asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider, when resources permit, the commissioning of works by contemporary British artists for those rooms at Chequers used for the reception of overseas visitors.

No. Private trustees retain the responsibility for furnishing Chequers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action has been taken in connection with the rubbish tip of chemical waste at Pitsea, Essex where a constituent of the hon. Member for Lambeth, Central was fatally poisoned.

Improved operating procedures have been worked out between the site operators, the waste disposal authority, and inspectors of the Health and Safety Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the current safety specifications imposed on coaches.

British safety regulations for coaches are as comprehensive as any in Europe; but new safety standards for buses and coaches are being evolved in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. The United Kingdom and France are sponsoring the formal adoption of the new standards and I am reviewing our existing regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he can give figures for the total production in railway workshops for the latest available 12-month period.

British Railways' workshops carried out construction, repair and maintenance work to the value of some £225 million in 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how far he has got in discussions with building societies on making extra funds available for the type of mortgages normally made by local authorities, but at the moment having to be restricted.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury and Radcliffe (Mr. White) on 30th June.—[Vol. 894, c. 290.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost of the total amount of all direct or indirect subsidies, including concessions to retirement pensioners, relating to all forms of transport.

The cost in 1974–75 was about £700 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost incurred during the course of the last three financial years in the provision of motor vehicles for Ministers, specifying in each year the make, number and cost of purchasing vehicles, the cost of their maintenance and the cost of employing drivers.

The total cost of provision by the Government car service of motor vehicles for Ministers in 1974–75 was some £500,000.I regret that comparable figures for the earlier years are not available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost, because of changes in the basis of accounting.The detailed information requested under the headings specified is as follows:

(1) VEHICLES PURCHASED DURING THE LAST THREE FINANCIAL YEARS
		Number	Cost
			£
1972–73—
Rover 3·5s	…	6	14,132
Wolseley 6s	…	4	4,754
		10	18,886
		Number	Cost
			£
1973–74—
Rover 3·5s	…	10	25,293
Wolseley 6s	…	20	31,225
		30	56,518
1974–75—
Wolseley 6s	…	16	33,755

(2) The overall maintenance costs (including fuel) for Ministers' cars were:
					£
1972–73	…	…	…	…	43,200
1973–74	…	…	…	…	51,600
1974–75	…	…	…	…	73,000

These figures include the cost of certain special modifications. The increases are partly attributable to the introduction of a more fully costed commercial type accounting covering commercial rental, full on-costs, interest on capital, etc; and partly to increases in prices, including the cost of fuel.

(3) The approximate costs of employing drivers
				£
1972–73	…	…	…	190,000
1973–74	…	…	…	230,000
1974–75	…	…	…	315,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many diesel multiple units are now operating on the railways system in Great Britain; how many of these are less than five years old; how many diesel multiple units operate in Scotland; and how many of these are less than five years old.

About 3,400 diesel multiple units, all of which are more than five years old, operate on the British Railways network. Just over 400 of these are currently allocated to the Scottish Region

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the level of investment on new railway passenger stock in Great Britain as a whole in the period of 1957 to 1974; and what proportion of the investment has been in Scotland.

Approximately £240 million. Any attempt to allocate this sum as between Scotland and the rest of the country would be impracticable because some passenger services cross the border and much passenger stock is transferred from one part of the system to another during its life to meet operational and other requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much additional capital has been invested in the railway system due to North Sea oil development.

North Sea oil development traffic has so far been accommodated on the existing railway system. British Rail is considering future needs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he can now say when he expects to publish his Department's report, prepared by the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, on high alumina cement.

The Building Regulations Advisory Committee will consider the findings of its special sub-committee on high alumina cement concrete at its meeting on 23rd July, and a further circular letter of advice will be issued as soon as possible afterwards. The subcommittee's report will be published as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average cost per square foot of hiring office accommodation in London, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen for the use of the Government.

The average rental cost per square foot of hiring office accommodation for the use of the Government in the locations referred to is: Central London, £9, Outer London, £5, Dundee, £3·25, Edinburgh, £3·50, Glasgow, £3·25 and Aberdeen, £4.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the revised allocations of improvement expenditure for the current financial year under Section 105 of the Housing Act 1974 for each of the London boroughs and the City of London.

