asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take in respect of those people who paid £18 for a colour television licence after unsuccessfully applying for one at £12 before 1st April 1975.

As I announced on 29th December 1975, I have decided, following the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the case of Congreve versus the Home Office, to consider claims for payment from people who applied for a colour television licence for £12 before 1st April 1975, were unsuccessful because they then already held a current valid licence, and subsequently paid £18 for a licence.Those who wish to be considered for such a payment are asked to write by 31st January 1976 to Department Z, National Television Licence Records Office, Barton House, Bond Street, Bristol BS1 3NJ. They will then be told what information is needed to support their applications.Where a claim is accepted, the payment made will be equivalent to the amount the claimant would have gained had his original application for a licence been successful, namely £4·50 where the previous licence expired at the end of March 1975, £3 where it expired at the end of April 1975 and £1·50 where it expired at the end of May 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue guidance to the police about enforcing the Sex Discrimination Act.

We have issued guidance on the implications of the Sex Discrimination Act for the organisation and administration of police forces and related matters. Enforcement of the Act is not a matter for the police; responsibility lies with individual complainants and the Equal Opportunities Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a one-year moratorium on any further immigration for permanent settlement into the United Kingdom from any country, pending further clarification of the reliability of current official statistics on the number of immigrants at present arriving in Great Britain.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now in a position to announce the name of the person whom he intends to appoint to the remaining vacancy on the Equal Opportunities Commission.

Yes. Mr. Philip Jones, Manager of the Social Affairs Legal Policy Department of the Confederation of British Industry, has agreed to serve as a part-time member of the Equal Opportunities Commission.

asked the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the CBI.

asked the Prime Minister when he next proposes to meet the TUC and CBI.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to meet the TUC and CBI.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the leaders of the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the TUC and CBI.

asked Minister what further plans meeting the TUC and CBI.

asked the Prime Minister when he will next be meeting the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he proposes next to meet the TUC and CBI.

I refer hon. Members and my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on 25th November.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to take the chair at the National Economic Development Council.

asked the Prime Minister if he will take the chair at the next meeting of the NEDC.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Westhoughton (Mr. Stott) on 25th November.

asked the Prime Minister what meetings he had with the TUC and the CBI during the parliamentary recess; and if he will make a statement.

None. But, as the House knows, I am in frequent touch with the CBI and with the leaders of the TUC, whom I last met on 19th December, at NEDC and on other occasions. Meetings are arranged as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he intends to relax the rules governing access to public records in Northern Ireland, to bring them into line with those applying elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

Yes. I have decided that in general public records in Northern Ireland should be open to the public after 30 years, instead of 50 years as at present. The change can be made by administrative action, without amending legislation.Records relating to the Northern Ireland Cabinet and Northern Ireland Government Departments up to the end of 1945 which have been catalogued by the Public Record Office were released on 1st January 1976. Thereafter, year by year, further records will be made public.As is the case elsewhere in the United Kingdom, certain records will remain closed for extended periods. In deciding which documents warrant this special treatment I shall bear in mind experience elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Restrictions will be kept to the minimum consistent with protecting the security and revenue of the State, the privacy of the individual, and undertakings of confidentiality given by Departments. Documents may be released in advance of the normal period, if there are good reasons.In the first instance the 30-year rule will apply only to the records relating to the Northern Ireland Cabinet and Government Departments, but it is intended, after consultation with the appropriate authorities, to extend the new arrangements to records deposited by the courts, local authorities and statutory bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, in view of the recent reproscription of the Ulster Volunteer Force, he will now pay compensation for damage caused by that organisation in the period from 23rd May 1974 to 4th October 1975.

During this period the UVF was not an unlawful association within the meaning of the Criminal Injuries to Property (Compensation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 and compensation has, therefore, not been payable in all cases for damage caused by its members. I have now decided that an exgratia payment should be made where the Chief Constable can confirm that had the UVF been proscribed he would have issued a certificate under the Act of 1971 and where I am satisfied that the other

SELECTION PROCEDURE—RESULTS, BY EDUCATION AREA, 1970–75
	1970		1971		1972		1973
County Area	Number of Entrants	Percentage Qualified	Number of Entrants	Percentage Qualified	Number of Entrants	Percentage Qualified	Number of Entrants	Percentage Qualified
Antrim	6,395	21·75	6,602	23·78	6,992	25·59	7,041	25·32
Armagh	2,130	17·90	2,133	19·60	1,719	23·50	1,579	22·67
Down	5,028	25·10	5,147	25·80	5,224	25·90	5,096	26·73
Fermanagh	991	25·10	985	22·50	968	24·20	923	23·73
Londonderry	2,474	24·10	2,567	24·85	2,688	26·97	2,729	25·98
Tyrone	2,946	25·80	2,971	25·20	2,964	23·92	2,977	25·97
Belfast County Borough	6,106	21·30	6,051	22·40	5,872	19·98	5,565	20·45
Londonderry County Borough	1,353	23·90	1,374	21·60	1,334	24·66	1,266	26·15
Northern Ireland	27,423	22·85	27,830	23·65	27,761	24·20	27,176	24·55

