asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of children and young persons under 16 years of age who are currently detained or remanded to penal establishments and the number so held at similar dates in 1975 and 1976.

On 31st March 1977, the latest date for which this information is readily available, there were 842 juveniles aged 14 or 15 remanded or otherwise detained in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales. It is estimated that the corresponding figures for 1975 and 1976 were about 780 and 830 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Chairman of the Community Relations Commission concerning the changes to immigration regulations on male spouses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had from the Chairman of the Community Relations Commission concerning the changes in the immigration regulations in regard to male spouses; and what reply he has sent.

The former Chairman of the Commission wrote to me recently expressing strong opposition to the new Immigration Rules. I have replied indicating that there seems to have been some misapprehension on his part as to the intention and effect of the rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the courts have adequate powers to deal with offences of wilful damage and violence against the person.

The courts have available to them a wide range of powers to deal with offences of this kind and I am satisfied that they are in general adequate. The Criminal Law Bill, which received its Second Reading in this House on Tuesday, increases the maximum summary fines for some offences of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions his Department has had with the Prison Officers' Association regarding security at Walton Prison, Liverpool; and what are his plans to improve the living and working conditions of the prison officers and that of the prisoners in that prison.

The Governor of Liverpool Prison holds frequent meetings with the representatives of the Prison Officers' Association to discuss the regime, the security of the prison and matters affecting the working conditions of staff. New accommodation has been provided for visits, reception and administration; and work is in progress to improve the officers' mess, to provide better cell lighting, and to strengthen the security of some cells. Further improvements will be made where necessary and practicable within the funds that are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what have been the results of the consultations with the Birmingham District Council and the Institute of Local Government Studies, Birmingham University, towards establishing a framework for the development of comprehensive community programmes.

Consultations with Birmingham District Council were discontinued last summer when the newly elected council decided to withdraw its support. The Institute of Local Government Studies, Birmingham University, continues to be associated with the development of comprehensive community programmes which is now proceeding in collaboration with Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been achieved through the series of comprehensive community programme trial runs in Gateshead, Wirral, Bradford and Wandsworth.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been achieved towards the comprehensive community programmes.

In England, the comprehensive community programme approach is being tested in Gateshead where the first members of the development team are in post. I understand that in Scotland the preliminary survey and research part of the programme in Motherwell has largely been completed, and that consultations are in progress with the local authorities concerned about the next stages.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average number of persons made the subject of a senior attendance centre order who are reconvicted in the following three years.

Research into persons who completed attendance centre orders in the period 1962 to 1965 found that about 30 per cent. were reconvicted within three years. Information relating to years later than 1965 could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average cost per man for police attending football matches in the course of their duties.

No central record is kept of cost for police forces in general. The average cost of a uniformed Metropolitan Police constable is£4·11 an hour.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will implement the recommendation of the Eleventh Report of the Expenditure Committee that juvenile courts have restored to them powers over the disposal of young offenders.

We explained in paragraphs 23 to 30 of the White Paper (Cmnd. 6494) published last year why we did not accept the Expenditure Committee recommendation that the courts should have power to make a "secure care order" when a juvenile already the subject of a care order appears before them. We are, however, continuing to discuss with representatives of both the Magistrates' Association and local authorities the problem of the care and control of the minority of particularly difficult and persistent juvenile offenders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he now expects to produce proposals for the amendment of Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Rose) on Friday 18th March.—[Vol. 928, c. 342.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for introducing internal checks to prevent illegal immigration and illegal overstaying.

Extensive measures are already taken by the Immigration Service, by the police and by the Immigration and Nationality Department of the Home Office to trace evaders of the immigration control. The effectiveness of the machinery for this purpose is kept under continuing review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further plans he has for meeting representatives of the Police Federation.

I have no present plans to meet representatives of the Police Federation. At a meeting on 25th April under the chairmanship of Sir John Nightingale, outside the Police Council, proposals for a settlement within the framework of phase 2 of the pay policy, endorsed by the Official Side of the Police Council, were put to the representatives of the Police Federation. I understand that these are now being considered by the Joint Central Committee of the Federation; I hope that they will decide to accept them, because they represent the limit to which we can go within the framework of phase 2.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with relations between the Metropolitan Police and the Press.

