asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps are being taken to monitor the progress of the SGHWR power station programme.

I am in regular touch with the parties responsible for implementing the SGHWR programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will now announce his strategy for the development of British nuclear energy.

Our strategy is set out in the Government's White Paper of July 1974.—(Cmnd. 5695). It is to complete the AGRs successfully, adopt the SGHWR system and maintain our work on the fast reactor.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what recent meetings he has had with the NUM; and if he will make a statement.

I have had a number of meetings with the NUM over the last few months and I am determined to maintain close contact with it over all the issues of mutual interest that arise from time to time.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what action he proposes to take in respect of the report of the Plowden Committee of Inquiry on the Structure of the Electricity Supply Industry (Command Paper No. 6388).

As I have already made clear, I intend to seek the views of those who work in the industry and other interested people. I would welcome a wide public debate before the Government reached their decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the number of tons of coal in stock, distributed and undistributed, respectively, at the latest available date.

Figures on fuel stocks are published monthly in Energy Trends, available in the Library of the House. The latest available figures, which will be published in the February issue, relate to 24th January and are as follows, in million tons:

Distributed	18·8
Undistributed	10·9
Total	29·7

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the latest figures available for coal imports and exports; what estimates are available of future imports and exports; what steps he is taking to stimulate exports and reduce imports; and if he will make a statement.

In 1975 imports of coal and other solid fuels were 5·2 million tons and exports 3·7 million tons. Imports this year are expected to fall to about 3½million tons but it is not possible to give precise estimates beyond that.Exports are primarily a matter for the National Coal Board. It is actively seeking to expand existing markets and exploring new ones. In this it has my full support. But coal imports concern both the coal and electricity industries and this is one of the issues that can be explored at the joint industry-union discussion my right hon. Friend has arranged.

asked the secretary of state of energy if he will make a statement on his conversations with the coal and electricity supply industries on the amount of coal to be burnt in power stations.

As the house will know, the first of the coal/electricity discussions that my right hon. Friend has put in hand has now been arranged for 20th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether his Department has any pilot plants in operation for the liquefaction of coal; if so, how many barrels of oil are produced from one ton of coal; and how many barrels are needed to make the process viable;(2) in view of the increasing stocks of coal in the United Kingdom, if he will take steps to bring about the use of solvent-refined or otherwise processed coal in place of oil.

The Department of Energy has no pilot plant, the National Coal Board has. Details of work being done by the NCB are given in the final report on the Coal Industry Examination. Coal liquefaction could not be implemented in time to have any effect on coal stocks.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has for a scheme for relieving transport costs on petrol in rural areas dependent on motor transport.

It is not Government policy to subsidise the supply of petrol in any area.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on Government policy towards alternative energy; and what steps he is taking to encourage further experimentation in the use of solar heating.

The Government's policy is to investigate all alternative energy resources with a view to encouraging research and development into those which show some chance of making a significant and economic contribution to our long-term energy needs. The Energy Technology Support Unit has been carrying out assessment studies into various new energy sources including solar energy. It has recently submitted a report on solar energy which has been considered by the Advisory Council for Research and Development which recommends that a national R. & D. programme should be set up. Inter-departmental discussions to delineate this have now started.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether his consultations about and consideration of public attitudes towards the proposed expansion of the BNFL plant at Wind-scale and the signing of a further contract with the Japanese are complete; if he will announce his decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The Government are now considering the views which have been expressed in the wide public discussion which has taken place about this issue. I will announce their decision as soon as I can.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make

CONSUMERS' EXPENDITURE ON FUELS AT CURRENT PRICES AND CONSUMPTION IN ORIGINAL UNITS
Fuel			Unit		1970	1971	1972	1973	1974
Gas	…	…	£m.	…	381	437	512	539	610
			m.therms	…	3,577	3,969	4,554	4,863	5,445
Electricity	…	…	£m.	…	663	747	851	905	1,096
			GWh	…	79,177	82,891	89,046	93,713	94,891
Coal and coke	…	…	£m.	…	364	340	322	316	366
			m.tons	…	23·4	20·0	16·9	16·1	16·6
Other (mainly oil)	…	…	£m.	…	87	94	113	138	196
			m.tons	…	2·7	2·7	3·1	3·5	3·1
Total fuel and light	…	…	£m.	…	1,495	1,618	1,798	1,898	2,268
Running costs of motor vehicles (petrol and oil)			£m.	…	859	942	1,093	1,250	1,718
Grand Total	…	…	£m.	…	2,354	2,560	2,891	3,148	3,986

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he proposes to reply to the protest of the Energy, Research and Technology Committee of

The current price of oil on the world market is based on a decision by OPEC at its meeting in September 1975 to set the price of the "marker crude" Arabian light at $11·51 per barrel as from 1st October 1975 and to freeze that price until 30th June 1976. I cannot forecast future price trends.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will report progress on the loan scheme to industry for energy conservation projects.