		1974		1975
Area Board		Number of Entrants	Percentage Qualified	Number of Entrants	Percentage Qualified
Belfast	…	6,623	23·25	6,646	22·52
Western	…	5,119	25·77	5,168	29·72
North-Eastern	…	6,027	27·73	6,118	25·79
South-Eastern	…	4,785	25·12	5,113	23·33
Southern	…	4,371	25·49	4,399	26·85
Northern Ireland	…	26,925	25·46	27,444	25·45

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of persons killed and injured, the number of explosions, the number of shooting incidents in which the security forces were involved, the amount of explosives, ammunition, shotguns, rifles, sub-machine guns, heavy and medium machine guns, handguns, mortars, and mortar shells, rocket projectors, and qualifying conditions under that Act would be met.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a list of the voluntary primary and controlled primary schools situated in Armagh City, Londonderry City, Bangor and Larne, respectively, showing the total pupils enrolled per school in each year between 1970 and 1975, the number of pupils entered for the 11-plus examination and the percentage of passes achieved in each school each year.

The selection procedure results for individual schools are not made public. However, the information in respect of the number of entrants and percentages of qualifiers in each education authority area is as follows:rockets recovered by the security forces since 5th October 1968 to 31st December 1975, with subtotals in each category at the beginning of internment, the suspension of the Stormont Parliament, the first general election of 1974, the beginning of the IRA ceasefire, and 31st December 1975, and the totals for the entire period.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 12th January 1976], gave the following information:Table I shows the number of persons killed and the number of explosions from 5th October 1968 to 31st December 1975, with cumulative subtotals as at the beginning of internment (9th August 1971), the suspension of Stormont Parliament (24th March 1972), the general election of 28th February 1974, and the beginning of the PIRA ceasefire on 10th February 1975.Figures are not readily available in this form for the other items.

TABLE I
				Persons Killed
Cumulative figures from 5th October 1968 to		RUC	RUC 'R'	Army	UDR	Civilians	Total	Explosions
9th August 1971	…	5	—	11	—	51	67	459
24th March 1972	…	21	1	55	11	202	290	1,566
28th February 1974	…	38	8	207	41	667	961	3,838
10th February 1975	…	51	9	234	46	818	1,158	4,410
31st December 1975	…	57	13	246	53	1,021	1,390	4,717

TABLE II
					Recovered in Finds
Cumulative figures from 1st January 1970 to			Shooting incidents involving Security Forces	Explosives (lb)	Ammunition (rounds)	Shotguns	Rifles	Handguns†
31st July 1971	…	…	238	2,653	79,850	91	199	260
31st March 1972	…	…	2,678	6,262	249,647	221	471	570
28th February 1974	…	…	12,900	90,344	606,432	529	1,588	1,591
31st January 1975	…	…	14,533	110,417	720,326	634	1,967	2,075
31st December 1975	…	…	15,049	121,136	792,654	765	2,185	2,481

							Recovered in Finds
Cumulative figures from 1st January 1970 to					Machine-guns*	Mortars	Rocket Launchers	Mortar Shells	Rockets
31st July 1971	…	…	…	…	15	—	—	2	—
31st March 1972	…	…	…	…	55	—	1	2	12
28th February 1974	…	…	…	…	154	278	11	119	34
31st January 1975	…	…	…	…	195	297	15	292	42
31st December 1975	…	…	…	…	234	302	15	297	42
* A breakdown of this figure into sub-machine-guns, heavy and medium machine-guns is not available.
† Pistols and revolvers.

TABLE III
PERSONS INJURED AND WOUNDED IN NORTHERN IRELAND
					Army and UDR	RUC and RUC 'R'	Civilians	Total
1969	…	…	…	…	Not available	711	Not available	Not available
1970	…	…	…	…	620	191	245 (from June)	Not available
1971	…	…	…	…	390	317	1,800	2,507
1972	…	…	…	…	578	466	3,813	4,857
1973	…	…	…	…	548	291	1,812	2,651
1974	…	…	…	…	483	235	1,680	2,398
1975	…	…	…	…	167	167*	1,919*	2,253*
* Provisional figures only. Final figures will be published in the Secretary of State's quarterly statistics on security for October-December 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what further reductions in the combat strength of the Armed Forces is consistent with national security.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member for

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to undertake another nuclear test explosion.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to undertake another nuclear test explosion.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to undertake another nuclear test explosion.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to undertake another nuclear test explosion.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to undertake another nuclear test explosion.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Salford, East (Mr. Allaun) on 21st October 1975.—[Vol. 898, c. 224.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the continued use by the Royal Air Force of buildings at Biggin Hill after the projected transfer from there of the Officers and Aircrew Selection Centre.

