asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals for changing the law in relation to air weapons.

We propose to introduce legislation to increase the age limits relating to the purchase and possession of air weapons by young people, when a suitable legislative opportunity occurs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been detained under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; how many have been subsequently charged with offences; and with what offences they have been charged.

2,180 people have been detained in Great Britain under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976. An extension of detention under Section 7 of the 1974 Act or Section 12 of the 1976 Act has been approved in 241 cases; a further 496 people were detained for 48 hours or less. 1,443 people have been detained pending further examination at ports under the supplemental orders made under the Acts.102 people detained under the Acts have been charged with offences in Great Britain. Ten of them have been charged with offences under the Acts. Eight of the remainder have been charged with murder, three with attempted murder, 12 with conspiracy to cause explosions, seven with unlawful possession of explosives, six with conspiracy to possess or procure explosives with intent to endanger life, six with contravention of Section 1 of the Firearms Act 1968, five with conspiracy to defraud the Inland Revenue, 16 with theft, one with robbery, eight with burglary, one with assisting offenders, two with causing criminal damage, two with attempting criminal deception, one with handling a stolen vehicle, three with handling stolen property, one with unlawful wounding, one with possession of drugs, three with wasting police time, one with causing an explosion, one with harbouring a person know to have committed an arrestable offence, one with attempted theft, one with assault on police, one with being found on enclosed premises and one with possessing an offensive weapon.In addition three people have been returned to the Irish Republic and there charged, two with burglary and one with robbery. 13 people have been returned to Northern Ireland and there charged, one with murder, one with conspiracy to cause an explosion, three with armed robbery, two with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, three with unlawful possession of explosives, two with causing an explosion, and one with unlawful taking of a motor vehicle.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been charged with offences under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; and under which sections of the Act the charges have been brought.

Seven people have been charged in Great Britain with offences under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1976; two under Section 10(1)(a) and Section 10(2), two under Section 10(1)(a), one under Section 1(1)(b), one under Section 9(1) and one under Section 9(2)(a). Three people were charged in Great Britain under Section 1(1)(b) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has refused an extension of five days to the police for the holding of a suspect under the Prevention of Terrorism Act; and in how many cases.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, of the charges brought against suspects initially held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, which charges have been dropped before the case was heard; which charges have led to successful and unsuccessful prosecutions, respectively; in the former cases what sentences were imposed; and if any charges led to a successful prosecution, and, if so, in each case, what was the sentence imposed.

This information could not be made available without disproportionate effort, for the reason given in my reply to my hon. Friend's Question on 11th October.—[Vol. 375, c. 43–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been served with exclusion orders under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; how many have been deported to (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the Republic of Ireland; how many have appealed against exclusion orders; and how many appeals have been successful.

My predecessor and I have made 93 exclusion orders under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976. Notice of the making of an exclusion order has been served on 85 people, 79 of whom were removed, 56 to Northern Ireland and 23 to the Irish Republic. Nineteen of the 85 made representations objecting to the order and my predecessor revoked the order in five of these 19 cases. One case is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have been transferred from prisons in Scotland, England, or Wales to prisons in Northern Ireland during the period January 1974 to the present; and if he will publish details.

I cannot answer for transfers from Scotland, but during the period 1st January 1974 to date, nine prisoners were transferred from prisons in England and Wales to Northern Ireland. This number included one borstal trainee. All of the transfers took place in 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has plans to fund district councils of voluntary service directly from the Voluntary Service Unit of his Department; and, if so, on what criteria each application will be considered.

The possibility of making direct Government grants to some Councils of Voluntary Service in metropolitan districts is currently being considered by the Voluntary Services Unit in consultation with the National Council of Social Service. Criteria for such funding have not yet been decided.

asked the Attorney-General what guidelines have been issued to magistrates concerning the repayment of social security benefits that have been dishonestly obtained.

No guidelines have been issued to magistrates on this subject.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will give the reasons why he will not, as a means of reducing Government expenditure, move to amend the resolution governing allowances for peers so as to introduce a means test to ensure that peers will receive their £13·50 a day tax-free allowance only where they can establish that their other income falls below the national average wage.

Peers' expenses allowance is not paid as a fixed sum, nor is it reckonable as income. It is a limit within which the Members of another place are entitled to recover expenses they actually incur in attending their House, and it would be inappropriate to apply a means test to a reimbursement allowance.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service at what stage a postal charge is levied on official paid envelopes and cards.

The arrangements for "Official Paid" mail were so devised that the users pay the Post Office at approximately the time the stationery is used. The payments are based on the rates the Post Office charges the public.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the current estimated cost of the transfer of Ministry of Defence civil servants from London to Cardiff.