One loan has now been advanced, a second loan agreement has been legally completed and others are under negotiation. The Department continues to receive inquiries about the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the value and volume of private domestic gas, electricity, coal and oil consumption for each year from 1970.

I append a table giving for the various fuels the estimated value of consumers' expenditure in £ million and the corresponding volumes consumed—in original units—for the years 1970–1974. Figures are not yet available for 1975.the European Parliament against the closure of the Dragon project at Winfrith.

I have received no protest. The Chairman of this Committee invited me to give evidence about the decision-making process which resulted in failure to reach agreement on a further extension of the project. I am considering my reply and will circulate a copy in the Official Report in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give a list of those bodies other than committees, but including statutory corporations, to which he appoints members other than civil servants, giving the number of members serving on each body.

I appoint the members of 18 statutory and four non-statutory bodies other than committees as follows:

	Number of members serving (excluding Civil Servants)
Statutory Bodies
National Coal Board	11
British Gas Corporation	15
Electricity Council	5
Central Electricity Generating Board	8
Area Electricity Boards
London	7
South-Eastern	8
Southern	7
South-Western	8
Eastern	6
East Midlands	8
Midlands	8
South Wales	8
Merseyside and South Wales	8
Yorkshire	7
North-Eastern	8
North-Western	7
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority	10
British National Oil Corporation	10
Non-Statutory Bodies
Advisory Council on Energy Conservation	19
Advisory Council for Research and Development for Fuel and Power	11
Nuclear Power Advisory Board	9
Offshore Energy Technology Board	9

In addition, the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection appoints the Chairmen of the Eelectricity Consultative Councils who are ex-officio members of the appropriate area board.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the names and ages of the directors so far appointed to the BNOC.

The average age is 53. The names and ages of the directors so far appointed to BNOC are:

Chairman:
Lord Kearton	64
Deputy Chairman:
Lord Balogh	70
Mr. Airey	49
Lord Briginshaw	67
Mr. Camp	49
Mr. Clarke	36
Sir Robert Fairbairn	65
Mr. Hearne	38
Mr. Laird	43
Mr. Liverman	55
Mr. Rooke	51
Mr. Utiger	49

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the chairman of BNOC.

I meet Lord Kearton very frequently.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the premises occupied by the British National Oil Corporation and the number of staff employed at each.

The headquarters of the British National Oil Corporation are in Glasgow. It is for the Corporation to decide what premises to occupy, and the number of staff employed at each.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give a general direction to the area electricity boards to cease the practice of deliberately issuing false large bills to electricity consumers as a means of obtaining payment of money owing or of gaining access to consumers' premises.

The Eastern Electricity Board tells me that its procedure for checking such accounts is well established and this account should not have been sent. It was an isolated case arising from an error on the part of one of its staff and appropriate disciplinary action has been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will now publish the study of energy tariffs recently carried out by officials; and what conclusions the Government have reached.

Yes. At the Government's request an inter-departmental group of officials reviewed the scope for helping poor consumers by adjusting the structure of energy tariffs or by other means such as introducing special concessionary tariffs or free allowances of gas and electricity. Its report is being published today and I am placing a copy in the Library; further copies are available on request from my Department. After considering it, the Government have concluded that none of these possibilities offers a satisfactory way of helping poor consumers with their fuel bills.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will re-examine the viability of the Severn barrage scheme in the light of the invention of the Straflo turbine; and if he will make a statement.

The Straflo turbine is a recent version of the straight-flow turbine first used in the 1930s. It incorporates features designed to overcome some of the problems which have limited the fields of application of this type of machine, but it is too early to judge the degree of success. The straight-flow turbine design was considered in the recent assessment of the Severn Barrage made by the Central Electricity Generating Board but it was judged prudent to carry out the study on the assumption that the turbines would be of the proven bulb design used so successfully in the Rance tidal power scheme. The position will be kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has studied work conducted by the National Research Development Corporation on the viability of establishing incinerators using the fluidised bed process to burn low-grade fuels or combustible refuse for the production of heat and electricity.

The NRDC has rightly drawn attention to the considerable potential for fluidised bed combustion in a variety of applications including incineration, but I understand that neither sufficient experience nor information are yet available for meaningful studies to be mounted on the economic viability of fluidised bed incineration for the production of heat and electricity.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what support he is giving to design and development work for the construction of incinerators using the fluidised bed technique to burn coal supplemented by combustible refuse for the production of heat and electricity.

Sponsorship for new types of incinerator plant lies within the responsibilities of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry. Nevertheless, my Department takes a keen interest in new technology in this area where there are potential applications to the energy field.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he intends to continue financial support for the "Save It" advertising and promotion programme when the current budget runs out; and what is the projected expenditure on the campaign during the current year.