It now seems unlikely that the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre will move from RAF Biggin Hill before 1980. The long-term future of the station is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the present level of his Department's computer establishments and training facilities in Scotland.

Yes.

asked the Secretary at State for Defence if he will give, from international sources of information available to him, the current estimates of the proportion of the gross national product of the USSR spent on armaments and defence; and how this figure compares with the comparable figure of the United Kingdom and that of the USA.

Precise comparisons of defence burdens are complicated by different economic and pricing systems and by the covert nature of Soviet policy. The latest estimate is that the USSR spent over 10 per cent. of its GNP on defence in 1974. The most recent NATO figures give USA and United Kingdom proportions of 6·7 per cent. and 5·9 per cent. respectively for the same year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the level of defence expenditure, as a percentage of GNP, of Great Britain, the United States of America, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Sweden in, respectively, 1900, 1930, 1950, 1970, and at the latest date for which figures are available.

The figures requested are not available for 1900, 1930 and 1950. The precentages in the current NATO comparative tables go back only to 1966. On the other hand, they provide provisional estimates for 1975. The figures for the NATO countries, based on the NATO definition of defence expenditure, for 1966, 1970 and 1975 are:

	1966	1970	1975
United Kingdom	6·5	5·6	5·7
United States	9·2	8·7	6·7
France	6·1	4·9	4·6
Federal Republic of Germany	4·7	3·7	4·1
Italy	3·8	3·0	2·8

If expenditure on Berlin Aid were included, the German figures would read: 5·3 4·3 5·0The most readily available figures for Japan and Sweden are for 1965, 1970 and 1974; they are:

			1965	1970	1974
Japan	…	…	0·9	0·9	0·9
Sweden	…	…	4·4	4·0	3·9

Owing to differences in methods of calculation, these figures may not be strictly comparable with the NATO figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the reduction in the numbers of personnel in reserve forces resulting from the current review of defence expenditure.

The annual review of public expenditure is proceeding and the results will be published in a White Paper. It is too soon to say what consequences there may be in relation to reserve forces or any other item of defence expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a further statement on naval activities in defence of the British trawler fleet off Iceland.

We will continue to provide protection for British trawlers exercising their lawful right to fish peacefully in waters off Iceland so long as harassment by Icelandic coastguard vessels continues.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a progress statement regarding the operations of the Royal Navy in supporting the deep sea fishing fleet off Iceland, with special reference to incidents involving the frigates "Andromeda" and "Leander".

Royal Navy protection has enabled the trawlers' catches to compare favourably with those of this time last year, despite the aggressive and irresponsible action of Icelandic coastguard vessels, which has increased the hazards of the operation. HMS "Andromeda" was involved in an incident on 28th December when the Icelandic coastguard vessel "Tyr" turned in towards her, lost manoeuvrability and collided with HMS "Andromeda's" starboard side. HMS "Andromeda" was involved in a further incident on 7th January when the "Thor" turned in and struck HMS "Andromeda's" port side near the stern. HMS "Leander" was also struck by the "Thor" on 9th January. The Icelandic vessel several times closed and turned away before she finally turned away too late to avoid her stern coming into contact with HMS "Leander".

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give a detailed breakdown of the cost of the refit of the Royal Yacht "Britannia"; and whether he will consider the scrapping of the vessel as a contribution to the proposed cuts in public expenditure.

The preliminary estimate of the cost of "Britannia's" refit is about £1·04 million. As regards any proposed cuts in public expenditure, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to earlier Questions today.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will list the principal firms with sub-contracts for work on the multi-rôle combat aircraft.

The principal firms with sub-contracts for work on the multi-rôle combat aircraft are:

