asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the level of central Government financial aid to civil aerodromes in Northern Ireland since 1964; and what amounts, if any, of capital debt incurred by Northern Ireland aerodromes have been written off by actual Government over the last 20 years.

Apart from a payment of £2,000 in respect of a small airfield in 1964. financial assistance from public funds has been given wholly for Belfast (Aldergrove) Airport.Between 1964 and 1971, £840,000 was paid towards capital works and trading losses were met. Since 1971, when the airport was transferred free of charge to the Northern Ireland Government, assistance, mainly towards capital works. has amounted to some £3·3 million.No capital debts have been written off.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will extend the deadline for receipt of comment on the document "Regional Physical Development Strategy 1975 to 1995" substantially beyond 16th May, and state his willingness to support an extensive programme of public participation to enable those affected by the regional strategy to assess options and express their views accordingly.

The period for comments to be made on the discussion paper on Regional Physical Development Strategy 1975–95 has been extended to 30th September 1975, which should allow enough time for a full programme of public consultation with all those interested.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what Government assistance is being given to the firm of Welrex Limited towards the continuance of its operations at Newry and Bangor.

The company recently approached the Government stating that for financial reasons it was unable to continue in business and that closure, which would make over 360 people redundant, was imminent. As the majority of the workforce comes from the high unemployment area of Newry, I considered it important to buy time to see whether anything could be done to maintain that employment.Accordingly the Government guaranteed, on an extra-statutory basis, additional bank facilities of £60,000 to the company. At the same time a firm of accountants was employed to ascertain the financial position and it confirmed a serious situation with no prospects of viability. The company's bank appointed a receiver on Thursday 1st May and the Government now propose to underwrite, again on an extra-statutory basis, the losses incurred during the first three months of the receivership and will ensure an orderly run-down if attempts to find a purchaser fail. These losses are not expected to exceed £115,000.

asked the Lord President of the Council when he proposes to submit his evidence to the Royal Commission on the Press.

I do not propose to give evidence to the Royal Commission in my capacity as Lord President of the Council.

asked the Lord President of the Council what outlying buildings are occupied as parliamentary offices by hon. Members and their secre- taries; and how many hon. Members and their secretaries are in each building.

The following desks are available for Members and their private secretaries in the outbuildings:

Outbuilding	Members' Desks	Members' Private Secretaries' Desks
7 Old Palace Yard	35	22
2 The Abbey Garden	34	20
3 Dean's Yard	25	75
Norman Shaw North	113	105

Some of these desks are in the process of being allocated.

asked the Lord President of the Council what is his latest estimate of the total cost of the referendum on Great Britain's membership of the EEC; and how that cost is made up.

The latest estimate is £10·25 million, made up as follows:

	£ million
1. Returning officers (including all counting costs)	5·0
2. Central Office of Information (including printing and distribution of the three pamphlets)	2·5
3. Post Office (including poll cards and postal votes)	1·8
4. Ministry of Defence (Service vote expenses)	0·5
5. Grants to campaigning organizations	0·25
6. Miscellaneous	0·2
	10·25

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he is yet able to announce the composition of the committee which is to consider whether provision should be made from public funds to assist political parties in carrying out their functions outside Parliament.

Yes. This committee has now been established under the chairmanship of the right hon. Lord

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, following consultations with industry on the cuts announced in the Defence White Paper, what will be the total number of jobs lost in industry because of the defence cuts in each of the next five years.

As I said in the defence debate on 7th May—[Vol. 891, c. 1565.]—there is now evidence that the loss of job opportunities in the defence industries over the next five years will be less than the 10,000 envisaged in the White Paper. Consultations with industry are continuing but the extent of redundancies remains a matter for the firms concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will give further details of his proposed 15 per cent. reduction in the Hong Kong British garrison and, in particular, which units will be affected; what the cost savings will be; what proportion of the garrison's costs will now be met by the Hong Kong authorities; and what this amounts to in cash terms.

The reductions announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 14th April—[Vol. 890, c. 13.]—were agreed in the context of the current cost-sharing agreement and do not affect its financial arrangements. The size of the future Hong Kong garrison is the subject of discussions with the Hong Kong Government in which we are seeking a larger Hong Kong contribution when the present cost-sharing agreement runs out in 1976. These discussions will, of course, take account of the economies made in the meantime but I cannot comment on what their outcome may be.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total sum spent on the installation of machinery and equipment in the various Ministry of Defence establishments at Woolwich Arsenal since the closure of the Royal Ordnance Factory in 1965.

This information is not readily available owing to the amount and diversity of records kept by the various Ministry of Defence establishments within Woolwich Arsenal. I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence for what purposes peaceful nuclear explosions are carried out; and if he is satisfied with the benefits derived from these explosions.

Proposals have been made to use peaceful nuclear explosions for certain large-scale engineering projects and for the development of natural resources. It has not been satisfactorily established that any benefits gained thereby outweigh the problems involved. They are unlikely to do so within the United Kingdom, and we have no programme for peaceful nuclear explosions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is yet in a position to say whether or not the expected acreage of sugar beet will be sown this spring.