My right hon. Friend plans to continue the "Save It" publicity campaign in 1976–77 and a projected programme is under discussion. During the current financial year, ending 31st March 1976, some £3,649,000 has been set aside for the campaign.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to bring about a comprehensive energy policy to meet the future demands by industry with a view to obtaining stability and competitiveness.

The governing assumptions and methods by which energy policy has developed over past years now need to be re-examined in the light of changing circumstances. New criteria, for example, the need for long-term conservation measures and the need to develop all the fuel industries on a secure basis to meet the expected energy gap in the 1990s and beyond, are required. The key rôle of Government in developing an integrated energy policy in conjunction with the industries and those that work in them also requires further consideration. This should be done as publicly as possible so that the interests of domestic and industrial consumers long term, as well as short term can be safeguarded, along with the interests of supplying industries, and the community as a whole. I intend to proceed on this basis.

SURPLUS/DEFICIT (AFTER INTEREST AND TAXATION)
£m. (actual
	1960–61	1961–62	1962–63	1963–64	1964–65
British Gas Corporation	2·0	3·3	4·9	9·6	15·2
Electricity Council and Boards (England and Wales)	16·3	26·9	42·5	70·4	64·1
National Coal Board	-21·3	-15·0	1·4	0·1	0·5
	1965–66	1966–67	1967–68	1968–69	1969–70
British Gas Corporation	11·1	3·9	-12·9	17·5	13·7
Electricity Council and Boards (England and Wales)	84·7	20·6	55·0	100·6	64·5
National Coal Board	-24·8	0·3	0·4	-8·9	-26·1
	1970–71	1971–72	1972–73	1973–74	1974–75
British Gas Corporation	2·0	15·1	5·6	-41·5	-42·3
Electricity Council and Boards (England and Wales)	-55·8	-23·3	2·0	-176·3	-257·6
National Coal Board	0·5	-157·0	-83·6	-130·7	0
Capital Write Offs
	1965–66	1972–73
National Coal Board	299·4*	275·1†
Notes to Table:
(a) Figures are for financial years ending March, except that those for the National Coal Board from 1960 to 1963 relate to calendar years.
(b) Figures are before Government grants to meet deficits on revenue account or in respect of price restraint, but after grants for specific purposes.
*Accumulated revenue losses of £90·8 million up to the end of March 1965 and £24·8 million in 1965–66 were also written off.
†£174·5 million was also written off for accumulated revenue losses to the end of March 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will name the inner London boroughs which have applied for designation under the Caravan Sites Act 1968; which have been granted designation; which have been unsuccessful; and which as yet have not received a decision;(2) what are the considerations which have led him to grant designation under the Caravan Sites Act 1968 to certain inner London boroughs.

Designation orders have been made in respect of the areas of Greenwich and Hammersmith—on the ground that adequate accommodation has been provided; Kensington and Chelsea

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what have been the declared losses/gains and the capital write-offs of the British Gas Corporation, the Electricity Council and the National Coal Board for each year since 1960.

The following is the information requested:—on the ground that it was not expedient for such provision to be made, but taking into account also that the council was contributing half the cost of the site in Hammersmith; and Westminster—on the ground that site provision in the borough was neither necessary nor expedient.The consideration of applications by Lambeth, Southwark and Tower Hamlets Borough Councils has been deferred pending further consideration of the matter by those councils, following rejection of their claims for exemption. Applications by Camden, Islington and Lewisham Borough Councils are still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what will the total grant to the English Sports Council be for the coming financial year;(2) in view of the importance of sport and recreation to the life of the community, if he will increase the grant paid to the English Sports Council to an amount equal to that paid to the Arts Council for expenditure in England.

Estimates for 1976–77 for the Sports Council—whose responsibilities are not confined to England—are at present being considered before submission to Parliament. The basis of the grant to be offered to the Arts Council is a matter for my hon.

				The Sports Council	The Scottish Sports Council	The Sports Council for Wales	Total
				£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million
1972–73	…	…	…	3·62	0·530	0·40	4·55
1973–74	…	…	…	5·0	0·870	0·57	6·44
1974–75	…	…	…	6·575	1·170	0·750	8·495
1975–76	…	…	…	8·175	1·41	0·91	10·225

Applications for supplementary provisions for this year are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the expected level of Government grant to the Sports Council for 1976–77; and what priorities the Council has set for its work over the next financial year.

Estimates for 1976–77 are at present being considered with other departmental estimates before submission to Parliament. The White Paper on Sport and Recreation (Cmnd. 6200) published last August, outlined the Government's priorities and the Sports Council has taken account of them in preparing its estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Transport Policy Review will take account of the possible rôle of trams and trolleybuses as part of an integrated transport system.