• Aerotech Technical Personnel, London
• Aircraft Research Association Ltd., Bedford
• Air Log Ltd., Aldershot
• Airscrew Howden Ltd., Weybridge.
• Alcan Booth Sheet Ltd., Birmingham
• Amphenol Ltd., Whitstable
• Automotive Products Ltd., Liverpool
• Avica Equipment Ltd., Hemel Hempstead
• Beaufort (Air Sea) Equipment Ltd., Birkenhead
• Beckman Instruments, Glenrothes
• Bell and Howell Ltd., Basingstoke
• Bestobell Ltd., Slough
• British Aircraft Corporation Ltd., Filton
• British Aircraft Corporation Ltd., Stevenage
• British Aircraft Corporation Ltd., Warton
• British Aircraft Corporation Ltd., Weybridge
• British Filters, Ltd., Maidenhead
• Bristols Instrument Co. Ltd., London
• British Steel, Sheffield
• Brooks & Walker Ltd., Birmingham
• Cannon Electric (Great Britain) Ltd., Basingstoke
• Capper Pipe Services Co. Ltd., Woolstone
• Chelton (Electrostatics) Ltd., Marlow
• Computer Controls Ltd., Strand, London
• Computing Devices Co. Ltd., St. Leonards
• Cossor Electronics Ltd., Harlow
• Cramic, Southall
• Cross Manufacturing (1938) Ltd., Bath
• Daniel Doncaster & Sons Ltd., Sheffield
• Davall & Sons Ltd., Greenford
• Decca Navigator Co., New Malden
• Delaney Gallay Ltd., Burton-on-Trent
• Denison and Devi, Burgess Hill
• DIAC Engineering, New Addington
• Digital Equipment Co. Ltd., Ealing
• Dowty-Rotol, Cheltenham
• Dunlop, Coventry
• EASAMS, Frimley
• Electro Mechanisms, Slough
• EMI Ltd., Wells
• ENDEVCO, Royston, Hens
• Fairey Hydraulics, Hounslow
• Ferranti Ltd., Bracknell
• Ferranti Ltd., Edinburgh
• Ferranti Ltd., Manchester
• Fines Tubes, Plymouth
• Flight Refuelling Ltd., Winborne
• Glenair, Mansfield
• Gloster-Saro, Gloucester
• Graviner, Colnebrook, Slough
• Hawker Siddeley Dynamics Ltd., Hatfield
• High Temperature Engineers Ltd,, Fareham
• HML (Engineering) Ltd., Isleworth
• Hunting Engineering Ltd., Bedford
• Hymatic Engineering Co. Ltd., Redditch
• Imperial Metal Industries (Kynoch) Ltd., Birmingham
• Keelavite Hydraulics, Coventry
• Land Pyrometers Ltd., Dronfield
• Litton Precision Products, Slough
• Lucas Aerospace Ltd., Birmingham
• Lucas Aerospace Ltd., Bradford
• Lucas Aerospace Ltd., Hemel Hempstead
• Lucas Aerospace Ltd., Wolverhampton
• Marconi Elliott Avionic Systems Ltd., Basildon
• Marconi Elliott Avionic Systems Ltd., Rochester
• Marshall of Cambridge (Engineering) Ltd., Cambridge
• Marston Excelsior Ltd., Wolverhampton
• Martin-Baker (Engineering) Ltd., Uxbridge
• Memory Devices Ltd., East Molesley
• ML Aviation Ltd., Maidenhead
• Negretti-Zambra Ltd., Croydon
• Louis New mark Ltd., Croydon
• Normalair-Garrett Ltd., Yeovil
• North Bridge Engineering Co. Ltd., Wigston
• Page Engineering Ltd., Sunbury-on-Thames
• Palmer Aero Products Ltd., Burton-on-Trent
• W. F. Parkinson Ltd., Blackpool
• Plessey Co. Ltd., Ilford
• Plessey Co. Ltd., Romford
• Plessey Co. Ltd., Titchfield
• R. & H. Applied Dynamics, Worthing
• River Don Stampings, Sheffield
• ROF, Bridgwater
• Rolls Royce (1971) Ltd., Bristol
• Rosemount Engineering Co. Ltd., Bognor Regis
• Scottish Aviation Ltd., Prestwick
• Serck Ltd., Birmingham
• Singer Co. (U.K.) Ltd., Lancing
• Smiths Industries Ltd., Basingstoke
• Smiths Industries Ltd., Cheltenham
• Solartron, Farnborough, Hants.
• Sperry Rand Ltd., Bracknell
• Sperry Rand Ltd. (Vickers Division) Portsmouth
• Technitron, Camberley
• Teddington Aircraft Controls, Yeovil
• TEM Engineering Ltd., Crawley
• Thorn Automation Ltd., Enfield
• Tridair, London, Middlesex
• Ultra Electronics, Marlow
• Unbrako Ltd., Coventry
• Universal Fisher Engineering Ltd., Crawley
• Vatric Control Equipment Ltd., Morden
• Wandleside Cables Ltd., Dunmurry, Northern Ireland
• Westland Aircraft Ltd., Yeovil
• Woodville Rubber Co. Ltd., Burton-on-Trent
• 3M /UK, London

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give a progress report on the multi-role combat aircraft.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Chingford (Mr. Tebbit) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if any British military personnel have attended the Senior Officers Civil Disturbance Course organised by the United States Department of Defence at Fort McClellan Alabama.

Since 1970 six British officers have attended part or whole of the one week Civil Disturbance Course run by the US Military Police School at Fort McClellan, Alabama—formerly at Fort Gordon, Georgia.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the categories of financial grants made by his Department to bodies, voluntary and statutory, in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region in each of the last five years; and if he will indicate the total amount paid into each category in each respective year.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what further steps have been taken towards the establishment of the European Defence Procurement Secretariat.

A meeting of interested European members of the Alliance, including the French, will shortly be taking place to discuss the setting up of an Independent Programme Group.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make an order containing the amendments to the information to be supplied to tenants in rent books, made necessary by recent legislation.