Following is the information:The figures for London of revised allocations under Section 105 of the Housing Act 1974 are:

London Boroughs and Revised Total Allocation
			1975–76
			£ million
Barking	…	…	0·45
Barnet	…	…	1·45
Bexley	…	…	—
Brent	…	…	4·5
Bromley	…	…	1·65
Camden	…	…	11·7
Croydon	…	…	0·15
Ealing	…	…	0·65
Enfield	…	…	1·25
Greenwich	…	…	2·0
Hackney	…	…	2·8
Hammersmith	…	…	2·0
Haringey	…	…	2·7
Harrow	…	…	0·5
Havering	…	…	0·515
Hillingdon	…	…	3·45
Hounslow	…	…	0·375
Islington	…	…	10·2
Kensington & Chelsea	…	…	1·5
Kingston	…	…	0·59
Lambeth	…	…	5·6
Lewisham	…	…	3·7
Merton	…	…	0·95
Newham	…	…	2·1
Redbridge	…	…	0·09
Richmond	…	…	0·815
Southwark	…	…	10·7
Sutton	…	…	0·28
Tower Hamlets	…	…	0·9
Waltham Forest	…	…	0·525
Wandsworth	…	…	4·25
Westminster	…	…	2·3
Total for Boroughs	…	…	80·64
GLC	…	…	15·5
City of London	…	…	0·05
Total for London	…	…	96·19

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he estimates the Blythe Bridge bypass on the A50 in Staffordshire will be open to traffic.

In October.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's policy with regard to the future expansion of container ports in Scotland.

The individual harbour authorities are responsible for initiating proposals for development of their facilities which may require authorisation by my right hon. Friend after consulting the National Ports Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement about labour-only subcontracting.

Since my right hon. Friend's announcement on 15th January of the Government's intention to introduce a measure on the lines of the Construction Industry Contracts Bill 1970 as soon as possible, further detailed study has revealed that the scheme would involve very substantial overlap with the revised Inland Revenue tax deduction scheme set out in the Finance (No. 2) Bill now before this House. I do not therefore propose to bring forward further separate legislation for the time being. Instead, we shall concentrate our attack on the abuses of the "lump" through the Finance Bill measures which are due to come into operation early next summer. Accordingly, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill to add the possession of adequate public liability insurance to the other conditions for obtaining a sub-contractor's tax certificate. The question of introducing a levy will be considered after a year's experience of the working of the revised Inland Revenue scheme. I judge that in addition to recovering tax and national insurance which would otherwise be lost, the more stringent conditions to be imposed on holders of Inland Revenue subcontractors' tax certificates, together with the increase in the deduction rate to 35 per cent. from September, will, in the present state of the industry, have the effect of substantially reducing the number of those operating on the "lump". At the same time, I am anxious that the Government should have the benefit of regular advice from the industry about the effect of Government measures on the lump and about other measures which would increase stability of employment in the industry. I am, therefore, intending to establish in the very near future an advisory Construction Industry Manpower Board with appropriate terms of reference and composed of representatives of both sides of the industry together with an independent chairman.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost to the road haulage industry of complying with EEC regulations on lorry drivers' hours which come into effect from 1st January next year; how these costs will be assessed for price increases in the Government's counter-inflationary programme; what is their expected impact upon lorry drivers' earnings; what representations he has received advocating a deferment of these regulations; and if he will make a statement.

I am considering these matters and hope to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will initiate a study to see how rail and bus services can better co-ordinate their timetables in order to provide a more efficient service at no additional cost.

Local authorities, the Railways Board and bus operators are already required, under the Transport Act 1968 and the Local Government Act 1972, to secure co-ordination of services whenever possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the Cairncross Report on the Channel Tunnel.

The report is now being printed and I hope to make an announcement about publication very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is proposed to make the road surface on Lindale Hill (A590) safe for heavy goods vehicles in wet weather.

Tests during May showed that the skid resistance of the surface was acceptable; but there was risk of deterioration in a long spell of hot weather. The surface is therefore being renewed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department is sponsoring any research on the effect of the excessive use of calcium chloride as a setting agent for cement.