Whether to introduce a tramway or a trolleybus system in a particular area is a matter for a transportation study concerned with that area, its problems, and the potential for new infrastructure. The Transport Road Research Laboratory is examining the potential for tramway systems.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total of Government grants and other financial assistance for sport in each of the past five years for which figures are available.

All Exchequer funds available specifically for sport are channelled through the Sports Councils. The annual grants-in-aid to the councils since they were established in 1972 have been:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on progress in encouraging the transfer of freight from road and rail to waterways;(2) what percentage of Great Britain's freight was carried on waterways in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975;(3) what tonnage was carried on the inland waterways of Great Britain in 1974 and 1975.

As I told the hon. Member on 22nd January [Vol. 903, c. 535.]—freight carried on waterways operated and maintained by the British Waterways Board in 1974 and 1975 was 3·86 million tonnes and 4·17 million tonnes, respectively. Freight carried on the British Waterways Board's system of waterways expressed as a percentage of total freight moved in Great Britain was 0·3 per cent. for years 1970, 1971 and 1972; and 0·2 per cent. for the years 1973 and 1974. This information is not available yet for 1975. Inland waterways policy is, of course, currently being reviewed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to grant 100 per cent. mortgages to first-time home buyers, especially newly married couples.

On the latest information nearly 90 per cent. of all local authority lending for house purchase goes to first-time buyers, and over 30 per cent. is by way of 100 per cent. mortgages. The option mortgage scheme can also help local authorities to grant more 100 per cent. mortgages. The general problems faced by young first-time house buyers are being considered in the context of the Housing Finance Review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many listed buildings were demolished during the years 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975.

The figures for listed building consents granted for demolition 1970–75 are as follows:

1970	198
1971	201
1972	223
1973	445*
1974	276
1975	351
*One application covered 163 small buildings on one estate.

These represent 0·15 per cent., 0·14 per cent., 0·13 per cent., 0·29 per cent., 0·13 per cent. and 0·15 per cent. respectively, of the total stock of listed buildings in each year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many repairs notices for listed buildings have been issued by his Department since October 1975.

None. These notices are normally served by local authorities. I should want to intervene only in very exceptional cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 3,100 miles of unbuilt roads which he proposes to build.

Some 2,000 miles of the 3,100 miles of high-quality strategic routes are already open to traffic. The remaining 1,100 miles consist of schemes on the following routes:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many miles of local authority roads he proposes to grant aid as a result of his 3,100 miles road programme; and if he will list any more schemes of which he has knowledge.

None specifically, but my right hon. Friend is paying 100 per cent. grants for schemes on four local authority roads he intends to aid to the trunk road network. All other local authority road spending is grant aided as part of general transport spending through the rate support and transport supplementary grants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if his integrated transport policy is being drawn up in consultation with the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the integrated transport policy will deal with all forms of transport in Scotland and Wales.

The current review includes consideration of transport in Scotland and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the Government's proposals for devolution will affect the integrated transport policy.

The proposals in "Devolu-to Scotland and Wales" (Cmnd 6348) are being taken into account in the present review of transport policy to which my right hon. Friend referred on 14th January.—[Vol. 903, c. 363.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the structure plans which have so far been approved by him, indicating in each case the date of (a) submission to him, (b) examination in public and (c) his decision; and, where he has required modifications to a plan, if he will indicate what action remains to be taken, or statutory steps to be gone through, before the local planning authority is in a position

Structure Plan		Date of Submission	Period when Examinations in Public held	Date of Approval
Solihull	…	15th March 1973	12th November to 21st December 1973	5th May 1975
Warwickshire	…	29th March 1973	12th November to 21st December 1973	30th July 1975
Coventry	…	5th April 1973	12th November to 21st December 1973	5th May 1975
Worcestershire	…	23rd May 1973	14th January to 14th February 1974	30th July 1975
Herefordshire	…	21st March 1974	3rd December to 18th December 1974	26th January 1976

When my right hon. Friend approves a structure plan with modifications the county planning authority can implement the plan without further reference to him. His powers in relation to structure plans, however, include a power to approve with a reservation. The effect of this is to leave a particular policy or general proposal unapproved except to the extent indicated in the notice of approval, but it does not affect the status of the rest of the plan.The structure plans for the former county borough of Coventry and the former administrative counties of Warwickshire and Worcestershire were approved with reservations and the county planning authorities have been directed to prepare and submit proposals for alteration of their plans which would have the effect of removing the reservations. These new proposals will be subject to the same procedures as the original structure plans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of the recycled paper used for the production of the First Report of the Waste Management Advisory Council; and what the cost would have been if ordinary paper had been used for this purpose.

The paper made from 100 per cent. recycled fibre which was used for the Waste Management Advisory Council's First Report cost £200. Standard paper containing a lesser proportion of recycled fibre would have cost £147. The recycled paper was used as a demonstration of what can be done. Short runs of special grades are obviously more expensive than long runs of standard types but if demand increases then economies of scale begin to apply.