My right hon. Friend hopes to make such an order within the next two months or so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the categories of financial grants made by his Department to bodies, voluntary and statutory, in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region in each of the last five years; and if he will indicate the total amount paid into each category in each respective year.

Grants made by my Department during this period included rate support grant, the transport and national parks supplementary grants, and grants for roads, transport, housing and a number of environmental services. They are detailed in both Annual Estimates and the Appropriation Accounts.Local authorities and other statutory bodies in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region were eligible for these grants in exactly the same way as were similar bodies in the rest of the country, but it would entail disproportionate cost to ascertain the amounts paid in the region in each category in each of the last five years.Grants were also made to a wide range of voluntary bodies for a variety of purposes. Many of these bodies could well have been active in Yorkshire and Humberside, but the grants were not generally payable in respect of activities in specified localities and it would not, therefore, be practicable to apportion the grants between regions. Grants to bodies such as the Sports Council and the Development Commission are similar in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the departmental working party which he has set up to study the effects of direct labour contracts on local authority spending has no representatives from the civil engineering industry; and if he will give an assurance that it is not the policy of his Department to encourage greater use of direct labour by local authorities.

The departmental working party will review the organisation and operation of local authority direct labour organisations, including tendering and accounting procedures. I do not consider that it would be appropriate for this purpose to have members from the private sector of the industry, but I have invited the Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors to let me have its views on the wider issues of the future rôle of direct labour organisations in the industry. Subject to the constraints on local authority activities, I wish to see the maximum possible expansion of efficient direct labour organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he can now say when he intends to bring in legislation to end the separate rating of holiday caravans.

I would draw the hon. Member's attention to the Rating (Caravan Sites) Bill which was introduced in another place on 19th December last.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the clearing banks regarding their acceptance of a licence to build, within the terms of the Community Land Act, as adequate security for loans for firms in the building industry; and with what results.

A number of meetings have taken place with banking interests among others affected by the community land scheme and the outcome will be reflected in the circular of guidance it is hoped to issue before long on land disposal arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to promote research to bring up to date the findings on the use of manpower in house building contained in the BRS Report "Progress in Housebuilding", published in 1969 but based on earlier research; and whether he will request either his National Consultative Council or the EDC for building to undertake such research in order to assist his current review of housing finance, in view of the implications for public expenditure of the respective speed of building council or private houses.

A considerable body of research work related to house building performance is currently in hand, but I have no immediate plans to arrange for any on the specific lines referred to.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report any branch railway routes closed since 1960 on condition that alternative bus services were provided and where that bus service has since been withdrawn, together with the dates of withdrawal of both the services concerned.

The information is not readily available and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost to public funds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what meetings of the Freight Integration Council have taken place since 1970; and what action, if any, has resulted from those meetings.

One, on 30th June 1971. A report was presented to Parliament in October 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the following information in respect of gipsy caravan sites operated by each London borough: (i) name of borough, (ii) area of site, (iii) number of pitches, (iv) capital cost of (a) land and (b) works, (v) estimated annual running costs, including debt charges in the latest available year, and (vi) whether the site is permanent or temporary; how many boroughs have been exempted from the provisions of the Caravan Sites Act; and how many are still seeking exemption.

22 London boroughs have each provided one official gipsy site, either permanent or temporary pending permanent provision. The details are set out below. Information about the areas of the sites and their capital and running costs is not available. No London borough has been granted exemption from the duty to provide accommodation and no application for exemption is currently under consideration by the Secretary of State.

OFFICIAL GIPSY SITES PROVIDED IN GREATER LONDON
London Borough		No. of Pitches	Permanent (P) or Temporary (T)
Barking	…	16	P
Barnet	…	12	T
Bexley	…	15	P
Bromley	…	12	P
Croydon	…	15	P
Ealing	…	16	T
Enfield	…	15	P
Greenwich	…	54	P
Hammersmith	…	10	T
Harrow	…	15	P
Havering	…	16	P
Hillingdon	…	22	T
Hounslow	…	15	T
Kensington and Chelsea	…	10	T
Kingston upon Thames	…	15	T
Lewisham	…	15	T
Merton	…	15	P
Newham	…	14	P
Redbridge	…	16	P
Richmond upon Thames	…	16	P
Sutton	…	15	P
Waltham Forest	…	16	P

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total area of derelict land in the area covered by the West Lancashire District Council; and what grants have been made to the local authority.