I understand from the British Sugar Corporation that nearly 90 per cent. of the contracted 490,000 acres has now been sown and that it does not expect the shortfall of planted acreage due to bad weather to exceed about 10,000 acres.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide a list of FEOGA contributions to grants made for common and special measures under the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund for Lincolnshire since 1st January 1973.

Of the total FEOGA contribution of £20,357 made to the United Kingdom since 1st January 1973 for common and special measures, none is attributable to Lincolnshire. Claims for FEOGA contributions in respect of 1974 are now being prepared and will be submitted before the end of June.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the value of the total

			1972	1973	1974
Grants of Probate	…	…	159,949	163,640	167,526
Letters of administration of intestates' estates	…	…	95,612	97,764	99,746
Letters of administration with will annexed (no executors appointed or no executors willing to act)	…	…	10,397	10,691	10,733

Information on how to make a will and on the advisability of doing so appears fairly frequently in articles on the subject in newspapers and magazines. I shall consider with my noble Friend what further steps can be taken.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total number of civil servants employed in the United Kingdom, in each Department, on the latest available date, and on the same date in each of the preceding 10 years; and to what extent the numbers are not comparable. agricultural production of Wales and of England, respectively, is accounted for by milk, lamb and mutton, and cereals, respectively.

This information is not available. Figures for the United Kingdom were published in the 1975 Annual Review White Paper (Cmnd. 5977). In 1973–74 the proportion of the value of total United Kingdom agricultural output accounted for by these commodities was milk and milk products 19·6 per cent., fat sheep and lambs 4·4 per cent. and all cereals 15·7 per cent. Comparable forecasts for 1974–75 are 20·4 per cent., 3·8 per cent. and 16·3 per cent. respectively.

asked the Attorney-General how many people die intestate each year; how many are involved in probate; and if he will take steps to inform the public of the need to make a will.

The number of people who have died intestate each year is not known since a grant of letter of administration is not always sought. Grants of probate and of letters of administration were made as follows in the last three years:

The material is being collated and I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total annual cost of the salaries of all civil servants employed in the United Kingdom on the latest available date, and on the same date in each of the preceding 10 years; and to what extent the annual costs are not comparable.

The information available centrally and given below relates to the provision in the Estimates for the salary and other related costs of all United Kingdom-based civil servants whether serving in the United Kingdom or abroad.

Financial Year	£'000
1965–66	638,365
1966–67	674,842
1967–68	699,351
1968–69	742,635
1969–70	809,359
1970–71	879,243
1971–72	977,837
1972–73	1,339,817
1973–74	1,481,978
1974–75	1,628,571
1975–76	2,022,331

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) what is the total annual cost of the salaries of all civil servants

Department				1965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69	1969–70	1970–71
Defence	…	…	…	98,880	99,453	95,077	83,471	76,238	68,953
Environment* (including Property Services Agency)	…	…	…	23,811	25,128	23,770	18,730	19,309	17,128
Foreign and Commonwealth and Overseas Development	…	…	…	7,960	8,613	8,801	8,902	8,769	8,461
Others	…	…	…	293	315	252	240	267	235
Total Numbers	…	…	…	130,944	133,509	127,900	111,343	104,583	94,777
Total Cost £'000	…	…	…	63,028	66,876	65,760	71,175	71,029	72,283

Department					1971–72	1972–73	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76
Defence	…	…	…	…	62,270	46,199	47,839	47,314	50,128
Environment* (including Property Services Agency)	…	…	…	…	14,740	14,042	13,729	12,978	9,354
Foreign and Commonwealth and Overseas Development	…	…	…	…	8,335	8,238	8,101	8,271	8,321
Others	…	…	…	…	217	148	137	131	130
Total Numbers	…	…	…	…	85,562	68,627	69,806	68,694	67,933
Total Cost £'000	…	…	…	…	73,116	76,183	83,370	119,854	147,342
* From 1965–66 to 1970–71 the figures are the combined figures for Ministries of Housing and Local Government, Public Building and Works, and Transport.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what priority education has in Government spending.

The recent White Paper "Public Expenditure to 1978–79" indicated the Government's priorities among expenditure programmes. The present rate of expenditure on education and libraries in Great Britain, at current prices, is about £6,000 million per year. employed outside the United Kingdom on the latest available date, and on the same date in each of the preceding 10 years; and to what extent the annual costs are not comparable;(2) what is the total number of civil servants employed outside the United Kingdom, in each Department concerned, on the latest available date and on the same date in each of the preceding 10 years; and to what extent the numbers are not comparable.

Central records do not distinguish between United Kingdom-based civil servants working in the United Kingdom or abroad. The information available centrally and given below relates to the Estimates provision for staff locally engaged abroad.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied that the net pooled cost, after tuition fees, of the education of overseas students is more properly borne by local authorities than by central Government; and if he will make a statement.