To date, the following five structure plans have been approved, as follows:For other kinds of paper such as some packaging grades the greater use of secondary fibre brings considerable cost advantages. Other advantages of course include the saving on our import bill and the conservation of resources.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Working Party on the Control of Dogs to report; and whether its Report will be published.

I expect the Working Party on Dogs to report to me shortly. I shall consider the question of publishing the Report when I have studied it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by the committee set up pursuant to an undertaking given to the House by the Minister of State during the passage of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 to inquire into the control of pollution by dogs; and when the report will be published.

An inter-departmental working party was set up in July 1974. It has held 17 meetings and taken evidence from a wide range of public opinion. The last meeting was held in October 1975. A Report is being prepared and should be submitted to me shortly. A decision about the publication of the Report will be taken when it has been considered by Ministers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is aware of the urgent need to bring into operation the provision in the Control of Pollution Act for first-tier local authorities to control waste disposal by licensing; what is causing the delay in bringing these powers into operation; and on what date he intends the licensing provisions to commence.

My right hon. Friend stated on 5th August in reply to the hon. Member for Dumfries (Mr. Monro) and my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Molloy), that the Government hoped to bring these provisions into effect in England and Wales by or very soon after April this year. This remains our intention.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a general direction to British Rail to provide parking facilities for cycles at all stations.

I understand that the Board have already instructed their local managers to provide these facilities where justified and practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount of costs for each of the years 1973, 1974 and 1975 reimbursed by him to local authorities acting as motor taxation agents; and on what basis are these costs made up.

The information required is not available by calendar years. By financial years it is as follows:

1972–73	£10,769,965
1973–74	£12,101,315
1974–75 (Provisional)	£14,830,044

This represents as nearly as possible the cost of providing the staff, accommodation and other facilities required for the service in question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made with the Sports Aid Foundation; and how much finance is now available.

The legal processes in the establishment of the Foundation were completed last week and articles of association were signed. The Foundation has announced a list of cash grants to potential Olympic competitors with the approval of the governing bodies concerned, to assist them in their preparation and training for the Olympic Games. These are the first in a series of awards to promising young sportsmen and sportswomen, and I understand that the Foundation has been able to meet the full amount of all applications for assistance received so far. The Foundation is an independent body for which its Trustees are responsible, and I do not have detailed information on its financial position.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the declared losses or gains and the capital write-offs of British Railways for each year since 1960.

Following is the information:

Railways operating profit/[loss], before interest
	(£ million)
1960	[67·6]
1961	[86·9]
1962	[103·9]
1963	[81·6]
1964	[67·5]
1965	[73·1]
1966	[71·6]
1967	[90·4]
1968	[83·5]
1969	48·7
1970	47·5
1971	26·4
1972	18·2
1973	[4·7]
1974	[96·4]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now answer the letter from the hon. Member for the Isle of Ely dated 19th January, concerning compensation for traders' loss of profits due to water authority road works.

A reply to the hon. Member's letter dated 22nd January on this subject was sent on 13th February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many court working days were taken up in magistrates' courts in 1973, 1974 and 1975 in dealing with cases for the non-payment of road fund licences; what costs these cases added to the cost of administration of justice in those years; and what was the percentage of successful recovery by the courts in cases where payment was ordered in the years 1973, 1974 and 1975.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on Wednesday 11th February 1976.—[Vol. 905, c. 216.] No record is kept of the number of court working days spent on cases arising from alleged non-payment of vehicle excise duty, of the cost of such cases as a proportion of the total cost of administering justice, or of the extent to which payments ordered by the courts are actually made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many licences currently in force have been issued by the traffic commissioners to private operators to operate a bus service complementary to existing road and rail services; and whether he will list the operators to which such licences have been granted.

This information is not readily available. The cost of extracting it from the records of the traffic commissioners could not be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the loss which will be made by the National Bus Company during the current financial year; and what was the loss in the last two financial years.

The National Bus Company's accounts are on a calendar year basis. The loss on revenue account in 1974 was £12·3 million after depreciation and interest; that for 1975 will be an- nounced when the annual accounts are published, but I understand that the loss is likely to be about £5 million greater than that experienced in 1974; it is too early to predict what 1976 results will be.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list those areas designated as designated areas by him in accordance with Section 9 of the Transport Act 1968.

The areas designated as passenger transport areas by the Minister of Transport under Section 9 of the Transport Act 1968 or established as such under the Local Government Act 1972 are the metropolitan counties of Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Tyne and Wear, West Midlands, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on which Vote is carried the expenditure of approximately £26,000 on the new porch for the Members' entrance in New Palace Yard.

Class VIII, Vote 2, Subhead E1, Programme 13·1 in the published Supply Estimates for 1975–76.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of vandalism in 1975, or the latest 12-month period for which figures are available.