As I explained to the hon. Member on 12th November, the move of Ministry of Defence posts to Cardiff is due to be completed in 1982. Provisional estimates of the net costs up to 1984–85, when capital expenditure will be completed, amount to about £39 million. Continuing savings of about £7 million will accrue in each subsequent year. Figures at 1976 prices. In addition there are the important economic and social benefits to be taken into account.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants in central and local government there are per head of population; and how this compares with each of the EEC member countries.

I have been asked to reply.This information is not readily available. I have asked for it to be obtained and will arrange for it to be published in the

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take up the question of Rudolf Hess's release from Spandau Prison and make a joint approach to the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics along with the French and American Governments, to the effect that the 82-year-old Hess be released on humanitarian grounds.

The Soviet Government have been left in no doubt that it is Her Majesty's Government's view that Hess should be released. Unfortunately, there is no reason to believe that the negative attitude of the Soviet Government has changed since the representations made to them on this subject by the British, French and American Government's a year ago, and by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the Soviet Foreign Minister last March.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to the effect that Rudolf Hess be released from Spandau Prison on humanitarian grounds.

My right hon. Friend the then Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made representations to the Soviet Ambassador in favour of Hess's release on 29th October last year, and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised the question again with the Soviet Foreign Minister, Mr. Gromyko, in March this year. Regrettably, the Soviet response was totally negative in each case.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why Great Britain abstained from voting on the motion proposed by Guyana concerning the implementation of previously endorsed United Nations' Resolutions on Cyprus plus the non-alignment of that country put before the United Nations General Assembly on 11th November 1976.

Her Majesty's Government regret that the resolution tabled on the Cyprus item was not couched in more widely acceptable terms. Since there was insufficient time before the vote for discussion of the draft resolution, which might have led to a more generally acceptable formulation, Her Majesty's Government decided, in company with all but one of their European Economic Community partners and the United States, to abstain.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many immigrants were in receipt of social security benefits, during the last year for which figures were available, within seven days of arrival in the United Kingdom.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he can make a statement on sperm banks; and what arrangements have been made to organise and control them.

A report by an expert panel set up by the British Medical Association was published in the British Medical Journal supplement of 7th April 1973. It contained a number of recommendations on the complex question of human artificial insemination, including the organisation and control of insemination banks. My Department will consider the whole report when it has received further information which the Association, in later discussions with officials from my Department, undertook to collect.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Burton on 1st November 1976, it is impracticable to state what would be an optimum dose beyond which the intake of fluoride into the human system might have harmful effects upon the health of adults and children.

In my reply to the hon. Member's Question on 1st November—[Vol. 919, c. 53–4.]—I explained that an optimum dose could not be stated because of normal variations in dietary intake and that the object of fluoridation was not to provide a specific dose of fluoride but to reproduce the effects of the most satisfactory concentration found naturally in water supplies. Before the start of the fluoridation studies in the United Kingdom, estimates of the average dietary intake of children and adults were taken into account before deciding that the optimum concentration of fluoride in water supplies in this country was one part per million. The report on the first five years of the fluoridation studies in the United Kingdom dealt with this aspect, and this report and that on the first 11 years, published in 1962 and 1969 —Reports on Public Health and Medical Subjects Nos. 105 and 122—concluded that fluoridation of water supplies at this optimum concentration was a highly effective way of reducing dental decay and was completely safe. In its report "Fluoride, Teeth and Health" (Pitman Medical, 1976) the Royal College of Physicians confirmed that there was no evidence that the consumption of water containing one part per million of fluoride in a temperate climate was associated with any harmful effect.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will introduce regulations to govern the testing of drugs by general practitioners on a given number of patients for which payment is made by the manufacturer or distributor.

We have no proposals for introducing such regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of beds available for geriatric patients in each of the hospitals in the Southend district of the Essex Area Health Authority.

The number of beds are as follows:

	Staffed beds allocated to geriatrics as at 30th June 1976
General Hospital, Rochford	…	165
General Hospital, Southend	…	28
Westcliff Hospital	…	105
Shoeburyness Hospital	…	33
Total for Southend District	…	331

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of abortions performed in each year in England and Wales from and including 1970 on girls aged 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 years expressed as a percentage of all girls in the relevant age bracket.