I recognise that this is a burden upon local education authorities, though it has to be remembered that the burden is shared with the Exchequer through the rate support grant. Moreover, provision made expressly and solely for overseas students is normally charged for at full cost. What falls upon public funds, therefore, is for the most part the marginal cost involved in admitting overseas students to existing courses. For these cases, which are entirely at the discretion of the authorities and colleges, I have recently recommended increased tuition fees. I can assure the hon. Member that I propose to keep the whole matter under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much was spent on the Open University in each of the last five years; and how much is estimated for 1975.

Except in 1970, recurrent grant for the Open University has been assessed in relation to requirements during the academic year which runs from January to December. The approved levels of grant have been:

	£ m
1970 (April-December)	2·215
1971	6·015
1972	7·965
1973	10·091
1974	12·653

The currently approved level of grant for the 1975 academic year is £15·819 million. The university will additionally be reimbursed for expenditure on local authority rates.Grant for non-recurrent expenditure is related to the financial year April to March, and has been as follows:

	£ m.
1970–71	1·800
1971–72	·947
1972–73	·759
1973–74	1·497
1974–75	·991

For the 1975–76 financial year, the approved Estimate is £1·953 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is being done to increase the number of teachers qualified to teach deaf children.

Wall Hall College, Watford, is to provide a new one-year full-time course leading to the specialist qualification to teach deaf children. A start is planned in September 1975.At the invitation of my Department, Leeds and Bristol area training organisations are considering whether training provision for teachers of the deaf might be made in their respective areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether, in his search for accommodation for the Scottish Assembly, he is seeking a permanent home or whether this is a matter which he proposes that Assembly should decide for itself;(2) what consideration he has given to the first formal meeting of the Scottish Assembly being convened in Parliament House, Edinburgh.

In fulfilment of the Government's commitment I am seeking accommodation in Edinburgh where the Assembly can meet and carry on business. Whether this accommodation will provide a suitable permanent home is a matter on which the Assembly itself may be expected to have views. I shall consider in due course what arrangements should be made for convening the first meeting of the Assembly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children attending schools in Scotland and in the Central Scotland Region, respectively, are accommodated in prefabricated external classrooms.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give consideration to restoring the farm improvement grant to the level of 40 per cent.

I have no plans at present to increase the standard rate of farm capital grant. The Government undertook, however, in the White Paper "Food from our own Resources", to keep under close review the level of capital investment in home agriculture.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the possible withdrawal of Western Ferries from the Islay service.

I have received representations from Sir William Lithgow and the hon. Member about the possible withdrawal of the Western Ferries service to Islay. Islay Farmers Ltd have suggested that both Western Ferries and the Scottish Transport Group's services should be subsidised; and the secretary of the local transport users' action committee and a local councillor have written welcoming my decision to subsidise the Scottish Transport Group's service.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will investigate schemes whereby any agricultural land used for other purposes can be replaced by reclaimed land.

There is only limited scope for such replacement. The reclamation of land for agricultural use in hill and upland areas is encouraged by assistance provided under the Farm Capital Grant (Scotland) Scheme and for crofters under the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants (Scotland) Scheme. The loss of production from agricultural land taken for other uses is mainly offset by improvement of land remaining in agriculture and various grants are available for this purpose. In addition, grants are available to local authorities under the Local Employment Act 1972 towards the net cost of approved schemes to enable derelict land to be brought into use: in rural areas, such rehabilitated land is usually devoted to agricultural use.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what acreage of agricultural land has been converted annually into industrial use since 1970; what categories of agricultural land have been affected; and, in view of the White Paper "Food from our own Resources", what steps he is taking to minimise this loss of agricultural land.

Figures are not available for the amount of agricultural land taken annually for industrial use alone, but since 1970 the net loss of agricultural land for housing, industrial and commercial development and roads has been as follows:

	acres
1970–71	3,827
1971–72	3,447
1972–73	2,224
1973–74	2,888

The categories of land mainly affected range from very good land suitable for growing most crops to land of limited cropping potential.I shall continue to stress to local authorities the importance of preserving good agricultural land and of seeking the advice of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries of Scotland in all cases where development proposals affect agricultural land.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he now expects to introduce a Bill dealing with the reform of crofting law during this Session.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 12th March to the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Grimond).—[Vol. 888, c. 153.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes in organisation of the Scottish Office are planned in consquence of the transfer to him on 1st July 1975 of ministerial responsibility for regional selective assistance to industry in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