I have been asked to reply.The recently published Report, Protection Against Vandalism, of a Working Party of the Home Office Standing Committee on Crime Prevention, concluded that no precise estimate can be made of the very considerable total cost of criminal damage both to public funds and to private organisations and individuals. The Report contains, however, some selective estimates of costs incurred by individual local authorities and public corporations.The costs to public funds include not only those of repair and replacement of damaged property, but also those of crime prevention and law enforcement, of the prosecution and trial of those accused, and of the penal measures imposed on those found guilty.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service vessel "Birdham", or a similar vessel, will continue to be based at Greenock.

A Royal Naval Auxiliary Service vessel of this type will continue to be based at Greenock.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence for how long he expects the United States Navy to require the facilities at the Holy Loch, Argyll.

I refer the hon. Member to what my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence said on 21st October 1975.—[Vol. 898, c. 221–2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number of warships not completed on schedule for (a) launching and (b) for sea trials during the last three years.

Thirteen and 14, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, for the avoidance of misunderstanding, he will take an early opportunity to replace the designation "British (Irish)" in Army records with either "British (Ulster)" or "British (Northern Ireland)" since it refers only to citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies born in Northern Ireland.

I shall bear this in mind if a suitable opportunity arises.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has invited ships of the Soviet navy to pay an official visit to Great Britain; and if he will make a statement.

In accordance with the Anglo-Soviet Joint Statement of 17th February 1975 we have agreed with the Soviet authorities to a simultaneous exchange of naval ship visits later this year. One vessel in each direction will be involved. Arrangements for the visits are still under discussion and details will be announced in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received any explanation from the Russian Government of the reasons for their confiscation of correspondence between officers of the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation and certain Russian citizens; and, if so, if he will place in the Library of the House copies of such explanations.

None. I would refer my hon. Friend to my Written Answer on 12th February to the Questions put down by my hon. Friends the Members for Motherwell and Wishaw (Dr. Bray) and Luton, West (Mr. Sedgemore).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the interference in postal communications between British and Russian citizens by the Russian postal authorities.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my Written Answer on 12th February to the Questions put down by my hon. Friends the Members for Mother-well and Wishaw (Dr. Bray) and Luton, West (Mr. Sedgemore). I have also received correspondence about this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement about the treatment and prospects of release of Mr. Richard Whitecross and his wife from prison in Argentina.

Since I replied to my hon. Friend's Question on 15th January we have continued to urge upon the Argentine authorities the desirability of an early decision on the applications for expulsion made by Mr. and Mrs. Whitecross on 10th December.Both are well and neither has complained to our visiting consular officers about their treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further representations he has made to the Portuguese Government about compensation to British subjects dispossessed of property and livelihood in Portugal; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Mr. BiggsDavison) on 28th January. Her Majesty's Government attach the greatest importance to achieving an early and satisfactory outcome, which should include compensation where appropriate to all the cases involving British property owners. We have continued to raise this matter with Portuguese Ministers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to introduce legislation increasing or varying the cost of a dog licence; and if he will make a statement.

This will be considered in the light of the forthcoming report of the inter-departmental working party, details of which were given in the reply of my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of the Environment, to the hon. Member for Bosworth (Mr. Butler) on 13th December 1974.—[Vol. 883, c. 279–80.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether it is the Government's policy to seek to obtain from the EEC permanent exemption for Great Britain from the poultry evisceration requirements of the EEC; and whether he expects to obtain such permanent exemption.

The policy throughout has been to defer the application of these requirements rather than to seek a permanent exemption. In the negotiations that were concluded last July we secured accommodations for the trade in un-eviscerated poultry covering the period to August 1981. I have no proposal to go further than this.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the potato supply position, the tariff on import of new potatoes is to be suspended.

Yes. Following a request by the United Kingdom, the EEC has agreed to suspend the common customs tariff on new potatoes from 14th February until 28th March 1976. The tariff on maincrop potatoes is already suspended until 28th March. We hope that these tariff suspensions will enable more potatoes to be imported into the Community to alleviate the shortfall in potato supplies this season.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will institute an immediate official inquiry into the problems relating to the catching and disposing of mackerel off the coasts of Cornwall and Devon, in the interests of orderly marketing and long-term conservation of mackerel stocks;(2) if he will make a statement relating to the current problems facing the inshore fishing industry of Cornwall and Devon, particularly in respect of the catching and marketing of mackerel; and if he will outline the action he proposes to take.

