asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what percentage he expects output on new construction work to decline in 1975, compared with 1974; and what action he proposes to improve the current trend.

It is clear that there will be a significant decline in new construction output in 1975 compared with 1974, but the Government have taken a number of measures which together will assist the construction industry, particularly the housebuilding sector in which there has been an encouraging improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on which areas the proposed £50 million cuts in housing capital expenditure will apply to in 1976–77.

I am not yet in a position to make a statement, except to say that the savings will not be found from the housebuilding programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent response he has had from local authorities in answer to his circular requesting a cut in expenditure for the year 1975–76; and if he is satisfied with progress so far.

I hope to be able to give a detailed reply in the very near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies have been undertaken by his Department to compare the occupancy levels of private and public sector housing with other countries.

Information about occupancy rates is available in national censuses. Detailed comparative studies are not justified, since housing conditions vary in different countries and density of occupation is only one factor in assessing whether accommodation is satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy in connection with the amount of subsidy to be paid to British Railways during the next five years.

This will be decided in the light of reassessments which British Rail is now making of its business prospects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what priority he proposes to give in the road programme to the construction of by-passes and other road improvements, vis-à-vis the construction of motorways.

We are continuing to give priority to schemes which will take heavy traffic out of towns and villages. Some will be motorways but many will be bypasses and improvements to existing roads.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, in the light of his call on 9th May for a stricter curb on local authority spending, he will now withold approval from all applications for subsidy by one London borough seeking to acquire property within the boundaries of another.

No. My right hon. Friend will continue to consider local authority housing schemes in the London area on their merits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the number of domestic and business properties in England and Wales not connected with main drainage.

The water authorities estimate that about 1 million domestic properties are not connected to main drainage. There are as yet no reliable figures for equivalent non-domestic properties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made in his consultation with the University Grants Committee on the proposals contained in the Community Land Bill.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science is presently in close touch with the University Grants Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he can now state when he expects to issue his new guidance circular to local authorities about the provision of council accommodation for ex-Service men.

The circular was issued on 9th June. I am sending a copy to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from or on behalf of householders, adversely affected by physical factors arising from the use of the M6 linkway at Gravelly Hill interchange and other adjacent areas concerning the sums of compensation offered for depreciation under Sections 2 and 4 of the Land Compensation Act; and if he will make a statement.

I have received representations about the principles of compensation under Part I of the Land Compensation Act 1973, and I have had discussions with my hon. Friend. I am satisfied that the Act is operating as intended.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he hopes to reach a decision about the projected route of a possible bypass of Monk Fryston on the A63 trunk road.

It will not be possible to make a firm decision about the future of this bypass line until the effects upon traffic on the trunk road A63 not only of the new motorway M62 but also of the proposals to develop the Selby coalfield can be properly assessed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give guidance to local authorities as to the scale of housing improvement expenditure likely to be approved for the year 1976–77, so as to assist local authorities to programme improvement schemes which cannot be financed out of a single year's allocation.

This matter is being considered by the study group on programmes of social ownership and renovation of council dwellings whose appointment was foreshadowed in the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mr. Douglas-Mann) on 23rd May. We hope to be able to notify each local authority by November of this year of its allocation for council house improvement expenditure for 1976–77 and provisionally for 1977–78. Meanwhile the Department's regional officers are available to advise local authorities individually of what improvement expenditure may safely be committed for 1976–77.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what relative priority he attached to the renovation of houses in his housing policy.

I attach a very high priority to the renovation of older housing, as can be seen from my Department's Circular 13/75.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning his recent statement of the level of council house rents; and what replies he has sent.

The few representations which I have received so far have asked for a quantification of next year's likely rent increases and a curbing of interest rates. I have made it clear that in recent years rents have been meeting a declining percentage of housing costs, and that in our present economic situation this trend must be reversed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress to date with the consultative council concerned with local government expenditure.

The council has had an initial meeting at which we had a useful discussion on how both central and local government could work together in the present difficult economic climates. We shall be meeting again in July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what indications he has received about the achievement of his targets for local government spending in 1976–77; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Budgen).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what means his Department makes known its views to local and regional authorities on the need to avoid ostentatious spending gestures.