Research carried out at the Building Research Station and elsewhere has already established the corrosion risks associated with the excessive or improper use of calcium chloride in concrete with embedded steel reinforcement.The use of calciunm chloride in reinforced concrete is currently being reviewed by the appropriate Code of Practice Committee of the British Standards Institution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is his intention to give specific guidance to individual building societies about widening their status requirements so as to accommodate the £100 million switch in lending from local authorities to the societies; what guarantees he intends to provide for the societies if they do widen their status requirements; and whether he will confirm that he has no powers to require any building society to lend to any individual or classes of individual.

As I made clear in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea, South (Mr. Perry) on 9th June—[Vol. 893, c. 39]—building societies' help will be within their normal lending terms. Status requirements are for the building societies, and I have no powers of direction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his regional offices are discussing prob- lems of local authority mortgage lending with individual building societies and local authorities in their area, or through collective discussions with representatives of both bodies; and what time limit he has set for the completion of this exercise.

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given on Monday 9th June 1975 and Monday 30th June 1975 to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea, South (Mr. Perry) and my hon. Friend the Member for Bury and Radcliffe (Mr. White)—[Vol. 893, c. 39; Vol. 894, c. 290].

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the meeting of the Minister of Housing and Construction with representatives of the Royal Institute of British Architects on 30th June; and what assurances were given by the Minister regarding overseas work for architects and an increase in industrial building.

Together with my hon. Friends the Minister of State, Scottish Office, and the Under-Secretary of State for Wales, I met on 30th June the Presidents of the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, and the Society of Architects in Wales to discuss current problems facing the profession. The questions of overseas work and industrial building were included in our discussion. On the latter I undertook to consider, in conjunction with my colleagues in the Department of Industry, the suggestion made by the profession that industrialists could give earlier attention to their building requirements. On the former, I hope it will be possible to make a statement before the recess about proposals to supplement existing arrangements for further United Kingdom construction exports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many persons in each of the last three years have applied to have drunken driving convictions removed from their licences; and what is his policy towards increasing public awareness of this right.

I regret that the details are not readily available. Endorsements for the principal drinking and driving offences remain on licences for 10 years, but disqualifications for more than two years may be removed from the licence, on application to the court, after a minimum period which depends on the length of the order. I will consider whether at a suitable opportunity advice can be published on applying for removal of disqualifications.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now direct water authorities not to increase the burden on householders by recruiting extra staff to introduce direct billing of consumers; and how the measures announced by the Prime Minister on Friday 11th July apply to water authorities.

No. The water authority chairmen have recently impressed on me the substantial financial and operational advantages of direct billing. I am seeking the views of the local authority associations before deciding what advice I might issue on this subject. The Government's measures for dealing with inflation apply to the water authorities in the same way as to the nationalised industries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set up an interdepartmental committee of inquiry to report publicly into the extent and practice whereby certain public bodies and local authorities are not able to carry certain moneys from one financial year to the next, thereby encouraging them to spend the money at the end of the year irrespective of need; and if he will estimate the amount of money involved.

No. I see no need to set up a committee to re-examine the general rule that money voted by Parliament and unspent at the close of a financial year must be surrendered. If the hon. Member has in mind any specific public bodies, or particular types of expenditure by local authorities, and will let me know, these can be considered. Information is not available on which it would be possible to base any worthwhile estimate of the kind asked for in the last part of the Question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are employed in his Department; what is the total cost of running the Department for the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will itemise the main constituent costs.

1,095 civil servants were employed in the Treasury at 1st April 1975. The estimates of staff salaries, etc., for 1975–76 published in Supply Estimates 1975–76 total £4,911,550, net of Appropriations in Aid, made up as follows:

	£
Salaries and Wages	4,467,050
General Expenses	591,000
	5,058,050
Less Appropriations in Aid	146,000
Net Estimates Cost for 1975–76	4,911,550

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why there are different rates of VAT for burglar alarm equipment suitable for use in banks and for those suitable for domestic use.

Under Group 1 of Schedule 7 to the Finance (No. 2) Bill, the 25 per cent. rate of VAT applies only to goods "of a kind suitable for domestic use". Specialised systems for use in banks and other premises with high security risks are not generally regarded as being so suitable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement to clarify the varying rates of VAT on burglar alarm systems, parts, repairs, rentals and installation costs.