I know of no reason to be dissatisfied.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the existing penalties for those convicted of writing graffiti on walls and fences; and whether, as an alternative to fines, he will consider making such offenders clean off the offending words under police or court supervision.

The Criminal Law Bill, which received its Second Reading this week, increases to£500 the maximum fine which may be imposed on conviction of an offence of criminal damage where the value of the damage done is less than£200. Offences of writing on walls or fences would be likely to fall into this category. The maximum summary fine for other offences of criminal damage is increased to£1,000 in the Bill. I am satisfied that the penalties are otherwise adequate. Under a community service order, which is also available to the courts for this kind of offence, offenders may be involved in tasks aimed at rehabilitating their environment. I would not want to introduce a more specific requirement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for separately identifiable details of intensive livestock units to be included in future Home Office fire statistics.

No; but I am considering the practicability of collecting, in future years, details of livestock losses generally in fires.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the money accumulated in the compensation funds by authorities responsible for licensing public houses, amounting to just over£3,667,000, if he will consider proposals for some of this money to be used towards more speedy establishment of detoxification centres.

My predecessor decided last year to open consultations with interested organisations on the basis of the Erroll Committee's recommendations for the disposal of these funds, under which recent contributions would so far as practicable, be refunded and the balance would form a trust fund from which grants would be made for prescribed purposes. I think it right to let those consultations proceed, so that the feasibility of the Erroll Committee's scheme and any variant of it can be judged, before deciding what proposals to recommend to Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases persons convicted of hooliganism or serious vandalism have been required to undertake community service at weekends and for how long; and if it has been found difficult to ensure that these sentences are carried out.

With regard to the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock (Mr. Roberts on 2nd May.—[Vol. 931, c. 41–42.]—The information requested in the second part is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of cases in 1976 in which community service orders were made and the number of individuals who failed in whole or in part to pay fines awarded by magistrates in England and Wales during the latest year for which figures are available.

Provisional figures indicate that approximately 9,100 persons were given community service orders in 1976. In 1975 there were 14,203 receptions into prisons of people on default of payment of fines imposed by magistrates or juvenile courts. Information about the total number of people who failed to pay fines imposed by magistrates' courts could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the figures, by reference to the electoral register which came into operation on February last, of the 20 constituencies in England with, respectively, the highest

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Sir David Maxwell-Fyfe's directive, quoted in paragraph 238 of Lord

The provisional electoral quota for 1977 for England is 67,533. On that basis, the information requested is as follows:Denning's report, has been superseded or amended by any subsequent directive.

The text quoted in Lord Denning's report still stands and has not been amended.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs will meet to consider the recommendations of the Cannabis Working Group and the Legal and Administrative Committee on possible changes in the law relating to cannabis; and if he will make their advice public;(2) what recommendations were made by the Cannabis Working Group and the Legal and Administrative Committee of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs to the full council when they last met to consider possible changes in the law relating to cannabis.

The Cannabis Working Group recommended to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs that the law should be amended so that it would no longer be possible for a person to be sentenced to imprisonment on summary conviction of an offence of possession of cannabis or cannabis resin if he had no previous conviction of a drugs offence. The Legal and Administrative Working Group drew attention to the legal implications of such a course. The council is to meet again on 13th June and when my right hon. Friend has received its final advice he will make it public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has had any consultation with the police on the question of ensuring that caravans were correctly taxed, if Parliament decided they should be.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the annual expenditure in constant terms for the past 10 years on the Secret Vote.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether warrants for the opening of mail or the tapping of telephones still require his personal authorisation.

Yes; or, in Scotland, the personal authorisation of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present establishment of the Special Branch.

Each police force has its own Special Branch. Officers employed on Special Branch duties represent less than 1 per cent. of the total size of the police service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce recommendations 21 and 77 of the Littlewood Report in order to introduce public control over breeding and supplying of laboratory animals.

