asked the Minister for the Civil Service what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of the first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions that only urgent letters are sent first class.

There are standing instructions to ensure that effective and economic use is made of the two-tier postal system. We follow the principle that the cheaper second-class service should be used except where there is judged to be a clear and defensible need for the faster but more expensive first-class post. Instructions have also been issued recently urging in general that the utmost economy should be exercised in the use of postal services and reminding staff that the maximum possible use should be made of the Department's van services and of the Interdepartmental Despatch Service (IDS) run by the Department of the Environment.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions to ensure that only urgent letters are sent first class.

We have standing instructions to ensure that effective and economic use is made of the two-tier system. We follow the principle that the cheaper second-class service should be used except where there is judged to be a clear and defensible need for the faster but more expensive first-class post.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate direc- tions that only urgent letters are sent first class.

We have standing instructions to ensure that effective and economical use is made of the two-tier system. We follow the principle that the cheaper second-class service should be used except when there is judged to be a clear and defensible need for the faster but more expensive first-class post.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has received the communication from the hon. Member for Newham, North-West sent under date of 2nd May calling for him to take some action to deal with the subject matter of the letter enclosed regarding improvements in the industrial relations in the dock industry; and whether he will make a statement on his policy on this matter.

Yes. My hon. Friend referred to a statement made by the right hon. Member for Lowestoft (Mr. Prior) during a recent debate on the Governmen'ts proposals for the docks that the productivity of dockers in Antwerp are markedly higher than in London and drew my attention to a complete refutation provided by the Port of London Authority. My right hon. Friend would welcome retraction of ill-founded criticism of this kind made by opponents of the Government's proposals to extend the Dock Labour Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate instructions to ensure that only urgent letters are sent first class.

We have standing instructions to ensure that effective an deconomic use is made of the two-tier system. We follow the principle that the cheaper second-class service should be used except when there is judged to be a clear need for the faster but more expensive first-class post. In particular, postal items concerned with adjudication work and with certain aspects of unemployment benefit, finance and statistics work are despatched by the first-class service. Its use depends on the nature and urgency of the business, but all items where delay might result in hardship to individual members of the public are sent first class.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps have been taken by the Conciliation and Arbitration Service to bring together the two sides in the present dispute at Simon-Rosedown in Hull.

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service is in contact with both parties, but the dispute is still being dealt with within the procedure for the engineering industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what instructions he has or received a report from his Advisory Conciliation and Arbitartion Service officers who have had meetings with the parties to the dispute involving the blacklisting of vehicles operated by F. B. Atkins & Sons Ltd. of Derby; and whether he proposes to take any initiative to resolve this dispute;(2) what progress his Department's Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service has made to resolve the dispute involving the blacklisting of vehicles operated by F. B. Atkins & Sons Ltd. of Derby, which have been refused entry to the container base at Perry Barr, Birmingham, on the instructions of the regional secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union.

I understand from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service that the company has agreed to the union's claim for an increase in the basic rate for drivers. There are, however, other points of contention between the parties and the position on blacklisting remains unchanged. The ACAS is seeking to arrange a further meeting between the company and the Transport and General Workers Union.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to issue general guidance to local authorities wishing to transfer the management of certain estates to housing cooperatives in accordince with the provisions of the Housing Rents and Subsidies Act 1975.

The Campbell Working Party on Co-operative Housing is due to make its final report within the next two to three months. When my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction has considered the report he will issue guidance to local authorities and others. This will probably be in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will appoint a member of a co-ownership housing society to the Campbell Committee on Co-operative Housing.

No, but existing members include some who have considerable experience in that field. Any co-owner is, of course, free to submit his views in writing to the working party.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what assessment he has made of the number of co-ownership dwellings whose construction involved the use of high alumina cement;(2) whether he is prepared to receive a deputation from the steering committee of the National Council of Co-Ownership Housing Societies to discuss the problems which many societies face arising from the use of high alumina cement.

No separate assessment of the number of co-ownership dwellings has been made. The use of high alumina cement concrete in housing has created problems for some owners in all forms of private ownership. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Department's letter of 23rd April which set out what we are doing to resolve these problems. I do not think that at this stage a meeting with the steering committee would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the estimated expenditure on their county surveyors' departments by each of the old local authorities or new administrative counties during the last five financial years; and what is the estimated cost of running those departments for the current financial years.