My colleagues and I regularly meet representatives of local authorities and the regional water authorities and make known our views. I also issue circulars on general expenditure matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will issue a circular to all water authorities advising them to make available at all their public premises a supply of the official pamphlets summarising the services of the local government ombudsman.

I understand that the official pamphlets are available at all the regional water authorities' public premises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial grants and loans are available to home owners for thermal insulation; and how these compare with those available in France, Holland and Sweden.

No grants are available generally for thermal insulation, although my right hon. Friend will give sympathetic consideration to requests by local authorities to allow improvement grant for roof insulation where elderly or disabled owners would have difficulty in meeting the cost. Local authority powers to make loans for improving dwellings can cover the provision of thermal insulation. Various grants, loans, or tax incentives are available in the continental countries referred to in the Question, but I believe that the resources made available by Her Majesty's Government for the improvement of houses are better deployed at present in tackling the basic defects of substandard homes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of conservation area advisory committees notified to him as having been set up by 1st April 1975 in accordance with paragraph 50 of Circular 147/74; and if he will make a statement.

Not all authorities have yet supplied the information required in Circular 147/74 but my right hon. Friend has been notified of 103 conservation area advisory committees. It would be inappropriate in present circumstances to urge local authorities to take action which would involve extra expenditure, even though this would be marginal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many properties his Department has acquired in Greater London; how many are currently empty; and how many are let to housing associations and local councils.

The Department has acquired 1,788 residential properties in Greater London for highway and other development purposes. 76 of these are currently unlet. One is let to a housing association and 618 to local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made on the redrafting of the Highway Code; and when he expects the final version to be published.

Comments are still being received. I will prepare a final version, taking account of all the views expressed, when the Green Paper has been debated in Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average rate increase for domestic ratepayers between the financial years 1974–75 and 1975–76.

For England and Wales, I estimate that the average increase in the domestic rate levied for local authority services in 1975–76 over the rate levied in 1974–75 is 23 per cent. If we take into account last year's special domestic rate relief scheme the increase in the average amount paid by domestic ratepayers is 34 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce legislation to transfer the assets of new town corporations and the New Towns Commission to the local authorities responsible in each case.

I am considering the comments which have been made on the Consultation Document "New Towns in England and Wales", and the Report of the Working Party on the Transfer of Rented Housing in New Towns; and I will make a statement in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce plans to bring empty properties into the available housing stock.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction's reply on 25th February to my hon. Friend the Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South (Mrs. Jeger)—[Vol. 887, c. 69–70.] We shall shortly be consulting the organisations concerned on a range of measures concerned with improving the use of the existing housing stock.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many meetings of the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance have been held.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave the hon. Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider arranging meetings with the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians and other professional bodies connected with the building and construction industry to discuss policy and programmes essential to the building of houses and homes.

I am always ready to consider requests for such discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why water authorities are being encouraged in departmental circulars to transfer to direct billing.

The water authority chairmen have recently impressed on me the substantial financial and operational advantages of direct billing, but I am seeking the views of the local authority associations before issuing any guidance on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Mr. Maurice Ash, Chairman of the Town and Country Planning Association, in respect of the Community Land Bill; and what reply he has sent.

I have received no formal representations from Mr. Ash personally. But I have discussed with representatives of the Town and Country Planning Association, including Mr. Ash, a memorandum submitted by the association.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's policy regarding the transfer to local authorities of Greater London Council housing estates situate outside Greater London.

It is important that the Greater London Council should have under its control sufficient housing stock, including estates outside London, to fulfill its rôle as strategic housing authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in the consideration of possible improvements to the control system for motor rally routes; and if he will make a statement.

The Motor Rallies Advisory Committee is considering a number of proposals to this end. My Department hopes to have its report in the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the net expenditure of local authorities on homes for the elderly, welfare homes and sheltered housing schemes in England and Wales, respectively, in each of the last five available years; and if he will also express these sums in terms of per capita expenditure for people aged 65 years and over in the respective countries.

The expenditure of local authorities on homes for the elderly and welfare homes is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. I regret that it is not possible to give figures for expenditure by local authorities on sheltered housing schemes in England and Wales.In tenders accepted by local authorities the number of dwellings specially designed for old people which will have the services of a warden is as follows per 1,000 people aged 65 and over:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of the trials of the prototype electropneumatic suburban passenger train.