Burglar alarm systems of a kind suitable for domestic use are chargeable at the 25 per cent. higher rate of VAT. Systems which are not suitable for domestic use continue to be chargeable at the 8 per cent. standard rate. However, since the zero rate takes precedence over both positive rates, the first-time installation of a burglar alarm system as a fixture in the course of the construction or alteration of a building continues normally to be zero-rated under Group 8 of Schedule 4 to the Finance Act 1972.Parts of burlar alarms are chargeable at the 25 per cent. rate, unless they are suitable for use only with those burglar alarm systems which are themselves not suitable for domestic use, or are parts of general use which are excluded from the 25 per cent. rate. Repairs of burglar alarm equipment are chargeable at the 25 per cent. rate if the system is of a kind suitable for domestic use. Repairs of other systems are chargeable at 8 per cent.Rentals of burglar alarm systems are chargeable at the appropriate positive rate, depending on whether or not the system is of a kind suitable for domestic use. However a first-year rental charge which is paid on the occasion of the first time installation of a system is regarded as zero-rated as part of the installation charge.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is meant by burglar alarm equipment "suitable for domestic use"; and whether such systems may be used in commercial and industrial premises.

Burglar alarm systems are regarded as suitable for domestic use if they are of a kind installed in private houses or similar premises. Systems which are suitable for domestic use attract the 25 per cent. rate when installed in commercial or industrial premises, but input tax on supplies of goods or services to a taxable person for the purpose of his business is deductible subject to the normal VAT rules.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rate of VAT is payable on the purchase of burglar alarm parts (a) direct from a manufacturer and (b) from a retail outlet.

Generally 25 per cent. in either case. However, the 8 per cent. standard rate continues to apply to any parts suitable for use only with specialised burglar alarm systems which are themselves not suitable for domestic use.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the rate of VAT on annual rental charges for burglar alarm installations.

Rentals of burglar alarm systems are chargeable at the appropriate positive rate, depending on whether or not the system is of a kind suitable for domestic use. However, any first-year rental charge which is paid on the occasion of the first-time installation of a burglar alarm system as a fixture in the course of the construction or alteration of a building continues normally to be zero rated under Group 8 of Schedule 4 to the Finance Act 1972.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rate of VAT applies to the parts used in extending a burglar alarm system, irrespective of where the system is installed.

Most parts of burglar alarm systems are chargeable at 25 per cent. However, the 8 per cent. standard rate continues to apply to any parts suitable for use only with specialised burglar alarm systems which are themselves not suitable for domestic use, and—if they are used to extend such specialised systems—to any parts of general use which are excluded from the 25 per cent. rate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the VAT zero rate applies to professionally installed burglar alarm systems.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 14th July 1975; Vol. 895, c. 348–9.], gave the following information:Yes, the first-time installation of a burglar alarm system as a fixture in the course of the construction or alteration of a building is normally zero rated under Group 8 of Schedule 4 to the Finance Act 1972.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he decided to impose the 25 per cent. VAT rating on service charges and repairs to existing burglar alarm systems and to zero rate the first year's service charge on new installations.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 14th July 1975; Vol. 895, c. 349.], gave the following information:In deciding the coverage of the 25 per cent. rate of VAT my right hon. Friend tried as far as possible to impose the extra burden on those best able to bear it. It was, however, necessary to apply the 25 per cent. rate to some goods used in many homes, including all but the most basic domestic electrical equipment, and to the servicing and repair of goods which are themselves chargeable at 25 per cent.However, since the zero rate takes precedence over the positive rates of VAT, any first year rental charge which is paid on the occasion of the first-time installation of a burglar alarm system as a fixture in the course of the construction or alteration of a building continues normally to be zero-rated under Group 8 of Schedule 4 to the Finance Act 1972.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the rate of VAT for repairs to burglar alarm systems.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 14th July 1975; Vol. 895, c. 349.], gave the following information:Twenty-five per cent. if the system is of a kind suitable for domestic use, 8 per cent. in other cases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he considered it appropriate that varying rates of VAT should be applied to burglar alarms.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 14th July 1975, Vol. 895, c. 349], gave the following information:Under Group 1 of Schedule 7 to the Finance (No. 2) Bill the 25 per cent. rate of VAT applies only to goods of a kind suitable for domestic use. Goods which are not so suitable remain chargable at the 8 per cent. standard rate. Moreover, since the zero rate takes precedence over the positive rates of VAT, the first-time installation of a burglar alarm system as a fixture in the course of the construction or alteration of a building continues normally to be zero-rated under Group 8 of Schedule 4 to the Finance Act 1972.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the ratio of the social wage to privately-fiananced consumption has been in each year since 1951.