Expenditure by local authorities is attributed to particular services, not to individual departments. The information requested is not, therefore, available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the amount of expenditure upon construction works for which the county surveyors' departments of each of the old local authorities or new administrative counties were responsible in the last five financial years; and what is the estimated cost of such construction works for the current financial year.

I regret that this information is not available because local authority expenditure is analysed by services rather than departments, but so far as county surveyors' departments' main responsibility, which is for highways, is concerned, annual returns of highways expenditure, including land, published by the Society of County Treasurers and

					Public sector	Private sector	Total
12 months ended:
31st March 1970	…	…	…	…	9,228	13,743	22,971
31st March 1971	…	…	…	…	7,542	14,033	21,575
31st March 1972	…	…	…	…	8,701	17,431	26,132
31st March 1973	…	…	…	…	7,381	19,383	26,764
31st March 1974	…	…	…	…	8,654	13,619	22,273

Statistics of the starts of buildings other than dwellings are not collected by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how much capital expenditure, in total, has been incurred, to the nearest con- County Surveyors Society up to 1972–73 are available. The returns for later years and estimates for the current financial year are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions to ensure that only urgent letters are sent first class.

The Department has standing instructions on the effective and economical use of postal services. These reflect the principle that the cheaper second-class service should be used, unless there is a clear and defensible need to use the costlier first-class post.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many building starts were recorded in the central part of southern England in the 12 months up to 31st March 1975; and how many building starts were recorded in the same area for each of the preceding five years.

Starts were reported of 16,931 dwellings, 9,974 in the public sector and 6,957 in the private sector, in the southern counties sub-division of the South-East Region during the 11 months up to 28th February 1975. The figures for March are not yet available. This sub-division comprises Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Oxford-shire and the Isle of Wight. Corresponding figures for the same area for the earlier periods are:Venient date, upon the Central Lancashire new town;(2) how much capital expenditure, in the form of work physically done upon the ground, has been incurred, to the nearest convenient date, upon the Central Lancashire new town.

Gross capital expenditure to 31st March 1975 amounted to some £26.5 million, of which £7 million was expenditure on works.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in the light of the report prepared by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds on the condition of wild birds imported into the United Kingdom, he will seek powers to protect wild birds and animals from being sold as pets.

I have been asked to reply.We will study the report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that Service voters are not automatically removed from electoral registers at the end of each year but remain unless they notify to the contrary.

As my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence informed the House on 22nd April—[Vol. 890, c. 1251–2.]—the Government intend to introduce legislation at an early opportunity to amend the present provisions relating to the electoral registration of Service personnel. This legislation will be broadly on the lines recommended by the Speaker's Conference in 1973, and will also make appropriate provision for the registration of other categories of service voters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) to what extent the international status of the Channel Islands would be affected by Great Britain's leaving the European Community;(2) if he will make a statement on the constitutional position of the Channel Islands in so far as this is affected by the referendum on British membership of the European Community; and specifically, what advice he has received about the rights or ability of the Channel Islanders to retain their present relationship with the Community in the event that Great Britain withdraws;

The relationship between the Channel Islands and the European Community is governed by Articles 25–27 of the Act concerning the Conditions of Accession and Protocol 3 to the Treaty of Accession, copies of which are already in the Library.The constitutional position of the Channel Islands is not affected by the referendum on United Kingdom membership of the European Community; nor would their international status be affected by United Kingdom withdrawal.The special arrangements for the islands contained in the Treaty of Accession would, however, lapse with the treaty. The future position of the islands in relation to the European Community, in the event of United Kingdom withdrawal, would fall to be considered in negotiation with the Community.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners, listed by category, appeared before the Parole Board in the last 12 months; and, of these, how many were released on parole.

In England and Wales during 1974 the number of cases referred to the Parole Board was 5,145. As a result, 2,826 prisoners were released on parole. In addition, 676 prisoners were released on the recommendation of local review committees under the power conferred by Section 35 of the Criminal Justice Act 1972. Separate figures for each security category are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions to ensure that only urgent mail is sent first class.

The staff of the Home Office have standing instructions to ensure that effective and economic use is made of the two-tier system, and to use the first-class post only when there is a clear need. I am arranging for all staff to be reminded of the present instructions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about the operations in the United Kingdom of the Iranian Secret Police (SAUAK); and if he will make it clear to the Iranian Government that such operations in the United Kingdom would be unacceptable.

We have no evidence of any illegal activities by Iranian officials in this country, but the Government have made it clear that prompt action would be taken if evidence of such activities by any foreign representatives came to light.

asked the Attorney-General what instructions have been issued to his Department and to the Lord Chancellor's Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions to ensure that only urgent letters are sent first class.