At the time of the last survey of derelict land—(31st March 1974)—there were 383 hectares (946 acres) of derelict land in the area covered by West Lancashire District Council; 249 hectares (615 acres) of this total was former military land and a further 80 hectares (198 acres) abandoned British Rail land.The local authority has made no formal application for derelict land reclamation grant although it has been paid the residue of a grant—£2,430—previously applied for by Ormskirk UDC for the completion of a land reclamation scheme at Platts Lane, Burscough. In addition a grant of £9,941 was made to Lancashire County Council in 1975 for the reclamation of the Red Lands Quarry site at Aughton.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received since September 1975 concerning the commissioning of a feasibility study for a central Scotland airport at Slamannan: how much a feasibility study will cost; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.None. Part II of the Consultation Document on an Airport Strategy for Great Britain, which will deal with airports outside the London area, will contain a section on airports in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will issue a circular advising regional and district authorities in Scotland, in the matter of purchase of computers and computing systems, to buy products made wholly or largely in Scotland where these products are competitive with products made in England.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total amount spent at the latest available date on computers and computing systems by regional and district authorities in Scotland; and what proportion of this money has been spent on products made wholly or largely in Scotland.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his view on the EEC Directive regarding the banning from 1981 of fresh plucked turkeys which are not plucked in a food processing station.

After 1981 "fresh plucked poultry" will continue to be available for sale to the consumer by a poultry producer at the farm gate. This apart, all poultry will have to be eviscerated under controlled conditions in a slaughterhouse constructed and operated in accordance with rules of hygiene which are designed to reduce the risks of harmful contamination to a minimum and in which a proper inspection is carried out to protect the consumer from the marketing of diseasesd or unwholesome poultry meat.In my view, these measures, which will eventually ban the evisceration of poultry in a food shop with the attendant dangers of cross-contamination from infected or dirty viscera, are in the best interests of both consumers and producers; moreover, as a result of the agreement secured in Brussels, the Government are able to introduce these new rules in an orderly and progressive manner.I take this opportunity to correct the mistaken impression that the Directive requires all poultry meat to be frozen. Fresh poultry meat, eviscerated at time of slaughter, is already available to many consumers and supplies should increase to meet the expected growth in demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has, by region, regarding the number of instances of Scottish households with unpaid electricity bills in the appropriate period; and in how many cases legal action or redress has been taken.

I am asking the chairmen of the boards to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make available copies of the Tindemans Report in the Vote Office of the House of Commons.

My right hon. Friend did so yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will announce further appointments to the Organising Committee for British Shipbuilders.

I have appointed Mr. K. J. Griffin to be a Deputy Chairman of the Organising Committee for and a Deputy Chairman Designate of British Shipbuilders. Mr. Griffin who was formerly a full-time official of the EETU and District Secretary of the CSEU in South Wales was seconded from his union to the Department of Trade and Industry in 1971 and is now an industrial adviser in the Department of Industry.It is my intention to appoint to the Organising Committees for both British Aerospace and British Shipbuilders further members who are now active in the trade union movement. I have asked the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions to put forward names for my consideration.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development whether he has now had further talks with EEC Development Ministers on the extension of EEC financial aid to non-Lomé developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

The last Council of EEC Development Ministers was on 13th October 1975. Since then I have had talks with Herr Bahr, the Federal German Minister for Economic Co-operation, which covered a number of topics including aid to non-associated countries.At the instigation of the European Parliament an appropriation of 20 million units of account for financial aid to non-associated countries has been included in the Community's budget for 1976; but the Council must agree on expenditure plans before disbursements can begin. For this and other reasons I am anxious for the Council to meet as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if she will list the categories of financial grants made by her Department to bodies, voluntary and statutory, in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region in each of the last five years; and if she will indicate the total amount paid into each category in each respective year.

My Department is responsible for a grant in aid to the National Council of Social Services, and for the expenditure on local price comparison surveys and consumer advisory centres announced in "The Attack on Inflation" (Cmnd. 6151, paragraph 32). Expenditure in the Yorkshire and Humberside region in 1974–5 and 1975–6 is as follows:

	1974–75	1975–76
NCSS (Support for new citizens advice bureaux and improvement of existing bureaux)	£14,500	£13,000
Local price comparison surveys		£8,130

In addition it is planned to spend £90,000 on consumer advice centres, and a small part of this may fall in 1975–6.I regret that information for the years before the Department of Prices and Consumer Protection was set up is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what estimate she makes of the extra profit margin that will accrue over the next year to private sector companies from relaxations of the Price Code.

The prices policy for the next phase of the Government's counter-inflation policy after July 1976 remains to be decided, so we can make no such estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection in what areas of the United Kingdom retail consumers are charged the maximum prices permitted under the Cheese Prices Order of November 1975.

Cheese prices vary from shop to shop in all areas, and full information is not available, but a number of shops in various parts of the country, including many outlying areas, are known to have been charging the maximum prices specified in the order for some varieties of cheese.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is the average retail profit margin preserved by the Cheese Order of November 1975, expressed as a percentage of selling price.