Estimates on the definition of the social wage given to the hon. Member for Merioneth (Mr. Thomas) on 25th March are available only for recent years. However, the table below gives estimates on a broadly similar definition for 1953–1973. Comparable estimates are not available for 1951 and 1952, nor, yet, for 1974.

The social wage* as a proportion of privately financed consumption†
					per cent.
1953	…	…	…	…	35
1954	…	…	…	…	34
1955	…	…	…	…	33
1956	…	…	…	…	34
1957	…	…	…	…	34
1958	…	…	…	…	35
1959	…	…	…	…	36
1960	…	…	…	…	36
1961	…	…	…	…	38
1962	…	…	…	…	39
1963	…	…	…	…	40
1964	…	…	…	…	42
1965	…	…	…	…	45
1966	…	…	…	…	46
1967	…	…	…	…	51
1968	…	…	…	…	53
1969	…	…	…	…	53
1970	…	…	…	…	55
1971	…	…	…	…	55
1972	…	…	…	…	57
1973	…	…	…	…	59
* The social wage is estimated as the sum of public expenditure on social services, housing and environmental services, libraries, museums and arts, police, prisons, Parliament and Law Courts, and fire service, as shown in the National Income Blue Books (Table 51 of the 1974 issue).
† At factor cost: as defined in Public Expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 5879, page 168.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether residents of the United Kingdom are charged United Kingdom income tax on invalidity pensions paid to them by foreign countries and if he will make a statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the liability of United Kingdom residents to United Kingdom income tax in respect of social security benefits paid to them under the laws of foreign countries.

United Kingdom residents are normally liable to United Kingdom income tax in respect of social security payments made to them by foreign Governments. In practice however, for the tax year 1974–75 and subsequent years, the Inland Revenue will, with my approval, treat as exempt from United Kingdom income tax those payments made to United Kingdom residents by foreign Governments which correspond to those social security benefits for which exemption from income tax is provided under Section 219(1) of the Taxes Act. The practice will be published in due course by the Board of Inland Revenue as an extra-statutory concession.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the consequences the proposed development land tax will have for the work of charities; and whether he will make a statement.

I have received many representations that to subject charities to the proposed new tax would seriously affect their work in the community, and as hon. Members will know my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, together with my right hon. Friend the Minister for Planning and Local Government and myself met a delegation of church leaders on 23rd April.I have, in consultation with my colleagues, carefully considered all these representations and have come to the conclusion that it would be right to allow charities a relief from DLT, in addition to that which has already been announced. As my right hon. Friend the Minister for Planning and Local Government announced today I now propose that a charity shall not be liable to DLT on disposing of any interest in land which was held by it on 12th September 1974, the date of publication of the White Paper, "Land" (Cmnd. 5730). Disposals of interests in land acquired after 12th September 1974 will be liable to DLT.As already announced, a charity will not be liable to DLT on developing land for its own use. This exemption for development for a charity's own use will apply whether the interest in land was acquired before or after 12th September 1974. A charity will, however, be liable to DLT on disposing of land so developed —for example, by sale—if the interest in land was acquired after 12th September 1974.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce a Pensions (Increase) Bill at an early date so that pensioners are not affected by the Government's proposals to limit increases to 10 per cent. during the next 12 months.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 7th July 1975; Vol. 895, c. 61], gave the following information:The Government are considering the implications for public service pensions of the White Paper "The Attack on Inflation" (Cmnd. 6151). A statement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will specify the reasons why the Government are not prepared to raise the salary limit of £5,000 per annum above which refund of occupational pensions is prohibited; when this level was fixed; and what the limit would be to the latest convenient date if it had been raised to keep pace with inflation.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 14th July 1975; Vol. 895, c. 348.], gave the following information:I presume the hon. Gentleman's Question refers to refunds of pension contributions. The £5,000 limit to which he refers was fixed in 1970; on the basis of the change in the retail prices index since then an equivalent figure now would be about £8,000. It is Government policy to encourage the preservation of pension rights. In this context it would be inconsistent to relax the restraints on refunds of contributions for tax approval purposes at a time when those restraints are being strengthened through the Social Security Act 1973, one of the provisions of which, when fully effective, will bar refunds of contributions except in the case of certain young people and those with only short services.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the value of Government printing in 1973–74 and in 1974–75; and what sums were out-laid in Scotland in each year.