These are proceeding satisfactorily. Design modifications to reflect passenger comments will include more seating, improved seat design, and more hand holds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total sum of money which has so far been approved for loan sanction for the purchase of existing and new dwellings, respectively, by local authorities under Circular 70/74; and what is the total number of dwellings in each case.

We estimate that English and Welsh local authorities spent some £180 million in 1974–75 on the acquisition of some 23,000 existing dwellings for continued housing use. Final details are not yet available.As regards new dwellings, approval was given for the purchase of about 13,100 dwellings at an estimated cost of about £132 million between 1st April 1974 and 15th May 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has now completed his study of the report of the Standing Conference on London and South-East Regional Planning regarding green belt land; if he will now publish it; and for what date his next meeting with the chairman has been arranged.

The Standing Conference has completed the exercise. A formal report is unnecessary and no further meeting has been arranged. It will now be for the local planning authorities to publish the location of the sites. I have written today to the Chairman of the Standing Conference in the folowing terms:

"We met in January to review progress on the exercise to identify 2,000 acres of land in the Green Belt which might be released for housing without damage to basic Green Belt policies. You told me that your member authorities had identified approximately 950 acres for this purpose and that the balance was accounted for by land released co appeal since the exercise began and other land which you considered might ultimately have to be released as a consequence of the appeal decisions. I felt that more time was needed to consider the outcome of the exercise before any details were publshed. I would now be very happy for the local planning authorities concerned to identify the 950 acres and to enter into whatever public consultations about them they consider desirable.

"Following our meeting, an opportunity of reaffirming the Government's commitment to the Green Belt arose in my reply to Michael Latham's Parliamentary Question on 31st January. I said then that there would be firm Government support for local planning authorites' resistance to development involving unacceptable encroachment on the Green Belt, bearing in mind that it was the Secretary of State's statutory duty to consider all planning appeals on their merits. This is still the Government's position.

"Finally, I would like to thank you and the local authorities concerned for their co-operation in carrying out this exercise."

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the £500 million loaned by the Government to building societies has so far been repaid.

£490 million of the £500 million loaned to the building societies has now been repaid.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department will publish details of the survey of staff levels in local authorities; and if he will publish them in such a form that it is possible to compare for each local authority in England and Wales the costs of salaries, and numbers of staff, in each grade and department per head of local population served.

I have already indicated, in reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North (Mr. Howell) on 7th May 1975—[Vol. 891, c. 445]—that figures will be published as soon as possible. The Department's Circular No. 30/75, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member, makes it clear, however, that the watch on staff numbers will focus at national level upon changes in the total work force and in the main components of that total.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what efforts were made by his Department to secure the sale of Nimrod aircraft to the Government of Australia; and why they failed.

Every effort was made by my Department and the firm concerned to secure this sale. Only the Australian Government could say why our efforts failed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether and when he gave permission for the use of Wethersfield air base by five United States U-2 planes; what is the purpose of their presence there; whether he will ask for their withdrawal, particularly in view of the possible effect on the international peace and arms reduction conference this summer; and if he will make a statement.

The use of RAF Wethersfield for this purpose was approved earlier this year. The aircraft in question are engaged in a three months' operational trial over allied countries of a precision high altitude navigation system. They are not taking photographs and they are not armed. In these circumstances we have no intention of asking for their withdrawal in advance of the termination of the trial.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the approximate cost of each of the two new cruisers, including the cost of their complements of aircraft.

It is not the practice to give such information.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many aviation and defence staff personnel will lose their jobs at RAF St. Mawgan as a result of the deployment proposals in the Defence Estimates.

As publicly announced at RAF St. Mawgan on 6th June, the station will not now be affected by the Royal Air Force redeployments directly arising from the proposals put forward in Defence Estimates. As a separate economy measure, however, the aircraft establishment of No. 7 Canberra Squadron at RAF St. Mawgan is to be reduced in early 1976 by up to a third. In consequence the aircraft servicing task, which is carried out at the station by a civilian firm under contract, will also be reduced. The effect on the labour force will be a matter for the contractor to decide.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his most recent meetings with representatives of the Scottish fishing industry.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for agriculture and fisheries met

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints he has received about the new sheriff court boundaries in Scotland.