In addition to the functions of regional selective assistance the transfer of which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 20th December 1974, I shall also be assuming on 1st July 1975 the Secretary of State for Industry's current responsibilities for Government factory building in Scotland and for the Scottish Industrial Estates Corporation, together with the closely related functions of industrial steering and promotion. This change is being made in preparation for the transfer of the functions of the SIEC to the Scottish Development Agency under the legislation at present before Parliament.In order to provide administrative support for the responsibilities to be transferred to me on 1st July the whole of the Department of Industry's office for Scotland, which has about 160 staff, will become part of the Scottish Economic Planning Department from that date. There has been and will continue to be consultation with staff interests over the arrangements for this transfer. The staff involved will continue to be located in Glasgow and will continue to perform—without any change in ministerial responsibility—certain functions currently carried out on behalf of the Secretaries of State for Industry, for Trade, for Prices and Consumer Protection and for Energy. The Regional Development Grants Office, which is a separate organisation, will remain part of the Department of Industry.The transfer of these responsibilities from 1st July, which represents a further increase in the devolution of decision-taking in industrial matters to Scotland, will enable me to proceed towards the establishment of the Scottish Development Agency and gives me the powers I need to guide and support its work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now consider giving statutory effect to that part of the Judges' Rules which guarantees arrested persons access to a solicitor.

My right hon. Friend has this matter under review, but he has at present no proposals for legislation on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to increase the recruitment of university graduates by the police.

Both locally and centrally all practicable means are used to interest graduates and undergraduates in a police career. In particular, forces seek to establish links with universities in their areas, and through these and other methods, including discussions with careers advisers, there has in recent years been an appreciable rise in the number of graduates joining, or serving in, police forces.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is Her Majesty's Government's policy toward the immigration of Asians from Kenya who have been deprived of their right to work.

United Kingdom passport holders in Kenya who are not able to work or trade and who wish to settle in the United Kingdom are given priority in the issue of special vouchers. My right hon. Friend announced an increase in the quota of vouchers on 6th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when, subject to its enactment, he expects to bring into force the Safety of Sports Grounds Bill.

As soon as possible after its enactment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce further legislative measures to enable the police to maintain effective control at football grounds.

While my right hon. Friend and my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of the Environment, who has responsibility for sport and recreation, are ready to consider any practicable suggestions to improve the situation, we have no reason to believe that police powers are inadequate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average number of adults held in prison in 1974 in England and Wales: how many persons per 100,000 of the total population this represents, and how the figure compares with neighbouring European countries in the most recent year for which statistics are available.

The daily average number of adults in prison custody in England and Wales in 1974 was 26,234. This figure represents 78 adults per 100,000 in the population. Owing to differences in the definition of the terms "prison" and "adult" adequately comparable figures for other European countries are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest available figure of the number of children aged 14–16 years on remand in custody in British prisons and other detention centres, respectively; and how many of those in prisons arc first offenders.

On 30th April, of the 178 boys and 11 girls aged 14–16 years in custody in England and Wales awaiting trial, 175 boys and five girls were in remand centres and the remainder in prisons. A further 228 boys and six girls who had been convicted were in custody awaiting sentence; of these, 223 boys and two girls were in remand centres and the remainder in prisons. It would be possible only at disproportionate cost to discover how many of these had previous convictions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children under the age of 17 years have been, for the period from 1st January 1974 to 1st January 1975, remanded in prison while awaiting trial for offences for which because of their age a sentence of imprisonment could not be imposed.

Provisional figures for 1974 show that 3,756 persons under the age of 17 were received into custody in prisons and remand centres to await trial. A sentence of imprisonment cannot be imposed on any young person under the age of 17.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to make sure that children under 17 years of age who have been remanded in prison pending their trial are segregated from adult prisoners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider as an immediate and emergency measure the use of borstals and detention centres, with suitable segregation, as a means of effecting the immediate discharge from prison of children on remand from custody.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange to discharge forthwith all children remanded in custody under 17 years of age from prison to more suitable secure accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the existing physical facilities for remanding young people under 17 years of age in custody.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision is made for segregating young people under 17 years of age when they have to be remanded to prison establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take powers to remand juvenile offenders under 17 years of age to suitably segregated accommodation in borstals or detention centres, so as to avoid their commitment to prisons.

Children under the age of 14 are never held before trial in prison service establishments. It is for the courts to decide whether the remand in custody of a young person between the ages of 14 and 16 is unavoidable. Those received into prison custody are always accommodated separately from offenders over the age of 21 and, as far as is practicable, from young offenders aged 17 and under 21. With very few exceptions they are held in remand centres and not in local prisons. Every effort is made to make the most appropriate use of the accommodation available to meet their special needs. There is no accommodation in borstals or detention centres which could be adapted quickly to provide the completely separate facilities which would be necessary for young persons held on remand.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children under the age of 17 years are now in prison on remand awaiting trial for offences for which because of their age a sentence of imprisonment cannot be imposed.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer earlier this afternoon to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk). A sentence of imprisonment cannot be imposed on any young person under the age of 17.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the longest period spent in prison in 1973 and 1974 by an individual child under 17 years of age remanded there to await trial or, after conviction, to await sentence.

The longest period spent on remand in a remand centre or prison by a juvenile first received in 1973 to await trial or sentence was 198 days. Provisional information shows that the corresponding period spent by a juvenile first received in 1974 was 223 days.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about his intention to introduce legislation to define British citizenship.