ABORTIONS: NUMBERS AND RATES PER 10,000 GIRLS
			1970		1971		1972
Years of age			Number	Rate	Number	Rate	Number	Rate
12	…	…	20	1	16	0	7	0
13	…	…	85	3	77	2	98	3
14	…	…	391	12	529	16	586	17
15	…	…	1,233	39	1,671	51	2,113	62
16	…	…	2,530	78	3,465	109	4,318	131
17	…	…	3,188	98	4,426	135	5,395	169
18	…	…	3,864	121	5,193	159	6,038	184

			1973		1974		1975*
Years of age			Number	Rate	Number	Rate	Number	Rate
12	…	…	14	0	9	0	12	0
13	…	…	108	3	117	3	120	3
14	…	…	693	20	718	20	747	20
15	…	…	2,270	65	2,490	70	2,691	75
16	…	…	5,082	150	5,348	153	5,411	152
17	…	…	5,775	176	6,225	183	6,394	182
18	…	…	6,374	199	6,564	199	6,389	187
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the cost per patient in the Rochford General Hospital, the Southend-on-Sea General Hospital, and the Southend District Hospital.

The costs per in-patient week are as follows:

		£
Southend-on-Sea General Hospital	…	130·55
Rochford General Hospital	…	228·06

There is no Southend district hospital in the Southend health district, and the Victoria Hospital, Westcliff-on-Sea is temporarily closed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many occupational pensioners between 60 and 65 years of age have occupational pensions of over £40; and how many of these are drawing unemployment benefit.

Information is not available as to the numbers of occupational pensioners with pensions of over £40 weekly. It is, however, estimated that, in July 1976, about 14,000 persons who were registered as unemployed and aged between 55 and 64 were in receipt of occupational pensions in excess of £35 a week. Of this number about 7,000 were in receipt of unemployment benefit.

The figures for residents of England and Wales are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many occupational pensioners between 60 and 65 years of age have occupational pensions of between £25 and £40.

Information is not available as to the number of occupational pensioners with pensions of between £25 and £40 a week. It is, however, estimated that, of those occupational pensioners aged between 55 and 64 who were registered as unemployed in July 1976, 16,000 were in receipt of occupational pensions of between £20 and £35 a week.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) why he has chosen the sum of £25 per week occupation pension as the likely figure above which unemployed occupational pensioners between 60 and 65 years of age will lose unemployment benefit;(2) how many unemployed occupational pensioners between 60 and 65 years of age and drawing unemployment benefit, are deemed by him not to be genuinely seeking work; and on what basis he distinguishes them from those who are;(3) why he proposes changes in the national insurance principle rather than operating the existing rules for eligibility to benefit in the case of any occupational pensioner drawing unemployment benefit without genuinely seeking work.

I would ask my hon. Friend to await the Second Reading debate on the Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill on 2nd December.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many occupational pensioners between 60 and 65 years of age are registered as unemployed and drawing unemployment benefit.

The information is not readily available in the form requested but, on present information, it is estimated that, in July 1976, about 40,000 occupational pensioners aged between 55 and 64 were registered as unemployed and drawing unemployment benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish an analysis of the emigration of United Kingdom citizens from the United Kingdom in each year between 1960 and 1975, distinguishing the main occupational categories such as professional, managerial, skilled workers, manual workers and students; and if he will publish estimates of the return flow of United Kingdom citizens from abroad on a similar basis.

The information required is not readily available but I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an assurance that no status change is contemplated for Lymington Hospital and that the range of services currently provided will not be reduced.

The Hampshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) is responsible, subject to the agreement of the appropriate community health council, for decisions on the closure or change of use of hospitals in Hampshire, and I understand that, at present, the authority does not envisage any change in the use of Lymington Hospital for some years ahead. Any future proposals would be the subject of full consultation with all interested bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to amend the Town and Country Planning Acts so as to ban the building of vast council estates by local authorities.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the number of contracts placed by the Property Services Agency in the last 12 months in the United Kingdom which exceed the estimated capital cost of the proposed Welsh Assembly building; and if he will detail the projects so listed.

The construction contracts for the Government placed by the Property Services Agency in the 12 months from 1st October 1975 to 30th September 1976 which exceed £2·8 million, the estimated capital cost of preparing the Welsh Assembly accommodation, were as follows:

	£ million
Kinnegar, Holywood, Co. Down:
Reprovision of facilities for Army	3·3
Shotts, Lanarkshire:
Erection of Adult Male Prison (Stage I)	5·9
Hasler Hospital, Gosport:
Staff Accommodation and Boiler House	3·4
Newbury, Berkshire:
Rebuild School of Military Survey	4·8
Dover:
Construction of Married Quarters, Garages, Amenity Buildings for Army	3·1
Cathays Park, Cardiff:
Superstructure (Stage II), Government Offices	15·5
Crookham, Hampshire:
RAF and Army Married Quarters	3·3
Borden, Hampshire:
Redevelopment of Hanannah Barracks	7·7
Liverpool, Merseyside:
Court House for Crown and County Courts	20·9
Maghull, Liverpool:
Special Hospital	11·7

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the final cost of the porch at Members' entrance at the House of Commons.