Expenditure on Government printing procured by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1973–74 and 1974–75 and the amounts expended for this purpose in Scotland are as follows:

			Total expenditure	Expenditure in Scotland
			£000	£000
1973–74	…	…	30,578	1,705
1974–75*	…	…	41,219	2,158
* Provisional.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what proportion of Government printing was carried out in Scotland, Wales and England in 1973–74 and 1974–75.

The proportion of Government printing procured by Her Majesty's Stationery Office which was carried out in Scotland, Wales and England was as follows:

			1973–74	1974–75
			Per cent.	Per cent.
Scotland	…	…	5·6	5·2
Wales	…	…	1·1	0·8
England	…	…	91·2	92·3

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many civil servants are employed in his Department on overseas development matters; what is the total cost of running that part of the Department for the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will itemise the main constituent costs.

2,282 civil servants were employed in the Ministry of Overseas Development, including its overseas divisions and its special units, at 1st April 1975.The estimates of staff salaries etc. for 1975–76 published in the Supply Estimates

1975–76 total £12,925,000—net of Appropriations in Aid—made up as follows:

	£
Salaries and Wages	8,863,700
Administrative Expenses	4,478,300
	13,342,000
Less Appropriations in Aid	417,000
Net Estimates Cost for 1975–76	12,925,000

asked the Lord President of the Council whether, when setting up his provisional review of forthcoming parliamentary procedures this autumn, he will ensure that it is able to consider, in the interests of efficiency and productivity, a reduction in the membership of the House of Commons by at least 20 per cent.

I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion, but I do not accept its implications.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will now arrange for an increase in the present allocation of 100 passes for research assistants allowed in the House of Commons, in view of the fact that 99 passes had been issued on 9th July.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to passes for the House of Commons Library.There is no limit to the number of passes for Members' research assistants wishing to use the Library services in Norman Shaw (North). So far as the main Library is concerned, only about 15 per cent. of those research assistants to whom passes have been issued regularly avail themselves of the facility. If there is evidence of any difficulty, I will certainly ask the Library Sub-Committee to look at the matter again.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how many civil servants are employed in her Department; what is the total cost of running the Department for the latest year for which figures are available; and if she will itemise the main constituent costs.

302 civil servants were employed on 1st April 1975. This figure does not include the staffs of the Metrication Board, the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, the Office of Fair Trading and the Price Commission.The estimates of staff salaries, etc., for 1975–76, published in the Supply Estimates 1975–76, total £1,597,600—net of appropriation in aid—made up as follows:

		£
Salaries and Wages	…	1,414,000
Travelling and Subsistence	…	69,600
Other General Expenses	…	152,000
		1,635,600
Less Appropriation in Aid	…	38,000
		1,597,600

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what are the terms of reference, and what will be the scope of operation, of the Price Commission inquiry into marketing margins and distribution of fish.

Details of the inquiry to be carried out by the Price Commission into prices and margins in the distribution of fish were announced on 16th April in reply to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, West (Mr. Johnson).

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what regulations have been made under the Unsolicited Goods and Services (Amendment) Act to deal with the abuses of false invoices for unordered entries in trade directories existent and non-existent; and what steps are being taken to ensure that the provisions of these are widely known.

The Unsolicited Goods and Services (Invoices etc.) Regulations 1975, which were laid before Par- liament on 9th May 1975, came into operation on 30th May. Publicity was given to them in the Press and on radio at that time, and some trade associations have also drawn their members' attention to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is her estimate of the effect on the general level of prices of household goods and manufactured foods of reintroducing retail price maintenance.

The reintroduction of resale price maintenance would result in many consumers having to pay more for a wide variety of goods and would cause a significant rise in the general level of prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether she has received the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the proposed merger between the NFU Development Trust Limited and FMC Limited; and whether she will make a statement.

Yes. My right hon. Friend received the report on 11th June, and it is being published today. The commission found that there was in existence a merger situation qualifying for investigation; and it has concluded that it may not be expected to operate against the public interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what Government training facilities exist for the disabled in Nottinghamshire; and how many training places are currently unfilled.