The review of nationality is well in hand, but it is too soon to say anything about legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will formulate plans to help long-term prisoners to sustain their family ties during the period of their imprisonment; and if he will make a statement.

Improvements have been made in recent years in arrangements for locating prisoners as near to their homes as possible, in facilities for visiting and correspondence, in home leave, in welfare matters and in assistance to families. We recognise the importance of family ties and will make such further improvements as the availability of resources allows.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the security arrangements for visits by foreign diplomats.

The police make the appropriate arrangements for such occasions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the annual cost of the control unit at Wakefield Prison.

The running costs of the control unit are mainly staff costs, which vary according to the number of prisoners located in it—at present none. It is impossible to quote an annual cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the date of the last representations made to him by the TUC concerning the release of the Shrewsbury pickets, D. Warren and E. Tomlinson, from prison.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the date of the last representations made to him by the TUC concerning the release of the Shrewsbury pickets, D. Warren and E. Tomlinson, from prison.

I would refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave earlier today to a Question by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Garston (Mr. Loyden).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total of fines imposed by magistrates' courts unpaid at the most recent date for which a figure is available; and what measures he proposes to introduce to enforce payment.

The amount of unpaid fines outstanding on 31st December 1974 in England and Wales, excluding inner London, was £11,883,276. This figure includes fines in respect of which the time allowed for payment has not expired, and some unpaid fines carried forward from earlier quarters.The enforcement of fines is a matter for the courts, which have several methods, including the sanction of imprisonment and distress upon goods, available to them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that 400 people were imprisoned for sleeping rough, under the Vagrancy Acts 1824 and 1935, during the most recent year for which figures are available, he will take steps to provide alternatives to prison for such homeless people.

My hon. Friend is misinformed. 400 persons were prosecuted for the relevant offence in the Vagrancy Acts in 1973 but only 35 were sentenced to immediate terms of imprisonment. 10 received a suspended sentence.It has been the policy of successive Governments to develop alternatives to custody. The recognition of hostels in the Housing Act 1974 as eligible for the same subsidies and grants as other housing will encourage more provision for poor single people. The joint review of homelessness which is being conducted by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment, for Social Services and for Wales includes consideration of the powers and duties of local authorities, and a consultation paper will be issued shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why, when the maximum penalties for motoring offences were revised recently, the offence of drunken driving and driving with excess alcohol was made punishable with a maximum £400 fine or four months' imprisonment, while the maximum penalty for refusing to give a urine and blood speciment was a £400 fine without the alternative of a custodial sentence.

The Government's policy, reflected in the Road Traffic Act 1974, is to reduce the number of offences imprisonable on a summary conviction. If we are to pursue this policy, which I hope commends itself to my hon. Friend, a line must be drawn somewhere. This particular line was drawn in a backbench amendment supported by the Magistrates Association which the Government accepted at the Committee stage of the Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is the policy of his Department to encourage the wearing of uniforms by staff in borstals.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the Government's policy in relation to the admission of Vietnam refugees.

I am prepared to admit a number of refugees from Vietnam who have some previous connection or tie with the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people died because of fires in 1974, 1973, and 1972 respectively.

The number of deaths from fires attended by local authority fire brigades in the United Kingdom was 1,078 in 1972 and 1,041 in 1973. The corresponding figure for 1974 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she is satisfied with the progress being made to provide the necessary secure remand facilities and to phase out prison remands in accordance with the provisions of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969.

Local authorities, when given the opportunity to choose their own priorities this year, 1975–76, chose to give a much higher priority to projects of this kind. These may, however, be affected by the further restrictions on public expenditure announced recently. Nevertheless I hope that a substantial number of such projects may still be included in the programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will arrange for her Department to publish an assessment of the evidence of research to date on the risks to the health of nonsmokers of smoking by others in enclosed places, together with advice on the implications of such research for provision of non-smoking accommodation.

A number of research papers have been published on this subject. I am advised that they provide no clear evidence to show that tobacco smoke is harmful to normally healthy nonsmokers or that a heavily tobacco-smoke laden atmosphere has other than a transient effect, though such an atmosphere may aggravate the condition of people suffering from respiratory complaints and of those who are subject to an allergic response. There is some evidence that parental smoking may increase the risk of respiratory illness of infants, particularly in their first year. Many nonsmokers find tobacco smoke unpleasant and for some it has a discomforting and even a nauseating effect. Authorities responsible for public places and public transport have in general responded to the changes in attitude towards smoking of their patrons and passengers by increasing the amount of, or providing for the first time, accommodation for non-smokers.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will list the countries which provide free medical services similar to the facilities available free under the National Health Service to foreign nationals.