Both in my epartment and in that of my noble Friend the attention of staff has on several occasions been drawn to the need for economy in the use of postal services. The principle followed is that the cheaper second-class is used except where there is judged to be a clear need for the faster but more expensive first-class post. The latest instruction on the subject was issued last month.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of pre-paid first-class postage on official envelopes used for the collection of income and surtax and VAT for the financial year ended 5th April 1975.

First-class reply paid envelopes are enclosed with notices of assessment to income tax and surtax, and with VAT return forms sent to traders. Government Departments pay postage at a composite rate, but if taxpayers' remittances were returned at public rates, the total cost in 1974–75 is estimated at about £400,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the money that could be saved by using second-class postage on all official envelopes for the demand and collection of income and surtax and VAT during the present financial year ending 5th April 1976.

No such estimate has been made. The possible saving would have to be weighed against the interest cost to the Exchequer of even short delays in the receipt of tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider exempting pensioners' rented TV sets from the increase in VAT.

I regret that this would not be practicable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rate of VAT applies to tube fittings, bushes and bearings which are suitable for use as parts of goods chargeable at the 25 per cent. rate.

Certain parts of general use, including hose fittings and ball bearings, are excepted from the 25 per cent. rate of VAT under item 5, paragraphs (a) to (e), of Group 1 of Schedule 7 to the Finance (No. 2) Bill, and under corresponding items of Groups 2, 3, 4 and 5. I propose to introduce an amendment to add tube fittings, bushes and other kinds of bearings to these exceptions. I am authorising Her Majesty's Customs and Excise to allow traders to charge VAT at the standard rate on these items on all supplies made on or after 1st May when the 25 per cent. rate came into effect.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sums will be required from parliamentary Votes for the purposes of Clause 1 of the Statutory Corporations (Financial Provisions) Bill in respect of 1975 and 1976; and by how much they will exceed the £70 million identified for this purpose in his Budget speech of 15th April 1975.

The total sum required in respect of 1974–75 deficits will, as shown in the Estimates for 1975–76 when the payments will be made, be of the order of £650 million. The total in respect of 1975–76 will depend on, among other things, changes in the industries' costs, prices and revenues during the year. It is impossible at this stage to say by how much it may vary from the current price equivalent—about £100 million—of the figure of about £70 million at 1974 survey prices in the Budget Statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of persons liable to pay income tax on earned income in 1975–76 as compared with 1974–75.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions to ensure that only urgent letters are sent first class.

There are standing instructions to ensure that effective and economic use is made of the two-tier system. The principle is that the cheaper second-class service should be used except when there is judged to be a clear and defensible need for the faster but more expensive first-class post. These instructions were issued to all staff in my Department when the two-class postal system was introduced and have applied ever since.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what plans she has for the transfer of the Directorate of Overseas Surveys from Tolworth to Glasgow; what is the cost of this move; and what consultations she has held with the staff concerned.

My right hon. Friend the Lord President announced the Government's dispersal plans in the House on 30th July 1974. These followed closely the recommendations in the Hardman Report, which accepted that the proposed move of the Directorate of Overseas Surveys to the Glasgow area might have to be re-examined in the light of any subsequent decisions affecting the directorate's future. This was because the previous Government had decided that the future of the directorate should be reviewed not later than April 1977. Since the July announcement I have had the re-examination of the directorate's future brought forward and it is nearly complete. This should enable useful consultations with the directorate's staff to take place. At their request I met a staff delegation earlier this week. Meanwhile the short-listing of sites in the Glasgow area from which a final selection can be made has been going on on a provisional basis. But planning has not reached the stage where an estimate of the costs is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will now nominate four members of the Snowdonia National Park Committee as he is required to do under current legislation;(2) why he has not nominated four members to the Snowdonia National Park Committee as from 31st March 1975 as required under existing legislation; and if he will make a statement.

I am currently considering the selection of candidates to fill these four vacancies and shall be announcing their names shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether the relevant statutory provisions enable the Snowdonia National Park Committee to meet and take decisions without the four members to be nominated by him.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions that only urgent letters are sent first class.

I have instructed that the second-class service should be used except where there is a clear need for the faster first-class post.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give figures to show how the average salary of university teaching staffs has changed in comparison with teaching staffs at schools over the last three years.