Officials from the Fisheries Departments held a further meeting last week with representatives of the fisheries producers' organisations concerned to examine the scope for cooperation between the mackerel catching and marketing interests in the fishery off the coasts of Cornwall and Devon with a view to stabilising catches and prices and seeking new market outlets. The producers' organisations will be considering together how these aims can be achieved, and the Government are pursuing a number of suggestions made by the organisations for measures which would be of assistance.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will ban the use of purse seine netting for the catching of mackerel off the coasts of Cornwall and Devon, pending the results of an official inquiry into the current problems facing the fishing industry in this area;(2) if he will introduce a temporary restriction on all fishing vessels in excess of 50 feet in length engaged in fishing for mackerel off the coasts of Cornwall and Devon, pending the results of an official inquiry into the current problems facing the fishing industry in this area;(3) if he is satisfied with existing conditions prevailing in the inshore fishing industry of Cornwall and Devon, particularly with regard to the number and size of fishing vessels currently engaged in the fishing of mackerel, the methods being used, the ultimate use and marketing of mackerel and the conservation of future stocks of mackerel.

My right hon. Friend and I have no plans at present to restrict the access of either numbers or classes of vessels, or to outlaw particular types of fishing gear in the mackerel fishery off the coasts of Cornwall and Devon. The Government's powers to act in this way are limited to cases where there is a conservation need, and the available scientific advice suggests that the stocks in question are capable of withstanding the present level of fishing effort. The Mackerel Working Group of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea is due to meet next month to assess the state of the western mackerel stocks and will be making recommendations to the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission on conservation catch quotas.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the current official publications which HMSO are unable to send in less than four weeks to those ordering them by post.

Current official publications can normally be supplied by HMSO to mail order customers in less than four weeks. I am looking into a particular case which the hon. Member has raised with me.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the total number of civil servants, working in Scotland in 1960; and by how much that number was increased each year between 1960 and 1975, giving the exact number for each year.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 14th January 1976; Vol. 903, c. 174], gave the following information:The total number of civil servants working in Scotland on 1st July 1960 was 51,819. The figures at 1st July each year show the following variations over the previous year's figures:

Year	Increase or decrease over previous year
1961	-167
1962	+1,032
1963	+1,033
1964	+314
1965	+1,117
1966	+356
1967	+3,300
1968	+2,533
1969	-579
1970	+3,366
1971	+802
1972	-2,216
1973	+988
1974	-804
1975	+3,092

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many people are receiving Civil Service pensions; how many were contributory pensions and how many non-contributory; what was the cost of paying those pensions in the last full year; and what has been the additional cost of applying to them the inflation-proofing provisions of the 1971 Act.

Some 290,000 Civil Service pensions are currently in payment to ex-civil servants and their dependants. As I explained in the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 8th December 1975, civil servants forgo pay to help meet the cost of their pensions. They also make specific contributions towards the cost of family benefits. Actual gross expenditure, ignoring receipts by way of contributions and the value of pay forgone, on pensions and lump sum benefits in 1974–75 amounted to some £203 million. This includes the cost in that year of increases payable as a result of the 1974 and earlier reviews of public service pensions under the pensions increase arrangements. The estimated cost in a full year of the increase payable from 1st December 1975 as a result of the 1975 review is £41 million.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the total sum paid from the Treasury for the remuneration of civil servants in Great Britain in each year, from 1960 to 1975 giving the precise amount for each year.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 14th January 1976; Vol. 903, c. 173–4], gave the following information:Information is not available in the form specified. However, the provision in the Supply Estimates since 1961–62 for all United Kingdom-based civil servants for the financial years ending 31st March has been as follows. Due to a major change in the form of the Estimates in 1962–63, it is not possible to provide comparable figures for 1960–61.

	Estimates
	£ million
1961–62	580
1962–63	615
1963–64	642
1964–65	680
1965–66	729
1966–67	783
1967–68	865
1968–69	937
1969–70	1,020
1970–71	1,175
1971–72	1,300
1972–73	1,419
1973–74	1,509
1974–75	1,840
1975–76	2,415

The figure for 1975–76 will be affected by the forthcoming Spring Supplementary Estimates.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the total number of civil servants in Great Britain paid by the Treasury in 1960; and by how much that number was increased each year between 1960 and 1975 giving the exact number for each year.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 14th January 1976; Vol. 903, c. 174], gave the following information:Reliable information is not available in the form specified. The number of United Kingdom-based civil servants in post on 1st April 1960 was 642,504. The figures at 1st April each year show the following variations over the previous year's figures:

1961	+378
1962	+4,228
1963	+14,405
1964	-3,617
1965	-2,974
1966	+7,062
1967	+17,990
1968	+12,678
1969	-8,283
1970	+16,479
1971	-765
1972	-9,702
1973	+9,769
1974	-8,116
1975	+9,334

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the criteria used to arrive at the designation of the various bodies as para-military in his reply to the hon. Member for Londonderry on 12th January 1976.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will bring forward criteria, to which property owners would have to adhere if they planned to convert houses into flats, which would include reference to a minimum number of levels, rooms and toilet facilities.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many houses and flats have been completed to the latest convenient date from the date when the Northern Ireland Housing Executive assumed responsibility, in each of the constituencies of Belfast, East, South, and West.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which was given to his Questions on 10th February 1976.—[Vol. 905, c. 128.] This information is not kept by parliamentary constituencies and is not readily available in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many buildings in Wellington Park, Belfast 9, are used as private dwellings; and at what point he would consider it impossible to retain the present policy of not permitting owners of the private dwellings to sell their property for business or professional purposes.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the number of electors in the Parliamentary Register coming into force on 16th February for each of the constituencies in Northern Ireland; and how many of these electors in each constituency are designated "I".

