asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is considering extending the United Kingdom natural gas grid pipeline system across the Channel to France.

No. The natural gas transmission system is the responsibility of the British Gas Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what system of law or code of practice would be applicable to the United Kingdom gas grid if a connection of the system were made with that of any one of the EEC countries.

Gas pipelines in Great Britain are subject to United Kingdom law, and are constructed and operated in accordance with standards and codes of practice of the British gas industry. Those on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf are also subject to United Kingdom law, but constructed to codes of practice applicable to submarine pipelines. Pipelines in other EEC countries are subject to their own laws or codes of practice.There are no requirements or codes of practice common to the United Kingdom and other EEC countries covering gas pipelines. If there were to be a link with the Continent these and other related questions would need careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will consider offering transit facilities by way of the United Kingdom natural gas grid for the movement of gas from Norwegian sources to France.

Neither the Norwegian authorities nor the Norwegian licensees have requested such facilities, nor can we offer them, since the British natural gas grid is owned by the British Gas Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most recent estimate of the reserves of natural gas in (a) the southern North Sea, (b) the northern North Sea and (c) off the West Coast of England; and what is his estimate of probable reserves in each of these areas.

The most recent estimate of natural gas reserves on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf was given in my Department's annual report "Development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom" published on 29th April this year. This report shows total Southern Basin gas reserves as 711 billion cubic metres and total Northern Basin gas reserves, including Liverpool Bay, as 719 billion cubic metres. The report includes separate figures for proven, probable and possible reserves. There are no separate figures available for the area off the West Coast of England.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the natural gas reserves in Norway which could be linked to the projected Williams-Mertz pipeline to increase its viability.

We have no responsibility for estimating natural gas reserves in Norway. However, as announced in a joint Press release on 10th September 1976 the two Governments, through a co-ordinating committee, will exchange information on the progress of their studies into collecting gas on their respective sides of the median line and will consider the coordination of their plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether, in order to facilitate the expanding of reprocessing facilities and waste disposal plants at Windscale, Cumbria, he will call in the planning application of the British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act to expedite the completion of the company's commitments.

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to my reply earlier today to the hon. Member for Carshalton (Mr. Forman).

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what further consideration has been given to the continuing use or alternative use of the Civil Service College in Edinburgh since his last statement on the subject.

A limited number of courses will continue to be held by the Civil Service College at Melvin House in Edinburgh until March 1977 when the college's training activities there will cease. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is still considering possible uses for Melvin House thereafter.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, assuming an inflation rate of 15 per cent., what would be the index-linked pension on retirement of the lowest grade civil servant entering the service today.

Assuming that the civil servant serves for 40 years, and that the current superannuation arrangements remain unchanged, his pension would be half his pensionable pay in the best of his last three years of reckonable service. What his pension-

	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Average prison sentence pronounced for persons received in default of payment of a fine in days	29	29	30	32	35
Average period actually served in prison by persons sentenced in default of payment of a fine in days	13	10	10	11	14
Estimated average direct prison sentence for persons sentenced for breach of the peace (including petty assault) in days	47	48	49	50	52

The figure for breach of the peace excluding petty assaults is readily available only for 1975 when the average sentence was 41 days. All figures given include persons sentenced to young offenders' institutions.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many United Kingdom based civil servants serving in Northern Ireland receive free air or sea travel between Northern Ireland and their homes in the United Kingdom.

There are about 240 staff serving on short periods of detached duty in Northern Ireland from Great Britain who may return home to rejoin their families at each weekend in accordance with the normal detached duty rules. In addition about 400 staff who have been permanently transferred or recruited from Great Britain or who are serving on detached duty from Great Britain and have been joined by their families may be reimbursed the return cost of conveying themselves, their spouse, dependent children and motor car by sea to Great Britain once a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average prison sentence for each of the last five years of persons sentenced in Scotland (a) in default of fine payments and (b) for breach of the peace.

The information is set out in the table below:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what evidence he has to show the effects of the current United Kingdom economic recession on the Scottish construction industry; and what steps specifically within Scotland he proposes to take to ensure construction employment in Scotland.