Comprehensive information about arrangement in other countries for treating people from overseas is not readily available. United Kingdom citizens in New Zealand are entitled to free treatment under New Zealand legislation, and urgent medical treatment is available under EEC Regulations to United Kingdom employed persons, pensioners and their dependants staying temporarily in other countries of the European Community on the same terms as those applying to insured nationals of the country concerned. All United Kingdom citizens visiting the following countries can obtain urgent medical treatment under bilateral reciprocal agreements on the same terms as those applying to citizens of the country concerned: Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark Federal Republic of Germany, Gibraltar, Malta, Norway, Romania, Sweden, USSR and Yugoslavia.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she is satisfied with the existing arrangements for foreign students to have free access to the facilities of the National Health Service.

Foreign students are subject to the same conditions in using the National Health Service as other persons from overseas, and I am satisfied with the general arrangements in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements are made by her Department for the allocation of contracts to undertake investigatory work for the Discount and Stockholding Enquiry 1975 on the basis of which negotiations for National Health Service remuneration will take place.

I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the Derriford Hospital programme is to be completed; and how the construction is to be phased.

Completion of phase I is due by the summer of 1978. The further development is under current consideration by the South Western Regional Health Authority and the Devon Area Health Authority as part of a general review of service needs in the region.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the amount of savings to be ignored in calculating supplementary benefit will be raised to £1,000, as promised by Her Majesty's Government on 13th November.

The increase to £1,200 in the disregard of capital which was announced last November has since been enacted in the Social Security Benefits Act and will be implemented later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to including within the provision of improvement grant the cost of conversion from cesspit or septic tank to main drain.

Under the Housing Act 1974 local authorities are free to decide for themselves whether such work should attract improvement grant. My right hon. Friend has, however, advised local authorities, in DOE Circular 160/74, that works of conversion from septic tanks or cesspools to main drainage may be grant aided if they form part of a comprehensive scheme of improvement to a dwelling.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will pay an official visit to Portland in order to encourage the use of Portland stone for environmental reasons.

My right hon. Friend has no present plans to visit Portland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has made to the building societies about their current policy in regard to the granting of mortgages for properties containing high alumina cement in their construction.

This is a matter for the building societies themselves. However, my Department is in close touch with the Building Societies Association. I understand that its advice is that individual applications should be treated on their merits, and that loans may be made on completed properties, in the absence of serious deterioration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the safety of buildings in the construction of which high alumina cement has been used in the light of the recent publication of a report of the Building Research Establishment on the subject.

The Building Research Establishment's report will not be published until later this month, but its main findings are summarised in the Department's circular letter of 23rd April to local authorities. This confirms the Department's earlier conclusion that precast prestressed isolated roof beams represent the main potential hazard and states that the risk of structural failure in floors with spans up to about 5 metres is small.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many complaints were referred to the Commission for Local Administration in England from 1st April 1974 to 1st April 1975; and how many were accepted for investigation.

As my right hon. Friend indicated to the hon. Member for Bedfordshire, South (Mr. Madel) on 19th March—[Vol. 888, c. 420.]—it is for the commission itself to deal with inquiries about its work. I understand that its secretary is writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which Government Department will occupy the newly leased Breams Buildings; and which alternative office space will be vacated as a result.

Field House, Breams Buildings is to be occupied by the Office of Fair Trading. The office will vacate space in New Court, Carey Street, WC2.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which Government Department will occupy the newly leased Victoria Street development; and which alternative office space will be vacated as a result.

Ashdown House, Victoria Street will be occupied by the Departments of Trade, Industry and Prices and Consumer Protection. Some premises will be vacated, but the selection has yet to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in view of the decision of the House of Lords, he will introduce early legislation to ensure that shops run in aid of registered charities are entitled to claim 50 per cent. rate relief.

Not at present. As I said in reply to the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for South Shields (Mr. Blenkinsop) on Wednesday 7th May—[Vol. 891, c. 451]–1 am quite ready to consider the matter in the context of legislation on local government finance following the report of the Lay-field Committee. In the meantime, I am advised that Section 40(5) of the General Rate Act 1967 enables rating authorities, at their discretion, to grant rate relief in the relevant circumstances. This can exceed 50 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many square feet of privately owned accommodation has been rented by Her Majesty's Government in the Greater London Council area since 1st January 1975; and what will be the total cost of this accommodation in a full year.

The Property Services Agency has leased 443,342 sq. ft.—agents letting area—of privately owned office accommodation in the Greater London Council area since 1st January 1975. The total rental of this accommodation in a full year will be £4,451,125. Some other Government Departments lease accommodation for specialist purposes but no central statistics are kept.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he proposes to spend £7¼ million on an interchange at the junction of the East Lancashire Road and Bolton Road; whether this plan has any bearing on the recent decision by the Greater Manchester Council to avoid building an inner ring road through Salford; and whether he will consider special traffic lights and bus priority as an alternative to the £7¼ million interchange.