About £23,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many non-league Association Football clubs have grounds with crowd capacities of more than 10,000.

I am informed that approximately 70 non-league Association Football clubs under the jurisdiction of the Football Association have grounds with crowd capacities of more than 10,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Nature Conservancy Council to complete its assessment of evidence concerning the survival of otters in the United Kingdom; and whether it is the Government's intention to add this endangered species to the Schedule to the Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act 1975.

I understand that the Nature Conservancy Council expects to make an interim statement early next year about the work on the status of the otter which it is currently undertaking with the appropriate voluntary bodies. I shall consider the need for measures to protect the otter in the light of the Council's advice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites of special scientific interest and national nature reserves the Nature Conservancy Council has specifically established to safeguard otter populations.

None, although otters will occur in some reserves. The protection of habitats is not considered the most effective means of protecting wide-ranging species such as otters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money has been paid out in compensation under the Land Compensation Act 1973 for injurious affection in respect of the development of Gatwick Airport which has taken place in the past six years; and if he is satisfied with the way in which the Act is operating in the case of this airport.

Within the period in which claims for compensation in respect of the runway development could be lodged, which ended in June 1976, none was made. Two claims in respect of the new road system have at present been received.I consider that the Act is operating as intended.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why, as of 2nd November, his working party on direct labour had not yet taken oral evidence; and what is the reason for the delay in this matter.

The working party is studying the written evidence which it has received and can invite oral evidence later as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total monetary value of loan sanctions granted under Section 161(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 in each of the years 1974, 1975 and 1976; and what was the total value of the applications made in each of those years which he refused.

The information is as follows:

		Granted	Refused
	…	£	£
1974	…	464,831	57,585
1975	…	603,889	274,818
1976 (to date)	…	301,265	98,408

The figures relating to sanctions refused are approximations only.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) on how many occasions in (a) 1974, (b) 1975 and (c) 1976 he refused an application for loan sanction under Section 161(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 where both the local authority and the aggrieved person to whom it was intended to pay compensation were in agreement on the sum for which application was made and this had been indicated to him when the application was submitted;(2) how many applications have been submitted to him in (

I regret that this information is not available in the form required and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local councils have informed him that they expect an increase in rates for the coming year of above 15 per cent.

I have not been informed by any authority of its planned rate percentage for 1977–78. Grant entitlements will not be confirmed to authorities until the rate support grant order has been approved by the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many buildings are currently being constructed, converted, developed or leased by the Property Services Agency to provide accommodation for capital tax offices.

Eight.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the total estimated loss of land to agriculture when the M1-A1 link road is constructed.

I have been asked to reply.Approximately 250 hectares of mainly agricultural land will be required if the preferred route is ultimately established as the line of the road.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he proposes to introduce the scheme to subsidise one-day visits by consultants to the smaller and medium-sized firms to advise on energy savings.

This scheme is being introduced today and will be known as the Energy Survey Scheme. It is aimed primarily at the smaller firms, but in general it will be open to all non-domestic energy users whether in industry, commerce, or the public sector. A subsidy of 50 per cent, of the fee and costs, excluding VAT, up to a maximum of £30 will be paid to organisations employing a consultant to make a one-day visit to a site or establishment to report on "good housekeeping" energy savings and the potential for greater savings through longer term measures. Printed leaflets describing the Energy Survey Scheme in greater detail are available from my Department or from any of the regional offices of the Department of Industry or their counterparts in Scotland and Wales. Copies of the leaflets have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in order to assist local authorities in reducing rate increases, the whole cost and annual salary increments awarded to teachers' and other linked salaries which were the subject of the Houghton Report and the Salisbury Committee of the Joint National Negotiating Committee on salary scales and service conditions for inspectors, organisers and advisory officers of local education authorities, will be borne by central Government.

No. My right hon. Friend has in any case no powers to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the recognised period of holiday allowed to primary school teachers in full-time employment with local education authorities;

Provisions relating to holidays, along with other conditions of service, are matters for negotiation between employing local authorities and their teachers' representatives, and are not laid down by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers were in service in maintained schools in England and Wales at the beginning of the current school year; what were the corresponding figures in 1975; how many newly qualified teachers obtained posts in September 1976; and what were the pupil-teacher rates in primary and secondary schools.