I am informed by the Chief Electoral Officer that in the Parliamentary Register referred to, the number of electors for each of the constituencies in Northern Ireland and the number of such electors designated by the prefix "I" are as set out below:

Constituency	Number of Parliamentary electors	Number designated "I"
Belfast, East	78,228	142
Belfast, North	70,551	195
Belfast, South	72,836	274
Belfast, West	62,999	115
Antrim, North	102,515	161
Antrim, South	122,666	317
Armagh	92,289	282
Down, North	95,587	450
Down, South	88,625	282
Fermanagh and South Tyrone	71,464	411
Londonderry	93,884	714
Mid-Ulster	81,595	395
Total	1,033,239	3,738

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total actuarial value of the pensions of all employees and board members of the Post Office Corporation and National Giro appointed by him or his predecessors at the latest available date; what were the numbers of persons involved; and what were the comparable figures a year earlier.

Questions about the actuarial value of employees' pensions should be addressed to the Post Office Corporation and National Giro. For board members the information is not readily available and could only be compiled at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Indusry if he will give a general direction to the Post Office to pay compensation to persons whose registered mail is wrongfully intercepted by the Governments of foreign countries to which the mail was sent.

No. Article 45 of the Universal Postal Convention to which almost all countries are signatories provides that postal administrations shall not be liable in respect of registered items confiscated or destroyed by the competent authorities in accordance with the laws of the country of destination.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will include in his review of the operations of the Post Office the possible increase in efficiency which would accrue if the Post Office were allowed to manufacture its own telecommunications equipment.

My hon. Friend will be aware of the terms of reference of the Carter Committee: it would be for the committee to decide how deeply it wishes to inquire into the question he has raised.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many industrial development units are still in existence at universities and colleges in the United Kingdom; where they are located; and whether he plans any further units or a contraction of present activities.

Provision for departmental grant aid to the units has now ceased and all responsibility for the units lies with the universities concerned. There were seven of these units, which I understand all still exist. They are located as follows: the Cranfield Institute of Technology; the University of Leeds; the University of Salford; the University of Newcastle; the University of Strathclyde; the University College of North Walts; Bangor; the University College of Swansea.My Department does not plan sponsor any further units.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement giving the detailed terms of reference of his Group in the Motor Industry; when he expects his Group to report; and whether he will lay the report in the Library.

My right hon. Friend will be discussing with the members of the Group in the near future how best the terms of reference could be formulated. As he said on 11th February in announcing the setting up of the Group, its purpose is to tackle the urgent problems confronting the motor car industry. The objective will be jointly to take the action needed to establish a viable, substantial, internationally competitive and unsubsidised motor car industry in the 1980s. The Group is intended to be a way of maintaining continuing contact between the three parties on the action to be taken. I will keep the House informed of progress from time to time.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry to what extent he intends that the management of Alfred Herbert Ltd. shall be accountable to the National Enterprise Board.

The National Enterprise Board is currently settling the framework of relationships with the companies whose shares it is acquiring from the Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when the present term of office of the Chairman of British Steel Corporation expire; and if Sir Monty Finniston has been invited to continue in office beyond that date.

9th September 1976. A decision about the chairmanship of the British Steel Corporation after that date will be annonunced later this year.

asked the Secretary of to State for Industry what amounts have been received under the Industry Act 1972 by Wales and by each of the English regions up to 31st March 1975.

The information is as follows:

	£ million
Wales	60·6
East-Anglia	0·7
South-East	17·8
South-West	9·9
West Midland	11·5
East Midland	5·5
Yorkshire and Humberside	26·0*
North-West	90·7
Northern	143·7
* Including £1 million shipbuilding construction grants omitted in error from the answer given on 29th January.—[Vol. 904, c. 335.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will up-date table 1 in the article "Annual Expenditure on Special Regional assistance to Industry in Great Britain 1960–61 to 1972–73" in the Economic Journal for December 1975, page 885, by giving estimates for 1973–74 and 1974–75; and whether he is satisfied that the figures given in the table for earlier years are accurate.

The figures in the table referred to are correctly quoted, except that I have not been able to establish the basis on which that for expenditure in 1972–73 under the Industry Act 1972 was prepared. The correct figure should be £17·961 million. Comparable figures for 1973–74 and 1974–75 are as follows: