asked the Lord President of the Council whether in future, in arranging for a sponsored or arranged parliamentary Question to be placed on the Order Paper, he will declare in his reply or take some other means of notifying the House that it is a sponsored Question.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his policy towards the building of oil-fired power stations, including the one planned for Insworke Point, near Plymouth.

Only in very special circumstances would there be a case for further oil-fired capacity.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received regarding the disposal of North Sea oil revenue; and what action is proposed.

I have met several groups of my hon. and right hon. Friends and representatives of trade unions to hear their views on the question of the use of North Sea oil revenues. The Government have not yet reached a view on this subject and will announce their plans in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what decisions were taken at the recent meeting of the Energy Council of the EEC concerning the development of the fast breeder reactor; and if he will make a statement.

The recent Energy Council was not asked to take decisions on the Commission's documents regarding the development of the fast breeder reactor. Indeed, I made it clear that all decisions about fast reactors and other British reactors would be made by Her Majesty's Government. Ministers confined themselves to a general exchange of views about a number of problems connected with the further development of nuclear energy in the Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from the Scottish National Party concerning the future of nuclear generation.

In February 1977 my right hon. Friend received a letter from the Chairman of the Scottish National Party about various nuclear issues. The hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. Wilson) addressed the National Energy Conference in June 1976 on behalf of the Scottish National Party and called for the postponement of the steam generating heavy water reactor intended for Torness. We have also received correspondence from hon. Members of that party on nuclear questions from time to time.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on current coal stocks.

The overall level of coal stocks is satisfactory. Unless there were to be a serious disruption of supplies they should prove to be adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what obligation there is on the Offshore Supplies Office to inform a company that it has been withdrawn from the list of Category 1 (Oil) companies, necessary for certain housing allocations from the Scottish Special Housing Association, before a particular application is made.

The Offshore Supplies Office has no executive responsibility for housing allocations in Scotland, although it is consulted as necessary by the Manpower Services Commission (Office for Scotland) about companies' offshore activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he proposes to revise the 2:1 refining ratio for North Sea oil in view of the requirements of an integrated European energy market; and whether he would consider a refining ratio of 2:1 based rather on total oil available for refining in the United Kingdom than on the volume of North Sea production at any given time.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Carshalton (Mr. Forman) on 29th November.—[Vol. 940, c. 148].

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many consumers of (a) gas and (b) electricity were disconnected for non-payment of accounts during the quarters ended 30th June 1976, 30th September 1976, 31st December 1976, 31st March 1977, 30th June 1977 and 30th September 1977, indicating where possible the numbers who were domestic consumers.

Disconnections of gas and electricity consumers for non-payment of accounts during the past six quarters were as follows:

Quarter ended	Gas	Electricity
30th June 1976	9,642*	31,941†
30th September 1976	13,574*	33,534†
31st December 1976	9,408*	24,873†
31st March 1977	6,327*	13,593†
30th June 1977	Domestic	23,961†
	9,835
	Non-Domestic
	100
30th September 1977	Domestic	28,509†
	13,480
	Non-Domestic
	137
* Total disconnections—separate figures for domestic and non-domestic not available.
† Domestic consumers only—separate figures for non-domestic consumers not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he proposes to put into statutory form or order his guidance outlined in. Written Answer of 28th July 1977, column 380; how he intends to monitor his proposal; and whether he has an ultimate sanction if his instruction is disregarded.

I have no plans for legislation on this point. The oil industry recognizes that the Government have a legitimate interest in its plans for disposing of North Sea crude, and my Department will be monitoring disposal programmes through the consultations which are already taking place with individual companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is his estimate of the impact of the substantial inflow of associated and non-associated natural gas into the United Kingdom in the 'eighties following the construction of phased sections of an integrated natural gas pipeline network upon the balance of the energy market, particularly coal and electricity;(2) whether, in studying the advisability of building a natural gas pipeline network in the North Sea, he has ascertained whether the gas coming ashore in the 'eighties is likely to exceed the capacity of the domestic market; and what proposals he envisages for disposal of the surplus;(3) whether, in studying the advisability of building a natural gas liquids pipeline network in the North Sea, he has ascertained whether the hydrocarbons flowing ashore in the 'eighties will exceed the capacity of the domestic petrochemical industry; and how he proposes to dispose of the surplus.

Gas Gathering Pipelines (North Sea) Ltd. has been instructed to examine the prospects of collecting gas including natural gas liquids by pipeline from the British sector of the northern North Sea. Until I have received its two reports, the second of which is due at the end of March 1978, I cannot estimate whether a new natural gas pipeline network in the North Sea is likely to be built or how much gas it may bring ashore and when.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what studies the new Energy Conservation Unit in his Department will be making of car engine design with a view to fuel saving.(2) what studies the new Energy Conservation Unit of his Department will undertake into the use of diesel engines for private cars to reduce fuel consumption;(3) what studies will be commissioned by his Energy Conservation Unit into the body design of private cars with a view to fuel economy;(4) what studies will be made by his new Energy Conservation Unit of the materials technology for car manufacture with a view to reducing weight and improving fuel consumption;(5) what studies will be made by his Energy Conservation Unit of the use of overdrives in cars to improve fuel consumption.

Officials are at present preparing a study of possible areas for research and development to improve energy conservation in the road transport sector. The Department of Energy, through its Energy Conservation Division, will be considering this and other studies covering energy conservation in the transport field in conjunction with other relevant Departments, the Advisory Council on Energy Conservation, the motor industry and other interested bodies. The primary responsibility for instigating technical research in road transport lies, of course, with the Departments of Industry and Transport. In addition the Government have opened discussion in general terms with the motor industry on possible targets for raising the average miles per gallon to be achieved by new cars and on methods of achieving those targets.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what will be the increase in his Department's advertising budget in connection with the campaign to conserve energy.

Advertising plans arising from the energy conservation package announced on 12th December by the Secretary of State are still being considered. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how many divers are employed on operations in the North Sea; and how this position compares with 12 months ago;

The number of divers employed varies considerably with the season, and the Department of Energy does not maintain a register. It is not, therefore, possible to quote either the exact total or the number below the age of 21 years. At peak periods during 1977 the total numbers employed were in excess of 1,500, of which over 1,000 were employed in the United Kingdom sector. These numbers are much the same as those for 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he will bring forward his proposals for the reorganisation of the electricity supply industry.

I expect to introduce legislation very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is satisfied with progress towards the development of an EEC energy policy.

I have often made it clear that a realistic Community energy policy which takes account of basic national interests of all member States will require perseverance and patience. Progress has been made in a number of areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has reached a decision on the development programme for the Beatrice oilfield.

, pursuant to his reply—[Official Report, 24th November 1977; Vol. 939, c. 825], gave the following further information:Copies of the consultants' reports have been made available to me and they have been placed in the Members' Library and in the public libraries at Brora, Inverness and Wick. It should be noted that the "Study of Offshore Storage and Loading Systems" report has been slighly altered from the original in order to safeguard the confidentialities of the companies which contributed information to the report.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is prepared to recommend that a percentage of United Kingdom natural gas should ultimately be marketed on the Continent.

No.

asked the Attorney-General if, in the light of the evidence now available, he will refer the sworn affidavits of the trustees of the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity to the Director of Public Prosecutions with a view to prosecution for perjury, obtaining by deception and conspiracy with Mr. Dennis Orme to effect these aims and to pervert the course of justice.

I have not seen any sworn affidavits of the trustees of the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity. If my hon. Friend would provide me with the affidavits I will consider whether they should be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has not paid any visits to fire stations and whether he will do so forthwith.

No useful purpose would be served by visits to fire stations at the present time. I have met the Executive Council of the Fire Brigades Union and groups of firemen from the West Yorkshire, London and Kent brigades during recent visits to local areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he will not initiate a scheme to enable firemen to have six months leave of absence to pay to attend a Government training school to fit them for skilled employment in their off-duty periods, so as to enable them to earn an additional wage, without contravening the 10 per cent. guidelines.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Croydon, Central (Mr. Moore) on 1st December—[Vol. 940, c. 315]—on the conditions on which firemen may undertake part-time work. Matters of this kind are for the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an independent inquiry into the present system of firearms control.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have so far been convicted of various offences outside the Grunwick factory during the last six months.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that of the people charged with various offences outside the Grunwick factory from 13th June until the present time 282 have been convicted, two of whom had their convictions quashed on appeal, and 58 have been acquitted. Some further cases have yet to be dealt with by the courts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many murders were committed in each of the last 20 years for which records are available; how many such instances led to prosecutions in each such year; and in how many and in what percentage of such prosecutions in each year the accused was convicted;(2) in how many and in what percentage of murder cases in each of the last 20 years for which records are available the person killed was the husband or wife of the person killing; in how many and in what percentage of such cases the murder was committed in the course of the commission of another criminal offence; in how many and what proportion of such cases the murder was classed as terrorist or as a gang murder, respectively; and how many and what percentage of such murders were committed with firearms, bombs, other weapons or by poison, respectively.

I am arranging for as much information as possible to be made available shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now lift the restrictions on foreign scientologists wishing to enter the United Kingdom.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Health and Social Security, to a Question by the hon. Member for Hampstead (Mr. Finsberg) on 28th November.—[Vol. 940, c. 18.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many radio transmitters were in use with the Ministry of Defence in the United Kingdom in the categories: fixed, vehicle mobile and portable, for each of the years 1966 to 1976, inclusive.

I have been asked to reply.Excluding radar equipment and radio transmitters fitted in ships and aircraft, the number of radio transmitters in use with the Ministry of Defence in the United Kingdom in 1976 was as follows:

Fixed	3,300
Vehicle mobile	15,000
Portable	20,000

Figures for earlier years are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry on how many occasions he discussed the concept of planning agreements with the Confederation of British Industry in 1977; and what was the outcome.

My right hon. Friend has formally discussed the concept of planning agreements with the CBI on two occasions during 1977 and there were also, of course, other discussions at official level. These talks were confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what funds, either capital or loan, the National Enterprise Board put in British Tanners Products Limited; and if he will give details of the amounts and the dates the funds were put into British Tanners Products Limited.

These are matters for the NEB.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many subscribers there are to the international Telex service; how many such subscribers are affected by the present dispute; how long the dispute has lasted; and how many disputes there have been in the latest convenient period which closed down any part of the international Telex service.

These are matters for the Post Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the intended relationship between the regional offices of the National Enterprise Board and the regional boards for the North and the North-West.

I have nothing to add to the statement I made on 16th December last—[Official Report, c. 1224].

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what direct or indirect contribution has been made from public funds, and how much from each named source, towards the £13 million expended on research and development of the British Leyland B15 bus, now called the Titan.

There has been no contribution from public funds specifically for the B15 project. British Leyland and the National Bus Company—which also has an interest in the project—receive contributions from public funds towards the financing of their business as a whole.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what steps have been taken by her Department to inform the general public about the development problems of the Third world.

The Department has a continuing programme of official publications and publicity material. Since January 1977 financial asistance has been given to non-profit-making organisations which are working to increase public awareness of these problems. Commitments to date total £412,000. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development is at present considering a report by her Advisory Committee on Development Education on possible future activities in this field.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is her latest estimate of current annual expenditure by her Department on population control measures.

Estimated expenditure on poulation aid in 1977–78 is about £5·3 million. This includes support not only for measures directly concerned with population control but for other population related activities, such as training, research and census taking.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will make a statement concerning the current definition used by her for poorest developing countries and any relevant revision she intends to make in this regard.

My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has approved the redefinition of the poorest developing countries for all aid programme purposes to include countries with a gross national product per capita of $280 or under in 1976, based on the latest World Bank figures, together with any of the countries at present on the United Nations' list of least developed countries which would not otherwise be included.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is her policy with regard to the local responsibility of development divisions.

The responsibilities of development divisions within their areas of operations are to advise and assist heads of mission in the planning and execution of aid programmes; and, if requested, to give developmental advice to the Governments of the countries they cover.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she has accepted the Central Policy Review Stair recommendation for a management review; and if she will make a statement.

The CPRS report is under collective consideration by the Ministers directly concerned. Statements about a management review and other recommendations in the report must await the outcome of those deliberations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the meeting of Finance Ministers in Brussels on 19th December 1977.

The EEC Finance Council met under Belgian Presidency in Brussels on 19th December last. The United Kingdom was represented by the Permanent Representative to the EEC, Sir Donald Maitland.The Council discussed action to be taken following the meeting of the European Council on 5th and 6th December The Council asked the Permanent Representatives Committee and the specialised economic and financial committees to examine the Commission communication—COM(77)620 Final—to the European Council on economic and monetary union. The European Council had spoken in favour of increased convergence of short-term economic policies by better co-ordination of national short-term economic policy instruments and their insertion into a Community framework and procedure; the Finance Council undertook to examine this problem at a forthcoming meeting on the basis of reports by the various working parties and specialised committees to which it had entrusted the study of the Commission communication—R/2355/77—on the matter. The Finance Council also requested the Commission to submit as soon as possible a proposal for the establishment of a new instrument for Community lending and borrowing in accordance with its instructions from the European Council.After examining a Commission proposal, based on a Belgian Presidency initiative, the Council adopted a decision, subject to a waiting reserve, to expand and strengthen the mechanism for medium-term financial assistance.The Council adopted a regulation governing the calculation and paying over of VAT own resources, and a regulation laying down budgetary and financial provisions to govern the accounting, and the availability and use, of the Communities' own resources from 1st January 1978.The Council adopted the Fifth Directive on tobacco taxation dealing with the second stage of cigarette tax harmonisation. This is to run from 1st July 1978 to 31st December 1980, and during this period the specific element of the duty on the most popular price class of cigarettes is to amount to between 5 per cent. and 55 per cent. of the total taxation—including VAT. The directive also provides for the United Kingdom to have a derogation from the requirements of the First Directive to permit the imposition of a supplementary duty for the twoand-a-half-year period to 31st December 1980 on cigarettes with a tar yield of 20 mg or above.The Council adopted a directive on mutual assistance between member States in the field of direct taxation authorising the taxation authorities of member States to exchange information for the purpose of preventing evasion or avoidance of direct taxes on income and capital, subject to safeguards to protect the legitimate interests of taxpayers.The Council adopted a directive granting Denmark a derogation for a five-year period beginning on 1st January 1978 from the application of the harmonised rules relating to travellers' duty-free allowances.Mr. Tugendhat, the EEC Commissioner with responsibility for budgetary matters, made a statement to the Council on the implications for the Communities' budget of the Commission's recent proposals on agricultural prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what latest estimate he has made of the number of children living abroad, in respect of whom persons now resident in the United Kingdom are now benefiting in terms of child tax allowance.

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Cunningham) on 14th January 1977—[Vol. 923, c. 574–5.] No more recent information is available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what official information he based his statement concerning the comparison between remittances and child tax allowances for overseas children in his letter to the former Chairman of the Community Relations Commission of 23rd March; and if he will publish this information.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 324], gave the following information:The letter in question referred to

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of increasing from £115 to £350 the amount of a child's unearned income at which child tax allowances begin to be lost; and how much of the cost would represent tax forgone on income from maintenance payments to a child.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 539], gave the following answer:I regret that the information on which to base an estimate is not available without undue expenditure of time and resources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) further to the answer to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South on 6th December 1977 by the Secretary of State for Social Services that the estimated cost of child benefit in 1978–79 will be £1,650 million, what additional loss to the Treasury there will be in 1978–79 in respect of loss of revenue in respect of income not liable for income tax because of child tax allowance for children over 11 years of age;(2) further to the answer to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South on 6th December 1977 by the Secretary of State for Social Services that the estimated cost of child benefits in 1978–79 will be £1,650 million, what additional loss to the Treasury there will be in 1978–79 in respect of loss of revenue in respect of income not liable for income tax because of child tax allowance for children under 11 years of age.

, pursuant to his reply, [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 539–40], gave the following information:The cost in a full year of the child tax allowances at the level proposed for 1978–79

		Revenue raised from		Rercentage of revenue* attribuable to
		Personal taxation†‡	Corporate taxation†£ million	Personal taxation†‡	Corporate taxation†
		£ million	£ million
1960	…	1,961	745	36·8	14·0
1961	…	2,214	848	37·7	14·4
1962	…	2,430	1,009	37·9	15·7
1963	…	2,480	887	38·8	13·9
1964	…	2,751	821	39·7	11·8
1965	…	3,297	762	42·2	9·8
1966	…	3,689	866	42·8	10·1
1967	…	4,069	1,188	41·6	12·1
1968	…	4,524	1,226	41·1	11·1
1969	…	5,139	1,291	41·0	10·3
1970	…	5,850	1,597	41·7	11·4
1971	…	6,424	1,454	44·0	10·0
1972	…	6,592	1,484	44·0	9·9
1973	…	7,390	1,903	44·1	11·3
1974	…	9,722	2,826	46·5	13·5
1975	…	14,268	2,269	53·4	8·5
1976	…	16,635	2,089	53·9	6·8
*Central Government revenue from taxes on income and taxes on expenditure·
† Taxes on income only.
‡ After deducting tax credits on dividends from 1973.
Source: National Income and Expenditure 1966–76.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the light of the fact that the amount of tax paid per head in Great Britain in 1976 was £632 compared with £67 in 1946, if he will state what the figure is to date, and compare it with 1974.

The figures of £632 and £67 relate to tax revenue per capita for the United Kingdom. In the first three quarters of 1977 Government tax receipts, seasonally adjusted, amounted to £543 per capita, and in the corresponding period of 1974 the figure was £310. For 1974 as a whole the figure was £428; the figure for 1977 as a whole is not yet available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the amount of revenue raised from (a) personal taxation and (b) corporate taxation for each year since 1960; and if he will present these two series of data as a percentage of Planning General Development (Amendment) Order 1977.

Following is the information requested:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the information on other sources of income which he sought from candidates for Government-financed jobs prior to appointment.

I am responsible for very few such appointments—the Director General of NEDO, chairmen of economic development committees, and members of the Review Board for Government Contracts. I do not, in general, seek information about other sources of income when making them; but I ensure as far as I can that there will be no risk of conflict between appointees' personal interests, and the requirements of their appointment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of any income tax allowance schemes which are available to the physically disabled, especially those who have artificial limbs, such as a clothing allowance; and if he will make a statement.

The only income tax allowances which relate to the disability of the claimant are the allowance of £180 for registered blind people, and the allowance of £55 for a taxpayer who by reason of old age or infirmity has to depend on the services of a daughter who is resident with and maintained by him or her. In general, we believe that help can more effectively be provided to the disabled through the social security system than the tax system.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the loss to the Exchequer if the first £1,000 of investment income was exempt from income tax.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 325], gave the following information:About £650 million-£700 million for 1977–78, on the assumption that the investment income surcharge continues to apply to investment income in excess of £1,500—or £2,000 in the case of elderly taxpayers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies have been given permission to pay dividends over the statutory limits in each of the past four years.

The information is set out in the table below which also gives the reasons for the consents and the amounts involved as was given for 1976 in answer to a Parliamentary Question on 22nd April 1977.A number of other companies—mainly on the occasion of raising new money for investment—were told by the Treasury in 1977 that consent would be given subject to certain conditions when they came to declare their dividends, but the consents will fall in 1978.The Treasury has given release from the controls to 52 companies on grounds that their operations are almost wholly overseas under provisions first introduced with the Treasury announcement of 20th October 1975.The total number of companies involved is lower that the total number of consents given, as some companies have had two consents since 1st April 1973.The amount of total United Kingdom dividends for 1977 given in the table is not yet final.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action will be taken to ensure that no tax due from illegal immigrants who have been granted amnesty will be overlooked.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 548], gave the following information:This amnesty does not apply to tax. The tax affairs of illegal immigrants are subject to the same procedures as are applied to other immigrants.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give further consideration to exempting from liability to pay income tax on the income from a trust fund, the parents or guardians of a child or children for whose benefit a trust fund was set up, especially in those cases where the trust fund or funds consists entirely of monies donated by the public usually following some accident or incident; and if he will make a statement.

In these cases the income which is taxed is income of the trustees or the children—depending on the terms of the trust—and not of the parents or guardians. I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion that the income of a trust fund set up for the benefit of a child or children should be exempt from income tax in the particular case of a fund consisting of moneys donated by the public for the benefit of a child injured in an accident or similar incident.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in view of the fact that to every Member of the House of Lords the £16.50 a day tax-free allowance is worth £25 a day, that to the majority it is worth £25 to £47.14, and that to a large majority it is worth £47.14 to £90.06 on a taxed basis, why he will not make it taxable to all those in receipt of incomes above £4,000 per annum.

Because the principle that the holder of an unpaid office is not taxable in respect of any reasonable reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with the duties of his office is unaffected by the amount of the recipient's income from other sources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the next public expenditure White Paper will be published.

On Thursday 12th January.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer further to the answer to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South of 6th December 1977 by the Secretary of State for Social Services that the cost of child benefits in 1978–79 will be £1,650 million, what estimate he has made of how much of this sum will be clawed back in tax.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 539–40], gave the following informaton:Child benefits are not subject to tax.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Official letter of 11th June 1976, written by the Minister of State to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Melton regarding the stock-in-trade exemption under Section 16 of the Development Land Tax Act 1976 still represents the way in which the Development Land Tax Office will deal with liability to development land tax on commencement of a development where an earlier White Paper day planning permission has expired.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 16th December 1977; Vol. 941, c. 546], gave the following answer:Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has made any estimate of the number of divers who have left employment in the United Kingdom following the ruling that they cannot be treated as self-employed for tax purposes.

There is no clear evidence of any significant reduction on this account in the number of divers employed in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps were taken in 1977 by the Northamptonshire County Council to provide sites under the Caravan Sites Act 1968.

Early in the year the council informed the Department that it was actively considering the provision of two further sites. I understand that these plans are now in abeyance for financial reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was expended on scientific research and development in 1976 in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively.

Overall figures are not readily available in the form requested, but I will send the hon. Member a note of the main projects conducted in, or with special reference to, Scotland and Wales respectively. A high proportion of my Department's research work has results of equal application to all parts of the United Kingdom, though some is specifically related to the needs of either Scotland or Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to rationalise the law relating to public footpaths.

Following the statement of the Government's views in paragraph 53 of the White Paper on Sport and Recreation (Cmnd. 6200) about the scope for local initiatives to modify the existing networks of public paths, discussions were held with the interests concerned, and the Countryside Commission has undertaken a study of the problems involved, in order to identify any changes needed in the administrative or legislative framework. Ways are being examined of simplifying other parts of the law relating to public paths, including reviews of definitive maps of public rights of way.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost to public funds of maintaining public footpaths.

Local highway authorities are responsible for maintaining public footpaths in their area. Details of expenditure incurred are not held centrally by the Department, and I regret that the information sought by the hon. Member could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the expenditure by water authorities in connection with sending representatives to a water conference in Kyoto, Japan; what estimates are available for the total expenditure involved; and if he will make a statement.

I have received 13 letters, including seven from hon. Members, about proposed expenditure by three of the water authorities on sending representatives to the Kyoto conference in October 1978. The cost is estimated at £800-£1,000 for each delegate. I have not at this stage an estimate of the total cost of representation by the various organisations concerned in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will ask local authorities to disregard for rating purposes steps to improve energy conservation in private dwellings including the installation of double glazing in windows.

No. Rating assessments are the responsibility of valuation officers and are governed by statute.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the costs of the insulation of council houses over the next 10 years will come from (a) central Government, (b) local Government, (c) increased rents and (d) special charges to tenants.

Provision for expenditure on insulation will be made in the public expenditure estimates. Local authorities will be given loan sanction for approved expenditure, which will qualify for housing subsidy from central Government. Under the present subsidy system this will be at the rate of 66 per cent. of annual loan charges. It is a matter for individual authorities' discretion whether or not to increase rents or make any special charges to tenants to cover the balance of cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what expression of criticism he has received of his proposal to appoint a review board consisting entirely of building society representatives to consider appeals from applicants refused a mortgage; and if he will consider a majority of consumer representatives, as in the United States public review boards.

We have received one letter. I welcome the BSA's decision to set up

			South Yorkshire	West Yotkshire	Total
			£	£	£
Local authority lending	…	…	841,000	1,282,000	2,123,000
Section 105 allocation	…	…	1,155,000	1,947,000	3,102,000
Improvement grants	…	…	330,000	451,000	781,000

The total of some £6 million for South and West Yorkshire thus represents about 7 per cent. of the housing part of the additional resources to help the construction industry in the current financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a progress report on the Market Weighton bypass, the Howden bypass and the Driffield bypass.

I have been asked to reply.The justification for a bypass of Market Weighton is not yet clear. We will review the situation when a current study of the likely future traffic in North Humberside has been completed later this year.We hope to publish draft orders for the line of the Howden bypass and some necessary side road alterations in the spring.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the sums allocated to help the construction industry in the past two years, have gone to South-West Yorkshire.

I regret that complete information is not available in the form requested. However, it is possible to identify the provisional allocations made to South and West Yorkshire from the £30 million for housing improvements announced in May 1977 and from the DOE share—some £56 million—of the housing and new towns part of the £100 million announced in July 1977. Sums for projects in the two counties are as follows:The Driffield bypass is the responsibility of Humberside County Council as local highway authority. I understand that an early public local inquiry is being arranged into the council's compulsory purchase and side road orders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what legislation will be necessary before industrial final storage sites for high-level radioactive nuclear waste can be prepared and the corresponding installations constructed;(2) what legislation will be necessary before experimental storage sites for high-level radioactive waste can be prepared and the corresponding installations constructed.

I have been asked to reply.The White Paper "Nuclear Power and the Environment" (Cmnd. 6820) describes the new joint responsibility of myself and my right hon. Friends and Secretary of State for the Environment and the Secretary of State for Wales, for radioactive waste management policy. Paragraph 15 of the White Paper said that consideration was being given to the question whether further statutory powers in addition to, for example, those in the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 would be necessary to help in the carrying out of this responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials within his Department are engaged on disarmament matters.

12 staff, Service and Civil Service, are currently engaged directly on this work in the Ministry of Defence; in addition, others number it among their responsibilities and Ministry of Defence staff serve with relevant United Kingdom delegations abroad.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many courts martial have taken place since the implementation of the provisions of the current Armed Forces Act; and how this compares with the number which took place in the corresponding period in the previous year.

The main provisions of the Armed Forces Act 1976 relating to the trial and punishment of offences came into effect on 1st July 1977. Between 1st July and 30th November 1977 there were 366 courts martial, as compared with 603 in the corresponding period of 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence, if he is satisfied with the operation of the health and safety regulations in regard to stripping off lagging in Her Majesty's dockyards.

The work of stripping off lagging in Her Majesty's dockyards is carried out in accordance with the comprehensive health and safety precautions laid down in Defence Council Instructions. I am satisfied that these precautions, which embody statutory requirements, including the Asbestos Regulations 1969 and the Shipbuilding and Shiprepairing Regulations 1960, provide adequate protection for workers engaged in the stripping of lagging. They are strictly enforced.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if any blue asbestos lagging or insulation is currently in use in Her Majesty's ships.

Crocidolite, the blue asbestos, has not been supplied for use in Her Majesty's ships since 1966, when the hazards associated with it became known. There is still an occasional requirement to remove it from some of the older ships during refits to enable surveys, repairs or modifications to be carried out. Appropriate precautions are taken on such occasions.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in view of the recent work of Professor Irving Selikoff, Director of the Environmental Sciences Laboratory at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, in medically examining workers from the navy yard at Groton, Connecticut, United States of America, if he will advise present and former employees of Her Majesty's Dockyards to be checked for asbestosis.

An intensive research and surveillance programme of all dockyard employees and Service personnel who are or have been exposed to asbestos has been carried out since 1965 by specialist medical officers of the Royal Navy. Part of this work has been in conjunction with the Medical Research Council, the Pneumoconiosis Research Unit and latterly with the Employment Medical Advisory Service Survey. This effort has been backed up by a comprehensive health education programme and by articles in the dockyard newspapers and the local Press. I am satisfied that adequate publicity has been given to encourage those who may have been exposed to asbestos to seek medical advice.The work of Professor Selikoff in this field over the years is, of course, well known to us.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many houses owned by his Department in the Hemel Hempstead constituency are empty because they are surplus to requirements; what plans he has for their disposal; and whether he will make a statement.

None.

asked thet Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish details of visits to the Armed Forces in

My Friends the hon. Members for:
Kingston upon Hull, Central (Mr. McNamara)				…	11th to 12th January
West Stirlingshire (Mr. Canavan)		…	…	…
Leeds, South-East (Mr. Cohen)		…	…	…
Brigg and Scunthorpe (Mr. Ellis)		…	…	…
Dearne Valley (Mr. Wainwright)		…	…	…
Bethnal Green and Bow (Mr. Mikardo)			…	…	19th March
Hayes and Harlington (Mr. Sandelson)			…	…	29th to 30th March (as members of the Defence and External Affairs Sub-Committee)
East Kilbride (Dr. Miller)	…	…	…	…
Hornchurch (Mr. Williams)		…	…	…	5th to 6th September

No members of the Parliamentary Liberal Party visited the Armed Forces in the Province last year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total value of obsolete military equipment sold in each of the last three years; and how the sums received compare with the purchase prices of the equipment.

The receipts from sales of equipment and stores surplus to the requirements of all three Services during the last three financial years were:

	£ million
1974–75	12·75
1975–76	14·80
1976–77	19·30

The majority of items sold were old and at the end of their useful life with the Services. It is not practicable to give any comparison between these sales receipts and the purchase prices of the equipment.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the total obsolete military equipment sold in each of the last three years has been sold at home; and what percentage abroad, and to which countries. Northern Ireland by Defence Ministers, Back-Bench Members of the Parliamentary Labour Party and Members of the Parliamentary Liberal Party in 1977.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Defence, visited the Armed Forces in Northern Ireland on 22nd July and 25th February 1977 respectively and I made visits on 16th March, 14th-15th July and 21st December. The following Back Bench Members of the Parliamentary Labour Party also made visits:

Expressed as percentages of receipts from sales of equipment and stores surplus to the requirements of all three Services the figures are:

	At Home approximate percentage	Abroad approximate percentage
1974–75	82	18
1975–76	74	26
1976–77	67	33

The sales at home were made to commercial firms. Sales abroad include those made direct to overseas Governments and those made from British forces based overseas to commercial firms. It is not the practice to identify overseas Governments to which sales are made.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the military equipment which has become obsolete in each of the last three years was sold (a) for military use, (b) for civil use, and (c) for scrap; and what percentage was scrapped without reimbursement.

Expressed as percentages of receipts from sales of equipment and stores surplus to the requirements of all three Services the figures are:

	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77
			Per cent
Military use	6	10	18
Civil use	63	73	64
Scrap	31	17	18

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the reductions in the Defence Vote following the disbandment of Army youth teams on 1st April 1978.

The annual saving to Defence Votes resulting from the disbandment of the Army youth teams will be about £500,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will be able to announce his decision shortly about the A4000 in Ealing in order to avoid continuing blight to the area.

The A4000 in Ealing is the responsibility of the Greater London Council. The Department has two trunk road proposals affecting this route.Proposals for the improvement of the junction of Western Avenue (Trunk Road A40) and A4000 are currently being considered in conjunction with the GLC and the London borough of Ealing.Proposals for the improvement of the North Circular Road (Trunk Road A406) between Gunnersbury Lane A4000 and Western Avenue are expected to be the subject of public consultation towards the end of 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many houses in the Hemel Hempstead constituency have been acquired by the Departments of the Environment and Transport in each of the last five years; how many are currently empty; how many are currently leased; and whether he will make a statement.

The Department of the Environment and, since its formation in 1976, the Department of Transport, have acquired properties in the last five years as follows:

1973	Nil
1974	1
1975	2
1976	Nil
1977	1

These properties are let. They were acquired at the request of owners, under the blight provisions of the Town and Country Planning Acts, as they were affected by the proposals for the Kings Langley bypass. Ownership of those acquired before 1976 was transferred from the Department of the Environment to the Department of Transport under the Secretary of State for Transport Order 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many conversions from large to mini roundabouts at road junctions have been introduced in Essex on roads for which he is responsible; and how many of the increased accidents relate to these conversions.

Two sites on the A12 in Essex were converted from large to mini roundabouts during 1972. The stretch of A12 road concerned was detrunked in December 1974 and is now the responsibility of the Essex County Council.The following information has been extracted from the recent report—LR 774—published by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory:

INJURY ACCIDENTS DURING THE PERIOD AFTER CONVERSION TO MINI-ROUNDABOUTS
	Actual	Expected*
COLCHESTER
A12/A134 (August 1972-December 1974)	43	14
COLCHESTER
A12/A133 (July 1971-December 1974)	15	18
* Estimated from relevant national trends in numbers of accidents over the same periods.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report details of the number of accidents and the number and percentage of fatal accidents at road junctions where conversions have taken place from large to mini roundabouts.

The following information has been extracted from the recent report—LR 774—published by the Transport

INJURY ACCIDENTS IN 30–40 MILES PER HOUR SPEED LIMIT AREAS AT JUNCTIONS CONVERTED FROM A LARGE ROUNDABOUT TO A MINI-ROUNDABOUT (ENGLAND AND WALES)
								Number of sites	Number of accidents after conversion*
									Actual	Expected†
Fatal or serious accidents‡				…	…	…	…	25	73	24
All injury§	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	26	296	155
* The individual sites were modified at a number of different dates between 1970 and 1974. The total accidents shown here cover a variety of periods of time.
† Estimated from relevant national trends in numbers of accidents over the same periods.
‡ Excludes 3-arm junctions but includes two multiple island junctions.
§ Excludes 3-arm junctions but includes three multiple island junctions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of official journeys civil servants of his Department made in each quarter of 1976 and the first three quarters of 1977, by each quarter, between the United Kingdom

			Department of Employment	Employment Service Agency	Training Services Agency	Manpower Services Commission	Health and Safety Executive
1976
January to March		…	30	2	12	3	50
April to June	…	…	37	Nil	10	2	65
July to September		…	19	2	3	2	54
October to December			29	4	17	1	87
1977
January to March		…	29	2	6	1977	78
April to June	…	…	28	4	11	Not available	78
July to September		…	10	4	2		45
Total	…	…	182	18	61	8	457

The majority of departmental visits involve one overnight stay.It is not possible to distinguish actual costs of EEC visits from costs of other overseas visits without undue expenditure of time. But as an estimate the figure of £120 per overnight visit may be used. Depending upon the nature of particular visits, certain costs are refunded by the Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the advertising and public relations budget of the Manpower Services Commission since its creation, together with the estimated budget for 1977–78.

Following are the number of journeys made by officials of the Department of Employment group during 1976 and the first three quarters of 1977:

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that expenditure on public relations and advertising since its creation was as follows:

Financial year	Amount
	£ million
74–75	0·04
75–76	2·2
76–77	2·6

In 1974–75 publicity and advertising services were provided by the Central Office of Information on an allied service basis. From 1975–76 most of the expenditure shown above has been incurred by the Central Office of Information on a repayment basis. The figures are actual prices prevailing throughout the years.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those public relations companies presently employed by the Manpower Services Commission.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that no public relations companies are presently employed by the Manpower Services Commission or its agencies. Marketing, advertising and PR is carried out internally by MSC staff and substantial help is provided by the Central Office of Information on a repayment basis. Three advertising agencies are currently engaged on contracts, namely, Royds Ltd., which places advertising for the Professional and Executive Recruitment and the Employment Service Agency, Lintas, which places advertising for TSA and Saatchi and Saatchi Garland Compton Ltd. which is currently working on the special programmes. These contracts are arranged through the Central Office of Information.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the Form DPL 13 describing the fares-to-work scheme for disabled people was last revised.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that Form DPL. 13 was first printed in May 1977 and has been revised once, in September 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what publicity has been given to the latest edition of the form describing the fares-to-work scheme for disabled people; and how many copies of the form have been circulated outside his Department and the Employment Services Agency and Training Services Agency.