457,279 teachers, including the full-time equivalent of part-time teachers, were employed in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England and Wales in September 1976, an increase of about 4,700 over the corresponding figure for September 1975 of 452,564. It is estimated that of about 39,500 newly qualified teachers who successfully completed courses of teacher training last summer, 19,800 had obtained a post in a maintained primary or secondary school in September; comparable figures for September 1975 were 40,700 and 27,700 respectively. In January 1976 the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools was 23·9 and in secondary schools 17·0 with a ratio of 20·3 overall; it is estimated that in January 1977 the ratios are likely to be 24·0 in primary schools, 16·8 in secondary schools, and 20·2 overall. A more detailed statistical analysis of these topics has been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the minimum age at which an educational psychologist in the full-time employment of a local education authority is able to retire on a full pension; and what proportion the full pension is of the educational psychologist's salary in employment immediately before retirement;

Pension under the teacher's superannuation scheme amounts to 1/80th of salary for each year of pensionable service; there is also a lump sum payment of roughly three times the pension. The pension is subject to maxima of 40/80ths by age 60 and 45 /80ths in all. The minimum age from which pension is payable is 60, but pensionable service does not normally commence before age 21 or 22—that is, following professional training. The salary on which pension is calculated is the highest amount of salary for any successive 365 days within the last three years of pensionable service; it is normally little different from the salary received immediately on retirement.The same conditions apply to any educational advisers or psychologists who belong to the teachers' scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the extent to which the responsibilities of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools and the various local educational advisory services, are, in practice, concurrent or overlapping; and if she will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate and the local education authority advisory services have a common interest in, and concern for, standards of education: but, whereas Her Majesty's Inspectors report to, and advise, the Secretary of State on a national basis, each advisory service works within the context determined by its employing local education authority. The two services are complementary rather than overlapping.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the various local authority educational advisory services and educational psychological services are considered to form part of the administration of the local authority.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what salary scales are prescribed by her Department for persons employed in the various local authorities' educational advisory services and educational psychological services.

Salary scales for educational advisers and psychologists are not prescribed by my Department. They are negotiated in the Soulbury Committee which comprises representatives of the local education authorities and the staff associations concerned. Scales operative from 1st April 1975 are as follows:

	£
Educational advisers:
Assistant education adviser	4,794–5,106
Subject adviser (areas of less than 230,000 population)	5,583–6,660
Subject adviser (areas of more than 230,000 population)	6,036–7,593
Senior subject adviser and general education adviser	6,489–8,079
Senior general education adviser	7,455–8,568
Principal adviser	7,944–9,534
Educational psychologists:
Assistant educational psychologist	3,900–4,734
Educational psychologist	3,900–6,660
Senior educational psychologist	6,489–7,593
Principal educational psychologist	6,969–8,568

These scales, except for salaries of £8,500 or more, were increased by a supplement of £6 per week from 1st April 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she has any plans to put into effect the proposals made by the Prime Minister in his recent speech on education at Oxford; and if she will make a statement.

My plans for the follow-up to the Prime Minister's speech at Oxford on 18th October were outlined in my speech on 25th November 1976 in the debate on the Address.—[Vol. 921, c. 180–324.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what vessels and aircraft are available for fishery protection in the Atlantic at present; and what reinforcement is planned from 1st January 1977.

Within the present 12-mile fishing limit, fishery protection in the Celtic Sea off the South-West of England is carried out by the ships of the Royal Navy's Fishery Protection Squadron; off the West Coast of Scotland it is mainly carried out by the fishery protection fleet operated by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland. These forces are assisted by a Royal Navy Sea Devon aircraft regularly and by other Royal Navy and Royal Air Force aircraft as occasion demands.For future offshore tasks, including fishery protection within extended fishing limits, we are providing five new Royal Navy ships of the Island class and four Royal Air Force Nimrod surveillance aircraft. The first of the Island class of ships is already operational and the remainder will enter service during 1977; the Royal Air Force aircraft will be allocated from 1st January 1977. Other resources of the Armed Forces will be made available as required.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the considerations which led to the decision to close the workshops at the Admiralty Compass Observatory at Slough.

The production workshops at ACO Slough undertake the repair and manufacture of compass equipment. The requirement to undertake first production to prove the design of new items has declined very considerably whilst the repair side is now largely devoted to older compasses and equipments which are being phased out of service. In consequence, it has become uneconomic for the workshops to continue in operation. The normal consultative processes are now taking place with the staff and trade union sides of the Whitley Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons are likely to become redundant as a result of the closure in 1977 of the Admiralty Compass Observatory workshops at Ditton Park, Slough.

Closure of the production workshops at ACO Slough will not be completed until 1980. Consultation with the staff and trade union sides of the Whitley Council is now taking place. It is therefore too early to say how many members of the staff will become redundant as a result of the proposed closure, but every effort will be made to offer those involved alternative employment within the Ministry of Defence or other Government Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons excluded from Great Britain under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Northern Ireland) Act have been sent to Northern Ireland; and how many have been subsequently detained or charged with offences in Northern Ireland.

As at 30th November 1976, 56 persons excluded from Great Britain had been removed to Northern Ireland under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976. Eleven of these were held on arrival but all were released after questioning.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been excluded from Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; and how many have been sent to Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, respectively.

As at 30th November 1976, two persons had been removed from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland in pursuance of orders excluding them from the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been detained in Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; how many have subsequently been charged with offences; and with what offences they have been charged.

As at 30th November 1976, 245 persons had been held in Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976. 123 were subsequently charged with the following offences:

Offence	No. of Charges
Murder	33
Attempted Murder	13
Conspiracy to Murder	2
Explosives offences	39
Conspiracy to cause explosion	2
Firearms offences	36
Membership of a proscribed organisation	12
Burglary	1
Robbery	3
Offences against the person	2
Unlawful collection of information	1
Theft	4
Hi-jacking	2
Malicious Damage	1
Taking part in an illegal procession	1

NOTE: Some of the 123 persons were charged with more than one offence.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been charged under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act in Northern Ireland; and under which section of the Act.

As at 30th November 1976, none.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners have been transferred from Northern Ireland jails to jails in other parts of the United Kingdom during the period January 1974 up to the present; and if he will publish details.

The number of prisoners who were transferred from prisons in Northern Ireland to prisons in Great Britain between 1st January 1974 and 30th November 1976 is as follows:—

1974 (including 5 Borstal trainees)	…	18
1975	…	10
1976	…	2

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what countries, in the view of the Government, will have historic fishing rights within the 200 mile EEC limits from 1st January 1977.

The question of continued access to the extended fishery limits of EEC members States for vessels from nonmember countries is a matter for negotiation between the Community, negotiating on the basis of mandates agreed by the Council of Ministers, and the Governments concerned. Historic performance is only one of the factors in such negotiations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the present state of negotiations within the EEC on fishing limits around United Kingdom shores.

As reported on 2nd November by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, member States have agreed to a joint extension of fishery limits in the North Sea and the North Atlantic from 1st January. The arrangements to apply within these extended limits are still the subject of further negotiation within the Community.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out in the Official Repot the breakdown of Government expenditure in the forestry sector for the financial year 1975–76 and for the preceding five years.

Information for the financial year ended 31st March 1976 is as follows:

FORESTRY FUND (GRANT IN AID) ACCOUNT
(Forestry Act 1967, Section 44)
	£
Balance 1st April 1975	224,630
Grant in aid transferred from Vote for Forestry Commission	26,900,000
Receipts	23,952,061
	51,076,691
Payments	51,023,830
Balance 31st March 1976	52,861

DETAILS OF RECEIPTS
	Realised
	£
Forest produce, rents, etc.	23,952,061

DETAILS OF PAYMENTS
	Expended
	£
Salaries, etc. of non-industrial staff	11,927,757
Wages, etc. of industrial staff	16,492,692
Travelling and subsistence	1,914,814
Land, buildings and growing timber	4,184,425
Purchase of vehicles, machinery, etc.	3,301,185
Purchase of consumable stores, contract services and general expenses	11,172,426
Grants, etc. to private woodland owners	1,509,056
Grants to universities, institutions, etc. for research	56,627
Value added tax	464,848
	51,023,830

Similar information for earlier periods is available in the Appropriation Accounts of the sums granted by Parliament for Civil Services, Classes I-V, for the respective financial year; copies are held in the Library.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has yet held the meeting of representatives of the disciplines involved in meat inspection which was offered in the debate on the Poultry Meat (Hygiene) Regulations; and if he will make a statement.

I met representatives of the Association of Meat Inspectors, the British Veterinary Association, and the Environmental Health Officers' Association yesterday. There was a valuable exchange of views and we agreed to appoint a working group to review the future relationships between the three disciplines over the whole field of meat hygiene, including meat products. All three associations will be represented on the working group, together with officials of the Agriculture and Health Departments, and I propose to chair its meetings from time to time.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he is giving to amending the procedures for public inquiries on motorway construction.