I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that the Training Services Agency makes use of the facilities provided by the Portland Residential Training College for the Disabled, Mansfield, to train disabled people. On 30th June, 32 places were unfilled out of a total of 134.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young persons in the mid-Northumberland local employment area, who have left school in the last 12 months, have not been placed in employment; what are the estimated opportunities for young persons leaving school at the mid-summer term 1975 in this area; and if he will make a statement.

The precise information is not readily available since statistics of unemployed school leavers do not define the date of leaving school. At the latest—June 1975—statistical count the number of school leavers registered as unemployed was 127. Of these it is estimated that about 50 were Easter 1975 leavers and most of the remainder early summer term leavers.The immediate indications for the employment prospects of summer leavers are not too promising but the process of settling them into employment normally extends over the period July to November. The careers service provided by local education authorities will give school leavers all possible help in finding employment.The Manpower Services Commission is also giving urgent consideration to possible ways of improving employment and training opportunities for young people and on 2nd July announced a scheme to assist school leavers, sandwich course students, and redundant apprentices. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has allocated £50 million to the commission for use over the next two years in developing employment and training programmes, including those designed to help young people.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the numbers of school leavers unemployed in each London borough.

The following table shows the number of unemployed school-leavers, aged under 18, registered at each careers office in Greater London on 9th June 1975.

Acton	…	23
Balham	…	53
Barbican	…	18
Barking	…	20
Barkingside	…	29
Barnet	…	23
Beckenham and Penge	…	37
Bexley	…	25
Brixton	…	105
Bromley	…	14
Camden Town	…	63
Carshalton	…	26
Catford	…	71
Central London	…	9
Chiswick	…	6
Clapham Junction	…	52
Croydon	…	73
Dagenham	…	80
Ealing	…	34
Edmonton	…	16
Elephant and Castle	…	118
Eltham	…	36
Enfield	…	35
Erith	…	19
Feltham	…	12
Friern Barnet	…	11
Fulham	…	46
Green ford	…	48
Hackney	…	133
Harold Hill	…	29
Harrow	…	30
Hayes	…	12
Hendon	…	10
Holloway	…	64
Hornchurch	…	21
Hornsey	…	48
Hounslow	…	6
Ilford	…	29
Kings Cross	…	4
Kingston-on-Thames	…	24
Lewisham Way	…	32
Merton	…	17
Mitcham	…	4
Newham East	…	55
Newham Central	…	85
Orpington	…	51
Paddington	…	42
Peckham	…	108
Poplar	…	68
Putney	…	16
Rainham	…	31
Richmond	…	16
Romford	…	34
Ruislip Northwood	…	5
Sidcup	…	18
Stepney	…	44
Sutton	…	13
Tottenham	…	137
Uxbridge	…	28
Vauxhall	…	37
Waltham Forest	…	37
Wembley	…	27
West Drayton	…	18
West London	…	69
Willesden	…	65
Woodford	…	15
Woolwich	…	97

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will review his decision to abolish the Industrial and Staff Canteens Wages Council; and if he will make a statement.

Having received objections in response to the published notice of intention to abolish this council, my right hon. Friend has established a commission of inquiry, to whom the draft abolition order and objections have been referred for inquiry and report. A decision on the council's future will be made after the commission's report is received.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a comprehensive list of Government-supported work creation schemes currently in operation or proposed; and if he will show against each the value of Government support.

The Government are considering proposals by the Manpower Services Commission for a work creation scheme, but are not committed to adopting such a scheme. Community Industry, which provides community work projects in 20 areas for young people, has been allocated £2£8 million in 1975–76 from central Government funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what delay in implementing the Employment Agencies Act 1973 is attributable to consultations with the Federation of Personnel Services and other bodies; and to what extent such delay is attributable to the amendment sought to the Act and embodied in the Employment Protection Bill.

Consultations on our original proposals for implementing the Act were prolonged since these involved full consideration of the TUC's representations for the abolition of private fee-charging employment agencies. The Government announced in January their decision to proceed with implementation of the Act, after it had been amended so so as to transfer the licensing authority responsibilities to the Secretary of State. We intend to bring the Act into operation as soon as practicable after the passage of the Employment Protection Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many years of production have been lost since the commencement of construction on the Inland Revenue office in Bootle; on what date the construction started and when same building will be ready for occupation; and if he will make a statement on the industrial relations on this site existing today.