The average salaries of university and school teachers in England and Wales have changed as follows:

UNIVERSITY
	£
1st October 1972	3,815
1st October 1973	4,030
1st October 1974	4,521

SCHOOLS
	£
1st April 1972	2,069
1st April 1973	2,205
1st April 1974	2,382
24th May 1974	3,037*
* Houghton award.

Threshold payments of £229 are payable in addition to the latest rates shown in each column. London weighting and social priority school allowances are excluded from these figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average pre-tax salary of university teaching staff in the United Kingdom compared with comparable salaries in Canada, Germany and France.

The current average salary for university teaching staff, inclusive of threshold payments, is estimated to be £4,750. Information about comparable salaries in Canada, Germany and France is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many university teachers have left the United Kingdom to work at universities abroad in each of the last five years.

150 in the 1972–73 academic year and 196 in 1973–74. These figures exclude clinical staff. I regret that information about earlier years is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions to ensure that only urgent letters are sent first class.

My Department follows the principle that the second-class service should be used for all mail except when there is judged to be a clear and defensible need for the use of the first-class service. Staff are reminded periodically of the need for economy in the use of official paid envelopes, and the latest reminder in this respect was on 23rd April on the occasion of the recent increase in postal charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will introduce a Bill to remove doubt as to the legal obligations of NHS hospitals to provide accommodation for private patients; and if she will make a statement.

As I told the House during the debate on hospital pay beds on 5th May, legislation will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time is available. —[Vol. 891, c. 1096.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what decision she has now reached about the future of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital.

Formal consultations on the future of this hospital are not concluded and, therefore, no proposal has yet been made to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many deaths have occurred within the Essex County area and in Basildon district on figures available in each of the five past years to women arising from cancer of the breast.

Available information is as follows:

DEATHS FROM CANCER OF THE BREAST OF WOMEN RESIDENT IN
	Essex Administrative County	Basildon Urban District
1969	243	21
1970	231	24
1971	270	24
1972	275	27
1973	284	24

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what facilities are available in Essex within the National Health Service for the detection of breast cancer in women;(2) what is the average waiting list of women for screening for the detection of cancer of the breast in Essex to the most recent convenient date;(3) how many women have been screened for the detection of cancer of the breast within the National Health Service in Essex and Basildon District Council in each of the past 10 years.

The Essex Area Health Authority provides general diagnostic facilities for breast cancer through hospital out-patient clinics.I regret that the information on waiting lists and the numbers of women screened is not available.As I said in my reply to my hon. Friends the Members for Bury and Radcliffe (Mr. White), Liverpool, Scotland Exchange (Mr. Parry) and Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk) on 28th April—[Vol. 891, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what instructions she has issued to her Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether she will issue appropriate directions to ensure that only urgent letters are sent first class.

Detailed instructions are held by staff in the Department's Office Administration Code and in a Headquarters Circular which clearly indicate the type of communication that should be sent by the first-class service, and that items outside these express categories should be sent by the second-class service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will cite the rule under which, and also explain how, two days' unemployment in six consecutive days, but not counting Sundays, can occur when persons normally working a five-day week are reduced to four-day working.

The rules which prevent unemployment benefit being paid for an isolated day of unemployment are now in Sections 14(1)(a) and 17(1)(d) of the Social Security Act 1975, which consolidates previous legislation, and provide that there must be two days of interruption of employment, whether consecutive or not, within a period of six consecutive days. These conditions could only be satisfied by a five-day week worker reduced to four-day working on occasions when his day of lay-off in one week was within six days, not counting Sundays, of his day of lay-off in the preceding week.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if she will propose making decisions on whether or not to licence a unit or home for private medicine the subject of consultation and agreement from an independent body;(2) whether the licensing procedure she proposes to introduce for private medical units will concern standards only or will limit the number and size of medical units.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether she will make the refusal to licence a hospital or nursing home seeking to operate outside the NHS subject to parliamentary approval;(2) whether, under her proposed licensing system, she will make regular reports to Parliament of the number of applications she has received from hospital and nursing homes seeking to operate outside the NHS and the outcome of such applications;(3) whether her proposed licensing system for hospitals and nursing homes, outside the NHS, will seek to place a limit on the number and size of such units.

As I told the House during the debate on hospital pay beds on 5th May—[Vol. 891, c. 1099–1101.]—I shall be consulting fully with medical and other staff of the National Health Service and with interests outside the service about the best way of carrying out the Government's proposals. When these consultations are complete I will consider what action is required.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the licensing procedure she has in mind for private medical units will be the subject of legislation.