My Department and the Department of the Environment

At November 1975 prices
	1970–71	1973–74	1976–77	1977–78
Support to bus operators	45	67	235	200
Support to British Railways Board	147	310	503	488

Estimates include support from both local and central Government but exclude the cost of concessionary fares. Support to the Railways Board includes pension grants.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement on his progress on the publication of the White Paper on Transport.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement on his progress on the publication of the White Paper on transport.

I am well on with the series of meetings I am having are currently reviewing highways inquiry procedures in consultation with the Council on Tribunals.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the GLC and other local authorities on the Government's policy of phasing out subsidies to local authority public transport; and if he will make a statement.

It is not Government policy to phase out revenue support to local public transport. However, in recent weeks I have been in touch with the GLC and metropolitan counties concerning their proposed levels of transport expenditure in 1977–78. I refer my hon. Friend to what I said in the House on 12th November on the outcome of those discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest estimate of the total cost to public funds of financial support for buses and railways in the financial years 1976–77 and 1977–78; and what were the comparable figures for 1970–71 and 1973–74.

Following is the information:with major interests. As the House knows, my aim is to work towards a White Paper in about May.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement on the progress of his negotiations with the EEC on the question of drivers' hours and distances.

Discussions are continuing in a constructive way.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has revised the forward estimates for motor traffic movements on the A23 south of Bolney.

No, but a review of the traffic predictions will be completed before my right hon. Friend reaches his decision on the proposed improvement of the A23 between Bolney and Pyecombe.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest estimate of the cost of the Humber Bridge.

The Humber Bridge Board recently announced that the cost of the bridge, including its immediate approach roads, is now estimated to be £54 million at August 1976 prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest estimate of the cost of the Humber Bridge; and when it will be completed.

The Humber Bridge Board recently announced that the cost of the bridge, including its immediate approach roads, is now estimated to be £54 million at August 1976 prices, and the anticipated opening date is now March 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest estimate of the current deficit of the National Freight Corporation; and if he will make a statement.

The National Freight Corporation continues to expect its 1976 results to show a substantial improvement over 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of further increases in commuter rail fares on the balance between the use of private cars and public transport for travel to work.

The effect of rail fare increases on the method of travel to work cannot be assessed in isolation from the many other relevant factors such as the cost of motoring and the availability of parking space. However, studies are in progress to develop our knowledge in this complex area.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the NUR concerning the pricing policies of British Rail.

In its response to the Government's Consultation Document on Transport Policy the NUR made several representations about rail fares policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he will next meet the Chairman of British Railways.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he will next meet the Chairman of British Railways.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the Chairman of British Railways.

I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesend (Mr. Ovenden) and the hon. Member for Rom-ford (Mr. Neubert).

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether the terms of reference for the independent inquiry into investment appraisal methods for road schemes have now been established; and if he will make a statement.

I still hope to be able to make a statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will review the criteria used by his Department for authorising new proposals for speed limits in built up areas.

We have no reason to believe that the present criteria do not serve the best interests of road safety, but we shall keep them under general review.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is proposing to standardise and reduce the number of speed limits.

My right hon. Friend is reviewing the 50 and 60 mph speed limits, and in doing so shall consider whether the present range of national limits should be reduced. We would be glad to consider any representations about this that the hon. Gentleman may wish to make to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will bring up to date his Department's figures to show the actual cost per passenger to the taxpayer of subsidising the Oxford to Worcester and Worcester to Hereford railway lines in 1974 and 1975, and the estimated cost in 1976.

The information is not available, because subsidy is no longer related to individual services.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what financial assistance was given during 1975–76 by the Government to train services between Euston and Holyhead.

Subsidy is not given separately to individual services, although they benefit from Government support for the railway system as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied that current levels of investment in the railways are adequate to sustain the future functioning of the present system and services of the BRB.

Yes, although as part of my review of transport policy I am of course considering the implications of future levels of investment in the railways.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration his Department is giving to the introduction of legislation to make it compulsory for heavy vehicles to fit mulfiaps in order to avoid unnecessary spray.

Most vehicles are already required to have protective bodywork or fittings to catch mud or water thrown up by the wheels. We are looking into the possibilities for more effective fittings for heavy vehicles but are not yet in a position to make proposals for regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for improving road safety.

Road safety was discussed in the Consultation Document on Transport Policy issued by my right hon. Friend the present Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs the Member for Grimsby (Mr. Crosland) earlier this year. We are now considering the many comments made on that document and we shall make a statement in the New Year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will give a general direction to British Railways to review the form of their published accounts.

I have at present no proposals to alter the direction given last February which appears in the Board's published report and accounts for 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now make a further statement on steps being taken to improve the safety of passengers in coaches and similar vehicles.