I can add very little to the replies of my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Employment to the hon. Member on 21st and 25th October.—[Vol. 917, c. 541–2; Vol. 918, c. 100.]The situation in the construction industries is a reflection of our current economic difficulties.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has now been made with the Greater Glasgow Health Board over the plans for the health centre at Maryhill.

The Department approved the final cost limit for this health centre on 20th October 1976 and the board is now making preparations to go out to tender. I understand that it hopes to reach this stage in December, with a view to work commencing in the spring of 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet received the September survey on teachers; and if he can now give a detailed statement of the number and categories of teachers likely to be affected by the Retirement of Teachers (Scotland) Bill on 1st January.

Some returns are still awaited from education authorities, but when the information is available I shall send it to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to use oil revenues to commence reconstruction of Scottish infrastructure services such

					Secretary of State	Forestry Commission*	Nature Conservancy Council	Highlands and Islands Development Board
Nairn	…	…	…	…	—	17,000	—	—
Moray		…	…	…	96	25,000	—	—
Angus	…	…	…	…	3,286	14,000	—	—
* Approximate figures, Statistics are maintained for individual forests, not counties. All land acquired by the Commission in Scotland is owned by the Secretary of State.

As we made clear in the White Paper on Devolution to Scotland and Wales (Cmnd. 6348), oil revenues will be brought into the national pool for distribution in accordance with relative needs. Within that framework, Scotland, along with other parts of the United Kingdom most in need, whether in terms of infrastructure or in other respects, will receive a full and fair share of the benefits arising from North Sea resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schemes for community councils he has approved, referred back to local authorities for further consideration and still has to consider.

Of the 56 schemes for community councils submitted to the Secretary of State, nine have been formally approved. Twenty-three have been referred back to local authorities for further consideration and it is expected that formal approval of most of these can be completed soon. The others are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the acreage owned by him, by the Forestry Commission, by the Highlands and Islands Development Board, by the Nature Conservancy Council or other public agencies, in the counties of Nairn, Moray and Angus, respectively.

The acreage of land held by my right hon. Friend for health service and road development purposes is not readily available. The remainder of the information is as follows (figures in acres):

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the cost to each of the Scottish area health boards of consultants' fees for engineering, architectural, surveying, heating and ventilating and structural engineering services.

A comprehensive professional advisory and executive service is provided by the Building Division of the Common Services Agency at no charge to health boards. The 1975–76 salaries bill was £1,957,789.In addition, boards incurred consultants' fees for capital works as follows:

Health Boards			Fees (£)
Argyll and Clyde	…	…	611,667
Ayrshire and Arran	…	…	108,935
Borders	…	…	65,441
Dumfries and Galloway	…	…	62,757
Fife	…	…	61,706
Forth Valley	…	…	68,000
Grampian	…	…	194,345
Greater Glasgow	…	…	474,367
Highland	…	…	365,528
Lanarkshire	…	…	250,183
Lothian	…	…	432,824
Orkney	…	…	Nil
Shetland	…	…	3,795
Tayside	…	…	232,756
Western Isles	…	…	10,467
	Total	…	£2,942,771

This information has been obtained from the accounts of health boards for 1975–76. A further breakdown of the figures could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to withdraw planning permission to demolish numbers 11–14 George Square, Edinburgh, until the future of number 10, George Square, has been clarified.

No. my right hon. Friend has already notified the City of Edinburgh District Council that he does not require to be referred to him the Application for the demolition of No. 10 George Square, which the council proposes to grant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider establishing a committee of all interested organisations to discuss future developments at George Square, Edinburgh, in order to ensure that all aspects are considered before a final decision is taken.

Future developments at George Square and their effect on listed buildings are, as elsewhere in Edinburgh, primarily a matter for the district council, as planning authority. These matters seem capable of resolution through the normal established procedures and I think it right to allow these to proceed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received concerning the future developments of George Square; and how many of these have contained constructive alternatives to the proposed demolition of numbers 11–14.

Seventeen representations have been received by my right hon. Friend regarding future developments at George Square from various sources, none of which contained constructive alternatives to the proposed demolition of Nos. 11–14.I understand, however, that an alternative plan for the use of the site of Nos. 10–14 George Square has been produced by architectural students and is at present being considered by the district council.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the number of (a) fatal accidents and (b) accidents resulting in serious injuries which have occurred on the A80 between Moodiesburn and Castlecary in each of the last five years.

The information is as follows:

		1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976
Jan-July
Fatal	…	1	Nil	2	4	2	1
Serious	…	12	9	10	11	8	3
Totals	…	13	9	12	15	10	4

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the accidents in the last five years on the A80 between Moodiesburn and Castlecary which resulted in serious injury or death were the result of a vehicle leaving one side of the dual carriageway and crossing the central reservation into the face of oncoming traffic.

The information is as follows:

	Fatal	Serious	Totals
1971*	Nil	Nil	Nil
1972*	Nil	Nil	Nil
1973	Nil	Nil	Nil
1974	1	1	2
1975	1	Nil	1
1976 (Jan./July)	1	Nil	1
* Information available only between Moodiesburn and Mainhead Interchange, Cumbernauld.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what research has been conducted into the traffic flow on the A80 by the Scotish Development Department.

A point on A80 is usually included in the annual traffic census. In addition, a special count is taken on the Moodiesburn-Cumbernauld stretch on eight separate weekends during the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans, if any, he has for (a) improving and (b) upgrading the A80 arterial route between Moodiesburn and Castlecary.

Improvements are planned at Moodiesburn and at Auchenkiln Roundabout. Consideration is being given to the more comprehensive improvement in the longer term of the route between Glasgow and Haggs.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what would be the cost of erecting crash barriers on the central reservation of the A80 between Moodiesburn and Castlecary.

About £200,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what would be the cost of upgrading the A80 between Moodiesburn and Castlecary to a full three-lane motorway.

At today's price levels, perhaps £20 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy towards lorry routes in the London area; and if he will detail the advice that he is giving to the Greater London Council.

There are no proposals for national lorry routes in the London area. Local lorry policy is the responsibility of the Greater London Council, which has received the advice on lorry routeing which the Department has prepared for local authorities generally.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with the application of the Land Compensation Act, with regard to compensation in consequence of road improvements.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his proposed reductions in the Government grant to the Greater London Council in respect of London Transport; and what is the estimated effect of such reductions on London passenger fares.

In line with the Government's economic strategy, I have asked the Greater London Council and the Metropolitan counties to reduce their proposed spending on local transport in 1977–78. Until they have responded and I have decided their allocations of grant, it is not possible to say what the effect will be on any item of local transport expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what proposals he will bring forward in his review of transport policy for a joint bus/train information system;(2) in his consideration of the recent report on transport, if he has taken account of the need to provide information about replacement bus services where railway lines are closed.

These are essentially matters for public transport operators and the county councils concerned but I recognise the case the hon. Member makes for adequate information of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a general direction to British Railways to improve information made available to railway staff relating to the transit of dangerous materials by rail.

No. It is for the Railways Board to decide how best to discharge its responsibilities in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if it is his policy to encourage the greater use of lighters on the River Thames as a means of carrying freight wherever possible; and, if so, what proposals he has made to the lighterage trade to help them achieve this.

I think the lighterage trade itself is the best judge of how to compete successfully for traffic.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in the light of recent criticism by the medical profession of the Government's consultative document on transport policy, he will increase research expenditure into the human factors responsible for motor accidents.

A quarter of this Department's budget for road safety research is spent on work on road user behaviour; any substantial increase would need to be justified by the likely benefits to be gained in this field by comparison with others. My right hon. Friend has, however, noted the comments made by the British Medical Association, and is considering them with other comments on the Transport Policy consultative document.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of recent criticism from the medical profession of the motor accident data, he will review the methods of collection and analysis on which the accident statistics are maintained.

The procedure for collecting information on road accidents has recently been reviewed by a departmental working party, whose report will soon be published.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate the principal occasions since February 1974 on which he has publicly warned the nation that a reduction in living standards is inevitable and the form of words used on each occasion.

Since I became Chancellor I have drawn attention more often than I can remember to the related themes of the need to pay our way in the world, the necessity of channelling resources into exports and investment rather than private or public consumption, and the urgency of the fight against inflation. I have frankly pointed out the implications for our standard of living in the present and the immediate future of these inter-related problems and the measures required to tackle them. The following selected extracts will perhaps illustrate this.1.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional amounts of sterling will be called for from Her Majesty's Government in order to cover guarantees given to nationalised industries, local government and Government agencies which have loans or borrowings in foreign currencies if at the time of repayment the £ sterling has the same value in foreign exchanges as on 14th October 1976.

I assume that the hon. Member is interested in foreign currency borrowing by nationalised industries, local government and Government agencies under the exchange cover scheme whereby the Exchange Equalisation Account provides foreign currency for servicing payments at the same rates of exchange that were in force when the various loans were drawn down. At rates of exchange on 14th October the out standing amount of these loans was equivalent to some £5·4 billion, compared with £4·1 billion when the individual loans were drawn down.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what quantities of new long-dated Government stock were sold to the non-banking public in the months of April, May, June, July, August, September and October 1976, separately stated; and what quantities the Government hope to sell between November 1976 and March 1977 if their money supply target of 12 per cent. growth is to be met.

I regret that the information is not available in the form requested. In the first quarter of the 1976–77 financial year, total net sales of all Government stocks to the domestic non-bank public were £814 million; figures for the second quarter will be published in the December issue of the Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin.There is no single figure for the sales of Government stock necessary during the remainder of the financial year to secure the 12 per cent. target for the growth of the money supply. The amount of the sales required will depend on a range of factors influencing the growth of the money supply, including bank lending to the private sector and external finance of the public sector.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost to the Treasury of raising the VAT threshold on small businessmen from £5,000 to £20,000.

About £95 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Chairman and Members of the Wilson Committee to review the functioning of the financial institutions will be able to claim payments and expenses in addition to other moneys which they may be receiving from public funds whilst acting in connection with this Committee's activities.

As with other Government Committees and Commissions, the Chairman and members of this Committee will be able to claim travel expenses between home and place of official duty. While on the business of the Committee they will be entitled to receive subsistence allowances, subject to the normal Civil Service rules, and in certain circumstances they may also be entitled to limited compensation for loss of earnings.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Bank of England and the London and Scottish clearing banks have completed the exploration of possible constraints on medium-term lending to industry to which he referred in his Budget speech.

This exploration has been completed, and has shown that prudential liquidity considerations are not at present inhibiting medium-term lending to industry, and it is not expected that they will constrain expansion of this type of lending in the foreseeable future. However, the subject will be kept under review in the course of the regular discussions which take place between the Bank and the London and Scottish clearing banks, so that any prospective problem over this can be identified in good time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will ensure that in future White Papers on public expenditure, investment in the nationalised industries which is generated from internal finance, will not be included in the total of public expenditure.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 1st November 1976; Vol. 918, c. 483], gave the following information:Yes, it is intended that, in future, estimates of Government funds provided towards the investment programmes of nationalised industries, and not the investment programmes themselves, will be included in the main totals in public expenditure White Papers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will place in the Library a document comparing the criteria for the calculation of the content of public expenditure adopted by each of the member countries of the EEC, so that a comparison can be made between the percentage of GNP devoted to public expenditure in each of these countries.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 1st November 1976; Vol. 918, c. 483], gave the following information:Public expenditure is not an aggregate consistently defined by the member countries of the EEC. They have differing Budget systems and comparison of expenditure is best made using national accounts figures of general—central and local—Government transactions, compiled in accordance with the European System of Integrated Economic Accounts (ESA). Figures on this basis are shown in national accounts ESA detailed tables 1970–74. Copies of this publication are in the library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in the light of the current policies on public expenditure, what is his estimate of housing completions in 1976 and 1977 in (a) the public and (b) the private sector.

Starts and completions in the public sector are likely to be higher this year than last when they were 174,000 and 162,000 respectively. In 1977 starts will be lower but completions are again expected to exceed the 1975 figure. For the private sector, the July survey of the Private Enterprise Housing Enquiry showed that builders then expected more activity in the remainder of 1976 and in 1977 than in the comparable periods of 1975; another enquiry is currently being carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing completions were made for the last available quarter of 1976; and how that compares with the comparative quarters of 1974 and 1975.

Provisional seasonally adjusted figures for the quarter ending 30th September 1976 are now available. They show that new housing completions. both public and private sector, in Great Britain for this quarter, at 79,300, are 22 per cent. up on the comparable quarter of 1974 and 1 per cent. down on the same quarter for 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what basis the Government have come to the conclusion that Trafford is not to be classified as an area of housing stress.

My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State the Member for Durham, North-West (Mr. Armstrong) in a letter to the hon. Member dated 11th October acknowledged that Trafford has areas of housing stress, but the situation as a whole in the borough is not so difficult as that of the areas listed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further plans he has to deal with the problem of football hooliganism.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for dealing with football hooligans.

I refer my hon. and learned Friend and the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Derby, North (Mr. Whitehead on Wednesday, 13th October 1976.—[Vol. 917, c. 117.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to increase the water supply next summer.

I shall be making a statement to the House shortly about this in the light of the National Water Council's Report "Water Supply Prospects for 1977".

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he can list the likely changes anticipated for 1977 in water preservation regulations or new capital expenditure which will be involved to ensure that another drought will not cause the difficulties of the summer of 1976.

Details of capital expenditure are described in the National Water Council's Report "Water Supply Prospects for 1977" on which I shall the making a statement to the House shortly. This will include a reference to the operation of the Drought Act 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions his Department has reached in relation to planning water supplies and anticipating future water requirements following the operation of the Drought Act 1976; and if he will make a statement.

I shall be making a statement to the House shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many submissions he has received to date in response to his consultative document upon water supply policy.

About 500 bodies and individuals have submitted comments on the consultative document on the review of the water industry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average length of time taken to decide planning appeals in the case of written and inquiry procedures, respectively; and if he is satisfied that they could not be dealt with more expeditiously.

23 and 28 weeks where the appeal was transferred to an inspector and 39 and 48 weeks respectively where the appeal was decided by my right hon. Friend. This is a substantial improvement over times achieved in the recent past.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of full-time and part-time staff employed by local authorities in England and Wales and what is the percentage increase since April 1974.

At 12th June 1976, the latest date for which published information is available, local authorities in England and Wales employed a total of 2·57 million full-time and part-time staff including police. This is an increase of 5·4 per cent. on the 2·44 million at June 1974. Employment figures are not available for April 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has given to local authorities on staffing.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to the right hon. Member for Crosby (Mr. Page).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now announce the date of publication of the Review of Housing Finance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the results of the Housing Finance Review.

I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Ealing, Acton (Sir G. Young).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied with the operation of the new water authorities; and if he proposes in due course to change some of their activities.

The authorities have performed as well as could be expected given the structural defects inherent in the 1973 Act. The Green Paper which we issued in March concentrated upon the industry's central organisation and the lack of a national strategy. I hope to make a statement about these matters in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the report by Alex Henney entitled "London's New Housebuilding Programme".

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave on 19th October 1976 to the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Ross). —[Vol. 917, c. 380].

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions he has reached in his discussions about the need for mortgage facilities for the large numbers of empty older, cheaper houses that do not at present qualify for mortgages from building societies.

Building societies' lending on older houses has been increasing steadily. Advances of about £90 million had been offered to local authority nominees by the end of September under the £100 million scheme, and discussions are continuing with the Building Societies' Association on how best to fill the gap arising from the restriction in local authority lending in 1977–78. Loans on older property will continue to figure prominently in lending by local authorities within the public resources available to them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his discussions with the building societies on the evidence that some societies have redlined whole districts of certain inner-city areas, refusing applications for mortgages therein, and also that they have turned down applications for mortgages on older types of houses submitted by local authorities on behalf of residents; and what action he proposes to remedy this situation.

Although this appears to have been a local and not a general problem, I am concerned about it. It is, therefore, one of the subjects being discussed by the Department and the building societies as a priority issue in the talks on the arrangments for replacement of the reduced local authority lending in 1977–78.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has had recent discussions with the Building Societies' Association.

We continue to maintain regular contact with the Building Societies' Association.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities are overspent in the current year at the latest available date; and by how much.

On the latest information, local authority current expenditure in 1976–77 may exceed the planned level by £170–£210 million. There is no generally recognised basis on which the total could properly be allocated between individual local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the NFBTE over the proposal to introduce legislation to extend the powers of local authority direct labour departments.

The National Federation of Building Trades Employers has objected in principle to the proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will await the proposals of the Inter-Departmental Working Party relating to the activities of the direct labour departments of local authorities before considering fresh legislation in this field.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 21st October to the hon. Member for Southend, East (Sir S. McAdden).—[Vol. 917, c. 514.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he intends to hold with local authorities during the period of review of policies for the urban areas which he announced on 17th September.

I shall invite the views of local authorities as appropriate. In particular I look forward to receiving their views on the main findings of the three inner area studies, when these are published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what specific policy changes he is proposing, following his recent speech on strategic planning issues, arising from the problems of the major urban areas.

The reviews of inner city problems and of decentralisation policies have only recently started: it is too early to predict what changes may result.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he remains satisfied with the housebuilding programme in the public sector.

The public sector programme, to which my right hon. Friend referred earlier today when replying to my hon. Friends the Members for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) and Gravesend (Mr. Ovenden), is in line with the expenditure forecasts made in the February White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance his Department is giving to local authorities on the provision of incentives to council tenants to purchase in the private sector.

Local authorities have discretionary powers to reimburse certain expenses incurred by their tenants when buying a house, other than the house they are currently renting. The relevant provisions are outlined in paragraphs 21 to 23 of the Department's Circular No. 76/72.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of land have been acquired under the Community Land Act; and at what cost.

Local authorities have so far notified my Department of the acquisition of some 120 acres of land at a cost of approximately £1½ million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a circular to local authorities advising them that only firms known to maintain recognised standards of building construction should be invited to tender for local authority building work.

I have recently issued the first instalment of a Code of Procedure for Local Authority Housebuilding which consolidates guidance on the selection of contractors. The code recommends selective tendering and calls for a thorough investigation into the technical ability and financial standing of firms before they are invited to tender.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make arrangements to publish annually a report on the Property Services Agency.

Although the cost of such a report would be modest I do not think that it would be justified, given the Government's general concern to economise in administrative costs and the opportunities which already exist for the scrutiny of PSA expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied that the NHBC offers adequate protection to house purchasers.

Yes. The NHBC scheme is of course kept under regular review

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing starts in Devon and Cornwall which have been cancelled or delayed following the Government's announcement of a diversion of resources to the urban stress areas.

We have not cancelled any schemes. In response to Circular 80/76 local authorities in Devon and Cornwall reported that, had no control been imposed, contracts would have been let for 1,047 dwellings to be started between 22nd July and 31st December. Two hundred and ninety-seven of these will be able to go ahead. The remainder will have to be deferred until next year

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current value of capital works being undertaken by the Property Services Agency for the accommodation of civil servants in the United Kingdom starting in 1976–77; and what is his estimate for starts in each year to 1980.

£31 million in 1976–77 and approximately £50 million a year in the next four years. More than half of this is accounted for by buildings to house staff dispersed from London.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if unemployment will be a factor in the calculations for rate support grant for 1977–78.

Final decisions have yet to be taken on the arrangements for the 1977–78 rate support grant distribution and, therefore, I have nothing further to add to the reply on 27th July to my hon. Friend.—[Vol. 916, c. 171.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to change the formula for the distribution of the rate support grant needs element for 1977–78.

I plan to announce final decisions on the arrangements for the distribution of the rate support grant in 1977–78 on 22nd November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement concerning the focus of his review into policy by Her Majesty's Government for new and expanding towns.

A reappraisal of the future role of new and expanding towns will be undertaken as part of my overall review of policies for the urban areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the implementation to date of the reductions in the public sector housing programme which he announced to the House on 5th August.

As a result of the measures introduced by Departmental Circular 80/76 on 17th August, tender acceptances for new housebuilding projects are being approved at the rate set out in my statement of 5th August.—[Vol. 916, c. 984–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities with responsibility for housing provision that are not at present listed as stress areas have made application to be included in this category.

44.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will be in a position to give a final decision concerning the application by the Severn Trent Water Authority to construct a reservoir at Carsington, Derbyshire.

The application has been the subject of a long and complicated inquiry, which has been reopened once and is to be reopened again. It is hoped that the inquiry will be reopened early in the New Year, but it is not possible to say when a decision will be reached.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to make it a condition of future planning consents that gas and/or electric meters be fitted on the outside of buildings.

No. The siting of meters is not a matter for planning legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for the conservation of water to safeguard against the future possibility of drought in the Warrington area.

None. Responsibility for the management of water resources in the region lies with the North West Water Authority. I understand that Warrington is no more vulnerable to drought than is the region as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by what authority his Department issued a circular to local authorities restricting the amount by which residents in smoke control areas can claim reimbursement for seven-tenths of their expenditure on new appliances contrary to Section 12 of the Clean Air Act 1956; and whether he will now withdraw the circular.

I take it that my hon Friend is referring to the circular which lays down cost limits for smokeless appliances. The Clean Air Act requires that the grant paid to householders by local authorities shall not go beyond expenditure for such reasonably necessary work as will enable the householder to comply with a smoke control order. The circular gives guidance as to what the Department will consider to be reasonably necessary expenditure in normal circumstances, although the limits which it sets are now under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is now satisfied that adequate and effective administrative arrangements exist to deal with grant applications under Section 7 of the Local Employment Act 1972.

Administrative difficulties associated with the reorganisation of the water industry and the general review of these grants two years ago have been overcome. We are satisfied that the administrative arrangements for grant applications in my Department are now generally working smoothly and efficiently.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how long is now required by his Department to process applications for grant under Section 7 of the Local Employment Act 1972.

Applications for grant vary widely in size, cost and complexity, and action extends over the life of a scheme and is not complete till final costs are known. However, first decisions on applications are typically given within three or four months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what control he is exercising over the number of changes that are being made in the new building regulations and the extent to which each time a change is made the price goes up.

Amendments to the building regulations are generally made only when considerations of health or safety demand. This is usually the result of changes in technology or because new problems have arisen. The effect on building costs varies, but in framing amendments we always seek the most economical solution, and before they are formally made we consult trade associations, professional institutions and all other bodies interested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take in order to assist Manchester City Council, which wishes to rehouse tenants from pre-war "walk-up" flats into new council homes and is faced with the payment of a disturbance and home loss allowance; and if he will make a statement.

All local authorities are liable to make these payments as part of the costs of their redevelopment or improvement schemes. The normal arrangements by which authorities may seek loan sanction and receive housing subsidy apply. I am at present considering a particular application from the Manchester City Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an ex gratia contribution to the conservation and repair of the front of Wells Cathedral for which an appeal has been launched.

No. Successive Governments have maintained the position that their powers to make grants for the repair of buildings of outstanding historic or architectural interest should not extend to cathedrals as ecclesiastical buildings in use. There is no case for making an exception of Wells Cathedral by the giving of an ex gratia contribution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total cost to public funds of the Joint Manpower Watch; and how many people are involved in compiling its returns.

The Local Authorities' Conditions of Service Advisory Board (LACSAB) is responsible for the collection and collation of the quarterly Joint Manpower Watch returns prepared by local authorities in England and Wales. LACSAB's estimated costs in connection with the Joint Manpower Watch in the financial year ending 31st March 1977, including salaries, computer services and other costs, are £76,000. The equivalent of three full-time staff are employed by LACSAB on work in this connection. Information is not available to my Department about the costs incurred or the numbers employed by local authorities in compiling the quarterly returns.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the total number of architects who are employed (a) by his Department, (b) the PSA, (c) other Government Departments, (d) local authorities and (e) other public sector bodies; what proportion each represents of the total architectural strength of the country, as registered with ARCUK; and what proportion of the total workload of design commissions is carried out by each sector.

There are 480 architects employed in the PSA and a further 200 in the rest of the Department. Some 220 are employed in other Government Departments. The remaining information could not be provided without disproportionate effort.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of public sector design work is carried out by architects employed by (a) the public and (b) the private sector; and what are the specific figures for his Department and, the PSA, respectively.

There is no information centrally available about the handling of design work in the public sector generally. Most of the architectural design work in my Department is handled within the PSA. The proportion of this for which architects in private practice are commissioned varies from time to time, but last year it is estimated at about 25 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give the terms of reference and membership of each of the three groups of the Environmental Board referred to in the answer given to the hon. Member for Melton by the hon. Member for Widnes (Mr. Oakes) on 2nd February; and what reports or publications have so far been produced by each of those groups.

As my hon. Friend told the hon. Member on 2nd February, the groups were set up to help the Environmental Board in its task of advising me on ways of improving the built environ- ment. The topics they were asked to study were possible ways of improving the quality of the environment in new, greenfield development, and in existing built-up areas, and the scope for greater public awareness of issues affecting the built environment. In the light of the Environmental Board's advice on their findings I shall consider whether there are matters on which published reports would be useful.The participants in the groups during the past months, all of whom are serving in a personal capacity, have been as follows:1.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review his policy in regard to local authority applications for compulsory purchase orders in respect of older housing in circumstances where, following his refusal, the landlord fails to carry out the improvements promised at the time the application was rejected.

Where an owner fails to honour an undertaking to carry out repairs or improvements, in consideration of which my right hon. Friend has refused to confirm a compulsory purchase order, and the matter cannot be settled by agreement, the local authority has various statutory powers for dealing with the matter, and in the last resort may make another order. It is very rarely that the latter recourse is necessary. If my hon. Friend has a specific case in mind, he may like to write to me about it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received to date concerning sewerage charges for properties not connected to the main sewer.

In the context of the consultative document "Review of the Water Industry in England and Wales" my right hon. Friend has received 144 representations about the responsibility for the level of charges for emptying and treating the contents of cesspools and septic tanks. In addition to these my right hon. Friend has received about 120 representations on cesspool emptying and treatment charges, more than half of them relating to the administration of refunds following the case of Daymond v. South West Water Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a table of the outstanding debt per head of the ratepaying population of all local authorities, county, borough and district councils.

Figures of debt per head of resident population are prepared annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. The latest "Return of Outstanding Debt" with figures for 31st March 1975 is available in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of a recent decision by the United States Academy of Science to ban the use of cetrain aerosols containing flurocarbons, the United Kingdom intends to introduce a similar ban; and if he will make a statement.

A recent report by the United States National Academy of Science concludes that further research is needed before it can be decided whether the use of fluorocarbon aerosol propellants should be regulated. This accords closely with our own position as set out in a report published in April this year by my Department's Central Unit on Environmental Pollution. I understand that in view of the length of time needed to develop such a regulatory system there the United States Government have set in hand work preparatory to such regulations. At this stage I do not consider that regulatory action is needed here.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the functions of his Department in respect of the provision of sport and recreation for youth.

I exercise on behalf of my right hon. Friend his powers in relation to the Sports Council, the Countryside Commission, the British Waterways Board, the regional water authorities and national park committees and boards—all of which provide or assist the provision of facilities for sport and recreation. In addition, I take the lead on the co-ordination of policies and promotion of research in this field in England; and co-operate with Scottish and Welsh Ministers on broader aspects of policy for Great Britain.My responsibilities for sport and recreation cover all age groups, but exclude, of course, activities within schools. The importance which the Government attach to attracting and retaining the interest of young people in sport and physical recreation was emphasised in the White Paper published last year (Cmnd. 6200).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the total of local government current and capital expenditure on sport in the financial year 1976–77.

I do not have sufficient information to make reliable estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the committees, working parties and inquiries into aspects of sport established by him since March 1974, naming the chairman in each case.

Since March 1974 I have set up the following working parties: Working Party on Sport and Outdoor Recreation, Working Party on Football Crowd Behaviour, Working Party on Centres of Excellence. All were under my chairmanship.The Working Party on Sport and Outdoor Recreation, which undertook a comprehensive review of relationships in sport, completed its work in 1974. The other two working parties are still in existence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate by numbers and cost, the value of departmental vehicles classified as total constructional loss for the years 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976 up to the present date.

As follows:

		Number	Cost
1973	…	2	1,260
1974	…	4	4,155
1975	…	4	2,760
1976 to date	…	2	2,320

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what dates requests were received from the Refreshment Department for the replacement of the carpeting in the Members' Cafeteria and in the Centre Curtain Corridor outside Dining Rooms A, B, C and D; and when the work will be carried out.

On 26th February 1976 my Department was informed of the Refreshment Department's wish that the Members' Cafeteria and the Centre Curtain Corridor should be redecorated during 1977–78. In July this year my officials were asked to look into the need for new carpets. It is expected that work will be carried out in the 1977 Summer Recess.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date protection against development was removed from the A646, from Halifax to Burnley.