The extension of my existing powers of licensing, which the Government are considering, would require legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, before introducing legislation to phase out pay beds from the National Health Service, she will have full consultations with the representatives of the nursing and medical professions.

As I told the House during the debate on hospital pay beds on 5th May, I am entering into early discussions with all concerned about the details of the programme.—[Vol. 891, c. 1096.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when she expects to introduce legislation to abolish pay beds in NHS hospitals.

As I told the House during the debate on hospital pay beds on 5th May—[Vol. 891, c. 1096.]—as soon as parliamentary time is available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if he has received evidence from egg producers which will enable him to take action under Article 135 of the Treaty of Accession to restrain the import of French eggs.

As I told the House on 16th April—[Vol. 890, c. 611.]—we were not then persuaded, after careful consideration of all the evidence submitted by the industry, that we could put forward a case for controlling imports of eggs which would satisfy the terms of Article 135 of the Treaty of Accession. Prices rose in April by 5p a dozen to profitable levels, but have since fallen by 3p a dozen. We are watching the situation carefully, and should it become necessary we shall seek remedial action under EEC procedures.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions have taken place with the EEC Commission and within the Council of Ministers, respectively, concerning the proposal to limit intervention buying of beef to hindquarters only; what would be the expected consequences of such action on the retatil price of beef and on producers' returns; and if he will make a statement.

No proposal has been made by the Commission to limit intervention buying of beef to hindquarters only. Agreement was reached in the EEC Beef Management Committee on 7th May that several changes should be made in the intervention arrangements for beef. These included a decision that separate hindquarters will no longer be accepted into intervention. I do not expect that the changes will greatly affect producers' returns in the United Kingdom because the support for the United Kingdom beef market is given primarily through the premium scheme and not through intervention. But the effect of the changes should be to reduce the amount of beef taken into intervention in the Community as a whole and to make available more beef to the consumer, especially of the better quality hindquarter cuts.I welcome these changes as continuing evidence of the ability of this important sector of the common agricultural policy to respond flexibly to changing circumstances and of a wider recognition within the Community of the disadvantages of excessive reliance on intervention to support the beef market.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of the first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions that only urgent letters are sent first-class.

Our standing departmental instructions require that the second-class service should normally be used except where there is a clear need for the quicker first-class service. Staff were reminded of this last month.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total cost, so far, of the "Save It" advertising campaign; and what are the observable savings achieved, during the same period.

The cost of the campaign since last January has been £1,553,500. There are encouraging signs that the national effort to save energy is showing results, but it is too early to be precise.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate instructions to ensure that only urgent letters are sent first class.

The Department has standing instructions covering this point. These lay down that only urgent letters are to be sent first class.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has had against the dumping of Japanese car imports to the EEC; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish the latest circular or other document giving advice to United Kingdom citizens domiciled in, and having property in, Turkish-held parts of Cyprus.

The only current documents of this kind are notices about the recording of property and losses, the registration of property and the possibility of action in the Turkish courts. These have been circulated to United Kingdom nationals known to have property interests in Cyprus. Copies of these notices are being placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy with regard to the ratification of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; and if he will make a statement.

We attach great importance to both the ratification of this convention and to the implementation of its provisions. We intend to ratify the convention as soon as consultations with the Dependent Territories, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands have been completed. We hope that as many of these territories as possible will wish to be included in the United Kingdom's instrument of ratification, thus increasing the effectiveness of the convention. We are also consulting with our partners in the European Community about the effect of implementaion of the convention on intra-Community trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in how many cases before the Court of Justice of the European Communities Her Majesty's Government have been a party; and what was the subject matter of each case in which the court decided against Her Majesty's Government.

The United Kingdom has not been a party in any cases before the European Court. In seven instances it has submitted observations on requests submitted by national courts for rulings on points of interpretation arising in domestic actions. One such request was made by a United Kingdom court—Van Duyn v. the Home Office; the European Court then ruled in favour of the Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions to ensurse that only urgent letters are sent first class.

Since 1968 the Department has had standing instructions to ensure that effective and economic use is made of the two-tier postal system. The principle is that the cheaper second-class service is used except when there is a clear and defensible need for the faster but more expensive first-class service.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions to ensure that only urgent letters are sent first class.

There are standard instructions to ensure that effective and economic use is made of the two-tier system. We follow the principle that the cheaper second-class service should be used except when there is a clear and defensible need for the faster but more expensive first-class post.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will arrange for an exhibition relating to the production of the British Hovercraft Corporation to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will publish the Government's observations on the Expenditure Committee Report on Regional Development Incentives.

A Command Paper containing the Government's observations on this report was published on Wednesday 7th May.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions that only urgent letters are sent first class.

We have standing instructions to ensure that effective and economic use is made of the two-tier system. We follow the principle that the cheaper second-class service should be used except when there is judged to be a clear need for the faster but more expensive first-class post.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what representations have been received on the dangers of phosphorus non-safety matches; and what evidence there is to indicate that such matches are dangerous, in particular arising from the sale of such matches to children.

Representations have recently been received from two sources about the dangers of phosphorus matches in cotton textile factories. There is no evidence to suggest that phosphorus matches present any greater hazard than matches sold as safety matches. There are dangers in the sale of any matches to children, but in the majority of incidents where children cause fires as a result of playing with matches the matches are found by them in the home.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what instructions she has issued to her Department as to the use of first class mail; and whether she will issue directions to ensure that only urgent letters are sent first class.

There are standard instructions to insure that effective and economic use is made of the two-tier system. We follow the principle that the cheaper second-class service should be used except when there is a clear and defensible need for the faster but more expensive first-class post.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will now take further steps to negotiate access to the Japanese market for United Kingdom exports of motor vehicles.

We are currently consulting the Japanese Government about ways of improving the present arrangements for the testing of British motor vehicles exported to Japan. There are no quota or significant tariff barriers to such exports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the total value of privately-owned capital exported to other EEC countries since Great Britain joined the Community; how much of that capital is estimated to have been invested in commercial enterprises competing with British industry; how much has been invested in foreign-based property companies; and if he will make a statement.

The information available relates only to the amount of direct investment in 1973; portfolio, oil and miscellaneous investment, including identified investment in real estate, are not covered. The industrial distribution of United Kingdom net direct investment in the EEC in 1973 is given in Table 19 of the Biusiness Minitor M4, Overseas Transactions 1973, a copy of which is in the Library. Direct investment comprises investment by United Kingdom companies in their overseas branches, subsidiaries and associates and it is not possible to give an estimate of investment in commercial enterprises competing with British industry. For the information available on the financing of net direct investment in the EEC in 1973 I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend gave on 2nd May to my hon. Friend the Member for Farnworth (Mr. Roper).—[Vol. 891, c. 284–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how much steel was imported into the United Kingdom in each of the last four years; and what is the present level of steel imports in each month of 1975 to date.

Following is the information for ingots, semi-finished and finished steel:

	Thousand tonnes
1971	2,033
1972	2,661
1973	2,781
1974	3,807
1975 January	394
February	398
March	352

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions to ensure that only urgent letters are sent first class.

These are standard instructions to insure that effective and economic use is made of the two-tier system. We follow the principle that the cheaper second-class service should be used except when there is a clear and defensible need for the faster but more expensive first-class post.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what were the figures for invisible transfers between the United Kingdom and Hong Kong in each of the last 10 available years.

I have been asked to reply.I regret that figures are not available of transfers included in the invisibles account—for example, official and private grants, gifts—between the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. I am not sure whether my hon. Friend has all invisible transactions in mind, but the only items for which data are available are Government services, published in Table 12, United Kingdom Balance of Payments 1963–73; the earnings of direct investment and royalties, published in Business Monitor M4, 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what were the figures for capital transfers between the United Kingdom and Hong Kong in each of the last 10 available years.

I have been asked to reply.It is not normal practice to reveal details of capital transfers to individual countries. These relate to payments, in implementation of the guarantee clauses of the Sterling Agreements of 1968, which are confidential. I am not sure whether my hon. Friend has all capital transactions in mind, but the only items for which data are available are some official long-term capital flows, published in Table 18, British Aid Statistics; and direct investment, published in Business Monitor M4, 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will seek to introduce a close season for the fishing of scallops during the months of July, August and September.

I am aware of the anxiety felt by fishermen about scallop stocks and I am prepared to consider any representations which they may make.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how this £2·5 million subsidy for sea transport will be allocated.

The amount of subsidy in each year will be related to the forecast costs and revenues of the shipping services operated by Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd. and will not be allocated to individual services.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what instructions he has issued to his Department as to the use of first-class mail; and whether he will issue appropriate directions that only urgent letters are sent first class.

My Department has standing instructions to ensure that effective and economic use is made of the two-tier system. These instructions follow the principle that the cheaper second-class mail should be used except when there is judged to be a clear need for tile faster but more expensive first-class post.