We shall soon be consulting interested organisations on proposals for new safety requirements. These will consist of more rigorous standards for braking performance, and new requirements for roof strengths and escape hatches. In addition admission to the occupation of road passenger transport operator is now to be controlled under regulations about to be made under the European Communities Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many railway sidings have been installed with grant aid under the Railway Act 1974 to the most recent practicable date; what is the total value of the grants made; what is the tonnage per annum carried on the new sidings; and if he will list in the Official Report the companies to which the grants have been made and the size of the grants.

Grants have been approved for 18 schemes of which eight are wholly or partly operational. The grants total some £2,800,000, and about 3,000,000 tons annually will be involved when all are in service. Information about grants to individual companies is as follows:

Company and Location	Grant
Containerbase (Liverpool) Ltd., Bootle	1,198,000
Sheerness Steel Co. Ltd., Sheerness	218,500
Robert Smith & Son Ltd., Birkenhead.	220,000
Dower Wood & Co. Ltd., New market	10,000
TI (Chesterfield) Ltd., Chesterfield	17,900
Sydney Banks Ltd., Newmarket:
(a) Loading facilities	25,500
(b) Unloading facilities	18,000
E. Pearce & Co. Ltd.:
(a) Exeter	6,750
(b) Barnstaple	2,000
Redland Readstone Ltd.	1,050,000
Mountsorrel, Leics.
Radlett, Herts.
Higham, Suffolk
J. McIntyre Ltd., Bradford	10,000
Shell Chemicals UK Ltd., Carrington, Manchester	305,000
†B P Chemicals Ltd., Baglan Bay, Port Talbot	120,000
Pipewell Ploughing Co. Ltd., Harlaxton, Lincs	125,000
*Forth Ports Authority, Leith	328,425
*Stockton Haulage Ltd., Stranraer	92,250
*International Distillers Ltd., Renfrew	6,500
†Tunnel Cement Ltd., Bangor	75,000
* Approved by Secretary of State for Scotland.
† Approved by Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will now resurface with tarmacadam or similar material the grooved concrete surface of the M40 near Gerrards Cross.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to complete his review of the recommendations of the Central Transport Consulta tive Committee concerning the conveyance of pigeon traffic by rail; and if he will make a statement.

Early in the New Year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what action he proposes to take to deal with the traffic queues which are occurring on the M63 spur in Stockport; and what steps he is taking to remedy this situation.

The long-term solution to this problem will be provided by construction of the next stage of M63 from Cheadle Heath to Portwood. In the meantime the traffic problems at the existing terminal are the responsibility of the Greater Manchester Council as highway authority for A560 and other local roads.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total expenditure incurred, apart from the cost of the public inquiry, by his Department and the Midlands Road Construction Unit on the M42 Bromsgrove section up to the date of his decision letter in August 1976; and if he will list the detailed items in the Official Report.

About £570,000 has been spent on survey and other investigatory work and on the acquisition of blighted properties.The following is the information on expenditure by my Department which includes the Midland Road Construction Unit:

(1) M42 Bromsgrove section: direct expenditure up to August 1976
Topographical survey	£18,078
Soil surveys and associated expenditure	£112,770
Computer and traffic survey work	£42,079
Noise survey	£3,516
Consultancy fees for bridge design	£9,715
Miscellaneous items (1)	£3,378
Miscellaneous items (2)	£189,536
(2) Acquisition of blighted properties	£382,000
Total of (1) and (2)	£571,536

These figures exclude the Department's staff costs, which are not charged against individual schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for further nationalisation of the transport sector.

Not in this Session.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will now approve the completion of the Tyneside Metro scheme; and whether he will make a statement.

The reappraisal of the Metro project carried out by Tyne and Wear County Council in conjunction with my Department has recently been completed. In the light of all the relevant factors I hope to announce shortly the Government's decision on whether or not grant assistance will be continued.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on representations he has received concerning the Tyne and Wear Metro project.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, North (Sir W. Elliott).

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government propose to take in order to ensure that seat belts should be worn compulsorily by front seat passengers in the United Kingdom.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley).

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy towards water transport.

It should be used to the fullest extent that it contributes effectively towards economic and social needs at an acceptable cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many Romanian-built locomotives have now been delivered to British Railways; what faults have developed in them since delivery; and what has been the cost of remedying these faults.

BR has received 11 so far, but has not yet formally accepted delivery and is not bearing the cost of rectification. I cannot comment on the faults or the cost of remedying them, since they are subject to negotiations between the parties involved.