing the homeless and needy persons.

My right hon. and learned Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and Wales and I intend to issue the joint circular of guidance to local authorities about homeless-ness as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the operation of the law relating to the employment of children.