The Government have no present plans to introduce the legislation which would be necessary for this purpose, but consideration is being given to the form of statutory control of the breeding and supply of laboratory animals which might become desirable if the present Medical Research Council voluntary accreditation scheme ceased to work effectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further consideration he has given since the debates on the renewal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act to the case for giving statutory force to the Judges' Rules.

I am keeping the procedures for interviewing persons in police custody under review, and I am prepared to consider suggestions for changes and improvements. But these are difficult and complex issues which require careful thought, not only in the context of the Prevention of Terrorism Act but in other contexts as well, if we are to reach a solution acceptable to all the interests concerned.

asked the Lord President of the Council what arrangements exist for reimbursing Members of Parliament who have to telephone Ministerial offices on their parliamentary business from their homes and other places.

The cost of telephone calls made by Members of Parliament from home and other places to ministerial offices on parliamentary business may be claimed as an expense for relief against their tax assessment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether permission has been granted for the spraying of 500 acres of oil seed rape in North Hampshire with a chemical named Gamma Col; and whether account was taken of the damage which will be caused by such spraying to bees and other livestock.

Authority to use this product for aerial spraying of oil seed rape has been confined to trials for which strict safeguards were prescribed. However, the application for these trials has since been withdrawn, reflecting a common desire among all interests to preclude any possibility of inadvertent damage of the kind to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is yet in a position to make a statement on the report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Veterinary Profession.

My colleagues and I have fully considered those recommendations contained in this report which involve the Government either because they require action by the Government or because of their financial implications. I have deposited in the Library of the House a statement setting out the Government's views. I should like to thank the organisations that commented on the report and to pay tribute particularly to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the British Veterinary Association for their thorough and constructive examinations of its findings. I should also like once again to express our appreciation of the service rendered by Sir Michael Swann and the members of his committee in producing the report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans the Ordnance Survey has to publish Outdoor Leisure Maps (1:25,000) for areas in the Northumbria National Park, North Yorkshire Moors National Park, in the southern part of the Peak District National Park, the Exmoor National Park, the Dartmoor National Park and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

The Ordnance Survey's plans for further outdoor leisure maps do not at present include any of these areas. However, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Answer which I gave to his Question on 16th February.—[Vol. 926; c. 228.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many questionnaires were sent to councillors by the Committee of Inquiry into the System of Remuneration of Members of Local Authorities; how many have replied; and what has been the cost to date of this exercise.

I understand from the chairman of this independent commitee that 6,980 questionnaires were sent; 5,061 replies have been received; and the cost to date has been approximately£11,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report for each London borough, metropolitan district and for the 10 largest non-metropolitan districts (a) the total rate arrears outstanding at 31st March 1975 and 31st March 1976 and the percentage that these represent of the total rates collectable in those areas, and (b) the total council housing rent arrears outstanding at 31st March 1975 and 31st March 1976 and the percentage that these represent of the total rebated rents collectable in those areas.

I regret that the figures asked for in the first part of the Question are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The information requested on council house rent arrears is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will revalue the housing figures in Command Paper No. 5879 at 1976 prices.

I regret that this information cannot be provided without a disproportionate expenditure of time and resources.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish further advice to the animal waste processing industry on the prevention of smells.

The Department's code of practice on the prevention and abatement of smells from animal wastes will be published on Monday 9th May 1977. The code is being sent through the United Kingdom Renderers' Association to all their members, and to all local authorities in the United Kingdom. Further copies will be available from Government bookshops, price 35p.The code is not a technical document but sets out steps which can be taken to reduce smell by improved management and housekeeping methods. It will be followed by further codes giving technical advice on smell prevention and abatement: these codes will be derived largely from the results of the £750,000 three-year programme of research now being carried out at the Warren Spring Laboratory and due for completion in 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment at what level of gross income a single person, a married couple, and a married man with two children, are able to obtain a rate rebate.

Whether a householder is eligible for a rate rebate depends not only on his gross income but on the rates payable, the gross income of his wife and the composition of the household. Therefore a given gross income cannot alone determine whether a rebate is payable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the maximum rateable value of domestic property above which rate rebates are not payable.