The proposed grade separated interchange at the junction of the East Lancashire Road, Bolton Road and Manchester Road—A580/A666/A6—is a trunk road improvement scheme first announced in January 1966 as having been selected for preparation in detail for inclusion in the trunk road programme.The scheme forms part of the planned improvement of the A580 and A6 and will improve significantly the distribution of traffic at the intersection of three major radial routes to central Salford and Manchester. Apart from overcoming congestion at the junction it is an essential part of the improved link between the A6 and the motorway complex at Worsley Interchange. The proposal has no direct bearing on the Greater Manchester Council's own proposals for the construction of an inner ring road through Salford.Alternative proposals for the improvement of the junction, including special traffic signals, bus priority and other traffic management measures, were fully investigated but none provided an adequate solution to the traffic and environmental problems.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many water authorities in England and Wales charge more than 9·44p in the pound for unmetered domestic water and more than 63p per 1,000 gallons for metered supplies, and what rates are charged by those authorities for unmetered and metered water.

The average charge for unmetered domestic water is higher than 9·44p in three water authorities—the South West Water Authority (9·7p), the Yorkshire Water Authority (9·79p) and the Welsh National Water Development Authority (16·5p). In no water authority is the average charge for metered water higher than 63p per 1,000 gallons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give instructions that future driving tests should include the parking of vehicles in a restricted space, and tests in driving in hours of darkness.

No. Neither would be likely to have advantages commensurate with the practical difficulties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many and what percentage of personal injury accidents during each of the last five years for which records are available occurred during hours of darkness; and how many of such accidents involved one or more drivers who had passed his driving test less than 12 months previously.

Following are the figures of personal injury accidents occurring in darkness over the last five years.

ACCIDENTS OCCURRING IN DARKNESS 1970–75 GREAT BRITAIN
Year	Number of accidents in darkness	Percentage of all accidents
1970	82,766	31
1971	82,365	32
1972	87,644	33
1973	86,072	33
1974*	81,921	34
* Provisional.

No information is available on the length of time drivers involved in accidents have held a full driving licence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list in the Official Reportthose towns and villages in England from which untreated sewage is discharged either into inland waterways or into the sea, Indicat- ing in which cases treatment schemes are in progress.

My Department does not maintain records of sewage discharges from individual communities, but the River Pollution Survey and the Survey of Discharges of Foul Sewage to the Coastal Waters of England and Wales, copies of which are in the Library, list the number of crude sewage discharges made in each of the former river authority areas, and the Coastal Discharges Survey also shows which of the former sewerage authorities was responsible for each discharge. The planning and progress of individual treatment schemes is a matter for the appropriate water authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Reportthe counties, metropolitan counties, and metropolitan districts in England and Wales which have increased the number of established posts in 1975–76 as compared with 1974–75, showing in each case the number of extra posts created.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what housing development is in prospect in or near Sherburn-in-Elmet, near Leeds, in the next five years, in the cases both of the current application by the National Coal Board which he has under consideration for permission to develop the Selby coalfield being allowed and being refused.

This is primarily a matter for the Selby District Council and the North Yorkshire County Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many private siding connections were installed by British Rail in 1974.

Forty-seven.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many private siding connections to British Rail were closed in 1974.

Eighty-five out of a total of about 2,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new sidings on British Rail had been financed under the Railways Act 1974 up to the most recent practicable date.

None as yet, but a number of schemes are under active consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to ensure that freight service withdrawals on British Rail are subject to scrutiny by the Transport Users' Consultative Committee.

This is a matter which the National Consumer Council will be free to consider in the course of its review of consumer representation in the nationalised industries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will propose amending the Local Government Act 1974 so as to require local authorities to provide to members of the public copies of reports sent to an authority concerned by the Commissioner for Local Administration in England and Wales.

I have at present no such proposals. The Act of 1974 already provides for copies of these reports to be made available for inspection by the public without charge for a period of three weeks, and it entitles any person to take copies or extracts during that period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment in what published document the London Rate Equalisation Scheme for 1975–76 is set out.

In "The Greater London Rate Equalisation Scheme 1975" dated 14th April 1975, a copy of which I have sent to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the outer London boroughs receiving allocations under the London Rate Equalisation Scheme in 1975–76, distinguishing those receiving double allocation under the scheme, and the amount allocated to each.

Receipts under the London rate equalisation scheme in 1975–76 are:

Borough	£000
*Barking	1,718
Barnet	1,322
Bexley	1,185
*Brent	2,579
Bromley	1,658
Croydon	1,273
Ealing	1,420
Enfield	1,369
*Haringey	2,465
Harrow	1,106
Havering	1,329
Hillingdon	551
Hounslow	511
Kingston on Thames	550
Merton	956
*Newham	2,517
Redbridge	1,285
Richmond on Thames	898
Sutton	900
Waltham Forest	1,260

Boroughs marked * receive a double allocation under the sheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the total mileages, separately, of motorway and class A roads for the South West Region in the preparation pool, actually under construction, estimated to be completed, and actually completed at the beginning or on an appropriate date of each of the years since 1970.

It is not possible to provide the required information in the time available. I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of bank advances by the three Scottish clearing banks in 1972, 1973 and 1974 in fixed and in actual prices.