I have been asked to reply.Construction on the Inland Revenue office in Bootle began on 30th December 1968 and the building is now scheduled to be ready for occupation by the end of 1977. To date, a total of 104 weeks' work has been lost, including a complete stoppage from December 1972 to August 1974, resulting from an unofficial industrial dispute.Regarding present industrial relations on the site, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment on Friday 11th July 1975.—[Vol. 895, c. 277.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of young persons, (a) male and (b) female, in Great Britain, Wales and Scotland and in each English region, entering employment in each year 1970 to 1974 in the following classes of employment, (i) apprenticeships or learnerships to skilled occupation, (ii) employment leading to recognised qualification, (iii) clerical employment, (iv) other employment with planned training, (v) other employment; and if he will express each figure as a percentage of the total entering employment for each nation/region.

Information about the total number of young people entering employment in any particular period is not available. Statistics of young people entering their first employment following completion of full-time education are collected and the figures for the years 1970–74 are as follows:

REGION: SOUTH EAST*
		Apprentice/Learnership				Professional				Clerical				Employment with planned training				Other employment				Total
		Col. 1		Col. 2		Col. 3		Col. 4		Col. 5		Col. 6		Col. 7		Col. 8		Col. 9		Col. 10		Col. 11	Col. 12
			% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.
Year		B	11	G	12	B	11	G	12	B	11	G	12	B	11	G	12	B	11	G	12	B	G
1970	…	26,280	35·7	5,149	7·8	988	1·3	841	1·3	7,946	10·8	31,564	47·6	15,425	21·0	8,767	13·2	22,978	31·2	19,986	30·1	73,617	66,307
1971	…	23,587	32·2	5,442	8·3	805	1·1	804	1·2	7,821	10·7	29,313	44·8	16,720	22·8	9,092	14·0	24,372	33·2	20,734	31·7	73,305	65,385
1972	…	24,593	31·6	5,918	8·9	825	1·1	619	0·9	8,178	10·5	29,136	43·6	18,652	23·9	9,877	14·8	25,639	32·9	21,235	31·8	77,887	66,785
1973	…	17,454	39·3	1,446	4·3	860	1·9	807	2·5	7,079	16·0	20,603	61·9	9,527	21·5	4,377	13·1	9,428	21·3	6,061	18·2	44,348	33,294
1974	…	28,303	34·4	4,404	6·3	806	1·0	716	1·0	8,115	9·9	34,002	48·5	20,001	24·4	10,614	15·1	24,819	30·3	20,384	29·1	82,044	70,120
* In 1974 the London and South Eastern and Eastern and Southern Departmental regions were merged to become South East region which comprises the East Anglia and South East Standard regions. For the purpose of making valid comparison between each year the figures quoted for the years 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973 are the combined totals for the former Eastern and Southern and London and South Eastern regions.

REGION: SOUTH WEST
		Apprentice/Learnership				Professional				Clerical				Employment with planned training				Other employment				Total
		Col. 1		Col. 2		Col. 3		Col. 4		Col. 5		Col. 6		Col. 7		Col. 8		Col. 9		Col. 10		Col. 11	Col. 12
			% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.		% of col.
Year		B	11	G	12	B	11	G	12	B	11	G	12	B	11	G	12	B	11	G	12	B	G
1970	…	5,945	37·2	1,124	7·5	166	1·1	278	1·9	877	5·5	4,925	33·1	3,296	20·6	2,595	17·5	5,691	35·6	5,944	40·0	15,975	14,866
1971	…	5,777	35·4	1,126	7·5	175	1·1	293	2·0	826	5·1	4,777	32·1	3,916	23·9	2,897	19·4	5,637	34·5	5,806	39·0	16,331	14,899
1972	…	6,033	34·0	1,229	7·8	270	1·5	342	2·1	894	5·0	4,888	30·9	4,487	25·3	3,064	19·4	6,061	34·2	6,310	39·8	17,745	15,833
1973	…	4,571	44·6	338	4·2	247	2·4	251	3·1	902	8·8	4,202	52·2	2,158	21·0	1,336	16·5	2,382	23·2	1,930	24·0	10,260	8,057
1974	…	7,790	39·4	1,234	7·1	315	1·6	311	1·8	908	4·6	5,685	32·5	4,629	23·5	3,695	21·1	6,094	30·9	6,557	37·5	19,736	17,482