A rate rebate may not be granted on a property with a rateable value of more than£1,500 in the Greater London area and more than£750 elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will revert to the former rules governing the issue of a copy of a birth certificate by the Registrar General's Office, as a safeguard against criminal use.

The basic rules for the issue of birth certificates from the Registrar General's office and from local registration officers have remained unchanged since the introduction of civil registration by the Act of 1836.Any person who selects an entry found in the indexes of births either centrally or locally is entitled to have a certificate of that entry on payment of the statutory fees. If the person who obtains a certificate in this way decides to use it fraudulently, any offence committed is a matter for the police or other body concerned with the particular offence.The issue of a birth certificate cannot be restricted to the person whose name is entered on it or a member of his family.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in view of the fact that as a result of budgetary measures and EEC price increases planned by the end of the current year, the proposed increase in the autumn in retirement pensions will have been overtaken by these increases before January 1978, whether he will ensure that any such increases proposed will not only restore the pension to its purchasing value prior to October 1977 but will maintain it until at least the summer of 1978.

I must ask my hon. Friend to await the Government's proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the value of the present State retirement pension if it had its same value in 1974.

:£13·28 for a single person and£21·42 for a married couple, assuming that pensions had risen in line with the General Index of Retail Prices between March 1974, when the Government took office, and March 1977. The actual figures are£15·30 and£24·50 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the nature of the additional hospital day facilities for children currently being considered by the Lancashire Area Health Authority; when they are likely to be in operation; and where they will be sited.

A child assessment centre in the Blackpool Health District and a child psychiatric unit at Burnley General Hospital, which are being provided by adaptation of existing facilities, are expected to come into use during 1978. A child assessment centre also is provisionally planned at Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn, and this would come into operation in 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether cash limits apply to expenditure by general practitioners; and, if so, how they are operated.

No, because expenditure by general practitioners is demand-determined.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he intends to make to the Government of India concerning the lack of reciprocal arrangements for the payment of social security benefis to United Kingdom citizens resident in India.

None, as India does not have a social security scheme comparable with our own which would permit of reciprocity.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will indicate the circumstances in which child benefit is payable in respect of children resident ouside the United Kingdom.

Child benefit is generally only payable in respect of children resident outside Great Britain if their absence is intended to be temporary, that is:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, why female nurses at Greaves Hall Hospital, Banks, are forced to retire at the age of 60 years; and if this is a policy of his Department.

I understand that it is the policy of the Sefton Area Health Authority that female staff, including nurses at Greaves Hall Hospital, should retire at the age of 60, although individuals may be retained in special circumstances. The policy of my Department is that retirement is a matter for individual employing authorities, but I understand that the General Whitley Council hopes to negotiate an agreement on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if the action of the Sefton Area Health Authority in evicting retired Greaves Hall Hospital employees from their homes is in accordance with the policy of his Department;(2) if he will intervene with the Sefton Area Health Authority to prevent it evicting its compulsorily retired employees at Greaves Hall Hospital from their homes.

I understand that Sefton Area Health Authority was granted possession orders on 24th February 1977 in respect of three houses occupied by former members of their staff who had left their service on 31st January, 19th March and 30th September 1976, respectively.The guidance given by my Department is that where hardship is likely to be caused by eviction, it is advisable for the health authority concerned to consult the local housing authority about the possibility of providing alternative accommodation. Sefton Area Health Authority followed this guidance by entering into consultation with the relevant local housing authorities before taking legal action. These discussions are continuing, and it is not and never has been the intention of the health authority to take possession of these houses until alternative accommodation has been found for all the tenants concerned. It will not, therefore, be necessary for me to intervene in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the exact conditions under which a married woman may exercise her option to pay reduced national insurance contributions when she is (a) not working at all in 1977–78, (b) does not work in 1977–78, but commences employment in 1978–79, or in 1979–80, or in 1980–81 and (c) is currently employed, ceases employment in 1977–78 and recommences in 1979–80 or later.

The information requested is set out below.The option to pay at the reduced rate Class 1 national insurance contributions for which married women become liable now or in the future is available only to those women whose marriages took place before 6th April 1977 and who either have already given written notice of an election to that effect or give such notice by 11th May 1977. This time limit applies whether the woman is at work or not. Women whose marriages were before 6th April 1975 and who had elected not to pay national insurance contributions under the old legislation can be treated as having given such notice. After 11th May 1977 the only choice open to married women lies in the provision that those who have elected to have this reduced liability can revoke the election; their liability will then be at the standard rate from the beginning of the next tax year following the revocation. In each of the cases cited reduced liability once acquired continues while the woman remains liable for contributions, but ceases if there is no liability for Class 1

contributions nor self-employment in two successive tax years falling after 5th April 1978; thus:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether plans for a new district general hospital for South Trafford are included in the Department's programme for the next five years.

The North-Western Regional Health Authority has not yet put forward detailed proposals for the future development of hospital services in South Trafford, to which general reference was made in the regional strategic plan.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the mechanism of the Dental Estimates Board was not used to disseminate information relating to recent increases in dental charges to practising dentists.

General dental practitioners are in contract with family practitioner committees and therefore information concerning their terms of service is normally disseminated through these committees.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the proposed change-over from three-wheeled cars to the four-wheeled variety, what efforts his Department is making to encourage British motor manufacturers to adapt their existing models or new models to help the disabled, in particular by experimenting with an adaptation of tiller steering.

I agree with my hon. Friend's assumption that the switch to a cash benefit is likely to lead to disabled people increasingly using adapted four-wheeled cars rather than three-wheeled vehicles. I have seen an adapted version of a popular small production car which one of the major manufacturers is preparing, and my Department is in touch with other firms. To enable the steering of a four-wheeled car to be actuated by a tiller or handle bars, in order to help the minority of disabled drivers who have special needs in this respect, would require the development of a suitable power-operated system. Work done by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory on driving control systems was referred to by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Transport in his reply to the hon. Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 6th April.—[Vol. 929, c. 1216.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people who had an invalid tricycle have accepted the£5 grant instead.

To date 749 people have applied to relinquish their invalid tricycle and receive mobility allowance instead, and of these 655 have so far been awarded the allowance. The choice is currently available only to tricycle holders who are within the age-groups now eligible for mobility allowance and who meet the medical criteria. It will be open to all other holders of tricycles issued under the old vehicle scheme when the relevant provisions of the Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1977 are brought into operation.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the composition of the Public Appointments Unit, and if it includes among its functions the assembly of names of candidates for the boards of public corporations.

The Public Appointments Unit at present comprises 10 full-time civil servants, of whom five are clerical and secretarial staff. The unit's primary purpose is to identify the widest possible cross-section of people, from all parts of the country, able to undertake public work. Details of such people are made available as required to Departments whose Ministers make appointments to public boards.

Lewis asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish in the Offical Report details of the expenses, allowances, living away from home, hotel, travel and all other payments received by Ministers in addition to their ministerial and parliamentary salaries; and how these payments compare with those received by the three top rated and paid civil servants.

No special allowance other than the London supplement is payable to Ministers in addition to salary. The supplement, at the rate of£340 for Cabinet Ministers and£385 for other Ministers, is paid to Ministers based in London except those who are provided with an official residence. The three civil servants referred to are not paid any London weighting.Ministers staying away from home or travelling on official duty are entitled to reimbursement of expenses at the same rates as laid down for the most senior civil servants. These are as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many qualified librarians are employed full- or part-time in State secondary schools.

About 1,000 in England and Wales, of whom a quarter are part-time.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her policy with regard to the recognition of the licence of the University College at Buckingham as a qualification for grant awards to students who have been accepted for postgraduate study; and whether she will make a statement.

Postgraduate studentships from my Department are normally awarded only to holders of a degree of a British university established by charter or Act of Parliament, or validated by the Council for National Academic Awards. Other candidates may be considered exceptionally in the light of the recommendations of the university or other institution sponsoring them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the annual balance, total contributions and total payments from the

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of tertiary colleges in England and Wales in 1977, 1976, 1975 and 1974.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if her Department makes any recommendations on the maximum distance or time travelled per day that a pupil should be expected to undertake in order to attend a sixth form or tertiary college.

No, but my center hon. Friend takes into account the distance and time pupils of all ages will need to travel when considering proposals submitted to her under Section 13 of the Education Act 1944 as amended.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if her Department has issued any reports on ways in which neighbouring schools can co-operate in order to produce viable sixth forms.

No. It is a matter for local education authorities in consultation with the voluntary bodies and others, to consider, in the light of local needs and circumstances, ways in which neighbouring schools can co-operate at sixth form level. Teachers' Superannuation Fund in each of the past five years.

Total income, mostly from contributions, and total expenditure, mostly on benefits, are shown below. The expenditure figures do not include payments under the Pensions (Increase) Acts, which are made by the Exchequer but are not debited to the teachers' superannuation account.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what statutory obligations rest upon local authorities to pay students' union capitation fees.

In general, for students with grants made under the Local Education Authorities Awards Regulations, authorities are required to pay the student's subscription to the students' union where this forms part of a composition fee charged by the establishment or where membership of the union is compulsory. From September 1977 such payments will not be subject to a parental contribution.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals have been submitted to her by the Inner London Education Authority concerning the possible merger of Shore-ditch College at Runnymede with Brunei University at Uxbridge; and if she will make a statement.

The proposals announced by my center hon. Friend on 24th January provide for further consideration to be given to the organisation of five teacher training institutions maintained by the Inner London Education Authority, including Shoreditch College. Discussions are taking place between the authority and the university about a possible merger, but the authority has not yet submitted any formal proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many requests she has received for approval of secondments of academic staff from teacher training colleges during the year following closure where a direction to cease initial teacher training has been issued; and when she expects to give a decision.

Requests have been received from the two voluntary colleges of education at which initial teacher training will cease at the end of the current academic year. Decisions on the governors' proposals were sent by my Department to the college principals on 3rd May.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the proposed route of the M40 extension.

My center hon. Friend hopes to be able to make an announcement within the next few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of the fact that the revenue received from licensing dogs covers all the administration costs, he calculates that, if caravan owners were required to apply for licences for their caravans in the same manner as dog owners are required to apply for dog licences, and if the caravan licences were 50 times as high as a dog licence, all the revenue received for licensing caravans would cover all the administration costs.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why he supposes, as indicated in his answer to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington on 28th

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what, at current prices, was (a) the cost estimate at public inquiry, (b) the accepted tender price and (c) the final contract price for each of the sections of the M40 already in use, namely, Gerrards Cross bypass, Knaves Beech interchange. Beaconsfield bypass-Stokenchurch, and Stokenchurch-Waterstock cross roads.

The accepted tender prices and final contract prices for each of the sections of the M40 already open to traffic are shown below. I regret that the other information requested is not readily available.April 1977, that enforcing vehicle excise law on caravans is more difficult when they are parked off the road than when they are on the road on the move.

Because if caravans were licensed as are cars, a caravan not on the road would not have to be licensed.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what additional administrative machinery, in terms of numbers of staff and costs, would be required to administer a vehicle excise licence for caravans not taking into account the administrative problems mentioned in the answer to the hon. Member for Christ-church and Lymington on 28th April.

The information requested cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost, so many are the potential variables.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with the conditions for hire cars and their drivers so far as safety is concerned.

I see no reason to doubt the adequacy of the present arrangements. Hire cars not ranking as public service vehicles—and subject as such to inspections—are liable to the MOT test unless I am satisfied that the local authority is applying a test of at least equivalent severity as a condition of licensing. Cars can be driven only by drivers who have passed the appropriate driving test for that class of vehicle and in addition any test which the local authority may require.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if the contracts have now been awarded on work to repair the rocker assemblies of the Severn Bridge.

The contract with Fair-field Mabey Ltd. for the work currently being carried out on Wye Bridge has been extended to include the Severn Bridge rocker repairs.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how long it will take to finish the work on the rocker assemblies of the Severn Bridge.

The work on the rocker assemblies is programmed for completion in September.