I have received 10 complaints concerning the boundaries of four sheriff court districts, two of which involved court closures.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent private woodland planting has slowed down since the Budget.

Information about the amount of private woodland planting is collected only for complete years, and no estimate can be given of the level of activity by private woodland owners during the last few months, but since most of the annual planting programme in Scotland is normally completed by March it is unlikely that many trees will have been planted since the Budget.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, of the 400 paid public appointments within his gift at an annual cost of £500,000, how many were created in each of the last five years and at what additional cost in respect of each year.

The number of new paid appointments created and the total cost of these appointments in each of the last five years is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to encourage greater provision of housing suitable for occupation by physically handicapped people.

A circular was Issued on 29th May to housing and social work authorities providing general guidance on ways of effectively meeting the special housing needs of physically handicapped people and urging local authorities to give greater priority to these needs in allocating their housing resources. The contents of the circular will also be drawn to the attention of housing associations, the new town development corporations, the Scottish Special Housing Association and regional and district health boards. The circular recommends that housing for physically handicapped people should be integrated with general needs housing and provides other guidance on the considerations which housing authorities should take into account in determining locations for such housing. Comprehensive design standards for housing for physically handicapped people will be issued as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment has been made of the likely danger to bees derived from the expansion of the bean and oilseed rape crops with the consequential use of sprays; and what advice is being offered to minimise such danger.

Statistics so far available do not show whether the number of incidents involving damage to bees has increased with the acreage under field beans and oilseed rape, but my right hon. Friend accepts that the risks from spraying must be greater where more of these crops—which are so attractive to bees—are grown. These risks can best be countered by care on the part of farmers and contractors and by their co-operation with local beekeepers. The Ministry, in co-operation with the pesticides industry, has accordingly stepped up its efforts to provide detailed advice to all concerned, and particularly that they should wherever possible select for use those insecticides and formulations which are less toxic to bees, avoid spraying at flowering stage and spray in the early morning or late evening, and maintain liaison with beekeepers to let them know of their spraying plan in good time.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has completed his review of the health risks associated with the importation of psittacines and other birds; and if he will make a statement.

I have reviewed this matter and take the views of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. While controls are not considered justified on human health grounds alone, a review of the disease risks to poultry posed by unrestricted imports of psittacines and other captive birds gives cause for concern. I am therefore considering the form and timing of appropriate import controls and I shall be consulting the trade and other interests.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the report of the committee of inquiry into the veterinary profession is expected.

We have now received this report. It will be published and laid before Parliament in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are now in the control unit at Wakefield Gaol; and on which dates they were placed there.

Three; 22nd May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will suspend his current practice with regard to television licences bought at the old rate by persons already in possession of a licence until the completion of the investigation of this matter by the Parliamentary Commissioner.

No. The Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 provides that an investigation by the Commissioner shall not affect any action taken by the Department concerned, or any power or duty of that Department to take further action with respect to any matters subject to the investigation. I shall, of course, give most careful consideration to the Commissioner's report of the results of his investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total sum of money which has so far been approved for loan sanction for the purchase of existing and new dwellings, respectively, by local authorities under Circular 111/74; and what is the total number of dwellings in each case.

Returns so far received from authorities in Wales indicate a total committed expenditure of £384,804 under the general consent contained in Circular 111/74 for specified categories. I have approved the issue of loan sanction in the total sum of £285,432 for the acquisition of existing dwellings falling outside the categories and of £7,641,225 for new dwellings. The number of dwellings involved is 109. 33 and 842 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of cases dealt with by conciliation officers after claims have been made for compensation for unfair dismissal have been withdrawn through the efforts of the conciliation officer; in how many and what percentage of such cases the claimant obtained no compensation; and in how many and in what percentage of such cases the claimant obtained compensation between £1 and £100, £101 and £200, £201 and £500, £501 and £1,000, £1,001 and £2,000, £2,001 and £3,000, £3,001 and £4,000, £4,001 and £5,200, in each of the six-month periods since the commencement of the right to claim compensation for unfair dismissal.

The latest figures available on the outcomes of complaints of unfair dismissal which are resolved during conciliation relate to the period from 28th February 1972 to 27th December 1974. These figures are analysed in the following tables:—See Tables on columns

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of claims for compensation for unfair dismissal which have been heard by industrial tribunals since the commencement of the right to claim compensation for unfair dismissal have resulted in success for the applicant; in how many and what percentage of such cases a recommendation was made for reinstatement and in how many and what percentage of cases in which such recommendation was made it was complied with; and in how many and what percentage of cases in which the claimant was successful he was awarded between £1 and £100, £101 and £200, £201 and £500, £501 and £1,000, £1,001 and £2,000, £2,001 and £3,000, £3,001 and £4,000, £4,001 and £5,200 in each of the six-month periods since the commencement of the right to claim compensation for unfair dismissal.

The latest figures available on the outcomes of tribunal hearings of complaints of unfair dismissal relate to the period from 28th February 1972 to 27th December 1974. These figures are analysed in the following tables. No information is readily available on the extent of compliance with recommendations of reinstatement or re-engagement.See Tables on columns

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of people unemployed in the Thanet area at 31st May 1975; what percentage this is of the total work force; and what E re the comparable figures for this period last year.

At 12th May, 2,123 people were unemployed in the area covered by the Margate, Ramsgate and Sandwich Employment Offices and the rate of unemployment was 4·7 per cent. The corresponding figures for 13th May 1974 were 1,446 and 3·2 per cent. respectively. Rates of unemployment are calculated by expressing the numbers unemployed as a percentage of the estimated total number of employees, including the unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been paid to those declared redundant under the Redundancy Payments Act 1965 in each of the last five years.

The following information relates to employees in respect of whom payments were made from the Redundancy Fund during the last five years:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases have been dealt with by the Conciliation and Arbitration Service since its inception; and how many of these were settled without an industrial stoppage.

I have been informed by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service that from its inception on 1st September 1974 to 31st May 1975 it has dealt with 1,732 requests for conciliation and arranged arbitration in 205 cases. I am advised that it is not prac- ticable at this stage to identity which of these cases were settled without stoppage of work.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how much additional money has been left with business firms since the doubling of the regional employment premium in the March Budget last year.

The doubling of regional employment premium from 5th August 1974 was announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 22nd July 1974. The overall amount of REP paid from 1st August 1974 to 31st March 1975 was £120·5 million. This total includes claims for periods prior to 5th August 1974 as REP is paid on a quarterly basis in arrear and employers may choose to claim for it at any time thereafter. Separate records of amounts paid at the doubled rates are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that his Department's retraining effort sufficiently takes into account the attitudes of redundant men to retraining; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that workers declared redundant are wherever possible interviewed before discharge and facilities for training as well as employment opportunities are discussed. The range of courses provided under the Training Opportunities Scheme at skillcentres, colleges of further education and in employers' establishments is now about 600 and is flexible enough to meet most needs. Every effort will be made to meet individual requirements in a redundancy situation. With the co-operation of employers, redundant workers can be accepted for training while still employed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of resource requirements, over and above those announced, which will be needed fully to transform the MSC into a body able to execute a comprehensive manpower policy.

I am still discussing with the commission the implications of the decision to expand its rôle in manpower policy. The commission has now appointed a Director of Manpower Intelligence and Planning who will be examining the question of what further resources the MSC may need for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he proposes to ask the Manpower Services Commission to formulate a work creation programme.

The commission is already undertaking detailed contingency planning for a work creation programme at its own initiative, with the knowledge of the Government but at this stage without Government commitment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he proposes to change the line of demarcation between his Department and the MSC in the areas of providing advice on regional economic and industrial development matters.

There is no rigid line of demarcation between my Department and the Manpower Services Commission on the provision of advice on regional economic and industrial development matters. We are at present discussing with the commission ways in which it can be fully involved in the development of manpower policy and in advice on the manpower aspects of wider policies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action is taken by job centres to ensure that jobs in wages council industries which the job centres advertise are not at rates below wages council minima.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that current instructions to all employment offices—which term includes job centres—stipulate that where a vacancy, in an industry in which a wages council operates, is notified the Wages Inspectorate is to be consulted if the wage offered is thought to be below the minimum required by wage regulation order.To enable staff to identify any such vacancies all employment offices are

furnished with copies of the Department of Employment publication "Time Rates of Wages and Hours of Work" which quotes wage rates determined by wage regulation order. This document is published annually and changes in wage rates are notified in the Department of Employment