Retail profit margins for cheese vary according to the nature of the business, and it is not possible to calculate the average. The Cheese Prices (No. 2) Order 1975 requires each retailer not to exceed the gross percentage margin he obtained on cheese in a seven-day period including 13th August 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what representations she has received from trading and consumer organisations since the publication of the Cheese Prices Orders in November.

We have received no representations since the publication of the Cheese Prices (No. 2) (Second Amendment) Order 1975. Organisations representing the trade, consumers and enforcement authorities were consulted before the order was made.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what guidance she proposes to issue to local consumer protection departments regarding explanation of the Cheese Prices Order of November 1975 to retailers and enforcement of it.

My Department has provided local consumer protection departments with detailed notes explaining the provisions of the price regulation orders and giving advice on enforcement. Before the Cheese Prices (No. 2) (Second Amendment) Order 1975 came into operation a supplementary note explaining its effect was issued to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection (1) what was the average, the maximum and the minimum retail and wholesale price, respectively, of English farmhouse Cheddar cheese in the United Kingdom on the first day of each of the last three months;(2) what were the average, the maximum and the minimum wholesale and retail prices, respectively, for English farmhouse Cheddar cheese in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region on the first day of each of the last three months.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether she will take action to ensure that all footwear items are clearly marked with their country of origin so that customers are made aware of this.

The Trade Descriptions Act 1972 already requires origin marking for all imported goods to which a United Kingdom name or mark is applied. I have no power to require further origin marking, except where this appears necessary or expedient in the interests of persons to whom goods are supplied. I do not consider that this condition is satisfied in respect of footwear. But there will be an opportunity to review the scope of the powers during the current review of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968. Meanwhile domestic manufacturers are free, of course, to mark their footwear as made in Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the categories of financial grants made by his Department to bodies, voluntary and statutory, in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region in each of the last five years; and if he will indicate the total amount paid into each category in each respective year.

A number of grants, of which details are not readily available, have been made to trade associations and other bodies in the region in support of export promotion. In addition the English Tourist Board, which is supported by the Department of Trade, has made grants as follows to the Yorkshire, Cleveland and Humberside Tourist Board:

				£
1971–1972	…	…	…	12,000
1972–1973	…	…	…	17,250
1973–1974	…	…	…	22,000
1974–1975	…	…	…	34,000
1975–1976	…	…	…	42,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the spread of rabies to northern France in general and to the Department of the Aisne in particular, what additional precautions are to be taken against the importation of animals into the United Kingdom from France.

I have been asked to reply.The powers under the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and other Mammals) Order 1974 were taken, recognising the spread of rabies on the Continent towards the Channel coast. For the precise measures taken to strengthen our safeguards, I would refer the right hon. Member to the replies I gave him on 11th July 1975.—[Vol. 895, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will reconsider the question of paying the £10 bonus to pensioners for Christmas 1976.

Our views as to a Christmas bonus payment remain as my right hon. Friend put them before the House in her statement of 22nd May 1975—[Vol. 892, c. 1624.]—explaining the Government's decision not to legislate for such a payment in 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations she has received about the provision of hospital services in Tidworth, Hampshire, after the proposed closure of the Tidworth Military Hospital.

Representations have been received from one other hon. Member and 11 members of the public.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the rate of uptake of the social beef policy on which the original 1975–76 Civil Estimates were based and the rate at which the latest Supplementary Estimates are based.

It was originally estimated that about 8½ million persons would benefit under the social beef scheme, which ended in March 1975, at a cost of about £30 million. In the event reimbursements to retailers amounted to rather more than £26 million, equivalent to the entitlement of about 7¼ million persons. I understand from the Agricultural Ministers that the original estimate of £30 million was split equally between the financial years 1974–75 and 1975–76 on the expectation that tokens would be submitted for reimbursement in that proportion and that the revised estimate of £9·5 million for 1975–76 represents that part which has actually been spent in the current financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she has any estimate of the number of Scots who normally live in England.

No information is available about the number of Scottish born persons usually resident in England. At the 1971 Census of Population there were 755,790 persons enumerated in England who had been born in Scotland. This figure includes persons visiting England who were usually resident elsewhere and who were born in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when, and for what reasons, decisions upon two previous deferments of the ward block scheme at the Nottingham City Hospital were made.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him of 4th March 1975.—[Vol. 887, c. 377.]—The Trent Regional Health Authority decided that this scheme should only start in 1975–76 if it could do so without prejudicing higher priority schemes in 1976–77. We have not yet been able to give the regional health authority its capital allocation for 1976–77 and it has, therefore, been unable to assess what the implications of starting the scheme would be.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of Giro cheques sent to recipients of social security benefits go astray.

In 1974, about 120,000 giro cheques were reported as not having been received or as having been lost, stolen or destroyed, but only half of these—about 0·08 per cent. of the total issues—had to be replaced.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether Post Office personnel are asked to verify the identities of those who present Giro cheques for social security benefits.

Instructions issued by the Post Office require counter staff to seek evidence of identity of a person who presents a Giro cheque issued in respect of social security benefits if the amount is for more than £20 or if there is any reason to doubt the identity of the payee.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what requirements are expected as to the availability and services of doctors and receptionists at health centres.

Generally speaking a family doctor, whether he practises from a health centre or from his own premises, is required to provide for his patients, either personally or through a deputy, all necessary and appropriate personal medical services of the type usually provided by general medical practitioners, and, unless prevented by an emergency, to be available for consultation at the places and during the hours approved by the Family Practitioner Committee. Detailed practice arrangements, such as the provision of a receptionist, including hours of attendance, are a matter for the doctor himself.A receptionist, whether employed directly by the doctor, or, as in some health centres, by the area health authority on his behalf, works under the doctor's direction and he is responsible for any acts and omissions.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what communication was sent from her Department to the health centres at Lincoln and Dudley concerning the right of general practitioners to treat private patients; if this represents official policy; and what was the reason for the subsequent withdrawal of these letters.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Tiverton (Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop) on 12th December.—[Vol. 902, c. 412–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will take steps to assist those suffering from silicosis and associated lung diseases, whose level of dust is assessed at less than 10 per cent. and who currently do not receive satisfactory assistance.

The industrial injuries scheme already makes satisfactory provision in these cases. Whenever pneumoconiosis, including silicosis, within the meaning of the Social Security Act is diagnosed an assessment of at least 10 per cent. must be given and benefit paid at the rate appropriate to that percentage.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services under what conditions those suffering from silicosis and associated lung diseases have the right to appeal to the Medical Appeal Tribunal; and if she will reconsider current restrictions on access to this tribunal.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Golding) on 19th December 1975.—[Vol. 902, c. 846–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if she will include in Form BF11P (notes on sickness or industrial injury benefit) a statement of the precise time limits for claiming benefit;(2) how many insured persons have been disallowed sickness benefit in each of the past five years because they have failed to claim within six days.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when she expects her inter-departmental group to conclude its studies of alternatives to the present arrangements of enforcing maintenance orders.

The group is examining the Finer Committee's proposals for a system of administrative orders to be operated by the Supplementary Benefits Commission for the recovery of maintenance due to women receiving supplementary benefit. It is also studying possible alternative ways of meeting the committee's aims in this area. It hopes to conclude its studies by the spring.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many twopenny pieces have been minted with a Northern Irish design in accordance with the Chancellor's announcement made in 1968 relating to coins minted after 1972.

None.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, following meetings between the Bank of England and the Treasury, he is yet in a position to state whether he proposes to introduce a variable coupon or indexed gilt-edged stock, with a view further to reducing the impact of the public sector borrowing requirement on the money supply.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 27th November 1975—[Vol. 901, c. 211.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer approximately how much tax would be payable by Ministers of the Crown if the benefit in kind of free transport by official car from home to work were taxable like the car allowance of Members who are not Ministers and on the same basis as that prescribed in Section 197(3) of the Taxes Act 1970, assuming the marginal rate of tax in all cases to be 45 per cent.

I regret that the information necessary to provide an estimate is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to make the sums required to redeem feu duties allowable as a business expense against tax, as is the case for annual payments of feu duty.

No. This is a matter where the normal tax rules should apply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received IMF approval of recent United Kingdom applications for borrowing; and if he will now publish the letters of application and memorandum which he sent to the fund.

The IMF approved both applications on Wednesday 31st December. The Government will be drawing on the oil facility in the agreed amount of SDR 1,000 million—about £575 million—shortly, and the first credit tranche of SDR 700 million—about £400 million—will be available on a stand-by basis for use as and when it is needed. I am lodging in the Library copies of both the letter of application for the oil facility drawing and the letter of application for the first credit tranche, the text of which served also in place of the customary oil facility memorandum.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his view on the EEC Directive regarding the banning from 1981 of fresh plucked turkeys which are not plucked in a food processing station.

I have nothing to add to the reply given today to the hon. Member by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what the cost will be of a regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No. 1411/71 in respect of the fat content of full-cream milk; and what is the effect of this regulation on the British dairy industry;(2) what is the cost to the consumer of the changes in the level of the fat content of full-cream milk.

The terms of the proposed regulation to amend Regulation (EEC) No. 1411/71 as regards the fat content of whole milk have not yet been settled. It is the Government's objective in the negotiations to ensure that the arrangements finally agreed do not prejudice the interests of our own industry and trade, or of consumers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what efforts are being made by her Department to ensure the continued use of glass milk bottles in the light of pressure from the EEC to change the packaging of milk.

We do not know of any pressure on this matter from the EEC. Indeed, in the context of proposed EEC legislation on the quality and marketing of liquid milk which is under discussion in Brussels, the Commission and other member States have already accepted in principle provisions on labelling to facilitate the continued use of the glass bottle on our domestic market.