The net amount advanced during the banking year 1972 was £355 million, in 1973 £358 million and in 1974 £345 million. Without detailed information on the use to which the advances were put, it is not possible to provide figures at constant prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Reporta table showing (a)for the United Kingdom and (b)for Great Britain the output per man in manufacturing industry as a quarterly average for each quarter since 1945.

No separate figures are available for Great Britain. The available figures representing net output per person employed in manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom are normally published in index number form and are given below. In 1970 the average value of net output per person employed in manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom was £1,540.

NET OUTPUT PER PERSON EMPLOYED IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY At constant 1970 prices
				1970=100
	1st quarter	2nd quarter	3rd quarter	4th quarter
1950	60·3
1951	60·6
1952	58·1
1953	58·1
1954	63·5
1955	65·9
1956	65·4
1957	67·1
1958	67·3
1959	71·1
Seasonally adjusted
1960	74·8	74·3	74·0	74·4
1961	73·6	74·2	73·7	72·9
1962	73·0	74·4	75·3	74·8
1963	73·9	77·0	79·6	81·1
1964	83·6	83·1	83·6	85·6
1965	85·1	85·3	84·9	86·1
1966	87·5	87·1	87·6	85·7
1967	87·9	89·5	90·3	92·4
1968	95·5	96·9	97·1	97·3
1969	98·1	99·8	99·2	99·2
1970	98·9	99·1	100·5	101·5
1971	100·4	102·9	103·7	104·2
1972	103·9	108·4	109·9	113·5
1973	117·2	116·9	118·4	116·9
1974	112·2	115·9	116·7	113·2

asked the Chancellor of. the Exchequer if he will now take steps designed to prevent the further devaluation of the £ sterling.

I have nothing to add to the answer my right hon. Friend gave on 1st May to a supplementary question by the hon. Member for Oswestry (Mr. Biffen)—[Vol. 891, c. 715.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what, on the basis of the General Index of Retail Prices, is the purchasing power of the £ sterling now, taking it as 100p on 1st April 1974.

85½p. This estimate is based on the change in the General Index of Retail Prices between April 1974 and March 1975, the latest date available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the costs of administration, charge and collection expressed as a percentage of each pound sterling collected of the following taxes in the year 1973–74: income tax, corporation tax, capital gains tax, estate duty, stamp duty, and VAT, respectively.

For the taxes administered by the Inland Revenue, I would refer the hon. and learned Member to paragraphs 134 to 138 of the Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue for the year ended 31st March 1974 (Cmnd. 5804).As regards VAT, I refer the hon. and learned Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Belper (Mr. MacFarquhar) on 24th April.—[Vol. 890, c.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on the Government's policy towards prices and incomes in the light of discussions which are taking place with representatives of the Trades Union Congress.

As my right hon. Friend said in his Budget speech, the extent by which incomes have risen so much faster than prices has imposed a major constraint on the management of the economy. Against this background we will want in our continuing discussions with the TUC to consider how stricter adherence to the guidelines on pay can be achieved.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue will be produced in one year as a result of applying a 25 per cent. VAT rate on rotary cultivators for garden use.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will propose exempting from the 25 per cent. VAT rate rotary cultivators used for commercial purposes by smallholders and horticulturists.

No. The higher rate applies only to rotary cultivators which are of a kind suitable for domestic use. Any rotary cultivators which are not of a kind suitable for domestic use remain chargeable at the standard rate of 8 per cent. Tax paid on purchases by a taxable person for the purpose of his business is of course deductible as input tax subject to the normal rules.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been included in the 1975–76 Budget estimates for the acquisition of the aircraft and shipbuilding industries.

Nothing has been included. Compensation will be in the form of stock and not cash. No provision was included for capital expenditure because vesting day for the new corporations will not be before 1976 and any expenditure in 1975–76 will be too small and uncertain to merit specific provision in the forecast.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Retail Consortium seeking parity with manufacturing industry in relation to the Government's fiscal policy, particularly in the matter of depreciation allowances on buildings and new shop fronts; and what reply he has sent.

My right hon. Friend received a useful and detailed memorandum from the Retail Consortium on 24th February 1975. He is, of course, sent representations from many bodies at that time of year and they are all borne in mind when he is framing his Budget. A formal acknowledgment was sent to the Retail Consortium, as is the custom with all Budget representations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been included in the 1975–76 Budget estimates for Government assistance to British Leyland.

Provision for assistance to individual firms is not itemised in the Budget estimates as contained in the Financial Statement and Budget Report. Government support for private industry is shown in Table 4 under net lending to the private sector and cash expenditure on company securities. These took account of a potential requirement for British Leyland but not to the extent now envisaged.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many boat builders are registered for VAT in the administrative county of Suffolk; how many persons are employed by them; and what estimate he has made of the likely fall, in the period 1975–76, of orders for and purchases of boats and therefore of jobs in this industry in Suffolk.